God did not create a man for a man to be married, nor did he create a woman for a woman to be married; for anatomically, neither could properly become the “one flesh” that is symbolically manifested through sexual intercourse. Since acts of homosexuality are basically distortions of this pre-fall image, I think it should be avoided, whether it is spelled out as sinful or not.

Genesis’ Eden Story presents us a picture of men and women as the final, crowning jewel of creation, ordered by G-d to ‘be fruitful and multiply’ and to ‘subdue the earth’. The key to this is procreation through heterosexual intercourse.

When the Jewish faith and the nation of Israel was coming into being thousands of years ago, people’s lives were high risk. Many babies (and women!) died in childbirth. Many young men died in endless battling and wars. Young nations were under constant attack from neighboring groups who wanted their wealth, resources, land etc.

It was vital that Israelites fulfill the role within society of making more Israelites! Obviously, homosexual sex can have no place in a model of intimacy constructed almost exclusively around procreation.

To this day, there are two major ripples which stem from this which we still see today not only in christian society, but in society at large.

1) Everyone is assumed to want to get married and have children. People who get married are assumed to be trying to have children. Women who do not have children (either by choice or through malady or lack of opportunity) are pitied by women who do have children.

2) Society fears homosexuality as somehow inherently dangerous, as a “distortion” of what is “intended”.

A third ripple felt generally only in christian circles is a vague uneasiness with the notion of sex being fun. Sex is supposed to be for the purpose of procreation. Sexual recreation, even within the context of a marriage, is frowned upon in all but the most progressive congregations.

I think your last sentence quoted above really sums up what I see as the problem for the modern church. The notion that homosexually is “wrong” is so ingrained, we feel a need to condemn and shun it even if we can’t actually find a way to get Scripture to back up this position. Basically, it has become habit, and it is a very old habit, and so it is a habit we do not want to break. Habits that old feel “natural” rather than habitual.

It is natural for my dog to lash out and bite when threatened, but that doesn’t mean I am going to let him bite the landlord or the postman. I have to train the dog to break that ancient habit and to trust me to know when there is danger and when there is not.

I have no idea if G-d abhors homosexual sex or not. But I do know a lot of things that it is quite clear G-d abhors. Suffering, war, injustice, disharmony and abuse.

Why are we so obsessed with homosexuality?

~jhimm
—
it’s smarter to be lucky
than
it’s lucky to be smart.