What does the Bible say about gay people?
The Bible says they are sinners just like everyone else. No exceptions. The Bible plainly condemns homosexuality: In Leviticus 18:22 "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination". But it doesn't say anything about gay people.AnswerFirst of all, the Bible doesn't identify people as homosexual. It identifies their behavior, and does not use the words gay or homosexual; however it does describe homosexual behavior.The Bible clearly indicates that people who practice homosexuality are in sin, but that the way is open for them, as for other sinners, to turn from their sin and be forgiven if they trust in Christ's sacrifice as payment for their sins. In Leviticus 18:22 we read:Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind; it is abomination.AnswerHomosexuality and the bible. First the Bible doesn't ever mention Homosexuality as a sin or Homosexuals being "in sin" as indicated above. The two main and most commonly quoted scriptures used to "prove" that homosexuality is a sin are (as listed above) Leviticus 18:22 and Leviticus 20:13.Leviticus 18:22 You shall not lie with man as one lies with woman; this is an abomination.Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they should surely be put to death.First I have to point out that, The Holiness Code was written primarily as a ritual for Israel's priest. Christians today are not bound by the rules and ritual described in Leviticus. This is stated in Galatians 3:22-2522: But the scriptures has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.23: But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed24: Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under tutor.If Christians today insist on using this passage to condemn homosexuality, then they are also bound by the other rules and rituals described in Leviticus.Among other things, the Holiness Code of Leviticus prohibits1. Sexual intercourse during a woman's menstrual cycle2. Tattoos3. Wearing certain types of jewelry4. Eating certain kinds of meat5. Wearing clothing made from blended textiles (Cotton-Polyester blend)6. Cross breeding Livestock7 Sowing a field with mixed seeds8. Eating or touching the dead flesh of pigs, rabbits, & some forms of seafood9. Men cutting their hair or shaving their beards.The Holiness Code also endorses Polygamy (man having more than one wife at a time) and requires that Saturday be reserved as the Sabbath, it is unfair to use these passages to condemn homosexuality, while ignoring the fact that most Christians do not follow the rest of the rules and rituals outlined in the Holiness Code of Leviticus.It should also be noted that the word "Abomination" was translated from the Hebrew word "toevah" and means something found detestable by God because it is unclean, disloyal, or unjust. The term abomination is generally associated with Idolatry and the Canaanite religious practice of cult prostitution. (Ezekiel) Given toevah's strong association with cult prostitution it is unlikely that this passage applies to loving responsible homosexual relationships.And in Romans 126 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.Romans 1;26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their woman exchanged natural (physin) relations for unnatural (para physin) ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural (physin) relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another.In the preceding passage the Greek words physin and paraphysin have been translated as natural and unnatural (respectively). Contrary to popular belief, the word paraphysin does NOT mean "to go against the laws of nature", but rather implies action which is uncharacteristic for that person. An example of the word paraphysin is used in Romans 11:24 where God acts in an uncharacteristic (paraphysin) way to accept the Gentiles. When the scripture is understood correctly, it seems to imply that it would be unnatural for heterosexuals to live as homosexuals, and for homosexuals to live as heterosexuals.In 1Timothy 1, homosexuals are equated with lawless, disobedient, ungodly, sinners, murderers, kidnappers and liars.And in 1 Corinthians 6, they are described as among the unrighteous, such as fornicators, idolators, adulterers, effeminate, thieves, drunkards, covetous, revilers, extortioners, who will not inherit the kingdom of God.But it further states, speaking to Christians "And such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."1 Corinthians 6:9 & 1 Timothy 1:10"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolater's, nor adulterer's, nor effiminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 6:9 KJVFor Whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mannkind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; 1 Timothy 1:1 KJVThere are two words which appear to have been mistranslated, Malakee (effeminate) which appears in 1 Corinthians, and arsenokeetah (abusers of themselves with mankind) which appears in both 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy.The Greek term malakee (effeminate) is used elsewhere in the Bible to mean someone who lacks discipline or one who is morally weak, and never is it used in reference to sexuality or gender. It wasn't until 1946 that malakee was given a sexual connotation when it was translated to mean "sexual perverts" in the Revised Standard Version.The second term arsenokeeteh literally means "male-active-bed". Unfortunately, arsenokeeteh has been interpreted by some to mean homosexual. The term arsenokeeteh is obscure, as evidenced by the variety of interpretations it has been assigned throughout history (including "people with infamous habits", and "child molesters") If Paul was addressing male homosexuality why did he choose such an obscure word when there were Greek words that were more commonly used to describe homosexual behavior? Given Paul's concern with temple prostitution, wouldn't it make more sense to assume that "male-active-bed" was a reference to the male cult prostitution that was prevelant in Greco-Roman culture then?
