I am not here to bash people's personal beliefs; I am not here to criticize a lifestyle that is a huge part of society in today's day and age. I am here because I have the right to an opinion and the right to express my opinion. The controversy that deals with gays and gay rights has been an up-and-coming discussion in the past few decades. Some argue that this lifestyle should not be legalized anywhere in America, while others argue saying every person has a right to be who he/she really is. I am not choosing one side over the other because I value many lives on both sides of the argument. I am going to explain my beliefs through the eyes of the Bible and leave you to decide the rest.
The struggle with sexuality is not an issue that has been introduced in the past 100 years or so; it goes back to 1446 B.C. It is addressed in the Bible multiple times in both the Old and New Testaments. Leviticus 18:22 reads, "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable." In this text, God is articulating what is considered to be an unlawful sexual relation. He considers it a sin along with lying, cheating, stealing, coveting, etc. Bringing up the topic of this type of sexual relation is not a way to target this community as a whole but bring into light that people of all backgrounds sin--no matter what the sin may be. Also mentioned in the New Testament, Romans 1:26-27 reads:
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way, the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
This specific text was written years later and to a different audience. It is evident that the interpretation of the text is extremely similar in the message that is attempting to be portrayed in Leviticus. God did not change his mind or create a new law because some felt uncomfortable. This shows that over time it is not the standards of society that are being molded but the people in the society that are molding to fit in or out of the standards.
As a human being, it is not my place to judge the decisions of others whether good or bad. I am not to sit on the sidelines to make glares and side comments because "that girl is not wearing the right color shoes with that outfit." Every living, breathing being on this planet has something to fix behind a smile--more or less to fix other people. We were born into sin; it is part of our genetic makeup. When you are saved by the grace of God you are no longer defined as a sinner, but still sin nevertheless. If someone chooses to make smoking a part of their lifestyle it is not our place to judge. If someone decides to define themselves as lesbian, gay, or bisexual it is not our place to judge. Romans 12:19 writes, "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord." I know this may sound violent or angry to some, so I will reiterate. Ultimately God is the one we turn to after our lives have ceased. It is the job of our Creator to denounce the wrongs we have committed in the past; it is just as a mother who corrects her child out of the love she has for them.
The God that I am writing about is not a God of anger; He is a God of love. 1 John 4:8 reads, "Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." God loves all regardless of what they think, what they do, or how they live. He loves because we are His creation. He tells us time and time again who and how to love. The answer to this question is very simple. Love endlessly. Love sacrificially. Love everyone because everyone deserves to be loved. God tells us to "love one another: just as I have loved you." It is not our place to choose who deserves what every person has a right to. It is our job to see that the world knows, no matter what sin they are in, there is a way out.
