Is Homosexuality a Choice?
Is being heterosexual a choice?
I’m heterosexual, and it is not a choice for me to become homosexual.
Seeing homosexual behavior by others is repulsive to me, and thinking of myself engaged in homosexual behavior is even more repulsive to me.
Is all this true of homosexuals?
Homosexuals tend not to be repulsed by witnessing heterosexual behavior in others, but do tend to be repulsed by the thought of engaging in heterosexual behavior themselves.
Can homosexuals choose to be heterosexual?
I don’t believe that to be the case, any more than I could choose to be homosexual.
Many Christians, however, believe that homosexuality is a choice.
So, should homosexuality be a crime punishable by death, such as still exists in parts of the world today?
No, because I believe that God loves all of his creations, including those who are homosexual, as heterosexual people should, too. (See my book Expert Giver—No Strings Attached, pages 109–113.)
Jesus never directly refers to the subject of homosexuality or even the word homosexuality.
Jesus does, however, mention avoiding sexual immorality in general, which in biblical terms included all sex outside of marriage—especially adultery, bestiality, incest, molestation, pedophilia, promiscuity, prostitution, and rape.
Sexual immorality can apply to both heterosexual and homosexual people.
Are most heterosexual people innocent of sexual immorality?
John 8:4-7 states:
“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” …. Jesus said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” (NLT)
Romans 13:8-10 states:
Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery, you must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet. These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. (NLT)
Jesus told us not to judge others.
Luke 6:37 states: “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you” (NLT).
Matthew 7:1-2 states: “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged” (NLT).
Who are we to judge?
Many Christians fail in this department.
Human beings don’t like being around other people who make them feel uncomfortable because they are different than themselves.
This includes heterosexual people who feel uncomfortable around homosexual people.
Some people feel uncomfortable around people of different races.
No person on Earth is perfect, so no one should judge anyone else.
Live and let live.
We don’t have to like everyone, but we are commanded by God to love them.
Thus, our love for them will replace our dislike.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
There are people who reject Christianity because of those heterosexual Christians who judge and do not love homosexuals.
If you avoid homosexual individuals, are you judging and being unloving toward them?
Are you then turning your brother away from God because you claim to represent God?
Is it your job or God’s job to address or correct those whom you judge as wrong?
Are you trying to play the role of God?
Here is something for homosexual people to consider who are or have been persecuted because of their sexual identity:
In Romans 13:14, Paul wrote about persecutors, “Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them” (NLT).
In 1 Corinthians 13:1-7, Paul wrote about love:
If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.…
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.…
Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. (NLT)