Bible Doctrine Pertaining to Gays

ChasKlu@aol.com ChasKlu@aol.com
Sun, 29 Nov 1998 11:03:59 EST (00912377039, 39ec988b.3661706f@aol.com) 

In a message dated 11/29/98 9:09:53 AM Eastern Standard Time,
assissi@yahoo.com writes, quoting with approval, a web site:

<< But Scripture never condemns homosexual behavior by itself. It is
 condemned when practicing idolatry or sacred prostitution. It is
 condemned when promoting promiscuity. It is condemned when forcing
 violent rape or seducing children. And it is condemned when violating
 a guests' right to dignity as a male. >>

Charlie
How does Leviticus 20:13, given in context below, limit itself to cases of
idolatry, prostitution, promiscuity, rape, children or guests?  It's a blanket
condemnation.  Note that *both* are said to have committed an abomination,
implying that it is not a one-sided situation as in rape, children or guests.
Nothing is mentioned about money changing hands either, nor about idols, nor
promiscuity.

Lev 20:1   The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
Lev 20:2   Say further to the people of Israel: Any of the people of
   Israel, or of the aliens who reside in Israel, who give any of their
   offspring to Molech shall be put to death; the people of the land shall
   stone them to death.
Lev 20:3   I myself will set my face against them, and will cut them off
   from the people, because they have given of their offspring to Molech,
   defiling my sanctuary and profaning my holy name.
Lev 20:4   And if the people of the land should ever close their eyes to
   them, when they give of their offspring to Molech, and do not put them
   to death,
Lev 20:5   I myself will set my face against them and against their family,
   and will cut them off from among their people, them and all who follow
   them in prostituting themselves to Molech.
Lev 20:6   If any turn to mediums and wizards, prostituting themselves to
   them, I will set my face against them, and will cut them off from the
   people.
Lev 20:7   Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am the LORD
   your God.
Lev 20:8   Keep my statutes, and observe them; I am the LORD; I sanctify
   you.
Lev 20:9   All who curse father or mother shall be put to death; having
   cursed father or mother, their blood is upon them.
Lev 20:10   If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both
   the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death.
Lev 20:11   The man who lies with his father's wife has uncovered his
   father's nakedness; both of them shall be put to death; their blood is
   upon them.
Lev 20:12   If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall be
   put to death; they have committed perversion, their blood is upon them.
Lev 20:13   If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have
   committed an abomination; they shall be put to death; their blood is
   upon them.
Lev 20:14   If a man takes a wife and her mother also, it is depravity;
   they shall be burned to death, both he and they, that there may be no
   depravity among you.
Lev 20:15   If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he shall be put
   to death; and you shall kill the animal.
Lev 20:16   If a woman approaches any animal and has sexual relations with
   it, you shall kill the woman and the animal; they shall be put to death,
   their blood is upon them.
Lev 20:17   If a man takes his sister, a daughter of his father or a
   daughter of his mother, and sees her nakedness, and she sees his
   nakedness, it is a disgrace, and they shall be cut off in the sight of
   their people; he has uncovered his sister's nakedness, he shall be
   subject to punishment.

The context of

 Rom 1:24   Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to
    impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves,
 Rom 1:25   because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and
    worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is
    blessed forever! Amen.
 Rom 1:26   For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions. Their
    women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural,
 Rom 1:27   and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse
    with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed
    shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due
    penalty for their error.
 Rom 1:28   And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them
    up to a debased mind and to things that should not be done.

rather than implying that the unnatural sex is part of the idolatry, rather
implies that the penchant for unnatural sex is God's punishment for other acts
which were considered idolatrous.

But again, Leviticus is definitely not related to any of the mentioned other
perversions, but condemned homosexuality by itself.