Homosexuals blame God for their sin
Aldous Huxley, Famous Last Words (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum. Illustration from photograph © 1999 Greg Reeder. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Many people who experience same-sex attraction come to believe and adamantly claim that they were “born that way.” That would mean God intended for them to accept their homosexual orientation and adopt a gay identity, right?
The short answer is “No!” But clearly the reigning sentiment in our society is that homosexuality – attractions, orientation, identity and behavior – is genetic. In both news and entertainment programs this idea is often stated as fact, as something that all intelligent people believe.
One reason for this is the pressure applied by powerful special interest groups. The Wall Street Journal reported on August 12, 1993, that to suggest that current biological-cause theories are unsubstantiated is to risk one’s career. New York psychiatrist William Byne said, “I’m told my criticism is not politically correct…What they are saying, therefore, is that I should subjugate scientific rigor to political expediency.”
However, as Aldous Huxley said, “Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.” The fact is that no scientifically accepted, replicable studies presently exist that clearly demonstrate that homosexuality is genetic. On the other hand, both retrospective (looking backwards in time) and prospective (observation in real time) studies have discovered that shifts in desire, fantasy and behavior from same-sex toward opposite sex can occur, and that the attempt to make these changes is not inherently harmful. Unfortunately, these studies have not received the same level of media coverage as the flawed studies. (See General Question “What’s the ‘success rate’ in changing gays into straights” for links to information about current scientific research.)
Many reputable therapists believe that while genes may be predictive of behavior, environment and choicedetermine behavior. And the Bible bears this out. As Paul says, “We were dead in trespasses and sins, ….we are by nature children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:1-4). In other words, each of us may have certain sins to which we are more inclined than others. That is why the Bible is so clear that we need to be born again. Temptation will not automatically disappear when we place our trust in Christ, but we will have a new nature and a new power within to deal with the power of sin.
Those who want to insist on genetic determination are perpetuating a tragic myth and robbing those who genuinely want to turn from what they believe to be sin. While the world may argue and debate this issue, there are thousands among us today who can say, “One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25 NKJV). When you have been privileged to share abundant life with these men and women and have seen the joy in their eyes, when you have seen them achieve dreams they never thought possible, the false claims of special interest groups are easily exposed.
For a more thorough examination of this subject, refer to the following books, both of which are available through Exodus Books:
Homosexuality: The Use of Scientific Research in the Church’s Moral Debate by Stanton Jones and Mark Yarhouse, Intervarsity Press, 2000.
101 Frequently Asked Questions About Homosexuality by Mike Haley, Harvest House Publishers, 2004, pp 189-192.
Adapted from an article originally published in Homosexuality: Your Questions Answered, compiled by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission.
Author Bob Stith is the pastor of Carroll Baptist Church in Southlake, Texas. He has a bachelor’s degree from Samford University and an M.Div. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Bob has been involved in Exodus International for over 10 years. He has spoken at many churches and Exodus related events. He has also written several articles on the subject of homosexuality and the church. Bob is chairman of the board for Living Hope Ministries, an Exodus-affiliated ministry in Dallas-Fort Worth. Bob and his wife, Del, live in Southlake, Texas.
