Was the concept of homosexual orientation unknown in Bible times?
Did the biblical authors not have the category of homosexual orientation, so aren't they talking about something different than we are? If sexual orientation refers to a pattern of sexual interest and arousal, then the Bible is actually quite explicit about this. In Romans 1, for example, Paul addressed not only men who have unnatural relations with men and women who have unnatural relations with women, but also those who burn with same-sex passions toward one another. This language reflects sexual preference and a pattern of sexual arousal that corresponds with the modern concept of sexual orientation. Furthermore, the Bible recognizes something even more fundamental than a sexual orientation-it recognizes a sinful orientation. Scripture communicates that every single human being is born with a sinful orientation. We all have a pattern of interest, ambitions, and temptations unique to us. Further, every single human being who has experienced puberty has a sexual orienta...