From: crawford@ben.dev.upenn.edu (Lauren L. Crawford)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Homosexuality and the so-called "Christian biblical stance."
Date: 24 Jul 92 06:46:41 GMT
Organization: University of Pennsylvania

In article <Jul.22.02.14.54.1992.14757@dumas.rutgers.edu> smayo@wang.com (Scott Mayo) writes:
>It seems to me that the homosexuality question is not very interesting.
>The practice of homosexuality is listed as a blatant sin. I'd tell a
>homosexual, based on this, that he or she should avoid the practice of
>his inclination for this reason. I also note that Jesus supports the view
>that adultery is a sin, and extended it into my very thought-life: in as
>much as I have desired other women, some of them married, I'm an adulterer.
>I don't see that that's any better or worse than being a homosexual. The
>message we ought to be carrying into homosexual circles is not that they
>are damned for being homosexuals; folks, you get that just for being
>human. The message is that God wants us back, that he loves us and wants
>us to turn from "our little ways" - my adulterous thought-life, a
>practicing homosexual's sexuality, a hate-filled person's murderous
>thoughts, all of it. The message is also that God has made provision to
>forgive those who are willing to turn and be forgiven. If a homosexual takes
>such offense at being told that God wants him to supress his desires, that
>he rejects God, then he has rejected God and not much else can be done. Good

I would like to take this a step further.  I recently worked for an agency
, a Christian agency, that helped people struggling with homosexuality.
Their basic motto was, "If you're gay but unhappy and want out of the
lifestyle, there's hope and we'll help."  They don't prosylatize (sp?);
they're just there for whoever wants them.  

The way they approach the issue is this:  People aren't born gay.  
Homosexuality is a warping of what God intended.  Homosexuality is no
greater sin than any other; it is not the Big Taboo the fundamentalist
church sees it as.  In the Bible, it is listed in the same breath with
envy, lying, slander, gossip.  How many of us haven't done those things?
There's a big difference between feeling shame and feeling genuine
repentance.  People struggling with sexual sin generally also struggle
with shame, because their sin seems so much bigger and "dirtier" than
everybody else's.  This unfortunately has been fostered somewhat bu
some churches.  

This agency also doesn't tell people struggling with homosexuality
to "Just stop it."  Neither does it say, "Just accept it."  Either
option is seen as putting a band-aid on a huge wound.  What they do
is help people dig down and look at the factors that have contributed
to making them who they are.  They also help people discover who they
are in light of God's love and forgiveness and amazing, freeing grace.
They _don't_ offer quick fixes, easy answers, or blueprints because
there aren't any.  There's just the tough work of growth, and that
looks different for everyone.

This group isn't for people who are homosexual and content to be so.
It is for people who are homosexual (or bisexual) and believe God
to be directing them toward change and help.  

This agency -- called Harvest -- is affiliated with an umbrella group
out in California called Exodus.  There are a number of similar agencies
around the world.  For another Christian view on homosexuality, I
recommend contacting them.