08/15/09

Homosexuality, the Bible and Science

Author: Roger Barrier

Hi Roger,
What would you say to someone who states that they can't help their homosexuality? Someone who believes that they were born that way and that they can't help the way they feel. I'm always at a loss for words when this comes up and I don't know exactly where to point them in scripture. Thanks, “L”

Dear “L”,
Your question about homosexuality is by far the most often asked “Ask Roger question”. It is a complex question—not an easy one to answer because of all the perspectives and complexities involved. It might not be a bad time to take a moment and pray for God to give you wisdom, truth, and insight as you consider the different facets of homosexuality which we will discuss momentarily.

I was speaking on homosexuality to an adult Bible study composed of about fifty adults. Several people got on their, “high horses, and began to express their intolerance for homosexual behavior and certainly no tolerance for those involved in the lifestyle. As they saw it, homosexuality was a choice and those involved could choose to unchoose it if they wanted to. They needed to confess their sin, repent of their behavior and “get right” with God.
As these people spoke, I glanced at a woman who was crying quietly.
“You are struggling with what they’re saying, aren’t you?”
“Yes. One of my sons is gay.”
“I am sorry. I know this subject is very painful for you, isn’t it.”
“Yes.”

No one said a word. It is one thing to criticize in the theoretical abstract. It is quite another when it is your own son or daughter.

Everyone in the group was immediately experiencing the parable of the Good Samaritan. As long as the homosexual by the roadside is just a “certain man,” it is easy to pass by. But when we pull back the covers and see a human being, cut and bleeding to death, it is hard to pass on by. As long as the people mentioned above could put homosexuals in categories, it was easy to pass by. But when they finally got down off their donkeys and saw a man “bleeding to death”, it was impossible to pass by with self-satisfied, hard-hearted arrogance.

As we approach the subject of homosexuality, let’s first examine the Biblical material, then consider some scientific discoveries and finally finish up with some “take aways” to help us reach our own conclusions on how to handle this subject both spiritually and scientifically.

There are two passages we must consider. The first is 1 Corinthians 6:9-11: “Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

Notice that at one time these Corinthian Christians walked in every category of sin mentioned above. While some were washed, sanctified, justified and ready to inherit the Kingdom of God, many others remained unfit for the Kingdom. While all of the sins mentioned are devastating, we Christians must be especially vigilant to avoid focusing on homosexuality to the exclusion of the other sins. Those involved in any one of these sinful activities can have find forgiveness and restoration with God by repentance, confession and the shed of blood of Jesus Christ. From this passage we learn that homosexuality is a sinful affront to God like many other sins.

The second passage describes God’s judgment on a world which has rejected Him. There is a time when God finally removes Himself from a society and abandons it to its own degradation and sin. At this point a morally degenerate society is considered to be under the judgment of God. Paul observes in Romans 1:24-27: “Therefore, God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. … Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.”

Sinful desires is the Greek word, Epithumia, which described a “reaching out after pleasure that defies all reason.” It’s like Paul was saying, “What in the world are they doing!!?” Paul avoided using the normal word for “women” and chooses to use the word for a female animal (thelus). He also avoids using the normal word for male (anthropos or aner) and chooses to use the word for a male animal (arosen). We might expect the males to break out like this—but not the females—and the females are leading the pack! Paul described homosexuality as using one’s body in an unnatural way—against nature. A look at one’s sexual apparatus should convince anyone that practices of this kind are not normal. They were not meant to be.

Paul pictures a society which has turned their backs on God and He has turned them loose to act like animals. The epitome of their descent into Hell is unashamed and relentless perverted sexual activity (pornea). We need not look far to see our own society under the judgment of God.

Hopefully, I have given a simple but fairly accurate rendition of the major Biblical passages regarding homosexuality. Let’s now overview some of the current scientific research rinto the hows and whys of homosexuality. First, let me give a simple explanation of what genes are and how they work.
The nucleus of every human cell contains twenty-three-paired chromosomes—forty six in all. In each pair one comes from the father and one from the mother. A chromosome is essentially a long-twisted “double helix” that if stretched out would be over twenty feet long. Genes are located on the “double helix” or chromosome. Most all of the DNA which makes up the “double helix” is called “Junk DNA.” It is like a sentence made up of gibberish. However, occasionally a “word” or “sentence” “pops out” of the “Junk DNA and makes sense. That “word” or “sentence” is a gene.

It is now clearly determined (mostly from twin studies) that genes do not fatalistically determine our personally, brain chemistry or physical appearance. Environment and personal interactions both in and out of the womb—especially during our first six years—work to turn some genes on and others off—and vice versa. The same genetic make up, in different environments causes different genes to turn on. This is true of genes with a propensity toward homosexuality.

For example, the gene for Huntington’s disease is devastating as it turns the brain to mush around the age of fifty. The Huntington’s gene contains numerous genetic repeats. Less than thirty-four repeats and the gene will not express itself; however, anything over thirty-four repeats means that the gene will turn on with murderous results. The more repeats the younger the age at which the gene expresses itself. Eye color is another example. Genes for eye color will turn on no matter what is occurring their environment. Eye color genes are genetically “locked in” and will result in predetermined eye colors.

Some genes are not destined to turn on. They only express themselves when acted upon by things in the environment around them. Schizophrenia has many causes with many shades and levels of expression. There is no one particular gene which produces this mental disorder. However, it seems that the right combination of certain sets of genes is predetermined to produce schizophrenia. On the other hand, some people have a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia which will only occur if turned on off by a variety of related environmental factors. If mom contracts a certain virus during the fourth month of pregnancy this mental disorder will occur. There is an exaggerated possibility of these genes turning on if the child suffers extensive abuse or neglect during the first five years of life. It is highly unlikely that the same child, growing up in a warm and loving environment, will suffer this malady. The list of genes which express themselves in particular environmental settings—or not—is expanding rapidly.

Scientific research is producing more and more evidence that the gay lifestyle is certainly more than just a choice. In some individuals homosexuality may very well be hard wired into both the anatomical and chemical make up of their brains. On the other hand, others with only a genetic disposition for homosexuality will become normally heterosexual if those environmental influences are absent.

The anatomy of the homosexual brains is slightly different from heterosexual brains. For example, the hypothalamus of the homosexual brain is about 2/3 the size of a heterosexual one. Research is now underway to discern if the hypothalamus is consistently smaller because of  genetic reasons or if perhaps, continual homosexual activity shrinks the hypothalamus!

The thickness of the Corpus Callosum, a web of neurological bundles, which sends interacting signals between the left and right sides of the brain, for homosexuals is midway in size between heterosexual male and female sizes. Females are well connected in using both halves of the brain simultaneously. Males have many fewer connections which results in scores of differences between men and women. Homosexual brains have a connecting nerve count half-way between both.

The tendency to be homosexual or heterosexual is influenced by the amount of testosterone produced in mother’s womb during pregnancy. With each succeeding male child, mom produces less and less testosterone—this probably has to do with mom’s genetic immune system reacting to each new male child. Every male child born to mom has less testosterone available than the brother before. This means that the third-born male with a genetic disposition to homosexuality has a slightly increased chance of becoming a homosexual—3% to 4%.

By the way, as a general rule, each successive son born to mom statistically has less birth weight than the brothers born earlier. There is a direct correlation between low-birth weight and the propensity toward homosexuality.

By the way, males can get an approximate value onf the amount of testosterone present in mother’s womb during their prenatal days by measuring the proportionate size between their ring and index fingers. The shorter the index finger is in proportion to the ring finger, the less testosterone was mother’s womb—and the more tendency to be homosexual.

Don’t get me wrong. Homosexual behavior is a sin at any level. To those with homosexual leanings, God says, “Control yourself!” No one can close the spiritual gap from where they are to an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ while acting out homosexual behavior. Neither can heterosexuals who are involved in sexual behaviors outside of marriage. God says to them as well, “Control yourself!” We will never close the spiritual gap from where we are to an intimate relationship with Christ while involved in heterosexual behavior outside of marriage.”

As we try to synthesize our own personal understandings of applying Biblical truth to the homosexual issue, let me share some of what I call, “Take Aways,” or thoughts you might consider as you reach your own conclusions regarding this subject.

1. Protect the children.

Diversity is a great thing; but there is no law that your young child has to learn to read from stories or books glorifying or validating the homosexual lifestyle.

2. God encourages us to discover His truths wherever they may be found.

Historically, the Church has trouble handling scientific truth. We don’t know what to do with it. Scientific truth threatens us. We often fear that the discoveries might counter Biblical teachings and perhaps ruin our faith. So we handle our fears by simply dismissing the discoveries or by refusing to deal with them. We will do well to remember Proverb 25:2: “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.” This verse gives us the impetus to learn all we can about our marvelous God-created universe. We must be careful that we don’t handicap our young people from searching and discovering. We need to champion our youth to uncover the beauties of our universe.

3. How we Christians handle the homosexual issues currently raging in our society is critical.

We must speak God’s truths with clarity, wisdom and authority. Too many Christians are stuttering as they attempt to answer the questions and deal intelligently with their friends and associates as they discuss homosexuality. Integrating scientific findings concerning homosexuality into our understanding of Biblical truth is difficult to say the least. However, we don’t need another episode where the Church asks Galileo to renounce his scientific research revelaing that the earth moves around the sun and not vice-versa. We must speak intelligently and clearly to our Non-Christian society.

4. Pray for repentance throughout our nation.

God promised in 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 to remove the national downward spiral of a morally and spiritual corrupt society if enough of His children dedicate themselves to prayer, repentance, and revival in the land: "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

5. Parents of homosexuals please be at peace. You did not cause your child’s homosexuality, nor are you responsible for “fixing” it.

There was once a widespread belief that homosexuality was the result of overbearing, controlling mothers and distant, uninvolved fathers. This is not true. Studies reveal that dads tend to shy away from their homosexual sons because they are often “unmanly”. Mom then becomes overprotective of her “rejected” son. This parental pattern is most likely the result of homosexuality and not the cause of it.

6. Beware of succumbing to either the Naturalistic or Moralistic Fallacies.

The Naturalistic Fallacy declares: “This is the way things are; therefore, this is the way things (behaviors, morals, ethics, etc.) ought to be. For example, “I was born homosexual; therefore, my sexual orientation is OK. This like saying, “I was born with MS; therefore, it is OK.”

The Moralistic Fallacy declares, “This is the way things (behaviors, morals, ethics, etc.) ought to be; therefore, this is the way they are. For example, “The homosexual lifestyle ought to be a matter of choice; therefore, it is.

7. Let’s stop yelling, “Stop it” at the “homosexuals” in our society.

Yelling, “Stop it!” is more a judgmental affront than a prophetic word from God. Few “homosexuals” ever give their lives to Christ because someone yelled, “Stop it!” (Nineveh not withstanding!). As far as we know, Jesus never yelled “Stop it” to the sinners; He yelled, “Stop it” to the religious leaders who put stumbling blocks for others along their road to the Kingdom of God. Jesus had compassion for the folks who were stumbling. We will turn this society around only when we love and demonstrate a better set of values than those of our decaying culture.

8. The proper Christian response to homosexual individuals is to have the same love and compassion for them as we do for everyone else.

Folks in the Gay and Lesbian community have the same needs for love, affection, comfort, acceptance, affirmation, security, encouragement and respect as every one else. Like heterosexuals, homosexuals need Jesus as their Savior, too.

9. Do scientific research of your own.

I have utilized a variety of resources in preparing my “answer” to the homosexual issue. I personally do not have all the answers—in fact, I have more questions than answers. But, I am really enjoying the search for universal truths. Libraries and bookstores are overflowing with up-to-date information relating to homosexuality, genes, brains, mental disorders. Go get some and do your own research. Let me share with you books to get you started.
Genome by Matt Ridley
Nature via Nurture by Matt Ridley
Mapping the Mind by Rita Carter

10. Be at peace. Our faith rests on the resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15)—not on how we interpret 1 Corinthians six or Romans one.

Our faith is not based on how we decipher recent scientific evidence regarding genes, choices and sexual orientation. God promises that we won’t understand everything on this earth any way! On the other hand, He does promise that in Heaven all secrets will be unveiled. I often wonder how little of how we imagined things to be will be that way after all!

I was having lunch with a Christian doctor friend of mine who is well versed in both Christianity and the genetic, chemical and environmental issues regarding homosexuals. We were discussing the complexities of Romans one and homosexual genetics when my friend said, “This means that it is time for us to get ‘off our high horses’ and let God be the Judge. We need to enter this arena with love and compassion! We know we are called to do that.”

Amen!

In his book, Let Me Tell You A Story,  Tony Compolo shared a story that gives a compassionate understanding from Jesus’ perspective on the subject of homosexuality. I hope it touches your heart like it touches mine.
The local undertaker in Brooklyn called a pastor friend and said that he had a funeral that no one else wanted to do because the guy had died of aids. So this pastor took the funeral. What was it like? Let's let the pastor describe it in his own words.

It was weird.  When I got there, there were about 25 to 30 homosexuals sat there frozen with their hands on their laps.  Their eyes were riveted straight ahead. I read some scriptures and prayed some prayers.  The funeral was over; we got in some automobiles; we drove out to the cemetery.  We watched as the casket was lowered into the hole. Once again I read scriptures and prayed.
I said the benediction and turned to leave, but, none of the homosexual men budged.

“Is there anything else I can do?”

“Yeah, there's something else you can do. I haven't been to church for years. Actually I was looking forward to the funeral because I always loved to hear them read the 23rd Psalm. Pastor, you didn't read the 23rd Psalm. Would you read the 23rd Psalm?”
I read the 23rd Psalm.
When I finished another man said, “There is a passage in the Book of Romans and it says that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Do you know that passage?”
I read to this these homosexual men, “Nothing can separate you from the love of God...neither height, nor depth, nor things present, nor things past, nor principalities, nor powers, nothing...nothing can separate you from the love of God...nothing can separate you from the love of God.”
"I stood by the grave reading these homosexual men passages upon request for over an hour."

Campolo closes the story with an epilog:

That story and makes us want to cry because there are people who are hungry for the Word of God who would never set foot inside the church because they believe that the church despises them—and they are right.
You say, "Are you approving of a homosexual lifestyle?" Certainly not!!  Neither do I approve of a heterosexual lifestyle of sex outside of marriage.
All I am saying is that it is about time we started loving the people that nobody else loves?

“Well, “L”, I hope my answer is helpful as you sort out some of the issues and draw your own conclusions. I’m sure that some people will tell you that they have figured it all out; however, I doubt that they do. Thanks for asking your question. I know many Christians, just like you, want to handle this subject Biblically, intellectually, truthfully and compassionately.

Love, Roger