Recently, a book about sex education sparkled heated discussion in various groups. A parent in Hangzhou, while complaining against school giving elementary students a book including some rousing pictures about sex, uploaded the pictures online. The majority of people believed that such pictures were not acceptable.
Though sex education for elementary and middle school students has become common occurrence in the West, many Chinese lack the knowledge regarding sex and it is considered vulgar to talk about it in society. Teaching the right knowledge and concept of sex is effective in preventing sexual harms.
The book also talked about equality and stressed its importance several times, including the equality among people, between men and women, between heterosexual and homosexual. It emphasizes the importance of equality among people of different colors, nationalities and the equal rights of disabled people and the carriers of AIDS and homosexuals. It also encourages respect for difference and the protection of one's rights when violated and discriminated against. After the Hooliganism was canceled in 1997, society gradually accepted and approved of homosexuality and bisexuality and has done so for the past 20 years. Taiwan became the first place in Asia where same sex marriage is legal. Is it far from us? How should Christians perceive homosexuality and bisexuality?
1. The cause of homosexuality
The word "Homosexuality" started to appear in the dictionary in the 20th century. Though it is not found in the Bible, the Bible speaks clearly against it. Some people say that while the Bible seems to speak against homosexuals, it does not speak against the act of homosexuality. They argue that as long as their homosexual tendency is developed in their childhood or from the womb, they did not make the choice by themselves, so they should not be counted as sinners. They believe that it is expanding the biblical concept of marriage if they keep the practice of monogamy.
People have not reached the consensus regarding the real cause for homosexuality. Those against it believe it is a learned bad habit, while others contend that it is due to one's biological structure. Over the years, people have discovered three types of causes for homosexuality, which includes biological, psychological and environmental reasons.
1. The biological reason: Some medical research found out recently that homosexuals differ from others in their biological structure, such as in their genes and the structure of brains etc. As a result, it may affect their sexual tendency.
2. The psychological reason: Experts point out that man's sexual orientation is decided in childhood. It is normal for people to have interest in the same sex when they begin to explore their own body and when there are more people of the same sex around them.
3. The environmental reason: People believe circumstances in one's environment may have caused homosexuality such as being in an environment with only people from the same sex, being in a broken family or due to pressures from teachers or guardians.
2. Biblical perspective
God created man in such a way that he may find completeness through sexual union with the opposite sex in marriage. Because homosexuals cannot create because of their difference in sex when they have sexual union, they cannot be a couple. Though the Old Testament condemns the strange relationship between a man and a woman when it talks about adultery, all sexual acts against the will of God for marriage in creation are forbidden, including homosexuality.
There are two places in the Old Testament condemning sexual union between the same sex in Leviticus 18:22 and Leviticus 20:13. People committing such crime should be put to death. Paul also strongly condemns homosexuality in his letters in Romans 1:26-27 and 1 Corinthians 6:9. It is clear that homosexuality is a serious sin forbidden in the Bible in these verses.
The once great cities of Gomorrah and Sodom were destroyed by God because of their homosexuality in Genesis 19. Another example is cited in Judges 19 to 20, where a man was welcomed into a senior's home in Gibeah. People asked the man to have sex with them. Not wanting to commit the heinous crime with them, the man brought his woman to them, who was gang-raped to death. After the man spread the news across Israel, Israelites were enraged by the sin committed in Israelite territory.
3. The church's attitude towards homosexuals in modern history
There were four attitudes in the church toward homosexuals.
The first group of people chose to reject and punish them because they think homosexuals have violated Biblical commandment.
The second group of people chose to reject them; but, think that they should not be punished as long as they have not done something radical. They think homosexuals are opposed to God's will in creation, including their sexual orientation and act, so they refuse to accept them.
The third group of people contend that the church should accept homosexuals conditionally. Though homosexuality is against God's will in their eyes, they do not think homosexuals will surely be condemned even if they are fallen humans. Homosexuality became a lesser crime in their eyes.
The fourth group of people chose to accept those homosexuals by nature and psychological factor. For they emphasize with homosexuals' human right and adults' privacy, they think homosexuals should be treated equally like the straight people.
4. Christian's stance
Christians should love homosexuals; but, hate homosexuality as sin since God has called us to imitate Christ, who loved us and accepted us unconditionally. According to a philosopher, homosexuals, as any other human being, are very lonely, longing for love in the depths of their hearts and have meaningful lives and a whole personality. Our Lord desires for everyone to be saved, healed and to overcome temptations. Christians should offer a setting where they can safely share their struggles with others and reveal to God their inner thoughts in prayer.
