by Robert Laws

Created on: October 22, 2009

Some will say that the Bible's statements about homosexuality prevent a Christian from being gay, which means if you are gay, you cannot be a Christian. Using the same logic, gays cannot be Jewish or Muslim either, as the relevant anti-gay Biblical statements are also held sacred by these 2 religions. So where does this leave gay people? Should they be forced to be atheist?

The fact is that a person's sexual orientation has no direct bearing on whether they believe in God and what shape that belief takes. It is a person's beliefs and faith that make them a Christian and you cannot force someone who is gay not to believe in God or Jesus or any other facet of the Christian faith simply because they prefer to sleep with someone of the same gender.

Many people who call themselves Christian believe that the Bible must be taken literally in all its parts. Many more believe that the Bible is a set of guidelines and teachings intended as a framework for life, using stories and metaphors conveying messages that were not intended to be read literally. Most gay Christians will choose the latter, more flexible interpretation, which allows them to believe without too much concern over their eternal damnation for lying with another of the same sex. However, even if they take the Bible literally, it does not prevent gays from being Christian; it simply means they are knowingly sinning and accepting the consequences.

The Bible clearly states God's position on homosexuality (Leviticus 20:13), but it also states in the same verse that anyone engaging in such acts should be put to death. Does this mean Christians cannot be against the death penalty? The book of Leviticus also tells us we should not eat shellfish or ostrich, must not wear garments made of wool and linen, should not shave our heads or have tattoos, etc. There are many more restrictions in this book and others. A literal interpretation would instantly decimate the ranks of Christians as they get dressed in a morning.

The bottom line is that Christians today come in all shapes and sizes. They all share a common belief in God, Jesus and most fundamentals of good Christian behavior, but each individual has his/her own personal interpretation and understanding of what Christianity means to them. For some it means homosexuality is forbidden; for some it means evolution is a lie; for some it means strict dietary intake; for others it means none of these things.

Whether you want to accept it or not, many gay people will continue to call themselves Christian and practice their own interpretation of Christianity.

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