Homosexuality: Legally Permissible or Spiritually Misguided?1
Homosexuality: Legally Permissible or Spiritually Misguided?1 Homosexuality: Legally Permissible or Spiritually Misguided?1
Lockard, Homosexuality3.6. Multiple causation of homosexualityOther behavioural scientists (Matheson 2003; LeVay 1996; McFadden 1998;Goldberg 1994) share the view that sexual orientation is shaped for mostpeople at an early age through complex interactions of either environment,parent-child relationships, social interactions and/or psychologicalcomponents, thus comprising multifactorial causation for homosexuality.Simon LeVay (1996) concurs: “At this point the most widely held opinion (oncausation of homosexuality) is that multiple factors play a role”.Neuroscientist, Dennis McFadden, from the University of Texas, opines:Any human behavior is going to be the result of complexintermingling of genetics and environment. It would beastonishing if it were not true for homosexuality (CharlotteObserver 1998).Steven Goldberg concludes: “I know no one in the field who argues thathomosexuality can be explained without reference to environmentalfactors” (Goldberg 1994).Thus far, this paper has critiqued and analysed two important components inassessing the issue of homosexuality: Firstly, the historical dimension of theorigin and accepted practices of same sex behaviour and, secondly, thepresentation of the scientific community’s empirical studies and evaluation ofthe biologic determinism for homosexual behaviour versus the multifactorialcausation.The third essential component for evaluating the issue of homosexuality is thatof the tradition and witness of scripture interpretation. Throughout the span ofhuman history, the moral values of civilized societies have given credence tothe stated moral code of the holy scriptures as given by God himself tomankind. History is a witness to the fall of sophisticated societies that turnedfrom biblical mandates on accepted human behaviour. Therefore, let uscarefully examine the theological determinants on the moral behaviour of menand women.156
Lockard, Homosexuality4. The tradition and witness of ScriptureProponents of homosexuality contend that Christians selectively choose fromscripture to defend their stance that homosexuality is wrongful behaviour.Several biblical passages, however, which deal directly with homosexualityhave been expounded upon admirably by many ancient and modern biblicalscholars from both the Old and New Testament writings, such as thefollowing: Gen 19:1-29; Rev 18:22, 20:13; Matt 15:19; Mark 7:21; Rom1:18-32; 1 Cor 6:9; and 1 Tim 1:10 (ACUTE 1998).Additionally, a general pattern of clear biblical teaching on sexuality wasaffirmed and well summarised by the House of Bishops’ 1991 statement“Issues in Human Sexuality.” There was in scripture an evolving convergenceon the idea of lifelong monogamous heterosexual union as the setting intendedby God for the proper development of men and women as sexual beings(ACUTE 1998:16).Genesis 1-2. For a complete and succinct understanding of human sexuality, itis foundational that we begin by examining the creation account in Genesis1-2. It is here that one clearly discovers that human sexuality is reflected in theextreme physical differentiation between our first parents, Adam and Eve. It isin such a design that God defines sexual differentiation as the basis of humanmarriage and pro-creation. It is at the beginning of creating mankind whenGod determined that homosexual relationships cannot fulfil the procreativedimensions of human sexuality and marriage which God so brilliantlydesigned (Davis 1993). God purposely designed physical differentiationbetween men and women.Genesis 19. The first reference to homosexual behaviour in the Bible is foundin Genesis 19:1-11. This text has been the object of intense debate amongrevisionist theologians. The passage describes how Lot entertained the twoangels sent to the city of Sodom. That night some of the men of the citydemanded to see Lot’s visitors: “Where are the men that came to you tonight?Bring them out that we may know them (19:5).”Revisionists (e.g., Nelson 1977) argue that the demand to “know” (Hebrew,the strangers was nothing more than a desire to get better acquainted in a (ידע157
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Lockard, <strong>Homosexuality</strong>4. The tradition and witness of ScriptureProponents of homosexuality contend that Christians selectively choose fromscripture to defend their stance that homosexuality is wrongful behaviour.Several biblical passages, however, which deal directly with homosexualityhave been expounded upon admirably by many ancient and modern biblicalscholars from both the Old and New Testament writings, such as thefollowing: Gen 19:1-29; Rev 18:22, 20:13; Matt 15:19; Mark 7:21; Rom1:18-32; 1 C<strong>or</strong> 6:9; and 1 Tim 1:10 (ACUTE 1998).Additionally, a general pattern of clear biblical teaching on sexuality wasaffirmed and well summarised by the House of Bishops’ 1991 statement“Issues in Human Sexuality.” There was in scripture an evolving convergenceon the idea of lifelong monogamous heterosexual union as the setting intendedby God f<strong>or</strong> the proper development of men and women as sexual beings(ACUTE 1998:16).Genesis 1-2. F<strong>or</strong> a complete and succinct understanding of human sexuality, itis foundational that we begin by examining the creation account in Genesis1-2. It is here that one clearly discovers that human sexuality is reflected in theextreme physical differentiation between our first parents, Adam and Eve. It isin such a design that God defines sexual differentiation as the basis of humanmarriage and pro-creation. It is at the beginning of creating mankind whenGod determined that homosexual relationships cannot fulfil the procreativedimensions of human sexuality and marriage which God so brilliantlydesigned (Davis 1993). God purposely designed physical differentiationbetween men and women.Genesis 19. The first reference to homosexual behaviour in the Bible is foundin Genesis 19:1-11. This text has been the object of intense debate amongrevisionist theologians. The passage describes how Lot entertained the twoangels sent to the city of Sodom. That night some of the men of the citydemanded to see Lot’s visit<strong>or</strong>s: “Where are the men that came to you tonight?Bring them out that we may know them (19:5).”Revisionists (e.g., Nelson 1977) argue that the demand to “know” (Hebrew,the strangers was nothing m<strong>or</strong>e than a desire to get better acquainted in a (ידע157
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