TO THE EDITOR:
I agree with the conclusion of yesterday’s letter to the editor, “God loves all, including homosexuals, equally.” But I object to the author’s repeated claims that homosexuality is “definitely” sinful and condemned by Christian scripture. The nature and ethics of homosexuality for Christian persons is hotly debated within many major denominations, and there is solid Biblical scholarship to support both positions.
Context is crucial for understanding the meanings of ancient texts, and there is a strong argument to be made that modern practices of homosexuality have virtually nothing in common with the practices discussed in the Bible, where same-sex attraction is mentioned only a handful of times. The concept of individuals being “homosexuals/sodomites,” as the author put it, is only a few centuries old, and therefore an inappropriate translation of the original Greek.
Countless lesbian and gay individuals participate regularly in church throughout America as lay members, Sunday School teachers, deacons, pastors and many other positions. For many Christians, including myself, the question of an individual’s sexual orientation has no more bearing on their morality than whether or not they’re right handed.
So yes, “it’s okay to be gay and a Christian.” And yes, “it’s not our job to judge our neighbors in the first place.” But for many Christians, diversity of sexual orientation does not represent one equal sin among many, to be grudgingly accepted as a sad reality. It represents a gift from God that should be celebrated.
Kelli Joyce
Junior
Political Science
Peace, War and Defense
