by HOIM Staff

It is time we pulled back the curtain of secrecy and took a look at the upsurge in homosexuality!

Recently, a Protestant denomination ordained a declared homosexual into its ministry. Some shocking questions and answers were asked and received prior to approving the ordination.

"I regard ALL sexuality as a gift from God and a good gift," replied the candidate, an admitted homosexual.

In answer to another question, this one concerning his attitude about marriage, he quickly responded: "I think love between any two people is beautiful and should be celebrated. I know that two men or two women can share such a love."

Following these eyebrow-raising questions and answers, a debate and vote were held. In less than an hour, a final decision was reached. Representatives of 19 San Francisco Bay area churches of the United Church of Christ approved the ordination of an acknowledged homosexual into their ministry.

Accepting homosexuals into recognized churches and church ministries is not just a localized phenomenon. It is worldwide in scope.

In a 4,000-word report, a commission on Social Principles of the United Methodist Church recommended that their eleven-million-member body accept homosexuals as "persons of sacred worth" and welcome them "into the fellowship of the church."

The commission report recommended the acceptance of the "special form of life" practiced by homosexuals. Such persons should be equally eligible for any position in society, concluded the report, provided they have the training and necessary professional qualifications.

The growing attitude among many ministers and lay people alike is that practicing homosexuals should be welcomed into membership in the churches. One minister explained that he already knew of several homosexuals in his congregation, anyway.

An Anglican rector of Bobbingworth, Essex, in England, contemplating solutions to the world's population problem, put forth this shocking question: "If reproduction was somehow to be prevented and love to be retained, may not a homosexual relationship be socially if not morally preferable?"

In 1998 299 other churches, besides the parent church in Los Angeles, made up this "gay" fellowship. They extend from Honolulu, Hawaii, across the United States to New York City, and into 22 other countries. Other new churches are being planned. The total attendance in these congregations is already over 44,000.

Said one homosexual who is now preparing for the ministry (summing up this growing attitude toward acceptance of homosexuality): "I am a Christian, a homosexual, and a Baptist, and I do not find anything grotesque, unnatural, and sinful about loving a man and having sexual relations with him."

Society as a whole is approving homosexual behavior. It is a prime reason why acceptance of homosexuality is spreading into the world's churches.

The prevailing attitude in society is that what a person does behind his bedroom door is his business -- his "own thing."

Laws against homosexuality are being minimized, even eliminated. England legalized homosexuality between consenting adults in 1967. Denmark did as far back as 1930; and Sweden did so in 1944. West Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and even Italy have also legalized acts of homosexuality between consenting adults. Already in the United States, such states as California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Oregon, and Hawaii allow acts of homosexuality between consenting adults.

Homosexuals themselves are openly grouping together in organized societies. They publish newsletters, magazines, books, and publicly demonstrate on behalf of their homosexuality. Some are even militant about it.

What's the pseudo-scientific reasoning behind this trend of accepting homosexuality? Homosexuals, and those on the side of accepting homosexuality, begin their argument with reference to history and noted historical persons who were homosexuals.

Anciently, the Greeks considered homosexuality normal. Female homosexuality was so widespread on the Aegean island of Lesbos in the sixth century B.C. that lesbianism became the term for female homosexuality!

Look at today. Homosexuality is practiced to some extent in every major country of the world. Most large cities around the world have their "gay" neighborhoods. Some cities have neighborhoods replete with "gay" parks, restaurants, bookstores, laundries, clothing stores, barbers, and even shops with greeting cards for "gay" occasions.

Homosexuals can be found among every class of people: truck drivers, farmers, laborers, factory workers, teachers, executives, artisans, scientists, and political and religious figures.

The best guess of actual homosexuality in the United States population is probably 10% -- which means there are as many as 32 million homosexuals in the U.S. alone. (Some figures go even higher.) Assuming a similar percentage, Great Britain has at least 6 million homosexuals. In fact most advanced nations have a ratio of at least one homosexual for every twenty persons.

But whether or not those famous men were homosexual doesn't make any difference. That is not the criterion for judgment. No matter how many were homosexual in the past, are homosexual now, and no matter how widespread it is, how acceptable it may seem, who accepts it, or who says it is permissible, the actions and opinions of men are not the standard.

There is a standard by which men are to be judged. It is time we took a look at THAT standard instead of man's opinions and human reasonings. It's time we looked at the Bible.

The Bible is YEHOVAH God's instruction book to mankind. It reveals how man ought to live.

Paul, John, Peter, Moses, and all others who wrote portions of the Bible did not of their own volition decide what to write and what should be part of the Bible as some want to say. They were directly inspired and guided by the spirit of YEHOVAH God to write and canonize what we now call the Bible.

Scripture is "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (II Timothy 3:16).

The question is: Are we willing to listen to what Scripture reveals about homosexuality? What the Bible says about the subject is unmistakably clear.

In both the Old and New Testaments, from Genesis to Revelation, male and female homosexuality is condemned as an unnatural, abominable, vile perversion.

Read it yourself: "If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death" (Leviticus 20:13, RSV).

Who hasn't heard the story of Sodom and Gomorrah? The entire plain around Sodom and Gomorrah, including the cities, crops and everything that lived, was destroyed by fire because of the grievous sexual sins and other vices of the inhabitants.

The men of Sodom and Gomorrah were so perverse sexually that they would even rape other men. See Genesis 19:4-9. In fact, read the entire detailed account in your own Bible, Genesis 18:20 through Genesis 19:28. See for yourself what YEHOVAH God thinks about homosexuality! This account was recorded for our instruction. "And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes," YEHOVAH God, as the context shows, "condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample [example] unto those that after should live ungodly" (II Peter 2:6).

"Gay" churches and homosexuals who profess Christianity ignore this awesome account of Sodom and Gomorrah, of course. They reason that homosexuals should marry and not be promiscuous like the men of Sodom, or like heterosexuals who commit fornication and adultery.

The Messiah said about true marriage, "Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?" (Matthew 19:4-5.)

Marriage is between a man and a woman, NOT between two men or two women. Sex belongs in marriage, as the Bible plainly reveals, and should be between a man and his wife, not between two men or two women!

Sex any other way is unnatural, and sinful, bringing on penalties now (a seared mind; often a disorganized, unhappy, lonely, frustrated, empty life; no true mate; no children, no grandchildren; futility; a life often ending in suicide) and a final penalty of eternal death! Read it in Romans 1:24-32.

The apostle Paul was inspired by YEHOVAH God to warn: "Do not be deceived (misled); neither the impure and immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, NOR THOSE WHO PARTICIPATE IN HOMOSEXUALITY, nor cheats -- swindlers and thieves; nor greedy graspers, nor drunkards, nor foulmouthed revilers and slanderers, nor extortioners and robbers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God" (I Corinthians 6:9-10, The Amplified Bible).

YEHOVAH plainly condemns homosexuality as sin! "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us" (I John 1:10). But does this mean that a homosexual is without hope? No. YEHOVAH God makes it very clear that there is hope for the homosexual just as there is hope for the fornicator, the adulterer, the liar -- for everyone who repents of his or her sin.

YEHOVAH is "merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin" (Exodus 34:6-7).

The humiliated woman taken in the very act of adultery -- a sinful heterosexual act -- was forgiven by the Messiah. He told her never to do it again (John 8:3-11, especially verse 11).

One must be willing to acknowledge sin, willing to see how evil it is in YEHOVAH's sight, and willing to change, to stop sinning -- to do what is right. YEHOVAH God wants that. He is willing to help when he is asked, if a person really desires to quit sinning and to do what is right before Him. Even as deeply entrenched psychologically as the sin of homosexuality is, it can be forgiven and discontinued. "With God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).

Homosexuals practicing homosexuality for years have made this change. It can be done. One man, a confirmed homosexual for twenty years, is now completely heterosexual. He is married and has several children.

As a one-time homosexual explained, giving up homosexuality involves completely giving up the homosexual way of living. There must be a total split away from homosexual friends. Visits to "gay" bars and known "gay" hangouts have to cease. A whole new set of acquaintances must be developed. Homosexual thoughts have to be rejected and expelled from the mind. In order to make this change, it may be necessary to move to another area or another city to begin life anew.

With the change comes a newfound, guilt-free conscience, a way of life without kickbacks and an upright way of life free of sin.

Christians are commanded by YEHOVAH God to make this change, whatever the past sin. It is erroneous to claim, as some do, that "God called me that way" -- meaning as a homosexual, a fornicator, an adulterer. According to this falacious reasoning, homosexuality is acceptable, fornication is acceptable, adultery is acceptable. Absolutely NOT!

Christians are told to put off the "former conversation [conduct]....which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness" (Ephesians 4:22-24).

Homosexuals can repent, can change, can STOP practicing homosexuality, and can have their homosexual pasts completely blotted out. Ask for our article What Is Real Repentance?

YES! A repentant homosexual can become a Christian, but not a homosexual Christian!

The acceptance of homosexuality is a sign of moral sickness and decay -- theologically, nationally, and individually. It is time we called a halt to this toboggan slide into sin and depravity!

THE PREPONDERANCE of research already completed lays most of the blame for homosexuality on family upbringing. The cause of homosexuality, particularly in males, is commonly placed on a close-binding, overprotective, excessively intimate, or domineering mother, coupled with a weak, distant, indifferent, withdrawn, or hostile father.

A landmark study, conducted by a number of psychoanalysts, headed by Irving Bieber, M.D., entitled Homosexuality: A Psychoanalytic Study of Male Homosexuals, reached this summation concerning the causes and problems of homosexuality: "We have come to the conclusion that a constructive, supportive, warmly related father precludes the possibility of a homosexual son; he acts as a neutralizing, protective agent should the mother make seductive or close-binding attempts."

After much study on the subject of homosexuality, Peter and Barbara Wyden reported in their book, Growing Up Straight: ''This much is certain; it is just about impossible for a homosexual to be the product of warmly loving, sensible parents and a sexually well-adjusted home atmosphere."

Homosexuality is fundamentally the product of the lack of a warm, loving, father-led marriage and family.

The emphasis on unisex and the disappearance of sex-linked occupations are possible additional contributing factors. When both parents work and share household duties, blurring sexual distinctions, children increasingly are more likely to become homosexual.

The media and the proliferation of pornographic materials depicting homosexual acts undoubtedly play a part too, according to an important paper presented before the American Academy of Psychoanalysis, by Dr. Lawrence J. Hatterer of Cornell University. Dr. Hatterer concluded in his paper that homosexuality can be triggered by environmental influences, chief of which are suggestive homosexual literature, plays, and movies.

Some researchers have studied the effects of genetic aberration and endocrine disorder on homosexuality. But as Dr. Morris Fishbein explains in his book, Successful Marriage, though genetic and hormonal factors may contribute to causing homosexuality, the environment which leads to homosexuality would still have to be provided. "In other words," Dr. Fishbein explains, "...the training is the differential in the individual's ultimate behavior."

Hope of Israel Ministries -- Proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of YEHOVAH God!

Hope of Israel Ministries P.O. Box 853 Azusa, CA 91702, U.S.A. www.hope-of-israel.org

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