| Homosexuality.... Is it a matter of choice? | | | | loves us and wants us to love Him too, but He |
| Are some born that way? And if so, then how | | | | considers love more than a four-letter word: |
| could God condemn it? Or does He? Does it | | | | love is an attitude exemplified by actions, |
| make a difference? Who offered it as an | | | | words that are backed up with deeds (Jas. |
| "alternative lifestyle?" Are same-sex drives | | | | 2:26). That's why Jesus said that if we |
| due to conditioning? Are gays and lesbians a | | | | really loved Him, we'd show it and not just |
| quirk of nature? Something queer to jeer? | | | | say it (John 14:15).Safe-SexSince God is |
| Would it have been better to have never been | | | | love, and Father knows best, He wants us to |
| born? All of these questions and more are | | | | practice safe-sex. A safe-sex that's good and |
| only a few of the many that race through | | | | wholesome, clean and pure, and only available |
| people's minds; causing controversy, heated | | | | within a marriage where both partners keep |
| arguments and emotional wounds, as words fly | | | | their vows and honor their commitments (Heb. |
| back and forth carelessly.It could be safe to | | | | 13:4). Sexual intimacy, cuddling and coitus, |
| say that homosexuality is the result of many | | | | belongs in the bedroom (of the |
| factors. But who's to blame? Must we even lay | | | | Biblically-bonded), and it's to involve the |
| a guilt-trap at anyone's door? Maybe mother, | | | | union of both minds and bodies (Gen. 2:24). |
| then again there's the father who didn't | | | | Married couples are challenged to become |
| figure for too much. Society? Genes? The | | | | compatible in every sense of the word. A |
| stars? Most people know their sexual | | | | marriage certificate doesn't have to be "just |
| orientation by their teens. They don't just | | | | a piece of paper" or become another broken |
| suddenly discover they're "straight" and | | | | record! God does recognize the fact that |
| "come out" about it. Let's get real.Who's to | | | | marriage isn't for everyone (Mat. 19:11), but |
| accept the responsibility for our actions? | | | | expresses His will that singles remain |
| Some have felt "gay" ever since they were | | | | celibate (1 Thes. 4:3).God only promises to |
| very young and therefore imagine that they | | | | bless those foods (or relationships) that are |
| were born gay. Others seem to pick up, adopt | | | | sanctioned by His Word (1 Tim. 4:4-5). He's |
| or assimilate homosexual tendencies through | | | | not unsure of Himself or His ways, He's not |
| association. They must have already had an | | | | fickle or foolish, and His Word is reliable, |
| inclination towards it. It rubbed off on | | | | dependable, and not subject to change. This |
| them. Then there are those who were bored and | | | | hasn't caused the scriptures to be too |
| needed a change. They wanted to try it and | | | | popular at times, but they refuse to succumb |
| see if they liked it. Sometimes, due to | | | | to peer pressure and remain true to |
| "force" of circumstances, men in prison, | | | | themselves. They're not what needs to change |
| boy's homes and/or monasteries, might resort | | | | anyway. We do. God hasn't lowered His moral |
| to homosexual activities. Later, as soon as | | | | standards or compromised with His food laws, |
| possible, some of them revert to heterosexual | | | | but offers to help raise us to His God-Plane. |
| ways, while others continue to enjoy the | | | | Christ can cleanse us of our unclean lives |
| "best of both world" as a bisexual. Are | | | | (Acts 10:15, 28), because God hasn't called |
| "bestiality is best" fans born that way? Or | | | | us to remain in Egypt but to head for the |
| are incestuous relationships something | | | | Promised Land. Don't just stand there, get a |
| innate? Do we have a predisposition | | | | move on it! And leave your excess baggage |
| chemically for incest? Are we set up for such | | | | (sin) behind.Kosher FoodAlthough God created |
| a fall from birth? Would that justify or | | | | us with a hunger drive, an appetite, He |
| excuse us? Is promiscuity merely a part of | | | | doesn't want us to become gluttonous pigs. |
| man's "animal instincts?" Is the challenge of | | | | Neither does He want us to act like horny |
| the chase a primeval hang-over from the "days | | | | dogs (1 Cor. 6:13). God's also shown us that |
| of the hunt?" Actually, ALL of the above are | | | | just because various food items have been |
| simply DISTRACTIONS! It's not a question of | | | | mislabeled "delicacies," we don't have to |
| who or what we're most comfortable with, | | | | shove them into our mouths (Lev. 11). We're |
| prefer, like or are attracted to; those are | | | | expected to be mature, not act childish. God |
| only attempts to sidestep the real issue!God | | | | warns us to guard the doors of our mind, |
| isn't only the Creator, but the Sustainer of | | | | don't set ourselves up for a fall, and |
| the entire universe. As such, his Majesty's | | | | discern what we digest (Ephes. 4:27; Heb. |
| Government - headquartered in the highest | | | | 5:14). We're instructed to scrutinize our |
| heaven - has issued (at Mt. Sinai) various | | | | food for thought and remember "we are what we |
| health rules and regulations (Malachi 4:4). | | | | eat" and "we become what we think" (Prov. |
| The Creator-King has predetermined, in His | | | | 23:7). God doesn't only want us to watch what |
| infinite wisdom, which "food and drugs" are | | | | we put into our mouths, but what we allow |
| safe and sound for our consumption.If we keep | | | | into our minds (Philip. 4:8). For a free list |
| uppermost in mind the reason for our mortal | | | | of "government approved" food for thought; |
| existence, the SUPREME PURPOSE for our | | | | what's clean and unclean, pure and impure, |
| human-being; to establish contact with our | | | | kosher and non-kosher - check out Ga. |
| Superior-Being and develop a relationship | | | | 5:19-23; Ephes. 5:11 and Philip. 1:11.We're |
| with Him - then we'll know and understand | | | | not supposed to remain raw material. God's |
| that everything God does is for our benefit. | | | | given us a brain to become refined and keep |
| God wants to help us, not hinder us. He | | | | our baser "instincts" in line (2 Pet. 2:12). |
| enjoys encouraging us to attain our goals and | | | | The Holy Spirit offers us the help we need to |
| fulfill our potential (Luke 12:31-32). Father | | | | accomplish this job (John 1:12). We should |
| does know what's best: what He has in store | | | | refuse to be reduced to an animal level, |
| for us is beyond our wildest dreams (Ephes. | | | | simply sensual creatures, choosing a higher |
| 3:20; 1 Cor. 2:9)!The High Cost of | | | | standard of living instead. The "if it feels |
| LivingWhoever chooses to be a card-carrying | | | | good do it" and "if it looks good eat it" |
| member of the homosexual community is | | | | lack of mentality ought to be regarded as an |
| entitled to all of it's privileges and | | | | insult to those striving for God's higher |
| persecutions; but you should first COUNT THE | | | | intelligence.Regardless of why you're gay, |
| COST to see if it's too high of a price for | | | | bisexual or "trysexual" (you'll try anything |
| you to pay, like Christians are told to do | | | | once), whether or not you've had any choice |
| (Luke 14:28).If anyone decides to engage in | | | | in the matter - you do have a choice to |
| illicit sex or become entangled in "foreign | | | | exercise proper self-control. YOU DON'T HAVE |
| affairs," they're living a lie if they think | | | | TO BE A SLAVE TO YOUR SENSES (John 8:34), or |
| that God could possibly approve of their | | | | allow sexual temptations to dictate mindless |
| improper conduct, and they're compounding | | | | reactions (Gen. 19:4-11).You're not forced to |
| their problems if they lead others astray by | | | | act upon every thought that enters your mind. |
| attempts to endorse such flagrant sin (Rom. | | | | You can resist suggestions and reject |
| 1:32). Do what you want, but don't | | | | impulses (2 Cor. 10:5). Every fleeting |
| misrepresent God and His clear-cut Biblical | | | | thought, random idea or stray notion doesn't |
| teachings. Don't try and put words in His | | | | have to take root and grow if you don't give |
| mouth or censor what He's actually said (Rev. | | | | it fertile ground (Jas. 1:13-15). You can |
| 22:18-19).Yes, GOD IS LOVE! That's why He | | | | consider its source and nip it in the bud. A |
| hates certain practices with a passion. He | | | | "NO TRESPASSING!" frame of mind can be |
| frowns upon a dishonest life of stealing, an | | | | developed to defend you against intruders. |
| unfaithful habit of "cheating" on our spouse, | | | | Protection is possible. You can say NO! You |
| a disrespectful attitude towards our parents | | | | can curb your appetite! YOU CAN CHANGE!David |
| or persons in authority, religious holidays | | | | Ben-Ariel is a Christian-Zionist writer and |
| that are hollow and don't hallow His name, | | | | author of Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and |
| senseless killings and character | | | | Fall. With a focus on the Middle East and |
| assassination, idolatrous distractions that | | | | Jerusalem, his analytical articles help |
| come between God and us, an endless trivial | | | | others improve their understanding of that |
| pursuit and preoccupation with ourselves and | | | | troubled region. Check out the Beyond Babylon |
| others, instead of putting God first. God | | | | blog. |