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Christianity and
LGBTQ+

Christianity Says:

As much as some Christians will push biblical passages in condemnation of LGBTQ+ people, nowhere in the Bible does Jesus condemn anyone in the LGBTQ+ community. While passages in Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 seem to exclude people, passages in Isaiah 56, Matthew 11:28-30, Galatians 3:28 and Acts 10 seem welcoming. Even stories about eunuchs, men who were castrated or born biologically intersex, demonstrate acceptance of non-binary people. But because biblical scripture is so often weaponized, its most helpful to address some of those key passages one-by-one:

 
  • “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination“ [Leviticus 18:22] and similarly, “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death; their blood is upon them.” [Leviticus 20:13] Ah those Holiness Codes! They’re still used to repress people today. The ancient Levite priesthood created a set of health and purity codes that labeled as unclean and unholy what people couldn’t understand thousands of years ago, things like childbirth, sex, menstruation, death, disease, even foods and certain fabrics. Notably and by its own definition at the beginning of Leviticus, these Codes were culturally and geographically specific, meant only for the ancient Israelites. Ancient rules that may have suited biblical times, don’t work today and they do not apply to modern Christians or Jews.
 
  • Jesus challenged the Holiness Codes with open defiance. Consider when he healed leprosy [Matthew 8]. Leprosy was thought to be caused by ten different sins that included idol worship, unchastity, bloodshed, profaning God’s name, blasphemy, robbing the public, usurping someone’s dignity, excessive pride, evil speech, and an evil eye. So when an untouchable man approached Jesus asking to be “made clean,” despite the prevailing Codes, Jesus saw his humanity and touched him. He also shared his meals with tax collectors, prostitutes, women, the poor, the maimed, and “other sinners,” and in doing so, he showed us his vision of an inclusive community. In his Beatitude in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus points to a purity that is not sexual or moral, but a wholeness, a spiritual purity he  blesses, “the pure in heart, for they shall see God” [Matthew 5:8].
 
  • Sodom and Gomorrah are named multiple times in the Bible as examples of tremendous sinning. In Isaiah 1:10-17, sin is not rescuing the oppressed, defending the orphan, or pleading for the widow. In Jeremiah 23:14, sin is adultery. In Ezekiel 16:48-49, sin is not aiding the “poor and needy.” In Zephaniah 2:8-11, the sin is bullying, boasting, and pride. In the Wisdom of Solomon sin is “the bitter hatred of strangers.” But never once was sin about being gay.
 
  • The key word at issue in this passage from Romans is the inadequate translation of the Greek word physikos. Often mistranslated as “nature,” a better interpretation of this Greek word is “produced by nature” or “born that way.” “For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things that should not be done.” [Romans 1:26-28] With the more accurate translation from the Greek, in this passage Paul is concerned about people living contrary to the way God created them to be. Which means this passage is more aptly applied as an argument against denying one’s identity, or for so-called “cures” like Conversion Therapy.
 
  • Though often used to condemn same sex consensual relationships, these two passages rightly condemn using force or power over another person, possibly or particularly sexually, and particularly someone who is underage. One of the words typically mistranslated as “homosexual” is the Greek word arsenokoitēs which more closely translates to “male prostitute” or “boy molester” or similar term. The other Greek word that gets mistranslated is malakos which basically means “soft” and could refer to being weak in battle, living a pampered lifestyle, or male prostitution involving young boys. With the accurate translation you find these scriptures do not condemn gay men or consensual relationships: “Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers—none of these will inherit the kingdom of God. [1 Corinthians 6:9-10] “This means understanding that the law is laid down not for the innocent but for the lawless and disobedient, for the godless and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their father or mother, for murderers, fornicators, sodomites, slave-traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching” [1 Timothy 1:9-10] 

Extremists Claim:

Sexual orientation is a sin and a violation punishable by God. The heterosexual family was designed by God to be the bedrock of civilization and same-sex relationships contradict God’s will.

Extremist Christian Propaganda is Harmful to All of Us:

So-called “conversion therapy” has been employed by some Christian leaders and communities to “pray away the gay” as it’s been called. This attempt to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity finds many roots in misinterpretations of Christian beliefs, particularly views of LGBTQ+ identities as sinful and contrary to God’s will. 

Conversion therapy is extremely harmful, resulting in mental health problems, self-harm, and even suicide attempts, as well a loss in faith. Many Christian leaders and organizations have called for its ban. Every major medical and mental health organization in the U.S. has issued statements condemning its use, and a growing number of states and municipalities are indeed banning the practice. 

That doesn’t mean it’s gone away. A 2023 report by The Trevor Project found over 1,300 active conversion therapists across 48 U.S. states and DC, and spiritual advisors are often not covered by the bans.

For Your Consideration:

Judgment of the LGBTQ+ community forces many to hide who they are. They are driven from our pews. It puts them at risk of physical violence and emotional trauma, and denies them their basic human right to flourish. Suicide and homeless rates among LGBTQ+ youth, especially trans kids, are shockingly high, leaving behind so much lost human potential and grieving families.

The LGBTQ+ community has Jesus’ love, they deserve our love, too.

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