Diversity Q & A

Does your culture or religion influence your views about homosexuality and gay issues?

Penny

I like to ask fellow-Christians if they know what Jesus said about homosexuality.  They usually say he was against it but the truth is that in the Gospels (the part of the Bible that records the life and teachings of Jesus), there is no mention whatsoever about homosexuality or relationships between same-sex couples.  Jesus never ever mentions it!  I usually then go on to ask the person, 'so, what was it that Jesus talked about the most?'  The answer is greed.  Over and over again Jesus is speaking and teaching about what happens when we are greedy.  I like to make a link between these two topics.  Is the reason why many Christians are so morally righteous about homosexuality because we are greedy?  Because we want to always be right and everything to be simple and explainable?  Christianity teaches us that God is mystery, and I believe that the difficulties society seems to have with homosexuality should lead us to the mystery of God and how complex and beautifully diverse we are as His creation.  After all, how can we make our mark on the world if we do not discover all we were created to be?  In the end it comes down to the very essence of Jesus' teaching, which is to love ourselves and to love one another and to love God.  If we judge and accuse others or make them feel 'less worthy' we are not following Jesus' example.