Lgbtq Reflection

Over the past 20 years, I have read the Bible through, in its entirety, and I am unaware of any scripture that supports a LGBTQ lifestyle. However, the Bible certainly contains scripture that are against homosexuality. Now, I was a practicing fundamentalist Christian for most of my life and I read every single word of Scripture with the belief that a literal reading was right and necessary in order to understand God’s word. And, honestly, I was unaware of the term historical-critical reading until today when I read our required articles.

I do not feel that whether or not the Scriptures support homosexual matters to gay individuals who do not believe in or follow the Bible. However, there are numerous Christian persons who identify with the LGBTQ lifestyle. So, what God says about homosexuality can cause much confusion and hurt to these individuals. And these individuals feel the moral heaviness of their sexual orientation. I believe that it is even worse for these believers who also take the literal reading approach. My hope is that more believers will be made aware of the historical-critical approach because this approach can determine the meaning of a text objectively, following clear guidelines” (Helminiak, n.d.).

I know that I believe that the civil rights of the LGBTQ community should be acknowledged and protected. For example, no one should be denied service, a job, shelter, or education due to sexual orientation. At the same time, I know that I cannot help but ponder the moral aspects of this lifestyle because of my beliefs rooted in the Bible. I am quite familiar with the scriptures referencing homosexuality. And since I believe that the Scriptures should serve as a moral compass for believers, I view the subjects that are broached in the Bible to be moral