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Dear Catholic Exchange:
I read in the newspaper that the Old and New Testament clearly state that homosexuality is an abomination and [homosexuals] were stoned to death. The letter goes on to say moral values as per the Bible teaches a true believer should hate homosexuals.
My question is, where in the Bible does it state homosexuals are an abomination and were stoned to death? I want to see it for myself. I cannot bring myself to hate anyone. I am a true believer in the Father Almighty and in Jesus Christ His only Son born of the Virgin Mary [by the power of] the Holy Spirit.
And still I cannot bring myself to hate anyone. Please help me find where it reads I am supposed to hate homosexuals and where the Bible says they were stoned to death.
Thank you
Nora
Dear Nora:
Lesson #1 in Scripture study: Never get your information about “What the Bible Says” from the newpaper or the television. Typically what you will get is a half truth wrapped inside an agenda and compounded with some good, solid lies.
That's exactly the case here. Before you start reading the Old Testament, the first thing you have to understand is that its purpose is to point to Christ. Therefore what you read there is necessarily incomplete. So if you just read some passage plucked at random from the Old Testament (such as Leviticus 18:22 “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination”) you don't have the full story. For instance, note that “it” not “he” is an abomination. This anticipates the Catholic teaching that it is only the sin we are allowed to hate, not the sinner. So the newspaper article is simply wrong when it says that the Bible commands us to hate homosexuals. We are, in fact, forbidden to hate human persons.
Christian theology does retain the conviction that homosexual behavior is a grave sin. Look at Romans 1:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature, namely, His eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse; for although they knew God they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error.
But the teaching of the Church says we are commanded to love homosexuals and try to help them deal with their particular form of temptation. The penalties of Leviticus 20:13 for homosexual behavior (“If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them shall be put to death for their abominable deed; they have forfeited their lives”) reflect the horror with which not only this, but various other forbidden sexual acts (such as incest or bestiality) were regarded in ancient Israel. Such penalties are no longer inflicted, even in the case of incestuous parents, whom our culture still regards with horror.
The point of the Law is to reinforce the sacredness of the sexual act and the demand that we take seriously the terrible sin we commit against God and man when we do not live according the natural order He has established. It is not to encourage hatred of human beings.
Hope this helps.
Mark Shea
Senior Content Editor
Catholic Exchange
