Homosexuality Myths and Truths Homosexuality Myths and Truths Copyright © Melvin W. Wong, Ph.D Focus On The Family Singapore, Ltd (65) Melvin W. Wong, Ph.D. Licensed Clinical Psychologist ChristianMentalHealth.com 220 Montgomery St., Suite 1098, San Francisco, CA 94104, U.S.A.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NIV) Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Sexual Sin-Immorality in the Church 1 Corinthians 6:11 (NIV: Life Application Bible Notes) Paul is describing characteristics of unbelievers. He doesn’t mean that all those who have indulged in sexual sin or who have been idol worshipers, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, abusers, and swindlers are automatically and irrevocably excluded from heaven.

Christians come out of all kinds of different backgrounds, including these. They may still struggle with evil desires, but they should not continue in these practices. In 6:11, Paul clearly states that even those who sin in these ways can have their lives changed by Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:11 (NIV) And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Sexual Sin-Immorality in the Church 1 Corinthians 6:11 (NIV: Life Application Bible Notes) However, those who say that they are Christians but persist in these practices with no sign of remorse will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Such people need to re-evaluate their lives to see if they truly believe in Christ.

Lament of the Dependent (Addicted) Romans 7:19-25 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do— this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Acknowledgment Parts of this presentation was adapted from the materials written and communicated by author & speaker, Mr. Joe Dallas A Strong Delusion Desires in Conflict Chapter in Journal of Human Sexuality

Three Common Pro-Gay Arguments 1.Social Justice Arguments: Equality 2.General Religious Arguments: Love is good 3.Scriptural Arguments: Bible does not condemn homosexuality

Social Justice Arguments: Equality 1.“Homosexuality is Inborn” 2.“Cannot be changed”

Social Justice Arguments: Equality 1.“Homosexuality is Inborn” 2.“Cannot be changed” 3.“10% of the population is gay,

Social Justice Arguments: Equality 1.“Homosexuality is Inborn” 2.“Cannot be changed” 3.“10% of the population is gay, 4.How could so many people be wrong?”

General Religious Arguments: Love is good “Jesus said nothing about homosexuality” “I’m a born-again believer and I’m gay. How can that be, if homosexuality is wrong?” “I attend a gay church where the gifts of the spirit & the presence of god are manifest. How can that be if homosexuality is wrong?” “My lover & I are in a monogamous relationship, & we truly love each other. That can’t be wrong?”

Scriptural Arguments: Bible does not condemn homosexuality 1.Genesis 1:27-8 account does not forbid homosexuality 2.Genesis 19:4-9 Sodom destroyed for inhospitality of it’s people, but not homosexuality. It was destroyed for attempted rape; over-indulgence, did not feed the needy, etc. 3.Lev 18:20 Practices mentioned have to do with idolatry, not homosexuality

Scriptural Arguments: Bible does not condemn homosexuality 4.Rom 1:26-7 Paul was not describing true homosexuals, but those homosexuals who “exchanged natural relations.” This describes people given over to idolatry, not gay Christians who worship the true God. 5.“Arsenokoite” 1 Cor 6:9-10 “Male prostitution, not homosexuals” Paul was only condemning general immorality, immoral man not homosexuals.

Genesis 1:27-28 Myth The Genesis account does not forbid homosexuality Truth God created man and woman with the mandate to reproduce So God created man in his own image…, God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." (NIV)

Evangelical Pro-gay (soft) All forms of homoerotic sexual activity mentioned in the Bible are condemned Not all forms of homoerotic sexual activity mentioned in the Bible are condemned

Evangelical Pro-gay (soft) We may have no warrant to approve forms of homoerotic sexual activity which may not have been envisaged by the biblical writers (for example, between long-term, exclusive gay partners) We may have warrant to approve forms of homoerotic sexual activity which may not have been envisaged by the biblical writers (for example, between long-term, exclusive gay partners)

Evangelical Pro-gay (soft) Longevity, faithfulness, love and stability in a sexually active gay partnership, though they may be commendable in themselves, do not render the sexual component of that partnership acceptable Longevity, faithfulness, love and stability in a sexually active gay partnership may, in some cases, render the sexual component of that partnership acceptable

Evangelical Pro-gay (soft) Although the Bible may not explicitly deal with every form or context of homoerotic sexual activity, we cannot “argue from silence” to approve what it does not approve, especially when it condemns all those forms of homoerotic sexual activity that it does not mention Where the Bible may not explicitly deal with a form or context of homoerotic sexual activity (for example, in long-term exclusive gay partnerships), it may be possible, in some cases, to regard the exercise of such activity as a matter of conscience

Social Justice Arguments #1 “Homosexuality is Inborn” 1.Brain studies –Simon LeVay & the hypothalamus 2.Twins studies –Bailey & Pillard 3.Genes Studies –Dean Hamer

Social Justice Arguments #2 “Homosexuality Cannot be changed” APA deleted homosexuality as a diagnosis Resolution passed to sanction against psychologists treating this Change is possible even in the time of Paul: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

1 Corinthians 6:11 (NIV) And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Social Justice Arguments #3 “10% of the population is gay, could so many people be wrong?” Claim: In 1948, sex researcher Alfred Kinsey published Sexual Behavior of the Human Male, 5300 men surveyed: 10% claimed homosexuality for at least three years Response: Those claiming homosexuality did not claim a life-time of behavior or any future homosexual behaviors –Kinsey’s data were not taken from a fair sample of men –USA Today, April 1993 surveyed 3321 men: 2.3% had engaged in homosexual behaviors within 10 years. Only 1.1% reported exclusively homosexual

General Religious Argument #1 “Jesus said nothing about homosexuality” This argument is illogical & misleading It assumes the gospels are more authoritative than the rest of the books in the Bible It assumes the gospels are more comprehensive than they really are It is inaccurate, that it presumes to know all of what Jesus said

General Religious Argument #1 “Jesus said nothing about homosexuality” It assumes because Jesus said nothing specific about homosexuality, that he said nothing about heterosexuality as a standard Mark 10:6-9 "But at the beginning of creation God `made them male & female.' {Gen. 1:27} 7 `For this reason a man will leave his father & mother & be united to his wife, 8 & the two will become one flesh.' {Gen. 2:24} So they are no longer two, but one. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (NIV)

General Religious Argument #2 “I’m a born-again believer and I’m gay. How can that be, if homosexuality is wrong?” Claim: If a person is truly born again and homosexual, then the two must be compatible. Response: This is illogical, it assumes if one is a Christian, & if one is loved by God, then what one does must be right in God’s sight. –Being proud of one’s sexual orientation does not make it right. –Assurance of one’s salvation does not justify the sin –Being Christian is no indication, in & of itself, that your life is pleasing to God –It under-estimates the frailty & the fallen nature of men

General Religious Argument #3 “I attend a gay church where the gifts of the spirit & the presence of god are manifest. How can that be if homosexuality is wrong?” This is misleading in that it assumes God’s gifts or presence are an indication of His approval God’s gifts & the presence of the Holy Spirit are more internal & subjective factors Corinthian church was a mess: Carnal & full of division (1 Cor 3:3-4), incest was openly committed among them (5:1- 5), they bring law suits to each other (6:1-3), getting drunk at communion table (11:21); yet God was present with them, but did He approve of them? Of course not!

Dr. Robert Spitzer’s Research APA: New Orleans, May 9, 2001 New York Times Dr. Spitzer led the task force that in 1973 removed homosexuality from the official list of mental disorders contained in the psychiatric association's diagnostic manual.

But he said he decided that a study was needed after talking with protesters objecting to the association's policy discouraging such therapies.

Dr. Spitzer said. "It occurred to me that maybe the general consensus, which w ww was that the behavior can be resisted but sexual orientation couldn't be changed, was wrong,"

Dr. Spitzer said the subjects expressed different reasons for wanting to become heterosexual. They included the feeling that a gay "lifestyle" was "not emotionally satisfying" (81 percent of subjects); the belief that their religion conflicted with being gay (79 percent of subjects); and the desire to get married or to stay married (67 percent of the men, 35 percent of the women).

Some subjects - 11 percent of the men and 37 percent of the women - Dr. Spitzer said, reported being entirely free of homosexual feelings or sexual fantasies in the year before they were interviewed. But 29 percent of the men and 63 percent of the women said they were "only slightly bothered" by such feelings.

The researchers defined "good heterosexual functioning," as having been in –a–a "loving and emotionally satisfying heterosexual relationship" for the year leading up to the interview, – having engaged in satisfying heterosexual sex at least monthly –a–and having never or rarely thought of same-sex partners during heterosexual sex.

Dr. Robert Spitzer’s Research APA: New Orleans, May 9, 2001 New York Times For Dr. Spitzer's May 9, 2001 APA presentation "200 subjects who claimed to have changed their sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual“ Full Research Presentation in its original form Full Research Presentation in Chinese 二百個自稱已將他們的性取向從同性戀者改變成為異性戀者