Is sex only reserved for marriage? - The Gay Christian Network

[Deleted-User]

This question has been on my mind for like ages! I want to honour God to the best of my ability and I never want to twist His Word to suit myself. If I'm to take the Bible literally, I shouldn't be gay and can only have sex when married. I don't take it literally and I take into account the time and culture of when it was written, but I do believe that its message remains the same in the cultural context of today's world.

Unfortunately I am gay and I've yet to come across a church that agrees to same-sex marriages. So does that mean that I have to wait until (if and when) that's allowed? As a young person it kinda sucks to think that I'd have to remain celibate until I'm like 90 - lol - when LBGT Christians are finally seen as no different to their heterosexual counterparts.

I see a difference between just signing legal papers and making a promise before God to commit to someone. It's the latter that I'm talking about.

So is sex only honouring to God when it's within marriage?

Would love to hear what you guys have to say!

[yjonny]

Personally, I don't think so. I'm old enough and was brought up in an era when sex before marriage was taboo and homosexuality was a crime.
The other debate running at the moment is that of gay marriage, which, of course, is fiercely opposed and attacked by elements of the Christian church.
I was fascinated and delighted this morning at seeing and hearing a bishop on tv say he didn't believe God cared one bit about the sex of people. I've felt and believed that for a long time.
Go for it my friend, I believe God is on your side - I know he's been on my side for more than seventy years!

[Ian_Anderson]

Believe it or not, sex, as such, is never mentioned in the bible! (You can check, if you wish.) It mentions "adultery", and it mentions "unnatural acts", but you need to look at the original language and context to appreciate the true meaning of these phrases. "Unnatural acts", for example, in the sense it was written in its original language, could never be attributed to a gay man having gay sex, as, for him, it is TOTALLY natural. It would, however, apply to the straight "rent boys" who only do men for money. Adultery is, in effect, a form of theft, the stealing of another's partner, and I think the disregard for a fellow human being is the issue there, rather than the sex.

There is also a broad hint in "1 Samuel" that David and Jonathan were "more than friends". According to scripture, they loved one another "with a love greater than that of women", and much of the language used in those chapters is indicative of a sexual relationship. Remember that ancient Hebrew was a much more precise language than English for describing emotions. There were at least five different words for "love", and the one which is used to describe David's love for Jonathan is the same one used to describe Abraham's love for his wife.

It is also worth noting that the bible was originally a much larger collection of books than is now presented in the modern translations. It was "trimmed" and edited by the "Council of Carthage" in the 4th Century under the Roman Catholic Church. Many of the omitted texts, including one reputedly written by Jesus' brother and another which documents some of the early life of the prostitute Mary Magdalene, have, since then, been kept under lock and key in the Vatican, branded "heretical", and only available for study to those above the rank of Cardinal!

I think the only thing which is really important is your own relationship with God, as it is only through prayer that we can fully appreciate what the bible means for us, personally. Your desire to honour God is a good start, Oran. If you keep praying to Him, He will let you know what is right FOR YOU. What other people think is right or wrong is immaterial, so long as you are following the path that God has planned for you.

[Andrew_W._Matheson_43902]

Sun., Jan 29th, 12, 11:20 Hrs. M.S.T. Hi Group, I'm Older - so Yes I've Seen a Lot and Yes My Attitudes Have Changed a LOT Over the Years as Well. I'm a Gay Mormon so Yes I'm in Conflict With My Church Over Homosexuality and Things Like Sex etc. While Its Just My Views Only, I Don't Look at Sex B 4 Marriage as Wrong, or as Adultery and What Have You. We Can Disagree and Thats OK but I Look at Sex as a Biological Fact of Reality in Human Life. Weather One Has a Partner Male/Female, Casual, Commonlaw or Married Gay/Straight, the Blunt Bottom Line is that if You Don't Have a Person to Enjoy Sexual Relations With, Its the "Self Service Program" Commonly Know as "Masterbation, Beating Off or What You Call It. We ALL DO IT, and to Say You Don't Makes Us All Hypocrites in the Long Term. With the Way Religion Has a Firm Control Over Peoples Lives Its No Surprise to Me People are Scared to Show Feeling, Love, Sexual or Emotions to Others in a Way They Truely Wish to B - Gay or Straight. These are My Own Views Based on My Observations on How Others React to Others as Such. I Worked as a Courier for 27 1/2 Years Working With People so Yes I LEARNED a LOT Over the Years - More then I Ever Bargined For. Tnx, Operater.

[Deleted-User]

Thanks for that guys, especially Ian. It's certainly worth thinking about, but it's only with time that I'll learn what God has in store for me.

God bless :-)

[Ezekiel_Mathi]

OMG! ENJOY LIFE TO THE FULLEST!