40 harmful effects of Christianity #2 - Vilification of Homosexuality

This entry is part 2 of 32 in the series 40 Harmful Effects of Christianity

“You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.…” Leviticus 18:22

This post is the second in a series that addresses a list of “40 harmful effects of Christianity” that originated on the American Atheists Facebook page and has since made its way around the internet. In this post, I examine the following “harmful effect” from the list:

Harmful Effect #2: Vilification of homosexuality, resulting in discrimination, parents disowning their children, murder, and suicide.

It is certainly true that the Bible condemns homosexual acts. However, the claim that the Bible “vilifies” homosexuality is misleading. Rather, it is sin itself that is ultimately condemned. The Bible condemns every man as a sinful creature, not just those who engage in the sin of committing homosexual acts. If there is any specific person who is “vilified” in scripture, it is the devil himself.

Furthermore, the condemnation of homosexual acts is hardly limited to Christians and Christian cultures. The disowning of children, murder, and suicide take place in various societies for a myriad of reasons, homosexual acts are condemned by other world religions, and such acts have been looked down upon even by irreligious and secular societies. Thus, it is reasonable to posit that homosexuals would experience negative reactions to their lifestyles even in the complete absence of any Christian influence. If there is a higher prevalence of incidents of disownment, murder, and suicide, across cultures, where homosexuality is concerned, it makes sense to question whether or not the nature of homosexuality is itself inherently harmful. The list from the American Atheists does not address such inquiry.

In any case, an atheistic worldview offers no hope for those who have, for any reason, been negatively affected by murder, suicide, and disownment. The Christian worldview does. According to the Bible, all men are created in the image of God. This includes homosexuals. Every man and woman is, therefore, inherently valuable. Every (elect) man and woman is someone whom God loves and for whom Jesus Christ died on the cross. Anyone who repents of his sin and submits to Jesus Christ as Lord is adopted as a son of God Himself. This is a relationship from which no man can be disowned. This is a relationship that transcends death itself. Every Christian who experiences death will be raised to new life in a physical body at the time of the resurrection of the dead. Through Jesus, the Christian overcomes disownment, murder, and suicide. If these things are to be condemned as “harmful”, then Christianity is to be lauded.

“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1

In my next post in this series, I’ll address the following:

Harmful Effect #3: Women treated like second-class citizens based on religious teachings.

[Contributed by Seth Dunn]

*Please note that the preceding is my personal opinion. It is not necessarily the opinion of any entity by which I am employed, any church at which I am a member, any church which I attend, or the educational institution at which I am enrolled. Any copyrighted material displayed or referenced is done under the doctrine of fair use.

Series Navigation<< 40 harmful effects of Christianity #1 – The Discouragement of Rational Thought40 harmful effects of Christianity #3 – Women Treated Like Second-Class Citizens >>