Religion is an emotive subject and based on one's belief in the unseen - faith in The Divine Creator. Therefore, faith or religion is a personal choice, unlike one's sexuality which is a part of who you are and is not a choice. I also write from a persuasion that homosexuality is not a sin but an extension of our faith journey and our spirituality. I believe that I am accountable only to the way I express my sexuality and the actions that arise from this - as for any other form of sexual orientation. We need to understand the distinction between sexual orientation and sexual behaviour. Therefore, my behaviour or the expression of my sexuality would depend on my own personal conviction, my value system and the way the Divine reveals the divinity to me, in the context of my life and my lifestyle.

Lesbians and gay men face discrimination because of societal attitudes. Unfortunately, these attitudes are often taught by the church. Sadly, the Bible is often used as a weapon to "bash" gays and lesbians. It is important to remember that such hurtful things are not a reflection of Christ, or the way God wants the church to be, or even what the Bible really says. They are the products of the fallible and imperfect human beings who guide these churches.

Ultimately, a Christian's personal faith should not depend upon a particular church or clergyperson, but rather it should be solidly placed in Jesus Christ. In addition to the biased teachings of certain ministers, Scripture sometimes presents a stumbling block for people who are both homosexual and Christian.

Thoughtful Bible study reveals that the Bible does have Good News for gays and lesbians, and it does not say what you may have thought it did about homosexuals!

Most modern gay men and lesbians are either afraid of the Bible or unfamiliar with its content, thinking that the the Bible has only bad news for them. While it is true that the Bible was written in the context of patriarchal, heterosexist cultures, the message and story of God's unconditional love in Christ can be the "power of salvation" for gays and lesbians as well as for heterosexuals.

A bold, proactive reading of the Bible offers new life for lesbians, gay men, and their families and friends. Consensus is growing among respected scholars of Scripture that the Bible does not condemn such relationships. Contemporary gay and lesbian Christians have focused on proving that the Bible does not condemn homosexuality. It is time to move beyond defending this position. It is not enough for the Bible simply not to condemn homosexuality. Gays and lesbians must be able to say, "Yes, it is..."Our Story, Too!"

The most beautiful word in the Gospel of Jesus Christ is "whosoever" . All of God's promises are intended for every human being. This includes gay men and lesbians. How tragic it is that the Christian Church has excluded and persecuted people who are homosexual!

We are all created with powerful needs for personal relationships. Our quality of life depends upon the love we share with others, whether family or friends, partners or peers. Yet, lesbians and gay men facing hostile attitudes in society often are denied access to healthy relationships. Jesus Christ calls us to find ultimate meaning in life through a personal relationship with our Creator. This important spiritual union can bring healing and strength to all of our human relationships.

The short answer, from many people of faith, is "No! Absolutely not!" Yet some people have answered the question "Yes". Indeed, some members of what has come to be know as the radical religious right praise God for the tragic epidemic which is claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands of human beings in every part of the world. Because HIV/AIDS was associated in the first years of the epidemic with the gay male community in the western world, many from the radical religious right have used this pandemic as a weapon to further their own homophobic agendas.

The idea that HIV/AIDS is a punishment from God is based on three faulty assumptions:

• that homosexual acts are sinful 
• that God causes suffering 
• and that God punishes sin with disease.

These false assumptions result from a particular way of looking at society, sexuality, and how God works in the world.

A critical look at Scripture from the Ontario Centre of Religious Tolerance

Can you be both Homosexual and Christian?

Many People have been taught during childhood that homosexual behavior is condemned both by God and by their religion as unnatural and morally degenerate. If they discover later in life that they are homosexual they often go through a spiritual crisis. Many realize that their sexual orientation is unchangeable, and that they cannot go through life as someone that they have been taught to hate; they commit suicide. (About 30 % of teen suicides are due to this cause - one of the costs of homophobia). Survivors experience a conflict between what they are and what they believe. They sometimes abandon their religion. Some become enthusiastically anti-religious.

The purpose of this essay is to explore the possibility of a homosexual restoring their faith by overcoming the apparent conflict between their religion and their sexual orientation.

 We will select what might be the most difficult example: that of a homosexual, ex-Fundamentalist Christian who believes that the Bible is without error in its original form and whose denomination condemns homosexual behavior.

by Rev. Dr. Jerry Stevenson

In the past few years the religious right has sought to make homosexuality and the Bible its number one issue. Having come out of the fundamentalist movement as a pastor, teacher and theologian, I feel it only right to answer their bigotry, hatred and lies. 

By Rev. Paul Turner

Arguably, the story of Sodom and Gomorrah is the biblical story most often used to condemn homosexuality. Yet as popular as Genesis 19 is with religious zealots, this story is the weakest of all passages used against homosexuals. A close reading of the story, along with some simple research on the meaning of the words used proves this.