Homosexuality

Homosexuality

Sexual relations between men are clearly forbidden by the Torah. Such acts are condemned in the strongest possible terms, as abhorrent. The only other sexual sin that is described in such strong terms is the sin of remarrying a woman you had divorced after she had been married to another man.

Commandment 157
Vayikra 18:22
²²You shall not lie with a man as one lies with a woman, it is an abomination.
D’varim 24:1-4
¹If a man marries a woman and lives with her, and it will be that she will not find favor in his eyes, for he found in her a matter of immorality, and he wrote her a bill of divorce and presented it to her hand, and sent her from his house, ²and she left his house and went and married another man, ³and the latter man hated her and wrote her a bill of divorce and presented it into her hand and sent her from his house, or the latter man who married her to himself will die —⁴her first husband who divorced her shall not again take her to become his wife, after she had been defiled, for it is an abomination before HASHEM . You shall not bring sin upon the Land that HASHEM, your God, gives you as an inheritance.

The sin of sexual relations between men is punishable by death,

Vayikra 20:13
¹³A man who lies with a man as one lies with a woman, they have both done an abomination; they shall be put to death, their blood is upon themselves.

as are the sins of adultery and incest.

It is important to note, however, that it is homosexual acts that are forbidden, not homosexual orientation. Judaism focuses on a person's actions rather than a person's desires. A man's desire to have sex with another man (or w woman with another woman) is not a sin, so long as he does not act upon that desire. It could be said that a person who feels such desires but does not act upon them is worthy of more merit in that regard than a person who does not feel such desires at all. Just as one who refrains from pork because it is forbidden deserves more merit than one who refrains from pork because he doesn't like the taste.

I have seen some modern Orthodox sources suggest that if homosexuality is truly something hardwired in the brain, as most gay activists suggest, then a man (or woman) who acts upon that desire is not morally responsible for his actions. I am, however, not sure how wide-spread that opinion is. Essentially, it is equivalent to saying that a kleptomaniac would not be held morally responsible for stealing.

Interestingly enough, female homosexual relations are not forbidden by the Torah. There is very little discussion of female homosexuality in the Talmud. The few sources that mention lesbian relations say that they do not disqualify a woman from certain privileges of the priesthood, because it is "merely licentiousness." There is a surprising lack of discussion of such issues as whether lesbianism would be grounds for divorcing a woman without her consent or without ketubah. Rambam asserted that lesbian practices are forbidden because it was a "practice of Egypt" and because it constituted rebelliousness.

The western media has gone to great lengths to make homosexuality legitimate. Why aren't the people of HASHEM are not being more vocal about this? Yavoh is taking a stand here and now.

Major news organizations runs profiles on homosexuals giving them ample news time to explain their point of view. A great push is on across the country for homosexuals to be allowed to marry. This has been given the backing of law in Massachusetts and more recently in California. In poignant tones we are shown adult men and adult women living together, talking about "Should I become sick and dying, my partner will not be allowed in the room because he's not a relative." That's a shame. However, marriage is an institution given of God and cannot be made a mockery by allowing men to marry men or women to marry women. Should we next allow legal recognition of marriage to a beast (bestiality)?

We hurt over the plight of a famous Lesbian singer, who announces publicly she wishes children, and should be allowed to adopt. Did this person not throw aside that opportunity when she decided to sin against HASHEM in a wrong and evil relationship? How does she choose to resolve the situation? She enters into an adulterous union with an anonymous man. This man then provides her and her female partner with a child. Does this not lead to the child being raised in an atmosphere which promotes the sin?

Mattit'yahu 12:33
³³Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.

Time and time again, actors and actresses give the definitions of intolerance and tolerance. Intolerance is narrow-mindedness. Tolerance is open-mindedness. In which group do you want to be?" Let's examine what is really being said! When the world says "Open-minded", it is a euphemism or code word for "Atheist". When the world says "Narrow-minded", it means "Following God". Don't believe it? try debating a secular humanist. It'll show you very quickly the truth of what we're saying!

If being narrow-minded means following the teachings of HASHEM , then count me in. My answer to those who promote the homosexual lifestyle is to offer some definitions on my own. "Narrow-mindedness is dwelling forever with HASHEM , and knowing the peace of Mashiach. Open-mindedness is dwelling forever in torment, where the fire is not quenched and you have no relief." Which group do you want to be in? Yeshua stated it this way:

Mattit'yahu 7:13-14
¹³Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.¹⁴Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

The Torah tells us that homosexuality is forbidden, between men and men, between women and women. The B'rit Chadashah tells us that breaking of the Torah is sin. Sin separates us from God. Whenever we sin, we must repent. We must ask for Yeshua's Kippurah (atonement) to put that sin away.

Yavoh does not promote the hatred of "gays" and "lesbians", or even "bisexuals" or "pedophiles". I can speak to this because I deal with lesbianism on a personal level within my family. Admittedly, it is a situation in which I never thought I would find myself. On the one hand, I hate what this family member is doing to themselves. But on the other hand there is this other person who gives them much joy and an air of peace in their life. This family member has repeatedly told me that she has asked God to show her the way. I keep trying to explain that He has shown her the way. As we all do, she has chosen the least painful of consequences to her actions, based upon her knowledge of the circumstances. I do not and will not stand in judgment. As John the Immerser before me, I encourage repentance. I also choose to love this family member and her partner and offer counsel them when counsel is sought.

It is sad to see reports of men and women with AIDS who are dying. But their defense of their lifestyle to the very end was lacking. "I can't believe God would frown on someone who did the best they could, and was basically a good person." Sin makes us no longer a "Good person" in the eyes of HASHEM . We are now separated from HASHEM by that sin! Until we repent, until we avail yourself of Yeshua's Kippurah, we are not a "Good person". The men and women die, unrepentant that we know of, not asking for forgiveness for a lifestyle that is wrong.

I would be delighted to come into the kingdom, and see those men and women there! I would be honestly thrilled! However, we need to stop soft-selling our beliefs because the world tells us we are in "error".

Many homosexuals believe they can engage in a "gay" lifestyle still be Christians. Consider the following passages of Scripture. We need to get back to calling sin "sin", and standing against it.

Cha’zon 22:14-15
¹⁴Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.¹⁵But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.
Romiyim 1:24-32
²⁴Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,²⁵who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. ²⁶For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.²⁷Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. ²⁸And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;²⁹being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers^,30backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,³¹undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;³²who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

As a person, you either stand for Torah, for Yeshua, and for HASHEM or you don't. In which group do you belong?

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