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Do Homosexuals Need to be Healed of their
Homosexuality?[1]
(as answered by a gay Christian
biologist)by Joseph Adam Pearson, Ph.D.
I have written this for those whose guilt has been etched deeply by
the official positions of various Christian denominations as well as for
those
whose pain has been exacerbated by the unkindnesses shown to them
through the
actions and reactions of church-goers. It is my hope and prayer that
the
seeming dilemma between homosexuality and Christianity be resolved
and a
higher spiritual understanding of sexuality be settled within their
minds
once and for all, both now and throughout the rest of their earthly
days.
The overwhelming majority of people believe that homosexuality is
immoral. I
do not. I believe that homosexuality is amoral and that homosexuals
individually are either moral or immoral.
Within the Bible, we are informed that "God is no respecter of
persons."[2]
I believe that. And, I believe it applies not only to earthly
appearance
but also to physical expression, personality, and sexual orientation.
I
believe that the Creator cares not one jot, iota, or yod about any
aspect of
our being human except that we try to reflect Him and His loving ways
in all
that we do. Metaphysically speaking, love is the only real thing
that can be
multiplied and bear fruit.[3] I do not believe that any sexuality
(heterosexuality or homosexuality) is an expression of God. Rather,
I
believe that sexuality is, at worst, a parody of --- or, at best, a
parable
of --- the creative powers of the Lord God Almighty and the communion
His
saints have with one another in their at-one-ment with Him.
Some time back, while pondering the idea that I had a spiritual
message to
convey, this malingering thought would press to the forefront of my
consciousness: "Who will believe what you have to say? You are a
homosexual." I was troubled, because, although I felt comfortable
with my
sexuality, I felt most others would be uncomfortable with it (to put
it
mildly). I felt sure that any good that I might try to do would be
prefaced
by: "Dr. Pearson, an acknowledged homosexual . . . " I knew people
would
erroneously use what I was to try to define who I was, and am.
I remember mentally working out arguments to justify and vindicate my
homosexuality should I ever come to public or private trial
concerning it
until --- one day after earnestly praying to the Lord for an answer
to give
my then-imagined, but perhaps now-real, detractors --- I inwardly
heard
(writing while hearing) these words from the Holy Spirit: "If I am
cursed,
then I am joined to my Master, who was cursed of all men. In this,
then, do
I rejoice that I am cursed of men, for in that curse I receive the
blessing
of God wherewith I am received into the body of Christ: rejected by
man but
accepted by God, and delivered by Him from the hand of my own
iniquity and
sin."
Yes, it's true, the Lord God Almighty answered my prayer! Not only
that, but
the answer swept over and settled in my soul. I understood. I
heard. It
spoke to me as no biological, psychological or sociological argument
had.
Later, in Bible study, I came to better understand the scriptural
foundations for the answer I received:
In his letter to the Corinthians in Galatia, St. Paul wrote: "Christ
has
redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for
it is
written, 'Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree.'"[4] Paul was
referring
to the Old Testament passage that states: "He that is hanged is
cursed of
God."[5] While we all know that Jesus was not hanged in the
now-common sense
of the word --- and certainly was not lifted up to the limb of a
sycamore
tree --- he was hanged in the sense that the ancients understood the
word,
that is, "hanged up" for all to see. You see, hanging was viewed
primarily
as a warning to potential wrongdoers. In many cases, bodies were
hung up
after execution rather than for execution. Both the Apostles
Paul and
Peter independently affirm their acceptance of that usage through
their
allusions to the hanging of Christ.[6] In other words, Jesus also
--- which
is to say, like homosexuals --- had been cursed by the letter of
Mosaic law.
Thus, as I now understand it, what the Lord's Holy Spirit said to me
was
this:
In that Christ Jesus, God's Chosen, was made a mock for us that we
might be
reconciled to the Creator, and that His crucifixion won us pardon (if
we so
believe), so then does God's mercy extend to all souls in dust who
feel the
scorn of the lion (that is, the Devil) through the unkindnesses of
humankind.
The Creator will not turn His love away from any who suffer --- even
if they
suffer only a fraction of the passion of His firstborn --- for they
remind
Him of His Son. In other words, in the Creator's sight all reviled
are
joined to the one who suffered the ultimate rejection.
On a number of occassions, I have heard the following statement
uttered by
so-called Christian fundamentalists to combat the possible social
acceptance
of homosexuality: "God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve." The
ignorance of that statement astounds me both as a Christian and as a
biologist. Because it is simplistic and reductionist, the statement
fails to
take into consideration the multivariate nature of this world. It
fails to
take into consideration that there might be a third kind or gender,
not
neuter but "gay."
Many unusual phenomena related to sexual identity occur within the
natural
world. For example: 1) Certain avians and fish undergo spontaneous
sex
reversals and are even capable of reproduction in their newfound
gender. 2)
Various unfertilized insect eggs develop into males. 3) The females
of
specific flying insects possess "XY" sex chromosomes and the males
possess
"XX," and even some human anamolies exist in which anatomic females
have "XY"
chromosomes and anatomic males have "XX" chromosomes. 4) An
all-female
species of fish has been discovered, the Amazon molly, whose eggs
develop
through parthenogenesis (stimulation of ova without the customary
fusion of
male and female cells). And, most importantly, 5) a whole range of
human
intersex states exist that fit on a continuum between normal male and
female
anatomical sex (normal used here in the sense of
"population-normed," or
"that which occurs most frequently").
The issue of human sex identity is a complex one. There are many
legitimate
questions regarding the genetic (or, chromosomal) status, phenotypic
(or,
anatomical) status, psychological (or, gender identification) status,
and
sociological (or, society-assigned) status of sex identity. In
humans, sex
identity may be determined by chromosome composition (46,XX for
female and
46,XY for male). However, genetic testing is not always the best
indicator
of sex. Why? There are a fair number of individuals who fall into
intersex
categories. For instance: 1) those with abnormal chromosome
composition
(including 47,XXY; 45,X; and, 45,X/46,XY mosaics); 2) genetic males
who
differentiate into anatomical females due to androgen inaction or
insensitivity; and, 3) genetic females who differentiate into
anatomical
males from exposure to abnormally high amounts of androgens either
in utero
from their mothers' hyperactive adrenal glands or post partum
from their
own hyperactive adrenal glands.
Since as many as 0.1% of the population fall into intersex status
categories,[7] there may be more than 6,000,000 people on earth whose
sexual
identities are in question using one basis for classification or
another.
Since these people are not "real" Adams or "real" Eves (the
definition of
real here left in question), are we to assume that intersex
individuals
were not created by God? No. We should never use the presence,
absence, or
size of external genitalia; numbers and kinds of chromosomes; sex
hormone
blood levels; or muscle dimensions to classify "real" men and "real"
women.
Though sex identity is not equivocal with sexual preference (however,
from a
statistical standpoint, the two are positively correlated), the point
I am
trying to make is that not all things are as black and white as some
Christian fundamentalists would like them to be. Today, within the
biological community there is legitimate debate about the biological
basis of
homosexuality in the light of recent scientific work that links brain
morphology and sexual preference as well as research on identitical
and
fraternal twins that demonstrates statistical significance in favor
of a
genetic contribution to sexual orientation. Thus, it is more than
likely
that some seemingly unnatural and sinful behavior ("unnatural" and
"sinful"
from the standpoint of Christian Fundamentalism) is part of nature.
Then,
are we to assume that God makes only some people and not others? Or,
are we
to assume that some Christians are ignorant of truth? To be sure, it
is
somewhat queer to me that so many have abandoned the foundational
Christian
principle of love in order to judge and condemn others about whom
they know
so little. The only way that Christian Fundamentalism proves that
some people
are not really of God is through the hatred it has engendered.
Yes, there was a time when no blemished thing could come before the
Lord, as
indicated by the following passage from the Bible: "He that is
wounded in
the stones [testicles] or has his private member [penis] cut off,
shall not
enter into the congregation of the Lord."[8]
However, during Old Covenant times, the Lord God Almighty was trying
to
establish within the hearts and minds of some very primitive people
that He
is sovereign and that He is worthy of perfect sacrifice (of which
Christ
Jesus was to become, and remain, the only embodiment), much the same
as He
established His tabernacle and its appointments as a figure of things
in
heaven.[9] Remember, according to the Old Testament, the people of
that day
were "sticknecked" and "rebellious," ungrateful for the things that
the Lord
was doing for them, and gross with regard to spiritual understanding.
Concerning them, even Moses had this to say: "'Ye have been
rebellious
against the Lord from the [first] day that I knew you.'"[10] Thus,
in order
to help them subdue an unyielding spirit, they were subjected to
various
rules, regulations, and ordinances by the Lord.
In the Book of Acts, it is recorded that St. Philip was directed by
an Angel
of the Lord,
as well as by God's Holy Spirit, to minister the gospel to an
Ethiopian
eunuch so that he could accept Jesus as the Messiah.[11] If during
the early
days of the New Testament, a eunuch (who would have been prohibited
by the
letter of Mosaic law from approaching the Lord) could receive
salvation, then
surely during these latter days homosexuals (also cut off from the
congregation of the Lord by the letter of Mosaic law) can be saved
--- that
is, received by Christ into His Kingdom. To be sure, homosexuals do
not need
to be saved from their homosexuality, unless of course they are
indulging in
a hedonistic and sinful lifestyle, just as any heterosexual in
bondage to
lust of the flesh needs to be saved from that appetite. It is
spiritually
and emotionally unhealthy for anyone to view others as objects for
self-
gratification.
St. Luke wrote, "The law and the prophets were until John: since that
time
the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone presses into it."[12]
St. John
wrote, "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by
Jesus
Christ."[13] And, St. Paul wrote: 1) "You are not under the law, but
under
grace;" 2) "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there
is
nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteems one thing to be
unclean,
to him it is unclean;" 3) "The letter [of the law] kills, but the
spirit [of
love] gives life;" and, 4) "For all the law is fulfilled in one
word, even
in this: 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.'"[14] Keep in
mind that
it was those who were legalistically-minded (that is, strict
adherents to the
letter of Mosaic law) that were offended by Jesus' deeds and
eventually saw
to it that he was condemned to death. Also, those who call
themselves
Christian should remember that at one time even the Gentiles were not
part of
God's chosen.[15]
Why can't more believers in Christ be like St. Peter, who said, "God
has
showed me that I should not call any man 'common' or 'unclean.'"[16]
No one
is permitted by the Lord God to judge or condemn another: "You are
not
pardoned, O man, whoever you are that judges: for wherein you judge
another,
you condemn yourself."[17]
I am saddened that, for many Christians, the issue of AIDS has been
turned
into an issue of homosexuality. Why am I saddened? I think
homosexuality is
one area in which the organized Christian Church has given sanction
to
anti-Christian attitudes of condemnation and judgment as well as
behaviors
that are offensive to Christ, all of which turn many away from where
they
might be looking during their final days. The spirit of condemnation
now
operates through many who profess that Jesus is their Savior. It
runs
rampant through their hearts and minds and souls. For some strange
reason,
it "sets right" with many Christians --- at least many that I have
heard and
seen--- to take such a stand.
Once, when visiting a self-identified "spirit-filled" church, I heard
the
pastor make a joke about homosexuals during his sermon. It received
a good
laugh from the audience; however, it made me feel badly for those
homosexuals
who may have been in the congregation and who had already suffered
rejection
by many and were seeking the Lord, only to be rejected (that is, made
fun of)
by one of His "servants." Brothers and sisters, believe me, whenever
cruelty
raises its ugly head, you can be sure that whoever raises it is not
testifying of Jesus' love and power to save.
Like King David --- who chose to have retribution meted out by
pestilence
rather than by the hand of man[18] --- I think that the Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) should be feared less than men. Viruses
come
nowhere near the power of evil that can be generated through human
beings who
have given themselves over to malice, malevolence, and condemnation.
Certainly, humans are responsible for more damage and suffering than
any
infectious agent.
Yes, there are those Christians who would agree that homosexuals may
be
"saved" but only on the condition that they repent and change their
ways
(that is, not act on their sexual orientation). From my vantage
point, it is
plain that such as these believe corporeal flesh to be the true
reflection
and likeness of God as well as believe that the carnal nature, which
animates
that flesh, to be His Nature, --- ideas that I see as entirely
incongruous
and erroneous. Really, there is little I can say to clarify my views
on
homosexuality for them, because, for as long as they hold to such
thinking,
their understanding of sexuality (among other things) will remain
earthbound:
they will not be able to grasp God's indifference to sexual
orientation. (Do
not misinterpret here that I am saying the Lord is indifferent to
human
behavior.)
For those who are genuinely struggling to reconcile what they feel
inside is
true concerning homosexuality with the views of the Christianity they
love so
much (such views seemingly at variance with those feelings), I need
to add
this:
When I pretended that I was a heterosexual so others might accept me,
I was
in effect rejecting God because I was living a lie. It was not until
I
became honest with myself and others that I was able to come to the
real
truth, which is to say, to the reality of Christ. That is not to say
that I
believe homosexuals have a licence to licentiousness. Quite to the
contrary,
no. Unless one has been called to celibacy, I believe in the
unadulterated
sharing of the life and love of the Lord within the sanctity of a
monogamous
relationship. I believe that one of the highest relationships that
can be
achieved among souls within this earthly flesh is the one attained
between
two faithful helpmates who put God first and each other second. My
mate and
I have been with each other for 18 years and neither one of us has
been
unfaithful to the other. This is one of the "secrets" to the
longevity of
our relationship.
What determines whether an individual is homosexual or heterosexual,
I do not
know. As a biologist, I believe that the cause may be different for
different individuals. Perhaps there are some cases that are
environmentally-caused, some emotionally-caused, others genetically-
and/or
hormonally-caused, and still others caused by a combination of any or
all of
those factors. However, with some psychotherapeutic exceptions, I
don't
think the cause should really matter. What I do think should matter
is that
no one become enslaved to sexuality or to fears concerning it. I
even think
that the so-called "curse" of homosexuality can be turned into a
blessing for
those homosexuals who do not become involved in a frenetic escape
from it in
sexual addiction or in unhealthy repression of their own homosexual
feelings.
How? Through the challenge it presents. To perceive that one does
not fit
into an accepted mold or pattern can help lead one to the conclusion
that
people who are spiritually-minded are really strangers, foreigners,
and
pilgrims in this world. Such recogntion is necessary, I think,
before we can
be fully returned to a heavenly home, where God expresses Himself
through us
without measure. With adversity, rejection, and suffering often
comes
enlightenment; however, generally speaking, the gifts of adversity,
rejection, and suffering are not often gratefully received by souls
in dust
nor viewed as spiritual gifts. (I am not saying here that we should
abrogate
our responsibility to be active politically, demonstrate publicly,
and stand
up for our rights in outrageous ways.)
To those Christians who grieve because of how they perceive their own
homosexuality or the homosexuality of someone they truly love, I
would like
to call their attention to something else St. Paul wrote: "God has
chosen
the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has
chosen the
weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and
base
things of the world, and things which are despised, has God chosen,
yes, and
things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no
flesh
should glory in His Presence.[19]
I challenge them to evaluate that word of wisdom in the context of
homosexuality and today's world. Also, to evaluate the relationship
of this
world to the sphere in which God operates and His true Shekinah-glory
is
manifested. The Lord God Almighty does not care that narrow-minded
heterosexuals playing religion might be offended if He accepts
homosexuals
into His Kingdom. In fact, God often chooses to confound people who
think
they have all of the answers. "No flesh should glory" also means
that
neither heterosexuals nor homosexuals should think that one sexual
orientation is better than the other: Though it is perfectly alright
to
celebrate our sexuality, no human being should revel in animal
instincts.
Now, some of the things that the Apostle Paul has written must be
understood
in terms of their historical and cultural contexts. For example,
that which
concerns a woman's long hair being "a glory to her," or that which
commands
women to "keep silence in the churches."[20] Such is not the case in
his
absolutism about God choosing to exalt things that are despised by
men. It
reminds me of God saying to Moses: "I WILL BE GRACIOUS TO WHOM I WILL
BE
GRACIOUS, AND WILL BESTOW MERCY UPON WHOM I WILL BESTOW MERCY."[21]
It
reminds me of this praise that Nebuchadnezzar offered God: "And all
the
inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and He does
according to His
Will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth:
and no
one can stay His hand, or say unto Him, 'What doest Thou?'"[22] It
reminds
me of Christ Jesus' saying to Peter concerning that Apostle's
speculation
about what would happen to "John the beloved" (the man that Jesus
loved):
"'If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to you?'"[23]
It
reminds me of the heavenly voice which spoke to Peter and said,
"'What God
has cleansed, call not unclean.'"[24] Finally, it reminds me of the
Lord's
response to Paul when besought by that man to remove a thorn from his
flesh:
"'My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in
weakness.'"[25]
If the Lord God Almighty has chosen to extend His dispensation to
homosexuals
(and I believe He has), then who are mere mortals to tell Him that He
cannot
or that He should not? The Lord chooses to whom He is merciful
(thank
goodness mankind does not choose, for no one would have ever become a
Christian). Who are any of us to question the authority or the
sovereignty
of the Lord God Almighty. What audacity! How full of self-pride and
willfulness that is!
To my friends who happen to be homosexual, I write this: Because the
world
is afraid of us (it always fears what it does not understand), it has
tried
to suppress the natural development of our affections and emotions.
And,
since it has tried to repress the healthy expression of our sexual
orientation as well as suppress knowledge of our existence, many of
us ---
without positive role models of any kind --- were consigned by
society to
lead lives in sordid, backroom-type, sinful activities. Because our
personalities were fragmented, we were eaten up from the inside out
by
unhealthy sexual desires. However, it is time for us to break from
the
bondage of such a mental, emotional, and spiritual miasma. We need
to resist
the unhealthiness and sinfulness engendered by prevailing attitudes
and
actions propelled by Satan's spirit of condemnation. We need to take
charge
of our lives. We need to understand that our Creator loves us and
that He
couldn't care less about our sexual orientation (unless we have not
come to
terms with it).
What are the responsibilities of homosexuals? They are the same as
heterosexuals. In Romans we read, "I beseech you, therefore,
brothers, by
the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy,
acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."[26] Thus,
we should
accept our rejection by mankind as well as our acceptance by God,
taking time
to be holy all the while. (Again, this is not to say that we should
be
passive in our struggle for justice and equality.)
When they feel especially sad and lonely, shouldn't homosexuals be
able to
turn to the one who knew the ultimate rejection, Christ, that their
burdens
might be shared? Can not Christians who happen to be homosexual have
the
same hope as Christians who happen to be heterosexual? Are
homosexuals
covered by God's grace? Yes, yes, and yes. Believe me, daily I
prove God's
saving grace and I witness of it to you.
If you happen to be heterosexual, perhaps none of what I have written
here
makes sense to you. That's all right. Just remember to keep your
judgments
to yourself, to refain from unkindness to me and others like me, and
to try
and not be too surprised when you meet many of us in heaven. And, if
the
idea of "faggots"[27]burning brightly for God is repugnant to you,
then
perhaps you are not yet fit for the Kingdom of God. For this reason,
I pray
that you permit God to change you.
FOOTNOTES
[1] c 1994 by Joseph Adam Pearson (TXU 643-369 United States
Copyright
Office).
From an earlier, unpublished version c 1992 by Joseph Adam
Pearson,
Ph.D. (TXU
528 551). Back To Article
(2) Acts 10:34. See also: 2 Samuel 14:14, 2 Chronicles 19:7,
Romans 2:11,
Ephesians
6:9, and 1 Peter 1:17.
(3) Read Genesis 1:28 and Mark 12:28-31.
(4) Galatians 3:13.
(5) Deuteronomy 21:23.
(6) With regard to Paul, see Acts 13:39; and, concerning Peter,
see Acts
5:30, Acts
10:39, and 1 Peter 2:24.
(7) Jean D. Wilson, M.D., 1992, "Sex Testing in International
Athletics,"
Journal of
the American Medical Association, Vol. 267, No. 6, page
853.
(8) Deuteronomy 23:1. See also Leviticus 21:16-20.
(9) Refer to Hebrews, especially Chapters 9 and 10.
(10) Deuteronomy 9:24. Back To Article
(11) Acts 8:26-39.
(12) Luke 16:16.
(13) John 1:17.
(14) Romans 6:14 & 14:14; 2 Corinthians 3:6; and, Galatians 5:14.
(15) Refer to Romans, Chapter 9.
(16) Acts 10:28.
(17) Romans 2:1.
(18) 2 Samuel 24:13-15.
(19) 1 Corinthians 1:27-29.
(20) 1 Corinthians 11:15 & 14:35.Back To Article
(21) Exodus 33:19.
(22) Daniel 4:35.
(23) John 21:22.
(24) Acts 10:15.
(25) 2 Corinthians 12:9.
(26) Romans 12:1. Further pertinent verses are found in 1
Corinthians
3:16-17 and
6:18-20.
(27) Metaphysically speaking, faggots are "embers."
THE AUTHOR GIVES PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE
PROVIDED THAT
IT IS REPRODUCED IN ITS ENTIRETY, INCLUDING AUTHOR'S NAME, POST
OFFICE BOX,
AND ALL FOOTNOTES.
Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson, President
Phoenix Evangelical Bible Institute
Post Office Box 7469
Phoenix, AZ 85011
What's your opinion? We want to know!! Send a letter to the editor or fill out our reader survey!!
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"I
believe that the Creator cares not one jot, iota, or yod about any
aspect of
our being human except that we try to reflect Him and His loving ways
in all
that we do."
"'God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.' The
ignorance of that statement astounds me both as a Christian and as a
biologist."
"it is more than
likely
that some seemingly unnatural and sinful behavior ("unnatural" and
"sinful"
from the standpoint of Christian Fundamentalism) is part of nature.
Then,
are we to assume that God makes only some people and not others? "
"Why can't more believers in Christ be like St. Peter, who said, "God
has
showed me that I should not call any man 'common' or 'unclean.'"
"Brothers and sisters, believe me, whenever
cruelty
raises its ugly head, you can be sure that whoever raises it is not
testifying of Jesus' love and power to save."
"If the Lord God Almighty has chosen to extend His dispensation to
homosexuals
(and I believe He has), then who are mere mortals to tell Him that He
cannot
or that He should not?"
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