1. WHEN CHRISTIANS GET IT WRONG In Dealing with Homosexuality

2. This is a controversial subject and class members will have different points of view on homosexuality. Most young adults agree that gay and lesbian persons deserve love, compassions, and respect and that too many Christians fail to show it to them. We need to learn how to share our faith with them so that we turn them toward Christ and not away.

3. We’ve looked at what the Methodist Discipline says about homosexuality. Now let’s look at what the Bible has to say and understand it in the context of the times in which it was written. We looked back to the original words used in the Bible that refer to the homosexual issue.

4. It is difficult for many Christians to see how one can set aside Scriptures dealing with homosexuality and still maintain that the Bible has authority to speak to other areas in their lives. They question why should they take seriously scriptures dealing with helping the poor, tithing, and loving enemies, when they have set aside scriptures indicating that God’s will is for marriage to be between a man and a woman.

5. One of the things we have to guard against when talking to others about our views is saying that homosexuality is a sin. Using verses from the Bible, we justify in our own minds that this is acceptable. Read Leviticus 11:7-8 Is it a sin to eat a ham sandwich or a pork chop or pork roast? Why or why not when the Bible explicitly says don’t do it?

6. Read Leviticus 18:22 from different translations How do you interpret this verse? Does this verse only apply to men?

7. Read Leviticus 20:13 from different translations How do you interpret this verse? Do you think this deserves the death penalty? What about Leviticus 20: 9-10 Do these verses still hold true today?

8. Read 1 Corinthians 6 : 9-11 from different translations. How do you interpret these verses?

9. Some think Paul put the two words for male offenders together to refer to a specific vice called pederasty. Pederasty is a practice in which an adult male dominates a submissive minor male for sexual purposes. If Paul was condemning pederasty he would have been condemning what was probably the most dominate and “most culturally acceptable” form of homosexual practice in Paul’s day

10. Read Romans 1: 22-32 from different translations. How do you interpret these verses?

11. The author says that using terms like “homphobe” is not helpful in persuading others, it only inspires defensiveness and anger. He also says that the church includes people who are insensitive, and whose agenda on this issue is far less about pleasing God than about power and control. How do you feel about these statements?

12. The author says that in an attempt to maintain a code of moral holiness in the church, some Christians sometimes speak and act in ways that do not reflect the most important component of holiness LOVE How do you feel about this statement?

13. Some Christians choose to ignore the verses dealing with homosexuality while accepting other verses. Some Christians choose to accept the verses dealing with homosexuality while ignoring other verses. So keeping love at the center of your faith, how in your own heart and mind do you decide which verses to accept and which verses to ignore?

14. In sharing your faith with others whose views are different than yours, how would you defend your choices about which verses you accept and which verses you ignore?