Homosexuality and the church -- post 3

More dialogue with Dan Kimball's book, They Like Jesus but Not the Church...

Point #3 -- Practice and Orientation.

-- From Kimball: Kimball differentiates between sexual practice and sexual orientation. The Scriptures condemn engaging in homosexual practice. However, a Christian can have a homosexual orientation (i.e., same-sex attraction). For the Christian with a homosexual orientation, it takes great sacrifice and commitment not to act upon one's attractions. For this person who has a homosexual orientation but does not act upon it for the sake of Christ, Kimball does not object to using the term "homosexual Christian."

-- My comment: I agree with Kimball's argument. However, I would not use the term "homosexual Christian" unless I was in a setting where I could carefully and clearly unpack what I mean -- and even then I might not go so far as to use the term, because it would lend itself to much confusion. Given the overwhelming desire in today's world to legitimize homosexuality in all spheres of culture, including the church, it would be very easy for someone to take the term "homosexual Christian" and run the wrong direction with it.

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