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Is "Gay" Really Happy?

Many years ago I worked on a Crisis Hotline. We had a speaker at a training session who was a spokesman for the gay community. In a Q&A session, I asked him from his perspective, how many gay people were alcoholic. His response was 50%. When you consider the health risks (not even counting AIDS), the turnover rate, the superficial emphasis on appearance, and the ultimate loneliness, it does not seem to be a path which one might choose to find happiness.

Many gay people feel that they were “born that way” because of the intensity of the drive they feel. Christianity offers an alternative explanation;

Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

In summary, the Christian explanation for the intensity of the drive towards homosexuality would be a consequence for rejecting the creator and giving the honor, respect, and gratitude due the creator to that which was created (frequently, self).

Many would argue against the Christian position and declare that the difficulties of the gay life are solely attributable to the discrimination or hostility of others. I suspect than many (perhaps even most) gay people would acknowledge that the problems they encounter are intrinsic to the life more than a result of what others think.

The bible gives no step by step method to turn from homosexuality. However, if one considers that God is forgiving and that the condition is a result of failing to glorify God, it might be that turning back to God in repentance and asking for forgiveness could start a process of a new path.

Jesus came to bring light to darkness. It is often only when we are broken or at the end of our rope that we are willing to even consider the life Jesus and God would have for us. A much more receptive audience is found in prisons or hospitals for hearing about Jesus than in comfortable country clubs.

This whole section of Romans starts with the explanation that the wrath of God comes upon those who hold the truth in unrighteousness. For those who would chose to abandon homosexuality, it might be a good idea to reverence truth and seek it out most earnestly. Since Jesus is truth this would be a good starting point.

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