lovemeorhateme said:
Should homosexuals be given the death penalty?
If so, why so? If not, why not?
I did not read all of the replies. So, if I am repeating anything, I apologize.
To me, having a homosexual orientation and "acting on it" are 2 different things. To those who believe that anything homosexual (whether orientation or behavior) is a sin or plain "out of whack" with God's design of creation, I don't think you could or should argue for the death penalty for the orientation because that is sort of like being born with a tendency and living with a temptation that you might give into occassionally by thinking thoughts in your heart but not acting on them. I am 100% that there are folks in this category.
NO, I do not believe that homosexuals (orientation or behavior) should get the death penalty. (NOTE: If it could be proven that a homosexual (or anyone for that matter), purposefully transmitted a fatal disease like AIDS to someone, then I think they should get the death penalty).
If the argument of "death penalty" comes from the Bible, then is it not basically based on the OT? I thought Christians are not to live under that Law. The Torah contains 613 rules (including the Ten Commandments). Jesus Christ advocated violating some of these in favor of putting people above rules (Example: Jesus declares ALL foods clean (Mark 7:18-19)). "Abominations" were connected with the breaking of several different rules (e.g. eating certain animals). Not sure if that resulted in the death penalty.
I know that Lev. 18:22 and 22:13 says that male homosexual behavior (NOT lesbian behavior) is an "abomination". Lev. 22:13 calls for the death penalty. However, as in ALL things, we must understand a command in context of everything else in Scripture that surrounds that command. I know that some professing Christians will accuse me of trying to justify sin. But hear me out....
In the NT are examples of 2 rules that I know many evangelical/fundamental Christians DO NOT follow because they cite historical things that put those rules in context:
1. Women being silent in the churches (1 Cor. 14:34-35)
2. Women not wearing head coverings when praying or prophesying (1 Cor. 11:15)
Why can't we apply the same approach to other commands such as the ones in Leveticus?
As stated in Scripture, the purpose of the Lev. rules were to prevent the Israelites from doing what the Canaanites did. That is why I believe EVERY PERMUTATION of every kind of sin is not listed, only the ones which were practiced. Furthermore, I believe that the what the Lev. passages is condemning is a particular "type" of homosexual behavior. According to Biblical historians, Canaanite religions included fertility rites with "sexual" rituals in which whole families would have sex with one another. Also included was sex with "temple prostitutes", and yes, HOMOSEXUAL sex. I believe this is what the commandment is addressing.