Rev. Turner:

I am a student at University, and have recently come out, well kind of anyway! I have known I have had feelings for women since I was eleven, but am also a Christian, in that I believe in God and believe there is more to life than we think. It is very hard, because my family doesn't know, my parents are Christians, and they don't really believe in 'homosexuality'. I have heard things against sexual immorality in the bible, does being gay come under it?? I believe that the bible should be taken in contemporary context - what is your belief?

Many thanks,
A.

Dear A,

There are lots of things in scripture about sexuality immorality, however from the contemporary understanding of biblical translation there is nothing about loving caring homosexual relationships.

First of all in the ancient Hebrew and Greek there was no word that literally translate to the American English word "homosexual". Further, there are particular homosexual acts that are condemned but in every instance these are sexual acts that involve rape, idol worship or are part of the fertility cults that were rampant at the time of the writing of those scriptures.

My sister in Christ, your parents don't have to "believe in homosexuality" they just have to love you as a child of God. If they can't accept that you are a loving spirit filled child of God just because you would love someone of the same gender, that is their problem and issue, not yours.

God Bless,

Pastor Paul