Grace & Peace!
No, because there are other acts taht are sinful that could in theory bring forth some good result. For instance, shacking up could in theory lead to a loving relationship, it’s still sinful.
There are a couple problems with your reasoning here, largely stemming from your tendency to ignore all nuance and your eagerness to condemn. Additionally, I am unsure that you understand what is meant by the phrase “human flourishing,” by which I understand the process of becoming more of what we truly are–which is to say, in part, a greater capacity to love and receive love, and a greater conformity to love.
Moreover, we are not talking about theory, but about experience. If there is evidence that shacking up, as you call it, has led to human flourishing, then I would question its designation as sin. You know a tree by its fruit, not by what you think the fruit will be, nor by the fruit you would wish the tree to produce. If there are problems with shacking up, clearly whatever they are could not be related to what bears the good fruit.
We all have to deal with temptations to sin, just some of us more than others. The answer isn’t to ignore that it’s sin, it’s to fight it.
I’m not advocating ignoring sin, but coming to a better understanding of what sin is by being more aware of virtue (good fruit)–that is, by understanding what is and what is not sin.
Regarding some of us dealing with more temptations than others–I fear that you have mistaken a healthy desire for intimate companionship for temptation.
Being naturally tempted doesn’t excuse sin. A straight person is also tempted in all kinds of ways, that does not excuse any sins, even if they are naturally atracted.
Of course temptation does not excuse sin. But what does that have to do with anything?
That’s a downright lie, and it leads me to believe that the rest of this article is equally untrustworthy. The teaching against it is from the bible, both Leviticus and Romans Some benifit does not excuse a sin. For instance, 2 people shacking up, could bring about some sort of good relationship. It’s still sinful.
You will find that homosexuality is not mentioned once in the Bible. Not once. There are behaviors that are condemned within particular contexts (idolatry/temple prostitution is the prevailing one in both Leviticus and Romans given Romans’ gloss of the Levitical text for good rhetorical effect). The most you can really say, based on the evidence from scripture, is that commercial sex is bad, sex with children is bad, kidnapping children for sex is bad, and you might want to avoid anal sex. You cannot, from there, assume that loving homosexual relationships are a bad idea.
Many sins could bring about some sort of good side-effect. It is not evil to say not to sin. I mean, I could intimidate people for money, that would be good for the economy. It’s still okay to speak out against that.
This convinces me that you don’t know what is being talked about. Can you honestly suggest that you have contributed to someone’s human flourishing by intimidating them?
Moreover, in what way is morality dependent on economy? And where did I suggest such a thing?
The mindset that would see what is good for the economy as what is good for morality is confusing terms. Moral good and economic good are not the same.
The keynote to all of this (and what you’re missing, for whatever reason, in all of this) is relationship–what fosters and what destroys relationships that bear good fruit.
Actually, that is once again a complete lie. The question is whether or not it’s prohibited by the bible.
That is not at all the question. The Bible prohibits many things–eating shellfish, for instance. Charging interest. The question is: what does experience show that leads to human flourishing
However, I am led to believe you are telling him to misuse it, which is bad, and even most straight people regret it.
I suggest responsibility, not misuse.
The alternative is a life of sin, which isn’t a good life at all. It seperates you from true love, that of God. All the people who have actually experianced being gay are telling him to stay celibate. I have a gay relative and it’s not a good lifestyle. I think Jack deserves better, I’m sorry if you don’t.
It is clear that you don’t know what you’re talking about.
I’m a gay man–in a loving, committed, monogamous relationship with a good Christian man for the last 11 years. If you mean to imply that this relationship, through which I have experienced the love, forgiveness, grace and mercy of God, is an evil thing, I would ask how dare you call such goodness and such love evil. How dare you.
But, again, it is clear that you don’t know what you’re talking about. Perhaps I’ve just not experienced being gay enough…if I had, maybe I, too, would be on the celibacy bandwagon. How ludicrous.
Under the Mercy,
Mark
All is grace and mercy! Deo gratias!
