One attitude I seem to bump up against continuously is that homosexuality is a “worse sin” than other sins. People cite things like the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah being destroyed, or the fact that the punishment for homosexual acts was death, or that Romans clearly isolates homosexuality as a sin being condemned by the apostles.

But, as my father says, every time you see a “therefore” you really ought to read what it’s “there for.” So let’s start by talking about Romans. This is a verse a lot of gay Christians have had read to them many times,

Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

Now, yes, that verse does very clearly state that God gave them over to shameful lusts. But why? Does anyone else see the “because of this”?

Romans 1: 18-27
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

So what is being condemned in Romans isn’t sexual acts, necessarily, but a larger truth that one must adhere to worship of the One God. God gave them over to lust as a punishment for a greater sin- the infidelity of their hearts against their creator. And these men and women were also leaving their families to indulge their lust- another sin which is clearly condemned throughout the Bible.

But let’s not just look at Romans. Let’s look at Sodom and Gomorrah as well. What, exactly, was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah? People immediately think, “homosexuality!”, but that isn’t clearly the case. When the angels came to Lot to tell him of Sodom’s fate (Gen. 19) the men of the city surrounded Lot’s house and commanded that he send the angels out to be raped in the streets. Why would they do that? Were the angels so physically appealing that their lust knew no bounds? Was it customary to have sex with everyone new to the city? (In which case they must have also had sex with Lot) or was this a power struggle? It says that every man of the city, the young as well as the old, came to Lot’s door. Then would it be the case that every single male in Sodom was openly homosexual?

Rape isn’t about sexual pleasure, it is about exerting power. Lot was an alien to the people of Sodom, and they wished to exert their superiority by attacking his guests. Hospitality in those days was very different than in ours, and causing damage to someone’s guest shamed the entire family. Why else would Lot offer his own virgin daughters up as a sacrifice in order to spare his guests? This isn’t about being gay, it’s about being evil. It’s “situational homosexuality” at the most, much like men may engage in sexual acts with other men when isolated in prison or in long-term work arrangements where women aren’t available. Do not use such stories to shame all homosexuals, in doing so you do your own argument a grave disservice.

Now, on to Leviticus, where God does in fact condemn men having sex with men. He does so in Leviticus 19, a passage headed “unlawful sexual acts.” Keep in mind that God in those verses also condemns having sex with the spouse of one’s parent, one’s siblings, having sex with the sibling of a spouse, marrying sibling, having sex with close relatives or the close relatives of a previous sexual partner, having sex with animals, having your wife have sex with animals, and numerous other sexual indiscretions. One may logically use this verse to argue that homosexuality is a sin. I fail to see how this verse makes it “more of a sin.” And let us also observe why God created laws governing sexual acts. The end of Leviticus 19 states, “Everyone who does any of these detestable things—such persons must be cut off from their people. Keep my requirements and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were practiced before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the LORD your God.” The law was about them ceasing to be as they were when they were in Exile and being set apart, a point which causes people sympathetic to the gay man’s plight to say that it is not a whole cloth condemnation of homosexuality, but instead a condemnation of the way in which homosexuality was practiced in those times.

Some people will then say, “but the punishment for homosexual acts was death!”

To which I respond, “If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother, and his blood will be on his own head.” (Leviticus 20:9)

The law was cruel. That is why God sent Jesus, to free us from being condemned.

Two more verses:

Colossians 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.

1 Peter 4:3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.

Both condemning sexual indiscretion, both doing so while condemning other things equally.

So can someone please explain to me how homosexuality is somehow worse?