Conclusion

	God does not regard homosexuality as a sin. Several respondents regards a person's sexual orientation, be it heterosexual, bisexual or homosexual, as a "gift from God".
	The Scriptures were written before the word "homosexual" existed. Jesus is silent on the concept of homosexuality. Where the Scriptures object to certain types of same-gender and opposite-gender sexual expression, they do so because those actions were exploitative and oppressive, rather than loving and caring. The writers and interpreters of the Bible were influenced by the social, cultural, and moral attitudes of their time, and limited by the scientific knowledge then available.
	God approves of gays and lesbians pledging their love in a covenant of holy union and raising a family - provided each does so in a constructive, loving, nonselfish way and shows respect for the other's rights and dignity.

Question 2: The respondents are divided on whether the Scriptures object to homosexuality, but those who see such objections share the concern that the Biblical authors could not have helped being influenced by:

	A lower level of scientific knowledge and prejudice born of a lack of information;
	2,000 year old cultural beliefs that no longer apply in the 20th or 21st century;
	An overwhelming concern for the survival of people, when procreation was of highest priority.

In other words, they hold the view that, although the authors of the Scriptures may have been inspired by God, the writers, translators, and interpreters were influenced by the culture, moral attitudes, and prejudices of the time in which they lived, and limited by the scientific knowledge of 2,000 years ago. We should also remember that, at that time, very few people could read or write and mass production of books through printing was unavailable. Most people were, therefore, dependent on the spoken word and human memory only, and if they disagreed, were not able to successfully challenge the writings of the powerful literates.

Also, the microscope and other scientific instruments designed to test the accuracy of prevailing beliefs were not invented until many hundreds of years later. This relative lack of scientific knowledge (by today's standards) is evident in the Scriptures:

The Old Testament speaks of the sun circling around the earth (Genesis 1:14-19). However, in the 16th and 17th centuries, some scientists, including Galileo, discovered that the earth moves around the sun. Their theory aroused opposition from the authorities, I.e. The Church, and Pope Paul V forced Galileo to recant his statement in 1633. To save his life, Galileo withdrew his statement, but we know today that he was right, and that the earth indeed moves around the sun.

In another example (1 Kings 3:19), the Bible speaks of mothers who in their sleep "overlaid their child," that is, when a baby was found dead in the morning and had shared the bed with the parents, the mother was accused of negligently smothering her baby with her own body. She was, therefore, driven out of town in shame. Today, however, we know that babies do occasionally die in their sleep of unknown causes, even when alone in their cribs (sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS). And although we are not sure even today what causes it, we know that parents carry no blame for SIDS.

We should also remember that some parts of the Bible were written at a time when scientists believed that a man's semen contained all the ingredients needed to produce a new life. They did not know that the woman's body contained the egg to be fertilized by the man's semen. The woman was regarded only as the "soil in which the embryo grows." (Singer, Charles: A Short History of Anatomy and Physiology from the Greek to Harvey, 1957, page 24, Dover Publishers, Inc.). Therefore, in a period in history when underpopulation and a high mortality rate were a constant threat to human survival, any act of "wasting" semen outside the woman's body, such as male homosexual acts, masturbation, and premature ejaculation, were considered sinful by religious leaders and their followers.

This rationale of 2,000 years ago is still evident in much of today's thinking, preaching, literature, and legislation even though some regions of the world are threatened by overpopulation, rather than underpopulation, and despite the fact that scientists now generally believe that one's sexual orientation is biologically determined at an early age and unchangeable. (See Why Ask Why?: Addressing the Research on Homosexuality and Biology published by PFLAG). This ancient rationale is also responsible for today's continued discrimination against gays by certain segments of society.

Until the beginning of the 16th century, Europe - from which most of America's current laws and thinking are derived - was largely governed by the Roman Catholic Church and the Vatican. Since the 16th century Reformation, traditional Christian teaching has either avoided the issue of homosexuality, expressed opposition to it, or adopted the attitude "hate the sin, love the sinner."

For example, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that homosexuality is not a choice that some people make. It states that some people have a homosexual orientation which is permanent and unchangeable ("Human Sexuality," United States Catholic Conference, 1990). The Church also has a teaching which states that only those in heterosexual marriage may engage in sexual relations. Therefore, the Roman Catholic Church does not consider a person's homosexuality per se as sinful. It does, however, regard any sexual activity outside a legal marriage as sinful.

Other faiths base their continued opposition to homosexuality on the Scriptures. Adhering to the belief that it is wrong, their followers, anxious to lay blame, insist that homosexuality is a matter of individual choice and preference, or they hold parents responsible for bringing up a child who is gay. (This theory was disproved in the 1970s when a team of scientists, supported with funds from the National Institute of Mental Health concluded that upbringing and other environmental factors alone cannot cause homosexuality. See Why Ask Why?)

As a result of this continued negative attitude toward homosexuality, perpetuated by misinformed religious leaders, thousands of gays, lesbians and their parents have left their churches or synagogues, often amid much conflict and anguish. Some lesbians and gays are made to believe that God has rejected them and are encouraged to remain celibate. In the past, some gay men and lesbians joined the priesthood or convent. Other lesbians and gays and their families, feeling rejected by their faith's leaders, started working to establish support systems within their own denominations. This movement has resulted in an ever-growing number of religious organizations, such as "Dignity" and "Affirmation," that are supportive of and minister to gays and lesbians, their families and friends.

Question 3: All respondents agreed that God sanctions committed relationships blessed by a priest, minister, or rabbi, as long as these "holy unions" or "marriages" are based on love, respect, caring and faithfulness and are not abusive or based on selfishness. It is interesting to note that, according to Professor John Boswell, Chair of the History Department at yale University, the Roman Catholic Church sanctioned same-gender marriages before the 16th century. Possibly as a result of the Reformation, the tradition of same-gender wedding ceremonies fell into disuse in most localities and the written liturgy was filed away in confidential Vatical libraries.

Although the raising of children is not essential to a healthy relationship, most respondents believe that gay couples in such covenant relationships have an excellent opportunity to share their love and religion with children, be they biological or adopted.

We are living in a fast-paced world inherited from our ancestors full of rich resources and wisdom. Yet, as we split the atom, land on the moon, and develop vaccines against deadly diseases, we learn that earlier books of wisdom, including the Bible, may not always have held what we today know and believe to be the truth. We have to reinterpret and modify some ideas and concepts once believed to be the "Gospel" truth, including the notion that God considers homosexuality as wrong and sinful. Over the centuries, this misinterpretation of certain biblical passages has caused great suffering to millions of gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals. It is time that we right that wrong and start respecting all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation. It is time to celebrate the diversity of God's creation.