Elton John’s father never saw one of his concerts. While his dad lived long enough to know his son was having success, he didn’t approve of his music or lifestyle as a homosexual. “That was a painful loss for me,” Elton said in a recent interview.
Research indicates that homosexual people tend to experience more mental health problems than heterosexual people. They also have higher rates of suicidal thoughts, alcohol and drug abuse, and sexually transmitted diseases. This is especially true for gay men.
Most people believe this is due to discrimination and the difficulties growing up in a world orientated toward heterosexual norms. Thus when Bible believing Christians say that we consider homosexual behavior to be sinful, we are told we are contributing to the pain and mental anguish of gay and lesbian teens and adults. Some refer to us as homophobic and hate mongers. We’re told that we’re the reason people abuse and bash gays.
In my recent sermon series I made it clear that the Bible does tell us to teach God’s truth and correct people, but to do so with gentleness and kindness. We are to love others with more than mere words. How we treat people does matter. The fact that the Bible does teach that homosexual behavior is sinful does not justify mistreating or abusing homosexuals.
Here’s a question everyone should consider. Is discrimination and religious teaching about homosexuality the only reason gay people suffer higher rates of mental problems and other struggles?
A recent government sponsored study in the Netherlands surprised the researchers. Why? Well consider the following: The Netherlands lead the world in social and legal equality for gay people, being the first nation to legalize gay marriage. Many homosexuals grow up in supportive families. The nation has very lax sexual morals, with two-thirds of Dutch parents reporting they allow their teenage children to have sleepovers with their boyfriend or girlfriend. Given these cultural attitudes, one would expect homosexuals in the Netherlands to be healthier than in the United States and other nations which are less accepting of homosexuality.
The research indicates that would be a false expectation. The study discovered that Dutch gay men have much higher rates of psychological distress than heterosexual men. Dutch gay men are three times more likely than heterosexual men to report a mood disorder or anxiety disorder, and ten times more likely to report suicidal thoughts. While similar results have been reported in other western nations, the Dutch findings were unexpected given the country’s attitudes toward homosexuals.
What about non-mental health issues? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 78% of new HIV infections among males in America can be attributed to male-to-male sexual contact. When one remembers that gay men make up only about one percent of the American population, the HIV infection rate is staggering. Additionally gay men are 17 times more likely to develop anal cancer and account for 75% of syphilis cases.
In summary, let me say:
- Homosexuals do face varying degrees of discrimination and abuse
- This does contribute to their struggles
- There is no justification for abusing homosexuals
- Research does not support the claim that all their suffering is the result of society’s negative attitudes or religious teaching
- While current research demonstrates the level of suffering by homosexuals, it does not demonstrate the cause or causes of that suffering.
- Much of the physical suffering experienced by homosexuals is the result of their sexual behavior choices
As I mentioned in Sunday’s sermon, loving someone does not mean we must agree with them or affirm their choices. Some will never accept that a person can be compassionate toward gays and lesbians without affirming their lifestyle. We can’t control that. What we can control is how we treat them. Neither can we allow attacks on us as homophobes to intimidate us into denying our faith and the Bible’s teachings. As Jesus tells us (John 15:18; Matthew 10:22) – if some people hated Him, some people will also hate us. Let them hate us for being true to God’s word, not for how we treat them.
Pastor Steve Hogg
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