yesos terlahir sebagai seorang homoseks a.k.a gay

Here Jesus refers to "eunuchs who have been so from birth." This
terminology ("born eunuchs") was used in the ancient world to refer to
homosexual men. Jesus indicates that being a "born eunuch" is a gift
from God.


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This text is an excerpt from The Children Are Free: Reexamining the Biblical Evidence on Same-sex Relationships. It’s
available from Amazon.com and directly from the publisher.

Discussion: Matthew 19:10-12



Some Christians confidently assert that God did not create homosexual
people "that way." This is important because they realize if God did
create gays "that way," rejecting them would be tantamount to rejecting
God’s work in creation. In pressing their “creation order” argument,
some Christians are fond of saying, "God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and
Steve!" To bolster their position, they often cite Jesus’ words in
Matthew 19:4-5, where he responds to a question about whether divorce is
permissible:

“Jesus answered, ‘Have you not read that the One who made them at the
beginning made them male and female, and said, “For this reason a man
shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two
shall become one flesh”? Therefore, what God has joined together, let
no one separate.’ ”

From these words, some Christians draw the conclusion that
heterosexuality is the creation norm and, thus, heterosexual marriage is
the only legitimate way for people to form romantic relationships.
Ironically, Jesus’ own words in this very same passage refute these
conclusions.


As the dialogue continues, Jesus’ disciples are disturbed by his
strict teaching on divorce. The disciples say that if divorce is not a
ready option, perhaps it would be best for a man not to marry a woman.
Jesus responds:

“Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it is
given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are
eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others, and there are eunuchs who
have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.
Let anyone accept this who can.” (Matthew 19:11-12)

Here Jesus identifies three classes of men who should not marry
women. Taking his categories in reverse order, first, there are those
who have made themselves “eunuchs” for the kingdom of heaven, i.e.,
those who foreswear marriage to better serve God. Second, he mentions
those who have been “made eunuchs by others,” an apparent reference to
castrated males. But Jesus mentions a third category — eunuchs who were
born that way. Some might argue that Jesus was referring to males born
without testicles, but this would be extremely rare. Moreover, this
interpretation ignores how the term “born eunuchs” was used in other
literature of the time.


In the ancient world, including ancient Jewish culture (as reflected
in the Talmud), “natural” or “born” eunuchs were not associated with
missing testicles. Rather, they were associated with stereotypically
effeminate characteristics and behavior (just like modern gay men), and
were thought by Rabbi Eliezer to be subject to “cure” (just like modern
gays). Moreover, as we have also seen, eunuchs were commonly associated
with homosexual desire. (For a complete discussion of the term "born eunuch" and the connection with homosexuality, see The Early Church Welcomed a Gay Man.)
As a reasonably informed person of his time, Jesus would have been
aware of this common view of eunuchs. Yet he very matter-of-factly
asserts that some people are simply born that way. The implication of
his statement is profound — God created gay people the way they are!
Jesus says so.


Unlike Rabbi Eliezer, Jesus feels no need to “cure” these born
eunuchs. He speaks no words of condemnation. Rather he lists people
born gay alongside another honored class (eunuchs for the kingdom), and
accepts them as a natural part of God’s creation order.


Thus, when Matthew 19 is read as a whole, we see Jesus teaches that
most people are created for heterosexual marriage. (We too accept this
as God’s predominant creation paradigm.) But, unlike some modern
Christians, Jesus does not see this as the only honorable way to live.
He acknowledges that some human beings have been created by God to
follow a less common, but equally legitimate path. There are some who
have been eunuchs from birth — made that way by God.





For Further Study


Books



The Children Are Free: Reexamining the Biblical Evidence on Same-sex Relationships by Rev. Jeff Miner and John Tyler Connoley
"Short, clear, and amazingly easy to read, this book does
much more than offering loopholes or excuses with regards to the Bible.
Instead, the authors combine careful research with a tremendous respect
for God's Word, using humor, personal stories, and Biblical examples to
make their case." --review from GayChristian.net. Most of the text on
this site is from The Children Are Free.

The Good Book by Rev. Peter Gomes
Some people idolize the Bible, and others discount it. Rev.
Gomes does neither. This thoughtful book describes the nature of Bible
abuse in the church throughout history, and proposes a way to read the
Bible without neglecting either its Divine inspiration or its cultural
context.

Holy Homosexuals : The Truth About Being Gay or Lesbian and Christian by Rev. Michael S. Piazza
Rev. Piazza makes his case elequently in a book suitible for
lay people and clergy alike. Piazza shows a deep respect for scripture,
while educating the reader on context in both Hebrew and and Greek
society.

Is It a Choice? Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Questions About Gay & Lesbian People, Third Edition by Eric Marcus

Is the Homosexual My Neighbor? A Positive Christian Response by Letha Scanzoni and Virginia Mollenkott
This compasionate book examines the meanings and intents of
Scripture, but also speaks of real people's lives, and challenges
Christians (gay and not) to re-examine their attitudes toward gay and
lesbian people.

Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church by Jack Rogers
Evangelical theologian and former Moderator of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Jack Rogers observes that today's church is
led by many of those who were once cast out: people of color, women,
and divorced and remarried people, and he argues that we must interpret
the Bible through the lens of Jesus' redemptive life and ministry.

Our Tribe: Queer Folks, God, Jesus, and the Bible by Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson (This title is out of print, but Amazon usually has used copies available.)
Our Tribe is the anecdotal, scripture-citing, and
very funny memoir of the ministry of Rev. Wilson, Moderator of the
Metropolitan Community Churches.

The Queer Bible Commentary by Deryn Guest, Robert E. Goss, Mona West, Thomas Bohache

Stranger at the Gate: To Be Gay and Christian in America by Rev. Dr. Mel White
Rev. White details his twenty-five years of being counseled,
exorcised, electric-shocked, and nearly driven to suicide because his
church said homosexuality was wrong. His story is powerful and
uplifting.

Virtually Normal by Andrew Sullivan
Writer, blogger, and gay Catholic, Andrew Sullivan analyzes
the politics of the homosexuality debate. His ideas are sure to give
both sides something to think about.

What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality by Daniel A. Helminiak
An examination of all of the Biblical passages that are
commonly used to condemn gay people and gay behavior. The methods of
Biblical interpretation, and their validity, are explained well.