Christian attitudes about homosexuality and transgender

• What do Catholics mean by the tendencies and acts?

  Some may experience themselves as gay, but may choose not to engage in same sex sexual activity. Some argue that a person with homosexual tendencies should be required to remain celibate, rather than be allowed to perform homosexual acts. Tendencies and feelings are not sinful but homosexual acts go against the principle of NML, are regarded as sins
• Why is homosexuality condemned by the Catholic Church?

  They regard the conception of children as the 'final aim' of the sexual act. Every expression of sexuality that cannot lead to conception is condemned
• Which biblical verses in the Old Testament condemn homosexuality?

  - Leviticus 18:22 - "Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable"

  - Leviticus 20:13 - "If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads"
• How is Sodom and Gomorrah misinterpreted?

  Many interpret it as a story against homosexuality whereas it is actually just threatened. The same passage could equally be used to illustrate gender violence, as Lot offers his daughters to the crowd. Ezekiel says the real sins were pride, gluttony and laziness
• What is said about homosexuality in the New Testament?

  Romans 1:26-28 suggests that people have rejected the truth of God as visible in nature and have practised idolatry. Paul says that Christians should not judge others, since all need forgiveness. All deserve condemnation as they have all sinned in different ways. But this is not the same as a claim for equality of sexual preference
• Is the practice of homosexuality accepted in Christian churches? Yes!

  - Liberal interpretations of Bible passages demonstrate that the original words and meaning show that homosexuality was not condemned in the Bible

  - Homosexuality is about the diversity of God

  - Roman Catholic view is about controlling people's urges and natural inclinations

  - the Methodist Church welcomes same sex marriage and relationships
• Is the practice of homosexuality accepted in Christian churches? No

  - Evangelicals will point to the above biblical texts

  - Family life is about one man and one woman

  - Sex is about the gift of reproduction

  - Roman Catholics discuss tendencies and acts
• How does imago dei contribute to the argument against allowing change of gender?

  If all people are created by God, it could be argued that God, who does not make mistakes, gave transgender people their body, so they should be content with the body that God gave them
• Why are the Early Church opposed to change of gender?

  They oppose surgery which tampered with sex identity. Eunuchs were not permitted to be ordained as priests.
• How do passages apply to transgender persons?

  Some argue that passages which relate to homosexuality also apply to those who change their gender. To them, if a transgender female sleeps with a man, it is the same as if two men engage in a homosexual act and is therefore condemned
• How does genesis argue in favour of allowing change of gender?

  Imago dei can be interpreted to mean that God's nature, and by extension the nature of all humankind created in God's image, contains both male and female. If this is the case, changing gender is merely a case of emphasising one aspect of God's image over another
• What does Paul say in his letter to the Galatians?

  'There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus'. For Christians, gender identity has no importance and it does not impact salvation
• How does the Gospel of Thomas passage encourage a change of gender?

  Jesus says he will make a woman male so that like Simon Peter, she can enter the kingdom of heaven. But this is a problem in terms of gender equality, since it seems to suggest that only men can enter the kingdom of Heaven
• Are trans welcome into the Christian church? Yes!

  - Imago dei. The diversity of people reflects the diversity at the time of God

  - Paul emphasises that there are no distinctions between people. We are neither male nor female

  - There are sacred passages, dismissed by the Church that accept theology of trans

  - Methodist Church and Church of England have policies of welcoming trans
• Are trans welcome into the Christian Church? No

  - Imago dei. God created us perfect. We should not change that

  - Castration was condemned by the Church

  - Some Christian feminist authors argue that a woman is someone born as a woman at birth