LGBTIQ??
Examining the Issues 2
There are claims that the LGBTIQ community form as much as 10% of our society. (If you still do not know what LGBTIQ is, please read my previous blog.) I quite certain that we probably do not have any comprehensive surveys on this, but I would think the numbers would be more or less there, if not more. Hmmm… so there may be as many LGBTIQ people as there are “lefties” or left-handed people in this world.
Homosexuality (gay and lesbian issues) in itself is already not a simple matter. What more when bi-sexuality, trans-sexuality and inter-sexuality are added into this equation. To make matters even more complex and controversial; religious views, human rights and government policies have now been multiplied into the equation!
I know I am treading on dangerous grounds here with many landmines. So before I proceed, I need to qualify that as a Christian, the views expressed here will be based on my Christian beliefs and my study of the Bible; as well as my current understanding gained from my limited readings and reflections on this matter.
BIBLICAL CONTEXT OF SEXUALITY
When we examine both the Old Testament and the New, how God views the range of sexual issues here is quite clear. Even though there may not be specific Scriptures dealing with some of the specific sexual issues here; when we take the Bible in totality, the general Biblical perspectives have been quite sufficiently laid out.
Genesis 1:27 NIV
God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Leviticus 20:13 NIV
If a man sleeps with another man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable…
Romans 1:26-27 NIV
…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…
Deuteronomy 22:5 NIV
A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lord detests anyone who does this.
In essence, the Biblical perspective is that sexuality must be understood in the context of spirituality. If God is taken out of human sexuality, men and women would become mere animals with fleshly and carnal desires. But Yahweh is the Creator of humanity and the Designer of sexuality for humankind, and hence sexuality must be understood in this context.
ROOT CAUSE(S)
In the midst of the Sexualiti Merdeka controversy recently, a comment that ran something like this appeared on my FB: “We should be thankful that we are born a heterosexual…” If we examine this statement carefully, the key proposition here is that the sexual orientation of a person is something we are born with. Upon further examination, and if we dare to be bluntly honest as Christians; the proposition is that we are like this or like that because God created us as such. And hence, God is responsible for our sexual orientation.
So, did God actually made some people queer, and others straight? If not, why do we have LGBTIQ people? What are the causes of such “sexual disorientation”? (I am mindful that some people may not agree with the term “sexual disorientation”, or may feel that this is a prejudiced term. Some people may even say that is it not a disorientation, but just a different orientation.)
Firstly, Circumstantial Conditioning could be a possible reason for “sexual disorientation”. This means that the circumstances in which a person lived may condition a person’s sexual orientation. A possible scenario may look something like this: A set of parents long for son, but kept on giving birth to daughters. And so, the parents began to treat one of the girls like a boy… attire… hair style… mannerism… and all… This eventually affects the sexual orientation of the girl.
Another possible cause for “sexual disorientation” is Traumatic Experiences. This means that the traumas a person has experienced may affect his/her sexual orientation. A possible scenario may look like this: A young girl went through a series of sexual abuses inflicted by male people (father, uncles, brothers, neighbors…) around her. These caused her not to be able to relate properly with people of the opposite sex… She may develop hatred towards males… And she may gradually prefer a lesbian lifestyle…
The next possible cause for “sexual disorientation” would be Spiritual and/or Demonic. By this I mean that spiritual and/or demonic interference or influence in a person life could result in sexual disorientation. I am aware that such causes may not be easily substantiated, and could be mysteriously at times; nonetheless, I stand by this personal conviction…
In one of my recent overseas ministry trips, a statute of religious nature (in a cultural and craft center) caught my attention. The statute was a human figure with one male breast and one female breast… Some of us who are familiar with Chinese religion may know that Guan Yin could be referred to as both male and female interchangeably… And, we could actually find on the internet some scholarly papers on such matters (like Male Homosexuality and Spirit Possession in Brazil by Peter Fry Ph.D).
And finally, one other possible cause for “sexual disorientation” is Genetics or Hormonal. This would mean that some women may be born with the genetic makeup of being sexually attracted to other women; and/or there are men born who are not sexually attracted to women at all; and/or some people could be born congenitally or chromosomally neither male nor female, or both male and female, or perhaps even anything between these two polar.
I think there should not be too much problem with understanding and/or accepting Circumstantial Conditioning, Traumatic Experience, or even the Spiritual and/or Demonic as possible causes to “sexual disorientation”. But the Genetic or Hormonal cause would need to be dealt with further, especially in regards to the implications that God may be ultimately responsible…
My personal conviction is that even if a person is born “not straight”, we cannot say that God has intentionally created him or her to be a LGBTIQ person. I think the key to understanding this is to understand the effects the Fall of Adam and Eve had on all of creation.
Sin is indeed a terrible, terrible thing! Prior to the Fall of Humanity, Adam and Eve and all of creation were perfect. But what does this really mean?! More than the fact that the first Man and Woman were holy, and could live eternally; I believe it also mean that if germs and viruses did exist then, these did not post any harm to Adam and Eve… I believe it also mean that all of creation was in such a perfect harmony that Adam and Eve could reach out their hands, and the birds would had not fear feeding from these hands… I believe it also mean no tornadoes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, or any such things we call natural disasters could happen on planet earth… I believe it also means that if Adam and Eve had the chance to be fruitful and multiply, and that the generations after them could continue to multiply and multiply without sinning; not a single child would ever be born with a hole in his/her heart, or a brain that cannot develop properly, or a palm with 6 fingers, or a face with no nose, or a crooked leg, or a shriveled hand. NO! NOT EVER!!!
BUT. SIN. SPOILT. EVERYTHING. That’s how terrible sin is.
With my understanding above, my conviction is that nobody should say anything like this… “I am actually a woman born with a man’s body… and God made me like this!” Or… “Don’t blame me as a man for not being attracted to women. Don’t blame me for liking other men. Blame God!”
I need to say here that sometimes there could be multiple causes for “sexual disorientation” for a person. And I think it is needful for me to emphasize that if we were to ponder further as to why some parents would do silly things when they are not satisfied with the children they have, or why sexual abuses should happen in the first place; the conclusion is that the causes for “sexual disorientation” all find their roots in SIN, as the result of the Fall of Humanity…
IMPORTANT NOTES:
This is the second of a series of postings that Jason Fong hopes to write on various issues related to the LGBTIQ matter. In the next posting, Jason is likely to deal with various forms of homosexuality.
If this article has blessed you, or if you think this article will bless someone; please feel free to forward it or used it in any way that would bring glory to God. If appropriate, please acknowledge the source when quoting this material. Jason Fong also welcomes your thoughts and comments for mutually edifying interactions.
Please note that the views and opinions expressed in this article may not necessarily reflect those of the Christian organization Jason works in, nor the church or denomination he belongs to.
