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Opening this controversial subject in John, Crawford Loritts, at http://www.fbconline.org/visitorcenter/, reads verses 2-11. "We have few sexual boundaries in our society today. Even Christians are hesitant to impose their beliefs or speak out about Biblical Truth. Case and point, November 4, Proposition 8 in California raised controversy because critics said, "Who are you to tell me that I am not a minority and to tell me what's right or wrong with marriage?" Karen and Crawford know a man (who Crawford refers to as George) who, for years, was rejected by his dad. His dad was strong, reserved, quiet and a high achiever. His answer to everything was short and direct. To add insult to injury, his brother was like his dad. But George was creative and outgoing; very different from his dad. Tragically, in his freshman year at college, he was raped. That event led him to a life style that was in and out of homosexuality. Having come from a Christian home, he went into the ministry, but eventually left the ministry because he gave into the homosexual lifestyle. He disappeared for years and Crawford, surprisingly, saw him in an interview on 20/20 which was covering men who successfully left the homosexual world through a Memphis ministry called "Exodus". The story touched him and forever changed Crawford's view on the subject. George is doing well today. There are all kinds of things that lead to homosexuality, but Crawford lists for us 5 primary reasons according to his research: 1) Abuse and rejection, particularly by the same sex, is at the top of the list. 2) Passive uninvolved fathers. It's amazing that the father is usually common to both lesbians and men. In recent times, scientists have shot down the notion of a particular gene that lends itself to homosexual behavior. But they embrace the involvement of the father. It is profoundly Biblical that there is a distinction between sexual attraction and sexual behavior. There are really 3 questions to answer when approaching this issue; Who are we (identity)? In our culture, it is a given that behavior is identity. But this collides with Biblical principles. We START with identity, not behavior, to DETERMINE behavior. THIS IS THE CORE ISSUE when determining the Biblical stance. In Genesis 1:27, the hallmark statement that is made is that we were made in the image of God, as man and woman. In Gen 2:24-25, there is God's definition of marriage. The man and woman shall become one. But here's the problem. How we behave was never meant to create an identity. Crawford suggests that his behavior did not make him a black man. When sin is established as an identity, at that point it is stated as non-behavioral. Another friend of Crawford's was also in the ministry, but was a practicing homosexual, but he had bought into the notion of his behavior as his identity. The Christian world, in his eyes, rejected who he was because it rejected his identity (i.e. his BEHAVIOR). Temptation is not a sin. Some christians have elevated homosexuality to more than it is. As such, we are party to jokes and demeaning language of the lifestyle. But there are other sins and the greatest sin, according to the Bible, is idolatry. Jealousy & pride are also sins. People need a place to talk about their struggles without feeling rejection from the Christian community. People become bitter when we withhold God's grace. But there is another side of this delimma. We also cannot endorse or support sinful behavior. We cannot enable them by minimizing consequences. Let's not give up on people. Because Crawford has had exposure to meeting with homosexuals, he found himself becoming particular about where he met with them, but realized after a while that it was his own pride doing that. At this point, Crawford talks about why the Christian community can be "homophobic". It's different from other sins because sexual sin is seductive and requires another person to do it. There is a recruiting element. Having said that, Crawford asks the congregation to welcome sinners of all kinds. Jesus came to cleanse and change behavior. One of the chief corner blocks of homosexuals who were able to come out of the life style was strong Christian community. Being ostrecized is often one of the things that drives them TO the life style! There is no sin beyond the healing power of God. He pushes the struggling homosexual to focus away from the identity argument to a behavioral argument that God can heal. The story in John about Jesus defending the condemning of a woman shows Jesus loving her, protecting her, not supporting her sin, but telling others that they were forgiven sinners too.