Eunuchs.

                                  

Modern scholars have said that the word eunuch was used in the ancient world to describe any man who could not have children.

This was said to include men with a homosexual orientation.

This is quite important because the only possible reference to homosexual men that is attributed to Jesus uses the word eunuch. 

In the context of speaking about men who did not marry Jesus said: "'For there are eunuchs who have been so since 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.'"  Matthew 19:12 (NRSV)

Now it is evident that Jesus was not merely talking about men who had been castrated because no one is castrated for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.  This refers to voluntary celibacy.

So if we take the wider interpretation of the word eunuch to include homosexual men then Jesus is  saying that some men are born homosexual.

This is important because St. Paul's objections to homosexual acts is based on the false premise that all men are born heterosexual.  And that those who act in homosexual ways are perverting their natural God-given heterosexuality.

So Jesus' attitude is in line with our modern understanding of homosexuality.  That some men, and indeed women, are born with a homosexual orientation.

Therefore they are acting in a way that is perfectly natural and good to them.

If we can accept that homosexuality is a part of the diversity of God's good creation then there can be no further objections to homosexuality on religious or moral grounds.


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]     

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