The 2004 presidential election drew attention to the crucial place that matters of morality played in the election of George Bush. Foremost among the issues of morality was the question on the ballot in 11 states: Should marriage be limited to a heterosexual couple? Or, should society endorse gay marriage? All of these states, including liberal Oregon, voted to retain marriage as consisting of a man and a woman.

The gay rights movement has won significant victories in the area of public life. Yet most Christians oppose homosexuality in all of its forms and they believe that contemporary morality should oppose homosexuality as well. They believe that legislation should restrict homosexual behavior in order to prevent the corruption of public morals.

The basis of the Christian position is primarily based in Scripture. In the Old Testament, the first instance of homosexual behavior is found in the account of the destruction of Sodom (Genesis 19). All the men of Sodom came to the house of Lot, who was a follower of the God of Abraham, to demand that Lot’s angelic visitors, who appeared as men, should be handed over to them to have sex with them. This attempt at gang homosexual rape was thwarted by God’s intervention. The incident validated the earlier testimony of Scripture that Sodom was “exceedingly wicked.” Henceforth, homosexual behavior came to be called “sodomy.”

Other texts add to this biblical opposition to homosexual behavior. Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 forbid males to have sex with other men. It is called an “abomination” or “detestable. ”While same-sex behavior occurred among the Egyptians and the people of Canaan, it was not to be found in Israel. Deuteronomy 23:17-18 forbids the existence of male temple prostitutes who would provide sexual intercourse with males as part of the worship of pagan deities. Judges 19:22-23 condemns homosexual rape among Israelites. Ezekiel 16:49-50 calls the sin of Sodom “abomination” or “detestable.”

Why is homosexuality a sin? Because it violates the created order given in Genesis 1:26-27: humanity as male and female represents the divine image. Homosexuals only mirror themselves; they do not mirror the divine image.

In the New Testament, Jesus himself bears witness on three occasions to the destruction of Sodom (Matthew 10:15; 11:23; Luke 17:26-37). In the most important text in the Bible regarding homosexuality (Romans 1:26-27), Paul identifies both female and male same-sex behavior as serious sin and perverted behavior, as contrary to “nature,” that is, as against the created order. In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Paul identifies homosexual behavior as sinful for Christians; and in 1 Timothy 1:8-11, he says that law or legislation should restrain homosexual behavior.