Homosexuality
This is a popular subject these days. It causes much debate among believers and non believers. I must start out by making a few statements so that I won't be accused of "hate crimes" (though that may happen anyway).
I've only met a few professed homosexuals in my life, and several more via the Internet. Some were nice, decent people, who seemed very likable. Others were militant obnoxious people who I wanted nothing else to do with. So, this just says that homosexuals are just like everyone else, some good, some bad (by general standards).
That is just an observation. Hopefully it also illustrated another point. You can't lump people together based on some common trait or set of values. Therefore, it is clear (to me at least), that you can't just make general statements about "homosexuals", and expect it to be accurate or comprehensive.
The nature of Homosexuality is not important. Some say they are born that way, others choose to live that way. It doesn't matter. All sin is "natural." It is natural to lust, it is natural to hate, it is natural to steal, it is natural to lie, it is natural to kill. Being "natural" does not make it right. As believers, we are in the world, but not of the world, We can't do whatever comes naturally just because we want to.
My goal here is a simple one. What is the proper relationship between the Church (all those on earth who believe the Gospel are the "church") and homosexuals?
The Bible is our ultimate authority on all matters pertaining to salvation, the Christian life, and matters pertaining to sin. What does the scripture say about Homosexual activity? (Men having sex with Men, or Women having sex with women). The scriptures say that is a sin. Period. Every person on earth is a sinner (even me), and have sinned against God. Though there are many different sins mentioned specifically in the scriptures, it doesn't really matter what particular sins a person has committed. He is lost until he finds salvation from the only available source: Jesus Christ. When you accept the Gospel (believing that Jesus died for your sins, that he was buried and rose again, and putting your trust in him), you are also repenting of your sins (for Christ died for those sins), and you are born again.
If a person isn't saved, it doesn't matter if he is a homosexual, or if he is an adulterer, or a thief, or just an average, everyday "good person", he is lost in his sins. The type of sin is not really important.
When a person becomes saved, one of the things that happens is your sins are forgiven, and the Lord says "go and sin no more". (Refer to John 8:11 for an illustration of this fact). This does not mean you will live the rest of your life without sinning again (though that would be great, though it is practically impossible), but you should certainly try to leave sinful behavior in the past.
This is where the problem comes in. If you are truly saved, you will turn your back on sin. By "turning your back", I mean you will acknowledge what is sin, and avoid it, or do your best to avoid it. You might stumble from time to time (into any number of sins, each person is different). That is human nature also, but you can always turn to the Lord and get straightened out again.
The problem is when you say that something is not sinful, when the scripture has quite clearly said that it is sin. Homosexuality falls into this category. There are several scriptures specifically referring to this as a sin, so it should not even be open to debate. Read Romans 1:26-27, for a New Testament confirmation that this wasn't just part of the Law of Moses.
Homosexuality, like all sins, is forgivable. Just turn to the Lord and trust in him by believing the Gospel and you will be saved. If you are already saved (or think you are), yet you are clinging to this sinful behavior and saying it is not a sin, please consider your situation carefully, your very soul may depend on it. If you are saved, yet still clinging to this sin (or any sin), get yourself right with God by confessing your sin, and asking him to lead you out of it. He will provide the means. As believers, we are still in our sinful fallen bodies, so we are still subject to sin, so we will never be perfect in this life, but we should always let ourselves be perfected (which is a process).
As I've mentioned elsewhere, it is not a Christians responsibility to execute God's judgment on the earth. That means that Christians are not to harass, threaten, hurt or murder Homosexuals. What gives us the right to put ourselves in the place of God? When did we become "without sin," so that is now okay to cast stones at sinners? It is okay to speak out against sin, but to harm (or threaten to harm) anyone is just proof that the person is not a Christian at all or a very bad excuse for one.