Gays aren’t hurting anybody.” It may make an impression on your friend that they are hurting each other. Does your friend know that the rate of syphilis among women who practice lesbianism is 19 times what it is among other women? The case of the gaily painted school shows how progress in one part of the world can have adverse effects elsewhere and serves as a reminder that there are places where the connection between rainbows and LGBT rights is either new or yet to be discovered. Throughout the Word, the only relationships that were acceptable in God’s sight or considered normal for society were heterosexual relationships, and so homosexual practice was either irrelevant (because it had nothing to do with the God-ordained relationships of marriage and family and society) or, if mentioned, explicitly condemned. Moroccan activists participate in a vigil in Rabat to pay tribute to the victims of the Orlando gay club shooting. Photograph: Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty Images

A third type – the khuntha, who today would be called intersex – proved more complex theologically. A statement in the Qur’an that God “ created everything in pairs” forms the basis of an Islamic doctrine that everyone is either male of female – there can be no halfway house. The question this raised was what to do about children born with ambiguous genitalia since, according to the doctrine, they could not be sex-neutral. There are many resources out there for people who want to support their queer friends and family members. The “men of Sodom” (19:4), as the Bible describes them, didn’t offer the same hospitality to these angels in disguise. Instead they sought to humiliate them ( and Lot (19:9)) by threatening to rape them. We know they were heterosexual because Lot, in attempting to protect himself and his guests, offered his virgin daughters to them (19:8). An illustration of where this can lead came in Britain in 2007 over the Sexual Orientation Regulations – a measure mainly intended to prevent businesses from discriminating against gay people. The Muslim Council of Britain reluctantly found itself on the same side as LGBT rights advocates in supporting the new law, since British Muslims are also at risk of discrimination.As a biblical scholar, I would suggest that church leaders who use their cultures and theology to exclude homosexuals don’t read Scripture carefully. Instead, they allow their patriarchal fears to distort it, seeking to find in the Bible proof-texts that will support attitudes of exclusion.

Gender identity is different from sexuality. This refers to how you view yourself in terms of gender. You may see yourself as male or female. This can be the same as the genitalia you were born with or different. Or you may see yourself as both male and female, or neither. It’s important to know that there is nothing wrong with loving people of the same gender as you. You might want to let your loved ones know if you feel same-sex attraction, or you might not be ready to share this yet. It’s entirely up to you, but no one can invalidate your identity. Helping Your Loved Ones Understand Homosexuality Being anti-gay based on what the bible says is being irrational. If 'GOD' rejects homosexuality, why wouldn't (couldn't) he write a less ambiguous text so he can save us the trouble? The bible is not a reliable book. It is full of contradictions, inconsistencies and mistakes.Yet those are the only kinds of romantic and sexual relationships that God speaks of, and that is only kind of marriage He recognizes or blesses: a man and woman coming together in a lifetime commitment before Him. 3. Gender complementarity is of foundational importance. Unfortunately, there is a lot of homophobia in the United States and around the world. In many countries, it’s illegal to be gay. People who are anti-gay have spread several harmful myths demonizing homosexuality. Among them include: Homosexual behavior should be allowed to take place. Isn’t it fantastic that, by an amazing coincidence, there is no way to stop it?” Your upbringing can influence what you find desirable and what you find repulsive. Most Americans would be probably be nauseated if they learned that, when they thought they had been eating beef, they were, in fact, eating dog, even though there is nothing inherently unhealthy about dog meat. Genes can’t control behavior completely, though. Genes regulate the production of amino acids, which combine to form proteins. The existence or absence of a protein can have an effect on things like alcohol tolerance or mood.