Frequently Asked Questions

About the Bible

But the Bible says same-sex relationships are sinful!

No it doesn't. Please read What the Bible Says.

Are there really affirmations of same-sex relationships in the Bible?

How can you look at the beautiful friendship between David and Jonathan and debase it by suggesting that it was sexual?

Consensual sexual relationships are beautiful. A beautiful friendship that is sexual is still a beautiful friendship. The presence of sex in a relationship does not debase it in any way.

Will God apologise to Sodom?

He won't. Sodom wasn't destroyed because of homosexuality. Sodom was destroyed because the people of Sodom were proud and uncharitable. See Sodom in What The Bible Says.

Why do you use the NIV? Isn't the NIV biased towards being pro gay?

I use the NIV because it is usually clearer than the KJV. With its translation of 1 Corinthians 6:9, the NIV is one of the more anti-gay translations.

What about 1 Kings 14:24? What about other passages?

See the Scriptural Index for references to specific passages.

You quote from Tobit. Why were you quoting from the Apocrypha? Do Christadelphians regard Tobit and the rest of the Apocrypha as inspired?

The quote from Tobit is used because it is a good example of "brother" and "sister" being applied to a husband and wife in ancient Hebrew literature. It was used in the same way as the quote from the Penitential attributed to John the Faster: just to illustrate a point about how a word was used.

Christadelphians do not think the books of the Apocrypha (or the Penitentials) are inspired.

About Same-Sex Relationships And Being Gay

"Is homosexuality not a lusting after the flesh?"

No. Same-sex relationships can be about lust, but opposite-sex relationships can be too. Relationships, same-sex and opposite-sex, can and should be about love.

How can you justify the homosexual lifestyle?

There is no such thing as the homosexual lifestyle. It makes as much sense to talk about the heterosexual lifestyle. Gay men and women have the same range of lifestyles as straight men and women.

Do people choose to be gay?

Why would anyone choose to be gay? Even in a liberal city, gay men and women are subject to many different prejudices and harassments. There are probably some bisexuals who can choose to be gay or straight, but for most people sexual orientation is not a choice.

Why do you say "gay", not "homosexual"?

Lots of reasons. In my experience, "homosexual" is a negative word. Many people feel that "homosexual" puts too much emphasis on the sexual aspects of being gay. In my experience, "gay" is a neutral word with less emphasis on sex.

And now a question for you. This site uses phrases like "same-sex relationship" and "opposite-sex relationship" rather than "gay relationship" and "straight relationship" (or "homosexual relationship" and "heterosexual relationship"). Why do you think that is?

How can two men, or two women, make a lifelong commitment to each other?

How can a man and a woman make a lifelong commitment to each other? One way is to make a public covenant with each other, before God, and in front of their friends and family. The relationship is often strengthened by this public covenant, and the friends and family support both parties in the relationship, through the good times and the bad. Tradition calls this sort of covenant "marriage".

A same-sex couple can make a public covenant with each other, before God, and in front of their friends and family. The relationship is often strengthened by this covenant, although all too often friends and family do not support both parties and the relationship the way they would for an opposite-sex couple. Tradition has no name for this sort of covenant, but that does not make it less important or less real to the couple involved. Many people believe that examples of this sort of covenant are found in Ruth and 1 Samuel.

Same-sex relationships deny the purpose of God. God made a woman (not a man) as the perfect companion for Adam.

See Marriage and the Purpose of God in The Meaning of Marriage.

Same-sex relationships are wrong because it is impossible to expect a "godly seed" (Malachi 2:15) from a same sex relationship.

If same-sex relationships are wrong because it is impossible to expect a "godly seed" from such a relationship, then many other relationships are wrong for the same reason. You cannot expect a relationship between an infertile man and a woman to produce children. You cannot expect a relationship between a post-menopausal woman and a man to produce children. Non-reproductive relationships are not wrong. Reproduction is not the only reason or justification to have sex.

About the Christadelphians

Where can I find out more about the Christadelphians?

Where can I find an ecclesia that would accept gay people, or people with "alternative lifestyles"?

Try to get to know Christadelphians through discussion forums, such as Truth Alive and the forums on TheChristadelphians.org. You will get hostile responses as well as friendly ones.

How can you call yourself Christadelphian when your beliefs go against Christadelphian beliefs?

The only book or document that defines Christadelphian beliefs is the Bible, and the Bible is not opposed to same-sex relationships. The main Christadelphian statements of faith do not mention same-sex relationships.

If you believe that the traditional Christadelphian position is wrong, then why don't you try to correct us instead of hiding behind this website?

Yes, someone really asked this. From another page:

This site is here to show that there are gay Christadelphians, and that there are Christadelphians who do not believe the Bible is opposed to all same-sex relationships.

This website is here to challenge the "traditional", and misguided, Christadelphian position. I'm not a speaker. This is the best way for me to do it.