Why "The Bible is Against Homosexuality" is a Non-Starter Argument

Jonathan Dudley, a graduate of Yale Divinity School, recently posted perhaps the most straight-forward argument against condemning homosexuals in his post "Bible condemns a lot, so why focus on homosexuality?"

When the Bible-thumpers quote Exodus, the counter-argument is easy: the vast majority of Christians do not follow the Old Testament laws.  Indeed, they believe those rules were set aside with the sacrifice of Jesus.  At the very least, you have no business quoting Old Testament statements on things like homosexuality and witchcraft so long as you're doing things like eating pork and shellfish.

New Testament arguments, however, are more difficult, and these are what Dudley focuses on.  Most statements of condemnation come from Paul, and Paul condemned all sorts of things.  Yet many Christians quoting Paul on homosexuality are quite willing to disagree with him on other issues.

Also, interesting enough, Paul condemns homosexuality because it is "unnatural."  Not because God hates it.  You know what else us unnatural according to Paul?  Men with long hair.  A few churches do not, in fact, allow men to have long hair, but I've never heard any of them teach that long hair would damn them to hell, or support legislation that would take away rights from long-haired men.

Oh, and that whole God-wants-men-and-women-to-get-married approach?  Historically, the teaching of the church was that celibacy was preferable to marriage.  marriage was simply there for those huge numbers of people who weren't spiritually strong enough to remain celibate.