In the name of the Father, the Son, & the Holy Spirit, One God, Amen! 

Homosexuality, the misconceptions. 

Suzi: Ugh I had such a long day. 

Aron: What happened? 

Suzi: Today I met Dn. Sami. We somehow started talking about homosexuality. I was telling him I understand the church’s views but I have gay friends so I feel conflicted. He went off on me, saying I was condoning a sin. 

Aron: That deacon was tripping.

Suzi: Tell me about it. He was heartless. I can’t tell my friends they are going to hell. 

Aron: HELL! For being gay?

Suzi: He said it's against nature and punishable sin. He was being a hater. 

Aron: Some of them are born that way, they can’t help it. 

Suzi: Right! Like my friend Jake, he is abandoned by his parents and made fun of by a lot of his friends. I don’t think he would choose all the misery he gets for being gay if it was a choice. 

Aron: I want them to have the same rights as I do. We can’t deny them their human rights. Why don't you hit up your homeboy, he might help with this dilemma. 

Suzi: I completely agree with you. But you are right we could use an expert and my cousin is not so uptight. Hopefully, he will have a reasonable answer. 

Dn. Mati: Peace be with you all friends. 

Suzi: Hi Dn. Mati, we were just talking about you. We need some answers. What are your views on homosexuality? 

Dn. Mati: I am happy to be of services if can help it. My view is the same as the church. Our goal in Christianity is to choose the path that leads us closer to God. That said, anything that deters us from that goal is a sin. We have to be holy as God is holy

Suzi: What are you saying exactly? 

Dn. Mati: The concept of Marriage came after the fall of Adam and Eve. If there was no sin, marriage wouldn’t have been a need. After the fall, marriage came and its purpose was a reproduction. Any relationship that is outside of reproduction is against nature and the law of marriage. 

Suzi: Whoa, I thought you were the cool deacon? 

Dn. Mati: Haha let me explain. We are temples of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is abiding in us, as Saint Paul explains to the Corinthians. 

Aron: Man are we even on the same page...

Suzi: What if the gay couple marries and stays faithful to each other? 

Dn. Mati: That’s a good question, it’s not a matter of faithfulness though. Laws are put in place to keep order. If it was better for a man to marry a man and a woman to marry a woman, wouldn’t God have made it that way? But God created man and woman. 

Suzi: Ugh what is the big deal anyway? 

Dn. Mati: It is an act of uncleanness, and it dishonors the body. Thus, according to the teachings of Saint Paul, homosexuality is not only an act against nature, as was created by our Lord, but it is also shameful and abominable.

Aron: I thought God loved us all equally. We shouldn’t hate on love. Homosexuality is simply love between two same-gendered people. 

Dn. Mati: Love should be spiritual and pure. And loving others should not be against our love for God. Since sexual and/or romantic relationship is only allowed between man and woman, anything outside of that is called lust not love. You should read Pope Shenouda’s book, Homosexuality, and Ordination of Women. He explains this topic in depth. As Saint Paul says, we have to “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body" (1Cor. 6:18). Homosexuality is considered a sin against the body among other sexual sins. 

Aroni: Ummmm

Dn. Mati: All this to say the Bible or our church’s teaching is not there to please our own views or philosophies. We can’t change what we don’t like to adjust to our needs. It’s, in fact, the opposite, we need to adjust our beliefs to what our church teaches us. If homosexuality was not a sin what is the use or advantage of the church telling us otherwise. Also, are we a better judge than God? When youth say I support love it often sounds like they are saying God doesn’t and that they know better. Are we better than our Creator? These days the youth are full of hubris. Remember Satan’s fall was caused by arrogance. 

Suzi: Wow it’s a lot to take in, tell us more. 

Dn. Mati: Saint Paul said it best, “When a person sins against his own body, it means that he is separating himself from the Holy Spirit. Light and darkness cannot exist together in one place.

Aron: Even if being gay was a choice. I would respect their choice. 

Dn. Mati: When we respect their choice we allow them to be sinners. As friends or Christians, we are to help each other get closer to God. 

Aron: What are we to do?

Dn. Mati: Make it clear to that person that such actions are sinful and against the will of God, then perhaps his conscience may act against him, always condemning him and reproaching him: ‘You should repent. You must change your ways’. 

Suzi: What are the consequences of these kinds of sins?

Dn. Mati: The Book of Leviticus (20: 1-3) says, “If, a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.”

Aron: Wow! What about their rights?

Dn. Mati: Their right is to be led to repentance. Their right is to find a friend who leads them to God. 

Suzi: How do we do that?

Dn. Mati: We have to let them know the church’s stance. Help them understand how it is a sin. Show them the beauty of our faith and it’s doctrine. Be examples of devoted Christians. Make time with them for prayer, for contemplation, for spiritual songs, for reading the Bible, for reading spiritual books. We must pray for them, fast for them, we must try to help them by using all spiritual means.

Aron: I had a different perspective, thank you for clearing it up. I want to help my friends come to God. We all need saving, and sometimes it just takes a friend.  

Suzi: This was hard to digest and accept, but a much-needed discussion. Thank you for patiently explaining everything. I now understand my role as a friend and a Christian. We can’t serve two masters, we must always choose one path (the right path) and follow it diligently. 

Dn. Mati: Thank you for allowing me to be part of your conversation. Let us all remember that at the end of the day we have to choose the path that makes us holy. We have to aim to walk according to the spirit, not flesh because pleasure is short-lived. 

Aron: Amen, may we hear the word of life. 

Glory to God, Amen!

Sources: Homosexuality & the Ordination of Women, H.H. Pope Shenouda III.