Does jesus hate gays

Gerald West does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Pope Francis was recently asked about his views on homosexuality.

He reportedly replied :.

10 Things Everyone Should Know About a Christian View of Homosexuality

Persons with homosexual tendencies are children of God. God loves them. God accompanies them … condemning a person like this is a sin. Criminalising people with homosexual tendencies is an injustice. Read more: Pope Francis' visit to Africa comes at a defining moment for the Catholic church.

But is it? Scripture is particularly important for Christians. The Bible is always interpreted by our churches through their particular theological lenses. Instead, they allow their patriarchal fears to distort it, seeking to find in the Bible proof-texts that will support attitudes of exclusion.

Jesus specifically targeted those who exploited the poorest of the people coming to the temple. On his third visit, Jesus spent considerable time in the temple itself He met the full array of temple leadership, including chief priests, teachers of the law and elders.

Each of these leadership sectors used their interpretation of Scripture to exclude rather than to include. They eagerly embraced him as he walked through the temple. In MarkJesus addresses the Sadducees, who were the traditional high priests of ancient Israel and played an important role does jesus hate gays the temple.

Among those who confronted Jesus, they represented the group that held to a conservative theological position and used their interpretation of the Scripture to exclude. Jesus said to them:. Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God?

Jesus recognised that they chose to interpret Scripture in a way that prevented it from being understood in non-traditional ways. Jesus was saying God refused to be the exclusive property of the Sadducees. The ordinary people who followed Jesus understood that he represented a different understanding of God.

This message of inclusion becomes even clearer when Jesus is later confronted by a single scribe Their interpretation of the story is that it is about homosexuality. It relates to hospitality. What did Abraham and his wife Sarah do? They offered hospitality. What did Lot do? He offered hospitality.

The two incidents of hospitality are explained in exactly the same language. Instead they sought to humiliate them and Lot by threatening to rape them.