Ask that question to most conservative/traditional Christians and they will tell you: "It's because God's word (aka the Bible) condemns it!" Even so, please excuse some of us for wondering if such an abiding and vocal disgust for (and condemnation of) these behaviors might be motivated by something more than the Divine will. Most frequently, these phenomena are characterized by these folks as being anti-family, wicked, against nature, and the epitome of societal immorality.
From our perspective, it is of particular interest to note that all three of these phenomena are related to human sexuality. Why is this of any interest in this regard? Because there has always been an aversion to all things related to human sexuality in the Judeo-Christian tradition!
In the book of Genesis, we are informed that everything (including the first humans) which God created was very good. Likewise, we are informed that "the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed." Indeed, the narrative of the first humans went on to reveal that the act of eating the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil caused the humans to become aware of their nakedness and to feel shame about their bodies. Hence, it is not unreasonable to conclude that the Judeo-Christian notions about the human body and its functions were rooted in SIN. In other words, this feeling of prudery, shame, and dirtiness were NOT part of God's design or intent relative to human sexuality - They are clearly a consequence of the fall/alienation of humankind in the Garden of Eden!
This attitude toward the human body and its sexual functions are clearly reflected in what we see in Torah. For example, a woman who had recently given birth to a male or female baby was considered "unclean" (Leviticus 12:2-5). Moreover, while the birth of a male child made her unclean for one week, the birth of a female child made her unclean for two weeks! Likewise, anything that was touched by male semen was considered unclean, including anything which came in contact with semen during the act of sexual intercourse! (Leviticus 15:16-18) On the female side, anything or anyone who came in contact with a woman on her monthly menstrual cycle was considered to be unclean (Leviticus 15:19-33).
In addition to these provisions relative to the human body and its reproductive functions, Torah also clearly sets up a dichotomy in the way male and female Israelites were treated. Throughout those writings, the woman is plainly portrayed as being inferior to the man. In fact, the woman is often portrayed as the property of her father, and then her husband throughout her life. Indeed, the very language of the tenth commandment implies it: "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's." (Exodus 20:17) Prior to marriage, the father was clearly in the drivers' seat when it came to his daughters (Exodus 22:17, Leviticus 21:9, Numbers 30:4-5, etc.) And, we must not forget, that God had declared that the woman would be ruled over by her husband (Genesis 3:16). This phenomenon is also apparent in the Torah's provision for divorce (Deuteronomy 25).
It is also very apparent that these attitudes carried over into the Christian Era. We see it most clearly in the epistles of Paul. He wrote to the saints at Corinth that the man was the head of the woman (I Corinthians 11:3). He also declared to them that women should be silent in Church and should ask their husbands to explain anything that they didn't understand (I Corinthians 14:24-25). He also instructed the Christian women at Ephesus to submit themselves to their husbands and again declared that "the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church" (Ephesians 5:22-24). Likewise, he wrote to Timothy that women should NOT be allowed to teach or be in any position of authority over a man, and that women would eventually be saved through childbearing (I Timothy 2:11-15).
In similar fashion, we see a clear delineation between the genders in both the Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek New Testament. In Torah, only the men's genitals were to be circumcised as a sign of the covenant between God and the Israelites (Genesis 17:10-14, Exodus 12:44-48, Leviticus 12:3). In those same Hebrew scriptures, we read: "A woman shall not wear a man's garment, nor shall a man put on a woman's cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God." (Deuteronomy 22:5)
In similar fashion, the Apostle Paul distinguished between the appropriateness of head coverings for males and females (I Corinthians 11:2-10). He went on to write: "Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering." (I Corinthians 11:14-15) It should also be noted that ALL of these provisions (in both the Old and New Testaments) reflected cultural/societal norms and were NEVER intended to be universally applicable principles of morality!
These attitudes toward human sexuality have even twisted the way that many Christians understand Christ's own teachings on the subject. In reference to the commandment against adultery (marital infidelity), Jesus asserted that "everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:27-28) Clearly, his remarks were made within the context of marriage. Yet, we have too many Christians who read into this passage a prohibition against ALL sexual desire. Sorry, folks, we are hardwired to be sexually attracted to each other - it's biological - hormonal. Indeed, no one would ever get married without it. Thus, we see that Christ was saying that it was tantamount to adultery for a husband or wife to desire someone other than his/her spouse. Indeed, many Christians completely disregard/ignore what Christ had to say about divorce in the following passage (Matthew 5:31-32). Why is that? Do you suppose it has anything to do with the fact that divorce and remarriage is so common among heterosexual Christians?
So, how do these things apply to the Christian aversion to abortion, transgenderism, and homosexuality? It is my contention that these things constitute the PRIMARY motivation for this aversion! In other words, male superiority, ownership, and authority over the female is what motivates Christian hatred of abortion, transgenderism, and homosexuality. Abortion is seen as a woman asserting a right over her own body which is NOT recognized by this tradition. The woman was made to bear children, and she shouldn't be doing anything to thwart that "God-given" task. Likewise, as women are considered inferior to men, it is shameful for a man to take on the characteristics of a woman - especially related to clothing, hair, and the submissive or receiving role in sexual intercourse! Indeed, the Torah commandment against male-on-male intercourse had much more to do with men taking on the role of a woman and serving as a temple prostitute than it ever did with homosexuality per se!
In addition to these scriptural references, our own modern society provides ample evidence to support this thesis. For example, in spiritual terms, we should all be able to acknowledge that any behavior which violates the Great Commandment to Love your neighbor as yourself makes a person guilty of sin. Thus, we are forced to ask ourselves: Why do you suppose that many Christians view homosexuality and transgenderism as being more egregious sins and posing greater threats to marriages and families than heterosexual adultery, divorce, or promiscuity? Why are second, third, and fourth marriages and child custody battles regarded with less alarm than homosexuals marching in the streets for the same rights which their heterosexual counterparts enjoy? The answers to questions like that point to the irrational and inconsistent position of the traditional Christian on these matters.
In conclusion, I find traditional Christian attitudes regarding human sexuality to be highly hypocritical and illogical. For me, the Christian aversion to abortion, transgenderism, and homosexuality has much more to do with an outdated set of cultural/societal expectations than it does with true morality. Instead of looking at their own destructive and sinful behaviors (the beam in their own eyes), they are infinitely more concerned with the speck of sawdust in their neighbor's eyes!
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