by Tony Copple
2 January 2005

Dear Bishop Michael Ingham

I have followed the history of this debate with passionate interest. No credible witness has suggested other than that we should accept and love homosexuals as instructed in the 11th commandment. But few have tacked the matter of why homoerotic activity is abhorrent to many of us, and clearly to the Bible, and therefore unions based on homosexual acts cannot be encouraged.

I am aware of only two writers who have so far mentioned the key underlying issue. This is an extreme case of the emperor wearing no clothes because the subject matter is unmentionable. One of those writers is J.Matt Barber. The other is I. In fact, I am prompted to post this message by Matt Barber's confirmation that I am not alone in thinking that this particular issue must be discussed.

Here are links to the two pieces.

www.mensnewsdaily.com/archive/a-b/barber/2004/barber121204.htm

www.igs.net/~tonyc/ssbrep10.html

Here are the key paragraphs from these two that get down and dirty with why the Bible forbids homosexuality.

At the risk of being arrested, charged with a “hate-crime” and dragged away to a “progressive” re-education camp, I’ll put aside for a moment the flawed, emotion based, irrational silliness that is “Political Correctness” (in the event I’ve been overly PC thus far). Rather than approaching our analysis of homosexual behavior from the traditional, liberal, PC perspective, let’s look at it from the rarely visited “Biologically Correct” (BC) vantage point. For one to believe that homosexual behavior, the act of sodomy in particular, follows the biological order of things, one must ignore the fact that sodomy violates natural law – you know… wrong plumbing…square hole/round peg. The whole thing really is a testament to man’s creativity. Give us something good, and we’ll bend over backwards to twist it into something else.

Without delving into the overly descriptive mechanics, suffice it to say that, scientifically speaking, the sexual act was designed for procreation – nothing more, nothing less… I know, not very romantic, but we’re talking science here. Further, the design behind the human digestive system was solely and entirely intended for digestion, not for makeshift sexual activity – there’s not a sex organ in the mix. The notion that the act of sodomy is a natural, biological event simply does not square with biological reality. It may be PC but it sure ain’t BC.

And from my article:

In a recent discussion, the question came up: “If I were not a Christian believing in the “rules” as set out in the Bible, would I object to homoerotic activity?” Some Christians would say “no;” what people do in private is their affair. I would say “yes,” and for the following reasons.

I am an engineer by training and sometimes view God as the great engineer-creator. He designed the concept of male and female not only in humans but almost all other species. He designed bodies so that they could copulate efficiently - imagine the problems in this task for the most successful species, dinosaurs! The result was one that would not only be effective, but one that would give great pleasure (so that it would be effective). This is such an elegant solution that my engineering ethic is affronted when I hear of people who spurn it and use the body in ways that were not intended, and for which it was not designed. I believe God feels disappointed by this also. I would feel this were I an atheist or a Buddhist.

Nigerian Archdeacon Oluranti Odubogun has said: "Ordaining homosexuals is heresy, unbiblical, should never have been done and should be reversed. Homosexual behaviour is deviant, unbiblical, un-Christian and unnatural." I couldn't agree more, and am surprised at how few are prepared to speak with such frankness. In fact I will state what no-one else is prepared to: the inserting of a man's penis into another man's anus or mouth is revolting and disgusting; and this is the source of our distaste for homosexuality.

This letter is addressed to you as one of the three key individuals who have decided to lead those who will follow you away from Bible teaching in an area that is quite clear in its original meaning and its meaning for us today, and where that meaning was instituted for the biological health of the people.

Same-sex Blessings