How to Talk to Christians About Homosexuality

Perhaps you’re a homosexual activist, or perhaps you’re just someone who feels compassion towards anyone who is being marginalized, and you want to speak with a Christian who opposes homesexuality on religious grounds. Some of the conversation starters and tips below will help you to open a civilized discussion.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Start with the forgiving nature of Jesus Christ. No Christian who truly knows about the forgiveness and compassion of Jesus Christ can argue that any homosexual who accepts Him as their savior is not a child of God. And if this is the case, then this gives you an opportunity to point out that other Christians “sin” consistently as well. Try to point out that, if Jesus can forgive another person for a sin more than once, there is no reason why he can’t do the same for homosexuals.
2. Talk about Jesus defending the weak. Jesus stood between a mob and a woman about to be stoned; he attacked the moneylenders for making their living off the poor. It is apparent from the Bible that Jesus Christ stood up for those who suffered and were being treated unfairly. Appealing to Christians' sense of compassion and justice is an important first step in getting them to accept that homosexuality is not just a cause to be railed against, but a group of human beings to be treated justly.
3. Discuss sacrifice. Point out that Jesus was willing to die on the cross for all people, even those who did not accept Him. If Jesus was willing to endure all that misery and pain for all humanity, we should all be willing to do something as simple as letting people live as they choose without making them targets of ridicule.
4. Talk about biblical context. Try to make them realize that homosexuality is only mentioned about seven times in the entire Bible, and that the word homosexual didn’t even appear in the Bible until the mid-20th century. Explain that context is as important as a single verse, and that the whole Bible is the message. Tell them how dangerous people (such as Hitler and many plantation slave owners) used the Bible to explain their horrible acts.
5. Be courteous. No one wants to listen to what you have to say if you’re shouting or acting disprespectfully. The best example you can set to a Christian is to be kind in heart and word, showing them the compassion and understanding that you hope they will extend to the homosexual community.