In my next two entries I will share my experience of wrestling with the ideologies of either being “Born this Way” or “Born a Sinner?” Let me start off with a confession. I like Lady Gaga’s song Born this Way; it’s a great dance tune! Aside from the beat and making me want to put my paws up in the air, it expresses the mindset I embraced about sexuality for many years.
I’m beautiful in my way
‘Cause God makes no mistakes
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born this way . . .
Same DNA, but born this way.
Same DNA, but born this way.
Needless to say, I found it difficult to come to terms with the idea that my sexuality was a sin and even more daunting to accept that all people are born sinners. In my mind, a “sin nature” implied I had to take responsibility for something that was natural for me. Since I was 10 or 11, I had been attracted to women—surely I was this way because it was in my DNA. However, if I follow the logic that I was “born gay,” it reduces me as a person to an automaton, a mere animal driven by instinct. Ugh, that seems dehumanizing. It also robs me of the capacity to grow and change in any aspect of my life as a person.
Over time I have determined that sexuality involves a wide range of behavior with complex causes, including biological, social, environmental, temperament, experiences and choices. In addition, I believe that perception plays a profound role from early childhood forward in influencing who we become as people. It is not a straightforward “born this way” or all-choice issue.
Before I could address the topic of sin, I had to conclude what human nature was. Surely we are more than our attractions and desires! Human nature is best defined as one’s constitution, makeup, structure, design, composition, and substance. Human nature also includes our faculties of intelligence, emotion, free will, and all of the elements of spirit, soul, and body. I believe that human nature is both physical and spiritual.
If I am honest, I struggle with the concept of “sin nature” for many of the same reasons I do with the “born this way” mindset. If sin is an inherited trait then my freedom of choice is diminished.
In part two we will explore the concepts of sin and “sin nature.”
Thanks for following my journey, I welcome honest conversation and questions.
Hope
SO, since you brought up a sticker for me, may I indulge in some commentary on one topic in your post? Seems to me that Christianity has painted itself into a corner when it comes to the sweeping cliché, “God makes no mistakes.” I AGREE, God makes no mistakes. However, when we USE this to mask the obvious problems caused by the Fall and it’s subsequent Curse, we ignore some serious issues hurting the world and the Body. Certainly, God makes no mistakes. I would agree that He knits us together in the womb (Ps 139:13). However, does that mean he unites every cell as we develop? If it does, when does He stop? I think He knits our souls to our bodies in the womb. But, our bodies (and souls) are from the outset subject to sin and all it’s consequences, including biological deformities, inherited disease, mutation, etc. YES, Christ said that the blind man was born that way so HIs Glory could be revealed (John 9:3). And, I’m not saying that God will not in certain circumstances intervene in the world or womb to direct certain developments needed to accomplish something through an individual. But, to think that God would MAKE a hermaphrodite, despite his or her DNA, puts some pretty weighty pressure on that trite excuse that God makes no mistakes. Let’s allow the Word to speak–with all it’s interwoven connections and depth–and not assume, because we find it comforting, that every mental or physical deformity is because God caused it.
And, yes, having said all this, and not because I wanted to go here but because my comments beg the question: it’s reasonable to think that some people ARE born in ways that a simple X or Y cannot address (which is why I particularly appreciate your point above that there are many factors that affect the way a person makes decisions–because sexual acts ARE decisions). And I understand why believers are drawing lines. All I want to get across is that we need to be careful about our arguments, particularly the sound bite ones. Sorry if I hijacked your blog. Maybe it will spur some further discussion. Maybe not. I do hope you’ll reply, tho.
Keep pressing on and posting on, Hope! Love ya!
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Carey
Thanks for your input. The black and white view points of Born this way or its all choice; were contention points for me well before I Became a Christian. I found many Christians who were black and white and told me some pretty painful things about my sexual identity. So far as to imply that now that I was a Christian a magical power switch had flipped on and I was soon to be married and have children. Yeah that mentality did more harm than good for me.
Having navigated the muddy waters of faith and sexuality for over seven years now; I can say my attractions have not changed. However my motivation for living has, I no longer live to please myself, seek to fill my needs and desires as I see fit, but rather I live to honor God with every aspect of my life including my sexuality.
This journey has taught me that sin has a far reaching impact and as a Christ follower it would be foolish for me to ignore it. I believe affects of sin certainly can and do influence genetics to a degree. It is why we have illness, disease, and sickness in this world. It is also why people can be predisposed towards a wide variety of things.
I will address this in more detail in next weeks post Gay or Sinner?
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I’m not sure where you’re getting your information, but great topic.
I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more.
Thanks for magnificent information I was looking for this info for
my mission.
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Bill, this is from my own personal experience both as a gay rights activist and now as a woman resolving my faith and sexuality
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