I recently recorded a powerful and unexpected episode of The Mind Corner with a singer who is only 18 years old, deeply kind, and openly Christian. It was one of those conversations that stays with you.
I am not a religious person, and this experience did not suddenly change my views on religion. However, it did something equally important: it pushed me to listen, to read, and to understand. More specifically, it encouraged me to explore the Bible and reflect on how some believers perceive my life as a gay man.
My goal is not confrontation. My goal is dialogue. I want to be able to sit among people who believe in God with clarity, with respect, and with a well-grounded understanding ; able to explain and defend what they may call my “sins,” without fear or hostility.
First, it is important to acknowledge something often overlooked:
the Bible does not directly mention homosexuality or same-sex marriage as we understand them today. These are modern terms, shaped by modern societies.
The verses most often referenced in discussions about same-sex relationships come from the Book of Leviticus:
- Leviticus 18:22
“You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” - Leviticus 20:13
“If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination.”
These verses belong to what is known as the Holiness Code, a collection of laws given to ancient Israel to define ritual, moral, and cultural purity.
As I read these passages, I can understand the weight they carry for believers. But interpretation is unavoidable.
Are these verses referring to intention, context, power dynamics, or simply the act itself?
That question is not easily answered, and it is precisely where interpretation begins.
For believers who use these verses to reject LGBTQ+ people or justify hatred, it is worth examining the wider biblical context. The same book of Leviticus contains many other strict commands that are rarely applied today:
- Leviticus 11:7–8 (Eating pork)
“The pig… is unclean for you; you must not eat their meat.” - Matthew 5:34 (Swearing oaths)
“Do not swear at all…” - Leviticus 19:16 (Gossip)
“Do not go about spreading slander among your people.” - Exodus 20:14 (Adultery)
“You shall not commit adultery.”
(which includes sex outside of marriage)
- Leviticus 20:10
“If a man commits adultery… both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death.”
Yet, in modern Christian practice, these laws are rarely enforced literally. This raises an important question:
Why are some verses applied rigidly, while others are reinterpreted or ignored?
My point about religion and belief is simple:
Before focusing on how others live their lives, self-reflection matters.
The New Testament itself reminds believers of this balance:
- Romans 5:8
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
And perhaps most importantly:
- John 13:34–35
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you…”
The Bible is a beautiful book. Religion can be beautiful too.
But both are deeply rooted in interpretation.
My hope is that interpretation never becomes an excuse to abandon compassion, empathy, and love. Morals and values should reflect what lives in the heart, not what divides us.
I took the time to research this properly before saying anything. But the answer I got was that I was using the Old Testament, and that the New Testament changed things, so those punishments don’t apply anymore.
But that’s what confuses me.
If things really changed, then why are some things still used to judge people, while others are not? It feels like people pick and choose what to follow.
The New Testament talks a lot about not judging others. In John 8:7, Jesus says: “Let the one who has no sin throw the first stone.” That shows we should look at ourselves before judging anyone else.
Also, in Matthew 7:1, it says: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”
That’s why I find it hard when someone says, “I’m not here to judge,” but then says, “that’s not right.” Even if it sounds softer, it’s still a form of judgment.
And this is something I notice a lot. Every time I speak with someone who strongly follows religion, there is always some kind of judgment involved. But the Bible also teaches that judging others is not our place.
The message I see in the New Testament is more about love and understanding. In John 13:34, it says: “Love one another as I have loved you.”
So if that’s the message, then maybe the focus should be less on judging people, and more on understanding them.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not about who is right , it’s about how we treat others.
