Why has religion been used to denounce homosexuality in the United States? What is the current religious stance on homosexuality?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Suggested Response: Most early settlers in the U.S. had religious beliefs that included a view of homosexuality as not only unnatural but also a sin. Although the Catholic Church accepts homosexuality as a natural predisposition, it denounces homosexual acts as a sin. Protestant churches are divided on the issue. Some argue that biblical authors assumed everyone was heterosexual and therefore homosexual activity was against human nature. Others argue that certain passages have been mistranslated to justify regarding homosexual behavior as a sin when they were actually denouncing male and female prostitution. Another argument is that it should be regarded as a historic prejudice since biblical injunctions against eating pork or making clothes out of two types of material are now regarded as historic but no longer relevant. Currently many protestant denominations are embroiled in controversy over the subject of homosexuality, including the Episcopal Church that has had a major split over the ordination of openly gay bishops and priests.