Customer Reviews

Straight & Narrow?: Compassion & Clarity in the Homosexuality Debate

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Professor Schmidt clearly lays out the debate between revisionists and traditionalists on the Biblical issues surrounding homosexuality. He explains what the various arguments are in terms lay Christians can understand. While doing this he remains true to his focus of remembering that the issue is really about an individual, not about lifestyle, orientation or ideology. If you are looking for a book that "justifies" homosexuality through misinterpretation of Scripture this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a book that "justifies" your anger or resentment of homosexuals this is not the book for you. If you are a person who wants to better understand the issues surronding the Christian faith and homosexuality this is an excellent book for you. Unfortunately, the critics of Schmidt's conclusion don't tackle his agruments, they merely resort to lumping him into a category (homophobe)they immediately dismiss. Those critics should read his book again because they missed his love and compassion for them as individuals regardless of whether they are homosexual or hetrosexual.

This is a very well-written book, but admittedly from a Christian point of view. So if you're not a Christian, you may not be able to relate to some of what the author is saying. Nevertheless, I felt it was worth reading, particularly for two chapters: "The Price of Love" and "The Great Nature-Nurture Debate." "The Price of Love" marshals a tremendous amount of statistics that present a striking contrast to our popular culture's generally affirming view of homosexuality. Specifically, it indicates that many homosexual men have many, many more partners than anybody else (including gay women). It also indicates that, at least as of the 1970's, most gay relationships did not last longer than a few years. In other words, there really is a different set of behavior patterns in the homosexual community. Also, the author highlights the health risks inherent in this lifestyle, particularly for men. In "The Great Nature-Nuture Debate," the author shows how homosexuals are probably not just "born that way," but there are a whole variety of factors that contribute to homosexuality -- biology, family situation, culture, experience, etc. -- and that these factors vary from person to person. His theory of social constructionism is particularly interesting and should be paid heed to -- that the way people understand themselves (in this case sexually) often comes from the culture that they're living in. These two chapters should be read by everybody.

This book changed my life. After reading other pro-gay theology books I looked high and low for a one stop shop book that would take what pro-gay theology said and would adequately argue the other side of it. This book is awesome at doing just that. It is an easy read with very applicable subject matter. I struggled with homosexuality and, after reading this book, prayer and a lot of work I finally found the truth for my life.

Thomas Schmidt, a professor of New Testament Greek at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, has done the world a favor by throwing his hat into the contemporary homosexuality and the Bible debate that began with Scroggs and Boswell. Schmidt explodes the many myths and distortions promoted by these writers and other gay apologists, historians and theologians. He begins with an overview of the current debate, then deals with the biblical language. Does the Sodom story refer to homosexuality or hospitality? He shows, according to context and language, that it is clearly the former. He covers all of the texts and answers all of the questions, showing that the Bible provides for no other option but the belief that homosexual behavior is not only sinful, but unnatural. He does not finish there, however, but also deals with the recent nature-nuture controversy. Schmidt points out the many faults of Simon Le Vay's biased research, and comes to the conclusion that while biology may be an influence on homosexual orientation, it is not the cause. While some who favor homosexuality may not care for the material and the point of view found in this work, it should be pointed out that Schmidt is always professional and always compassionate. He realizes that people struggle with this controversial moral and sociological issue. Yet, as he shows, the Bible takes only one view. Those who seek to defend homosexuality need to honestly revise their arguments and acknowledge that their is no biblical support for neither homosexual behavior nor orientation. If people wis to argue a case for it, it must be done recognizing this fact, because insofar as this aspect of the debate is concerned, Schmidt has ended it. Perhaps he could have entitled his book Case Closed if that title were not already taken.

Schmidt's great strength is a very simple one: he treats homosexuals as human beings. Not as enemies, monsters, aliens, or vermin, but as human beings - and that, given the fraught atmosphere in which these issues are so often discussed, is sheer gain. Far too often, Christians wave verses at gays as if they thought that they could make "those people" vanish. It is not going to happen. Schmidt does not forget that he is talking about real people, even while he disagrees with what Boswell and others have written. Those who wish to track his arguments to their sources, have plenty of references to wade through. All too often, straight Christians are the very last people on this planet to have any understanding of what it is like to realise one is gay - I hope this book will help to dispel that sort of attitude. Schmidt dismisses the attitude which is summed up so often in the much-abused and threadbare words, "Hate the sin, love the sinner" - it really amounts to loving people not at all, because it does not treat them as persons loved unconditionally by God. It is one of Schmidt's virtues that he sees this.

As a Catholic, I did not notice any kind of bias - it complements the slightly more clinical books of Father John Harvey well.

Much debate on homosexuality is highly charged with accusations of self-delusion, fear or bigotry being levelled freely. Thomas Schmidt enters this debate presenting a position against homosexual practice not based on homophobia or blind religious conviction but on sound medical, sociological and historical data.

As an agnostic who lived the gay life for many years, and found it wanting, I find Schmidt's presentation compassionate and scholarly. His data and analysis confirm the position I came to after 20 years of living the gay life. No-one told me that my statistical chances of living in a monogamous same sex relationship was almost zero. No one told me of the physical damage I would end up doing to my own body and to the bodies of those I claimed to "love".

Schmidt presents the unpleasant but honest reality. I wish this book had been around 20 years ago.

In our current climate, affirming homosexual behaviour as sinful is not the easiest thing to do. Yet Schmidt takes the task in hand and completes it faithfully and sensitively in his book.

Firstly, Schmidt introduces himself in Chapter 1 in an effort to build some form of rapport with the reader. Chapter 2 then looks at the falseness of the two common arguments for homosexuality (the Bible does not condemn it; or the Bible's condemnation should be qualified). Then Chapters 3, 4 and 5 give a solid exposition of the Biblical passages concerning right sexual behaviour and homosexuality. Chapter 6 is an unpleasant chapter outlining the toll that homosexual behaviour takes upon the human body. Chapter 7 looks at the debate whether homosexuals are born, made or both. The book then closes with a chapter of summary statements and practical advice for Christians attempting to help homosexuals.

My only concern is that the book is a little dated (published 1995) and so a good proportion of the statistical data given in Chapter 6 is no doubt behind the times. But apart from that, the book is a faithful treatment of the difficult issue.

If you are trying to help those caught in the sin of homosexually or struggle with the sin yourself, 'Straight and narrow' is a valuable resource.

Thank you, Dr. Thomas Schmidt, for providing a book with intellectual integrity that avoids the sensationalism of the ideologues on both sides of the homosexuality issue. The author is extremely well qualified for the task he has undertaken with caution and candor. This is no "bashing" or "trashing" treatment of those who promote "gay theology." It is a respectful, intelligent analysis of the evidence, honed by the author's unquestioned competence in the biblical languages and historical context. Boswell et.al, notwithstanding, this is the book that accurately exegetes sacred scripture on this issue. No "agenda" is read into the text. The plain teaching of the text on the issue of homosexuality is captured and presented. One may not like the author's conclusions, but one cannot contest the author's argument and evidence without doing violence to the biblical text and its historical context. This amazingly balanced volume should be on the table every time this issue is discussed. Schmidt has done us all a very great service, and I highly recommend his work to everyone interested in the topic.

I really respect the way Schmidt wrote this book. It was fair and thought provoking. Anyone reading the book can see that he strives for accuracy and honesty. He is extremely fair and professional, not resorting to shoddy 'science' or personal attacks. This book was thought provoking and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is, knows, or cares about homosexuals. (aka everyone)

"Christians who cannot yet deal with the issues calmly and compassionately should keep their mouths shut, and they should certainly stay away from the front lines of ministry and public policy debate." This is the stern advice given by Christian author Thomas E. Schmidt towards the end of his book, Straight & Narrow?: Compassion & Clarity in the Homosexuality Debate. It's good advice and I hope to follow it here.

First it should be noted that Straight & Narrow? is not really about gay marriage or any other policy debate. Those looking just for that content should look elsewhere. Schmidt's book is about homosexuality in general. Over half of his heavily foot-noted book carefully discusses the data regarding homosexual lifestyle and behavior in the U.S. Everything from the causes of homosexual desires to the physical, psychological, and spiritual effects of acting on them is covered in this 180-page book. Schmidt, being a professor at Christian college, has aimed his book primarily at Christians and therefore spends the other half of the book in full-fledged dissection and refutation of the revisionist interpretation of the Bible and Christian tradition which affirms homosexual behavior as either neutral or blessed by God.

I think every Christian who is willing to seriously think, discuss, and vote about issues surrounding gay marriage owes it to themselves to read this book or one like it. This book helped me understand my own heterosexuality better, not just the somewhat-removed-from-me topic of homosexuality, and I think it will help you too. Secondly, this book uses the word "compassion" in the title and I found it to be quite accurate for describing Schmidt's writing. It's kind of token to say, "I'm not racist, I have black friends," so it's also pretty insufficient to say you're tolerant or open-minded because you have gay friends. Real understanding relies on truth, not anecdotal experiences we have with a few of our friends. And in order to have deep and lasting compassion we need solid understanding, and understanding requires facts not anecdotes. Schmidt's book is extremely factual, but it is tempered with compassion from cover to cover. Pulling together a vast number of secular health studies we see a picture of homosexuality in his book that is brutally honest and pretty grim, but it is always handled gently and compassionately. I can't say the same about the ways I've heard the topic addressed at church. Can you?

Paul's point about homosexuality in Romans 1 is that the people's abandonment of God led to abandonment of their God-given sexualities. So, if homosexuality is on the rise in our culture rather than hailing it as a sign of the End Times shouldn't we Christians take it partly as an indictment against the Church for either not reaching our culture with the truth, or for pushing people away from it? How can we expect people who don't know God to embrace his sexual order? Schmidt sums this up well when he states that, "the first evidence of worshiping something other than the true God is that humanity will make of itself something other than true humanity." Christians should not be surprised when non-Christians embrace homosexual behavior--or any other sin--as something good. It should also not fill us solely with zeal to debate and enforce Christian ethics through legislation. It should fill us with compassion above all else. As Schmidt rightly points out, "the Gospel is ultimately not about changing laws but about changing lives."


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