So what is the Cause?

[MaxPC]

Jesus was clear on this, which is why, according to Scripture, as Christians we need to pray to be used of God to convey truth. Any fad, if it's important, is a sign of a void in a life dependent on acceptance especially in young people.

Agreed, and as I have already mentioned, this is a signifier that we need to address this void through evangelisation to young people. At the risk of repetitive blame throwing, the pandemic lockdown created a lonely generation of youth who depended on socialisation via computers. An evangelisation effort that provides healthy, Christian church - centric youth activities can go far in addressing this.

[Bootstrap]

This is a case where I don't argue because I think both interpretations are plausible. But I still want to explain why I chose my interpretation.

After learning basic Hebrew, I lost all respect for Old Testament translations. All are biased and often clearly wrong. So what scholars say doesn't mean much to me.

Given an ambiguous case like Leviticus 18:22, I will choose based on my bias. I am not liberal and I find homosexuality revolting, but this doesn't impact what I think is sinful. To me, a sin is something that harms society and in almost every case that something is labeled a sin in the Old Testament, I understand how society is harmed. I don't understand how homosexuality would harm society, so given a choice, I wouldn't consider it a sin. Things like promiscuity and divorce harm society, so are generally sinful.

I think I know basic Hebrew. Could you please explain the ambiguity you see? I don't see that ambiguity in this text.

וְאֶ֨ת־זָכָ֔ר לֹ֥א תִשְׁכַּ֖ב מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י אִשָּׁ֑ה תּוֹעֵבָ֖ה הִֽוא׃

Could you please explain how you arrive at the interpretation you suggest?

[Praxis+Theodicy]

Once the newness and transgressive excitement has worn off I expect we will settle back down to a more normal equilibrium where the vast majority of the population (over 95%) continues to live normal heterosexual lives with all the good (marriage and family) and bad (sexual harassment, assault, discrimination) that goes along with it. Most aspects of our society are still enormously sexualized in stereotypically heterosexual ways. None of that is going away. It is what drives our economy and society. Fashion, cosmetics, sports, entertainment, etc.

Based on the history of similar empires in history (Greco-Roman world, for example, or just a reading of the first chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans), my guess is that those who live a "normal, heterosexual life" will be quite lower than 95%.

[Bootstrap]

Once the newness and transgressive excitement has worn off I expect we will settle back down to a more normal equilibrium where the vast majority of the population (over 95%) continues to live normal heterosexual lives with all the good (marriage and family) and bad (sexual harassment, assault, discrimination) that goes along with it. Most aspects of our society are still enormously sexualized in stereotypically heterosexual ways. None of that is going away. It is what drives our economy and society. Fashion, cosmetics, sports, entertainment, etc.

Based on the history of similar empires in history (Greco-Roman world, for example, or just a reading of the first chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans), my guess is that those who live a "normal, heterosexual life" will be quite lower than 95%.

"What's normal" in American culture has changed dramatically. And it's not just homosexuality - all kinds of sexual practices have been normalized in our culture.

And all kinds of sexual practices were quite normal in the Greek culture surrounding the early church, too. This is not a new problem for Christianity.

[Bootstrap]

To me, a sin is something that harms society and in almost every case that something is labeled a sin in the Old Testament, I understand how society is harmed. I don't understand how homosexuality would harm society, so given a choice, I wouldn't consider it a sin. Things like promiscuity and divorce harm society, so are generally sinful.

Do you think eating pork harms society? Do you think having a foreskin harms society?

I don't think the Israelites could pick or choose based on whether they thought something harmed society. I don't think we can either. I do think circumcision and pork are different issues for New Testament believers than for the Israelites, but I think sin is anything that violates God's command, whether or not you or I think it harms society.

[temporal1]

P.4:

Very good question.

There is currently a fad on TikTok of “youths” stealing a car and then intentionally running over bicyclists.
In the last week, several cyclists have died from this.

Can tolerating or following that fad send a soul to hell? I think the answer is a resounding “yes”.
Just because something is a “fad” with young people doesn’t mean it’s OK.

LAS VEGAS NEVADA

CARTIER FAMILY reaction / “Teen Drivers RUN OVER Intentionally Killing Retired Police Chief” / 13min


Evidently, the teens stole the car, intentionally committed other crimes with the vehicle, intentionally ran over the bicyclist.

For fun. Cameras rolling.

5. “We must not be surprised when we hear of murders, of killings, of wars, of hatred.
If a mother can kill her own child, what is left but for us to kill each other.”
MOTHER TERESA
https://www.californiafamily.org/2018/1 ... fe-quotes/

[Josh]

5. “We must not be surprised when we hear of murders, of killings, of wars, of hatred.
If a mother can kill her own child, what is left but for us to kill each other.”
MOTHER TERESA
https://www.californiafamily.org/2018/1 ... fe-quotes/

Spot on, t1. You've found a large part of the cause. To investigate further, the question needs to be asked and answered what exactly changed to make the mass slaughter of unborn babies commonplace.

[MaxPC]

Another contributing factor: easy access to "influencers" who target youth with discussions of their aberrations.
Ephesians 5: 3-5
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

[Falco Knotwise]

My opinion: it's no coincidence that before we became a culture of death we first lost the meaning of the word piety.

[Ken]

Once the newness and transgressive excitement has worn off I expect we will settle back down to a more normal equilibrium where the vast majority of the population (over 95%) continues to live normal heterosexual lives with all the good (marriage and family) and bad (sexual harassment, assault, discrimination) that goes along with it. Most aspects of our society are still enormously sexualized in stereotypically heterosexual ways. None of that is going away. It is what drives our economy and society. Fashion, cosmetics, sports, entertainment, etc.

Based on the history of similar empires in history (Greco-Roman world, for example, or just a reading of the first chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans), my guess is that those who live a "normal, heterosexual life" will be quite lower than 95%.

"What's normal" in American culture has changed dramatically. And it's not just homosexuality - all kinds of sexual practices have been normalized in our culture.

And all kinds of sexual practices were quite normal in the Greek culture surrounding the early church, too. This is not a new problem for Christianity.

Polls I have seen place the percentage of people who identify as LGBT in the population at about 5%. Of those, bisexual women are actually the largest single category and a lot of them actually just live ordinary heterosexual lives. In other words, they might find women attractive as well as men but don't really act on it. Should they really be classified as LGBT? I have my doubts. But currently they are. If you don't count them then the percentage is probably below 5%.

There are a lot of sexual practices that some people might label as deviant, but not LGBT. Rather, they are ordinary heterosexual stuff. Like BDSM, role playing, lewd exhibitionism, serial hookups, etc. Ordinary straight people have as many sexual quirks and obsessions as everyone else if not more so.

Since straight people are about 95% of the population, I would suggest that they also represent about 95% of what people would label as licentious, lewd, and amoral sexual behavior reminiscent of the fall of the Roman Empire or whatever. I wouldn't consider it the fault of LGBT people that America is a highly sexualized society. They are a small minority. Turn on the TV or visit big nightclubs, spring break beach parties, or whatever, and 95% of what you see is the sexualization of normal straight culture.