I came across this link the other day, showing how animals in nature mate:
30 Strangest Animal Mating Habits
We see in the above link all manner of odd sexual mating techniques among animals. We know that God created animals, so if God only wanted humans to be in strictly monogamous relationships, why do we see so much diversity in nature?
The Apostle Paul clearly states in Romans 1 that he is refering to "use" that is "against nature". However, lets see some of the odd workings within nature:
| Bonobo: Make Love Not War "Bonobos use sex as greetings, a mean of solving disputes, making up for fights, and as a favors in exchange for food. They tongue kiss, engage in oral sex, mutual masturbations, have face-to-face genital sex and even have a strange "penis fencing" ritual!" |
| Red-Sided Garter Snake: Annual Mating Ball Orgy "The annual mating of red-sided garter snakes is a tourist attraction in Manitoba, Canada. That's because when a female garter snake emerges from hibernation, she releases a pheromone that attracts hundreds of male snakes in the vicinity to rush her and create a large squirming "mating ball." |
| Giraffe: Drinks Female's Urine Before Mating: "With that ridiculously long neck of theirs, mating is hard work for male giraffes. So, when a male happens upon a female giraffe, he will perform a procedure known as the "fleshmen sequence" to see if she is in estrus. First, he nudges her rump to induce urination. He then takes a mouthful of urine. If it tastes good to him, then he begins to court her." |
| Whiptail Lizard: Has Lesbian Sex and Then Clones Itself: "How does a whiptail lizard have sex? Trick question! There are no males - all whiptail lizards are females, so they can't have sex at all. Wait a minute - so how do they reproduce? By cloning themselves: In the bizarre life of a whiptail lizard, reproduction is preceeded by pseudocopulation, where two females act out the roles of a male mounting a female (they switch roles later on). Apparently, this is required to stimulate egg production in both lizards. When the eggs hatch, they will be all-female clones of the mother lizard." |
| Gorilla: Lives in His Own Troop of 5 to 30 Females: "Mature male gorillas, called silverbacks, are huge (up to 425 lb., sometimes even more). A silverback lives in a troop of 5 up to 30 females, with which he mates all year long. There is little competition for females, since a large silverback is scary and can easily protect its group from challengers." |
As we read in Romans 1:
| King James Version English Translation: 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed [it] unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
- Romans 1:18-32
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So, what do we conclude from this?
I think it is clear, if you reread Romans 1 above a few times, you start to notice that ALL of these people being discussed in the passage first reject God. They reject who he is, what he stands for and rather worship the creature rather than the creator.
You can see with the words I highlighted in blue above that it is clear, he is refering to people who reject God totally.
From there, he discusses how they are given over to evil "desires". I think what is implied in the passage is how they worshipped a false god using sex. But, it does not seem directly stated. This would probably mean the Apostle Paul is describing society around him, where they worship false gods and use sex within their worship.
However, some could state it is refering to gay male or female sex. Yet, I recall reading that gay men were actually not considered men by designation back then, but rather eunuchs. So they considered there to be more than two classes of humans (more than just male and female). So being a "male" implied potentially only mating with women. That is why some claim that this is refering to normal heterosexuals changing their desires to being homosexual and doing temple harlotry.
Back to the meaning of "against nature". It is clear, nature allows for very odd scenerios, as seen above with various species of animals. I believe that "against nature" means how they were designed. A very obvious example would be that you keep sex between humans and do not include animals, as that is against God's design. Further, sex with or unto angels would be a sin as well (as seen in Genesis 3 with the sons of god mating with the daughters of men). Also, considering that temple harlotry is sex unto a false god, which we know are fallen angels (which is against natures design as well). Last, some men are designed to not want a woman (hence gay or eunuch), while others are designed to want women. So men who are naturally heterosexual who are raped or forced into homosexuality by the culture or a false religion, we see this to be a deplorable act. Such a thing did occur in recent history, consider "Hitlers Youth", which was men who raped boys within Germany and turned them also into predators.
I think the point of the scripture can be see in verses 29 - 31. They are abusers and hateful. They break covenants (adultery, etc), they are unmerciful (opposite of Christ's command), they are proud, haters of God, etc. We see, they are unkind and unloving.
Now, ask yourself. Do you think those animals above are being hateful? Abusive? Unmerciful? I believe it is clear. They just have odd sex practices, but they are not worshipping a false god, they are not raping.
But maybe you chalk all of this up to sinful nature? That animals have such odd sex practices? Consider that animals sometimes kill for mates. Maybe that is proof they are living in sin, or atleast have sinful nature?
Well, you can only take that so far. Why would God have two lesbian lizards have mock sex and clone themselves? Obviously, they were created that way. Sinful nature did not expell all the males and leave just females that clone themselves.
Why don't all animals have orgies, if that was sinful nature? It seems like a lot of diversity, depending on the animal in question. So why do some have one mate, as we see with the Penguins (I guess protestants are penguins). And why do the gorillas have 5 to 30 mates (I guess they are polygamists). And I guess the whiptail lizard is just a lesbian race. See what I mean? It does not make sense to claim all of this is "sinful nature". And if the Apostle Paul cites "nature" and shows how things are "against nature" he must believe that what is seen in nature among animals is its original design.
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