Homosexuality, although becoming more accepted in society, is still being debated within many Christian churches.Mark Copeland, an evangelist at Fortune Road Church of Christ in Kissimmee, Fla., said he bases his view of homosexuality on the scriptures in the Bible and on common sense, rather than the homophobic views some Christians tend to have.

“If something has four wheels, it tells you its purpose is mobility,” he said. “The homosexual’s body, just as any other body, is clearly designed to procreate. God designed us to procreate. It’s just common sense.”

Jeff Sorensen, member of the United Church of Christ in Ames, disagreed.

Sorensen said several passages in the Bible have been used to denounce homosexuality, but there are some passages that do not necessarily discourage homosexuality.

“The story about a covenant between two men, David and Jonathan, in Samuel 1:18, is clearly about homosexuality,” he said.

Sorensen said the views of conservative Christians who say homosexuality is wrong often push people away from God.

“There are a number of gay Christians who are struggling and feel forced to make a decision one way or the other about their faith,” he said. “They don’t question their sexual orientation because they’ve already done that, so they often choose to walk away from God.”

Matt Russell, graduate student in sociology, said in the Catholic Church, distinguishing between the homosexual person and the homosexual act is important.

“There is nothing wrong with a homosexual orientation. No one is reduced to just their sexual identity,” Russell, who is gay, said. “We recognize that there are people who have different sexual orientations and that God may even create people who are gay.”

Catholic bishops wrote in their 1990 document Human Sexuality, “The distinction between being homosexual, and doing homosexual genital actions, while not always clear and convincing, is a helpful and important one when dealing with the complex issue of homosexuality, particularly in the educational and pastoral arena.”

Copeland said the act of homosexuality is the sin because the only sex allowed between two people in the Christian faith is within the confines of marriage.

“Homosexual marriages are foreign to the scriptures,” he said. “Man and woman for procreation is what constitutes marriage.”

Sorensen said it is important to take the author’s intentions into account in reading the scriptures.

“The Bible is thousands of years old and has been written and rewritten by man,” he said. “The greatest sin is to take a single verse and say it stands alone to condemn a group of people.”

Brian Eslinger, a minister at Unitarian Universalist Church in Ames, said his church does not condemn homosexuality, but accepts and embraces it.

“I see homosexuality as an expression of human sexuality,” he said.

Eslinger said he performs union ceremonies for gay and lesbian couples using the same process as weddings for heterosexual couples. He said his church has also developed a “welcoming congregation” program to create a less homophobic congregation.

Copeland said in order to be a leader in his church, individuals must meet certain criteria.

“They must be male and be the husband of one wife,” he said. “They must also have children who are believers. Homosexuals are not allowed to be leaders due to these criteria.”

Copeland said homosexuals are allowed to participate as members of the congregation under certain circumstances.

“Homosexuals are allowed to be members of our congregation if they stop engaging in homosexual conduct and repent,” Copeland said. “If they repent, they would be forgiven.”