Homosexuality: A Comparative Analysis

Firstly, the attitude towards homosexuality in Western culture derives from the Biblical teaching on the subject. The bible claims that homosexuality is a chosen sexual behavior which is natural, sinful, immoral and abhorrent to God.

“ Do not lie with a male as one lies with a woman, it is an abomination.”(Leviticus 18:22). If a man lies with a male as one lies with a woman, the two of them have done an abhorrent thing, they shall be put to death, their blood guilt is upon them(Leviticus 20:13).

According to the new testament there is no salvation for those who engage in homosexual acts. the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders. ( 1 Corinthians 6:9 )

Although ancient Greek and Roman philosophers

Everything has to be judged according to its context- time, place and circumstances.

As in most societies, heterosexuality is regarded in Hinduism as the general norm and desirable orientation because Hindu society is overwhelming “progeny” centered and a fruitful marriage is seen as the ultimate goal and paradigmatic state of happiness. But it must be emphasized and this is also the main important point of this article that the ultimate tension in Hindu society is not between heterosexuality and homosexuality, it is between heterosexuality and celibacy, typified by the householder state verses the monastic theme.

The Hindu teachers and social legislators also recognized the fact that people are born with different proclivities, tendencies and tastes due to their karma the resultant conditioning of actions done in previous lives. One’s sexual orientation, it was recognized, is not a matter of choice but of such previous life conditioning.

The self which is enveloped by ignorance is sometimes embodied as a man, sometimes as a woman, sometimes as a homosexual (Ubhaya). According to its deeds and the nature one acquires thereby, one may be born as a God, a human or a beast. (Bhagavatam

If a certain behavior pattern exists then it is natural that is, part of the way things are in Hindu universe. The Hindu universe is in general a tripartite structure- heaven, earth and the mid- regions, past, present and future, action, inertia and equilibrium and sexuality is seen as being a triangle of ( normative) male and female and (non-normative) neuter or the “third sex” being the 3rd corner of the triangle. This view is advocated particular by the texts of Ayurveda- the ancient Hindu system of health care. Micheal Sweet and Leonard Zwilling have demonstrated in their studies of the medical texts as well as the grammatical texts such as