If you are an atheist, this is probably an irrellivant question. Sin is something based in religion. In particular, I am looking at this my own, personal faith - Christianity.

Most people who read that question will have an immediate, definitive and unqualified answer. If you are one of those people read on. It does not matter whether your answer is "yes" or "no," you will be challenged by what you read. You might not change your mind. You might have your conviction reaffirmed, but you will hopefully, you will be challenged.

Some folks read that question and they simply don’t care. Well, you should keep reading as well. Simply stated, there are billions of Christians, Jews and Muslims that have a very strong opinion on it. They live among you and this might give you at least a little bit of insight into their thought process.

Some folks seek to give an answer with one or more caveats. They seek to know more than to opine. Perhaps you are one of these folks. Perhaps you have a loved one that is gay and thus you don’t want to be considered judgmental. In that case read on, you will have some principles to consider.

Here is what I think: Being homosexual is something that cannot be controlled, but what can be controlled is how one acts on being gay. Just like some are more disposed to alcoholism or lying or for that matter sexual sin in the heterosexual realm, one can be predisposed to homosexuality. Is a man having sex with a man or a woman with a woman any more sinful that a man or woman having sex with someone other than their spouse? No, they are all equal. They are all sin.

A Eunuch is a male who has been castrated. This means his testes have been removed. Due to the fact that the testes make the chemicals that cause sexual drive, once they have been removed, the sexual drive will be greatly reduced or even eliminated altogether.

During the time of Christ there were many reasons for becoming a eunuch. The word eunuch actually can be roughly translated as "bed keeper." A man became a eunuch in order to be the guardian of a woman or group of women belonging to a ruler or prominent member of the government. This was a practice used all over the world and was well established far before the time of Christ.

So what does it mean to be a eunuch "from the mother’s womb"? Simply stated, it means that some folks are born with little or no sex drive. Taken within the context of this passage it is obviously talking about sex drive within a marriage. Some men are born with little or no desire to have sex with women. It is possible to read into this a bit by saying if they are born without a desire for women, then perhaps they have a desire for other men.

The passage certainly doesn’t hint at this, let along directly state it. It is highly unlikely that it is referring to someone being born homosexual. A eunuch has NO sexual desire, for men or for women.

However, some may say, since Jesus was obviously speaking in a relatively poetic way - after all it would not appear he was speaking of a person being born with no genitalia - could he not have also been speaking of homosexuals?

For the sake of discussion, let’s run with that premise. Let us, for the sake of thoroughness, say that it is possible that Christ was saying there are men who are born not with a sexual desire for women, but other men. Here is the key, Christ is still talking about a person abstaining from sex. That is the entire point of the passage. Christ was simply saying that if one is to have sex, it should be within the bonds of marriage.

It seems quite obvious what being made a eunuch by men means. Let us not belabor the point. If one has one’s genitalia removed by surgery of some sort, that person was made a eunuch by men.

Being a eunuch for the sake of heaven means that rather than getting married and having sex and children, one remains a bachelor. As far as we know, the apostle Paul did this. Paul encouraged others to take a similar tact. However, he also said, "it is better to marry than burn." As Christ said, "he who is able to accept this, let him accept this."

Notice, Christ did not say, let everyone accept this. Nor did He say that if one is unable to accept this he is weak or a lesser Christian or out of the will of God. Christ merely states that if you want to do it and you are able, than it is an option.

However, most of us are born with a sex drive that we simply cannot suppress entirely. And a relatively small percentage of us have a desire for those fo the same sex.

So, what if an individual has a natural attraction to the same sex? Shouldn’t that individual through the strength of the Holy Spirit be able to put off those sexual desires and serve Christ?

Why not?

If Christ and later Paul taught that it is possible to put off sexual desires in order to focus one’s energy more on service, why can’t someone who is homosexual do so as well.

But, this passage in no way touches on whether NOT fighting that homosexual urge is sin.

An active homosexual is a sinner. They must repent. But that does not mean they have to become straight and have babies with a wife.