--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: First, if you are a homosexual or feel…" description: "\"“First, if you are a homosexual or feel that inclination, keep yourself pure. If you are unmarried, you should practice abstinence from all sexual acti..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/014/william-lane-craig-8716_abstinence_first-if-you-are-a-homosexual-or-feel-th_649377.jpg" --- # First, if you are a homosexual or feel that inclination… ![“First, if you are a homosexual or feel that inclination, keep yourself pure. If you are unmarried, you should practice abstinence from all sexual activity. I know this is difficult, but really what God is asking you to do is pretty much the same thing that he requires of all single people. That…” quote by William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/014/william-lane-craig-8716_abstinence_first-if-you-are-a-homosexual-or-feel-th_649377.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/014/william-lane-craig-8716_abstinence_first-if-you-are-a-homosexual-or-feel-th_649377.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/014/william-lane-craig-8716_abstinence_first-if-you-are-a-homosexual-or-feel-th_649377.jpg) > ““First, if you are a homosexual or feel that inclination, keep yourself pure. If you are unmarried, you should practice abstinence from all sexual activity. I know this is difficult, but really what God is asking you to do is pretty much the same thing that he requires of all single people. That means not only keeping your body pure, but especially your mind. Just as heterosexual men should avoid pornography and fantasizing, you, too, need to keep your thought-life clean. Resist the temptation to rationalize sin by saying, “God made me this way.” God has made it very clear that He does not want you to indulge your desires, but to honor Him by keeping your mind and body pure. Finally, seek professional Christian counseling. With time and effort, you can come to enjoy normal, heterosexual relations with your spouse. There is hope.”” [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker urges homosexual individuals to practice sexual abstinence and mental purity, seeking counseling to align with traditional Christian teachings on sexuality. **In simple terms:** Stay pure in body and mind, seek help, and aim for heterosexual marriage. Key Takeaway Pursue purity and counseling. Themes sexuality religion self‑control counseling hope Mood conflicted hopeful Type advice religious motivational When to use this quote - personal struggle - faith community - counseling sessions - marriage preparation Key Concepts Christian ethics identity temptation conversion Questions to Reflect On - How can one reconcile faith with personal identity? - What role should counseling play in this context? A Different Perspective The advice may conflict with modern understandings of sexual orientation and mental health. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abstinence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstinence/) [Fantasizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasizing/) [Heterosexual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heterosexual/) [Homosexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality/) [Homosexuality-is-a-sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality-is-a-sin/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Mind and body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-and-body/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [New testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-testament/) [Old testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-testament/) [Purity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purity/) [Single people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/single-people/) [Time And Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-and-effort/) ## Related quotes > [“In addition to these physical problems, sexually transmitted diseases are rampant among the homosexual population. 75% of homosexual men carry one or more sexually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/in-addition-to-these-physical-problems-sexually-transmitted-diseases/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [“To begin with, there is an almost compulsive promiscuity associated with homosexual behavior. 75% of homosexual men have more than 100 sexual partners during…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/to-begin-with-there-is-an-almost-compulsive-promiscuity-associated/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [“So, once more, the question is: Does the Bible forbid homosexual behavior? Well, I’ve already said that it does. The Bible is so realistic!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/so-once-more-the-question-is-does-the-bible-forbid-homosexual/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [“So how do you find out what God thinks? The Christian says, you look in the Bible. And the Bible tells us that God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/so-how-do-you-find-out-what-god-thinks-the-christian-says-you-look-in/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [The so-called sexual revolution is not, as advertised, a liberation of sexual behavior but rather its reversal. In former days, even under Victoria, sexual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-percy/the-so-called-sexual-revolution-is-not-as-advertised-a-liberation-of/) [Walker Percy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-percy/) > [I didn't practice abstinence, I perfected it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-wolfberg/i-didn-t-practice-abstinence-i-perfected-it/) [Dennis Wolfberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-wolfberg/) > [I am always shocked that there are still a handful of defenders of the dubious practice of abstinence, surely the worst idea since chocolate-covered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/i-am-always-shocked-that-there-are-still-a-handful-of-defenders-of/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [“And as for people shunning us because of our known association with homosexuals”—here she wiggled her eyebrows, because she sounded ridiculously like Joseph McCarthy—“I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-spencer-fleming/and-as-for-people-shunning-us-because-of-our-known-association-with/) [Julia Spencer-Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-spencer-fleming/) > [“By Hays' reasoning, penetrating a rectum with a penis is a violation of how God meant humans to function. However, penetrating a human body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-avalos/by-hays-reasoning-penetrating-a-rectum-with-a-penis-is-a-violation-of/) Hector Avalos ## More by William Lane Craig > [Part of the broader task of Christian scholarship is to help create and sustain a cultural milieu in which the gospel can be heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/part-of-the-broader-task-of-christian-scholarship-is-to-help-create/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [The point is this: If God does not exist, then life is objectively meaningless; but man cannot live consistently and happily knowing that life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/the-point-is-this-if-god-does-not-exist-then-life-is-objectively/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [“By setting such strong, harsh dichotomies God taught Israel that any assimilation to pagan idolatry is intolerable. It was His way of preserving Israel’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/by-setting-such-strong-harsh-dichotomies-god-taught-israel-that-any/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [If you're sincerely seeking God, God will make His existence evident to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/if-you-re-sincerely-seeking-god-god-will-make-his-existence-evident/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [Scepticism, ironically, draws its life's blood from claims to have a good deal of knowledge. For example, your friends claim to know, 'Since every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/scepticism-ironically-draws-its-life-s-blood-from-claims-to-have-a/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [“...if there's a supernatural agent that is working in the natural world, then the idealized conditions described by the law are no longer in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/if-there-s-a-supernatural-agent-that-is-working-in-the-natural-world/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [If true love came at a price, the price would be all worth while if i was spending it on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/if-true-love-came-at-a-price-the-price-would-be-all-worth-while-if-i/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [“There are various virtues of what counts as a best explanation, and I imagine familiarity is one of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/there-are-various-virtues-of-what-counts-as-a-best-explanation-and-i/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [People think of time as a continuum composed of points which is stretched out at a line, and even if you add a direction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/people-think-of-time-as-a-continuum-composed-of-points-which-is/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [“...if God does not exist and there is no immortality, then all the evil acts of men go unpunished and all the sacrifices of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/if-god-does-not-exist-and-there-is-no-immortality-then-all-the-evil/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [“So how do you find out what God thinks? The Christian says, you look in the Bible. And the Bible tells us that God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/so-how-do-you-find-out-what-god-thinks-the-christian-says-you-look-in/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [So whom does God wrong in commanding the destruction of the Canaanites? Not the Canaanite adults, for they were corrupt and deserving of judgment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/so-whom-does-god-wrong-in-commanding-the-destruction-of-the/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [ Richard \[Carrier\] takes the extremist position that Jesus of Nazareth never even existed, that there was no such person in history. This is a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/richard-carrier-takes-the-extremist-position-that-jesus-of-nazareth/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [ I am an Orangeman first and a politician and member of this parliament \[Stormont\] afterwards. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/i-am-an-orangeman-first-and-a-politician-and-member-of-this/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [“In addition to these physical problems, sexually transmitted diseases are rampant among the homosexual population. 75% of homosexual men carry one or more sexually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/in-addition-to-these-physical-problems-sexually-transmitted-diseases/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) [Explore all 78 William Lane Craig quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) ## More Abstinence quotes > [Sexual activity, and the thoughts and fantasies of sex, use up a great portion of our vital force. When that force is conserved through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patanjali/sexual-activity-and-the-thoughts-and-fantasies-of-sex-use-up-a-great/) [Patanjali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patanjali/) > [Used with due abstinence, hope acts as a healthful tonic; intemperately indulged, as an enervating opiate. The visions of future triumph, which at first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fitzjames-stephen/used-with-due-abstinence-hope-acts-as-a-healthful-tonic-intemperately/) [James Fitzjames Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fitzjames-stephen/) > [“Male masturbation is not a release, it is a squandering. Anyone who begins to no-fap will soon discover this. Like most things, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-freestone/male-masturbation-is-not-a-release-it-is-a-squandering-anyone-who/) [Jack Freestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-freestone/) > [Atheism is a religion like abstinence is a sex position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/atheism-is-a-religion-like-abstinence-is-a-sex-position/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [When a married person uses pornography, or is unfaithful, it compromises not just his (or her) purity, but also compromises the spouse's purity. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-o-donnell/when-a-married-person-uses-pornography-or-is-unfaithful-it/) [Christine O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-o-donnell/) > [“Look, choosing to wait until marriage makes me feel empowered. But if the same choice cripples you, then it wasn't the right one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-allen/look-choosing-to-wait-until-marriage-makes-me-feel-empowered-but-if/) Rachael Allen > [Taking the pledge will not make bad liquor good, but it will improve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/taking-the-pledge-will-not-make-bad-liquor-good-but-it-will-improve-it/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“It is better to lock up your heart with a merciless padlock, than to fall in love with someone who doesn't know what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/it-is-better-to-lock-up-your-heart-with-a-merciless-padlock-than-to/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [There is a great deal of political pressure to only talk about abstinence, and to deny support for condoms and education on using them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/there-is-a-great-deal-of-political-pressure-to-only-talk-about/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Abstinence-only education - the best STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) and pregnancy delivery system that politicians have ever devised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/abstinence-only-education-the-best-std-sexually-transmitted-disease/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [While one may lose much because of avarice, nothing was ever accomplished by abstinence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isuna-hasekura/while-one-may-lose-much-because-of-avarice-nothing-was-ever/) [Isuna Hasekura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isuna-hasekura/) > [“The secular, for all its goodness, does not defend itself very well against mindless and perpetual consumption. It cries out to be offered by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/the-secular-for-all-its-goodness-does-not-defend-itself-very-well/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [I went to an all-girls Catholic school. And all the nuns just breathed down our necks "abstinence." And that's not the right thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-mccarthy/i-went-to-an-all-girls-catholic-school-and-all-the-nuns-just-breathed/) [Jenny McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-mccarthy/) > [How do we want our air? Pure. How do we want our water? Pure. How do we want sex on our wedding night? Pure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-kelly/how-do-we-want-our-air-pure-how-do-we-want-our-water-pure-how-do-we/) Molly Kelly > [“There’s gratification in abstaining from the easy choice. Instant gratification can bring more suffering than pleasure. If I do the hard thing, the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-wang/there-s-gratification-in-abstaining-from-the-easy-choice-instant/) Cecily Wang [Browse all 233 Abstinence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstinence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“First, if you are a homosexual or feel that inclination, keep yourself pure. If you are unmarried, you should practice abstinence from all sexual activity. I know this is difficult, but really what God is asking you to do is pretty much the same thing that he requires of all single people. That means not only keeping your body pure, but especially your mind. Just as heterosexual men should avoid pornography and fantasizing, you, too, need to keep your thought-life clean. Resist the temptation to rationalize sin by saying, “God made me this way.” God has made it very clear that He does not want you to indulge your desires, but to honor Him by keeping your mind and body pure. Finally, seek professional Christian counseling. With time and effort, you can come to enjoy normal, heterosexual relations with your spouse. 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