I think a lot of people are frequently confused about what the bible actually says, and does not say, about homosexuality. So for this Take I just decided to write everything I know, and I think once you see everything you'll probably have learned something. If I miss anything feel free to point it out to me.
Old Testament
Leviticus 18
This section starts by telling the Hebrew people to not do these sexual acts as the Canaanites do. It then goes on to mainly describe sexual relations with your family members and their wives. Interestingly it does not mention women having sex with anyone, it only pertains to who men can sleep with. I should also point out that this chapter contradicts earlier portions of the bible like, the tale of Laban. According to this chapter men having sex with men is just as detestable as having sex with a woman on her period.
Leviticus 20
This starts off with a strong deterrent to not sacrifice your child to the wrong god. I won't go to much into this here, but many think that yhwh actually originally called for child sacrifice himself. It then goes into the punishments for various sexual acts for which most are stoning, or perhaps burning. They also sadly put to death an animal that's been raped. Also witches/ priestesses.
Abomination/ Detestable!
It is imperative that I point out here something that many people are not aware of. In both Leviticus 18 and 20 the phrases regarding same sex acts are, "Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman;that is detestable" and "If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable." respectively. The key word to look at here is, "detestable" or in some translations "abominable." The hebrew words here are "shiqquts or sheqets." This phrase is always talking about things that are ceremonially unclean, like eating certain unclean animals, or things involved in idol-worship. This has lead some scholars to theorize that the condemnation of homosexuality was actually just a condemnation of a particular cult's practices and not really about homosexuality themselves. Much like girls having sex with donkeys, and sacrificing your children to Molech
Sodom & Gomorrah
Many are familiar with the story so I won't go to far into it. In Genesis 19 god sends some angels to Sodom and it is said that all the men young and old in the town came to rape these angels calling them men. Lot offered his daughters to the rape mob instead but they refused. At this point god decided to destroy the town. Many people believe this story is a demonstration of how evil/ immoral homosexuality is in god's eyes, but a closer reading doesn't really look that way.--
Talmud
The Talmud (Mishna) has a specific phrase, "Midat Sdom" which is describing the way of Sdom, or more particularly the evil of Sdom. Homosexuality doesn't come up here, instead the actual midat sdom is the idea that, "what’s mine is mine and what’s yours is yours." This was abhorrent to the Jews. It is later described that the people of Sdom would do fake charity. When a person came to their town everyone would give the beggar a coin (money) but forbade anyone to sell them bread so that when the person died they would go back and take their money.
Isaiah 1
The entire chapter is an utter condemnation of Judah. They are repeatedly compared with Sodom and Gomorrah in their evildoing and depravity. Throughout the chapter, the Prophet lists many sins of the people: rebelling against God, lacking in knowledge, deserting the Lord, idolatry, engaging in meaningless religious ritual, being unjust and oppressive to others, being insensitive to the needs of widows and orphans, committing murder, accepting bribes, etc. There is no reference to homosexuality or to any other sexual activities at all.
Jeremiah 23
14:"... among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen something horrible: They commit adultery and live a lie. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his wickedness. They are all like Sodom to me; the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah." Jeremiah compares the actions of the prophets with the adultery, lying and evil of the people of Sodom. Homosexual activity is not mentioned.
Ezekiel 16
49-50:"Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen." God states clearly that he destroyed Sodom's sins because of their pride, their excess of food while the poor and needy suffered; sexual activity is not even mentioned
Matthew 10 & Luke 10
These are two new testament passages in which Jesus references Sodom and Gomorrah's, sin as being their ill-treatment of guests. (Not welcoming travelers)
New Testament
Romans 1
Many will point to the end of this chapter (24-27) which states that god gave "them" over to sexual perversions speaking specifically, "Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error." The problem with referencing this section is that it actually appears to be an interpolation. The whole section of Rom 1.18–2.29, appears to be an interpolation after considerations of language, context, and ideational content.
1 Timothy 1
The authenticity of these books are actually widely viewed to be in-authentic, even Marcion (who came up with the first canon) didn't add these.
1 Corinthians 6
This chapter is reprimanding the christians for taking each other to court. It says that they should settle their own matters in house. Then there's an insertion about sexual immorality including homosexuality. This verse is actually a parallel verse to the one in 1 Timothy 1. IT has been pointed out that the word used here, "arsenokoitai" we don't know much about. Some argue that this portion is about masturbation, and when the term is used elsewhere it can be talking about prostitution, or maybe just anal sex in general as John the Faster says many men engage in "arsenokoitai" with their wives. Just as a side note a few verses later it is said, "The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife." saying that a woman or man can't refuse their partner's "spousal right" to sex.
Conclusion
In conclusion the OT treats homosexual acts as ceremonially impure. Much like following dietary laws, or sleeping with your wife while she's on her period, and the common belief that the crime of Sodom is actually homosexuality is not well evidenced, in fact it even appears that Jesus disagrees with this notion. Then the NT comes along and is mostly silent, but the portions that do mention homosexuality are quite ambiguous or appear to be later interpolations.
Anyway, have fun with it. Criticism always appreciated.
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