Understanding that the Bible is the Word of God placed on paper by the hands of men helps me get over these issues. To understand why homosexuality would be a problem to the ancient Jewish state one only need look at the reality that they faced. They are surrounded by more powerful enemies and needed to have as many children as possible to make sure they could defend against those enemies.

By the time of Christ, the world had evolved and the that part of the world was now a part of the Roman empire. That is where much of the old law was no longer necessary as it applied to a time where the reality was very different. It was still advantageous to the culture to have many children, so the attitudes express in the New Testament still retain some of the old biases.

Today, it should be pretty obvious that humans are a resource that the world has more than enough of and therefore the drive to maximize children which biases opinion versus homosexuals is no longer really valid. As Christ interpreted the laws into the reality of the world he lived in, so we should follow that example and apply the laws into our reality.

Scripture on its own is rather pointless because it does not take into account such historical perspective. In my belief, the punishment of God is more about how when culture deviates from its own best interest that reality will come in and correct it. This is the true lesson of Scripture. Others will see the need of having a sentient Godly entity as the monarch and judge that issues punishment, but I think that is a viewpoint as dated as many of the Old Testament laws. Following moral principles that put the greater good over the desires of self is what following God is all about to me. I know that my selfish desires will lead me to behavior that harms others and that harm will eventually work back to me by the example I set to others.