Beloved, I feel compelled to say a
word to you about one of the hot topics of the day---Gay marriage. There is a lot of heat being generated
on this subject, even among the clergy, but far too little light.
First, let me say I am quite
familiar with what the Bible says about homosexual practice, whenever it is
mentioned. Some Christians use these biblical texts to justify their opposition
to Gay people being able to marry one another. Depending on your interpretation
of scripture, you need not embrace the idea of same sex marriages. However, I would remind you that just
45 years ago biblical arguments were used to support the law against the
marriage of a man and a woman of different races. I refer you specifically to
the Loving v. Virginia case in 1967.
Our Federal Constitution defends
the rights of religious institutions to oppose, on religious grounds, all kinds
of things. But what is not negotiable, what is not subject to a public
referendum, is the civil rights of individuals and equal protection under the
law---however unpopular these rights may be with the majority. African
Americans, more than most, should understand the importance of this.
I agree with Dr. Delman Coates of
the Mt. Ennon Baptist Church in Clinton, Maryland, who rightly says we are
called to live our faith, not to try and legislate it. We live in the midst of
a fragile experiment with democracy, in a radically diverse society, comprised
of people who practice very different religions, and of those who practice no
religion. Our public policies must
be adopted with the welfare of them all in mind.
The rightness or wrongness or
relevance of homosexuality to us as Christians is a discussion we must continue
to have among ourselves. But if in the end you oppose Gay marriage, even when conducted
by civil authorities, my best advice to you is that you not join any movement
that seeks to limit the civil rights of our fellow citizens, but rather that
you simply elect not to marry a Gay person yourself.
I hope this is helpful.
9 comments:
This is loving and lovely. Thank you, i will be sharing this.
Sincerely,
Susan Ehlbeck (former NJ resident)
Rev. Howard, thank you for this wonderfully worded perspective. I've posted it on my Facebook timeline and received many "like," "comments, and even "shares. While this blog may have been targeted to your parishioners, I applaud the impact you've already had on the greater community.
Jeannine Frisby LaRue
I very much appreciate the thoughtfulness and grace behind this message.
Pastor Howard,
I always hate to have these conversations with fellow Christians. Especially, when they are done without the face-to-face and eye-to-eye non-verbal communication that is speaks loudly of the true intentions and feelings of the communicants. So, understand that I am a Christian, prayerfully, on the power of the Holy Spirit, expressing view that are contrary to yours in the hope that you may see this issue from a different perspective.
I will answer you post from the viewpoint of a Born Again sinner who prays to abide in Christ and to love him by Keeping His Commandments. The other perspective from which I will address this issue is that of a citizen deeply troubled by the direction this society is heading and how its prevailing public ideologies are negatively impacting, so as to weaken, the Family in America.(that includes the Black Family).
To answer the assertion that the Bible was used, in the past,to commit violations of human rights of non-whites (blacks more so than others) is not a valid argument. The only Scripture that is relevant in any theological application is that which is the result of proper exegesis; within context, historical as well as linguistic. It is not valid to use abuse of the Word of God as an argument against using Scripture as a basis for what is claimed to be a Biblical position.
The fact that those bigots and persecutors quoted Scripture to justify their oppression was in fact another outworking of Sin in Fallen Humanity! That's something we share with those bigots, a Sin nature. It's what caused them to pervert the true Scripture to their own designs for their own purposes.
What we have to be careful of in Christianity is that we properly divide the Word so that God is glorified. If we don't, we will suffer the same problem that those bigots experienced:being out of God's will.
So I can only say once again: The only Scripture is that which has been correctly "interpreted" by the reader. Any other interpretation is NOT Scripture!
In light of the foregoing, I believe that for Christians living in the USA to support the idea of homosexual marriage is the result of poor exegesis or it is a denial of the authority of Scripture. In either case, that heavy responsibility falls, first and foremost, in the laps of pastors who allow these things to happen within their congregations (Romans 1:32).
Just so you don't misunderstand my intention,I am not advocating either public discrimination or any other aggressive actions against homosexuals. I am a Sinner Saved by Grace. I have my transgressions that I needed and will need the forgiveness of God through Jesus. I am commanded to love my neighbor! How do I do that? By sharing what God's will for them is: to come to the full Knowledge of The Christ Jesus and His death in my place. That's what He wants for me to do in living out my faith in Him; to save those who walk now in darkness (Jude 22-23). To love the Homosexual is not to allow his or her spiritually destructive lifestyle to go unchallenged; to be the Good Samaritans in today's culture.
(To be continued)
Cont'd comment
Secondly, and I'll be brief, if we are to be good citizens, we cannot acquiesce to an political move tha threatens to undo the central pillar of our society. In countries where this type of marriage has been allowed, the frequency of heterosexual marriage has diminished significantly. single parent homes have become to rule in countries like Sweden and Denmark. In Canada pastors have been charged with hate crimes and jailed, for teaching from Leviticus, or Romans or Corinthians.
Already in California it is against the State Law for any teacher to reveal the destructive nature of the Homosexual lifestyle. And, ... this lifestyle is given an equal standing, in the classroom, with heterosexual marriage. This was done long before the controversy over Prop.8! Guess what will be done in the classrooms throughout the USA if the Supreme Court ever rules laws and state constitutional amendments against such marriages as "unConstitutional"?
Millions of Bible believing parents who have no other option than the government schools will, against their wills, have their children indoctrinated with anti-biblical ideology. So much for “church-state separation”. The church of the atheist, agnostic and anti-Bible faithful has ascended to the primacy in the classroom. Is this what we desire in our society?
Finally on this political issue, the canard used by those who support homosexual marriages is: "It's discriminatory against gay couples to deny same-sex marriages.
This is a lie on its face. Couples of the same-sex, for purposes of governmental recognition, are not a legal entity as are heterosexuals married couples. So, to say that any homosexual "couple" is being discriminated against is contradictory. The Constitution recognizes individual rights only! This was reinforced by the SCOTUS when they struck down a Colorado law that appeared to identify the collection of homosexual citizens as a "group". A stronger point to made along this line of reasoning is: If one understands that within the traditional definition of marriage, each eligible man (singular) and each eligible woman (singular) has the right to marry someone of the opposite (by definition) sex. Hence no discrimination is possible within this accepted definition.
Now, people in a free society can form whatever kinds of they desire. This should be possible as long as they are truly voluntary and there is safety within that bond. The state sanctions heterosexual marriage, within certain restrictions,to insure the protection of the spouses and most importantly, any resulting children. Children are not a natural consequence of same-sex marriage. Does support for same-sex marriages also mandate public support of third party surrogates that provide these partners with offspring. And do the orphanages now have to honor applications for adoption of children into an environment that is asymmetrical in terms of the Original plan for a man and wife?
These are some of the issues that are not discussed thoroughly in public discourse over the issue of same-sex marriage. There are many other things that I would like to offer up for your consideration. But, I think Ive touched on the most important one.
Blessings To You and your congregation. L. Scruggs
Rev.Howard we cannot simply attempt to redefine marriage. There is no scriptural basis for accepting gay marriage. The Bible has a plethora of examples of what God thinks about homosexuality. Have people not read what happened to Sodom?
Even Lot tried to offer his virgin daughters for the sodomites who wanted to have relations with the angels who came to bring God's judgment on Sodom.
Did God present Adam with another man to lie down with? No. God formed Eve and presented Eve to Adam.
Fortunately, God is not the author of confusion. Please read Genesis1:26-28, Genesis 2:21-25, Genesis 19:1-13, Leviticus 20:13, Ephesians 5:21-23, Hebrews 13:4, I Timothy 3:1-13, Matthew 19:4-12, Titus 2:4-8.
The Word of God is the only true source of light on this subject. I have searched the scriptures and I can't find any scripture that supports gay marriage. Gay marriage is a moral issue and not a civil rights issue. God loves sinners but he never loves or condones sin.
Rev. Howard the source of light on the topic of gay marriage is being ignored. God's Word is the source of truth. I have surveyed the bible and I have yet to find one scripture where God supports the homosexuality or alternative lifestyles. Unfortunately, we live in a pluralistic society that states that we have to be politically correct. God calls sin.... sin.. Gay marriage is an abomination in the sight of a holy God. Look what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah. Was God pleased with the Sodomites who wanted to have relations with the two angels he sent to Lot's house to bring down God's judgment on the sodomites. Lot even tried to plead with the crowd and offered his two daughters to be violated by these vile individuals. Our holy God will never change His ways to appease us. Here is a short list of scriptures that clearly spells out what God thinks about homosexuality and how God defines marriage: Gen.1:26-28, Gen. 2:21-25, Gen. 19:1-13, Leviticus 20:13, Ephesians 5:21-33, Hebrews 13:4, I Timothy 3:1-13, Matt. 19:4-12, Titus 2:4-8. Our God is not the author of confusion.
As Christians we must stand for the truth that has been revealed in the scriptures. We must stand for the truth and let the chips fall where they may because I would rather obey God than to obey men.
Thank you for your thoughtful and graceful perspective. I thank God for your unwavering commitment to truth and justice.
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