Posted on 11/09/2004 10:46:18 AM PST by Nice50BMG
Tuesday, November 9, 2004
Homosexuality: What would Jesus do?
By Joseph Farah
Patricia Ireland, former president of the National Organization of Women, raised what probably sounded like a good question to some recently.
She asked during a debate on the Fox News Channel: "If ... lesbian and gay rights issues were such a serious kind of value, a core value, why did Jesus never talk about them?"
Of course, the answer is that homosexuals have no special rights that distinguish what they do and who they are. They have only the same rights the rest of humanity has. The question should be more appropriately asked of people like Ireland, who pretend to be Christians, while asserting values that are contrary to the Christian faith and the Judeo-Christian tradition.
That was her question. And that is the appropriate answer to the question she asked. But I'm not sure she was asking the right question. Let me see if I can more properly frame the question to help her out.
If the institution of marriage as we know it between one man and one woman is such an important value, a core value of the Christian faith, why did Jesus never talk about it?
The answer to that question, of course, is that He did. He did so explicitly. He defined it clearly. And His definition leaves no room for same-sex unions.
And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
– Matthew 19:4-6
That's what Jesus Himself said about marriage. It's also a very strong statement about the fact that men and women were made for each other. There's no talk here of civil unions. There's no suggestion here of domestic partnerships. There's no hint here that men should fool around with men and that women should fool around with women.
It's a straightforward statement that alone should clarify any misconceptions about what Jesus thought and believed and commanded insofar as sexual unions.
But the Bible and the Christian faith are based on much more than the words spoken by Jesus, who explained that He did not come to overturn the law but to fulfill it. That means the basic commandments of the Hebrew Scriptures didn't change when Jesus came along. And those laws are crystal clear in condemning homosexuality as an abomination in the sight of God – as they are in the inspired teachings of Paul in the New Testament.
Jesus Himself was referring to the law as laid out in Genesis 2:24: "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."
My point is that people like Patricia Ireland, John Kerry and Hillary Clinton like to pretend they are operating under the same value system that led to Western Civilization, the same value system that resulted in the founding of America, the same value system that was taught by Jesus and the Hebrew prophets before Him.
They are not. They are operating under different values. They are only pretending to have a different interpretation of those values. That is why they are so uncomfortable talking about values. Because they are in constant fear you will find them out – that you will discover they are operating under a completely different worldview.
But it's important to recognize what their game is.
It doesn't matter to them what Jesus taught. But they know it still matters to enough Americans. And if enough Americans see through their charade, then they can't win elections. And if they can't win elections, they can't impose their different morality on you.
***meaning we are all born with desires we have to resist ***
Exactly!!! Imagine what would happen if we all could "justify" our desires to steal, cheat, run over the pedestrian who walked in front of us, ram the car that cut us off, etc., etc., etc.
My opinion is that Jesus would love the homosexual as he has commanded that we should love everyone. He would not shun them or condemn them. He would ask to let he that is without sin to cast the first stone. And he would do what he did for a number of people - he would heal them. Just like he healed the lepers, the blind, the woman with the issue of blood, the lame, the sick, the palsied, and even some who had already died - he would heal the homosexual of their sad and lonely affliction. It is a tragedy that today those who are so afflicted find it so difficult, if not impossible, to find appropriate treatment for their sickness.
And very little room for divorce, since Jesus went on to say, "And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery". In MArk 10, Jesus doesn't even have the fornication clause.
So will the Marriage Amendment include a ban on divorce?
http://www.cccu.org/resourcecenter/resID.2043/rc_detail.asp and,
http://www.dennisprager.com/rightandwrong.html
If you understand that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are One God (the Trinity), than you know that Jesus did speak about homosexuality back in Lev. 20:13.
We may find someone attractive (who is married, too young, a relative, same sex, etc.) but only one group seems to think that they should be encouraged to act on their desire.
Many if not most do not WANT to change . . . supposedly there are Christian treatment programs out there--I don't remember what they are called but they treat homosexuals and are supposedly very successful. The Bible is a great guidebook for change and it's available in any bookstore, too.
If people do not WANT to change--no matter WHAT the behavior--they will not change, no matter what treatment, etc. is available.
Does someone suffering from any number of mental disorders - schizophrenia, multiple personalities, psychosis, etc. WANT to change? Not necessarily. But treatment is still available for them. Where's the treatment for same gender attraction disorder?
WWJD? "Those of you who are straight may launch the first stone...!"
bump
I do not know the name of the group right now, but there is at least one group out there that helps homosexuals. Many pastors should also be able to help--a person would just have to ask them what their view is, before they sought their counselling.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord".
Yeah. He cares.
Yes. He cares. Read the Bible.
Interesting that the Matthew quote was in answer to the previous verse, Matthew 19:3 - And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?"
Sounds a bit taken out of context to me.
Hate the sin...not the sinner.
"If a government takes a portion of a man’s wages and does good with it, has the man also done good? ......Today, the US government takes nearly 50% of a middle-class person’s paycheck after all taxes are factored in .....Uncle Sam will spend more money in just this year (2004) than it spent combined between 1787 and 1900 .... ”
The verse that keeps coming to my mind when reading about "church vs. state" is from Mark 12:17. (NIV) "..give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's". We must live in this world and live under its authorities, good and/or bad - but there is hope; this world it temporary; the eternal world has the ultimate Authority...and His name is Jesus.
bookmarking your post for later.
Jesus did not say sit just sit on your hands and do nothing. For instance, the abolitionist movement started in the Churches. If you can affect government within the bounds of that government - you should!
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