“Scripture clearly, pervasively, strongly, absolutely and counterculturally opposes all homosexual practice,” Dr. Gagnon said. “I trust that gay evangelicals would argue otherwise, but Christian proponents of homosexual practice have not made their case from Scripture.”
In fact, both sides look to Scripture. The debate is largely over seven passages in the Bible about same-sex couplings. Mr. Gagnon and other traditionalists say those passages unequivocally condemn same-sex couplings.
Those who advocate acceptance of gay people assert that the passages have to do with acts in the context of idolatry, prostitution or violence. The Bible, they argue, says nothing about homosexuality as it is largely understood today as an enduring orientation, or about committed long-term, same-sex relationships...
This is a problem and a controversy that conservatives will face regardless of their belief. It is not going away.
The Catholic Church went down that "acceptance path" and look what it did to their bank account.
I am a born again Christian. I'm also a heterosexual male with strong heterosexual urges. How I respond to those urges determines whether I sin or not. I make choices everyday about different things. Inever have the option to stand before God and say "Its all your fault. You made me this way."
Not that any Popes or other members of influential clergy would allow their political or personal views to have influenced religious doctrine throughout the years. /S
No, he can't. But God can.
This is a problem and a controversy that conservatives will face regardless of their belief. It is not going away.
What "controversy?" You can equivocate to human beings all you want. But the Bible is clear. And God doesn't offer a Court of Appeals.
Same-sex attraction is a difficult malady. But it is a malady, and can (and should) be treated -- just like fetal alcohol syndrom or some birth defect. Defect. Treatable.
What about transgenders? Are they also born that way and cannot change it? But then they wouldn't be transgenders. They have to change the way they are born or else... Oh....[sound of exploding head]
The Bible is clear. Pick it up and read it, or go to any Bible website and search "Homosexual". See what you find. God is not going to conform to our image. Take this same example, remove the word "Gay" and add any other you like. " Joe whoever, is a born again Baptist, believes in the Virgin birth, believes in the Bible as the Word of God, votes Republican and is a conservative bank robber!"
God has not changed! He is the same God today, yesterday and forever!
The path is a dead end! In so many ways, no one can count them!
As a young pastor, I was one of the first who argued the very points that the NYTimes makes in this article.
However, I think I was also one of the first to see how wrong they were as well.
That means I can tie both sides up on knots, and I'm not above doing so.
Basically, the NYTimes et al make the following argument: "If feels good, I like it, I was born this way, so God must think it's okay too." Unfortunately, after 20+ years of genetic searches, there is no evidence that people are "born this way." Even if they are "born this way," many other practices (ie, alcohol abuse) are outside of the blessing of Christianity, and therefore does not change the conversation.
What gays and lesbians need to argue is that their activities need to moved from the "sin" list to the "blessed" list. To do that, they must compare their activities to things that everyone agrees must stay on the "sin" list (ie, pedophilia), and tell us why their situation is different. However, the minute you get into this conversation with them, most gays and lesbians blow up and leave the room -- they cannot, or will not, have this conversation!!!
How about drunkenchristians.net? Bankrobberchristians.net? Childmolesterchristians.net? Serialkillerchristians.net?
Ping
The article is simply riddled with misconceptions and misunderstandings. Apparently a journalist thinks she can skim over the surface millimeter of a massive scripture and also achieve mastery of all the medical literature of sexuality by sending a few emails to a gay web site proprietor and typing up a few cleverly interwoven slogans from the atheist/socialist playbook.
He stated that He did not need to come to preach to the righteous but to sinners, He also stated that the healthy were not in need of a physician but the sick.
He came, not to condemn but to "seek and save the lost."
He did, however, say to the sinners to, "Your sins are forgiven now go and sin no more," not "Since you were given a different brain chemistry by God, the Father, therefore what you practice isn't really sin but an alterhative lifestyle.'"
I am a born again Christian. I'm also a heterosexual male with strong heterosexual urges. How I respond to those urges determines whether I sin or not. I make choices everyday about different things. Inever have the option to stand before God and say "Its all your fault. You made me this way."
I, too, have urges and desires I've had all my life and I can't help feeling a certain way. MY responsibility is to act how God wants me to act, not just act upon my desires. Same for Mr. Lee, et al.
I'm not saying it is easy. But with God, nothing is impossible. The Christmas Story in Luke tells us so. :)
Genesis 13:13
Now the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD.
Genesis 18:20-21
20. Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous
21. that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know."Genesis 19:4-7
4. Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom--both young and old--surrounded the house.
5. They called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them."
6. Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him
7. and said, "No, my friends. Don't do this wicked thing.
Psa. 12:8 The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.
Isaiah 3:9
The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves.Ezekiel 16:49-50
49. "`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.
50. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
9. Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders
10. nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
11. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
I'd like to see if he is standing on solid rock before I decide. The MSM is not a good judge of these things. I find most of these "gay Christians" to be a tad wobbly.
