Posted on 04/09/2004 5:39:41 PM PDT by MegaSilver
When talking with my Christian friends (a real blessing at a college like University of Miami), the conversations sometimes (naturally) become focused on political issues. Genereally, they agree with me on most things political, but of course there are exceptions to every rule. Even the most theologically and morally conservative Christian can occasionally have a liberal view here and there.
I've noticed this seems to be the case among young Evangelicals. This group seems to be one of the more outreach-oriented subsets of Christianity (which is a good thing; youths are, after all, our future), and as such they tend to have more contact with non-Christians. In the interest of openness and wanting people to come to Christ, they sometimes seem to think that perhaps we should avoid alienating potential converts by allowing them to practice their current lifestyle. This, I suspect, is what leads the occasional young, commited Christian to favor decriminalizing marijuana or legalizing same-sex marriages. Besides, nothing should be illegal unless it hurts another, right?
I actually held that view on same-sex marriage throughout high school. In the interest of appearing more loving and acceptable to gays and lesbians, I thought, perhaps we ought not to oppose "equal rights" for homosexuals. Then they might see that we love them and might be more inclined to give up their old lifestyle for Christ.
It's a well-intentioned idea, but I now see that there are two main problems with it.
First, we will always be seen as narrow-minded and intolerant, no matter how much we try to paint ourselves otherwise. The message of the Gospel and the moral codes of the Bible are inherently offensive to humans. If you don't believe this, I would encourage you to remember a time when you read a passage in Scripture or heard a homily and got angry, or thought, "Oh, well, that doesn't apply to me."
C.S. Lewis wrote that pride is the greatest sin. He was right; for nearly everyone, pride is the ultimate barrier that must be broken in order for one to pursue a life centered in Christ or to grow spiritually and morally. As we witness to people, the issue of pride is going to come up sooner or later; there will always be plenty of people who think Christianity is "bigoted" or "conceited" or "doesn't apply to them."
Second, if we love homosexuals and want God to free them from their prison, we cannot in any way accomodate, uplift, or bless their relationships. And this is precisely what marriage licenses do. Decriminalizing sodomy is one thing, but uplifting it and giving it a special standard in the community is quite another. The latter is something we simply must never do.
Christians should love people, care for them, and accomodate them. This means helping them identify their problems, praying for them, and helping them work through their issues. Giving community sanction to same-sex relationships will only get homosexuals deeper into what is inherently a very serious problem. Not only is it against Scripture; there is strong evidence that homosexuality is socially disruptive (the link between child molestation and homosexual behavior) and self-destructive (the high suicide rates among homosexuals, the high rate of STIs in homosexual males).
Homosexuals are in desperate need of help. The Christian response should be to help them to admit that they need help so that they will seek it out, and one way we can help do this is by changing public perceptions about homosexuality (i.e., from a simple "alternate lifestyle" to a dangerous but treatable condition). We cannot do it by uplifting their relationships.
Is pedophilia treatable? Most will tell you, no. How does it differ from homosexuality????
Because homosexuality IS treatable. Re-orientation therapy is said to have remarkable success.
There is a plethora of information about the subject. Search for "reorientation therapy" on Google, take the stuff you find seriously, and then let me know if you still think so.
Pedophilia is said to be nontreatable, indicating there is something permanent and uncontrolable going on in terms of what arouses someone sexually.
Homosexuality has many of the same earmarks.
If that's true, that homosexuality is permanent and uncontrolable, then given how unbashedly disruptive and destructive the behavior is, we really ought to classify it as a mental disorder.
Why should we expect to treat someone out of their sexual preferences, short of Clockwork Oranging them?
See above.
Very true.
But take a look at this article. Here's an excerpt:
If 2% of the population is responsible for 20% to 40% of something as socially and personally troubling as child molestation, something must be desperately wrong with that 2%. Not every homosexual is a child molester. But enough gays do molest children so that the risk of a homosexual molesting a child is 10 to 20 times greater than that of a heterosexual.
Not a problem. God bless. :)
Notwithstanding its civil attributes, the practical effect of the Kansas law may be to impose confinement for life. At this stage of medical knowledge, although future treatments cannot be predicted, psychiatrists or other professionals engaged in treating pedophilia may be reluctant to find measurable success in treatment even after a long period and may be unable to predict that no serious danger will come from release of the detainee.SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
The Church has a lot to learn about how to minister to these folks, in my opinion.
There is a world of difference between being "gay" and being "homosexual." Having a homosexual orientation does not necessarily imply that one lives a gay lifestyle, but most people who live the gay lifestyle are having homosexual sex.
Homosexuals can be helped, but they must first shed their lifestyle.
I agree with what you say, though I'm a bit undecided about this part. Yes, I think someone who was sincerely pursuing Chrisitanity would even want to stop participating in the gay lifestyle. However, I can envision a situation where disentangling oneself might be more of a journey, a process.
And even if they were to escape the lifestyle, they might still struggle with sinful homosexual desires for the rest of their lives, even if they are Christian. I think that in order for the Church to minister effectively, it needs to recognize this reality. For some, homosexual desires, whether they are mental illness or not, are a cross to bear.
What do you think?
Possibly. But remember, God will give us the will to overcome temptation. And given the successes of reorientation therapy, I believe God can provide a way for most homosexuals to realign themselves if they are willing. Christ acknowledged that "some are eunuchs because they were born that way," but he glorified and uplifted marriage as a holy union that God wills upon those who are able: "The one who can accept this, should" (St. Matthew 19:4-12).
Once again, though, you're right. For some, homosexual desires may be their Cross to bear. But we must not make the mistake--as some Churches have--of calling such people "gays" in the Church, for to say so is to imply that one can live the "gay" lifestyle (sometimes in everything but the sex!) and still be a theologically sound Christian.
And, of course, I need to stop using the word "gay." We need to take back that word, as well as the rainbow.
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