Replies

It is our obligation, indeed our duty, to preach the Gospel to the lost, blind, dead prisoners, and as one saint put it, use words if necessary. In my opinion, if Christians would set the proper example, non-Christians would be begging to know how to be a part of such a rich, free, full life.

You're absolutely right on all counts here. But when Christians start advocating prison sentences for private behavior that affects no one else but other consenting non-believing adults, they have crossed the line. Nowhere in the scriptures are Christians told to go pass laws that will result in punishment for non-believers.

I think you've been missing something or no one's said it clearly.

A very sizeable percentage of homosexuals are very averse to keeping their orientation and activity PRIVATE. They INSIST on rubbing it in others' faces and even in converting, recruiting. It's just a fact. They do. A lot of them do.

AND there's the issue that even X numbers of acting out people in any kind of rebellion against God will tend to influence spiritual dimensions in an area. That hurts everyone in the area.

Rebellion is never neutral. It always influences the community. Just because the cause/effect relationship is hard to draw is no proof it isn't there. This is true of arrogant preacers, angry Christian wives, alcoholic Christians, physically abusive Christians . . . and of homosexuals acting out as well--whether private or not.

Rebellion against the Designer arises partly out of an attitude. People don't take off and put on attitudes as they jump in or out of bed. Attitudes are underlying ways of being in the world. They have far reaching influence.

That said,

I'm not, per se, very given to supporting notions of heavy handed treatment of violators of a LOT of sins/laws. . . . in legally heavy duty ways.

I AM FOR STRONG MODELING OF BETTER WAYS OF BEING AND I'M FOR ASSERTIVE EXHORTATIONS IN FITTING WAYS AT FITTING TIMES. I'm also NOT for freely available advertising of rebellious activities. . . in much of any form. I think that's a kind of society suicide.

Except that in many ways, it's an infection Marxists have been supporting with tons of money for decades. . . at most higher centers of learning.

But when Christians start advocating prison sentences for private behavior that affects no one else but other consenting non-believing adults, they have crossed the line. Nowhere in the scriptures are Christians told to go pass laws that will result in punishment for non-believers.

You opinion is not one shared by God...He instituted Capital Punishment, and it was for more than just murder. You apparently think that things happen in a vacuum. This idea that private behavior and actions don't affect others is a cop-out, and a falsehood. The flaw in your logic is huge. What would happen if we didn't pass laws that punish non-believers? Are we to let non-believers go scot-free? To my knowledge, very few (if any) laws are specifically directed at a group of people called "non-believers". By your logic, laws are only for believers. That is dead wrong! Laws are for lawbreakers, not for law-abiding citizens. Laws are to control the lawless, not those who exercise self-control! We as Christians have an obligation to be salt and light in the world, and salt doesn't do any good unless it is outside the salt-shaker. We should be engaging the world at every point. Unfortunately, Christianity has pretty much abandoned the Arts, where we used to dominate and set the standard. Now, those who wish to engage and challenge the non-believing world in the Arts are shot at and criticized, and even called heretics by their own brethren! No, Christians are SUPPOSED to be involved in daily life, government, and other areas where we can make a positive impact. That's not imposing our beliefs on non-believers, that is doing what we can to make life better for all, the just and the unjust, just the same as God causes the rain to fall on both the just and the unjust.