Well the way Alan appears to see it is that he believes “Reparative Therapy” caused pain which is what he is apologizing for. John Paulk also has expressed this view. Alan appears to still believe the idea that homosexual behavior is wrong but he appears to believe that the onus is on Christians to be accepting. He admits to being disengaged in the fight to maintain traditional marriage and I think that is where he has fallen short.
It may be that he is just simply trying to get ahead of the curve and try a different tack but it is dangerously close to being outright endorsement of homosexual behavior which is simply not biblical. There is no room for a Christian endorsed union between homosexuals from a New or Old Testament standpoint. Christ couldn’t have been clearer when he reiterated support of traditional marriage as being that a man leave his parents and cleave to his wife. There are no other options.
As for ‘Reparative’ therapy it is essentially no more harmful than drug rehab. No scientific study has shown otherwise and simple analysis of the techniques used do not indicate any implicit harm. I do believe that in many cases there may have been an overstatement of case towards how completely someone can be free of temptations whether they be homosexual or not. Even the Bible is clear that these sins must be taken to the cross through grace and that its not a one battle fight. What Alan seems oblivious to is the actions of the militant homosexual activists and their attempts to create a world hostile to Christianity and to ideas of sexual restraint.
The whole idea that one is ‘born this way’ runs contrary to the Bible in the sense that to submit to our flesh is exactly the opposite Biblical teaching. Those that don’t see a problem with this are heretics of the highest order. They are not just being accepting to homosexuals they are disregarding the whole concept of the sinful nature that Christ died on the cross to redeem and cover with grace.
This is very serious. Even with the increase in adultery and divorce there has never been this degree of attack on the core of Christian faith.
It doesn’t mean that we should not open ourselves to share the good news with all regardless of their sin but proud sin is not something that should ever be accepted in the church nor the proud indulgence of the flesh. Would we want to celebrate adulterous relationships in the church? Would we want to have people reading pornography in the pews or collecting and placing bets on football teams in Sunday School?
Alan may have a point about how sometimes homosexuals have been treated badly by some who call themselves Christians but he needs to be careful because much of this idea and shifting of blame to Christians is not supported by facts. Most Christians I know and I’ve been to a wide variety of churches across this nation seldom discuss homosexuality. I can barely remember it being covered and it certainly wasn’t obsessed on. I grew up in a semi-rural area and I went to school with a handful of guys who decided they were gay and I know of at least 1 girl who is now a lesbian cop and 1 girl who is a transsexual. None of them were out in school and none had major problems with bullying and people tended to be more religious than not. I dated a girl whose sister was raising her and she was in a lesbian relationship and they had no problems but they were not overt. The point is that most of the social problems with homosexuality derives from the pride part of it.
The only violent episode I know of personally involved a situation with grooming. One of the guys I went to school with was plying two young teens with alcohol and drugs and it eventually came to a head and they killed him. This is something that is far more common and far too causally accepted in parts of the gay community. Homosexuals that simply live their lives quietly and respectfully have seldom had problems. Most of the problems arise from bad behavior or overt sexual impropriety. That is where the line is and that is the point that produces unwelcoming responses.
We are all sinners but when someone is expecting that a church endorse fleshly weakness/imperfection that is heresy whether it be homosexuality, adultery, or any number of other sins. Christ protected the adulteress from stoning but he then said ‘go and sin no more’. That is the example we should all take and that doesn’t seem good enough to many homosexuals. They want a stamp of approval and a get out of sin free card. That isn’t what Christianity is about. Christianity is about redemption of sin through grace not acceptance of sin as good through grace. Too many are confused on this and many issues.
[[Homosexuals that simply live their lives quietly and respectfully have seldom had problems. Most of the problems arise from bad behavior or overt sexual impropriety.]]
VERY few live quiet unremarkable lives- most gay peopel are predators- most gay peopel have multiple victims/partners- many gay peopel are what htey call chicken hawks- older men or women who go about preyign on young children- many gay peopel cruise organizations like adoption agencies and foster organizations for their victims- A stunning 80% of gay peopel surveyed admitted to pedophilia more than once i ntheir life-
[[As for ‘Reparative’ therapy it is essentially no more harmful than drug rehab. No scientific study has shown otherwise and simple analysis of the techniques used do not indicate any implicit harm.]]
The damage that Alan did was to legitimize the gay agenda’s lie that peopel are born gay and will suffer irreprable damage if they betray their gayness- Now every time a Christian organization tries to help a gay person, they will be assailed by the gay agenda who will be wastchign them liek a chicken hawk waitign for Chritians to ‘try pushign hteir hatred on gay people’- They are now goign to be very much liek hte ACLU- cosntantly watchign and waiting for a ‘violation to hte rights of gasy people’ fortryign to help them overcome their sexual deviency.
Everytiem an organization tries to help a gay person overcoem hteir unnatural lusts, the gay agenda will spit fire and scream and point to Alan’s actions in order to falslely ligitimize their case-
[[What Alan seems oblivious to is the actions of the militant homosexual activists and their attempts to create a world hostile to Christianity and to ideas of sexual restraint.]]
I am watchign with increasing sadness as this world devolves rapidly into an immoral cesspool as one ‘christian’ after another capitulate to the militant homosexual crowds, and as I watch one ‘Republican’ after another give up the fight and capitulate to hte left- We as a nation are slowly but surely dyign to 1000 paper cuts.