1 Cor 6:9 - 10 Or do you not know that
the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:
neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who
practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor
revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
In the wake of the Supreme Court of the
United States’ ruling that discrimination based upon morality is illegal there
has been an article circulating the internet.
Finally, I seem drawn out of my lethargy and feel compelled to write. The article states that homosexuality is not like
the other sins.
Personally, I believe that what Paul was
addressing was not homosexuality as we know it.
However, I do support those who believe that he was referring to
homosexuality as we are seeing it today.
I am not getting into the entire nonsense of separating the acts from
the people. I have listened to a sermon that stated that if straight men
engaged in sex with each other that it would still be sinful. If two straight men engaged in sex with each
other chances are that they are not straight.
My point is that what you believe about homosexuality is an aspect of your
faith, and what you decide is between you and God.
But I do agree that homosexuality, if it is
to be considered a sin, is a sin unlike the others. Homosexuality, unlike sexual immorality,
idolatry, adultery, theft, greed, drunkenness, reviling, or swindling, has been
used for systemic prejudice, condoning of violence, and engaging in
discrimination. Our society has
celebrated and encouraged the other sins, while engaging in active prejudice
against the LGBTQ community. Within our
church walls we have singled it out for our attention.
The other sins are not only celebrated but
encouraged within a culture that emphasises personal gain above all else. People, mostly women, are reduced to being
commercial goods that are to be sought after in much the same way as the cool
cars, big houses, and the latest gadgets.
Intoxication has been celebrated, in my life time, back to Cheech and
Chong records. Theft and swindling are considered
nothing more than shrewd business practices.
As a society, we have taught that adultery
is an acceptable and expected part of the life of a marriage. Forty percent of first time marriages end in
divorce, I would imagine that most end having had adultery as being part of the
process. But can you imagine if two
people who have remarried were approached on the street and beaten violently
for being adulterous?
When I think of the LGBTQ community, I
think of the Stonewall Inn. An
establishment that served LGBTQ people was raided for no other reason than for who
they were. It was the start of the Gay
Pride movement. I think of other acts of
systemic prejudice and the examples that come to mind are based on race and
ethnicity.
But that is the larger secular community –
many of you voice objections to the immorality of our world. But collectively, we have sought out special
treatment for homosexuality. Is this
push back from the ‘Gay Agenda’? I would
hope not, the Gay Agenda, despite those people intent on creating fear, is the
same as my agenda or your agenda; live happy lives, help others and be good
people.
Yet, we treat other sins differently.
We teach that greed is not only not a sin,
but it is an admirable quality and that we should celebrate it. Or have I missed the entire purpose of the
prosperity gospel? And as I am fond to
say, “I would rather explain to God why I loved another man, than sought to
become excessively rich while others languished in poverty.”
Adultery is well tolerated within the walls
of our churches; or have I misread Jesus teaching on adultery, divorce and
remarriage. Yet, in the same sermon in
which I was told that straight men could not engage in sex with each other, I
was told that remarriage was acceptable.
The man preaching had talked about his use of scripture to support
remarriage, even in the case where the divorce was not based on sexual
immorality or adultery.
I found it quite interesting, if not
somewhat disturbing, that one of the churches that I attended there were women
reading the Fifty Shades of Grey series and talking about it. This same church is quite vocal in its
opposition to the acceptance of the LGBTQ people. This same church held pub nights – I guess
the entire reference to drunkenness is misunderstood by me.
I could go on. We seem to make room and accept these other sins. I don’t
trust our agenda in vilifying LGBQT people.
As of a few days ago it became legal to marry the person that you love
and are committed to regardless of the gender mix of that relationship. I celebrate that decision. Oh, and just in case you are curious, if your
church decides that it does not support same gender marriages, I will also
support you in that expression of faith.
