There's no doubt that the LGBT movement and Evangelicalism misunderstand each other. Generally, from the LGBT perspective, calling homosexuality a sin is the same as calling gay people unequal and inferior. On the other hand, from the Evangelical perspective, promoting equal rights for gay married couples is the same as religious intolerance. Both sides make the mistake of vilifying the other to further their cause.
One well-known evangelical pastor in New York offers valuable insight into how we ought to respond to this divide. In the context of this interview at the 2013 Faith Angle Forum put on by the Ethics & Public Policy Center, Pastor Timothy Keller says:
"He (Jonathan Rauch) says if orthodox faith does morph to the place where people still have that high view of the text, they are still people “of the Book”, and we have completely embraced the idea of homosexuality as one way of loving and marriage, if that does happen, it will take a long time, a very long time. Not the sort of thing that could happen in 20 years or 50 years, in which case we need to learn to live together. We really have got to be civil to each other on the way.
We can’t do what we did in the civil rights movement, which is basically shame the one group out of the public sphere. Don’t do that or you are going to find it is not going to work. It is going to create terrific civil strife because that 30 percent of devout people is a big number of people. Not enough to win an election, but you certainly can’t just marginalize them and say you are beyond the pale. You’ve got to show respect. They have to show respect, too.
So I would just plead for civility and say to Christians, because of what Miroslav Volf says about Christian identity — it is not based on difference, at least it shouldn’t be, it doesn’t have to be — therefore, in some ways, we should be the peacemakers. We should be the people who are the least threatened. We should be the people who are most willing to say, “Let’s talk” and be civil and the most gracious. And we should at least try to take the lead in that. We may not be listened to. So there are some ideas."
I agree that you can't expect evangelicals, who are marked by their faith in the authority of the Bible, to change their minds about homosexuality being a sin. After all, this is the common sense reading of the Bible (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 1 Timothy 1:8-11). To expect evangelicals to change their minds is to ask them not to be faithful to their religion and to their God. To truly be motivated by equality and tolerance means being okay with evangelicals refusing to celebrate homosexuality.
On the other hand, evangelicals ought to be the first to pursue peace and cordiality. That is, if they are in fact marked by their faith in the authority of the Bible. After all, one of the most significant themes in the Bible is to demonstrate love to your neighbor that is motivated by God's selfless, redeeming love for us (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 7:12, 18:21-35; Mark 12:31; Galatians 5:14; Ephesians 5:2).
If evangelicals want to be consistent with the book they hold so dear, they ought to extend the same love and grace to everyone regardless of their failures, sins, addictions, opinions, etc. There are two things that are true of everyone according to the Bible. 1. EVERYONE is created in the image of God and equally so (Genesis 1:26-27). 2. EVERYONE is a sinner and equally so in terms of the extent to which they've offended the God of the Bible (Romans 3:9-18). To regard anyone as inferior or to single out any one type of sinner would be to disobey the Bible. It is possible to love someone you believe is a sinner. If this was not a possibility, salvation for evangelicals would be impossible (Ephesians 2:1-10).
Thanks for writing this interesting blog, John, esp. the funny verse of the Day. I wanted to share some thoughts on your topic that I just cant rationalize.
ReplyDeleteThe verse in 1 Corinthians where it lists sins is where I start. It includes all acts that are chosen by people to commit, right? Being drunk, stealing, and sleeping with people are all conscious decisions people make. How I understand the "men sleeping with other men" section is that of a straight man deciding to go against his inborn attraction to women.
Why do I make this distinction? I do so because I cannot answer why there are so many people who identify as homosexual in this world. There are people who clearly identify as attracted to their sex and have strongly felt that way their whole life. How do you justify this verse against all these people? For this verse to be interpreted as homosexuality as a sin it must mean that we make the choice to sin, to be homosexual. Which must mean that each and every one of these people are either confused about their sexuality or are choosing that lifestyle on their own. To me, that idea seems very weak. Why would someone choose to be gay, especially given the fact that their life would be so much harder. For what reason would someone actively pursue a life of strife to be "gay.?" Where is there any benefit in doing so, when they can just be straight?
In the end it doesn't seem logical to me to say that every single individual person who identifies as gay is sinning, or choosing, their sexuality.
Again, thanks for this forum.
Dan
Dan, thanks for your post. Some great thoughts here. I agree that being gay isn't just a matter of doing gay things. It's a part of one's identity. It seems natural.
DeleteI think Mark 7:20-23 sheds some light on the issue where Jesus says that it's not what goes into a man that defiles him, but what comes out. Evil comes from within us. We do bad things because we have bad hearts. In this sense, I don't think homosexuality is different from any other form of sexual immorality, or any kind of greed, theft, lying, etc. It's not the acts of adultery or stealing that make us bad. Those behaviors are symptoms of evil, sinful hearts. According to the Bible, everyone has inborn (to use your word) twisted, unnatural, evil tendencies. The Bible doesn't single out homosexuality. All sins are this way, not just homosexuality.
Hope this is of some help to you as you think through what the text means.
I suppose I just can't see how people identifying as homosexual are "sinning" or defiling them in the same manner as theft, murder, and adultery, as the passage in Mark lists. I take these people at their word that they have had these feelings their whole life, just like I have had my heterosexual attractions my whole life.
DeleteI keep thinking about gay men and women in parts of Africa who are being murdered and hung because of their sexuality. Why would someone put themselves in such pain and peril if not for the fact that they are actually gay? I mean, if I was not 100% sure I was gay I would def. not publish that fact, especially if I put myself at personal risk by doing so.
I don't claim to understand why people feel attracted to a similar sex but it seems to me that all people are capable of love, and how could it be a sin for two loving people to share their life and body together as a committed married couple?
btw, i totally didn't respond to your post at 3:30am. i think this time must be pacific, lol.
DeleteThought this was a helpful read:
Deletehttp://dailycaller.com/2014/03/19/nobody-is-born-that-way-gay-historians-say/#ixzz2ypaiKdqY