In an earlier article, we talked about a recent interview where Christian pop singer Lauren Daigle, when asked if homosexuality was a sin, swung and missed a low hanging curve. (Here)
“I can’t honestly answer on that,” she said. Which was not an honest answer, since she grew up in the church. She knows the answer.
“In a sense, I have too many people that I love, that are homosexual…”. It’s precisely out of love for those who are homosexuals that we hold the line when it comes to God’s truth about our sexuality. For if a person wanders from God’s path, they wander into hurt, harm and confusion.
“I can’t say one way or the other. I’m not God…”. So if we’re not God, then we can’t speak up? Can you imagine her saying, “Is lying wrong? Can’t say! I’m not God!” See the silliness. Talk about your argument-avoidance.
“I just say, read the Bible and find out for yourself. And when you find out, let me know because I’m learning too.” But presumably Lauren knows her Bible, so she should stop pleading ignorance of it, and stop being ashamed of it.
Now Lauren deserves grace – for now – because it can’t be an easy thing to be in the public eye 24/7. I’ve had plenty of experience muffing answers to questions I’ve been asked, then coming up with a far better answer that next morning while shaving.
But the point is, we need to all work on this part of our faith – the part where we have to explain ourselves. It’s not just for the celebrities or the professionals. It’s for anyone that claims to be a follower of Christ.
The apostle Peter said it best. “Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15).
We need to all work on this part of our faith – the part where we have to explain ourselves.
I don’t know what the great doctrinal issue will be twenty years from now, but the one pressing hardest on us right now is in the arena of humans sexuality. Right now historic, tried-and-true, biblical sexual ethics are under assault as never before, as proponents of an anything-goes pagan sexuality are advancing their damaging and dangerous beliefs with an all-out political and legal blitzkrieg.
And it is well past time for followers of Christ to stand up and lead the way in saying, “This is madness and we will not sacrifice our children to this reckless, baseless ideology.” Even as we speak, intolerable things are happening across the country in the name of this ideology.
- In December a Virginia school teacher was fired for refusing to refer to a transgender student by the student’s preferred pronoun. (Here)
- In Texas, a father may lose custody of his 6-year-old son because of “abusive behavior”. What the abuse? He is pushing back at his ex-wife’s attempts to help their son transition into a girl. (Here)
- A British doctor was fired from his 26-year career with England’s National Health Service for advocating that sex is not “assigned” at birth but biologically recognized. (Here)
- A prominent feminist journalist was banned from Twitter for having the audacity to say that “men are not women” and that transgender ideology poses a threat to the advancement of women’s rights. (Here)
- The state of California narrowly missed passing a law last summer that would have forbidden therapists, counselors, clergy and other professionals from trying to advocate any sort of “conversion therapy” (i.e. promoting the pursuit of heterosexuality) with anyone struggling with their sexual orientation. (Here)
It’s not an exaggeration to say: Speak up now or you will lose the right to speak up later. Among other things that will be lost.
Culture may very well end up declaring us to be the ones who are dangerous, filled with hate and worthy of being silenced. Certainly the other side is shouting that from the rooftops. And the media is more than happy to amplify that message.
Hollywood is all on board. At the Golden Globes the other night, executive producer Brad Simpson decried those who, not too long ago, favored the Defense of Marriage Act (now rescinded by the Supreme Court’s approval of gay marriage). Simpson then said the “forces of hate and fear are still with us”. He’s looking you square in the face, child of God.
On the other hand, if we do speak up, there may very well be a massive number of people out there who are thinking along with us that we’ve gone way too far in our culture, and that it’s time to reassert a little common sense virtue in our world. All they need is a little encouragement. And that encouragement might just be you speaking up.
My encouragement to Lauren Daigle, and to each one of us, is to begin to think through how we should respond to these questions when they are asked. Actually prepare yourself to make a defense, as Peter says. We do this by learning, and reading and thinking, and discussing. Often it helps to even write out your response.
Let me help jumpstart the process. Some of the common sense messages that we need to start repeating over and over again are the following:
The binary is primary. Sexuality is not a spectrum. When you go to the mall, you don’t see a spectrum of sexes. You see male and female. When you go to the theater you don’t see a spectrum. You see male and female.
Promoting straight is not hate. If I feel any sort of disconnect between my mind and my body, it is far easier, and far healthier to work on the mind to help it mesh with my body, than to rip my body apart to line up with a mind, which very often changes itself over time. To say this is as far from hate as can be.
Change is not strange. Endless testimonials can be produced from those who felt one way, then in time felt another. No one is saying this change is easy, or that those who struggle are not deserving of the greatest compassion. But passing laws that would prohibit therapy, counseling, or prayer with those who are hurting – in an attempt to lock-in what science cannot prove is nothing but moral fascism.
To confuse is to abuse. LBGT advocates are coming after our kids with a relentless barrage of indoctrination aimed squarely at elementary-aged children. (Here and Here) Through their “gender unicorn” curriculum to transvestite library storytime, their intent is clear. But what child can even come close to processing what any of this means? If anything is child abuse, it is this.
We have work to do. Let’s get at it. Then keep at it.
Bear Clifton is a pastor, writer and screenwriter. His blogs and devotionals can be enjoyed at his ministry website: trainyourselfministry.com and his writing website: blclifton.com. Bear is the author of “Train Yourself To Be Godly: A 40 Day Journey Toward Sexual Wholeness”, “Ben-Hur: The Odyssey”, and “A Sparrow Could Fall”, all available through Amazon.
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