I know by writing this that I am touching the proverbial "third rail," and I still feel the need to bring clarity to the issue. I would begin with the assertion that one person's personal beliefs and values are as valid as another's. I would also ask you to embrace the notion that if you have a right to express your views, I do as well. Let me list my assumptions: 1) There is a God who loves us; 2) there are absolutes - absolute right and absolute wrong; and, 3) the words "sin" and "sinner" are not aspersions, but simply describe all of us in our fallen state.
I do not pretend to know the mind of God. I cannot answer "why" for Him. I am confident, however, that at the end of this life He will be more than willing to sit with each of us for a LONG time and answer any questions we have for Him. And I know that He will answer many of our questions before we die if we will ask Him sincerely and with a real will to know, understand and do. Nothing I write here is done in a spirit of hate or fear or condemnation. I hope that you will feel my love, my sincerity, and my concern in what I say.
For years I have struggled to pinpoint the reason I feel so strongly in defense of what we have come to call "traditional marriage." A recent conversation in which I was unable to express my thoughts adequately prompted me to ponder deeply and to seek my "why." I know and love and enjoy the company of many homosexual people - out and closeted, practicing and celibate, decided and confused. And it troubles me that they find themselves in an awkward (to say the least) place in society. So...
Here goes.
I have found by personal experience that when I do what I know is wrong - when I sin - I find myself separated from God and the influence of His Spirit. I find myself alone, without His guidance and without His blessing.
If I should refuse to repent - change, come back - and instead to embrace sin and make it a part of the fabric of who I am, then I would so alienate myself from God's Goodness that I would be vulnerable to a very real physical and spiritual destruction.
Let's look at gluttony. Overeating once can make me feel sick. A lifestyle of gluttonous living will lead me to obesity, chronic illness, pain and an early death.
Now let's look at "gay marriage."
While I am aware of and have listened to the ideas of sophists and apologists, still I am not convinced that the act of gay sex does not go against God's will for our behavior. (If and when God were to tell me differently, then I would be willing to change my views.)
I do not believe that it's a sin to "be gay." I believe it is a cross to be borne much like any other that is common to mortality. I do believe that homosexual acts are sinful and that they hurt the sinner. Why does God allow each of His children to go through this world with crosses on us? I don't know for sure. I do believe that He loves each one of us, though. And when we humble ourselves in His sight enough to understand our own state of weakness and vulnerability, then lay that burden at the feet of Jesus, God gives us strength in Him.
Similarly, as a society, we will sometimes make mistakes that hurt people and that result in a need for societal repentance. Slavery is one glaring example that comes to mind. As a result, we collectively disqualify ourselves for the blessings of God until society repents and applies the gift and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
And, as a society, when we embrace "sin" in the form of gambling, prostitution, infidelity and homosexual behavior, then we weave it into the fabric of who we are as a people. And we collectively turn our backs on God and willfully disqualify ourselves from His blessings.
While gay people should be allowed to love whom they will, at the same time, we should not make homosexual behavior part of our national fabric. The United States of America needs God's blessings, guidance and protection now, perhaps more than she ever has.
I do not pretend to know the mind of God. I cannot answer "why" for Him. I am confident, however, that at the end of this life He will be more than willing to sit with each of us for a LONG time and answer any questions we have for Him. And I know that He will answer many of our questions before we die if we will ask Him sincerely and with a real will to know, understand and do. Nothing I write here is done in a spirit of hate or fear or condemnation. I hope that you will feel my love, my sincerity, and my concern in what I say.
For years I have struggled to pinpoint the reason I feel so strongly in defense of what we have come to call "traditional marriage." A recent conversation in which I was unable to express my thoughts adequately prompted me to ponder deeply and to seek my "why." I know and love and enjoy the company of many homosexual people - out and closeted, practicing and celibate, decided and confused. And it troubles me that they find themselves in an awkward (to say the least) place in society. So...
Here goes.
I have found by personal experience that when I do what I know is wrong - when I sin - I find myself separated from God and the influence of His Spirit. I find myself alone, without His guidance and without His blessing.
If I should refuse to repent - change, come back - and instead to embrace sin and make it a part of the fabric of who I am, then I would so alienate myself from God's Goodness that I would be vulnerable to a very real physical and spiritual destruction.
Let's look at gluttony. Overeating once can make me feel sick. A lifestyle of gluttonous living will lead me to obesity, chronic illness, pain and an early death.
Now let's look at "gay marriage."
While I am aware of and have listened to the ideas of sophists and apologists, still I am not convinced that the act of gay sex does not go against God's will for our behavior. (If and when God were to tell me differently, then I would be willing to change my views.)
I do not believe that it's a sin to "be gay." I believe it is a cross to be borne much like any other that is common to mortality. I do believe that homosexual acts are sinful and that they hurt the sinner. Why does God allow each of His children to go through this world with crosses on us? I don't know for sure. I do believe that He loves each one of us, though. And when we humble ourselves in His sight enough to understand our own state of weakness and vulnerability, then lay that burden at the feet of Jesus, God gives us strength in Him.
Similarly, as a society, we will sometimes make mistakes that hurt people and that result in a need for societal repentance. Slavery is one glaring example that comes to mind. As a result, we collectively disqualify ourselves for the blessings of God until society repents and applies the gift and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
And, as a society, when we embrace "sin" in the form of gambling, prostitution, infidelity and homosexual behavior, then we weave it into the fabric of who we are as a people. And we collectively turn our backs on God and willfully disqualify ourselves from His blessings.
While gay people should be allowed to love whom they will, at the same time, we should not make homosexual behavior part of our national fabric. The United States of America needs God's blessings, guidance and protection now, perhaps more than she ever has.
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