Friday, February 24, 2006

Real Live Preacher

In a post on orthodoxy and homosexuality Real Live Preacher states his opinion on the issue of homosexuality despite the result to his name or reputation. I think his basic premise is correct and this issue always leads me to verses on justice and compassion.

This is not however my point. My point is to answer for his reader why the church attacks Homosexulaity so viciously. I have said it before and will again. It is easier to attack the sexual sin of 3% of the population than the far greater problem that was prevelant in the entire church. This makes people feel like they are dealing with the problem of sin, instead of dealing with their personal problem of sin.

7 comments:

kingsjoy said...

K, I read the Smedes transcript. Helps me understand how some churches have taken steps in the direction of accepting homosexual couples "as is".

This is good timing for me (notice recent posts on my blog).

I'm sensing that some have the issue settled in their hearts--I'm just not quite there. I see no reason to "attack" homosexuality, but I just wonder what God thinks about it. Smedes seems to believe that some are born "that way" and have no other option. But I wonder (as some believe) if God has provided a way out, a way to get back to His best intention, back to "natural".

What do you think?

Kevin J Bowman said...

I ABSOLUTELY think that homosexuality is an abomination to God. I also think that the poor hetrosexual mores of our churches are AT LEAST EQUALLY as appaling to God. When 53% of the men polled at a Promise Keepers said they had viewed internet pornography in the last week, we have a SERIOUS SEXUAL PROBLEM to deal with in our churches and that problem is not homosexuality. When potluck conversation at church involves movies and TV shows that are clearly softcore porn... there is a SERIOUS SEXUAL PROBLEM that must be dealt with far more importantly than the homosexual agenda.

I do not agree with the Smedes transcript. I do agree with RLP's spirit on the issue, this is especially true when I consider the PLANK in the eye of the church in light of our SERIOUS SEXUAL PROBLEM.

I think it is clear in scripture that God has designed his people for monogamous hetrosexual relationships that when practiced in spiritual health brings the completion of the nature of God to parenting. (Men are good at justice...Women are good at compassion...healthy parenting united in Christ, and undividied in spirit brings these 2 together in the balance of God's own heart) I also believe that some people are "born" that way... but some people are born prone to many sin patterns... Yet freedom is still available in Christ.

To me, I think you sum it up best, God does provide "a way to get back to His best intention, back to "natural", but that is for both the homosexual and the hetrosexual and that must be a journey of love and sanctification... Not screamed from a pulpit...

I think you and I are on the same page!

PeaNuht said...

AMEN!!

TacoDave said...

Two cents from me...

People who argue over whether or not homosexuality is hereditary are just spinning their wheels.

I know as a fact that if I weren't a Christian and didn't have a good wife, I would be a rapist and perhaps even a serial killer. Why? Because I've had those impulses in my head. I've been turned on by the idea of controlling a woman to that extent. If I had no moral compass to control those impulses (knowing my obsessive-compulsive nature), I would have given in to them long ago.

Am I a victim of heredity then? Not at all. I may have impulses that I hate, but being a Christian is about controlling those evil impulses. It is about facing those parts of me that want me to sin and making them behave.

If I were attracted to men and I had the same moral base, I would control those impulses to please God. Who cares if it is nature or nurture - giving in to a sin impulse results in a sin either way.

Is that rambling, or did it make sense?

Anonymous said...

The problem for me is not anger with people who are homosexual. Not at all. My problems are with Christians who nullify the word of God to suit their own comfort or desires. Chrsitians who state things like "God is love, and he loves you even as a homosexual.: or "Jesus made you that way." Those people are blights upon the church. In fact Paul instructed us to remove the sexually immoral from our fellowship!!!!! And we do so out of love! It is not love to maintain fellowship with them as if there were not a problem. THAT would be deceit and sin on our part.

Kevin J Bowman said...

Nate,

I think Dustin (tacoDave) actually summed up how I feel the best on this subject in his comment. I agree with him 100%. I also agree with you that shallowing up the commands of God is an insult to Almighty God.

However I go back to my response to David (kingsjoy) that we have a MUCH bigger "sexual immorality" problem in the hetrosexual community of the church and I think that MUST be dealt with of the GREATEST importance.

I stand firmly on my soap box that the church has a PLANK in it's eye on the subject of pornography and we are a "clanging cymbal" when our members who are entrenched in internet porn attack homosexuality.

I want us to REALLY - OPENLY - HONESTLY deal with that problem in our houses of worship.

Anonymous said...

Bowman,

Not arguing with your contention that we have a serious sexual immorality problem in the church. I just think that this homosexuality issue is bringing the WHOLE of the sexual immorality to the forefront of the church. This issue has the amazing power to split the church. And honestly, I am glad for that.
Either churches are becoming more focused on sanctification or they are abandoning it all together. This issue is one which causes the church to DEAL with the lurking problems with rampant sexual immorality in the body. So in one part, I am glad this issue has come up. It is time for the church to be hot or cold. The age of the luke-warm is over.

Notice, the church to which Jesus says this to is the last one. To many scholars the seven churches represent the 7 stages of Christianity throughout history. The church is being called out in this time and in this place in history to choose to be either hot or cold. Because the end is nearer than it was at first.