Standing Firmly Against LGBT Behaviors, Part 1

The radical changes in sexuality and sensual expression brought on by the sexual revolution gave rise to wild sensual experimentations and barefaced homosexual behavior in America. Today many are crusading for the acceptance of homosexual orientation as normal. Same sex marriage and the redefining of marriage are related hot social and political concerns. As a result any voice of dissension or objection is labeled homophobic, intolerant, hateful and bigoted.

Even the President of the USA, Barack Obama, generously endorses LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) rights, culture, and practices. Homosexuals represented our country in the recent Winter Olympic in Sochi, Russia as a result of our president's determination. Several celebrity television personalities openly flaunt their LGBT lifestyle, some denominations are ordaining gay clergy members, and American society seems more receptive and respectful of the gay population. Everyone recalls the recent firestorm in the media when Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson made anti-gay comments in a magazine interview. To top it all off, the LGBT magazine The Advocate even considers Pope Francis as their 2013 Man of the Year. Presumably this is because of his rather compassionate comments related to civil unions. Everything is being done to create a gay positive atmosphere in America.

Endorsements through every modern media outlet coupled with supposed reliable scientific evidence is generating a broader appreciation for gay lifestyles. Furthermore, these trends, political correctness, and the new positive climate have prompted some Evangelical churches and Christians to rethink their traditional position on homosexual practices. This is tragic because there is zero compelling evidence suggesting that our traditional stand against LGBT practices is wrong or misguided.

Is Creating a Positive Climate for LGBT Culture the Right Thing to Do?

At this point it is needful to establish that I cherish no desires at all related to name calling, threatening, attacking, or mistreating folks among the LGBT population. God clearly loves us all and instructs us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Christ literally died for all sinners, and that includes us all! I am opposed to the needlessly harsh statements and attacks that people of the LGBT culture have experienced. Some of these folks literally take their own lives because of violent social rejection, depression, and the hatred they feel from folks outside their culture. Those who attempt to break away from LGBT lifestyles are probably some of the loneliest people on the entire planet. They are strongly resented by the culture they are attempting to leave, and the rest of society is largely unprepared to receive or trust them. Many, because of well founded fears, still keep their secret lives to themselves.... Once again I repeat, I am not supportive of bashing or mistreating LGBT individuals.

With this understood, and important question must be asked: how are the previously mentioned developments affecting Americans with gay children and young people? Unfortunately, some sincere parents have embraced the new climate and propaganda over the last decade. Some, confronted with sons or daughters claiming to be gay/lesbian, have sought to be supportive and affirming. Yes, there are those who violently rejected their children, but others actually tried to embrace them. These parents struggled, but tried to be supportive of their sons’ homosexual desires. They attempted to be affirming, sympathetic, and compassionate toward their children and their pursuit of LGBT lifestyles. Given the ‘reliable’ scientific evidence and the warming of the culture to homosexuals, they felt confident they were doing the right thing.

The end result in some of these stories is absolutely tragic; some of these young men contracted HIV and some were tragically snuffed out prematurely by AIDS-related illness. Such parents, who thought they were doing right, were left devastated and disillusioned as their young adult sons struggled with HIV or died as victims of an extremely dangerous and misguided movement! They all were betrayed by the concerted lies permeating our modern society. Two independent studies demonstrate the danger of contrating HIV among young practicing male homosexuals (MSM, males having sex with males] in the USA. The first study observes, “younger MSM (ages 13-24) are at particular risk. In 2010, this group accounted for 1 in 5 (19%) of all new HIV infections and 30% of new infections among all MSM. Among Black MSM, this age group accounted for 45% of new infections.” (CDC. HIV Surveillance Supplemental Report, Vol. 17, No. 4; December 2012).  The second report stated, “A study in 20 major U.S. cities found that about 1 in 5 (18%) MSM is already living with HIV, with even higher prevalence among Black MSM, and many are unaware of their infection.” (Wejnert C et al. “HIV Prevalence and Awareness of Infection in 2008 and 2011 among Men Who Have Sex with Men: 20 US Cities.” Findings presented at CROI; March 2013). The risk factor for young men pursuing this lifestyle is great!

Some of you may recall from English history how Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), the 19th-century author (writer, poet, playwright), was imprisoned for his homosexual exploits and died destitute in Paris at the ripe old age of forty-six. A more recent examples is Rock Hudson (1925 –1985), an American actor who was secretly homosexual, died as the first major celebrity from an AIDS-related illness at just 59 years old. Marc Christian MacGinnis, Rock Hudson’s ex-lover, died at age 56; apparently, Hudson had knowingly exposed him to AIDS. Literally thousands of precious lives (both male and female) are being quenched precipitously! Even more tragic is the fact that they are eternally lost. Research shows that the life expectancy for gay men is shorter than all other men—8 to 21 years shorter (http://ije.oxfordjournals.org). Gay and bisexual males of all ethnic groups are the most severely affected by AIDS, and about 25% of all new HIV infections are among youths ages 13-24 (http://aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/hiv-aids-101/statistics). Suicide and AIDS account for an alarming number of LGBT youths’ deaths. In fact gay teens are five times more likely to commit suicide. No doubt some of this is because of fear of rejection, brutality, and intense loneliness. 

Tragically, many American Evangelical Christians remain ambivalent and unconvinced of the immorality of homosexual behavior. Still Believers remain largely unaware of how irresponsible it is to condon these deviant and dangerous practices. Though the liberal media generally portrays homosexuality in a positive light as a matter of human equality and civil rights, Christians must not accept this deceptive ploy.  Homosexual behaviors are undesirable, detrimental, and dangerous to the welfare of the individuals who practice them, and to our entire country. Homosexual behavior is a lifestyle choice; there is no compelling evidence of any kind that LGBT behaviors are natural. 

As Bible-believing Christians we must recognize the fallacies related to homosexual behavior, and be persuaded to reject it, stand against it, and respond to the objections of liberals with wisdom, truth, and compassion. The unheralded truth of the matter is that homosexual behavior actually prevents people from exploring life as God, according to Scriptures, intended for it to be experienced. Therefore, Evangelical Christians must uniformly stand against it while pointing people in the LGBT community to the hope that is in Christ as a major part of any solutions.  The answer to our social struggle is not condoning and sanctioning this behavior, but salvation in Christ, sanctification through the Spirit, and the sufficient grace of God! We must refuse to be intimidated by those who would attempt to make us feel out of touch, behind the times, and like bigots because we believe the Word of God. Christians should desire the best for these folks caught up in this sinful practice; as well as what is best for these United States of America. Everybody else seems to be free to practice their freedom of speech in this country, and it is time for our voices to be heard as well. While others are coming out of the closet, let us come out of our churches and into the public square to speak up on these matters.

It is incumbent upon Evangelical Christians to tackle the difficult issues of homosexual behavior in America and represent God in a manner that is accurate, compassionate, and consistent with the Gospel. The endorsement of homosexuality and its practice are extremely serious concerns with grave medical, national, and biblical implications. I urge each of us to approach this subject carefully so as to avoid misunderstanding this potentially devastating issue in America. Because of my research on this subject, I feel compelled to highlight the problems that accompany homosexual behavior. I also desire to cultivate solidarity among Evangelical Christians regarding this matter as part of the solution for our country. Frankly, Evangelical Christians should reject homosexual behavior for medical/scientific, national, and biblical reasons. I will cover these three reasons at length in this and the one that follows. Understanding these reasons will enable Believers to address the greatest objections to our position with wisdom, truth, and compassion.

The Medical and Scientific Reasons

First, Evangelical Christians should reject homosexual behavior for medical and scientific reasons. Homosexual practices are deviant behaviors that spawn serious medical repercussions, vulnerabilities, and spread sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). These practices are medically dangerous because of STDs like HIV/AIDS (Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired immune deficiency syndrome). Homosexual promiscuity is the culprit in America. “Studies indicate that the average male homosexual has hundreds of sex partners in his lifetime” (Dailey, http://www.frc.org). Although MSM [male having sex with male] represent about 4% of the male population in the United States in 2010, MSM accounted for 78% of new HIV infections among males and 63% of all new infections. MSM accounted for 52% of all people living with HIV infection in 2009, the most recent year these data are available (www.liberty.edu.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048). The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services demonstrates statistically that MSM behaviors are patently dangerous (http://aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/hiv-aids-101/statistics). This is not speculation; the facts, studies, and statistics soundly support this conclusion.

In addition, homosexual orientation is not supported by scientific evidence. Orientation is the idea that the person’s sexual attractions, identity, and behaviors stem from genetic hard wiring. This is the notion that they were born gay or lesbian and did not merely chose to be gay or lesbian. However, contrary to the conventional thinking, genetics does not sufficiently explain homosexual behavior! You see the principal study (Bailey & Pillard, 1991) to support this notion used a highly biased sample according to Dr. Stan Jones of Wheaton College. I could do the same thing to prove all Americans believe in God by going directly and only to churches on Sunday mornings to conduct my surveys across the country. The results would be fallacious because I selected a highly biased survey sample. This is the equivalent of what Bailey and Pillard did in their work. Thus, homosexuality has not been proven to be inherited. Bailey and Pillard’s research absolutely failed to consistently show by even a respectable margin that homosexuality is genetic or inherited. In addition, through faith in Jesus Christ many people have forsaken homosexual practices; therefore, it cannot be genetic. If homosexuality was normal for these people then how is it they were saved and transformed by the grace of God?

Furthermore, God did not create a “third sex”; homosexual behavior is unnatural. No doubt someone will object saying, what about the fact that homosexuals have a natural attraction for the same gender? I would answer by saying the fact that a person has an attraction does not automatically make it a legitimate attraction. I know heterosexuals who are extremely attracted to other folk’s husbands and wives, but that does not legitimize their desires! I know of adult men who spend thousands of dollars a year on pornography, but that does not mean their desires are healthy or even normal! Perverts desire to rape little children, both girls and boys, but this in no way sanctions their desires! No, sin is responsible for twisting, mangling, and warping human nature. Sin is a radical and defiantly ruthless criminal and it can erect strange passions in the human soul. No, homosexual desires and behaviors may indeed exist and persist with tremendous power in the human heart, but this does not make them normal, healthy, or good. Clearly, God did not make anyone homosexual any more than He made someone an adulterer!    

Looking further into the health issues related to this consideration, those who indulge in homosexual practices are still banned from donating blood. No doubt this is to protect the American population, the integrity of the blood bank supplies, and to prevent the spread of diseases associated with homosexual practices (http://americansfortruth.com/issues/gay, AFTAH). I understand there are parties among the LGBT community who wish to change these well founded prohibitions. I pray their every effort will fail. A contaminated blood supply would needlessly jeopardize many innocent lives in their greatest hour of need. As anyone can see, this is an extremely serious medical matter and I have only begun to touch on the potential and actual medical risks incurred by embracing and normalizing homosexual behavior. Obviously homosexual practices are not good for the individual nor this country. Those in places of influence would serve the country far better by first stopping their propaganda machines and by telling Americans the truth. Homosexual practices are dangerous and the risks increase exponentially for those who engage in high risk sexual behaviors.