Posted on 05/03/2012 6:53:54 AM PDT by scottfactor
We do not subscribe to our local newspaper, but I occasionally read one of the copies that comes to the radio station where I work. This past Monday, I read the advice columns that used to be written by identical twin sisters, Pauline Phillips and Esther “Eppie” Lederer, known to us by their pen names as Abigail VanBuren—“Dear Abby”—and Ann Landers.
The columns are no longer written by these ladies. Eppie Lederer—Ann Landers—passed away in 2002, and her column, now called “Annie’s Mailbox,” is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar who were two former editors of her column. Pauline Phillips’ daughter, Jeanne Phillips, has been writing the “Dear Abby” column exclusively since her mother retired ten years ago, due to health problems. Jeanne Phillips now owns the pen name, Abigail VanBuren.
I have noticed that for many years the writers of both columns are fully on-board the Left’s program of trying to cast homosexuality in a positive light. The writers of both columns have nothing but pro-homosexual things to say to homosexuals and their co-workers, friends and family members who write in for advice. The writers of both columns are in the camp that believes homosexuality is an innate characteristic, like skin color, even though the world of “science,” trying as hard as it can, has found no proof of this.
It was a letter in the “Dear Abby” column on Monday that compelled me to address this issue in today’s Christian Patriot Politicast (of which this column is a transcript). A mother wrote a letter explaining that her son had revealed to her and her husband that he is a homosexual. She said they love their son, as do their other sons and daughters, and then she writes,
“My husband and I are now struggling because we're not sure how God really views gays and lesbians. To listen to some religious people, my son will go to hell. I can't believe that God would create a person to be this way, then turn His back on him.
I tried reading the Bible, but the wording was hard to understand. I don't want to talk to my pastor about it because, even though I have accepted my son for who he is, I still have trouble talking to people about it because I'm not sure how they'll react. Do you believe a gay person will go to heaven? -- SOMEWHERE IN THE U.S.A.”
How sad it is that this woman has a pastor who should be able to help her, yet apparently she still has little understanding of the Bible. This would be a great opportunity to explain God’s clear position on homosexuality and His powerful redemption of us sinners through His Son, Jesus, but that does not happen in the “Dear Abby” column. Instead, here is what Jeanne Phillips wrote in reply,
“DEAR SOMEWHERE: I believe that entrance to heaven is based upon a person's character, not his or her sexual orientation. Today, because of modern scientific studies, we know more about homosexuality than was known when the Bible was written, and that sexual orientation is not a ‘choice.’”
Not a word of what she said is true.
Entrance to heaven—or salvation—is not based on our character. It is based on God’s grace alone. As Paul, through inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit, wrote in his letter to the Ephesians,
“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
There is no amount of “good works” that we can do to ever “earn” our way into heaven. Neither can our “character” ever be good enough to gain us entry into God’s Kingdom. The world’s major, false religions—which include some so-called “Christian” ones—emphasize works to earn one’s place in heaven, which only serves to nullify Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross. True Christianity is based, not on our pitiful “good works,” but on God’s grace alone. As Paul wrote, we receive salvation by faith in God the Father through Jesus the Son, and even the very faith we have is given to us by God. Every bit of it is God’s doing.
Then, Ms. Phillips says that due to modern science, we know more about homosexuality than was known when the Bible was written. If this were not such a serious subject, I would laugh out loud at the lunacy of that statement. It matters not a whit what Ms. Phillips believes about the Bible, because her belief—or unbelief, rather—will not change the truth of it.
The Bible was written by men who were guided by the Spirit of God—God wrote the Bible. And God, Who made us, knows all there is to know. He most certainly knows everything about homosexuality—more than a billion scientists could ever fathom, and He is quite clear on what He thinks of it.
In Leviticus, God details a number of different sexual sins and the penalties for them under the Old Covenant. Of all the various sexual sins, homosexuality is the one sexual sin that God describes as an abomination. In the first chapter of the book of Romans, the sin of homosexuality is listed together with “all ungodliness and wickedness of men” who hold the truth in contempt.
God’s plain thoughts on homosexuality are in direct conflict with the message of the radical homosexual Left. Desperate to justify their wicked behavior, they claim they were “born that way.” God says otherwise. These conflicting messages cause confusion in the minds of people who do not have a working knowledge of the Bible. The mother who wrote the letter to “Dear Abby” expressed that confusion when she said,
“I can't believe that God would create a person to be this way, then turn His back on him.”
That is because God does not create anyone to be homosexual. What an awful thing it would be for the Lord to command that we not behave in a homosexual manner and then create homosexual people! There is no contradiction in God, and He never changes. Ms. Phillips is dead wrong in her claim that homosexuals do not have a choice in the matter.
As for the mother’s question about whether homosexuals can get into heaven, the answer to that is the same as for any other people. Those who accept God’s free gift of salvation through Jesus’ willing sacrifice on the cross will be saved. Those who reject it will not. Those who accept Christ and receive His Spirit will be able to resist sin’s tyrannical hold. Through Christ living in us, we are able to be free from sin, and that includes the sin of homosexuality. This does not mean it is easy. Getting free from any sinful addiction—and homosexuality is a powerful addiction—is a hard process, but through the Lord it can be done. The Lord loves homosexuals just as He loves all sinners, and He wants them to be free from their sins through Him.
Just because we get saved does not mean we are “perfect.” Perfection will never happen in this world, and we will always struggle and stumble, but we continue to strive toward the goal of the Kingdom of Heaven set before us, confessing our sins to each other and to God, Who forgives us. We will ever be fighting our flesh, which is sinful by nature, but we are no longer slaves to sin, because God gives us the strength to avoid sin as He helps us grow in Him by His Spirit living in us.
Meanwhile, I hope that mother who wrote the letter to “Dear Abby” gets a second opinion, one that actually contains the truth.
*Except homosexuals.
Dear Abby is dead. Dan Savage is now ghostwriting her column.
“As for the mother’s question about whether homosexuals can get into heaven, the answer to that is the same as for any other people. “
Let’s make it a bit more clear.
No. There will be no homosexuals in heaven.
Only ex-homosexuals.
The fact that male homosexuality reduces their average life-span to 39-41 years is totally ignored, whereas a obese people and smokers (who get harassed constantly) will live to their 70s.
These people are pathetic. I stopped reading this column years ago when they offered a "heart-wrenching" excuse to encourage abortions.
For all this gay stuff we’ve heard in recent years, there is one fact which gets in the way. And that fact is, that we just don’t know what causes homosexuality.
Up until 1973, homosexuality was officially considered a mental condition by the psychiatric community. Then, it was normalized by the psychiatric profession.
But that normalization by mental health professionals does not mean that we know what causes it.
Today’s culture celebrates homosexuality. But we still don’t know for sure what causes it.
We do know that there is a cabal of homosexual activists, who have sought to portray homosexuality as “cool” and “normal” and “harmless” in recent years. They work in the media, working to ensure that movies and TV shows portray homosexuality in a positive way. I’m sure the same is true with columns such as “Dear Abby”.
Actually, a portion of what she said is true, at least within a specific context. Homosexuality, at least in males, is very rarely a “choice,” any more than any other dysfunctional compulsion. The scientific evidence is pretty consistent on it being a product of the emotional environment. It eventually becomes a choice when the person recognizes the compulsion within themselves and makes a decision whether to embrace it or combat it.
I stopped paying any attention to them, especially Ann, after 2000. She published a letter from some distraught couple who could no longer stand to be lifelong friends with some others because the other couple voted for Bush.
Ann gave them some conciliatory rubbish and sympathized with them.
What a POS.
Obviously, this woman doesn't read the Bible, or go to church, or have a minister who teaches from the Bible. God isn't turning His back on their son; her son turned his back on God.
I also suspect that this religiously-stupid jackass is what Rush would call a "seminar" caller ("writer" in this case), if you know what I mean. Probably the authors of this daily trash have to run with pro-abortion and pro-homosexuality propaganda on a schedule.
Both statements contain a kernel of truth, but both can be taken to distorted and illogical conclusions.
Native Americans do not have the thousands of years of experience in brewing and drinking alcohol that our counterparts of other races do. As such, most of us will readily admit that we cannot consume alcohol in the same quantities as our white brothers without severe consequences which you see on reservations where alcohol is a primary driver of poverty, spousal abuse and broken families.
Those of us who stay sober manage to do so with a variety of techniques. Some of us choose to give up alcohol completely, a path I eventually chose, as have many others. Still others choose to limit themselves to three beers or one small glass of hard liquor over a certain time period or only for certain occasions. Some of the more responsible reservation leaders make it difficult, inconvenient or even downright illegal to sell alcohol on reservations.
But none that I know of, save the most corrupt tribal leaders and hardcore Democrats (but I repeat myself) proclaim "accept us as a bunch of drunkards and winos and just keep giving us money to reinforce the habit."
Contrast this situation to the gay mafia. Whether through nature or nurture, I will not argue, but I will admit that some people are predisposed to homosexuality.
Like alcohol, if consumed in moderation, it can be relatively harmless or even relaxing to those so inclined. Some people can limit themselves to staring, touching or pornography. Many cannot and would be wise to chose the path of total abstinence or celibacy before it grows into a full-blown destructive addiction which, like alcoholism, will eventually kill.
The sewer pipe from Hollywood and the gay culture, however, takes the position that nobody but idiots would take with Native Americans and alcohol. They demand that society accept the most extreme forms of homosexuality, avoid even counseling much less legislating limits and that taxpayers pick up the tab for enabling it in its most destructive forms.
Doesn't matter if he did. He created the rest of us heterosexual, and still has moral standards he expects us to follow. Even so much as lusting after a woman is considered a sin, so how many of us have room to judge.
I think the real problem, from society's viewpoint anyway, is when we try to justify such behavior. Doing it is one thing; demanding everyone else respect you for it is another.
Horse-hockey! The psychiatric community was HARASSED into taking this disgusting behavior off their perversion list. And the idiots caved. It is a choice, every bit as much as drugs, booze, voting for Obambi, bestiality, etc. Just plain and simple . . . a choice . . . a very bad choice, but a choice.
There is a distinction between “inclination” and action. One man may desire sex with other men. Another man may desire sex with per-adolescent girls. Neither sins as long as they do not ACT on their inclinations.
Speaking of FAKEs, I always thought it was hilarious that that the muslim word for magical religious wonder-maker is FAKIR.
And we call Hussein’s incoherent babbling “nuances”.
One person may be given to fits of anger, another may become an alcoholic with the first drink. Others will find it far harder not to stray in marriage than most. Some may be given to depression (despair.)
That is because God does not create anyone to be homosexual. What an awful thing it would be for the Lord to command that we not behave in a homosexual manner and then create homosexual people! There is no contradiction in God, and He never changes. Ms. Phillips is dead wrong in her claim that homosexuals do not have a choice in the matter.
Romans chapter 9 would seem to be in contradiction to this:
18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
“Meanwhile, I hope that mother who wrote the letter to “Dear Abby” gets a second opinion, one that actually contains the truth.”
I doubt it, since the warm and fuzzy answer she got was probably what she wanted to hear. Also, I’m assuming Jeanne Phillips, like her mother and aunt, is Jewish - so don’t hold your breath waiting for any Christian messages there.
These columns, whenever God comes up, take the feel-good, Joel Osteen type of “faith” minus any references to Jesus.
“Neither sins as long as they do not ACT on their inclinations.”
Actually, Jesus would not agree with that. Matthew 5:28 sets it on the HEART and not the ACT.
Sad that the author chose to take a cheap shot at other Christians here to soil an otherwise worthwhile article.
Outstanding post. Thank you.
Dear Abby, Dear Abby...
You won’t believe this
But my stomach makes noises whenever I kiss
My girlfriend she tells me It’s all in my head
But my stomach it tells me to write you instead
Signed Noise-maker
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