Just Christians - On Homosexuality & Christian Identity

Touchstone Magazine ^ | July / August 2013 | S M Hutchens

[don-o]

In homosexuality's assault on the beliefs of churches that once unanimously identified it as sexual perversion—sodomy being "the abominable and detestable crime against nature"—its most potent weapon has been the counter-accusation that identification of homosexuality as sinful is a detestable offense against charity. By these presents, all who hold to the ancient interdict as God's word may be numbered among the crowing yahoos of Westboro Baptist Church with its "God Hates Fags" placards.

The churches, thus accused, have divided into those that hold to the Judeo-Christian teaching and those converted to regarding homosexuality as no sin at all, for where the question is posed, as the church-homosexualists have pointedly and indefatigably done in the last generation, the winnowing fan comes into play and there is a division—for there is no third way.

[don-o]

Submitted for contemplation on the Christian's God pleasing attitudes that must inform our attitudes and actions towards what seems, more and more, to be THE issue before us. I believe that serious Christians understand this, to a greater or lesser extent. The challenge is to keep our thinking in line with what has always been believed, and to resist the temptation to sink to contempt and unthinking invective.

[don-o]

ping and kudos for posting the link on another thread. It deserves a wider reading.

[MissMagnolia]

Pass it on .... I’m trying to .... one of the best articles I’ve seen on the subject.

[Tax-chick]

This can never happen among Christians until they abandon Christianity, which is at war with every sin, and whose indelible constitution places all perversions of the perfect man at the muzzle of its canons.

Good metaphor, and a pun, too.

[Shery]

Our favorite Christian magazine, along with Zion’s Fire. Touchstone brings a lot of clarity to popular church doctrine and thought for today, and the scholarship is unequaled, in my opinion. I don’t always agree with every single writer there, but they do their homework. What you do get from Touchstone is real clarity on the moral issues. They take it all the way back to the Scriptures, the early church fathers, and the councils that determined, with the aid of Scripture, the meaning of passages that were beginning to come under attack by the Nicolaitans and other false groups. Outstanding magazine! If you want clarity on the abortion issue, in order to talk with pro-choicers, this is the source of the best material out there!

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

I fear for our nation as the EARTH is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof. God gives land to a people, when they foul it it is taken away and given to others.

SODOMY

Lev 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

Lev 18:23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.

Lev 18:24 ¶ Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:

Lev 18:25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.

Lev 18:26 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:

Lev 18:27 (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)

Lev 18:28 That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.

1Ki 14:24
And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

[US Navy Vet]

And in the New Testament:
Romans 1(KJV)
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

[Heartlander]

Why do we have a war on obesity but we must accept homosexuality? Don’t get me wrong, I believe we should try to prevent obesity but I do not understand why we shouldn’t also attempt to prevent homosexuality in our society. These are both unhealthy lifestyles – homosexuals have a series of health risks and conditions stemming from their sexual behavior, not to mention the higher drug activity and suicide rate. An obese person can give blood but homosexuals are told not to because of sexual diseases.

If there was an ‘Obese Rights’ group demanding larger seats in cars, planes, offices, and theaters we would laugh – in fact we make them pay for two seats on a plane. If they demanded that we must accept their lifestyle and offer larger drinks and more trans-fats in their food we would laugh – in fact New York tried to ban large drinks and we just outlawed trans-fats. An Obese Pride Day or Obese Parades would be mocked. Children’s books celebrating fat parents or making fat heroes would become a joke. How does this happen in our current society that demands fairness?

An overweight person is a sign of wealth in many cultures – overweight women were desired as shown in a Rubens or Rembrandt painting. Homosexuality was not celebrated in the past in any culture – it existed but was not desired. No one - not Moses, Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad, Aquinas, Gandhi, not the Bible or the Koran or any other sacred text, nor even a single anti-religious secular thinker of the Enlightenment -- ever advocated redefining marriage to include members of the same sex. Beyond this, to now say homosexuality is moral is to say all secular and religious figures in our past were wrong – and to proclaim morality is now relative. We are saying in a time of Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus that we have reached an enlightenment no other culture before us ever did - and that we can now proclaim them all wrong. Christians, both black or white, and the Jewish Christ are now bigots who need to be silenced? Does this sound fair?

And how do we know homosexuality is now morally acceptable? - because it’s not ‘fair’? It’s not ‘fair’ if gay couples can’t marry? Really? Well know this, fairness to every individual can never be the only question society asks in establishing social policy otherwise we would have dwarfs in the NBA and blind airline pilots. Anytime you have standards you have people who are left out. That’s life and we accept it in all other instances - but not gay marriage because once morality becomes relative, fairness becomes selective. We had a standard throughout history that marriage was between a man and woman – a standard in our nation’s history that Christian values are desirable – a standard that we have freedom of speech. Society needs to recognize what it is sacrificing and the destructive effect it will have… Regardless if society calls morality relative – it is not.

[CynicalBear]

It’s rather disturbing to watch what is happening in the churches isn’t it? It seems no matter what organized church we are speaking about they all have allowed the PC crap to infiltrate. It’s coming down to the point where true followers of Christ will not be able to be affiliated with any organized church and still be faithful to God’s word.

[metmom]

The problem is in the world defining homosexuality. It's become a point of identity for too many and that is worldly thinking, not the mind of Christ.

Some people struggle with temptation in that area, but a Christian who struggles with that is a Christian who struggles with that, not a homosexual who is also a Christian.

That's backwards worldly thinking that keeps people in bondage instead of allowing them to be free to be who they are IN CHRIST.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

[caww]

...”It’s coming down to the point where true followers of Christ will not be able to be affiliated with any organized church and still be faithful to God’s word”.....

The Lord did tell us this time would come as we all know. In fact there have always been wolves among the sheep.... Still, I really didn't expect to see it escalate to what we are seeing today as it's all being ‘invited’ into the churches and and unfortunately with a ‘welcomed’ hand.

I think much has to do with people unfamiliar with Gods word and or denying the truth that He states clearly......they cannot discern evil as it is....the lines between good and evil are more than blurred today...rather evil is accepted and good is considered intolerant. Therefore anything and anyone is accepted within the church and with this all the distortions and deceptions they bring with them. Reminds me of the beginnings of the church in the Dark Age....it's just painted pretty to appeal to the senses and be accepted.

[Salvation]

Genesis 5:2

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

² Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created.

 

[don-o]

this

[Mrs. Don-o]

Got it. Thankew!