Pride Month: Evolution Of Homosexuality In India And Its Next Step

            The appalling practice of homosexuality has been in existence since time immemorial. But its lengthy existence for centuries in the past has not made it either legitimate or honorable, for the God of the Bible unequivocally condemns the practice of homosexuality (Genesis 19:5; Leviticus 18:22, 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; I Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:10; Jude 1:7).

            We need to remind ourselves that the Bible condemns the practice of homosexuality and not its orientation. One can possess homosexual orientation, but if he/she resists that orientation through prayer and godly counsel, he/she is not in sin.

            I strive to obey the Bible, for I believe it is absolutely the Word of God. I have no doubts! Hence, I consider homosexuality to be an abnormal or a sinful practice. Significantly, I do not have the power to declassify a sin. So when God has deemed homosexuality to be a sin, I merely obey.

            Homosexuality has been legal in India since 6^th September 2018. So homosexuality is no longer a crime in India. This obviously implies that the practice of homosexuality was regarded as a crime in India prior to 2018.

            Until the 90s, Indian television and the movie industry were highly conservative. Erotic scenes were diligently censored. Today it is not so. Erotic scenes are no longer taboo! 

            Few web series portray homosexuality as a natural phenomenon, thus corrupting minds in the process. Homosexuality piggybacks on the theme of ‘tolerance.’

            So what’s next for homosexuality in India? How would homosexuality further evolve in India?

            At some point in time in the future, Indian society will endorse homosexuality. Homosexual marriages would be as common and as approved as heterosexual marriage (although a minority subscribing to Historic Christianity would continue to oppose this evil).

            This is when another problem (not new) will rear its ugly head. The young generation, especially the biblically illiterate, will passionately believe that homosexuality is not a sin. They would also believe that homosexuality is normal behavior.

            Now, while homosexuality continues to gain a stronger foothold over minds, unfortunately, a vast majority of churches are losing their battle against this evil. These churches are not preparing their congregation, especially the young generation, to fight this evil.

            The ruler of the kingdom of the air will continue to work in the minds of the disobedient. But this is not the end of this story. A minority would continue to prayerfully raise their voices against this evil.

            Are you one among this prayerful minority? 

An Open Letter To The Churches In India About The LGBTQ Movement & The Pride Month

 

Dear Pastor / Church Leaders,

            As you may be aware, we are nearing the end of the ‘Pride Month’ or the ‘Gay Pride Month.’ Every year, during June, the LGBTQ community celebrates ‘Gay Pride’ in several different ways. Although June is coming to a close the LGBTQ community will continue to celebrate ‘Gay Pride’ throughout the year. To make it more alluring, celebrities will endorse these celebrations.

            These celebrations happen in India as well. Various kinds of groups and NGOs have been established in India to help further the LGBTQ cause. Various major cities, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, conduct ‘Pride Parades.’ The LGBTQ cause is being relentlessly strengthened in India by Social Media, Radio, Television, and the Movie industry.

            If your church subscribes to the doctrines of Historic Christianity, you will affirm the biblical teaching that the LGBTQ ideology is sinful. Hence, you will oppose the practice of LGBTQ ideologies. Thus it is morally incumbent upon you to educate your members to oppose the practice of LGBTQ ideologies, but, at the same time, to love those who practice these sins.

            Young Christians are being devoured by the LGBTQ movement. It’s not only the young ones but the older generation is also enamored by this movement. I have personally experienced situations in Christian families in India wherein parents motivate their children to support the LGBTQ movement.

            To make matters worse, Progressive Churches are actively deceiving Christians teaching that God approves the ideologies of the LGBTQ movement. In essence, the Progressive Churches and the Progressive Christians have rejected the God of the Bible.

            The devil has made great inroads into the minds of Christians in India and elsewhere in the world. It is our bounden duty to break these strongholds.

            Churches should play an active role in shattering the myth that God approves LGBTQ ideology. Churches should instruct their congregation from the Bible as to why LGBTQ practice could lead a Christian to hell.

            To reiterate, if your church subscribes to the Historic Christian doctrines, then you are mandated by God to edify your flock.

            Think about this.

            Have you preached or, at least, mentioned the sinfulness of the LGBTQ movement [this month]?

            Did your church organize seminars, lectures, and retreats to educate her members about the sinfulness of the LGBTQ movement?

            I praise God if you and your congregation are vociferously against the ideologies of the LGBTQ movement. Else, I pray to God that you and your congregation would stand for God, especially in this context.

            The LGBTQ movement is actively deceiving Christians, and it’s time we break this deception in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

            Today, by the grace of God, India has an active group of Christian apologists. Each and every one of them would be available to serve the Church to edify your congregation so as to break the LGBTQ stronghold from the minds of every Christian. I pray you use them to edify your church.

            The ball is in your court...

            May God bless you and your church.

Serving Together,

W.J.F Rajkumar Richard

Rajkumar.richard@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/rajkumar.richard

 

P.S: In case you need more information please read my blogs debunking the LGBTQ ideology:

·         Does Consensual and Harmless Sexual Intercourse Legitimize Homosexuality? (https://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.com/2018/06/does-consensual-and-harmless-sexual.html)

·         Consequence of Same Sex Marriages: Disaster (https://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.com/2013/09/consequence-of-same-sex-marriages.html)

·         Does God Make People Gay? (Pope Francis At It Again?) (https://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.com/2018/05/does-god-make-people-gay-pope-francis.html)

·         What Do Some Sincere Christians Ignore When They Approve Homosexuality? (https://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.com/2020/11/what-do-some-sincere-christians-ignore.html)

·         What’s Wrong If The Church Marries Gay Couples? (https://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.com/2015/09/whats-wrong-if-church-marries-gay.html)

·         So What If There’s Gay Gene? So What If You Are Born Gay? (https://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.com/2014/09/so-what-if-theres-gay-gene-so-what-if.html)

·         Laws Cannot Change Flaws (https://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.com/2018/07/laws-cannot-change-flaws.html)

·         After Homosexuality, Christian Churches Will Bless Polyamory (https://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.com/2017/11/after-homosexuality-christian-churches.html)

·         Straight Pride; Why Our World Adores The LGBTQ Agenda (https://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.com/2019/06/straight-pride-why-our-world-adores.html)

Pastor Joel Osteen, Lady Gaga, Gay Pride Month; The Enemy Within & A Bright Future

            Any school going teen raised within the confines of Historic Christian worldview will consider gay marriage as an aberration. But LGBTQ movement is gaining traction in every nook and corner of our world. This unholy movement will continue to assault the traditional heterosexual marriage (between a male and a female). So our next generation may even consider gay marriage at par with the monogamous heterosexual marriage.

            Given this existential reality, we who subscribe to Historic Christianity should be concerned with another entity. Not the secular world, but another entity.

            Beware of the enemy within!

            ““Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves,” says the Bible about the enemy within (Matthew 7:15, NET).  

            The enemy within could be far more dangerous and destructive than the enemy outside our domain. In this context, the enemy within is the group of Christians who actively endorse the LGBTQ agenda. Call them the Progressive or Liberal or the Postmodern Christians.

            Do not be deceived when you observe Pastor Joel Osteen and his wife attend Lady Gaga’s gay pride event, “Joel Osteen has fallen so far down into apostasy that his seared conscience doesn’t even alert him anymore when trouble is on the horizon, such was the case on Monday night at the SiriusXM and Pandora merger event in New York City. Joel and his wife Victoria were in attendance at the Lady Gaga Pride concert featuring drag queens, amazingly foul language and the endless glorification of the LGBTQ+P for Pedophile agenda. It seems that the Osteens had no problems at all attending such an event, which is not surprising considering how they have been creeping ever closer to supporting same-sex marriage.”¹

            It’s a known fact that Pastor Joel Osteen tacitly endorses the LGBTQ agenda, “On October 2, 2013 Pastor Osteen joined Josh Zepps on HuffPost Live for a more relaxed and intimate interview.

            Zepps read a piece that he liked from Osteen’s new book: “It doesn’t matter who likes you or doesn’t like you, all that matters is that God likes you. He accepts you, he approves of you.” Zepps followed up by asking if that included homosexuals.

            “Absolutely,” Osteen insisted, “I believe that God breathed life into every person and that every person is made in the image of God and you have accept (sic) them as they are, on their journey. I’m not here to preach hate or push people down.””² (Emphasis Mine).

            God loves everyone, sinners included. Therefore, God loves homosexuals. But God does not approve of the practice of homosexuality. In other words, God loves the person, who is a homosexual but detests the practice of homosexuality.

            So when Pastor Joel Osteen says that God approves of homosexuals, he seems to say that God approves of homosexuality, but nothing could be further from the truth.

            Sincere yet naïve Christians who may adore celebrity preachers like Pastor Joel Osteen should beware of such false teachings.

            The secular world may force its LGBTQ agenda into our domain. This is expected of them. But instead of remaining true to the Bible, a significant portion of Christian denominations and its leaders, especially the celebrity preachers whom many Christians adore, endorse sins and declassify them as acceptable practices. In the process, these people try to usurp God from HIS throne. But God cannot be usurped. What God termed a sin will always remain a sin. Of course, I am referring to LGBTQ practices.

            We who worship the living God should have the mind to reject such teachings because such teachings contradict the Word of God. If we endorse homosexuality because we blindly accept the teachings of these heretical celebrity preachers, we tread on dangerous ground.

            So beware of the enemy within!

            The future, however, seems to be bright for those who remain true to God’s Word.

            Nancy Pearcey quotes Andrew Sullivan to assert that the support for LGBTQ agenda among our younger generation is reducing. Here's an excerpt of Andrew Sullivan's article from Nancy Pearcey's Facebook page:³

Andrew Sullivan (homosexual columnist) says support for trans ideology is going down

For the first time, we’re seeing a sharp drop in tolerance of “LGBTQ” people among the younger generation. This is an entirely new phenomenon. It used to be the young that spearheaded toleration and inclusion. Now they’re suddenly bolting in the opposite direction:

“The number of Americans 18 to 34 who are comfortable interacting with LGBTQ people slipped from 53 percent in 2017 to 45 percent in 2018 — the only age group to show a decline,” according to the annual [GLAAD] report. And that is down from 63 percent in 2016. “36 percent of young people said they were uncomfortable learning a family member was LGBTQ in 2018, compared with 29 percent in 2017, and 24 percent in 2016. 34 percent were uncomfortable learning their doctor was LGBTQ vs. 27 percent a year earlier. 39 percent were uncomfortable learning their child had a school lesson on LGBTQ history vs. 30 percent in 2017.”

Or check this out: 62 percent of young men regarded themselves as “allies” of LGBTQ people in 2016; only 35 percent now say the same — a near-halving of support. Women “allies” have dropped from 65 to 52 percent.

The turn began in the year that the Obama administration — with no public discussion or congressional support — imposed critical gender theory on America’s high schools, determining sex to be whatever a student says it is. The imposition of trans ideology by fiat on the entire country’s young — along with severe public stigma for those with even the slightest questions — was almost textbook left authoritarianism. Well meant, perhaps. But dictatorial.

Even GLAAD, the culture police for the gay left, concedes that the transformation of the gay-rights movement into a trans movement steeped in critical gender theory in the past few years is likely the reason... GLAAD vows to crack down ever more firmly on those who aren’t fully onboard with its agenda. The last thing GLAAD would do is ask itself if it is actually exacerbating the problem, and that the redefinition of almost everyone’s sex and gender to accommodate less than 1 percent of the population is why this resistance is happening....

Kids are not stupid. They know they are being propagandized. This poll suggests the backlash has arrived, and it will likely grow."

Endnotes:

¹https://www.nowtheendbegins.com/little-monsters-joel-osteen-wife-victoria-honored-guests-lady-gaga-pride-concert-new-york-city-monday-night/

²https://www.huffpost.com/entry/joel-osteen-larry-king-homosexuality_n_4591090?guccounter=1

³https://www.facebook.com/nancy.pearcey.7/posts/10157425523754241

Websites last accessed on 30^th July 2019.

Are There Lesser & Greater Sins?

            Andrew Murray¹ defined sin as an assault against God. Millard J. Erickson defines sin as, “Sin is any evil action or motive that is in opposition to God. Simply stated, sin is a failure to let God be God and placing something or someone in God’s rightful place of supremacy.” ²

            Are all sins the same? Is stealing a loaf of bread the same as murdering the neighbor?

            The wages of sin is death, teaches the Bible³– small and big included.

            Wayne Grudem in his work Systematic Theology explains why all sins need not be construed as the same. However, in another sense, he asserts that all sins are the same.

            In a legal sense, even a very small sin makes us legally guilty before God and therefore worthy of eternal punishment. The classic case of Adam and Eve’s disobedience against God resulted in the penalty of death (Genesis 2:17 cf. Romans 5:16). That one sin made Adam and Eve sinners before God. They were no longer able to stand in HIS Holy presence.

            Galatians 3:10 and James 2:10-11 also teaches us that we are guilty even if we commit one small sin. Therefore, in the legal sense, every sin, large or small does not matter, makes us guilty before God.

            The Bible also teaches us that some sins are worse than others because they have more harmful consequences in our lives and in the lives of others, and in terms of our personal relationship to God as Father, they arouse HIS displeasure more and bring more serious disruption to our fellowship with HIM.

            When Jesus stood before Pontius Pilate, he referred to a greater sin, “Jesus replied, “You would have no authority over me at all, unless it was given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of greater sin.”” (John 19:11, NET, Emphasis Mine). Jesus referred to Judas, who had known HIM for three intimate years, yet willfully betrayed HIM to death. Thus the sin of Judas was greater because of Judas’ far greater knowledge and malice connected with it.

            God while showing Ezekiel the visions of sins in the temple of Jerusalem referred to greater sins, “He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing—the great abominations that the people of Israel are practicing here, to drive me far from my sanctuary? But you will see greater abominations than these!”… He said to me, “You will see them practicing even greater abominations!”… He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? You will see even greater abominations than these!”” (Ezekiel 8:6,13,15, NET, Emphasis Mine).

            Christ also refers to some sins as lesser than the others, “So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:19, NET, Emphasis Mine).

            Similarly, Christ while pronouncing woes on the Pharisees said, ““Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you neglect what is more important in the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness!” (Matthew 23:23, NET, Emphasis Mine).

            Presence of lesser and greater commandments imply certain sins being of a lesser magnitude than the others or certain sins being worse than other sins in terms of God’s own evaluation of their importance.

            Wayne Grudem goes on to explain further.

            We can readily see how some sins have much more harmful consequences for ourselves and others and for our relationship with God. If I were to covet my neighbor’s car, that would be a sin before God. But if my coveting led me to actually steal the car, that would be a more serious sin. If in the course of stealing the car I also fought with my neighbor and injured him or recklessly injured someone else as I drove the car, that would be even more serious sin.

           Similarly, if a new Christian, who previously had a tendency to lose his temper and get into fights, begins witnessing to his unbelieving friends and, one day is so provoked he loses his temper and actually strikes someone, that is certainly sin in God’s sight. But if a mature pastor or other prominent Christian leader were to lose his temper publicly and strike someone, that would be even more serious in God’s sight, both because of the harm that would come to the reputation of the gospel and because those in leadership positions are held to a higher standard of accountability by God: “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, because you know that we will be judged more strictly.”(James 3:1, NET, Emphasis Mine) and “But the one who did not know his master’s will and did things worthy of punishment will receive a light beating. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be asked.” (Luke 12:48, NET, Emphasis Mine).

            Our conclusion, then, is that in terms of results and in terms of degree of God’s displeasure, some sins are certainly worse than others.

            June marks LGBTQ Pride month, so an application of the doctrine of greater and lesser sin to homosexuality would be appropriate.

            We can confidently assert that possessing a homosexual orientation need not be a sin if that orientation is not practiced via romantic gay relationships. A mere homosexual orientation excluding the lustful thoughts need not be a sin because the orientation does not lead to either lustful thoughts or a detestable homosexual behavior.

            Finally, here’s a prayer point. Let us pray that our brothers and sisters in the LGBTQ community will seek the power of the Triune God to not allow their orientation to give birth to sinful and detestable practices against God.

Endnotes:

¹Andrew Murray, a famous Christian writer, in his work The Joy of being Forgiven

²Christian Theology (Second Edition)

³Romans 6:23

Straight Pride; Why Our World Adores The LGBTQ Agenda

            Nothing is more important than the LGBTQ agenda to our world. Matt Walsh of the Daily Wire nailed it, “As everyone knows, June is African-American Music Appreciation Month. It's also National Safety Month and National Smile Month. And we can't forget that it is ALS Awareness Month, Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, Cataract Awareness Month, Hernia Awareness Month, Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month, National Aphasia Awareness Month, National Congenital Cytomegalovirus Awareness Month, National Scleroderma Awareness Month, and Scoliosis Awareness Month. But all of these holy observances must take a backseat to the most hallowed of them all: LGBT Pride Month.”¹

            Interestingly, Matt Walsh claims that the LGBTQ community is not persecuted in the USA, rather they are privileged.²

            The secular world worships the LGBTQ community. Suddenly, the LGBTQ community has become a privileged community. Why?

            Oppression could be the key reason.

            An article in the USA Today enlightens us:³

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently apologized to the thousands of LGBTQ men and women who were fired by government agencies, including the military, between the 1950s and 1992. They were investigated and interrogated, some even forced to undergo polygraph testing, then discharged because they were considered threats to national security. It was a “gay purge,” and it was still happening less than 30 years ago.

Visibility and equality

These fights for acceptance and equality aren’t over.

Living proudly and openly in societies where your well-being (emotional, physical, professional) is constantly at risk is nothing short of brave. The fact that we are seeing more people live openly and honestly despite these challenges is a miracle.

Almost every day, we see threats made against members of the LGBTQ community. The scaling back of hard-earned rights and protections of LGBTQ people, particularly transgender people, is difficult to ignore.

So when straight people ask why there is a need for gay pride or wonder why there aren’t straight pride celebrations, it feels a lot like they are saying contributions by LGBTQ people — a minority group that faces constant adversity — are simply not worthy of recognition. Further, they’re denying the importance and significance of identifying as LGBTQ and achieving things — surviving, even — when the odds are stacked against you.

The resilience of the LGBTQ community alone is worthy of celebration.

            Fair enough!

            The laws that govern our world ought to provide protection to everyone – offenders included. The innocent cannot suffer and the guilty cannot not be punished. Even the guilty should be protected, which is precisely why prisons or correctional centers exist.

            This then is precisely the reason for the divide – in supporting or opposing the privilege offered to the LGBTQ community.

            First, the secular world does not find anything morally wrong with the practices of the LGBTQ people. For instance, they claim there’s nothing morally wrong in practicing homosexuality.  They claim homosexuality is an accepted behavioral practice, for it offends none (God excluded). On the contrary, most theists claim that homosexuality is a sin against God.

            Second, the logical second step for the secular world is to protect those being [apparently] incorrectly incriminated for their lifestyle. Thus the insulation-era of the LGBTQ community was ushered. They are being insulated/protected from all means of persecution. Thus, they are no longer persecuted in many progressive societies.

            Those who oppose the LGBTQ agenda (hardcore conservatives excluded) would welcome the protection and the provision of equal status to the LGBTQ community.

            LGBTQ may not be morally wrong in the eyes of our lawmakers. Our lawmakers act according to the forces that reign in their era.

            The practice of LGBTQ is an assault on God. It is a sin against God.

            Thankfully, an eternal and omniscient God cannot be outdone by finite human forces. Hence, HIS commands remain. HIS command that homosexuality is a sin remains irrespective of the human era or the forces that rule. (Homosexuality is taken as a specific case in point.)

            Although the forces that rule our era cannot outdo God, it has the power to vanquish susceptible humans. This is accomplished under the deceptive guise of love.

            Hence, they built a narrative to make the LGBTQ community a privileged one. A narrative in which love is the brand that sells the LGBTQ product. (But the adoration of the LGBTQ community has nothing to do with love; rather it has everything to do with moral blindness.)

            Thankfully for these morally corrupt forces, the Bible speaks much about love. Significantly, the two greatest commandments of the Lord Jesus did not emphasize worship, obedience or belief in God. Rather they emphasized love for God and love our neighbor. These commandments were predicated on love.

            But the Bible makes a very significant distinction. Love of God and of our fellow men does not relegate sins into the realm of endorsement or acceptance. A sin remains a sin and love remains love. 

            In fact, sin mars/ruins the love between God and man. When man sins against God, HIS relationship with God is marred. Hence repentance, confession, and forgiveness become the order of the day.

            This is God’s economy.

            Man’s economy is rather atypical/different from God’s.

            Since the progressive secular man does not consider homosexuality as a sin or an offense against the law, he rides the love-bandwagon and loves the LGBTQ community (and there’s nothing wrong in loving the sinner). That love ride blinds the moral senses of the secular man. When his love for his fellowmen blinds his moral senses, the secular man commits a great blunder.

            That blunder is his endorsement of the LGBTQ practices. This is where he chooses to not realize that love for someone need not necessarily lead to an endorsement of every behavior (only in the context of legitimizing LGBTQ).

            Elsewhere the secular man does not conflate love and endorsement. He may love his neighbor, but when his neighbor steals from another, the secular man imprisons his neighbor under the force of his law. In this context, theft is an offense against the law of the land. Love cannot, in any which way, override the law of the land to acquit a convict.  

            Therein the hypocrisy of the secular man dawns into full-blown brightness/intensity. 

            On the one hand, he loves his neighbor who practices homosexuality, and he even endorses homosexuality. But on the other hand, he accuses his thieving neighbor and throws him behind the bars, thereby condemning the act of theft and the subject/person who steals. 

            The reason for this hypocrisy is the secular man’s choice to endorse homosexuality as an acceptable practice. The secular man has no difficulty, whatsoever, to endorse a behavior that God condemns because the secular man refuses to bend his knee to God.

            Upon removing God from his horizon, he has no difficulty whatsoever to legitimize homosexuality.

            Or is it so?

            When God is removed from the moral equation, evidently the evolutionary paradigm reigns. The secular man contends that homosexuality is perfectly acceptable within the evolutionary paradigm.

            This is where he goes blatantly wrong.

            It can be proved that homosexuality is an aberration even according to the natural law theory. In an earlier blog entitled Does Consensual and Harmless Sexual Intercourse Legitimize Homosexuality? I emphasized the manner in which the natural law theory debunks homosexuality:⁴

(1)  The nature or essence of every biological organ, according to natural law theory, involves its purposes (or final causes). So the purpose of the eyeball is to make us see. Similarly, sexual intercourse also has its own purpose, which is to procreate (bear children).

But I have heard arguments that the final cause or the purpose of sexual intercourse is the pleasure. This is wrong! Pleasure cannot be a purpose for sexual intercourse.

Think about eating. You may argue that eating is pleasurable, but the biological point of eating is not to give pleasure, but to offer the body the nutrients it needs to be healthy and survive. The pleasure of eating is nature’s way of getting us to eat.

As Professor Edward Feser states, “So, the final cause of sex is procreation, and the final cause of sexual pleasure is to get us to indulge in sex, so that we’ll thereby procreate…Notice also that nature makes it very difficult to indulge in sex without procreation. There is no prophylactic sheathe issued with a penis at birth, and no diaphragm issued with a vagina. It takes some effort to come up with these devices, and even then, in the form in which they existed for most of human history they were not terribly effective.”3

(2) Natural law theory states that an action or a behavior, even if it does not harm anyone else, need not be acceptable or need not be the normal way of living life.

The life of an alcoholic is not acceptable, even if he/she does not harm anyone. Similarly, a person – inclined to molest children (even if he has not molested children) – who masturbates to pictures of naked children is living a sick life. Such a person is not living the way a normal human ought to live.

Therefore, gay sex cannot be justified even if it were harmless.

(3) In the same manner, consensus cannot be a legitimate reason for an action/behavior. Gay people cannot argue that consensual sex is always righteous.

Consensual sex cannot be righteous always. A pedophile cannot argue that he had sex with a child because the child consented. A parent cannot claim that he/she had sex with his/her child (minor or major) because the child agreed to have sex with the parent. In a marriage, consensus between the husband and the wife to have sex with others outside the marriage does not justify their affairs.

I will summarize now:

A. According to natural law theory, the main purpose of sex is procreation through the sexual intercourse between a man and a woman. Thus gay sex cannot be natural, but it is an abnormal activity/behavior.

B. For reasons mentioned in (2) and (3), consensual and harmless sex cannot justify gay sex.

            So the reason behind the reverence of the LGBTQ community is the failure to recognize the practices of the said community as sinful against God and as an unnatural act according to the Natural Law Theory.

            While we should love every member of the LGBTQ community, we still maintain that the practices of the LGBTQ community are sinful and hence should not be endorsed. Although the secular world may adore and revere the LGBTQ community, we Christians should remain committed to God’s ways.

            And yes, we do take pride in being straight.

Endnotes:

¹https://www.dailywire.com/news/48006/walsh-lgbt-people-are-not-oppressed-or-persecuted-matt-walsh

²Ibid.

³https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2018/06/01/why-we-have-lgbtq-pride-not-straight-pride-column/658306002/

⁴http://rajkumarrichard.blogspot.com/2018/06/does-consensual-and-harmless-sexual.html

Websites last accessed on 12^th June 2019.

Same Sex Marriages Legitimized; Why The Hoopla? (A Christian’s Response)

            In a historic ruling, the SCOTUS legitimized same sex marriages in the USA.

            On one end of the response spectrum was a threat from 10,000 pastors from the ‘Black Robe Regiment’ – preachers wearing black robes – to die if the Supreme Court ruled in favor of gay marriages. On the other end, the liberal and postmodern Christians would welcome the legitimization of same sex marriages because they favor the practice of homosexuality within Christianity.

            In general, many genuine Christians continue to express surprise and disappointment at this ruling. Surprise and disappointment is legitimate if we are living in a world free of evil. But we live in an evil world.

            Evil will continue to rule our world until the Lord returns to annihilate the Satan. So instead of expending energy into surprise and disappointment, should we not focus on facing reality in the presence of the Lord Jesus?

            The evil practices of this world will continue to flourish. Christians subscribing to Historic Christianity should be aware of this fact.

            Anti-Christian disposition will continue to flourish. The rejection of God will gain further momentum and will permeate into all facets of our life. 

            Liberals who demand tolerance from Historic Christianity will hypocritically not tolerate Historic Christianity. More and more liberals will gain control over all facets of life and will make life extremely difficult for Christians.

            Now that homosexual marriages are at par with heterosexual marriages in the U.S, it’s only a matter of time when this trend captures the whole world. Do not ever think that your country is immune to legitimization of homosexual marriages and that this abomination of a marriage will never plant its feet in your soil.

            Do not be surprised if the world rules that homosexual marriages are more preferred than the heterosexual marriages.

            Do not be surprised if polygamy (more than one spouse) and polyamory (group relationships) are legitimized next [1].

            If polygamy and polyamory are considered taboo now, it could no longer be taboo in a decade or so. Such will be the way of this world, so prepare for it now.

            Legitimization of homosexual marriages is similar to legitimizing polygamy or polyamory or marriage between humans and animals. LGBT community preaches love through slogans such as, "Marriage is About Love," "All We Need Is Love," "All Love Is Equal," "Love Wins" etc. Since LGBT community exalts love over gender, they could support polygamy or polyamory or even a marriage between humans and animals.

            Host of other sinful practices could be legitimized next e.g. pedophilia. Pedophiles have already demanded same rights as homosexuals [2], since American Psychiatric Association termed pedophilia as a sexual orientation. (Subsequently APA recanted and termed pedophilia as a disorder. [3])

            If the pedophilia group lobbies powerfully as the LGBT, it’s a mere matter of time for pedophilia to be legitimized. In fact, child porn could be legitimized before pedophilia [4].  

            The principle that governs the liberal mind is “nothing is taboo.” A world that loves evil will indulge greater evil. Be prepared and do not be surprised.

            How are we to prepare?

            First, realize the genuine concern.

            Why are sincere Christians against legitimization of homosexual marriages? Is it because we hate homosexuals? No! We hate no one. But we are against the practice of homosexuality because it is against God and nature.

            The only marriage that’s pure in God’s sight is the marriage between a man and a woman. All other relationships and marriages are an abomination in God’s sight.

            Government’s legitimization of homosexual marriages would entail the following:

            A. Homosexuality will no longer be a sin / disorder / immoral act according to the law of the land.

            B. Homosexual marriages would be equal to heterosexual marriages.

            C. Host of other immoral and sinful acts such as pedophilia, incest, bestiality, pansexuality, object sexuality etc could be legitimized based on the legitimization of homosexuality. 

            D. Frighten / imprison those who speak and act against homosexuality.

            Second, where is God when such evil is on the rise?

            William Lane Craig said it beautifully in his facebook page, “God has chosen once again to allow people to freely choose their own undoing rather than intervene to preserve righteousness. “Therefore God gave them up” (Rom. 1.24). I fear that with this Supreme Court decision re-defining marriage, America has passed a watershed in its cultural and moral degradation. It beggars the imagination that our society allows states to prohibit marriage between first cousins (despite their love for one another, etc.) and yet will not allow states to prohibit marriage between two men or two women. Churches and religious institutions who refuse to re-define marriage in order to accommodate cultural pressures will now find themselves increasingly under duress”

            God will allow man to exercise his freewill to his own eternal doom. God will not intervene to preserve righteousness every day. Today the west leads the world in moral degradation. The east and the rest will follow suit.

            Do not get disappointed or disoriented with God. Until the Lord returns, evil will flourish. Then the Lord will return to finally eliminate evil once and for all.

            Third, do not be discouraged by the powers-that-are. The powers-that-are will endorse evil.

            President Obama (@POTUS) tweeted this after SCOTUS’ decision, “Today is a big step in our march toward equality. Gay and lesbian couples now have the right to marry, just like anyone else. #LoveWins.” That the POTUS endorsed the SCOTUS [5] does not alter the truth of God’s Word.

            Do not allow our faith in Christ & the Bible to be swayed by the powers-that-are. Let not the powers-that-are dictate our opinions.

            Let us not allow the world to move us away from the Lord or HIS Word – the Bible. Let us not allow those in power to determine our faith in Christ. Let us allow the Lord to rule over us and speak to us through HIS Word – the Bible. Let us be mindful of the Lord and not the world. Let us be students of the Bible.  

            Finally, how should the Church respond to the government decrees that contradict the Bible?

            The Christian church is responsible to disciple Christians to live through these difficult times because many Christians attend church regularly than read their Bibles diligently.

            If the church does not disciple the believers, Christians would endorse homosexuality based on the command “to love our neighbor.” Naïve Christians may not be aware of the Bible’s stand that homosexuality is a sin - affirmed in both the Old and the New Testaments. Hence the church should teach that homosexuals are to be loved but their sin of homosexuality should be rebuked, so that they may repent and live a life that would glorify Christ. 

            Pray for the pastors who preach against homosexuality. They will be scrutinized and persecuted. If they refuse to marry homosexuals, they could be sued and/or imprisoned. These are difficult times for those who desire to live according to the Bible. Pray for those who desire to glorify the Lord Jesus while being in this situation. May our faith in Christ be strengthened. Amen.   

Endnotes:

[1] http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/06/gay-marriage-decision-polygamy-119469.html#ixzz3eDKLPeVn

[2] http://www.greeleygazette.com/press/?p=11517

[3] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/31/pedophilia-sexual-orientation_n_4183482.html?ir=India&adsSiteOverride=in

[4] http://www.greeleygazette.com/press/?p=11517

[5] http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/White-House-Lit-Up-With-Rainbow-After-Same-Sex-Marriage-Ruling-310199591.html