Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 19:24:54 -0500 (EST)
From: Rolaant McKenzie
To: Monique
Subject: Re: Homosexual Marriage
On Tue, 26 Jan 1999 Monique wrote:
> Hello again,
>
> I do not know whether or not you read my previous letter in its entirety or
> not. You quoted two of the same passages to me that I had tried to illuminate
> in my last letter. The Bible is, I believe, the best guide to live a healthy
> and religious lifestyle. However, I am educated well enough to know that the
> Bible must be read in context. For example, the Bible also condemns all
> individuals with tattoos, but when read in context, one can see that the
> tattoo itself is not what is condemned, it is the reason for which a person
> becomes tattooed. As a result, getting a tattoo is not necessarily wrong. It
> merely depends on why a person has chosen to tattoo him or herself.
> Furthermore, although inspired by God, it was not written by God and
> therefore is not infallible. If it sounds like I am criticizing you for
> sharing your beliefs, I apologize. That is not my intention at all. If it
> were, I would definitely be a hypocrite because I am continuing to share my
> beliefs with you.
Monique,
I, too, believe the Bible must be read in context. That's why I quoted
passages from both the New Testament as well as the Old Testament.
Regardless of your personal feelings or mine about the homosexual
lifestyle, it is quite clear that the Bible condemns it. One of the ways
a person justifies living a lifestyle that God's Word unambiguously calls
sinful is by convincing oneself that the Bible is fallible and therefore
cannot be taken seriously in some places. And those some places invariably
are where that person's particular sinful lifestyle is condemned.
> I did go to the website and read every article except the one that is a PDF?
> file because unfortunately, I do not quite understand how to read those. I
> confess that I was appalled by much of what I read. The term "gay agenda"
> particularly offends me. I have heard it before and have received variable
> answers as to just exactly what this agenda is. I am not trying to convert
I am sorry you find the word gay agenda offensive. I would find being
called a right-wing fundamentalist fanatical bigot offensive, too. And
that just for standing up for what the Bible says and not what certain
groups want it to say.
But there is an agenda that is promoted by gay activists. They seek
legalization of homosexual marriages, adoption of children, and blanket
acceptance of their lifestyle by society. And those who disagree with them
are labeled bigots and hatemongers.
> others to homosexuality. The idea is preposterous to me. God made each of us
> individual and different. In short, God made each of us who we are. One
> article stated that the Church knew the cause for homosexuality thirty years
> ago. Unfortunately, that is incorrect. It is even being tested scientifically
> and in fact there may be "gay gene" that has been found in over half of the
> men tested. And since, I am not trying to convert others to homosexuality, I
Ah, but where is this "scientific evidence"? Usually when gay activists or
their supporters try to promote some new "scientific evidence", it doesn't
stand under critical evaluation. Last year they tried to "prove" there was
a "homosexual gene" based on the size of one's ear! It seems some will
grasp at straws, even fallacious scientific evidence, to excuse their
sinful lifestyle and push for its acceptance in society.
> wish that others would not try top convert me to heterosexuality. I assure you
> that it is not possible. I prayed to God every day for seven years to make me
> "straight." I went to church twice weekly and attended a private Christian
> school. You may wonder why I did those things if I am so adamant about my
> homosexuality . The answer is simple. Like you, I was raised to believe that
> it was "wrong" to be homosexual. Eventually, I stopped trying to convert
It IS wrong to live the homosexual lifestyle as outlined in the Bible, if
one believes the Bible for what it says. It is not a matter of my opinion
or yours, but God's. It is not a matter of me trying to convert you to
heterosexuality or anything else. Only God can convict your heart
regarding the lifestyle you are leading that runs counter to His Word. All
I can do is share with you what the Bible says on the subject. It is up to
you to accept God's Word over your feelings or preferences, or ignore it
and go on living your lifestyle.
A man prays to God every day for ten years to remove his tendency to
steal. He goes to church three times a week and attended private Christian
schools from pre-school through college. He says that he can't help being
a thief. That he has inherited a gene that causes him to steal. He even
tries to produce some "scientific evidence" to support his claim that he
cannot help his lifestyle of stealing. He states that it is a natural part
of him he cannot change.
This man insists that society must accept his lifestyle because God made
him that way.
Is this line of reasoning valid?
I think not. God does not create something in a person that will keep him
out of His kingdom.
Again, consider 1 Corinthians 6:9-10:
"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of
God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor
adulterers, nor effeminate, NOR HOMOSEXUALS, NOR THIEVES, nor the
covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the
kingdom of God." (emphasis added)
> myself. I realized that I did nothing wrong to make myself this way. This is
> how God made me. Since accepting myself, I have been happier, my relationship
> with God is stronger than ever before. In fact, nearly every aspect of my life
> has gotten better. I have no "agenda." Do I want to be loved? Yes. Do I want
> to be accepted? Yes. Do I want to be able to marry an individual who cares for
> me as deeply as I care for her? Yes. Do I believe that the diversity of the
> human race is God's design and plan? Yes. Do I believe that this diversity is
> a beautiful thing? Yes.
But most important question is, "Does God agree with your opinion about
the lifestyle you are leading?" The answer, according to His Word, is
clearly no.
No matter how you may feel that God approves of the homosexual lifestyle,
the Bible says He does not, and that those who lead such a lifestyle and
refuse to repent of it will not enter His kingdom.
How true does Scripture speak:
"There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the
way of death." (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25)
> I am going to share something personal with you. I am in love with someone. I
> am engaged to her. I have never trusted anyone [obviously, I am not including
> God] the way I trust her. Frankly, I do not believe that God would allow such
> a strong love if it were wrong. The God that I have grown up believing in
> loves me too much. He would not be so cruel as to allow a love so pure and
> then tell me that the love is wrong.
I have heard people in adulterous relationships say the same thing. They
say that God would not allow such a strong love if their adulterous
relationship was wrong. They say they believe God loves them very much and
approves of their sinful lifestyle. They also say that God would not be so
cruel as to allow so "pure" a love and then tell them that love is wrong.
Again, what does God's Word say about this?
Hebrews 13:4
"Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be
undefiled; for fornicators and ADULTERERS God will judge." (emphasis added)
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of
God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, NOR
ADULTERERS, nor effeminate, NOR HOMOSEXUALS, nor thieves, nor the
covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the
kingdom of God." (emphasis added)
I think it is tragically sad that those who engage in a lifestyle of
thievery, adultery, and homosexuality deceive themselves into thinking
that God understands and approves of their ungodly lives. Their feelings
or beliefs have no basis in fact. The world is round whether you believe
it or not. Poison kills whether you believe it or not. Fire burns whether
you believe or not. And the homosexual lifestyle is condemned by God as an
abominable sin that will keep you out of His kingdom whether you believe
it or not.
This is God's view, not mine. There is hope, however. For the verse
following 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 says,
"Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified,
but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in
the Spirit of our God."
You can be washed and sanctified by the blood of Jesus. But you must
confess your sin to Him and turn away it. He will justify you. He will
heal you. He will assure you a home in the kingdom of God.
Rolaant
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