Politics...The Bible…and LGBTQ

Yep...I’m “going there.”

May only the most courageous proceed and that at their own peril!

What got me thinking about this article and figuring it's time to address some things is seeing a recent Franklin Graham tweet that has a bunch of folks really up in arms. It's become kind of a big deal with both sides throwing their own salvos. That of course produces collateral damage usually in the form of good people on both sides being misunderstood and hurt.

Like that is something new, right?

His (Graham's) comments concern homosexuality and a certain presidential candidate believing and proudly declaring that being gay is a viable and God endorsed expression of Christianity. And more, this individual had no qualms challenging Mr. Graham's, and maybe even more our Vice President's Christianity, behavior, and Scriptural cognizance.

Basically, we have a politician that not only claims he abides by the Christian faith, good for him by the way, but has taken the position of equality concerning Scriptural terms and definitions with a seasoned minister of the Gospel. Additionally, he uses his religious interpretation as a political weapon with his sights on a sitting Vice President.

And me thinketh this certainly needs to be looked at carefully.

So, the reason for the article is to make a few observations and comments concerning what is going on in our national discussion that increasingly seems to want to bring God into the fray (it appears usually when it suits someones political position and voter base) and what these folks want us to believe He is cool with. Where the proclaimers of all that is just and good and right for mankind are political candidates and pundits convinced of both their reasonableness and their right to be such expounders, being convinced the Scriptures endorse their behaviors and rantings.

I'll save you the wait...this is not good.

God is the Creator. Not our favorite political parties' campaign manager, speech writer, or go to when some kind of ammunition is needed to prove how evil your opponent is.

And to set the record straight, and probably to the chagrin of some of my friends, in this specific context, I really don't care if the mayor is gay or not. That's between him, God and His Word, and his family. I have nothing bad to say about him. I don't even know him.

I am speaking up as a direct result of him speaking up first. Not that he is gay mind you, but that he has concluded homosexuality is a perfectly acceptable behavior as a Christian. Once you did that Mr. Buttigieg, you're in my territory with people I serve, and a God that is checking to see if His ministers have a watch on what is going on out there. And we need to mention over two thousand years of established interpretation and exegesis that has been so thoroughly studied and analyzed, there is very little grounds to reasonably challenge the understood conclusions. You and those who believe as you, must understand what you assert is a bold challenge to thousands of years of understanding what the Judeo Christian ethic clearly teaches concerning your behaviors.

And sir, you're going to need a whole lot of something to make any kind of reasonable case to counter that!

I'm listening, but man it better be good!

Let me give us a simple illustration that should help us understand in effect what is taking place in the national discussion concerning sexual orientation and its acceptability as far as the Word of God is concerned.

To be clear. I'm not talking "social" acceptance. I don't think that is even the argument. People who could care less about God are going to come up with all sorts of stuff. I support that actually. It's called a free society. The sooner some Christians realize that, they will save a lot of breath and expend their energies more wisely.

That's for another article.

Where the argument is, and in my opinion the line of demarcation which I certainly am willing to defend to the uttermost, is when said people want us to accept their non standard and extreme definitions and reinterpretation of the Scriptures. And worse, example after example can be given that if we do not go along, many will use multiple means to harm folks through verbal and even financial assault.

If that is not "hatred" according to their definitions, I do not know what else is.

So, to my illustration:

Imagine you were in a time capsule that shot you two thousand years ahead in time. You see a classroom in the highest halls of learning. You lean in and finally get a listen to what they are arguing about. They are arguing about a word in...what was that...English...and its root meaning. You're thinking "Hey...I'm from that time! What word are you arguing about...I know I can help. Let me listen in!"

Finally you hear the word all the commotion is about: