With the supreme court ruling that came down in June legalizing same-sex marriage across the United States, I can't help but think: how close are we to the end? This is just another prophetic stepping stone that will have major implications down the road. Before I get into the basis of this discussion, I will provide a history of the LGBT movement in America. Then I will analyze what God thinks.
In 1924, Henry Gerber founded the Society for Human Rights in Chicago. While homosexuality was still criminalized, this group shortly fell apart. Nevertheless, it planted seeds that are sprouting all throughout mainstream society. In 1950, Harry Hay founded the first gay rights organization. That same year, the federal government investigated employees in the attempt to weed out homosexuals. Dwight Eisenhower, in 1953, even banned homosexuals from working government jobs. 5 years later, though, in 1958, the LGBT won a court decision titled, One, Inc. vs. Olsen, which gave a famous LGBT magazine its first amendment right to continue publications. 4 years later, 1962, Chicago became the first state to decriminalize homosexuality. Interestingly enough, it happened a year before God was kicked out of public schools.
The gay rights movement took a radical step forward in 1969 in an infamous event known as the Stonewall Uprising. When police raided famous gay bar, Stonewall Inn, located in Greenwich Village in New York, gay youth led a three day riot. This event was memorialized a year later, known as Christopher St. Liberation Day. This became the first gay rights parade. 4 years later, homosexuality was removed as a mental illness by the APA. Up to this point, gay rights organizations were not particularly mainstream, but Harvey Milk's election on San Francisco's board of supervisors in 1977 paved the way for the LGBT agenda to merge with politics. 3 years later is when the democratic party officially endorsed gay rights, which is having major implications on our current political landscape.
Fast forward to the 1990's. In 1993, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, was instituted to protect LGBT members serving in the military. 3 years later, Bill Clinton, unbeknownst to most liberals, signed the Defense of Marriage Act, known as DOMA. This protected marriage as being between one man and one woman. In 2000, though, Vermont became the first state to legalize domestic partnerships between gay couples. It didn't stop there. Massachusetts, in 2004, became the first state to legalize gay marriage, with other states following suit shortly thereafter. In the past several years, we have seen the removal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the end of DOMA, and the Obama administration's unwavering support for numerous LGBT causes. We have even witnessed the White House being saturated with the colors of the LGBT rainbow flag. So, with all these facts in mind, should Christians support the LGBT movement as just another civil rights organization looking for protection?
The answer to that question is an unequivocal, no. The LGBT movement's origins likely had noble intentions: to overcome legitimate discrimination. Nowadays, thanks to the media, politicians, and the Hollywood elite, the LGBT movement is an agenda, plain and simple. It started off with the goal of having basic human rights. It evolved to wanting partnerships, which is fine. When marriage became the topic of the debate, this movement started to get out of hand. The argument for marriage revolves around the word, "love". The problem is, love is a subjective word. In order to redefine marriage, it then become impossible to contain "love" in a box. For example, should NAMBLA members get to marry children? I get that gay rights supporters argue about consensual love. Well, children are often naive. Can't they innocently agree to marry? What if animals or inanimate objects are brought into the equation? Who says that marriage should be confined to two people? My point is, marriage was defined at creation with Adam and Eve. It is not for the supreme court or any person to supersede what God already ordained. Be very wary of pastors who tell you differently. Famous Mars Hill pastor and theologian, Rob Bell, told Oprah Winfrey that "The church is moments away from embracing gay marriage." His book title, Love Wins, became the hashtag to end all hashtags when the supreme court made their momentous decision. Rob Bell and many other pastors, especially in the emergent church community, have forsaken Biblical truth in effort to appease the culture. Throughout scripture, warnings are given about false teachers that they are "wolves in sheep clothing". Sadly, many so-called Christians will be members of the goats when God separates the sheep from the goats at the end of human history. So, what does the Bible actually say about homosexuality?
"Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable."(Leviticus 18:22) People often say that the Old covenant doesn't apply today because we're not under the law. In actuality, laws applying to sin have never changed. Let's look at what Romans 2:26-27 has to say. "Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion." Paul is not trying to be politically correct. Instead, he is conveying the seriousness of sin. In Jude 1:7, we read, "In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire." It would also be a disservice to put homosexuality on a pedestal, though. All sexual sin is an abomination such as fornication, bestiality, incest. The problem today, as well as in ancient Israel is the flaunting of sin. In Isaiah 3:9, it states, "The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them. They have brought disaster upon themselves." Gay pride parades around the world have become public opportunities to mock God and celebrate perversion, much of the time wearing as little clothing as possible. In one particular parade in Brazil, a man dressed like Jesus Christ was seen making out with other guys. So, what should the Christian response be?
Just like every human being, LGBT folks need the blood of Yeshua. In fact, many people have come out of that lifestyle. The key is to keep a repentant heart and instead of judging these people, we need to pray for their souls because they are on a highway to hell with all other people who reject God and His ways. Churches should be welcoming to these types of people, but these people need to be warned of their sin. I urge homosexuals to put off their sinful desires and seek God. Is it really worth it to willfully practice homosexuality or any other sin for a short lifetime and spend eternity in hell? In 2 Peter 3:9, it states, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to repentance." God wants nations and people to turn to Him, but if America and the world continue on their path of rebellion, He will have no choice to judge the nations as He did Sodom and Gomorrah.
Sources
1. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/timeline/stonewall/
2. http://www.christianpost.com/news/former-megachurch-pastor-rob-bell-tells-oprah-the-church-is-moments-away-from-embracing-gay-marriage-134264/
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