Transcript Rainbow - Christalite Methodist Chapel

The Christian
and
Homosexuality
Who is a Christian?
One who believes in Jesus Christ
as Saviour and Lord
Homosexuality
vs
The Gay Lifestyle
What does
the Bible say?
What does the Bible say?
It is a SIN.
What does the Bible say?
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
Gen 1:27
What does the Bible say?
Therefore a man shall leave his father
and his mother and hold fast to his
wife, and they shall become one flesh.
And the man and his wife were both
naked and were not ashamed.
Gen 2:24-25
What does the Bible say?
You shall not commit adultery.
Exo 20:14
What does the Bible say?
You shall not lie with a male as with a
woman;
it is an abomination.
Lev 18:22
What does the Bible say?
For their women exchanged natural relations
for those that are contrary to nature; and
the men likewise gave up natural relations with
women and were consumed with passion for one
another, men committing shameless acts
with men and receiving in themselves the due
penalty for their error.
Rom 1:26-27
What does the Bible say?
Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral,
nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who
practise 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.
1 Cor 6:9-11
Understanding
homosexuality
What causes homosexuality?
Born to be gay?
Chose to be gay?
What causes homosexuality?
...or made gay?
What causes homosexuality?
Choices Ministry
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Childhood identity development
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Poor relationship with parent of same sex
(90%)
Sexual molestation (80%)
Insecurity – wanted only for sex
Seeking love and happiness
Can be overcome (but not easy)
What causes homosexuality?
The implications
Is homosexuality excusable?
No
Reaching homosexuals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf48McRSmTI
Charlene Cochran
Reaching homosexuals
The transforming power of God
Paul's conversion
 St Augustine
 Alcoholics, gamblers, drug
addicts
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Reaching homosexuals
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Love and accept them as human beings
Tell them what God says in the Bible
Tell them of the forgiveness, healing and
transformation available to them through faith in
Jesus Christ
Find out the underlying reasons eg sexual /
emotional abuse
Pray for them
Don't take rejection personally
We have the responsibility to be watchmen!
Christian attitude to
homosexuals
Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman,
where are they? Has no one condemned
you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus
said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and
from now on sin no more.”
John 8:10-11
The Gay Agenda
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Decriminalisation of sodomy and
indoctrination of children
Pass anti-discrimination laws to promote
homosexuality
Legalise same-sex marriage and civil unions
Homosexual parenthood and adoption
rights
Christian attitude to the
gay agenda
I found it necessary to write appealing to you to
contend for the faith that was once for all
delivered to the saints. For certain people have
crept in unnoticed who long ago were
designated for this condemnation, ungodly
people, who pervert the grace of our God into
sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord,
Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:3,4
Christian attitude to the
gay agenda
Take no part in the unfruitful works of
darkness, but instead expose them.
For it is shameful even to speak of the
things that
they do in secret.
Eph 5:11-12
Christian attitude to the
gay agenda
Though they know God’s decree that
those who practice such things deserve
to die, they not only do them but give
approval to those who practice
them.
Rom 1:32
Christian attitude to the
gay agenda
Speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by
sensual passions of the flesh those who are
barely escaping from those who live in error. They
promise them freedom, but they themselves
are slaves of corruption. For whatever
overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.
2 Pet 2:18-19
What is at stake?
Spiritual Warfare!
For the weapons of our warfare are not
of the flesh but have divine power to
destroy strongholds. We destroy
arguments and every lofty opinion
raised against the knowledge of
God, and take every thought captive to
obey Christ.
2 Cor 10:4-5
Spiritual Warfare!
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able
to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we
do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against
the rulers, against the authorities, against the
cosmic powers over this present darkness, against
the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you
may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having
done all, to stand firm.
Eph 6:11-13
Spiritual Warfare!
All Scripture is breathed out by God
and profitable for teaching, for reproof,
for correction, and for training in
righteousness,
that the man of God may be
competent, equipped for every good
work.
2 Tim 3:16-17
Spiritual Warfare!
From childhood you have been
acquainted with the sacred writings,
which are able to make you wise for
salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
2 Tim 3:15
Logical / scientific
arguments
“Homosexuality is natural”
Design shows otherwise
Cellular level
 Anatomical level
 Societal level
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“Homosexuality is natural”
Homosexuality in animals
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Aberrant examples vs natural behaviour
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A few examples out of millions of species
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Other examples of aberrant animal behaviour
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Preservation of species - heterosexual
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Christian worldview – cursed earth
“Homosexuality is inborn”
The appeal to
scientific authority
“Homosexuality is inborn”
Simon LeVay's study of the
hypothalamus (1991)
41 cadavers – INAH3 size
 19 homosexual men
 16 heterosexual men
 6 heterosexual women
 Larger in heterosexual men than
homosexual men
 Larger in heterosexual men than women
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“Homosexuality is inborn”
Simon LeVay's study of the hypothalamus (1991)
Inconsistent results / small sample size
 Measurement method
 Volume
 Number of neurons
 Structure affects behaviour or vice versa?
 Inaccurate reporting of sexual orientation
 Openly homosexual
 Never replicated successfully
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“Homosexuality is inborn”
Bailey and Pillard's study of twins (1991)
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Identical vs non-identical twins
At least one homosexual in each set of twins
52% of identical twins were both homosexual
22% of non-identical twins were both homosexual
“Homosexuality is inborn”
Bailey and Pillard's study of twins (1991)
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Genetics alone cannot account for homosexuality
 48% did not share sexual orientation
All the twins raised in same household
Personal bias
British Journal of Psychiatry repeated the study
(1992)
 produced completely different results
 only 20% of twins shared sexual orientation
“Homosexuality is inborn”
Dean Hamer's X-linked chromosome study
(1993)
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40 pairs of non-identical homosexual brothers
33 pairs shared the same X-linked gene markers
“Homosexuality is inborn”
Dean Hamer's X-linked chromosome study
(1993)
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Study has not been replicated
Similar study in 1999 by George Ebers
 52 pairs of homosexual brothers
 “No evidence of any gene markers linked to
homosexuality”
Personal bias
“Homosexuality is normal”
American Psychological Association
Position Statement (1973)
“Homosexuality is not a mental disorder.”
“Homosexuality is normal”
Frank Kameny
“Homosexuality is normal”
“ I encourage the use of more and better and hardercore pornography.”
“Bestiality is not my thing … But it seems to be a
harmless foible or idiosyncrasy of some people. So, as
long as the animal doesn’t mind (and the animal rarely
does), I don’t mind, and I don’t see why anyone else
should. If bestiality with consenting animals provides
happiness to some people, let them pursue their
happiness.”
Frank Kameny - 2008
“Homosexuality is normal”
Position Statement 1999
“The APA opposes any psychiatric treatment,
such as “reparative” or “conversion” therapy,
which is based upon the assumption that
homosexuality per se is a mental disorder, or
based on the assumption that the patient
should change his/her sexual
orientation.”
“Homosexuality is normal”
The facts about homosexual mental health:
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Shorter life span by 25-30 years
6 times more likely to have attempted suicide
Addicted to sex without limits
Higher incidence of substance abuse – drugs and
alcohol
Multiple sexual partners – mostly strangers
4% faithful to partners (cf 83% heterosexuals)
Not due to social inacceptance – NY and SF
False
Arguments
The Discrimination Argument
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Women, racial minorities and the disabled were
discriminated against in the past
The fight against discrimination has been won
It is now time to stop discriminating against
homosexuals
What you are vs What you do
Non discrimination vs Special treatment
Hate crimes?
“Non-homosexuals are worse!”
The Red Herring:
 Heterosexual men
Visit prostitutes
 Beat their wives
 Are paedophiles
 Get AIDS and other STD's
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Ad hominem
Attacking the person rather than
discussing the issue:
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“I'm personally insulted!”
“You're being unloving / intolerant /
bigoted / self-righteous / noninclusiveness / closed-minded /
discriminatory / judgemental / ignorant
/ homophobic / religious fanatic!”
Loaded words
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Fundamentalist, Christian Taleban
Intolerant, bigot, basic human rights
Judge not, lest you be judged
Secular vs Secularism
Hip, cool, progressive, sensitive, inclusive
Ignorant, fearful, hateful, bigoted,
backward
Sweeping statements
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“It is widely accepted...”
“The vast majority of......”
“Study after study documents...”
“Research has shown...”
“Biblical scholars agree that...”
“What utter rubbish...”
The attack on
the Bible
“The Bible is irrelevant”
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"The Bible? What is that? Is it relevant?"
"Oh God, Bible-ists here.. doesn't deserve more than a
one liner."
"O, the hypocrisy of quoting scripture as an operating
manual for modern day life. ;)"
"Do not drag the bible or religion into this issue
because not everyone as u assume are Christians. and
even so i have many gay friends who are christians."
"I think that the same Bible that you are quoting from
to condemn homosexuals as sinners, was also used at
one time or another to condemn the mentally disabled
as demon possessed, black people into slavery and
women into subjugation.”
Interpreting the Bible
Some hermeneutical principles
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Take it at face value
Understand the context
Scripture interprets scripture
One interpretation only
Harmony of scripture
Grammar
Historical background
“The Bible does not
condemn homosexuality”
Sodom and Gomorrah
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Sin of inhospitality – not homosexuality?
"Bring them out to us, that we may know them....
...I beg you, my brothers, do not act wickedly" (Gen
19:5,7)
“indulged in sexual immorality and pursued
unnatural desire” (Jude 1:7)
“righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual
conduct of the wicked” - 2 Pet 2:7
“those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion
and despise authority” 2 Pet 2:10
“The Bible does not condemn
homosexuality”
What about all the other things in Leviticus?
 Dietary laws eg pork (Lev 11:7-8)
 Wearing garments made of different types
of cloth (Lev 19:19)
 Dealing with leprosy victims (Lev 13,14)
 Other forms of sexual immorality (Lev 18)
The Law of God
 Moral, Ceremonial and Civil Law
 The moral law is written on our hearts
“The Bible does not
condemn homosexuality”
“Biblical example” of homosexuality:
David and Jonathan
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Traditional vs recent interpretations
Brotherly love and devotion (male bonding)
David was heterosexual
Samuel the prophet's integrity
Use of the word “love”
Kissing in the Middle East
Stripping - presentation of weapons and
armour
Gay Marriage
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Children deserve male and female
role models
“Where is my daddy?”
Discrimination vs Institution
Symbolic of Christ and the Church
Cannot produce children!
Principles of Engagement
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Seek the glory of God
Be meek and gentle, as lambs and
doves
No shouting matches
Not out to win any arguments, just
to declare God's truth
Counting the Cost
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmJUdLUo8HQ
Anita Bryant
Counting the Cost
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The god of this age
Fear God or fear man?
The silencing of Christians
The exclusivity of Christianity
Counting the Cost
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7UyZYpeReY
Paul Washer
PREACH CHRIST!
Wonderful opportunity now
that religion is a talking point
 Paul in Athens
 Keep your conduct
honourable
 Jesus saves and transforms
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Conclusion
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Homosexuality is a sin
God loves homosexuals
Jesus Christ saves and transforms
We must speak against evil (gay agenda)
It is about spiritual warfare
God is sovereign and will triumph
To God be all glory!
Closing Hymn
A Mighty Fortress Is Our
God
A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great,
And armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
* Bulwark: a solid wall-like structure raised for defense
A Mighty Fortress Is Our
God
Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.
* Lord Sabaoth: Lord of Hosts (ie of a large army)
A Mighty Fortress Is Our
God
And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim,
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.
A Mighty Fortress Is Our
God
That word above all earthly powers,
No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also;
The body they may kill:
God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.