I just read this story about a NC Baptist pastor who was applauded by his congregation for saying that homosexuals should be fenced in and allowed to die. How very awful! It is terrible enough that anyone would even think such a thing but unbelievably terrible that people would stand and cheer someone who actually spoke that sentiment.
I really don't understand all the hate. People disagree. People can have broad and varied views on many different issues but why does that have to result in such hatred? Especially as Christians love and respect are the first order of the day even with those who are our enemies. Jesus taught us to love our enemies. If we are to love our enemies that certainly includes people with whom we strongly disagree.
One of the catch phrases I learned as a child was to "hate the sin and love the sinner." It was also emphasized to me that this phrase applied to every individual. We are all sinners imperfect before the throne of God. His holiness shines a light on our sin and none can escape its revealing light. We stand righteous before God based only on his love, mercy and grace. Humility before God and one another is what is called for. So I find it odd, unbelievable, distressing, repulsive when people supposedly speaking God's Word spout such vitriol. Who do they think the are? Perfect? Even the only one who was ever in fact perfect, our Lord Jesus, would not respond to any sinner with such hatred. He's the one who left the 99 righteous in order to save the one who was lost.
This is what I think about the whole issue. First, my political philosophy. We live in a representative democracy and not a theocracy. The non-establishment clause of the First Amendment of our American Constitution prohibits the state from establishing any religious principle as law on the basis of it being a religious principle alone. I believe the Supreme Court has rightly interpreted and supported the place of religion in the public square. Religion and faith cannot be prohibited nor can it be outrightly supported by the state. From the governmental and social perspective faith and religion is in the public square of engagement. However, it is not the only voice. Indeed, many and varied voices have arisen over the last 60 years that were previously silenced by the voice of the majority in days past.
The Christian Church has lost that overwhelming majority in our country and we are responsible for this decline for several reasons. We became complacent with evangelization. We turned to politics to resolve our diminishing influence rather than the Word of God. Some created enemies we could vilify and around whom we could build an opposition. Rather than love and grace, healing and forgiveness, we turned to law. We condemned rather than seek salvation. So here we are decades later seeing the results of that division, animosity that has grown in some segments of the church that results in such awful attitudes and statements as above.
As for my religious views I am a Christian. I accept the Holy Scriptures as God's Word. I cannot find any way to affirm sexual expression except between a man and a woman in the holy estate of matrimony. This means I believe that much of what our society affirms in this age of free sexual expression is wrong. I don't have to make a long descriptive list. I believe that anything outside of what God has ordained as the blessed expression of sex (between a woman and a man in a married godly relationship) is ultimately harmful to us. That's not to say that it doesn't physically feel good or sometimes even "feels" right. It is to say that God's Word warns us that ultimately it will do us harm. That harm may be physical, emotional, spiritual or relational. Ultimately, it does not work toward our good.
If I hated everyone who did not abide by this standard or made them the foil of a coalition, I'd have very few people on my side of the fence. Maybe this is precisely what has happened to the church, why is it diminishing rather that growing. Sin is sin regardless how it is expressed in our lives and actions. Sexual sin is no worse that any other action, thought or attitude contrary to God's holy way. God has sent us into the world to love sinner, to proclaim his Word. It is up to God by the power and presence of His Holy Spirit to transform people. My job, our job is to proclaim the Good News of salvation and new life in Jesus Christ. Our responsibility is not to condemn but to love even our enemy. So, why all the hate? I know one thing for sure. Hate is not of God because God is Love. Hateful statements such as the one above does not in any way reflect the heart of God.
