Our worldviews are colliding and we are reaching an impasse. The impasse is not just about tolerance of different views, it is the challenge of how to live in a pluralistic society. On one side, LGBT groups are sure that the traditional Christian view of marriage is one that is full of hate and discrimination. As such, they believe that society should not tolerate this worldview. They show proponents of this worldview hostility, the same hostility that is displayed toward racists. Ravi Zacharias was asked about this years ago by a news reporter. She said, "I'll tell you what turns me away from Christianity. You people will talk against racism an awful lot, and I respect that. But then when it comes to the homosexual, you discriminate against the homosexual. I see that double standard." Zacharias responded:
The reason we are against racism, is because a person's race is sacred. One's ethnicity is sacred, you cannot violate it. My race is sacred, your race is sacred, I dare not violate it. The reason we react against the issue of homosexuality the way we do, is because sexuality is sacred, too. You cannot violate it. So my question to you, is how do you treat sacred one, and desacralize the other?
If race is sacred, if it is a given, than one must not violate that sacredness because of notions of prejudice toward another. The disagreements come because we disagree with what is sacred about sexuality. If the internal feelings are what we hold to be sacred, than discrimination against others who have these feelings is considered evil and discriminatory. If our understanding of the sacredness of sexuality is rooted in God's creation of two sexes, then it becomes important to make choices of right and wrong in relationship to how that sexuality is lived out. Becoming one flesh in marriage as a man and woman is the fully sacred expression of God's design. All other ways, all other acts to meet our sexual needs are considered to be acts that desacralize our sexuality, that violate what is good about God's creation.
In the many things I have read and heard explained, I have never heard an explanation of how the Bible supports the sacredness of internal feelings. Yet all the justifications of multiple expressions of sexuality simply assume that violation of internal feelings is at the heart of why we must not discriminate against others. It is a capitulation to the sacredness of what every Disney movie proposes, not what scripture teaches under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. If people want to make the case for why same-sex marriage should be affirmed by the church, they need to address this challenge. One cannot assume it just because our western culture assumes it. It is unreflective to simply adopt this worldview.
Depending on the worldview, a response of love will mean different things. If internal feelings are sacred, love will mean honoring those internal feelings no matter what. If God's provision and design are what are sacred, then love will mean helping each other live faithfully in that provision and design even when it conflicts with feelings. It is both hate and bigotry to continue the vicious attacks against Christians as unloving because of their perspective on marriage. There certainly are some people who cloak their hate toward LGBTQ individuals in religious beliefs, and a reflective Christian would clearly speak against that. But it is only because of their sheer ignorance that people insist that opposition to gay marriage is rooted in hate and fear. We need a better dialogue.
-John M Troyer
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In the many things I have read and heard explained, I have never heard an explanation of how the Bible supports the sacredness of internal feelings. Yet all the justifications of multiple expressions of sexuality simply assume that violation of internal feelings is at the heart of why we must not discriminate against others. It is a capitulation to the sacredness of what every Disney movie proposes, not what scripture teaches under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. If people want to make the case for why same-sex marriage should be affirmed by the church, they need to address this challenge. One cannot assume it just because our western culture assumes it. It is unreflective to simply adopt this worldview.
Depending on the worldview, a response of love will mean different things. If internal feelings are sacred, love will mean honoring those internal feelings no matter what. If God's provision and design are what are sacred, then love will mean helping each other live faithfully in that provision and design even when it conflicts with feelings. It is both hate and bigotry to continue the vicious attacks against Christians as unloving because of their perspective on marriage. There certainly are some people who cloak their hate toward LGBTQ individuals in religious beliefs, and a reflective Christian would clearly speak against that. But it is only because of their sheer ignorance that people insist that opposition to gay marriage is rooted in hate and fear. We need a better dialogue.
-John M Troyer
This blog is updated each day except on Sunday. Liking the Facebook page will not automatically update your news feed with new posts. If you would like receive regular notifications of new posts, join the Facebook group at this link. If you would like to subscribe by email, you can do so at the top of this page.
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