In hopes of helping the media become more even-handed in their reporting, Dan Phillips writes a list of questions he wished they would ask Democratic Candidates concerning homosexuality and related issues.
As I read his questions, I thought that they not only need to be asked and answered by our nation’s leaders, but by us all.
- Should people act on every sexual impulse they have? How can they tell which is which?
- If someone has a homosexual impulse, does he have a choice as to whether or not to act on it?
- Should adult children whose hearts move them to marry one or both of their parents be legally allowed to? Why or why not?
- How about adult siblings whose hearts move them to marry one or more of their siblings?
- Is being homosexual like being black or Asian? How is it different?
- Christians believe that Jesus can free people from being enslaved to destructive sexual impulses. Are they wrong?
- Jesus said that it was wrong to act out some sexual impulses. Was He wrong?
- If your son or daughter married a Christian who believed that homosexuality is a sin, would you attend the wedding? Follow Up: should bakers be required by law to cater such a wedding?
- Do you think Christians who believe in the Bible should be allowed to hold public office?
Much of the media limits viewers & listeners to only hear and think about one side of the story, but there is a completely different side that beckons serious thought.
Think on.
A Pilgrim's Friend 
Why do you want the answers to these questions?
Would you not rather know about economic policy? Or are you just obsessed about LGBT, to the exclusion of all else?
Do you imagine that gay sex is a worse sin than, say, gossiping or lying?
Clare,
Thanks for the comment.
By no means are the only questions I would like leaders to be asked. But this post was just focused on the often one-sided presentation of the issue of homosexuality and things related to it. I am sure you have had posts about specific topics too and understand.
I do not think gay sex is a special kind of sin or that homosexuals are specific kinds of sinners. I believe practicing homosexuality is a sexual sin like adultery, fornication, or any other kind of sexual act outside the confines of marriage. This is a simple explanation of how I view homosexuality: https://apilgrimsfriend.com/2015/04/06/homosexuals-the-gospel/
Again, thanks for the comment 🙂
Dana
Well, one answer:
If my child married someone who was filled with hatred for gay people, and told the blasphemous lie that this was required by Christianity, I would be distressed; but that in itself would not prevent me from wanting a relationship with my child’s spouse. It would be an ugly defect. I see no reason why anyone should be compelled by law to bake a wedding cake for such a person: horrible people get married all the time, and only homophobes want to refuse wedding cakes to anyone.
I read an article by a bloke called Evan Lenow which put it beautifully: Mandatory celibacy corrodes gay Christians’ capacity for relationship in general. But it does something else equally harmful: by requiring gay Christians to view all their sexual desires as temptations to sin, it causes many of them to devalue, if not loathe, their bodies.
Clare,
Again, thanks for the comment.
I am sorry if you have come across Christians who are “filled with hatred for gay people”. I assure you, I am not one of those people. I love gay people and want them to meet Jesus and walk with Him in His joy.
Nothing in my post said anything about “not wanting a relationship with (a) child’s spouse” or having a child with a same-sex relationship.
“I see no reason why anyone should be compelled by law to bake a wedding cake for such a person.” I agree with you 🙂
“Only homophobes want to refuse wedding cakes to anyone.” I do not think this is a fair or open-minded statement. Christians decline to use their skills for “same-sex marriages” not because they are “homophobes,” but because they see the ceremony as something that is in direct opposition to what God created marriage to be (a covenant between one man and one woman for life). Not participating has nothing to do with their feelings toward the people, but everything to do with what they see marriage to be. For instance, this poor woman (http://www.dennyburk.com/attorney-general-sues-florist-for-refusing-to-provide-flowers-for-a-same-sex-wedding/) was sued by two of her gay friends for not providing flower services for their wedding. She was friends with these men and they were longstanding clients, she was no homophobe. But nonetheless, she denied to offer her services because the ceremony is something that goes against her conscience.
“By requiring gay Christians to view all their sexual desires as temptations to sin, it causes many of them to devalue, if not loathe, their bodies.” I have a question in response to this, “Are all sexual impulses ok? If not, how do you know which ones are wrong?”
Thanks for the comment, Clare!
Dana
I hope you put this much effort in feeding the poor, sheltering the homeless, in ending wars, and spreading love. If Jesus was around today, I doubt he would be worrying about whether or not two people who love each other get married (regardless to them being the same sex) but focus on stopping Isis from slaughtering millions, getting the homeless off the streets and helping them gain back their lost life. People are dying every day become of disease, famine, war—-hate, but you, as a “Christian” are writing a post about two people who are the same sex who happen to love each other?
Take a stroll down memory lane. Human history is filled with hatred. Before gays, it was women. Before women, it was Jewish people(We acknowledge how horrible of a person Hitler was, but millions of people followed him because they agreed with his principals. Now, we think that was stupidity) At one point, America had slaves! There were many Christian churches in America that would preach how God was okay with slavery. It was the Vatican who killed a free thinking man who declared the world was not the center of the universe. Murder is a sin, yet the church has done it many times.
Jonathan,
I’d love to dialogue with you if you’d like. However, I am somewhat hesitant because it seems that I may be the victim of bigotry, hatred, judgment, and close-mindedness if we speak. Could we have a cordial, honest, and non-close-minded discussion?
Thanks for your post.
Dana
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