Interesting Times

Now, I've opened up a whole mess of stuff in a couple of posts. I've touched on religion and politics, then I jump right in on this whole homosexuality thing. I like great conversations and discussions, but, as I mentioned earlier, often discussions get cut off just when they get interesting. Why? People quit asking or answering questions. If you ask a question and receive or think of an answer for me it is fun to ask why? It makes me think of how it was when we were children and when wondering about stuff would ask questions which would eventually end in the inevitable, "why?" Often that "why?" would turn into a terrible circle, but did you ever just sit and truly ponder that "why?" for a time? It can open up some fascinating doors.

For example, someone may look at the article and ask me, "Why are you against homosexuals?" For me this is an interesting and troubling question, because it brings great assumptions against me. I am not "against" anyone except those that wish to hurt me or others (that includes those that wish to bring harm to homosexuals). I love people and only wish the best for them. I believe, as do others, that sexuality is somewhat 'learned' behavior. You may ask what I mean by this and that would be that, for the most part, how we interact with others and experience intimacy is something that we learn from the environment that we grow up in and, for many in this day and age, that tends to be pretty unhealthy.

We live in a time that we misinterpret intimacy as sexual desire and when we have negative relationships in our formative years it may lead us into negative sexual encounters later in life. Sexual desire, I don't believe, is something that is gender based and when boundaries are torn down it becomes cloudy as to where that leads and sexuality, though a gift from God, becomes twisted in our own sinful nature and the sinfulness of the world we live in. Utilizing the argument that God created me this way or that is a cop out - to utilize that would say that we should not condemn pedophiles, polygamists, etc. because God created their sexuality and their sexuality leads them this way or that. It's not a valid argument. The other arguments against Biblical interpretation attempt to marginalize the Bible and arguments that in biblical times modern homosexuality didn't exist because the word didn't exist is just assinine. The sinful desire has been there, but taboos have kept it in check for the most part and slowly we see the taboos become less and less and morality becomes less.

I don't see homosexuals as a threat, I just believe that they are being sold a lie for the sake of comfort. I don't believe homosexuals are evil, they are just sinful like everyone else. The problem, as a Christian, that I have is that to promote homosexuality as being a gift from God and to say that it is not sinful is a dangerous lie. Matthew 18 allows us to be loosed of our sins, but if we can not confess the possibility of somethings sinfulness or refuse to acknowledge it are we not then binding ourselves to it? I don't want to be defined as a heterosexual man, I am just a man trying to follow God and to help others in faith and stand next to others in trouble, weeping with them and praying for them (and possibly with them). I believe in the promise and I will not say that anything I do in life is sinless because I know that I am sinful and give my life over to God daily to guide me away from sin, but also to forgive me of the sins that I do commit. So, Lord, if this is sinful...may it be forgiven of me and may You guide me away from my sinfulness.