Can a Christian Support Gay Rights?

Can a Christian Support Gay Rights?

October 15, 2009 in Blog View Comments

I was doing some light internet reading when I came across a blog post from a blog I frequent often and often agree with. The guy is a former professor at a Criswell Bible College in Dallas. He wrote a post about a speech Obama recently gave where the president said he would work hard for gay families to be respected and receive the same rights as any other family. The writer of the post disagreed and made the following comments:

There are many of us who continue to “hold fast to outworn arguments.” How could Christians do any less? The Bible plainly teaches that marriage is the covenanted union of one man and one woman (Gen 2:24; cf. Matt 19:5; Mark 10:7-8; 1 Cor 6:16; Eph 5:31). The Bible also teaches that homosexuality is a sin (Lev 18:22; Rom 1:26-27; 1 Cor 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10). Nevertheless, it is clear that this teaching is precisely what the President and the Human Rights Campaign would overthrow. Thus, Christians can never embrace this revolution and still be Christian (emphasis mine).

This got me to thinking, Can a Christian support gay rights, yet still be genuinely Christian? The comment above suggests that one’s political belief is closely related to the genuinness of their salvation. Don’t get me wrong here. I understand what the Bible teaches about marriage. And I certainly would agree that the Bible is crystal clear on it. However, it seems to me that it is quite possible that a babe in Christ can see quite differently on these issues.

Therefore, I’m not so sure I would go so far as to say that there should be a correlation between one’s political beliefs and their salvation. At best I think we can say that there is a possible correlation between one’s political beliefs and their maturity in Christ, and even then we should be extra careful.

What do you think about this?

,

Robert

I love theology and the challenge of making deep teachings non-boring. Let's face it, most of the time we hear theological teaching, it really is boring. Does it really have to be that way? Nope.

  • Ry
    I believe you can be Christian and gay, so I definitely believe you can be Christian and support gays. I myself am a gay & Christian. I have been to a Christian counselor who left the gay lifestyle and he also believes you can be gay and Christian, but that it's not God's best. The reason he believes this is because he got saved in a gay AA meeting. I've been to an AA meeting before as a visitor and I've seen a lesbian give thanks to God for her recovery. The Bible says, "By their fruits you will recognize them," and it's true. Read http://www.jeramyt.org/gay.htm... if you would like more theological interpetations of scripture that are more liberal on the view of homosexuality.

    But, if I were wrong and homosexuality were wrong, then yes, I still believe you can be a Christian and support gays. It's not your right to force your beliefs on others. Supporting gays means you support their right to freedom and freedom of religion and choice.
  • Brett
    The terminology of "rights" always relates to what individuals are empowered to have by way of whatever law they come under. So I don't see it as hypocritical for a Christian to support "gay rights", under U.S. law. They are entitled to a U.S. citizen's standard of living/quality of life regardless of their homosexuality - they are still humans, they just live a lifestyle that deviates from the societal norm. (I believe the Nazi's practiced dehumanization of a people group). That doesn't mean I personally condone their lifestyle choice.
    God loves them, so should we, they are his children, whether they receive that or not is their choice, it's available. If they do receive it and God's salvation through Christ, they may still have a weakness/sin/temptation for practicing homosexuality while they mature as a Christian. All Christians struggle in some respect with various weaknesses/sin/temptations.
    As for the concept of covenant, heterosexual marriage is not the only form of covenant there is. There are covenants in the Bible between, God and men, kings and men, men and men etc. The defining difference is that in this case the relationship proposed includes a sexual element between two people of the same sex. This is something that God/the Bible says is not a "practice" of those who will inherit the kingdom of God. By practice I take that as an intentional choice, not the case where a homosexual receives salvation but then still struggles with it as a Christian.
    I have found that as I intellectually mature that I see things in an infinite shades of grey (with a compassionate bias) rather than just black & white (upholding the law bias), so new Christians may wan't to reserve judgement that their initial view of things might not be their final view of things just like I am open to say that I might be wrong on this. I reserve judgement on my comments because I am still unsure of the longer-term impact on society of accepting into the fold of "normality" a lifestyle which may have detrimental cultural influences that affect more people than it helps of which I am as yet ignorant.

    I appreciate you bringing this topic up for consideration. Thanks.
  • Brett
    The terminology of "rights" always relates to what individuals are empowered to have by way of whatever law they come under. So I don't see it as hypocritical for a Christian to support "gay rights", under U.S. law. They are entitled to a U.S. citizen's standard of living/quality of life regardless of their homosexuality - they are still humans, they just live a lifestyle that deviates from the societal norm. (I believe the Nazi's practiced dehumanization of a people group). That doesn't mean I personally condone their lifestyle choice.<br /> God loves them, so should we, they are his children, whether they receive that or not is their choice, it's available. If they do receive it and God's salvation through Christ, they may still have a weakness/sin/temptation for practicing homosexuality while they mature as a Christian. All Christians struggle in some respect with various weaknesses/sin/temptations.<br /> As for the concept of covenant, heterosexual marriage is not the only form of covenant there is. There are covenants in the Bible between, God and men, kings and men, men and men etc. The defining difference is that in this case the relationship proposed includes a sexual element between two people of the same sex. This is something that God/the Bible says is not a "practice" of those who will inherit the kingdom of God. By practice I take that as an intentional choice, not the case where a homosexual receives salvation but then still struggles with it as a Christian.<br /> I have found that as I intellectually mature that I see things in an infinite shades of grey (with a compassionate bias) rather than just black &amp; white (upholding the law bias), so new Christians may wan't to reserve judgement that their initial view of things might not be their final view of things just like I am open to say that I might be wrong on this. I reserve judgement on my comments because I am still unsure of the longer-term impact on society of accepting into the fold of "normality" a lifestyle which may have detrimental cultural influences that affect more people than it helps of which I am as yet ignorant.<br /> <br /> I appreciate you bringing this topic up for consideration. Thanks.
  • I think Denny Burk has confused divine revelation with human confidence. Not that I'm surprised...
  • Stephen
    I think Denny Burk has confused divine revelation with human confidence. Not that I'm surprised...
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