Gay Marriage Post Draws Fire, Favor

The Most Commented-On For His Glory Post Ever

The Jesus Loves Homosexuals post I published two weeks ago has become the most commented (and most contentious) post I’ve written in three years as a devotionals blogger. I had to delete the post to stop the comments. Well over 100.

The post taught me two things:

1. Gay marriage is one of the most divisive and vociferous social issues of our times.
2. Many many folks who call themselves “Christians” are as contentious and “anti-love-one-another” as their secular, godless counterparts.

A Divisive Social Issue

• I received more pro-gay-marriage comments and emails from folks who call themselves “Christians” than I ever expected.
• Some folks who call themselves “Christians” commented with blatant anger and disgust. I could feel the animosity in their words.
• Some “Christians” who commented attacked each other for their positions on the issue. Comments such as, “I am certainly glad that you are not my father. Your judgmental attitude is as sinful in the eyes of God as homosexuality is.” were common. Here’s another snide comment from a commenter who’s helping me prove my point: “I believe it says in the Bible that blasphemy is the “worst” sin, and maybe the only sin God can’t forgive. So what is blasphemy?
  One part of blasphemy is mistreating God’s children and we are all God’s children.”
  • Wrong! The only unpardonable sin is unbelief. And how about that definition of blasphemy, “mistreating God’s children“. Certainly mistreating God’s children is sin, but it’s not blasphemy as I understand it, as this person claims.
• Some “Christians” who commented I felt were rigid and inflexible. They sounded to me more concerned with blasting those who disagreed with them and not hearing what others were saying. No one, it seemed to me, was interested in agreeing to disagree.
• At least two lifelong classmates who were friends on Facebook unfriended me. One former classmate who has a gay son wrote a scathing attack on my character and beliefs.
• Those who call themselves Christians landed on both sides of this issue with equal fervor.
• Some “Christian” comments bashed gays and used derogatory epithets to describe gays and the gay lifestyle.
• Some “Christians” openly supported gay marriage and accepted the “born-this-way” argument even though God’s Word does not support it.

A Misunderstanding Or Misuse Of God’s Word

• The discussion turned quickly to comments about sin and “homos” and sex and God and forgiveness et. al.
• After reading many of the comments, I concluded not many of the commentators read my original post. Almost 75% of it was quoting Romans 1:18-32. After about a week some of the comments became convoluted, long, and confusing. Some folks rambled. Some folks just seemed to want an excuse to rant.
• Some comments were strong, well-thought-out, Biblically based responses to the gay marriage issue.
• Some comments were legitimate questions folks posted seeking answers to life’s questions. That was great to see.
• Some folks pulled familiar parts of Scripture out of the sky, using it out of context. They wrote things such as, “God says . . .” or “I believe the Bible says . . .” or “Jesus taught. . .” I don’t recall more than a stray scripture reference in the more than 100 comments I’ve received so far. In all the comments in two weeks, I could count on one hand all those who quoted scripture to support the points they were trying to make.
• Several comments confirmed for me that some folks who call themselves “Christians” don’t know or accept the power of God’s word in their lives.  Here’s an example: “But to qualify for the forgiveness He earned for us, we must be trying not to sin.” We don’t have to “qualify” for forgiveness. Ever. And I guess some folks still believe “trying” not to sin will keep them from sinning.  It’s not in the trying, but the trusting that keeps us focused on God (John 15:1-5). It’s not you and I who choose not to sin. It is abiding in Christ and allowing Him to live His life in us, through us and as us that will help us choose not to sin. Not anything we “try” to do in our own flesh.
• It became painfully obvious to me that many, many commentators are more interested in promoting their own agendas and beliefs about God, sin and the Bible than they are accepting differences and avoiding divisions.

After this post and all the response I’ve received I have heartfelt concerns about where “the church” is and where it’s headed. If the comments I’ve received are any indication, we are further polarized than I thought. Some are becoming hypercritical towards those who don’t think and believe exactly as they do, then calling anyone who doesn’t agree with them names.  Some in the church, I believe, are becoming a hostile, holier-than-thou bunch of narrow-minded, self-serving, agenda-pushing, intolerant, legalistic hypocrites. Unfortunately, some commenters to this post sounded exactly like that.

I continue publishing a wonderful series by Rob Morley called Welcoming Differences Avoiding Divisions. In his series Rob explores ways we might be able to forge a more unified body of believers to carry out God’s purpose for our lives. In my opinion every church goer could benefit from reading what this popular pastor and blogger has to say.