Last week the President, Vice President and Secretary of Education made news by publicly supporting homosexuals and transgender people to be legally married.  Many newspeople from CNN, Fox and NBC as well as newspaper and magazine journalists have said they were not surprised by the President’s support of the homosexual community to have legal marriages.  Various ministers have been interviewed who support the President and the homosexual community in this long term goal.

The President and his supporters are misguided in this issue.  It’s not just that their are more important issues that the United States is confronted with, it is a willful decision of people who should know better.  By championing a cause that is not vital to the ill health of the United States’ political system and economy, the President and his team have added fuel to the culture war’s fire.  A war that further polarizes a nation who already had come to terms with the fact that every citizen deserves the full protection of the law.

Marriage is not the governments, state or federal, to give or bless. Marriage is a gift from God who created it, a relationship with a man, woman and God and thus it is known as, “holy matrimony.”  Again the government is entering into areas of faith that will only lead to more grief as legislators fail to legislate. They pretend to do something bold and courageous by stating support for something that does not compare to the historic Civil Rights movement.  So why, after telling Pastor Rick Warren, that marriage is between a woman and a man, does our President say he has “grown.”

I believe the President’s mishandling of the Roman Catholic Church’s teaching and practice of their faith cost him the votes of many people across all religious faiths.  Having lost that vote, he seeks to strengthen his political base by giving the homosexual community something they have demanded.

Further the President is seen as weaker in handling the economy, than Mitt Romney is.  Is this a political trick to divert attention away from the economy?

There are men and women who genuinely struggle with same sex attraction.  That does not make them our enemy.  In some cases they are literally our neighbors.  For me they are just friends that I do not identify as my “homosexual friend.”  They are just my friend.  Friendship however, means that I tell the truth about what God has said in the Bible.  Friendship also means I don’t try to play God to my friends.  Since God allows people to do what is contrary to our nature (Romans 1:28) neither should I try and demonize people whatever their sin.

The Bible tells me have “love for everyone” (2 Peter 1:7, NLT), and  “…pray for all people.  Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.” (1 Timothy 2:1) and “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:18, NLT)

When I read or hear that Jesus never addressed homosexuality and that Paul was a homophobe, that is simply foolish, misguided or someone is deliberately lying.

Jesus expressly said that marriage was between a man and woman.  ““Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’ And he said, ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”” (Matthew 19:4–6, NLT)

It would do us well to also remember that the Bible is the Old Testament and New Testament, Genesis – Revelation.  God does not contradict himself.  When someone who wants to justify homosexuality teaches that Paul is saying that it would be depraved or degenerate for a heterosexual to practice homosexuality that is reading something into the Bible that contradicts what God has said.  That is extremely dangerous eisgesis (reading into the text).  It is the blind leading the blind.

The church’s reaction however must not be one of hate or vitriol.  Although I fear many will begin to demagogue and raise money off of the issue for political gain.  If the church angrily denounces and is seen as bunch of born againers hating then we will fall into a trap that will weaken our credibility and strengthen the President’s hand in this issue.

However we must speak truthfully, respectfully and intelligently with dignity to power and our neighbors.  I just can’t hear Jesus screaming with anger about this issue nor see him throwing stones at lost people.  I can hear him and see him speaking sharply, pointedly and warning the religious leaders who are just as deceptive as the ancient Sadducees and Pharisees. “the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Matthew 16:12, NLT)

The church must continue to be faithful to it’s divine mandate to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength.  We must love one another as we love ourselves.  We must do unto others as we would have them do to us.  We must make disciples of all nations.  We must stay focused on our mission, no matter what the culture does or doesn’t do around us.  Then we will be salt and light to the culture!

Finally pray for nation, our leaders, pastors and congregations, schools and communities with great faith.  God answers faithful prayers!

Peace!