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Point-Counterpoint: Gay Marriage

by Donald E. Hester on Thursday, 09 February 2012 Current Events 0 Comments

Point-Counterpoint: Gay Marriage

If you know me, you know I like to hear all sides of a debate. I think it is wise to gather as much data as possible and review all the evidence for and against any issue. That way you can then make an educated assessment and decision. Making decision based on your emotions is extremely dangerous. I like to take some time to think through a position and don’t rush to judgment. I don’t get fall for slick campaign rhetoric or user car salesmen tactics.

I found one of these videos very emotionally compelling and the other more logically compelling.

The first video is of Zach Wahls, a 19-year-old University of Iowa student spoke about the strength of his family during a public forum on House Joint Resolution 6 in the Iowa House of Representatives.

The second video is a response from Brett Kunkle of Stand to Reason.

What do you think about each of these videos?

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Church v. Homosexuality

by Donald E. Hester on Sunday, 25 January 2009 Current Events 0 Comments

alt The second post in a series exploring homosexuality and Christianity.

Redmond Pastor Ken Hutcherson of Antioch Bible Church is trying to influence the rights of Microsoft to provide benefits to Gay & Lesbian employees. A group of Microsoft employees started a FaceBook group as a protest. Do they think the Microsoft, a global company, will change because of Hutcherson?

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=6621894751&ref=nf

In California Churches across the county supported Proposition 8 to change the constitution of California to define marriage as only between a man and a woman.

Across America Christians take to the street with signs, claiming homosexuals are condemned.

Atheists use this issue to claim Theists are wrong or at least hypocritical.

http://www.wayofthemind.org/2007/01/19/why-do-christians-hate-homosexuals-but-not-shellfish-eaters/

These issues don't sit well with me and raise questions in my mind.

The first question that comes to mind is, 'What gives Christians the right to impose our morality on non-believers?' As a Christian why do I care so much, what someone does in the privacy of their own home with another consenting adult. I have heard Christian who fears that God will stop blessing America if we don't stop them. I really don't think that is a scriptural reason. I know some Christians will cite the story of Sodom and Gomorrah as a proof text. I think they forget to look at the rest of the book. In Ezekiel 16: 49-50 the reason of the destruction was given.

"Sodom's sins were pride, laziness, and gluttony, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door. She was proud and did loathsome things, so I wiped her out, as you have seen."

Starting at Genesis God spells out why he blesses. Abraham was bless so that all the families of the world would be blessed. To me if God takes His bless away it will be because we are no longer giving to those in need and not of His mission, 'that the world may know'.

Another question I have is should Christians influence a secular government to impose our morality? I know the nation has to have something to which it gains its morality from. I certainly would not want the nation’s morals to come from Stalin, Hitler or Moa. Does that mean I want the morals of a nation to come from the Vatican or the Church of England? This is one of the most difficult questions and one that I don't have a satisfactory answer for.

As for the presumptuous and possibly blasphemous Christians who claim homosexuals are going to hell I say:

1. To the Atheist, Christians come in all flavors you can't judge all by the actions of a few. You weaken your argument when you use hasty generalizations for your claims. Even if someone is a hypocrite it does not mean or follow that their claims or premises are incorrect. The recourse of a weak argument is to sling mud.

2. To those Christians who claim homosexuals are going to hell. How dare you! There is only One who will determine who will go to Hell and who won't. There is only one Judge. Last time I check it was not you! In addition, there is only one reason why people will not go to Heaven.

As I recall, the people that Jesus had the harshest criticism for was not the whore or the tax collector. He saved His harshest criticism for the religious leaders who claimed to be without sin.

Further proof. Nowhere in the New Testament does God, Jesus, Paul or the Apostles tell Christians to tell the Greeks to stop homosexual acts. Something they all were doing at the time. To me, that speaks volumes.

If I am wrong, I am wrong, please correct me. I am using the brain God gave me and the Christian reaction to homosexuality seems wrong. It does not seem to represent a Just yet Forgiving God.

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Point-Counterpoint: Gay Marriage

Church v. Homosexuality