Sound-Byte Arguments
Have you ever watched a televised debate? Each and every show is more or less the same. Two groups of people with opposing viewpoints on some political or moral matter "discuss" their differences in front of an audience.
When an argument ensues between the guests, the audience either supports the person who shares their own opinion, or simply sides with the person who is “nicest”, or appears to be a victim, or the most vulnerable. The audience makes this decision even though they may not know the full background of the subject, and perhaps even before hearing both sides of the argument.
When the gay theologists are featured in one of these debates, they come armed with many forms of snappy quotes. Logical-sounding arguments are summed up into a single phrase or sentance so they are easy to remember and repeat. The aim is to persuade the gullible general public (that has little or no biblical knowledge) that their misinterpretation of the Bible is true, they are poor helpless victims who need to be defended, and the loving God accepts homosexuals as Christians.
However, these snappy arguments are designed to plant doubts in people's minds, and they never give the full picture. These arguments are normally half-truths. The facts cited are true or partly true, but are used to reach a conclusion that is false.
“Jesus never condemned homosexuality”
At a gay pride parade, if the “gay Christians” are there, it is almost guaranteed that at least one person will be holding up a sign saying:
What Jesus Said About Homosexuality:
The argument goes that since Jesus never condemned homosexual behaviour, it must be okay. After all “Jesus was more interested in love” says Troy Perry, the founder of the UFMCC gay Church.
Response
Although we have no record of Jesus mentioning homosexuality, this doesn’t mean that he never mentioned it. “There are, in fact, many other things also which Jesus did, which, if ever they were written in full detail, I suppose, the world itself could not contain the scrolls written.” – John 21:25
Additionally, Jesus did regard the Sodomites as being wicked when comparing them to the unresponsive Jews. “It will be more endurable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on Judgment Day than for that city.” Said Jesus – Matthew 10:15
Also, although we have no record of his own personal condemnation, the apostles whom he sent to preach for him did condemn homosexuality. – Romans 1:26, 27; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; 1 Timothy 1:9, 10; Jude 7
The pro-gay argument also implies that the gospels are sufficient for all Christian living, and nothing else is necessary. However, as serious Bible students, we cannot ignore all the other Bible books. “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16) In fact, some of the most important teachings in the Bible are found outside of the gospels (e.g. Genesis 3:15; Exodus 34:28; Nehemiah 2:1-8; Psalms 37:11; Daniel 2:44; Revelation 17:15-18; 21:1-4).
The gospels don’t mention other vile things. Jesus is not recorded as condemning incest, bestiality, child abuse, rape, animal cruelty, wife-beating and many other things. Does this mean, therefore, that since Jesus didn't mention them, those things are acceptable for true Christians? Most certainly not!
“Homosexuality is no longer considered a mental illness.”
This arguments states that 'everybody knows' that being gay is not an illness, and anything which is not a mental illness mustn't be morally wrong.
Response
The Bible does not condemn homosexuality on the understanding that it is a mental illness. Fornication, lying, adultery, false worship, and stealing have never been considered to be mental illnesses, but the God of the Bible says they are wrong. Whether the world considers homosexuality to be an illness is irrelevant.
“The Old Testament prohibits wearing clothes made of two types of fabric, and sex during menstruation. Surely we cannot obey this today?”
Response
While it is true that the law prohibiting the wearing of garments made from more than one fabric was not carried over to Christians (along with other things), all of the moral prohibitions were carried over to the Christian congregation. Acts 15:20 says that Christians must “abstain from… fornication… and from blood.” Both Titus 1:6 and 1 Timothy 3:2 say a Christian overseer must be a “husband of one wife.” And the Apostle Jude warned his contemporaries that the Sodomites had “gone out after flesh for unnatural use, [and] are placed before [us] as a [warning] example.” – Jude 7
Of course, the real purpose of this argument is to dismiss the entire Bible as old-fashioned.
“If two gays are truly in love and in a monogamous relationship, how can that possibly be wrong? God is love!”
The argument goes that if two men or two women are in a stable relationship, their relationship must have divine blessing.
Response
Author Joe Dallas comments “It is hard these days to say that love is not the final standard for right and wrong. Love is nice, after all; in our culture, it’s been nearly deified as something so intense and beautiful, it justifies almost anything done in its name. And with all the hatred and violence in the world, why knock a loving relationship between any two people?”
This is the arguments main basis. Love is warm and fuzzy, so anything done in its name cannot possibly be wrong.
However, what do the scriptures say? If a man and a woman are very much “in love” and have sexual relations before marriage, it is still wrong. (Genesis 34:3; Deuteronomy 22:28, 29; Acts 15:20) And if a man loves a woman who is not his wife, and commits sexual acts with her, despite them being “in love” it is still wrong in Jehovah’s eyes. – Leviticus 20:10; Psalm 51:4 and superscript; 1 Corinthians 6:9
Whether the two people are in love or not is totally irrelevant – wrong acts are still wrong, no matter what the intentions of those doing them.
“I tried to change but couldn’t, therefore God must want me to be gay.”
The idea is this: if you try to get rid of your homosexual feelings or stop leading a homosexual lifestyle, but find it difficult, then God must accept your homosexuality as good and acceptable.
Response
We cannot accept this. Anyone who wants to quit the gay lifestyle can do so. “And yet that is what some of YOU were. But YOU have been washed clean” says 1 Corinthians 6:11 and Jehovah God can give us “the power beyond what is normal” says 2 Corinthians 4:7. Just because one still feels gay does not mean one must commit homosexual acts.
Surely a heterosexual sex addict could not legitimise his actions by saying “I tried to stop but couldn’t, therefore, God must want me to be a Sex-addict.” Or, "I tried to stop smoking but couldn't, therefore God must want me to smoke."
The Bible says to "put on the complete suit of armor... to stand firm against the machinations of the Devil." (Ephesians 6:11) It does not say "don't commit fornication, unless you enjoy it and find it really tempting, in which case it's ok." Anyone can lead a celibate life if they choose to do so. Yes, even if it is difficult!
Propaganda?
Many of the above are designed to evoke the hearer's sense of injustice and compassion for the "victim" of the homosexuals. Along with these slogans, the gay Christians also label opponents as "hatemongers", "homophobes", etc, and launch personal attacks against some who resist their campaign.
The report "Goebbels' Principles of Propaganda," based on the works of infamous Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbells, made the following observations. "Propaganda must evoke the interest of an audience and must be transmitted through an attention-getting communications medium," and "Propaganda must label events and people with distinctive phrases or slogans... They must evoke desired responses which the audience previously possesses... They must be capable of being easily learned... They must be utilized again and again, but only in appropriate situations... and propaganda must facilitate the displacement of aggression by specifying the targets for hatred."
So, after reading the above, are the snappy phrases used by the "gay Christians" flawless arguments? Or, are they not actually propagandistic lies and half-truths? What do you think?
Click here to read the conclusion of this series >