Brokeback Revisited
I have several close friends who are gay or have wrestled with being gay.
As a result, I have spent time looking into what issues our Lord has with this. He is relatively silent on this issue, though he clearly says that a man joins with a woman to become one. Paul is more vocal, calling it an abhoration. Then there is Sodom and Gomorrah in the Old Testament. There are many websites that will give you differing opinions on the issue.
For me it comes down to this:
- Each of us is a sinner, and has desires of this world that are not of His world.
- We are called to love others, who are also sinners.
- Jesus is the judge, and our primary mission includes loving God, loving others, and sharing the Gospel of Jesus
- Our scriptures do not cast a good light on homosexuality. This can easily become a wedge that the Enemy uses
- As a Christian sinner, I pray for the Lord to remove the wedges between Him and me. Like the Alcoholics Anonymous saying: "One is too many, a million is not enough". There are times I must simply RUN AWAY (in my best Monty Python british accent) from the temptations.
The enemy wants us focused on the controversy, rather than doing God's work. I think that is Vern's point. We need to do God's work, which is loving others, regardless of the sin.
The enemy also wants to marginalize sin. Make it seem normal, like everyone is doing it, and that it is ok. Regardless of the sin - we are all sinners - it is NOT ok, as it separates us from our Lord. Brokeback may not be an agenda piece on its own, but the celebration of this movie - from what I've heard average plot/acting with great scenery - is the enemy's agenda.
If Brokeback and homosexuality caused people to flock in droves to the Lord, I'd say great. But I believe that our scriptures - not us as Christians or the 'culture war' - keep homosexuals away.
posted by Behr Whitewash @ 6:24 AM
3 Comments:
I would argue it's the outright condemnation that homosexuals feel from the church that keeps them away. Why on Earth would you go someplace where people tell you that the core of your being (which God made, by the way) is why you are going to burn in Hell for all eternity (as many churches do)?
Oddly, the Church remains pretty quiet on some other topics that, if they were as vocal about as they are with homosexuality, might impact the bottom line (this is where I get a little too cynical, admittedly). Jesus was pretty adamant about the divorce thing. For some reason, we don't have a problem loving divorced people (maybe because we know so many), or inviting them to our churches (because they fill our pews), or making them part of our congregations (because they are a huge part of our congregations, statistically), or sitting next to them in fellowship (because they're everywhere). And, church leaders don't go out of their way to condemn (or even address) the issue. (Don't get me wrong--I'm not condemning divorced people, just using this as a point to illustrate our tolerance of one brand of sin and our utter contempt for another).
So what's the problem with gay people? I'd argue they're less to blame because they haven't chosen their package like the rest of us.
"..people tell you..." should be more like 'scripture tells you'. I refrain from telling anyone they will rot in hell, knowing that there is another Judge.
"...having chosen their package like the rest of us."
I did not 'choose' the desires that cause my sin. Do I desire women because of my DNA, because of my environment, because that is how God wired this world? No hard science to prove any of those, so I turn to my faith.
"loving divorced people".. Divorce is an event, not a lifestyle. I can get divorced and repent of my sin. The way I read scriptures, I can desire men and still repent of my sin. Many believe it is the act, not the desire, that defines the sin.
"..our tolerance..."
I do not tolerate divorce or any other sin. I would hope true disciples would not either, just as Christ did not.
I know you were not attacking my personal position on this issue, but rather the 'Church's' position. We all know the church is a hospital, not a country club. It is good to have these dialogues to keep us focused on our work as God's disciples.. back to Brad's comment.
In think we're getting to the root of exactly what I was trying to illucidate by posting this.
Homosexuality is a very broad topic, whose scope includes same sex attraction (SSA, uncomfortable, but not a sin), cohabitating but sexually chaste mates, the promiscuous party hearty, and the loner who hasn't figured out just WHERE he fits, but the language at church makes him nervous. But somehow, it gets reduced down to sodomy, and then slightly expanded to include pedophiles.... and this becomes the caricature of the real issue for some in the church.
I respect that some view this film as a "vote for being gay". I was somewhat concerned about this before I bought it... having viewed it, I am not longer remotely concerned.
Given unlimited budget and time, I could never come up with a more compelling demonstration of why it's painful to be gay than Brokeback.
I agree that condemnation is a definite downer.
I am wiser for having viewed it. In the interest of preventing further potential voting, please feel free to borrow mine. It is not family viewing, as you probably already know, but has important insight to the pain and the family of origin of many who struggle. It also accurately portrays the difference between predators and others.
I don't think we need to focus on the controversy... I don't think there IS a controversy... Jesus loves those who hurt, and believe me, these guys are hurt'n puppies.
The best way, other than outright condemnation, to be certain that one never (knowingly) rubs shoulders with a person struggling with homosexuality is to simply not have a plan for inviting them... to not broach the topic. For some this works just like the military... don't ask, don't tell, suffer in silence, because silent suffering beats the risk of suffering compounded by coondemnation.
I brought this up because I have never been in a church like Aldersgate before. Aldersgate represents for me personally an incredible beacon of love. I have been loved here more thoroughly than I ever dreamed, and it is this love that pours out of you all that continues to attract me. I wrote this, not to be controversial, but to challenge us to be ready to walk along side those who struggle with homosexuality. To invite those who are afraid to confront their fear and let us lift them to Jesus.
-vern-
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