Editor’s Note: Originally published on Crosswalk.com
Writing in the On Faith blog for the Washington Post, Orthodox rabbi Shmuley Boteach claimed that evangelical Christians have “utterly marginalized themselves with their obsession over homosexuality.” Is this true? To be sure, in the aftermath of the elections, a lively debate is taking place as to whether evangelicals have been marginalized politically or, to the contrary, have actually increased in influence. But what about our alleged obsession with homosexuality?
When Rabbi Shmuley made this accusation in a November 1st debate we had on the subject of homosexuality, I conducted an impromptu survey of the audience, which was almost exclusively evangelical, asking them to respond to four questions: How many of them heard a sermon in the last year on the importance of marriage? Virtually every hand went up. The importance of devoting time and energy to the raising of their children? Same response. The dangers of sexual sin (and/or pornography)? The same response again. A sermon about gay activism? Not a single hand.
This, however, did not impress psychologist and professor Warren Throckmorton, who wrote on his blog, “While I mean no disrespect to his audience, I am not going to trust that they are a representative sample. I certainly disagree with Brown about the obsession of some evangelicals with homosexuality,” citing other examples that allegedly backed his claim.
Are the rabbi and the psychologist correct? Was my audience not representative of evangelicals as a whole? (Bear in mind that the audience consisted of people who were interested enough in the subject of homosexuality to come to the debate, yet somehow, if Throckmorton is correct, they were less exposed to the subject than those who were not there. Go figure.)
Let’s step back and think about this in terms of day to day, evangelical life. Every year, there are hundreds of thousands of sermons preached in evangelical pulpits across America, and there are thousands of evangelical books that are published, from novels to devotionals to commentaries to sermon collections to testimonies to books on doctrine, theology, prayer, discipleship, marriage, family, childrearing, worship, education, politics, missions, abortion, social action, and more. There is an almost endless stream of evangelical radio and TV shows, with millions of hours of programming, and there are hundreds of evangelical Bible schools, ministry training centers, colleges, universities and seminaries, offering thousands of courses between them.
Of all those sermons, books, radio and TV shows, and college and seminary classes, how many are focused on homosexual issues? Less than 1% would be a fairly good estimate; less than 10% could be absolutely guaranteed. (I invite Rabbi Shmuley or Prof. Throckmorton to challenge this estimate based on a survey of any of the data just mentioned, some of which is readily available.)
What about pro-family organizations like Focus on Family? Haven’t they been obsessed with homosexuality? Actually, under the leadership of Dr. James Dobson, who stressed the importance of evangelicals being involved in the political process, less than 3% of the Focus budget was devoted to homosexual issues, including funds that were designated to help people overcome same-sex attraction. So, out of a budget that reached $130 million, less than $4 million was devoted to homosexual issues. Contrast this with the budget of an organization like the Human Rights Campaign, devoted entirely to promoting gay activism, and topping $35 million in 2010. Yet it is evangelicals who are allegedly obsessed with the issue?
As for evangelical voting in the elections, it is true that certain moral issues are important to evangelicals, such as abortion and same-sex marriage, but for better or worse, issues like the economy or the reach of the government play a much more dominant role, as seen in the recent elections. Plus, how much of our time and energy is spent voting or politicking?
The truth be told, it is actually gay activists who are obsessed with homosexuality (which is no surprise, since from their perspective, this is who they are and they are fighting a battle for equality and civil rights), and they are often joined in their obsession by an all too-willing media, which is also obsessively focused on anyone who takes a public stand against gay activism. And so, virtually every day, we hear about the move to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, or about gay teen suicides, or about the fight for same-sex marriage in the courts, or about gay-focused legislation like the Hate Crimes Bill or ENDA, or about some other gay-related story. And from another angle, as noted by Time Magazine‘s Michael Kinsley, “Kids are also exposed constantly to an entertainment culture in which gays are not merely accepted but in some ways dominant. You rarely see a reality show without a gay cast member, while Rosie O’Donnell is a coveted free agent and Ellen DeGeneres is America’s sweetheart.”
For the last two years, our president has officially recognized June as Gay Pride Month, and in 2009, he welcomed 300 gay activists to the White House to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots (“This is your house,” he said to them). In the business world, 300 of the nation’s biggest companies earned perfect scores from the Human Rights Campaign by kowtowing to their demands, while on our campuses, college professors have been fired and students expelled for expressing differences with homosexual practice. Yet the moment we draw attention to today’s pervasive obsession with homosexuality or raise an objection to the queering of America, we are immediately accused of being obsessed. How convenient!
So let the truth be told. It is gay activists and their allies, not evangelicals, who are obsessed with homosexuality. We evangelicals are simply holding our moral ground.
Dr. Michael Brown is the host of the nationally syndicated talk radio program, “The Line of Fire,” and author of the forthcoming book A Queer Thing Happened to America
Tags: Crosswalk.com,
discipleship,
don't ask don't tell,
Dr. James Dobson,
gay activists,
hate crimes bill,
homosexuality,
Human Rights Campaign,
Rabbi Shmuley Boteach,
Rosie O'Donnell,
same-sex marriage,
shmuley boteach,
time magazine,
Warren Throckmorton,
white house
Possibly Related Posts:
I think it is fair to say that some evangelicals are if not obsessed then possessed by their animosity towards homosexuals. For them it is hate the sinner, blame the sin for everything that is wrong on the earth today. I refer to those who have recently yet again attributed the unwise and probably unlawful actions of ONE man to all homosexuals and to predict yet again dire results if they are treated respectfully has human beings. There is a continuous pattern from SOME and I truly mean only some who claim to be evangelicals of ludicrous claims about homosexuality and homosexuals in general. It is an overused fund raising and vote getting tactic. And some of these are part of nationally known organizations that pull in millions of dollars yearly, dollars that could be spent doing something good. Of course not all evangelicals think this way and I know that you know that not all homosexuals make their orientation the focus of their lives.
So, Dave, you seem to be saying, or implying, that their is a “pattern” of “ludicrous claims” from “some Evangelicals” about homosexuals. You have asserted/assumed that such claims are used for fundraising sympathies, and that their is some form of bandwagonism of negative attitude toward all practicing this lifestyle from the example of one man practicing the lifestyle which you cited. I am uncertain what you are advocating as a result of reading what you wrote. Usually believers in Jesus Christ read scripture, and follow its guidelines on what is sin of the flesh and not, on what there is written on what Biblical commands and law states as opposing sins of the fleshly indulgence, and then assume that I John has something in mind when John states, “If we continue to sin we are none of His”, in other words if one practices “pattern sin” they are not in Christ in the sense of receipt of His promises given believers: 1) as to the provision of salvation, 2) an abudant life, 3) a rich fellowship, 4) conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment in reference to the future Return of the Lord Jesus, 5) How then we shall live, 6) as to “washing our robes in the blood of the Lamb, and, 7) as to eternal consequence of life pattern behavior. I found it curious that you used the term “pattern” for the Evangelical who has adverse feelings toward homosexual practice, and does not have warm feelings of trust, regard, and affection for a homosexual practicing the related lifestyle.
It is certainly a challenge for anyone convinced that bank robbers, murderers, adulterers, etc.–who are practicing these ways–to “feel” warm affection for such persons while they are actually indulging in such actions, or patterns. Homosexual practices are equally listed in scripture as alike “sins”, where, the Mosaic community was commanded to treat such with harsh legally resulting judgment. Granted, the criminial and civil codes of various States, and the Nation, are not ambiguous on the sins I gave to open this paragraph, but, if the basis of all law is the Ten Commandments, then such is consistent with Biblical standards. A read of Jude, the Lord’s half brother, or the second half of 2nd Peter, leads one to believe that tolerance for the practice or practicers of such sin within the fellowship of believers, is not within the bonds and warm regard of the Faith.
Yes, one is commanded to love the sinner and hate sin, but too for the “sake” of the
way and integrity of the Bible.
Jabez, you are correct mostly in your reading of what I said. The thing is though I’m not at all speaking of whether or not a Christian, Evangelical or not, considers homosexual behavior a sin. That is interpretation of scripture which any practitioner of any religious belief is entitled to do. Dr. Brown’s contention is that Evangelicals are not obsessed with homosexuality, which I for the most part agree with. I was simply saying that some are, and in my opinion, dangerously so because they feed into fears of some who perhaps do not understand the lines between thinking and acting. These people go beyond scripture and claim that their words, no matter how insane, are fact. I do not believe they should get a “pass” any more than those LGBT folk who consider Christianity the root of all evil do. I won’t go into names or examples because it’s too easy to end up in violation of the commenting guidelines.
Dave, OK. It is written, whever there is an issue, there is a multitude of opinion. Naturally, if that is in an area of crossing boundaries, some will feel stronger than others, I think.
The primary difficulty with any pattern sin is when civil authority becomes supportive it has all kinds of implications on entire generations.
God is Perfect Love. Love exists in relationship. God is thus a Communion of Perfect Love.
“Let US Make Man In OUR IMAGE.”
“Have you not heard that from The Beginning, God created them male and female, and for THIS reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh…”
We are all called to holiness. Only in a complementary relationship between a mature man and woman, united in Marriage as husband and wife, can two become one body, one spirit in Love, creating a new family. It is because we have been created in The Image of God that the Catholic Church teaches that all persons, regardless of race or ethnicity, have been created equal as persons, while being complementary as male and female and that our inherent, ordered, complementary nature as male and female must be respected. It is out of Love and respect for the dignity of all persons, found within our complementary nature as male and female, created in God’s Image, that The Catholic Church teaches we must never condone homosexual acts, or any sexual act, that demeans the inherent dignity of the human person. For this reason, refusing to condone demeaning sexual acts is an act of authentic Love, not discrimination. From The Beginning, we have been created as husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters…to live in a relationship of Love while being called to THE Perfect Communion Of Love, simultaneously.
Jabez,
Obesity is more offensive and more harmful to society than homosexuality, yet we allow practicing fat folk to maintain church membership. Shouldn’t we be preaching against that practice as much as we do against homosexuals?
Also, I can’t see where the Bible has ended God’s declaration that homosexuals shall surely be put to death. I understand it’s not politically correct to call for capital punishment laws for homosexual acts, but if a preacher were to summon such courage, shouldn’t he be given Scriptural support?
All’s I know is when I’m listening to the Christian station and I hear the duh da duhnt da dudnt I have 15 seconds to turn before I hear the word homo or abortion
DIVORCE & HOMOSEXUALITY ARE BOTH SINS
According to Christian theology, everyone is a sinner. So why, in so many conservative churches, are homosexuals treated as especially unworthy of things like communion or open leadership participation in church activities? The answer, and not a theologically irrational one, is that gay people are unrepentant of their alleged sin: they won’t admit that homosexual sex and relationships are wrong, and so cannot be taken seriously as congregants, at least to a church for whom the sinfulness of homosexuality is doctrine. Homosexuals can’t stop being sinful because, supposedly, no one can: but they can at least try to repent by taking actions to avoid “sin” and not trying to justify it. Fair enough.
What’s unfair is that conservative churches are packed with divorcées, many of them remarried. It’s just that if we apply the same logic to divorce we applied to homosexuality, then the logical conclusion is that most divorcées are unrepentant sinners. And if they really wanted to repent, then the conclusion is obvious: they should cease their ongoing adultery and remarry their first love, including attending to the usual marital duties.
There isn’t a lot of theological room for wiggling here. Jesus, for instance, pretty clearly identifies divorce as an Israelite perversion based on the “hard hearts” of Jews, who were traditionally much more de facto tolerant of divorce. He says, flat out, that what God makes one flesh, let no man separate. He unflinchingly calls divorce a form of adultery, a sin so serious that it, unlike homosexuality, made one of God’s Top Ten lists of things that he really hates.
So, at least for those that claim to draw their objection to homosexual acts from the Bible, I’m not seeing a way around this, even with the “unfaithful wife” escape hatch added.
I want to clarify that on Mr. 10 I wrote a lengthy response to Sarah, pointing out measures that qualify what she upheld, and pointing out what scripture stated on how the kind of sin struggle the author takes on here is an internal, “lust of youth” based reality which has a different course of personal demise than those based on external choices alone. Obesity can be a result of body chemistry, as well as overeating in certain cases; to be hard on the one because of the other is not in Christ’s best interests, nor is simply a negative take on weight (and I write this not being overweight). The response took a couple of hours of development, and though submitted, did not post, as lost in the fun of uplinks via the web.
The gist of what I shared was that culture has moved to embrace sexual departure from what the scriputures uphold as honorable. It has not in the case of “fat”. Paul wrote repetitive comments on sexual faithfulness, an errant self love, and how it would be in these last days. He did not write much on body fat or the psycho-social connection to any impulsive-compulisve pattern. He wrote on how sin itself could be pervasive if not seeking to align self will with God’s will–the will known through scripture reflecting the words God revealed to humankind.
A man having sexual intercourse with another man or a woman desiring another woman sexually is not what God wants. Is what Humans want. At the end of all the opinions about this subject what will matter and will stand is what God has to say about marriage, sexuality, and homosexuality. To me it’s common sense that a man should marry a woman and a woman should marry a man. God’s judgement on all those who oppose the truth about this is sure. God has already made up His mind what He’s going to do with all who practice homosexuality or any other sexual perversion. The only right homosexuals have is to repent and acknowledge that it is not God who has persuaded them to be homosexuals but it’s their own choice. People who engage in this behavior should also know that God intends to destroy them if they continue to falsely say that He (God) has created them to be homosexuals. If you value the gift of life God has given you then you’ll come to your senses and stop sinning. And don’t be deceived thinking that God will accept you as a practicing homosexual. God does not accept you! You must repent and admit that you are sinning and then God will forgive you and restore you. Jesus paid a great price for your salvation and God is not going to spare anyone who falsely accuses Him of approving something He has not approved.
Mr. Rodriguez:
How do you know what God thinks?
What makes you a theology expert, or even of human sexuality?
Adam the way I know what God thinks is by Faith. By faith I know that God created this beautiful home we call Earth. By faith I know that God created me and all other creatures on this planet and everything else. By faith I know that God is Love. And the Love of God can’t be explained through science. Love is not a formula. Love surpasses knowledge.
By faith I also believe that God raised Jesus from the dead and that God has established Jesus as head of all rule and authority in heaven and on Earth.
Jesus Taught that Homosexuality is a sin. I accept His teaching as The Truth. If you believe that God approves for a man to love another man or a woman to love another woman in a sexual way then you are free to do so. But you’ll have to give an account to Him when you meet Him face to face.
If you would meet Him in person and He himself told you that He didn’t condone this sexual behavior, would you still reject Him or would you repent and tell Him you’re sorry? By faith I also believe you’ll get your chance to plead your case before Him.
I don’t consider myself an expert on theology. I do know that I have The Holy Spirit of God dwelling in me and I don’t need anyone to teach me because The Spirit himself teaches me about all things. I’m also not an expert on sexuality but I’m human and I know that homosexuality is immoral.
Adam,
Obviousy at the core of Joe’s assertions is an informed source of information of the written Biblical text to go on to his conclusions and comments. No real believer is a law unto themselves, appealing in conscence and action to the written word as the completely sufficient authority for the claims he has made. He did not dream these up in a cubicle; they are found in common foundational literature which his words embrace in essence. And, to bolster his sharing, above, it is written that without faith it is impossible to please God.
Certainly practicing nonsanctified sexual relations is contrary to all that God in Christ represents as to faith.