It's about more than sin
Jonathan Pait
April 25, 2003
Recently a heated debate took place at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. The 59th session took place in Geneva and focused on the UN’s definition of discrimination. While at this time the Commission does not carry the force of law in all countries, the discussion coupled with other recent events should give pause to Americans with religious beliefs concerning the sin of homosexuality.
Brazil introduced a resolution that seeks to expand the UN’s definition of discrimination to include discrimination based upon “sexual orientation.” The resolution was co-sponsored by 19 other nations including our neighbor to the north. Canada, Brazil and several European nations seek for the first time to connect homosexuality with human rights law.
When you take notice of some of the stories coming out of Canada, you can understand why that country would be one of the co-sponsors. There is the story of Chris Kempling, a professor suspended for writing letters to the editor of his local paper arguing from a Christian perspective against the plans of the province's government to change the definition of spouse. The case has made its way all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada.
Canada has been having a high profile discussion on the national level concerning the recognition of homosexual unions. Groups supporting the agenda have been much more vocal and aggressive than in the United States as they seek to gain this status. A “committee on justice and human rights” is traveling the country getting Canadians’ feedback on the matter.
It is during one of these meetings that a supporter of such unions hinted at what our future may hold. Cherie Klassen, executive director of the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation, spoke in defense of “sexual equality.” “In America in the 1950s, I'm sure that there were also some individuals that justified discrimination against visible minorities with a religious or moral argument," she said. "Today we call them white supremacists."
With that in mind, consider that the proposed UN resolution "Calls upon all states to promote and protect the human rights of all persons regardless of their sexual orientation." It also calls for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights "to pay due attention to the phenomenon of violations of human rights on the grounds of sexual orientation." It "Expresses deep concern at the occurrence of violations of human rights in the world against persons on the grounds of their sexual orientation."
The biblical teaching classifying homosexuality as a sin is on a collision course with the homosexual agenda. Certainly, they have always been at odds, but now the activist homosexuals are seeking to bring the fight into an arena where there must be winner and a loser. The established right of Freedom of Religion will run into the newly created allowance of civil rights for sexual behavior. The steps are already underway.
1. Homosexuality must no longer be classified as a behavior, but a genetic disposition.
Already headway has been made on this score. Despite the lack of any conclusive scientific proof, it is becoming accepted fact that homosexuals do not choose their behavior. Even those opposed to homosexuality have fallen for this propaganda.
Recently, while watching Hannity and Colmes debate the Santorum incident, I heard New York Congressman Jerrold Nadler comment regarding Sen. Santorum, “What he's saying is he's comparing that someone who is gay, who didn't ask to be gay . . . none of us ask to be straight or gay. It just - - it's the way we are.” Sean, who appears to agree with the Catholic position that homosexuality is a sin, did not challenge the statement. Indeed, he responded later in the interview by saying, “You can be that way but if you engage in that act it is sinful.”
We do not have to capitulate on this point. If we do, then we have lost a major battle and the next step is just around the corner.
2. Homosexuality must be given the same status as race, gender, etc.
It is only natural that step two would follow the first action. If my “sexual orientation” is not something I choose but is actually what I am, then why shouldn’t this be the case? Granted there are some homosexual activists who skip over the first step because they freely admit that they choose their lifestyle. However, they still wish to have this equality.
3. Sexual orientation must be added to the Civil Rights Act.
Already from Californian to Florida there are local and state assemblies hashing out bills making hiring and renting decisions based on sexual orientation a crime. The more recent high profile case related to homosexuality is the Texas case. A search of the Internet reveals any number of organizations with the mission to win protected status for those engaging in homosexual behavior.
4. Pass hate crime laws that include homosexuality.
Here is where the rubber will meet the road for many people with religious convictions concerning the sin of homosexuality. Will seminaries be allowed to exclude people practicing obviously sinful lifestyles? Will preachers’ ability to preach clear biblical teaching be muzzled? Will Christians and pro-family members of other religions be excluded from public office? Consider Senator Santorum. I agree with radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt, “. . . if Senator Santorum is forced to pay any penalty for his remarks whatsoever, then you can no longer be an observant Catholic in the United States, nor many other sorts of Christians, and serve in the Senate's leadership.”
Hewitt went on to say something that needs to be understood.
Like Santorum most Americans do not want gays persecuted or punished, and they have many gay men and lesbian women as their close friends or within their family. They are concerned not about the legality of these relationships but about the sinfulness of them, and they worry about God's judgment not on the country but on the individuals, and they pray for mercy and the forgiveness of sin. They do so, hopefully, with an awareness of the "log in their own eye" as well as the splinter in their neighbor's.
In other words, why is it that Christians seem to get so hyped up about homosexuality? If it is a sin, why is it any worse than any other sin? The fact is that the sin itself isn’t really any different. The difference comes in the way the practitioners wish to engage in and promote their sin. Do adulterers seek special legal status? Do 30-somethings who hook up for the fun of it seek to ban speech that would call their actions into question?
Many have seen the agenda and are concerned for the direction it will take us. When we speak out against the homosexual agenda, we are not actually fighting “against the sin.” We are fighting against the political goals of those who wish to silence we who call it sin.
It goes deeper than just our own freedom to speak. Why do we want the freedom to call homosexuality sin? Well, for one thing the Bible says it is. But the Bible also says there is a remedy for sin. If all we do is run around yelling about how sinful everyone is, we are only telling half the story. Christ can set you and me free from sin – whatever that sin might be.
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