On this day of celebration of the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., a CNN writer, John Blake, examined this question. Blake wisely avoids any attempt to pronounce the final word on the views of MLK. Instead, by surveying the opinions of King’s friends, family and colleagues, he leaves the following impression: King’s record on the subject was ambiguous, but it would be most consistent with King’s thinking to extend “civil rights” to everyone.
Maybe that impression is on target…or maybe it is completely inaccurate. I don’t know. However I do know that although Dr. King was a Christian minister, as am I, our theology does not line up on every point. Why not? Our understanding of the inspiration, inerrancy and authority of the Bible is dramatically at odds.
What do you think? Should we all link arms with the gay community to promote their civil rights in the name of Jesus Christ? Why or why not? What is the basis of authority on which you have settled your convictions?
Last year I spoke on the topic of homosexuality from a biblical perspective. You can listen here.
No doubt Dr. King was a gifted man who had a tremendous influence for good. In fact, it’s disheartening to not see more people with his inspiring zeal. When I studied Dr. King’s works a few years ago; however, I was dissapointed to see his differences on the authority and inspiration of scripture. Even worse, he denied the physical death, burial and ressurection of Jesus Christ. Paul in 1 Cor 15 would call this “vain” faith, and unfortunately, this wouldn’t make Dr. King a faithful witness and minister of the word of God. Not only so, this would show his social gospel as teaching ‘another gospel’.
Dr. King himself best said it this way:
“Religion and education must play a great role in changing the heart. But we must go on to say that while it may be true that morality cannot be legislated, behavior can be regulated.”
Scripture has a lot to say on homosexual behavior. One would have to do some serious exegetical gymnastics to deny the truth of how clear the scriptures are. Using Dr. King’s definition and principle, if homosexual behavior is destructive…it could be regulated.
I’ll defer to R. Albert Mohler, Jr., president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and his review of pornography in America in my approach to Homosexuals and Civil Rights.
He states, “Pornography was not invented by Hugh Hefner, of course. His commercial achievement was finding a way to mainstream porn in the culture by selling it as a liberated lifestyle, complete with other features of the “good life,” including everything from fast cars to expensive clothes–all intended to sell a new image to the American male, who would rationalize pictures of naked women as “art” and culture.”
“The story of Hugh Hefner is the story of America in the midst of a great social and moral transformation–the Sexual Revolution. In the span of a few short decades, America (and much of the Western world) rewrote the entire system of sexual ethics. What had once been condemned was now celebrated, and what was once unmentionable became material for mainstream conversation, entertainment, and debate. Few revolutions have been so comprehensive in scope and reach–from the personal to the political. And Hugh Hefner has been one of the major revolutionaries of our times… Just this month, Hefner’s daughter, Christine Hefner, the CEO of Playboy Enterprises, announced that the company intends to roll out a new line of product for homosexual men. “We’ve extended the Playboy brand to women, and where there is a meaningful gay market, launching under a different brand is something we are very comfortable doing,” she said. Like father, like daughter.
Yes I would comment that It began with Hefner’s idea for a magazine that would mainstream pornography. He obtained revealing photographs of Marilyn Monroe and intended to launch his new magazine to the American male. Few brands have become so dominant in America’s cultural imagination– and it has opened an unimaginable door to unspeakable evil, abuse, sex addiction and so much damage to the fabric of our society.
About a year ago I came upon an arrest warrant of one of my deceased relatives. This person was jailed in the early 1950s on the charge of “adultery.” How far we have come; can anyone imagine being arrested today for adultery? Censored for pornography? Sanctioned for fornication / pre-marital sex?
No, it seems we have lost our moral compass (nothing new, just look at Rome with Nero). So how does this relate to Homosexuality: the Next Frontier of the Civil Rights Movement?
I should at this point state that my views and opinions are targeted towards christendom as a whole :
In my opinion, we’re too late and ill-prepared for this particular moral and social battle. We won’t win this one – the church lost this battle in America over the past seven decades. Homosexuals will get their civil rights, and likely in the end, get non-discrimination laws in the work place, the home, and marriage, as well as having their conduct embraced in our culture. The prince of this world and his armies have been planning and have well equipped themselves for this very battle, much like the German’s blitzkrieg that rolled unabated through western Europe in WWII.
Yet, with that said, we know who prevailed rightly at the end of that long war. So will Christ vanquish His enemies and all will hail His name and every knee will bow, but until then, I suggest that the church review its existing resources and how we appropriate them in the larger theater of the spiritual war in which we are engaged. Primarily in my opinion, for witnessing to the souls of the lost and building up the work within the believers to further the good news of Jesus Christ to all tribes and nations.
Yes, I think we should link arms with homosexual believers. But not for their rights or our rights but for the sake of the Kingdom of God. As I read the book of Romans in the Bible, it says that we will always be slaves of something or someone – either of sin and unrighteousness or of God and His righteousness. I think it’s hard for me as an American to accept this. We fight for freedom and die for freedom. We celebrate freedom and condone slavery in our American culture. It is easier for me to live by my American kingdom now and save my Heavenly Kingdom until that time comes. My “freedom” in Christ came at a price.
The act of homosexuality is certainly a sin, but the zealous nature of the Christian community to attack it certainly bothers me. Sin is sin, but it seems we as believers act as though this sin is worse than other sins. Christ went to the woman at the well as we too should go to the homosexual. Accept the person, not the sin.
Agreed regarding our propensity to “attack.” However, some sins are “worse” in the respect that they have more devastating effects on the person in this life…which should lead us to even greater compassion. Love the person, warn against the sin.
I agree with Mohler – we have lost, or will lose this war. I don’t think this is cynical or pessimistic, just realistic. However, we can continue to stand graciously for truth, and we can remain confident knowing that God’s truth will ultimately prevail.
No doubt! We do in fact regulate behavior (murder is punishable by death or life in prison), and de-regulate behavior (adultery is not punishable by criminal law).