As faith leaders from around the country converge on Arlington, Texas, at today’s “Under God INDIVISIBLE” conference, I hope you’ll join us in prayer for the much needed spiritual awakening and national course correction. If you cannot attend, I encourage you to watch it on the DayStar television network this evening from 7–9pm (central). Whether Protestant or Catholic, Christian or Jew, we all agree that Godly principles must be upheld and affirmed in order for our freedom to survive.

The Attack on Chick-fil-A

As faith leaders from around the country converge on Arlington, Texas, at today’s “Under God INDIVISIBLE” conference, I hope you’ll join us in prayer for the much needed spiritual awakening and national course correction. If you cannot attend, I encourage you to watch it on the DayStar television network this evening from 7–9pm (central). Whether Protestant or Catholic, Christian or Jew, we all agree that Godly principles must be upheld and affirmed in order for our freedom to survive. Biblical values are under assault, as we continue to witness every day.

The current vicious attack on Chick-fil-A is against much more than one family and their business. It is a blatant assault on faith, Judeo-Christian morality, and freedom itself. Believers must no longer stand down and remain silent. Now is the time to boldly stand together as soldiers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus made it clear that He is sending His followers out as “sheep in the midst of wolves.” How true this is! He did not, however, say we are sent as sheep to the slaughter. We are commanded to suit up in the “whole armor of God” and become “more than conquerors” because “the Lord is our shepherd” and promises to care for us even in the presence of our enemies. We are not to give one inch of our lives or our land to the predatory tactics of the father of all lies and the enemy of truth and life.

When Dan Cathy, a strong believer and president of the fast-food chain Chick-fil-A, was on the Ken Coleman radio program talking about the importance of the family in society, he had the courage to uphold the values that every Bible-believing Christian professes:

“I think we are inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at Him and say, ‘We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage,’ and I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to redefine what marriage is about.”

Now homosexual activists and others intolerant of biblical views want to roast him. The mayor of Boston, where the restaurant is considering opening a store, declared, “Chick fil-A doesn’t belong in Boston.” The Huffington Post’s Christina Pesoli, who is a vegetarian and doesn’t eat at Chick-fil-A, wrote, “I’m glad — not about the hate, but that Cathy is so out and proud about it…. Congratulations, Chick-fil-A! When it comes to the intolerance-and-bad-business combo, you really rule the roost!” Others have been much harsher. Even the Muppets have declared a boycott.

I confess I don’t understand how people such as this can call others “intolerant” with a straight face. Who is trying to silence diverse views? Who is bullying others into hiding their opinions? Who insists that everyone believe as they do or be thrown out of town? There is no place for bullying, mockery, making fun of or belittling anyone for any reason – period.

I appreciate Mr. Cathy’s stance and the tenor with which he has conducted himself. He never “bashed gays” or defamed anyone. His restaurants serve everyone without harassment or discrimination. He didn’t utter a single unkind word or incite hatred in any way. He simply says he prays for God’s mercy while unashamedly supporting the family. Guess what? I do, too!

I reach out to everyone with the same invitation: God wants to know you, love you, and conform you to His image. I don’t encourage unbiblical practices any more than I encourage young men to spend all their money on parties and take up lodging in a pig pen, but like the father of the prodigal son, I hope and pray everyone will return to the heavenly Father to live now and forever in His presence. I will with a broken heart continually offer love and forgiveness to those who have chosen to live in rebellion and miss out on the blessings of abundant life in the Father’s house. Jesus made it very clear, “The wide road leads to destruction and the narrow road leads to life.” I would be compromising if I withheld what I know to be God’s truth!

The reality is that God tells us in His word that there are two choices we all must make: life or death. Jesus urges us to choose the narrow path to life. He doesn’t force us to choose it, so I don’t believe Christians should ever force others to conform to God’s standards. Some people don’t like to hear it, but we must faithfully speak God’s truth in love. With kindness in our hearts, and firmness in our convictions, we must declare the truth of His word, not the popular preferences of the world.

Dan Cathy told the Baptist Press,“[We are] based on biblical principles, asking God and pleading with God to give us wisdom on decisions we make about people and the programs and partnerships we have. And He has blessed us.”

When we seek God’s wisdom and guidance, He does bless us. And even if Chick-fil-A is thrown out of every city that has an intolerant mayor, God will continue to bless Dan Cathy. In fact, He already has. Gov. Mike Huckabee, who worked at my side with our ministry for four years, has stood up against the bullying and declared Wednesday, August 1, to be “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.” His proposition is simple: Support Dan Cathy’s loyalty to God’s truth by eating a nugget or two. Maybe even tweet about it or post it on your Facebook page. I’d suggest you go the extra mile and invite a needy family and buy their meal.

Late Wednesday night I received another email from Gov. Huckabee. He asked me to urge the 6,000 church leaders and believers registered for the “Under God INDIVISIBLE” conference to stand with the Cathy family and Chick-fil-A. “With the mayors of both Boston and Chicago saying they will block the company from even opening a store in their cities, it’s a stunning revelation of how far the culture has fallen,” he said. “What’s next? Will the mayors evict Catholic and Evangelical churches because they preach Biblical marriage?” He challenged Christians to stand up not by carrying signs or getting in someone’s face, but just to show affirmation and encouragement to a Christian family who are under a hateful, vile attack.

We cannot prevent people from choosing the wide road that leads to hell or creating their own hellish circumstances, but we can boldly stand together against their attempts to create a hell on earth for us, our children, and those we love. As I have consistently shared in this weekly commentary, on LIFE Today, and everywhere I speak, we are indeed fighting for the future of our nation and freedom around the world.

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27 comments

  1. James I greatly appreciate your views. So I hope you will respond to my questions and thioughts as earnest. I am trying to process the Chick-fil-A thing. I understand people who support Cathy’s statements, though I find them questionable. It seems to me that saying we as a nation might be facing God’s judgment is more of Cathy shaking his fist saying he has a better grip on the notion of dispensing judgment over grace than God the Son. It is public record that Cathy has financially supported the Family Research Council. FRC representatives are on record as saying that homosexuals are pedophiles and that they brainwash children. Peter Sprigg of the FRC also stated unequivocally on MSNBC that homosexuality should be criminalized. I watched the program, and here is a link referencing it in Christianity Today.
    http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/februaryweb-only/15-51.0.html The other day Tony Perkins was on the Mike Huckabee show pointing the finger at the Southern Poverty Law Center for creating the kind of environment that led to the shooting at FRC. I think SPLC’s characterization of FRC as a hate group is horribly mistaken as it goes to motives of the heart. Still,I watched the show hoping Perkins would use the opportunity to tone down the rhetoric and perhaps self-reflect on the logical connection between regular anti-gay bullying that goes on in schools and across society, and the sort of provocative statements the FRC regularly makes. You say you do not know any Christians who bash gays or engage in or practise self-righteous judgment. Do you sincerely believe that calling gays “pedophiles,” “brainwashers” and “criminals” on national television contributes to ministering the Gospel of Jesus to gay people? Or tens of millions of unbelievers and believers who find that kind of rhetoric divisive? As for Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day, I favored people’s decisions to support it or oppose it. I realize the Chick-fil-A menu is less toxic than some junk food chains, but I respect my own body as a temple of the Holy Spirit far to much to consume the cooked saturated fat they use in their ingredients and many of the other 56 ingredients that are included in their toxic junk food sandwiches. Many of which can only be pronounced by a chemist. I’ve watched the dialog shift over the years from the “homosexual lifestyle” to the “homosexual agenda.” I often wonder why it took evangelical spokesmen decades to discover what most people seemed to know as a matter of simple awareness – that there is no such thing as a “homosexual lifestyle.” It seems to me that Cathy as well as many others in the Evangelical community are quite fixated on what un-believing homosexuals do with their bodies. It reminds me of the old “catch the fish before you wash them adage” as it applies to salvation. I don’t suppose there is any likelihood that Cathy and Chick-fil-A would see the point in focusing more energy and lobbying money on what obesity is doing to the bodies of Christian people in this country, as that would require some serious food prep re-tooling of thier own. But I do believe it is observsationally clear that the environment for sharing the grace of Jesus Christ with gays is not just being polluted by unbelieving left-wing idealogues.

  2. Wayne,

    I appreciate your time and thoughtfulness in your comments. You bring up many mixed points, so allow me to attempt to distill it all down to a few concise observations without fixating too much on the personalities and addressing the core principles.

    First, the overwhelming support for Chik-Fil-A seems to be resounding with the American people on two levels: First, those who oppose the extremely aggressive push by a small group of homosexual activists and their sympathizers to equate homosexuality with biblical marriage. Second, those who dislike the intolerance for differing views and the accompanying demand that their free speech be punished.

    The situation has moved beyond a quest for tolerance into an intolerant demand for silence on the part of anyone who dares dissent. I will not be surprised when the day comes that every church that does not endorse gay marriage and/or homosexuality is branded a “hate group,” likely with legal consequences. Many conservative and Christian leaders feel like they were silent too long on the sin of homosexuality and that this brazen attempt to overtake our children’s generation is a result of their passivity. At the same time, there are many Christian groups who will help any individual who seeks to overcome their homosexual acts and impulses. Oddly enough, these groups and ministries are blasted as “haters” as well.

    The problem here is that too many people patently refuse to separate the sin from the sinner. Consider the scripture that says God hates divorce. To the spiritually dull mindset, this means God hates everyone who has suffered a divorce. But to those who understand God’s nature and honestly deal with the issue, they know that God hates what divorce does to people while always loving the people involved. The same is true with homosexuality and every other sin. Sin is a spiritual cancer. We hate the cancer, but love the person battling it! But the pressure now is to accept or even embrace the cancer, which Christians absolutely should not do.

    Those who support the homosexual activists’ goals rarely deal honestly with those of us who oppose them. They constantly shift the argument, attribute words and attitudes to us that are false and malicious, and take things out of context to bend to their advantage. The grace that does exist will rarely, if ever, be acknowledged or reported by the secular media. I would strongly advise believers to avoid the trap that they lay. Do not be manipulated by them or anyone else, but stick to the truth of God’s word. Show individuals love, without compromising biblical principles. It is possible. Yet realize that standing with conviction will always anger some people. Jesus said in His very first sermon, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad…” His word divides. It always has and always will. Our responsibility is to proclaim the truth in love. Just know that when we do that, some people will hate us, mock us, and seek to harm us. In the end, we simply follow Paul’s admonition to “take up the full armor of God [truth, righteousness, readiness, faith, God’s word, prayer], so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”

  3. So its okay for Dan T. Cathy to donate money to groups that want to strip gay Americans of their rights but we’re not allowed to have a different viewpoint and state our opinions? Mr. Cathy states his opinion and you applaud it, but when those that disagree with him state their opinions, suddenly they free speech is not allowed. If he wants to fight for his beliefs, then you better believe that those he wishes to erase from society will stand up to defend themselves from eradication and not just sit by while hateful people us God as a defense to strip away our rights and leave us second class citizens.

  4. Brendan,

    I want to encourage you to exercise your right in what ever capacity you desire. As an American, you have been provided the right to believe whatever you subscribe to. As an American, your opinion is as important as the next person’s and I support you in that freedom. If you and I were engaged in a debate, I would want you to have complete freedom to speak about your philosophy and the issues which are important to you, and I would genuinely respect your position.

    As a Christian, and I speak for all Christians, we are not using God to express hatred or any type of vengeance upon gays or lesbians. I am sure there are those persons (not Christians) who are homophobic and have strong prejudicial and vindictive feelings toward those of the gay community. But, should you have the privilege to meet a genuine Christian, you will find them to be the most compassionate, loving, and forgiving of any group of people. I want you to understand that Christians are not better than any one else nor do they see others as inferior to them. We as Christians live for one purpose and that is to introduce every person to the man who to took our place on an old rugged cross and gave his life so we could have access to the greatest gift ever provided…the unmerited gift of salvation and eternal life.

    Jesus Christ did that for you and for me. I am not gay, but prior to my experience with Jesus Christ, my personal sins and transgression, my fleshly lusts, my rebellion and disobedience, and my cup of iniquity was spilling over on the feet of the Lamb of God who came to take away my sin. Do you know what Jesus Christ did? As the filth of my sin poured out upon his precious feet, he reached down and pulled me up out of the pit and embraced me close to himself. He wrapped his robe of love and righteousness around me, washed the stench of my sin off of me, and gave me his seal of promise, the Holy Spirit, to be my comforter and guide as I walk through this valley of the shadow of death.

    Jesus Christ showed me the hand writing of ordinance that was against me, that I was worthy of death, and I was guilty of breaking every law he had given. I begin to see the emptiness and miserable condition I was in and that no matter what I attempted in life, that gaping hole in my soul could not be healed. He took his tender nailed scarred hands that had been fastened to the cross and by his holy fire completely burned the ordinance which displayed my guilty verdict and in its place he handed me the document of my heavenly inheritance…eternal life and treasures beyond what the eye can see or the imagination of the heart can conceive.

    Brendan my dear friend, I want you to exercise your rights as an American, but I would also desire that you would consider another right you may not be aware of. The right of which I refer you to is Jesus Christ, the Tree of Life. You have the right to his forgiveness, his love, his mercy, and his inheritance. This is your divine right provided to you from a heavenly government which will never end. Heaven and earth will pass away, but the government of Jesus Christ will never pass away. I encourage you to read about your rights in Revelation 22:

    “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according to his life on earth. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

    Blessed are you that do his commandments, that you may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are those who practice immoral perversions, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loves and invents lies.”

    I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

    And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is thirsty come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. This invitation is specifically for you Brendan. You are as thirsty for Eternal Life as I am.

    For I testify unto every man (you and I are included Brendan)that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man will add unto these things, God will add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man will take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

    He which testifies these things says, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

    Brendan, Today is your day of salvation. In the past God overlooked ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed, Jesus Christ. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.

    God Bless you my friend…

  5. As a Christian I am amazed at those that call us bigots and think that we should not allow our biblical beliefs to guide us. The Bible has many “laws” that influence and even became the basis of civil and criminal laws. Why not throw out stealing, murder, lying, cheating, and all the other “laws” the Bible supports.
    Shoving it down others throats is not our purpose. Standing up for what we believe is the purpose. Why are you intolerant of someone who supports the Biblical position against any obvious breach of what the Bible teaches.
    I detest those that support the pornography industry through the profits they make from the industry, but it is their right under the freedom we once had in this country to do so.
    Mike

  6. “We are indeed fighting for the future of our nation and freedom around the world.” This statement by James Robison gives testament to the heart of every Christian.

    We are indeed in a spiritual battle and the compelling urgency to “fight the good fight of faith” and “to contend for the faith…” is not a novel idea or the scheme of radical activists. This is a divine commission given by the Author and Finisher of the Faith, Jesus Christ. This nation and the world fails to realize that the church of Jesus Christ is “no longer the tail, but she is the head” as was prophesied in Deuteronomy 28. This prophecy applies not only to Israel as a nation, but equally applied to the royal priesthood, the holy nation, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. The government of Jesus Christ has taken preeminence of her life and she gives testimony to the Gospel of Jesus Christ as “the only way, the only truth, and the only life.”

    “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” This holy nation is an invincible army. She is fully dressed in the whole armor of God and she will not back down from the condemnation, accusations, and intimidating tactics of Satan. Her weapons are divine love, forgiveness, healing, salvation, the Holy Spirit, the infallible Word of God, the Fruit of the Spirit, and divine revelation.

    My friend, my brother, and my sister, we are engaged in the greatest battle ever fought in the history of Christianity. It is Satan’s last stand to seek who he can devour and he is using every diabolical strategy known within the mind of a psychotic reprobate and blasphemer. He has come with all the forces of hell, darkness, deception, fear, and damnation to take as many to the lake of fire as possible.

    America and its leaders fail to recognize the day of their visitation by the body of Jesus Christ through the Word of God demonstrated in the life of every Christian and likewise have failed to recognize the deceptive influence of Satan in the lives of humanity and his antichrist word. Satan is a blasphemer, reprobate, a liar, the father of lies, and he has no interest in repenting of his blasphemies and sins against Jesus Christ and his church.

    The battle is on and I encourage you read the outcome of this battle described in the book of Revelation…The armies following Jesus Christ wins.

  7. If you’ll read my commentaries, you’ll see that I defend your right to voice your opinion without using government to shut down your businesses. And nobody is “stripping away” your rights. Marriage has always been one man and one woman, and should continue to remain that way. You are the one trying to force change against people’s will. Not the rest of us.

  8. To Every Precious Reader,

    Each of us posit that our convictions and perception of this monumental issue would be the voice of reason which serves to give sound instruction and direction to all of humanity. However, the forum we are faced with has once again been narrowed down to one of two critical issues:

    1. Is immorality sin?
    2. Is immorality a perception?

    If immorality is sin, then the Revelation of Jesus Christ stands as the Divine and Sovereign authority to define the sin, conclude with the verdict of innocent or guilty, and provide mediation for the sin. On the other hand, if immorality is a mere philosophical perception of Satan’s design, then it is of no consequence and each person has the right to do that which is justifiable in his or her own eyes.

    The conflict and enmity between the two choices are discovered in the final analysis. If Jesus Christ is the final authority and supreme judge of all creation, then he has the right to justify and forgive whosoever and grant eternal life or the second death to whosoever. But, if it narrows down to Satan’s philosophical debate and relevance, then the subject of immorality is a mere fleeting obtrusive annoyance which will pass into insignificance.

    Upon that premise, “Choose this day who you will serve, believe, and follow. If Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, follow him. If Satan’s way of philosophy, his deception of conjecture, and relevance of perception void of consequence is correct, follow him. Choose you this day who you will serve.

    As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

  9. In the end, Jesus has no discrimination towards sin.

    Whether you are a homosexual, an adulterer, a monogamist, an abstainer, or within the realm of other spectrum’s of human sexual behavior, Jesus loves you.

    God will not forsake you.

  10. In Matthew 4:17 …Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”

    Examine the writings of the Apostle Paul who wrote extensively on human behavior that invokes God’s wrath. He said at Romans 1:18-19: The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. Here Paul speaks about the wrath of God against godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

    At Romans 2:5, Paul states: But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.

    Paul becomes more specific in his letter to the Ephesians: For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person such a man is an idolater has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient (Ephesians 5:5-6).

    Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust,evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming (Colossians 3:5).

    The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,dissensions, factions and envy;drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21).

    REPENTANCE IS THE MISSING MESSAGE IN MOST CHURCHES TODAY!

  11. Praise God for His everlasting Love and Truth and thank you Rev, Dan Cathy & family, and others for standing up for the Spirit-revealed Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

    This isn’t much of a shocker. We’re told by the Word that this would happen and a prophet isn’t welcomed in his own hometown and amongst his own family – yes, in this instance, even the church family. Let’s continue in prayer for the present worldwide church to be the Church of The Way, as in the days of old.

    Stay bold.

    In my prayers,
    A.A.

  12. James,
    It’s time for all of us to get involved one way or another.I’m not worried about being drawn into the political arena.If we don’t become more involved in a big way we may find ourselves in another arena.The one that the early christians found themselves in at the Roman coliseum or something comparable.
    Here’s a quote from Billy Graham: “Courage is contagious.When a brave man takes a stand the spines of others are often stiffened!”
    Be Blessed,
    Joseph

  13. You and Dan Cathy have it entirely wrong, Everyone is free to believe what they want to, Because of Freedom of Religion. However Freedom of Religion also is supposed to give Freedom From Religion, which is why our country is supposed to have Separation of Church and State. Dan Cathy has used business money from Chick-Fil-A to donate to known groups that spread hate and intolerance about homosexuals, if he was just against homosexuality verbally I wouldn’t have any problem with it, the reason I will no longer spend my money at Chick-Fil-A is because I know that a portion of my purchase would go to continuing hate and Bigotry as people continue to try to keep ALL Americans from having the same Freedoms. And by Bigotry here I mean the fact that he claims to run the business on Biblical Principals and harps publicly about several Old Testament Laws while ignoring some in his business practice, for example selling bacon and sausage made from pigs which the Old Testament says are unclean and should not be eaten. I especially hate when Religious leaders claim to know exactly what God would want, no one knows that. In the Bible neither God nor Jesus said anything about homosexuality being wrong, there is no way to know if one of the people who have translated the bible or edited it over the many years put that in there because they didn’t like it.

    The main point I’m trying to make here is that the only time people have problems with a Religion is when a group of the Religion tries to constantly shove it down the throat of everyone who doesn’t believe it, and right now there are many Christian groups in America trying to Force Christianity down America’s throat by attempting to make laws based on the Bible.

  14. If you don’t want to eat at Chick-fil-A, that’s fine. Frankly, nobody cares. Dan Cathy’s restaurant will continue to sell chicken sandwiches, serve people regardless of their sexual behavior, and still hire homsexuals, adulterers, monogamists, abstainers, and most every other spectrum of human sexual behavior. They do not discriminate. But when you use the force of the American goverment, which was designed to be by the people and for the people, in order to prevent them from competing in the free market, you have crossed the line of American greatness. You pretend you want all Americans to have the same freedoms, then conveniently exempt Dan Cathy from being able to voice his opinion and continue his business.
    And do you really want all Americans to have the same freedoms? Do you want a white supremist to be able to teach history in public schools? I don’t. Do you want a convicted pedophile to be a children’s sports referee? I don’t. Do you want the top three Republicans to also be the CEO’s of ABC, NBC and CBS news? I don’t. We all discriminate. You do, too. I don’t want any man to be the in-cabin sponsor of pre-teen girls at summer camp. I don’t want a first-year med student to be my heart surgeon. These are the choices we make individually and as a society. We discriminte because not to do so would be idiotic.
    Also, your Bible knowledge is woefully lacking. The Bible says we can know God’s will (Romans 12:2, Proverbs 3:6, John 16:13, 1 Timoty 2:3-4). Of course, you could just read Jesus’ words, who spoke God’s will. Some of it was specific for people at the time, but much of it is true for all of us for all time.

    On the specific topic of homosexuality and the more general topic of sexual promiscuity, the New Testament says this:

    “Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.” (I Cor 6:9-10) The term translated “effiminate” is Malakos in the Greek, which refers to gay male prostitutes and boys kept for homosexual use, as was common in Rome at the time.
     When Jesus was asked if divorce was permissable, he didn’t answer the question with a simple “yes” or “no.” Instead, he laid out the full definition and purpose of marriage. “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” (Matthew 19:4-6) That’s pretty clear. One man, one woman, joined in marriage so the two become one. That’s Jesus’ definition of marriage.
     Romans 1:26-27 says this: “For this cause God gave them up into vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.” Again, very clear. The “cause” of this is stated in previous verses as worshipping and serving “the creature rather than the Creator.” Homosexual desires are a consequence of not worshiping and serving God.
     So you have two choices: believe the Bible and believe that homosexuality is wrong, or don’t believe the Bible and make up your own definitions of right and wrong. It’s really that simple.
     As for “laws based on the Bible,” I suspect you selectively support some of these. Things like, “Do not commit murder.” Or maybe, “Do not steal.” Now, I don’t know any Christians who want all civil laws to reflect Biblical instructions. Selfishness is wrong, but not illegal. The same is true for impatience, unkindness, rage, disobedience, arrogance, greed, and boasting. Nobody is suggesting these be punishable by law, at least as a blanket rule. Disobedience in the military is punishable, and we’re both okay with that. But that’s why we have a Constitution as a civil document and the Bible as a religious document. They do intersect at times, but they are separate. So while laws defining marriage as one man and one woman are rooted in Biblical values, they are civil laws which our people have chosen. Early Mormons didn’t like it, in light of polygamy, and now homosexuals don’t like it either. But that is the law and our Constitution gives the people every right to keep it the law. Even in the most left-leaning states, “gay marriage” has been defeated at the ballot box. Leaving marriage as it has been for thousands of years is not bigoted or hateful.

    A minority of homosexuals are trying to force a majority of non-homosexuals to bend to their will. You are harassing, threatening, and abusing anyone who dares disagree with you. You complain that bullying is wrong (and we agree on that), but then you bully people mercilessly for not adopting your views. And you do it selectively. Where was your outrage when, up until a couple of months ago, President Obama believed in traditional marriage?  Where is your campaign against the majority of African-Americans who oppose “gay marriage”? And where is your boycott of the Grammy-winning duo Mary Mary for their support of traditional marriage? Homosexuality used to be punishable by law. Back then, things were definitely stacked against you. Now, nobody cares how many men you have sex with. It’s a free environment. But by trying to tilt things the other way where those who don’t endorse your sexual actions are punished by law, you have taken on the role of oppressor. It’s a shameful role to fulfill.

    -editor