Homosexuality and Same Sex Marriage – Part 1

• The Disastrous Decision of The Supreme Court

I was in Washington D.C. in June of this year (2003) when the United States Supreme Court ruled in Lawrence v. Texas that Texas’s sodomy law was unconstitutional on "right of privacy" and "equal protections" grounds "guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The section of the 14^th Amendment that they are referring to is -- No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

This was a disastrous decision! Here is why. Their decision effectively put an end to the remaining sodomy laws on the books in 13 states and opened the door to the possibility of same sex marriages and new laws that will make calling homosexuality sin hate speech.

Homosexual sodomy was criminal conduct in all 50 states until the 1960’s. Since 1961 homosexual conduct has gone from being a crime in all 50 states to the Supreme Court ruling that it is protected behavior under the Law.

I grew up when homosexuality was categorized as a mental illness and Americans considered it a moral perversion. And, regardless of what the Supreme Court has ruled, our Supreme God says it is an abominable moral perversion. All we have to do is look at Leviticus 20:13   "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them." What does the New Testament have to say? Turn to Romans 1:26-27 "For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 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 recompence of their error which was meet."

From the first book of the Bible it is clear that God’s judgment has been upon those who practice this sin! In Genesis 19 we see that the old and young men of the city of Sodom intended to molest the two angels (they thought they were men), which were sent there by God. It is clear that the men of Sodom preferred men over women. They refused the two women that were offered to them. In fact, the condition was so bad that 10 righteous men could not be found. If there had been, God would have spared them (Genesis 18:23-33). Ultimately God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities of the area because of the prevalence of homosexuality in that area (19:24-28).

The true story of Sodom and Gomorrah used to be laughed and even considered fictional by many until the Ebla tablets were discovered in the 1970's. Many of the tablets recorded trade records with Sodom, Gomorrah, and the other cities of the plain, proving to the skeptics they existed. The size of transactions led many historians to believe the population of the cities of the plain to be around 250,000.

Listen friends, the Sodom area was a fertile area blessed by God (Genesis 13:10-13). But, instead of being thankful to God for His blessings the people forgot God, were filled with pride, greed, and lived for pleasure. (Ezekiel 16:49).

• The Degeneration of America

For years people knew that this vial perversion existed in our culture, but it was hidden and scorned. All that changed in the so- called 60’s sexual revolution. The year was 1969. Homosexuality came "out of the closet" in the June 1969 riot at the Stonewall Bar in Greenwich Village, New York. It started as a routine police raid, but homosexuals fought back with bricks. There was 3 days of confrontation. The event is now celebrated yearly as "Gay Pride Week" symbolizing rebellion against the establishment and bringing their perversion into the open. From this, the Gay Rights movement was born. Since then, homosexuals and those who are sympathetic to their cause have chipped away and chipped away at the Judeo-Christian sexual values that under girded our nation until we are where we are at today. Public education, television and the liberal media are conduits pumping homosexual propaganda into the minds of Americans young and old. An increasing number of voices are shouting the lies that the "gay" lifestyle is normal and natural. But, would you call this a "gay" lifestyle? Homosexuals make up about 4% of the population. Yet, they have 44% of all male syphilis, 50% of all venereal disease, 53% of all intestinal diseases, 43% of all hepatitis A, 35% of all hepatitis B, and 88% of all AIDS cases. The average age of homosexuals dying with AIDS is 39. The average age of homosexuals dying of all other causes is only 41. Only 1 percent of homosexuals live to be 65 or older. The suicide rate among homosexuals is 60 times higher than the general population. They are three times as likely to have alcohol or drug abuse problems. They are 45 times more likely to be involved in auto accidents than heterosexuals. The rate of murder among homosexual men is 50 times greater than the general population. God’s hand of judgment is upon homosexuals.

These people need Christ so that they can be transformed. God can release a homosexual or lesbian from the bands of that lifestyle (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

• What are the implications of the recent Supreme Court ruling?

• QUESTION: Thank you, sir. Mr. President, many of your supporters believe that homosexuality is immoral. They believe that it's been given too much acceptance in policy terms and culturally. As someone who's spoken out in strongly moral terms, what's your view on homosexuality?

BUSH: Yes, I am mindful that we're all sinners. And I caution those who may try to take the speck out of the neighbor's eye when they've got a log in their own. I think it's very important for our society to respect each individual, to welcome those with good hearts, to be a welcoming country. On the other hand, that does not mean that somebody like me needs to compromise on an issue such as marriage. And that's really where the issue is headed here in Washington, and that is the definition of marriage. I believe in the sanctity of marriage. I believe a marriage is between a man and a woman. And I think we ought to codify that one way or the other. And we've got lawyers looking at the best way to do that.

As a result of our President’s comments, "Representative Jan Schakowsky, Democrat from Illinois, sent a letter to the president complaining that he ‘seemed to equate homosexuality with sin. While you may not approve of homosexuality, as the leader of all Americans, you have no right to make such a judgment.’" (USA Today; Thursday, July 31, 2003; President wants to ‘codify’ marriage – Legislation in works to deny rights to gays).

Homosexuality IS sin according to God’s Word, the Bible and the President not only has a right but a responsibility as a "minister of God to thee for good" and a Christian to call it sin (see Romans 13:4). That is the decree of God. That needs to be our verdict also. We must clearly stand against homosexuality and same-sex marriage and stand for Biblical marriage.

We are living in an age similar to the time of Isaiah when he delivered God's warning, "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness" (Isaiah 5:20). Throughout our society there are many who are trying to force others to accept perversions of God's creation, which God plainly calls sin. It was God's design to create us male and female (Genesis 1:27). And, as we pointed out earlier, from the very beginning, man was to "leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). Ever since this beginning, homosexuality and lesbianism have been a perversion of God's purpose for His Creation. It is a sin that often brings judgment in this life and, if unrepented of, will always cause condemnation in the next.

• What Can We Do?
   
  • Seek to win people to Christ, then their lives will change
  • Preach God’s truth from the pulpit
  • Teach God’s truth in our homes
  • Model God’s truth in our lives
  • Speak God’s truth in public
  • Pray for our public officials
  • Urge them to vote right