Glee’s Pro-Gay Theology
Recently, the wildly popular TV show Glee‘s Valentine’s Day episode featured a group of religious students called the “God Squad” discussing whether they should accept money to sing love songs to gay people (their term). The writers had students spouting pro-gay theology that was doubtless quite persuasive to the majority of viewers who don’t know the truth that counters the propaganda.
“They say that one out of every ten people are gay, and if that’s true than that means one of the twelve apostles might have been gay.”
That’s a very old, very inaccurate statistic from Alfred Kinsey. A more accurate estimate is in the 2-3% range.{1} The idea that one of the twelve might have been gay is sheer speculation with no grounding in truth and no evidence for it, but it certainly planted the idea in the minds of millions of people to normalize it.
“The Bible says it’s an abomination for a man to lay down with another man. But we shared tents in Cub Scouts, and slept next to each other all the time. So that would make Cub Scouts an abomination.”
No. No, it wouldn’t.
What the Bible actually says is, “You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination” (Lev 18:22). This passage is talking about same-sex intercourse, not guys in sleeping bags sharing a tent.
Further, it’s always important to look at the context of any verse. That same chapter contains prohibitions against sexual activity we still condemn today: incest, bestiality and adultery. Those who want to dismiss verses prohibiting same-sex relations as archaic usually (but not always!) won’t take a pro-incest, pro-adultery, or pro-bestiality stance. Neither should it be okay to take a pro-homosexuality stance.
My friend Randy Thomas had a powerful “lightbulb moment” concerning this verse. He writes,
“The Father brought back the memory of Ron, the first man I thought I loved, and me together as a couple. In my memory we were in an embrace and I saw the Lord standing next to us. We were oblivious to His presence and He was grieving. His grief was so bitter I could see Him shaking with tears as He looked upon us. I was immediately struck with grief that God was so grieved. It’s a grief I will never forget.
“At that point I felt the Spirit asking me, ‘Randy . . . what is the sin?’ The only Scripture I knew was Leviticus 18:22 (that’s only because it was on the signs that the Christians held up at pride parades and outside of clubs). I told the Lord that I didn’t like that Scripture. But He persisted, ‘What is the sin?’ I thought through the verse again: ‘When one man lies with another as a woman it is an abomination before the Lord,’ (emphasis mine). The word ‘it’ jumped out at me. I sensed the Spirit asking, ‘What is “it”?’
“I answered, ‘A gender neutral pronoun?’ I was a little surprised that in the middle of this powerful time the Holy Spirit would be giving me an English pop quiz. I felt Him say, ‘EXACTLY!!!’
“Then my world fell apart over one little word. ‘It’ meant that I was not the abomination, Ron was not the abomination. It was the abomination – the act itself was keeping Ron and me looking toward each other and not to God for fulfillment of who we were and what God intended. For the first time in my life I knew that God is aware of every secret and not-so-secret thing I have done. Instead of sending hellfire and brimstone, He sent a grieving Savior to pay the price of my ignorance and sin.
“He forgave and redeemed me.”
“You know what else the Bible says is an abomination—eating lobster, planting different crops in the same field, giving somebody a proud look. Not an abomination? Slavery. Jesus never said anything about gay people.”
There are different kinds of laws in the Old Testament. Civil and ceremonial laws, such as those concerning religious sacrifices and dietary laws, were time-bound and limited to the people of Israel. They are no longer in force for a variety of reasons: first, all the OT sacrifices and ceremonies were given as a foreshadowing of the Messiah’s ministry and of His death, burial and resurrection. They are no longer necessary because they were the preparation for the Reality that has come. Second, the civil laws pertained to a nation of people who no longer exist. (The current nation of Israel is a political one, not the same as the group of OT people God called to follow Him alone as their Ruler.)
Moral laws, such the Ten Commandments and all the laws constraining sexual immorality, are not time-bound because they are rooted in the character of God. It is always sinful to have sex with someone you’re not married to, regardless of gender.
Slavery is not inherently unnatural the way homosexual practice is. Dr. Robert Gagnon, a theologian who has a breathtaking understanding of homosexuality and its attendant arguments, writes, “The Bible accommodates to social systems where sometimes the only alternative to starvation is enslavement. But it clearly shows a critical edge by specifying mandatory release dates and the right of kinship buyback; requiring that Israelites not be treated as slaves; and reminding Israelites that God had redeemed them from slavery in Egypt.”{2}
We don’t know that “Jesus never said anything about gay people”; it’s quite possible that His comments on eunuchs in Matthew 19 included those who would have never sex with women because of their same-sex attractions.
Usually, the argument goes, “Jesus never said anything about homosexuality.” What He DID say about God’s intention for His creation and sexuality in Mark 10:6-8 excludes homosexuality, along with other forms of sexual sin such as polyamory [sexual relationships with multiple people simultaneously], incest and bestiality. Scripture powerfully indicates His intention for a male-female prerequisite for sexuality.
“Love is love” (so let’s sing a love song to two lesbian students)
Is it? How would the “God Squad” feel about singing a love song to a woman committing adultery with one of their dads? How would they feel about a father paying them to sing a love song to the daughter he’s regularly raping while calling it love? Our culture is so anxious to justify anything by slapping the label of “love” on it that we dishonor the God who IS love: a sacrificial, others-centered, giving love that took Him to the cross to pay for the very sins that are being elevated and celebrated on network TV.
Notes
1. For citations, see my article on the Probe Ministries website “Homosexual Myths.”
2. http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/03/my-take-the-bible-really-does-condemn-homosexuality/
Sue Bohlin
Sue Bohlin is a speaker/writer and webmistress for Probe Ministries, a Christian organization that helps people to think biblically. She loves teaching women and laughing, and if those two can be combined, all the better. She also loves speaking for MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) and Stonecroft Ministries (Christian Women's Clubs) on the topic How to Handle the Things You Hate But Can't Change, based on her lifelong experience as a polio survivor. She has a freelance calligraphy business in her home studio; hand lettering was her "Proverbs 31 job" while her children were young. Sue also serves on the board of Living Hope Ministries, a Christ-centered organization that helps people struggling with unwanted homosexuality and the family members of those with same-sex attractions. Sue never met a cruise ship she didn't like, especially now that God has provided a travel scooter for getting around any ship! She is happily married to Dr. Ray Bohlin, writer and speaker on faith and science with Probe Ministries, and they have two grown sons. You can follow Sue on Twitter @suebohlin.
12 Comments
Mike Stickler
Sue hits it out of the ballpark – AGAIN!
This is one of the more cognitive writings in regard to the homosexual agenda in our culture. The fact is most Christians can't explain why homosexual relations are an abomination has become a real problem in today's anemic church. If you're fortunate enough to read this, study it, research it, and be convinced of the Truths here!
Then with the empowering Grace of God… love the homosexual, bless them, pray for them and watch the Power of God restore their lives.
Sue Bohlin
Wow, Mike, thank you!
What a wonderful comment to make, Mike ! I appreciate it!
You're right about many Christians not being able to think biblically about this topic. One person was not pleased with my observation that homosexuality is more unnatural than slavery. When I go to some other places in the world, the unnaturalness of homosexual practices is so taken for granted that I don't even need to address this issue, but here in the U.S. millions have been taken culturally captive to the pro-gay agenda of normalizing what God has said is terribly wrong.
I have no idea how many times I've said "I'm so sorry" to those walking out of homosexual relationships, in dealing with the lasting pain of the destruction of this sin. It's not normal, even though it feels normal, just like my polio limp feels normal but isn't. We really do need to submit to God's perspective instead of redefining life according to our flesh.
jmprosper
love and punishment
The thing that has disappeared in most Christian teachings is wrath and judgement coming, for sure this will happen. Many suppress this part and just stick to the "love" part. IN doing so, they make people believe there is no issue with their struggles (SIN); they only understand that God loves the sinner… But just imagine when God exerts his judgement, will he strip the sinner out of his sin and punish the sin only or, will he punish the one who comits and adorns in his sin? God is just; he has given a way out through Jesus, but unless we explain people that the sin has a penalty but that love of God will help them get out of their sin and be saved at the same time; we run into the now very popular "God is Love" – without any attached penalty.
Sue Bohlin
“God’s cool with my junk”
I hear what you're saying. Unbalanced teaching can throw us into extremist (and extremely dangerous) thinking.
When my children were babies, I didn't let them crawl or walk around in poopy diapers all day long because I loved them just the way they were. . . I loved they just the way they were, poopy and all, and I cleaned them up because I loved them. Our Father DOES love us, which means He disciplines us. Actions have consequences. . . it's important to tell the whole story.
Avia
Thank you so much, You’ve
Thank you so much, You've dealt with a subject thats been causing me alot of concern recently. Your intelligently written, level headed article was just what I needed to read right now.
Sue Bohlin
You’re welcome
I appreciate the note, Avia!
PeterMosby
Please, answer this:
So you chose to COMPLETELY igonre one part of the Scripture deciding yourself that these laws are time-bound, well guess what ,if Leviticus is not time-bound here is a verse for you Leviticus 20:27 "A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads". Now honestly, would you really stone such a person? Someone who tries to understand this complicated world and the mysteries of life and afterlife, something we all wonder about? I understand you might say he or she is a con artist and lies to people, that's fine, but answer me this: WOULD YOU STONE THEM? Because the Bible says so. And it is Leviticus 20:27, not time-bound, this law is timeless according to you. Once again: Would you stone them?
If so, then God have mercy on your soul.
Who are you to decide what is and what isn't time-bound? Jesus, the Bible is a beautiful book with millions of great stories and morals but it was written a long time ago and thus it reflects a society from almost two thousand years ago, a way of life and ideas that are partially outdated. That's why eating shrimps being an abomination seems crazy, because all of the Bible was written in a different era, not because it refers to laws that are time-bound, if it was written with the intention of these laws being limited to only one era or an area, it wouldn't have gotten in there, it was written in there because, the authors of the Bible thought not eating shrimp was right at that time.
You know what, the Bible also okays slavery (because it was common at the time when it was written and it was not frowned upon). Are you fine with that? Because I would never limit another person's rights and freedom and turn them into slaves, would you? See, being a Christian is truly about love and tolerance and if you introduce hate into that, well that's what makes people come together, having a common enemy and someone to hate perfectly distracts you from your own problems and issues you have to deal with and thinking your are better then someone else does that too, but hate is ultimately destructive for our society. And comparing a loving relationship to a father RAPING his daughter? If you don't see the difference here, then poor you. Lesbians don't hurt you, they don't harm you, their lives won't affect yours or anyone else's so why would you not let them have their rights? You know, it's not gonna turn your kids or you into a gay person. Also, I wish your kids were gay. Not that I mean anything bad to you, just that it might help you understand. On this issue, you can check out this beautiful movie, or read the book, just to understand the other side of this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayers_for_Bobby. And that's the end, sorry for this long comment, have a nice day 🙂
Sue Bohlin
Throwing out Leviticus? Let’s not do that.
Hello Peter,
It sounds to me like you want to make Leviticus an all-or-nothing book: either it’s all time-bound or none of it is. I don’t think that is a wise way to view the book. And that’s not what I said in my post. Part of thinking biblically is to make distinctions where distinctions should be made, and that would include differences between civil and ceremonial laws (which are no longer in force), and the moral laws that include all sexual behavior (which are). To answer your question: no, I would not stone a medium or spiritist, and that law is part of the civil law that belonged to Israel’s time.
You ask, who am I to decide what is and what isn’t time-bound? Well, I don’t; I depend on the far greater wisdom of Bible scholars and thinkers. But common sense will also have a voice in this issue. If you’re ready to throw out the entire book of Leviticus because it’s just so old, then I guess you wouldn’t mind people helping themselves to your stuff, cheating you, or lying to you, since Lev. 19:11 is so outdated: “You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.” I’m getting from your logic that we’ve outgrown laws against stealing, dealing falsely, and lying because they were written so long ago, so those behaviors should be not only accepted but embraced.
You said, ”Lesbians don't hurt you, they don't harm you, their lives won't affect yours or anyone else's so why would you not let them have their rights?” Where do those rights come from? Who or what is the “right-giver” here? And actually, there are a number of lesbians whose lives very much affect mine because I’m walking with them as they pursue purity and intimacy with Jesus. They are my friends and my heroes, I love them a whole lot, and my life is entwined with theirs. I don’t need to watch a pro-gay movie to know the arguments it makes—or to help me learn to love people with same sex attraction. I’m already there, thanks to Jesus loving them through me; I’m just not going to capitulate to the harmful lie of the enemy that it’s normal, natural and harmless. I know too much about what it’s really like.
In fact, while I’ve been writing this response, I’ve been in a text conversation with a former gay rights activist who is in great pain over the things that drove her to be a gay rights activist. Comforting my friend, praying for her, and continuing to point her to Jesus in her pain, while I’m reading your post about “loving relationships” and rights and understanding, just makes me sad because I’m dealing with the ugly and hurtful reality, not the illusion you want to persuade me of.
CorrinaxCorrina
“You ask, who am I to decide
"You ask, who am I to decide what is and what isn’t time-bound? Well, I don’t; I depend on the far greater wisdom of Bible scholars and thinkers." Bible scholars are not God, they are humans with opinions, judgements, and prejudices, just like you and me. God would never approve of using his word to actively discriminate and hate an entire community of people. It does not make sense that every other prejudice, hateful law in the book of Leviticus is timebound, except for the ones made pertaining to homosexuality. NEVER hide behind the Bible to judge people who are not you, you are not perfect, no one is. This type of hatred under the guise of the Bible, is the SAME hate that was used in the early 1900's to discriminate and torture African Americans, the SAME hate that the KKK uses to discriminate all non-white people, and THE SAME HATE that HITLER used to kill millions of Jews. You can be a better person, there is still time.
Sue Bohlin
Discriminating and hating an entire community of people
Corrina,
God doesn't discriminate against a community of people. He says, in both the Old and the New Testament, that all sex outside of marriage is wrong because it is not His created intent. He says that homosexual acts–not the people–are the sin.
You said:
>> It does not make sense that every other prejudice, hateful law in the book of Leviticus is timebound, except for the ones made pertaining to homosexuality.<<
What are those prejudice, hateful laws?
You use the hate word a lot, but please identify the hate-filled words in my post.
Thank you.
vister
I cant belive anyone could
I cant belive anyone could compare rape to homosexuality. Im an 18 year girl and straight and from a cathlic family. I thought the whole concept of relegion was to promot love and peace while making the world a better place. The gay couple in Glee are the most popular characters. why? not because their contraversal or because they challenge the churchbut because their so very much in love. They are respectful towards each other, caring and sweet. They are much better role models for young people than any straight couple. they help each other, stick together. I just dont understand how anyone could look down on something so pure and heart warming.
furthermore homosexuality is not a series of seperate acts nor is it a lifestyle. Instead it is a part of how you are. They are born that way the same way i was born with brown hair. why on earth would God create people this way if he wanted us to hate it.
Sue Bohlin
Your understanding of homosexuality
>>I cant belive anyone could compare rape to homosexuality.
You might want to re-read the context. I was making the point about using the word "love" to gloss over a variety of what God calls sexual sins. It was about semantics, not equating rape to homosexualty.
>>I thought the whole concept of relegion was to promot love and peace while making the world a better place.
That is a good definition of religion that starts with man and is all about US. But biblical Christianity (which is what this website is all about) starts with God, and how He reveals Himself to us so that we can be reconciled to Him through Jesus. Real religion is about a relationship with God, and we can't have a relationship with Him without listening to what He says in His word. In my blog post, I tried to apply biblical truth to an episode of Glee since the writers are making claims about God and His word.
>>The gay couple in Glee are the most popular characters. why? not because their contraversal or because they challenge the churchbut because their so very much in love. They are respectful towards each other, caring and sweet. They are much better role models for young people than any straight couple. they help each other, stick together.
You know, what's interesting is that since I wrote that blog post 16 months ago, whatever gay couple you're referring to is no longer together. Which is the nature of same-sex relationships; they tend to not work out long-term because it is not the way God designed us to relate to each other. I would also respectfully point out that whatever you see on Glee is the result of writers spinning their fantasies where gay = good, transgender = cool, and you never see the ugly underside of what same-sex relationships are really like: the intensity, the emotional chaos, the crazy jealousy, the sexually transmitted diseases, the guaranteed heartbreak.
>>I just dont understand how anyone could look down on something so pure and heart warming.
Pure by whose definition?
I suggest that God, the origin of all things and certainly all that is good, is the only one whose definition of pure" counts. Anything else is comparing various degrees of "polluted." And He says very clearly in His word that homosexuality and lesbianism, far from being pure, is sinful. It falls far short of His design and His purpose for sex and for human relationships.
>>furthermore homosexuality is not a series of seperate acts nor is it a lifestyle. Instead it is a part of how you are. They are born that way the same way i was born with brown hair.
How do you know this? Because everyone says it? If you repeat a lie loud enough and long enough, people believe it. Did you know there's not a shred of evidence that this is true? There are, however, very credible explanations for how same-sex attractions are formed, and they are developmental. Otherwise, how would you identify a newborn gay baby? Or even a gay two-year-old? Same-sex erotic attractions are not part of childhood. Human development doesn't work that way.
>>why on earth would God create people this way if he wanted us to hate it.
Indeed! But He doesn't create people gay. He creates us in His image, implanted with all kinds of different gifts and talents to be discovered and celebrated, with a wide range of expressions of masculinity and femininity (please see my blog post The Gender Spectrum). But He doesn't make anyone gay. That is a part of what it means to be fallen, infected by sin. It's not His design.
Thank you for writing.