Posted by
peripheral on Monday, December 22, 2008 8:56:09 AM
From My Perspective - - -
“Gay
Pride” has become a common phrase in our culture. The word “pride” has
varied meaning and usages. Most common are: “a high or inordinate
opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority,
whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct;
the state or feeling of being proud; a becoming or dignified sense of
what is due to oneself or one's position or character; self-respect;
self-esteem… a
group of lions…” When the phrase – “gay pride” is used, it is done so
to recognize a lifestyle choice and expressing the desire for
acceptance and equal status within a community.
There
is currently a mild firestorm over the fact that President-Elect Obama
has chosen Rick Warren, who adheres to a Traditional Lifestyle, to give
the Inaugural Invocation. On Bloomberg.Com today, the following
headline and report appears: “Obama’s Choice of Pastor Warren a ‘Mistake,’ Barney Frank Says”! President-elect Barack Obama shouldn’t have selected Rick Warren
to deliver the Inaugural Invocation because the evangelical pastor has
made offensive comments about gays…Giving that kind of mark of approval
and honor to someone who has frankly spoken in ways I and many others
have found personally very offensive, I thought that was a mistake for
the president-elect to do…” Frank, who is openly gay (homosexual), made
the comments after Obama stood by his selection of Warren for the January 20 Inauguration. Obama, speaking at a Dec. 18 news conference, said he doesn’t share Warren’s
views on gay rights and wants to create an atmosphere “where we can
disagree without being disagreeable and then focus on those things that
we hold in common as Americans.”
It’s
interesting how language changes to allow a different impression and
acceptance. For instance, “Liberal” is now changed to “Progressive”;
Government Entitlements based on Increased Taxation is now called
“Investment”; “Gay” has become the word-choice rather than “Homosexual”
and/or “Lesbian”; etc. It reminds one of the old expression: “A Rose by
any other name is still a Rose!” Some language from the past has been
cruel. Years ago, those living an alternative lifestyle were called
“faggots” or “fruits”, etc. As a matter of fact, due to the alternative
lifestyle, excessive drug use, motion picture philosophy – comedians
began to refer to California as being the land of “fruits and nuts”! Rick Warren becomes the flash-point today because he (a) supported Proposition 8 in California
in the most recent voting cycle, and (b) he supports Traditional
marriage – a man and a woman constituting a legal union called
marriage. The opponents to Warren
also state that he opposes abortion, and they use that as another
reason why he should be removed from the Inauguration Schedule.
Consider
these things with me - - - In Genesis 18:20, the advocacy and practice
of Homosexuality was no small matter to Almighty God. The Scripture
records: “Then the Lord said, The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah
is so great and their sin (homosexuality) so grievous…” In II Peter
2:4-9, the explanation and declaration of judgment is given. In the
midst of it are these words: “…if
he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes,
and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and
if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy
lives of lawless men (Homosexuality)…” The clarity is shared in Jude 7:
“In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and
perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment
of eternal fire.” However, there is hope for the sexually-perverted (or
can we say, “disoriented”). We read in I Corinthians 6:9-11, “Do you
not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?
Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor
adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves
nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit
the kingdom of God.
And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were
sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and
by the Spirit of our God.” There is transformational hope for those who
seek and choose it. Otherwise, it’s Gomorrah – here we come! Hope and Eternal Life are much better choices than Punishment and Judgment!