On some level you have to give the president of the leading Southern Baptist Seminary credit for listening to the scientific research and conceding that homosexuality has some form of biological cause.
Of course the admission won’t sit well with the majority of conservative Christians-like the Focus on the Family and Christian Coalition types-because they’ve been out there in the heat, expending all sorts of energy making banners that read something like, homosexuality is a conscious choice that can be cured through counseling and prayer.
But not to worry, the SB president hasn’t sold out. He still purports that even if same-sex behaviour is biological, it’s still a sin. Because it’s still condemned by the Bible. The good news is that apparently the Bible has nothing against going in and jimmying with the genes so as to switch, that is, to "correct" the sexual orientation of an unborn baby.
And this is what the good SB president is proposing. Don’t worry that there’s nothing medically wrong with the fetus, just know that gayness is abhorrent and needs to be headed off at the pass.
And certainly don’t worry about any biological experts that say the nuances of orientation are so complex that even if genes were identified, those vary genes would also be responsible for contributing to someone’s whole matrix of social interaction, including affection and love. What do they know.
Technorati Tags: Rev. Albert Mohler, Southern Baptist Seminary, Homosexuality, Christianity, Religion, Spirituality
And the Edmonton Journal has yet another page of letters this morning debating the question of whether or not the church should embrace homosexuality, including one from our buddy Andrew Chan…it’s tiring, isn’t it? The thing that struck me when I read the letters, the thing that strikes me every time I read these letters, is that the letters opposing— the letters from the most devoutly religious—are devoid of true compassion, and filled with absolutes based on literal understanding of the bible. Yet none of those arguing with literal meanings of words lifted out of context consistently take the bible literally—they just don’t admit it. They pick and choose. If they didn’t pick and choose, they would worry about so many passages indicting their own lives they would have major anxiety disorders, or discard their Christian traditions completely.
Those arguments also choose to overlook the most salient teachings of Christianity, those of equality and mercy.
Thanks for broaching that issue again — it needs desperately needs broaching! And of course we’ve missed hearing from you this week. (But thanks for posting my WWW piece — you’re very kind).
Hi Steve
This is all so sad isn’t it?
Your final comment was especially telling.
The hardheadedness of those of us claiming to be filled by the Holy spirit is a real conundrum.
I suppose if it took Wilberforce some time to convince England of the humanity of people of darker complexions it may take a few more years to convince the Mohler crowd that those with different affectional orientations are people too.
Unfortunately the damage being done to Christianity will continue to acummulate till we finally see the light.
Those arguments also choose to overlook the most salient teachings of Christianity, those of equality and mercy. (Leslie)
The hardheadedness of those of us claiming to be filled by the Holy spirit is a real conundrum. (Len)
Thank you for these comments. I could not agree more, nor could I have said it more eloquently.