In an article subtitled "Standing Firm," a Christian "Good News" site tells the rather sad story of a young gay man who was ousted from Psalms 100, a Christian Choir at the University of North Carolina whose mission is "to spread the joy of the Lord through song." You can probably tell that the article was a bit slanted by the subtitle "Standing Firm."
Most of the students and faculty are properly outraged at this Christian group that professes God's love but rejects one of their own because God chose (or so they believe) to make the man gay. It's discriminatory and appears to violate the University's anti-discrimination policy.
But they're missing the point.
The real problem is religion itself. As long as we have religions that teach mythology as fact, morality is absolute and only from God, and feelings and faith are more important than rational thinking, then we're going to have this sort of bigotry. It's not that they're misinterpreting the Bible: their whole way of thinking is wrong.
Christians, Jews and Muslims are taught from an early age to accept authority without question, to ignore obvious contradictions and hypocrisy, and to value faith over rational thought. They're taught that their holy books, which contain thousands of contradictions, errors of fact, and clearly immoral lessons, are actually the inspired word of a loving God. They're taught that if they don't swallow this philosophy, they're evil, bad people who will be punished horribly. And they're taught that if they don't stick to the dogma, they'll be shunned by their community, friends, and even their own mother, father, brothers and sisters.
Is it any wonder that with this background, a group of young, intelligent college students can't accept that homosexuality isn't a choice, and that their message of spreading God's love isn't compatible with kicking out a devoted Christian?
Friday, September 2, 2011
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4 comments:
Dear readers -- I am no longer blogging and after leaving these blogs open for two years have finally stopped accepting comments due to spammers. Thanks for your interest. If you'd like to write to me, click on the "Contact" link at the top. Thanks! -- CJ.
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Great post, Craig. I'm reminded of the quote attributed to Einstein. "You can't solve problems by thinking at the same level that created them."
ReplyDeleteYes, they will know we are Christians by our love, by our love.... just not that gay kind of love! What hypocrites those faith-heads really are. I used to be one of them too.
ReplyDeleteYou say the man was one of their own. Yes he was in the choir but no he wasn't a true believer in Christ based on the apparent discovery that he at some point decided to live in a sexually impure way according to the bible. Yes there are churches who have gay clergy, however those operating a church this way are considered unorthodox and to be false teachers not devoted Christians.
ReplyDeleteIt seems obvious that a church or christian group doesn't want a person who is living in an unrepentant sinful lifestyle working with them. I don't see why this would be newsworthy. The bible speaks of church discipline and require that if a member will not repent and abandon a sinful lifestyle the church is to cast them out; to not even break bread with them until they abstain and reconcile.
I disagree with your blanket statement that, "Christians, Jews and Muslims are taught from an early age to accept authority without question, to ignore obvious contradictions and hypocrisy, and to value faith over rational thought." Many have come to faith in Christ as a result of carefully weighing the evidence against and for Christianity. Of course there are some who blindly accept whatever is taught from the pulpit but not all as you suggested. The apostle Paul in the new testament even praised the bereans who were a group of people that researched what he preached in an effort to discern whether or not what he taught was congruent with the rest of scripture.
Anon – your comment is exactly why Christianity is dying. So many of you are incredibly judgemental. The idea that this young man wasn't a "real" Christian would be laughable if it wasn't such a hurtful and un-Christian claim. I wrote several chapters about this very topic in my new book, Is Christianity Dying?. Your attitudes towards homosexuality are immoral and reprehensible. You don't even know what your own Bible has to say about homosexuality, do you? Read this ... with an open mind ... if you want to learn what your own Bible has to say about homosexuality.
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