How did we, as a society, ever get to the point where we have to debate the definition of marriage? We got here by walking away from God one step at a time, that's how.
Anyone who truly believes that the Bible is the word of God is forced to acknowledge the reality of sin.
We are fallen sinful people living in a fallen sinful world.
"Sin" is not a popular word in politically correct post-Christian America. But God speaks pretty plainly in Scripture about the reality of our human condition, and "sin" is the word he uses repeatedly to describe our moral shortcomings.
If you do not believe in sin, then you do not believe the Bible. And it is OK if you do not believe the Bible. We live in a free society and freedom of conscience is enshrined in our Constitution. Your right to believe whatever you want to believe is guaranteed by the First Amendment.
Of course, the First Amendment cannot guarantee that whatever you want to believe is true.
I know...I know..."sin" is so...like...such a bummer concept, bro...nobody believes in that anymore, right?
Sorry to burst your bubble, but God still believes it. He identified it way back when. And he has a whole list of things that he doesn't want his children involved in. If you believe the Bible...if you have put your faith in Jesus as your Savior...if you are serious about honoring God with your life...then you have to acknowledge the sin problem. And you have to do your best, with God's help, to avoid it.
If you have a problem with that, take it up with God, not me. I didn't write the Bible. I just believe it and try to live by it to the best of my ability. (Which I freely confess is not so good.)
Please, Just Leave Me Out of It
If you want to live any part of the LGBT life, that is your business. I really don't care what you do as long as you don't force it on me. I am a "live and let live" kind of guy. Live however you want, but leave me out of it. I really do not want to know what goes on in your bedroom. Really. Do. Not.
I am more than happy to leave you alone, and I expect the same courtesy from you.
So you and your "partner" want to unite for life? Personally, I think that whole notion is pretty bogus, but I won't stand in your way. However, I will politely decline to participate in the ceremony.
Don't ask me to bake your wedding cake. Don't ask me to take your wedding photos. Don't ask me to drive your limousine. Don't ask me to cater your reception.
If your head is about to explode and you are screaming that I am a "hater" please take a deep breath and think about this logically instead of emotionally. I do not hate you. I wish you no ill. I simply disagree with your choices in life, and I should not be obligated by law to violate my conscience to accommodate you.
Like millions of other Americans, I really do believe that the Bible is true. I believe your lifestyle is a big mistake, and I don't want to be involved. No hate here, just a desire to have my First Amendment rights respected.
There are lots of sins: Pride, Envy, Lust, Greed and Sloth are just a few of the biggies. Adultery is another biggie. And unfortunately for the LGBT community, homosexuality is another biggie. Don't get all mad and hateful with me, folks! I didn't make the rules...God did.
Your real beef is with him, not me.
There is Plenty of Sin to Go Around
And I'm not trying to pick on the LGBT community. There are plenty of other sexual sins that God has issues with. Fornication and adultery are just as destructive to straight people as to gay people. If you are straight and "hooking up" don't expect me to be supportive of your involvement in that sin, either.
In the Bible, God strictly narrows the acceptable boundaries of sex to the confines of a monogamous marriage between a man and a woman. A lot of people don't like that. But allow me to repeat - I didn't make the rules. Your argument is still with God.
If you are trying to make me an accomplice to your sin, you are asking me to violate my conscience and disobey my God. Sorry, but you are asking me for more than I can give. I have problems enough wrestling with my own sinfulness, and I sure don't need to get involved in helping you with yours!
Of course, all of us sin, all of us fall short of God's standards. But the important thing is not to make it a habit; we are supposed to be resisting temptation and drawing closer to God. Sin should not be our lifestyle. Sin should be the exception rather than the rule. If I am going to serve God, I have to do my best to avoid sin in my life, and that includes not helping someone else sin with their life.
I have a number of homosexual friends and relatives. They are nice people and I love them. I don't want to hassle them, and I don't think they want to hassle me. We just have to agree to disagree and accept each other the way we are. I am fine with that.
Do whatever you want...it's no skin off of my nose...but don't get all intolerant and indignant because I refuse to join you in celebrating a lifestyle that I sincerely believe is offensive to the God I am trying to serve.
Don't force Grandma Jones to choose between obeying God or losing her little bakery business because you want to bully her into legitimizing your behavior. Is it really so tough living here that you have to make all this fuss? You have gone to court because an old lady doesn't want to bake your wedding cake? Really? Get a life, people!
So Where is the LGBT Tolerance?
Is there a sudden shortage of bakeries in town and you have nowhere else to go but to the bakery owned by a Christian grandmother? Obviously that issue was not about the cake, it was about punishing a little old lady who made you mad because she followed her conscience. If you are trying to gain sympathy for your cause, you might want to consider a PR campaign that does not involve picking on little old ladies. I'm just sayin'...
(As a side note: The Christian reputation for being peaceful and non-vengeful seems to attract bullying tactics from people who oppose us, since they assume there will be no push-back of their attacks. I cannot help but notice that there have been no reported LGBT protests of any Muslim businesses. Coincidence?)
And for pity's sake, stop this crappola of trying to equate Gay Rights with the Civil Rights movement. That is an insult to all the Black Americans who committed their lives to fighting the sinful, evil injustice of racial discrimination. There is no comparison between people who were sinned against by whites because God created them with a darker skin tone, and people who are committing sexual sins and getting angry and hateful because the rest of us refuse to applaud.
I am guessing that most of this hysteria about Indiana's new RFRA law is generated by an extreme, vocal, radical minority in the LGBT community that knows how to push the buttons of social media and work the liberal media news cycle.
The radical LGBT fringe is not content with simply being tolerated by the 96% percent of us who are heterosexual. They are not content to live and let live. They want to bully the rest of us into affirming their lifestyle choices. They insist on making us give a politically correct stamp of approval to behavior that God plainly calls "sin."
They want to violate the freedom of conscience of anyone who believes the Bible, and with the liberal news media in their pocket, they are making tremendous headway.
That is why laws like the Religious Freedom Restoration Act are so necessary.
Here's a little sample of what happens to people who dare to stray from politically correct group-think.
