When I first became a Christian over 10 years ago and was searching for a church, I noticed a lot of churches billing themselves as accepting of "diversity." However, their meaning of diversity had nothing to do with the actual meaning. "Diversity" was (and still is) a buzz word for "we accept practicing homosexuals as members."
What does this have to do with Black History Month? Truthfully, not much. But some people equate homosexual practice to being black.
Now I'm not going to argue about whether one chooses to be homosexual. We cannot choose who we are attracted to. I did not choose to be attracted to men, and I believe that most homosexuals do not choose to be attracted to the same sex. In this sense, having feelings toward a person of the same sex is like our skin color - it's not chosen.
HOWEVER - and this is a big however - being black has nothing to do with behavior. Being black doesn't present a choice to do or not do something. Homosexuality is quite different. As rational animals, humans can choose whether or not to act on the desires we have. A person with homosexual desires can make a choice to act on those desires or not.
This is where my faith comes in. My faith tells me that acting on those desires is wrong. And here we come back full circle. Many churches who champion "diversity" think that acting on those desires is normal and natural and perfectly acceptable to God, whatever the Bible might say.
What brought this topic to mind? Glad you asked. At Easter each year I attend a local Episcopal Church. I am on their mailing list, so I get their monthly newsletters. I usually glance at the pastor's monthly essay to see what he has to say. February's newsletter (.pdf) was about - you guessed it - Black History Month and diversity. Listen to how the pastor uses the word "diversity":
At our Vestry retreat last weekend, each of us was acted to tell what it was about St. Paul's that we valued. It would be no surprise for you to know that "diversity" was a chief core value in the group. I suspect that is so among many of us.
But "diversity" can take on many meanings. [Tell me about it!] Is it race? Is it same-gender relations? Is it economic, or simply the fact that we enjoy one another's God-given uniqueness?
...I learned to see us in our different ways as a "salad bowl" where difference is recognized along with relatedness. I think that is what is valuable to us as a faith community about months like Black History and Gay Pride in June. These are times to give special attention to whom we are in our own diversity.
I encourage you to see this month as a time to celebrate our diversity as a faith community. It will deepen your own spiritual growth!
So here we have the pastor of a church equating Black History Month with Gay Pride Month. It should surprise no one that St. Paul's mission statement starts off with these words: St. Paul's Episcopal Church is a diverse, welcoming community. What they really means is that they are a typical liberal church who accepts people who practice things that Bible condemns. The real St. Paul wrote against homosexual practice in Romans 1, but this St. Paul's church accepts people into membership who engage in it.
I have no problem with diversity in the things we can't choose or change - our skin color, our gender, the people we are attracted to. But we must always live by the rules God has laid down if we our to call ourselves His children and take the name "Christian." And He has said homosexual practice is wrong.
Moreover, our own bodies tell us it's wrong. The vagina of a woman makes it's own lubrication to more easily accept a male's penis. The penis was not meant to go into the anus - it is "exit only" if you will, and teeming with bacteria that the penis is not meant to come in contact with. In case you are wondering, yes, I believe anal sex is wrong among heterosexual couples, too. Our bodies were not designed for the practice, period.
Technorati tagged: morality, politics, gay, homosexuality, diversity, Black History Month, Christianity
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