There is an old saying that: “one man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist”. Someone views themselves as a patriot while others see them as a dangerous zealot. We live in a culture that is placing an increasingly high value on being “politically correct”. The call to avoid discrimination can blur the lines between what is right and wrong from a biblical perspective.
My heart’s passion is to change the hearts of Australians through encounters with the spiritually dynamic and transformative Christianity we experience. I long for the ordinary Aussie battler, the spiritually aware Aussie, the multi-cultural Aussie, the sports fanatic Aussie….to come alive to the spiritually vibrant and empowered relationship that Jesus has always offered. Consequently I am hesitant to allow others to marginalise me as an “irrelevant religious bigot” by commenting on what I believe is a significant social issue, that is, the definition of marriage.
As a biblically based spiritual person, I have only one place to stand when it comes to the definition of marriage. The bible defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman. My commitment to this definition does not cause me to devalue the relationship a same-sex couple may find together. My commitment to the biblical definition does not result in me judging gay or lesbian relationships. What I cannot agree with is that these relationships can be defined as marriage. I would never argue against people discovering love and a life-long union with someone of the same sex, but I cannot call it marriage because my definition is based on the union of a man and a woman.
As I believe the maintenance of this definition is important to God then I am prepared to ask the delegates to the 2011 Labor National conference to not adopt a policy to change the way our society defines marriage. I have signed the petition to this effect on the Australian Christian Lobby website. Would you consider doing the same by the end of November? Visit the website and come to your own conclusions.
Until next time may you continue to be blessed with God’s favour and life.
Great post Peter
I have also signed the petition as this is an important point of definition.
Hi Peter,
Thank you for your added insight on this subject. i have already signed the petition but you have helped me put my thoughts in order regarding this question and being called a bigot and labelled as insensitive if I manage to engage in conversations with others.
Blessings
Les
Hi Pete (and Les!)
I would never consider someone an ‘irrelevant religious bigot’ for holding genuinely held beliefs. I also appreciate why someone with such beliefs would want to sign the petition you mentioned.
I would say, in my own little way, that there are those within the Stairway family who do not hold the same position on this issue. Thankfully, being a part of the body of Christ is first and foremost about how God’s love for us draws us together into a community that in turn loves God and each other!
I, too, see myself as a biblically based spiritual person. My pro-position on gay marriage, as with your ‘anti’-position, does not cause me to devalue friends who see the issue differently. I do not believe, however, that the Bible leaves Christians with an undeniably ‘anti-gay-marriage’ position to take on this issue. Marriage has always been an institution and concept that has evolved with humanity’s social and spiritual understanding (take interracial marriage as one recent example which was opposed by some citing scripture). I also believe attempting to prevent legal recognition of gay relationships is a devaluing of gay people’s full humanity and has very real knock-on consequences for gay people’s physical, emotional and spiritual well-being, however unintentional and unbigoted.
As with everything else in the bible, it is the Spirit in which one reads the Word that gives it its meaning. I am loathe to start a theological discussion as, foremost, theological positions come down to who we know our loving God to be in relationship, not how we read this or that particular scripture. I also believe people should work out their beliefs the same way -within relationship with each other, hearing each other’s stories, seeing the fruit of the Spirit in each other’s lives, rather than via debates! I hope I have enough of a friendship with Pete (and Les) to be allowed to say what I am saying here!
I do think it’s unfortunate that the difference of opinion surrounding non-heterosexuality seems to have become the defining issue that is turning people away from churches. I think I read in a Barna survey that ‘anti-gay’ is the number one descriptor that non-Christians use to describe Christians (91% of respondents said this. That’s above any other negative connotation, but also above any positive connotation as well, such as Christians being friendly -at 71% of respondents!). With about 6-10% of the population who identify as GLBT(gay,lesbian,bisexual,transgender), along with many of their friends, family and supporters all feeling (rightly or wrongly) unwelcome/misunderstood in most evangelical and pentecostal churches, this is a huge problem. Imagine if we all felt welcome? That’s revival right there! – the kind that church-goers have eagerly looked everywhere else for!
I encourage you guys to check out what sincere, spirit-filled Christians such as myself believe on this issue: something simple like (former speech-writer for Billy Graham) Mel White from Soulforce’s analysis of what he believes the Bible does and does not say about the issue of homosexuality, for example:
http://www.soulforce.org/article/homosexuality-bible-gay-christian
love and appreciation, joe
Hi Joe,
I really appreciate the opportunity to hear your well thought out views on this matter. There is no doubt it has the capacity to raise tension and be fertile ground for misunderstanding, neither of which you have entered into.
I respect totally your view although we will probably have to agree to disagree for the time being.
Thanks for your honesty.
Love
Peter
Pleasure Pete, totally admire your heart too. See you at church sometime (speaking of, I’d better get moving)!