A THEOLOGICALLY PROVOCATIVE RESPONSE TO JOHN SHORE (Christianity’s newest champion of the ‘Gay is Okay with God’ movement)

http://johnshore.com/2011/06/20/am-i-seeking-the-truth-because-i-want-to-justify-my-sin/

I just finished reading well-known Christian blogger John Shore’s latest appeal to Christians to not be merely ‘gay-friendly’, but gay-condoning. (See the above link).

I am incensed by and take serious issue with John Shore’s response to a young girl who in her email/letter to him, details her struggles with homosexuality (within herself and within the scope of her Christian ideals).  Well John, I hope to do some damage control lest other Christians out there begin to think that they’re now somehow wrong for wanting to call sin, sin – even if that particular sin is the ‘ever-growing-in-acceptance’ lifestyle of homosexuality.

The first thing that came to my mind upon finding this post of Mr. Shore’s was:  “What’s with these pseudo-evangelical-Christian-mouthpieces-turned-sycophants who are so ‘taken’ by deeply-personal emotional stories that they become persuaded that the Scriptures are not to be taken at face value if it’s inconvenient to do so?

Do these guys really think it wise to take an Exacto-knife to certain biblical principles/moral standards that don’t line up with society’s new-normal values?  We certainly don’t do this with regard to other sins, but when it comes to the gay issue – well that’s different.

(Interesting to note that I read this post on the heels of Toronto’s LGBT community press-blitzes for the upcoming Gay Pride parade.  I had no idea that this event is a 10 day festival!  Public/taxpayer money goes into this celebration and do you think for ONE MINUTE that a Hetero-Pride parade would get equal support, attendance and approving nods from the City of Toronto?).

John, you can preach ‘gay is normal’ 20 ways from Sunday but the fact is – It’s Not the Default Design!  Seriously think about it – if it were the default design we wouldn’t be here.  Propagation of the species wouldn’t be occurring.  I am not saying not to love LGBT’s with as much love, consideration and Christ-likeness as the next (non-gay) person, but “dammit Jim”, gay is not ‘okay’ just because lots and lots of people are marching down this route and/or experimenting with it (free from societal repercussion and/or social stigma).  (I think there’s a reason for that by the way:  media and socially driven support, nay – elevation!).

We have become an existentialist libertine society with sayings like “follow your heart” and “go with your gut”.  It’s sayings like this that give rise to extramarital affairs that destroy families and allow the development of dating services like Ashley Madison, whose motto is “Life is Short – Have an Affair”.

Gay behaviour is a choice.  Some gays believe that they truly are ‘homosexual’ in their physiology or minds – a theory that has never been scientifically proven.  However, the decision to partner with someone – to have sex with another human being – is a conscious choice made by heterosexual and homosexual alike.

Now we’re instructed by Christ that if we are to serve God, we must make some oft difficult choices.  We are, in fact, told to pick up our cross.  And how true it is that crosses really hurt!  Sometimes one’s cross will be to quit drugs, while for another it’s to stop stealing from their workplace or to stop gossiping.  Sometimes it will be the severing of a heterosexual-based relationship that is spiritually (or emotionally) destructive and/or not in line with God’s will (premarital sex too folks…the Word is clear on it!).  And where practicing gays are concerned and with God’s reliable help, it will be a severing of non-default-design behaviours/relationships – whether one likes it or not – that are not in line with God’s concepts of what’s right.

[Reference:  1 Timothy 1:8-10, Romans 1:22-32, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 2 Peter 3:14-18, Romans 12:1-2]

How does John Shore (who admits to being ‘no theologian’ in his blog) or ANY semi-evangelistic bible oriented Christian get so thrown off their guard by a few sincere letters from individuals who emotionally state things so convincingly as to sway opinion in order to have their dispositions receive full acceptance and encouragement?

The unknown girl who wrote in to Mr. Shore stated something interesting and rather revealing:

“And there’s this website she (‘she’ being the girl’s mother) always visits, I can’t remember the site or the speaker’s name. But it teaches that there is hope for gays and lesbians to be straight. And it hurts me. And confuses me at some point. If God did not want me to be this way, I should have just been straight in the first place. Why would God create gays and lesbians? Or did He really create us to be this way? And If He did made us this way, is it just to prove that there is hope for change for people like us??”

Rather than John Shore’s lame, biblically-non-conformist response that amounts to, “there, there honey … it’s okay to go against Scripture (which is off the mark anyway, from what I can tell) as long as you feel love for Jesus and yourself”, I would say this to the young lady concerned:

“My dear young lady:  I know you’re experiencing a most horrendous struggle within yourself.  But have you ever thought to look at your sexual predisposition – which seems so right in your own mind – in a different light?  Allow me to help you try, if you’ll let me.

When you’re angry and everything inside you says to smash in the head of that jerk who’s tormenting you, you feel completely justified.  It’s natural to want to act out on such feelings.  BUT, you don’t.  Why?  “Thou shalt not kill comes to mind”, surely, but so do the consequences of one’s following through with their deepest instincts.  Following any sin through to its end will have consequences, whether we like to believe that or not.  God does warn us about sin’s deceitfulness and end results.  History is full of examples of sin’s long-term outcomes.  As ‘wrath/rage’ is listed as a sin along with homosexual behaviour in the Good Book, we have to assume it has a consequence or is something that is an unfavourable disposition in God’s eyes.  It may seem totally right for you to feel ‘gay’ but, if you respect the integrity of the Word of God to any extent, you have to admit the possibility that it may in fact not be right.  Men and women were NOT initially programmed to be killers, or haters or liars or covetous.  We are – in the here and now – bearing in our bodies and minds the results of the fall of man and woman in the garden.  So with respect to our sexuality; why shouldn’t that have been affected too?

I would have to say that it might be a good idea to challenge your disposition by thinking outside the box in three areas:  a) your personal feelings about what’s right and wrong b) modern society’s acceptable ‘new’ norms and c) your concepts of what God’s will for you is.

Have you tried listening to the minister your mom has made reference too?  If he’s a judgmental jerk who keeps threatening hell-fire if you don’t ‘convert’, then flee.  But if there are former homosexuals who have learned how to reset their minds (Romans 12:2) via God’s healing hands and via other tested/powerful techniques, wouldn’t you give it a best shot?

It’s because you claim to love Jesus that makes me hope that you can also learn to bear and love the cross – His and the one you’re to carry.  Sadly, your cross may in fact mean for you abstinence from sexual expression for a time.  (It’s not the end of the world, even though that may be little comfort to you now.  But you have to ponder why there’s no sex in heaven!)  Carrying your cross may mean your rethinking the value of the Word and its definitions/outlines of holy living and moral excellence.  If your problem were drug addiction or drug dependency, would you not regard/attend a support group to recondition yourself toward better, drug-free living as you fully realize that such a lifestyle is best?  You may be surprised at what you are able to learn about yourself and what your mind – with God’s help and the help of others – is capable of!  I can only imagine how terrified you must feel, but He is with you and wants the best for you.  You already know that He gave everything for you!  Will you have the courage to accept the truth that, along with other holy/moral directives, that heterosexuality is what God intended and sanctioned from the beginning?  You may not ‘feel it’ right away, or possibility at all.  You can’t guarantee how God will deal with your deepest self.  But you can trust that God’s ways are higher than your own and what he wants for you is always the better option. 

“We are golden
Caught in the Devil’s bargain
And we’ve got to get ourselves back to the garden”  (Joni Mitchell).

Be blessed and seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness – all else will be added to your life if you do this.  It’s Christ’s promise!”

John Shore – don’t speak for Christianity as if you have it sussed out for everyone.  You are a just another weak link in an ever lengthening chain of heretical thinkers who want to water-down/obfuscate the Bible’s clear take on what’s right and what’s wrong in order to placate the masses who selfishly (as per our nature) want a god who will cater heartily to our desires (good and profane) and who will also protect us from feeling ‘convicted’ about our sin, lest we have to change!  Not cool, dude.  Not cool.

In Him who is True,

The Son He Loves
a.k.a., Seymour Clearly