Thoughts on Pride Month
This month is Pride Month and all around me I see rainbow colors. At the office I see signs saying “Pride” and there are various events around promoting “the positive stance against discrimination and violence toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people to promote their self-affirmation, dignity, equality rights, increase their visibility as a social group, build community, and celebrate sexual diversity and gender variance. Pride, as opposed to shame and social stigma, is the predominant outlook that bolsters most LGBT rightsmovements throughout the world.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_pride)
Now the term “queer” can be used as a term for non-heterosexual orientations. As a Christian I cannot support Pride Month. Let me explain. What I am NOT saying is that I support discrimination (with some caveats), violence, public shaming, etc, against the queer community. The caveats I have in mind is that I am opposed to non-heterosexual marriage or forcing faith-based organizations to employ those who oppose their faith. As Christians we are to “hate the sin but not the sinner.” Opposing homosexual behavior does not require hating, shaming, or discriminating against those who practice it. We should be like Jesus who, when left alone with the woman caught in adultery, told her he did not condemn her but to “go and sin no more.” He did not ignore her sin. He did not shame her in front of the small crowd of people. He did not yell at her or strike her. He showed grace but still instructed her to “sin no more.” I’m not suggesting that every time a Christian encounters a homosexual he/she should tell them to “go and sin no more” but if asked if homosexuality is a sin we should not shrink from saying what the Bible clearly declares.
I see no dignity in flaunting rebellion against God nor do I believe we are free to redefine marriage since God created and defined it. I definitely cannot celebrate sexual diversity as God only defined one type of sexuality. So I cannot celebrate Pride Month.
The queer community want the world to accept them as normal and as morally good. I can’t any more than I can accept adultery as morally good even if it involves a man and a woman. Sin is sin whether it involves heterosexuals or homosexuals. I cannot join in taking pride in sin. Not mine or anyone else’s.
Believe it or not I have friend’s who are homosexual and I work with people who are homosexual. Most have no idea how I feel. I don’t go out of my way to make my feelings known. Unless they asked they would probably never know. One good homosexual friend does know how I feel but we remain friends. My gay/lesbian co-workers like me and see me as nice and friendly. I treat them no differently than I do anyone else. However, I don’t condone their behavior or support their “right” to marry. I am not one to attend marches or rallies so they aren’t likely to see me at one.
What bothers me is how both sides tend to use unnecessarily negative language about the other side. Calling anyone who disapproves of homosexuality “homophobic” is not only wrong but a misuse of the English language. My opposition of homosexuality is based on my faith not a phobia. I don’t fear it. No one has called me adulteryphobic. The use of that term is just an attempt to cast those who oppose homosexuality for any reason in a negative light. Besides, phobias are usually irrational fears and my beliefs are neither irrational or fear based. If we ever hope to get along we have to avoid such terms. I try to be respectful in my language. I was very hesitant to use the term “queer” because for much of my life it was considered a derogatory term and it took a lot of convincing for me to accept it was now ok to use. I had no desire to use an offensive term although I know I can’t always avoid offending because sometimes simply disagreeing offends someone.
No amount of celebrations, special months, parades, influence in Hollywood or with the press, will change God’s truth nor my beliefs. Getting along does not mean we have to accept and support beliefs we believe to be wrong. We can “hate the sin but not the sinner.” We can stand up for the truth. Trust me I have been told I am a fool for being a Christian. I don’t expect everyone to agree with me or accept me. For the queer community to expect nothing but support is not living in reality neither should society expect no one to ever disagree with anything. If find it ironic that at the annual White House Press Corps Event, any dig on the President, no matter how mean, is celebrated and defended as freedom of speech. Say one word of opposition to homosexuality and you could loose your job at many companies. If you are in a public position look out. It might even be called hate speech even if there was nothing hateful about it. Plenty of people hate President Trump (I am no fan) and are protected by free speech no matter how vicious their attacks on the President are. Why the double standard?
Our God is Too Big 
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