Right on the Front Page

I was walking around a few weeks ago and saw this on the front page of the Daily Scottish Mail, a prominent paper in Edinburgh. There is new legislation that will essentially go into effect this school year, whereby missing out gay issues in sex education and relationships lessons will be unlawful. "Primary school children will be taught about lesbian sex using dolls in a lottery-funded project." Two years ago, it emerged that children as young as four had been handed explicit gay sex advice by their teachers.
I've been trying to do some research on this today, and can't find anything related to this type of government-sponsored program. It is an unprecedented era when a country can allow the detailed teaching of this activity. This is where this country is at, they're what you would call an open society……very, very open.

On a related note, Senator Gordon Smith from Oregon has been attacked recently for making the comment that if state-sanctioned protection of marriage between man and woman is defeated, gay sex will soon be taught in public schools. Most blogs I've gone to on this issue have somewhat mocked the idea that this would ever be the case. I entered into the blog and linked them to this article......I've gotten like 20 responses from my link alone in a matter of minutes! Bloggers of the world unite! Marx would be proud.

This is a difficult one for me, to be completely honest. I've always disagreed with how the church has treated the homosexual community, and understand why many would be outraged by the church and it's behavior towards them. There are ways, and I've seen it, to have solid relationships with the gay community. This type of legislation is really pushing it though.

As a christian, I often times encounter questions from people about what I think of gay people(are they going to hell?) . There is no specific type of person who asks this question, it's seemingly become almost anyone from all ages. Perhaps it's become such an issue because of the lack of mercy, or downright hatred that our culture perceives from the Christian community towards gay people.
So, in an environment where article's like this make front page news, it's probably important to have an idea how to answer this extremely sensitive topic.
It'll be interesting to hear your thoughts, but some things I've experienced is that there's a tension that scripture says every person matters to God, has the hope of God's grace and forgiveness, and should be treated with love as my neighbor or friend, which includes gay people. Pulling against this truth is that scriptures indicate that homosexual sin is wrong.
I don't think“gay" is who one is in God's eyes. He created us for a purpose, and that's more than the sum total of our sexual attraction. I think our culture polarizes the issue.
I think a gay person can instantly recognize whether a Christian genuinely cares for them, sexual preference and all. Unfortunately, we've lost their trust. We may be genuine in the abstract sense, but the whole "loving thy neighbor" is tougher in practice.
But don't we need to save them? Christ saves people, not me. It's not my responsibility to save someone, but love them unconditionally regardless if they turn towards Christ or not.
I think you can be a Christian and homosexual. Why? Because sin can often times be an addiction that takes a long time to resolve….and when I mean resolve, the feelings often times never go away (ask an alcoholic or someone addicted to pornography). I can never change a person, and even though God can, he doesn't usually take away all temptation. Instead, he changes the heart and strengthens the will as a person is willing. The only way forward is if anyone who lives in sin is willing. Unless I grow to love and trust Christ, I won't be willing. How God does or doesn't change people is up to him, not me.
My perception of the gay community changed in college. As a music major my first year of university, I lived on an arts floor that housed a large majority of gay people. I was so curious to talk with them because I hadn't met many gay people in fairly sheltered childhood. I can remember students thinking I was gay cause I was around them so much. It was one of the first times when I actually had the chance to sit with them and listen. It wasn't just listening to that particular topic, but everything. My“gaydar”slowly shed flaws in the Christian lens I had formed throughout my life. I began to look beyond their lifestyle, and in many ways, didn't care anymore. They were just as confused and trying to understand themselves as I was. That year stripped away years of misperceptions of the gay community.

At Eikon, it'll go something like this:“look, you might be gay, and guess what, that's ok. We're not hear to judge but accept…..come on in.” They'll know if it's the real thing.

How bout you, any thoughts on this article, or the Christian-Homosexual debate?