In case you haven’t noticed, a small shift seems to be taking place in certain Christian circles. A vocal subset of Christians who have spent the last twenty years fighting the battle against the heretic hoards who dare to suggest that homosexuality might not be an abomination against the Lord, have quietly dropped their crusade against gays.
It is not that they have changed their minds. It is just that the human sexuality debate no longer seems to be a ditch worthy dying in. Gays are quietly getting married all over North America and the sky has yet to fall. Harold Camping not withstanding, same-sex couples are creating healthy families and the world has not come to an end.
So, Christians who have been fighting this battle with all their biblical resources, have taken up a new battle. The crusade has shifted from homosexuality to hell. But, the motivation is the same. These battle hardened warriors for Christ are still marching under the banner of fear.
For years they peddled their fears about the dire consequences of liberalizing the rules restricting same-sex couples. If we allowed gays to teach our children, they warned, our children would suddenly become gay. If same-sex couples were permitted to enter into marriage relationships, heterosexual marriage would be ruined. They warned that the end of civilization would be upon us if society did not stem the tide of homosexuality sweeping across the nation.
But, they woke up one morning and the gay teacher had helped their child pass grade eight math. Gays started getting married and my heterosexual marriage anyway has never been stronger. The wrath of God has not been poured out upon the earth with wild unforgiving vengeance against gays in the military.
So the peddlers of fear picked a new topic. Now it is the fear of an eternity of conscious torment they are using in an attempt to whip people into shape.
They shake their Bibles and warn that if you don’t believe in hell for those who reject Christ, you will lose the entire Gospel. You will be responsible for sending poor benighted souls to that very place of torment you in your arrogance have convinced them does not exist.
Whether the issue is homosexuality or hell, the fear, is the same. It is fear that there are forces at work in life that we do not control. If we cannot manage these forces, we will be destroyed by them. So, we must get our theology right. We must impose God’s perfect morality on everyone, or the world will begin to unravel.
The problem is that the world is not unraveling quite to schedule. The evidence of peoples’ lives keeps confounding the rumours of their condemnation.
Honest, deeply spiritual people continue to live loving, respectful, honourable lives in spite of the fact that their Buddhist beliefs would prevent them from ever believing in, let alone committing themselves to, a God who condemns people to eternal torment because they have failed to acknowledge the name of Jesus. Faithful Muslims continue to love their families and live peacefully in our communities despite the fact that they view Jesus as only one among many of the prophets God has sent to speak truth to the world. How can people destined for hell be so likeable in life?
Perhaps it is time to stop playing the fear card. Perhaps it is time to recognize that the work of God’s Spirit is a little bigger than some of the tidy boxes we have created in which to keep God safely confined.
When the real wolf came, the boy who had tricked the community so many times by falsely crying wolf was simply ignored. Christians who insist on crying wolf have a diminishing audience.
It seems that the Spirit of God galvanizes people into life transforming choices, not so much by scaring the hell out of them, as by allowing the gentleness of God’s Spirit to make their hearts receptive to the presence and action of love.
Jesus’ expansive vision of love may be too challenging for those who prefer fear -
I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:45,46)
The self-sacrificing love for which Jesus died is the reality that causes us to be “children of your Father in heaven.” It may be easier to practice fear than to trust God’s love. But fear is unlikely to warm the arts of most people to embrace the demanding practice of self-denial Jesus laid down for his followers.
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May 30, 2011 at 8:56 am
Lindsay
“The self-sacrificing love for which Jesus died is the reality that causes us to be “children of your Father in heaven.” It may be easier to practice fear than to trust God’s love. But fear is unlikely to warm the arts of most people to embrace the demanding practice of self-denial Jesus laid down for his followers. ”
If fear is the biggest impediment to love, I’m confused how self-denial fits as an antidote to fear? A conscious decision to trust God’s direction and love is to not to get caught up into a web of fear, doesn’t sound so much like self-denial as fulfilment of self’s purpose … To be motivated by fear to me, I guess because of where I’m from, is to self-restrict action, to give up on freedom by building higher walls, triple locking doors, always being vigilant against intruders …. being suspicious of strangers as would-be enemies … trying to stay one step ahead …. To me it seems to demand a lot more energy, carefulness and self-restraint to live by fear … ? If Jesus hadn’t gone into Jerusalem, what would have been the alternative? Hiding out in the hills … trying to stay one step ahead of the authorities? Vetting his disciples based on who he could and could not trust?
May 30, 2011 at 9:22 am
inaspaciousplace
great question – I think the key around “self-denial” is that spiritual tradition has usually taught that human beings are made up of two “selfs” (Paul calls them “spirit” and “flesh”) We have a true self created in the image of God and we have a small self which we have manufactured in an attempt to make ourselves feel safe. The self we deny is not our true deep spirit-self. We deny the small constructed self that is centered around my need to keep myself safe from forces I perceive to be threatening to my well-being.
May 30, 2011 at 9:50 am
Lindsay
Thanks for explaining, Christopher …. now I’m on the same page
May 30, 2011 at 9:33 am
Lisa
Thank you for this blogpost, especially the part which makes the point that there are many loving people of Buddhist, Muslim and other faiths who should not be condemned just because they do not accept the Christian doctrine as the only one. As you said, the “work of God’s spirit is a little bigger than some of the tidy boxes we have created…”
Also, I have always felt strongly that gays should not be condemned, but honoured and accepted for who they are. I have known some people personally who have ‘come out’ and, in every case, acknowledging their sexuality has had a life-changing effect on them that has been positive.
I have a cousin who, for years, was like a shadow of himself, hiding in his house and cowering from shame. When he finally came out as homosexual, his whole being changed. He was exuberant, warm, sociable, and became involved in AIDS work in his community. Basically, his heart opened up. In fact, it seems that, to paraphrase your words, “the spirit of God galvanized him into a life-transforming choice.”
I also had the chance to be invited to a lesbian wedding, and saw the true love between two souls. How can something which is so loving and life-transforming be a sin? I think you’re right that, at some point, people have to stop letting fear rule their lives and be willing to live in their own truth, even if they’re afraid that this ‘truth’ will condemn them to hell. As far as I’m concerned, I’d rather be in a ‘hell’ where loving people of all religions and sexual orientations are accepted than be in a ‘heaven’ where they are condemned.
May 30, 2011 at 7:43 pm
jaqueline
the banner of fear.?
Or the banner of prejudiced superiority masquerading as righteousness
( where have we seen that before..hmmm…. let me think…. ) which is exploiting ‘good’ peoples’ fear response…in other words calling them away from love.
Talking to a friend of mine last night I described the tendency to exploit our fears wicked.
Wicked.
May 30, 2011 at 9:56 pm
Marilyn Hewitt
HELLO REV PAGE
I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT FIND THIS STORY VERY INTERESTING.
I PERSONALLY AM TERRIFIED.
http://m.ctv.ca/topstories/20110504/conservatives-religious-right-supporters-110504.html#menu
June 30, 2011 at 12:16 pm
Yirmiyahu
Interesting how everyone with a view in opposition always accuses the other of “putting God in a box”. Do you not realize that criticizing the exclusive truth claim of another means that you are asserting that your claim to truth is superior?
“there are many loving people of Buddhist, Muslim and other faiths who should not be condemned just because they do not accept the Christian doctrine as the only one. As you said, the “work of God’s spirit is a little bigger than some of the tidy boxes we have created…”
This above statement is most certainly putting God in a “tidy box”. In fact, it is the tidiest box I know.
I realize that God transcends human religious belief including what we call Christianity, but do you realize that God might just care a bit about what people believe about what He has done and is going to do in this reality?
If your God never offends you ,than maybe you’re following a god that you made up.
June 30, 2011 at 1:18 pm
Yirmiyahu
I’m sorry, if I’m being a pest, but I was curious to ask Mr. Page if he is certain about his ‘theological’ and ‘hermeneutic’ perspective on the Creator’s lack of regard for the sexual orientation of His created beings?
I’ve read your “Biblical Texts on Homosexuality” and many like arguments of varying degrees of depth. I’ve also entertained opposing arguments and I’ll have to say that strictly speaking of Scripture, I personally believe that anyone being intellectually honest with their self would have to side in favor of the belief that the biblical authors are in opposition to ‘basic homosexuality’. This doesn’t mean that I don’t have rational problems with this issue or that I fall into the category of the “TRADITIONAL MODEL” in accordance with your definition of this ‘model’ as stated in your “Biblical Texts on Homosexuality”, but it does mean that I think a person is in denial if they think that the Torah in any way does anything other than warn against ‘basic homosexual’ relations. The Pauline verdict is also clear based on passages that you cited yourself in your writing (1 Cor. 6:; Romans 1:26-27).
If you have a low view of Scripture and Paul, why not just come out and say that you have a problem with Scripture? Your paper, like this blog post, does so much beating around the bush. I can buy you just earnestly saying you have a problem with the Bible so much more than you trying to convince me that your worldview regarding homosexuality is square with Scripture.
Is it possible that with “males leaving natural sexual relations with females”, the issue isn’t a matter of where genitalia is going in a ‘relationship’, but where the heart is going? Sex does not equate to a loving relationship; nor does sexual intercourse have to result from a relationship of love. Have you ever wondered if maybe God sets limitations to a human’s actions just to see what is in the heart? Just because I have an inherent desire to have sex with a man doesn’t mean that the desire is natural, or something that is logically sound in light of a happy monogamous relationship.
You might see a lack in logic in regards to belief that God would have a problem with homosexual activity in a monogamous relationship. I can understand this because I have wrestled with this perspective too, but I believe that God will cast stumbling blocks before us to see if we will choose Him in our heart of hearts. Sexual desire and political correctness are the idols of our time. I love people who consider their sexuality the center of their identity, but that doesn’t mean I agree with them.
I’d be interested in hearing from you, and any way the wind blows, I hope all goes well for you.
July 1, 2011 at 5:51 am
inaspaciousplace
It is clear to me that Scripture condemns certain same-gender sexual relationships. Given the challenges of translation and of discerning the precise context in which the words of the Bible were originally written, the precise nature of those condemned relationships is not clear to me. Nor is it clear to me that the same-gender sexual activities that are condemned in the Bible can be simplistically equated with the faithful, loving, committed monogamous relationships that characterize much of same-gender intimacy today.
I wonder why we would leap to assume that the condemnation of certain imprecisely articulated same-gender sexual practices requires the blanket condemnation of all same-gender sexual-relations. Do we rush equally quickly to view the Bible’s condemnation of heterosexual adultery as a blanket condemnation of all heterosexual activity?
July 4, 2011 at 7:59 am
Yirmiyahu
Hello Christopher,
You ask the same question in your “Biblical Texts on Homosexuality” and I believe it to be a clever question, but ultimately one that ignores the fact that heterosexual monogamy is shown as favorable in many biblical examples, whereas homosexual relations are clearly condemned. The question ignores some very clear readings of Scripture such as “‘Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.” – Lev. 18:22, also Romans 1:26-27 makes clear that Paul was continuing in this mind set.
With the above stated, please let me be very clear on two things: firstly, I realize that we are no longer “under the Law” and second; I realize that God is more than capable of changing His covenant relationship with different types of people while still maintaining His promises and leaving room for human freewill and growth… but if God finds something detestable, do you honestly believe that He will one day consider it to not be detestable?
You at this point may want to posit that God changed His mind regarding detestable relationships between the Israelites and other people groups such as those in Canaan, but it is important to ask why God calls something ‘detestable’. It wasn’t because the other people were simply ‘detestable’; it was because they were involved in practices that God did not want His chosen light to the nations to become involved in and polluted with.
The real question now becomes, ‘what is God’s current desire for humanity regarding the nature of monogamous sexual relationship?’
Honestly, I find this to be a very difficult matter to discuss, especially given that I have friends and family that I love very much who have chosen to have openly homosexual relationships. This could make it so easy for me to argue from your perspective… but I would not sleep any easier if I did.
Some things God speaks very clearly to me on and others He leaves me to do some more ‘independent’ searching. I’ll admit that this is one aspect of human relationships and sexuality that isn’t entirely clear to me. I’ve had many paradigms smashed during my walk with Jesus and I’m completely willing and expecting to have it happen again and again, but from the bottom of my heart, I find that all arguments I’ve heard in favor of God condoning monogamous homosexual relationships are very ‘man centered’ and simply looking for ‘the easy way” that doesn’t offend our sensibilities.
All this being said, I’m glad that at the end of the day I can simply love God and love people. Love involves being truthful with God, myself, and other people, but in the end I’ll love regardless and let God be the Judge of the quick and the dead.
Peace.
April 28, 2013 at 6:42 am
Karl
Jesus demonstrated what the love of God is, when putting aside His own will He cried-out….
Luke 22:42
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
And likewise demonstrates the repentant sinner, who falling to his knees turns to the risen Lord in prayer, in his battle against sin.
We are not to do our will, but our Lord’s who said…
John 14:15
“If you love me, keep my commands.
Who by the Spirit spoke through Paul saying…
Hebrews 13:4
Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
I’m shocked to read that the World isn’t falling apart because of sin, seen in the legalisation of such unscriptural unions as “Gay Marriage” around the World. For we know that Scripture states…
Matthew 24:12
Because of the increase of LAWLESSNESS (St458), the love of most will grow cold,
2 Timothy 3:1-5
1 – But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
2 – People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 – without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
4 – treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God
5 – having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
The World IS FALLING APART!
And to suggest that it is wrong to use the fear of Hell to save some is unbiblical….
Jude 1:22-23
22 – And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23 – And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
Jesus didn’t mince His words when He said…
Matthew 23:33
Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
…and nor should we.
It is not having fallen desires that condemns a man, nor that all of us may at sometime stumble to fall (I HAVE AND NO DOUBT SHALL), for Christ always calls His back by the way of repentance… BUT……….
Hebrews 10:26-27
26 – If we DELIBERATELY KEEP ON SINNING after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,
27 – but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
Though heterosexual, I have great compassion for the believing LGBT community… for they have none to stand in the breach for them warning against sin, only apostate ministers telling them that the love of God now permits acts clearly forbidden in Scripture. This is not what Jesus taught her, caught in the very act of adultery, when He said…
John 8:11
“Then neither do I condemn you,”Jesus declared. “GO AND SIN NO MORE”
Who is it then who loves his brother, he who warns or he who seeking to be loved of all… covers himself with a cloak of lies?
The male reproductive organ was made for a purpose, but God will judge those straight and gay who would use it otherwise for their own pleasure.
1 Corinthians 6:13
“Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
May 4, 2013 at 12:06 am
Karl
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKZlPUx8F8c&w=560&h=315%5D