GAY TRUTH

We live in a time when "tolerance," "diversity" and "inclusivity" are considered by many cultural virtues that supersede all others. This popular relativist notion disregards something far more important: Truth. ( REUTERS/Marko Djurica ) We live in a time when "tolerance," "diversity" and "inclusivity" are considered by many to be cultural virtues that supersede all others. This popular relativist notion disregards something far more important: Truth. Yet, and to borrow from Pontius Pilate , "What is truth?" Jesus is truth. Either that or, as C.S. Lewis famously observed, He is a liar, a lunatic or the " Devil of Hell" himself. Christ was both tolerant and intolerant—utterly exclusive and wholly inclusive. He said in no uncertain terms: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" ( John 14:6 ). Let's break that down. The Way Jesus

Today I want to address what I think is the most widespread objection in the entire discussion. I honestly think that this issue gets to the very heart of the disagreement. This goes deeper than just our views on homosexuality or the definition of marriage. It strikes at the very core of the worldview of contemporary wisdom. It has to do with the notion of love. The objection goes something like this: “In the midst of all of your attention to details of various Bible verses, you’ve lost the big picture. The cardinal virtue that Jesus taught His followers was  love . If you value love, what’s the problem with two consenting adults making a commitment to each other out of love? Love is love. To insist that homosexuality is sinful and to deny them the right to get married is simply not loving, and therefore not Christian .” So you see how the collective reasoning of the culture paints the Christian into a corner here. Any response which does not fully affirm homosexuality—no matte

The objection goes something like this: “In the midst of all of your attention to details of various Bible verses, you’ve lost the big picture. The cardinal virtue that Jesus taught His followers was  love . If you value love, what’s the problem with two consenting adults making a commitment to each other out of love? Love is love. To insist that homosexuality is sinful and to deny them the right to get married is simply not loving, and therefore not Christian.” So you see how the collective reasoning of the culture paints the Christian into a corner here. Any response which does not fully affirm homosexuality—no matter what the Bible explicitly says about the matter—is  hatred , pure and simple. And Jesus calls us to love. And you claim to follow Jesus. So you’re an un-American , un-Christian, hypocritical bigot. Love as Unconditional Acceptance But the argument simply doesn’t hold water. And this is the reason: the wisdom of secular society has failed to define  love  

BOOK REVIEW "Christianity Today" Next time you're with a group of evangelical Christians , try this exercise in free association: What comes to mind when you hear the word "gay"? Whose faces do you imagine? The lesbian couple who live next door, who have been burned by the church and have been dropping hints that they're not too fond of Christians ? The barely-clad, gyrating figures in the local Pride Parade ? The political activists you watch on the nightly news? The radio show host who said those nasty things about conservatives? Whatever pictures the label "gay" evokes, you probably don't immediately envision the face of an evangelical churchgoer. Justin Lee , a self-described "gay Christian" and author of the disarmingly vulnerable Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate (Jericho Books), is out to change your perceptions. Known as "God Boy" in high school, Lee was the kid who wouldn't s

The objection goes something like this: “In the midst of all of your attention to details of various Bible verses, you’ve lost the big picture. The cardinal virtue that Jesus taught His followers was love. If you value love, what’s the problem with two consenting adults making a commitment to each other out of love? Love is love. To insist that homosexuality is sinful and to deny them the right to get married is simply not loving, and therefore not Christian .” So you see how the collective reasoning of the culture paints the Christian into a corner here. Any response which does not fully affirm homosexuality—no matter what the Bible explicitly say about the matter—is hatred, pure and simple. And Jesus calls us to love. And you claim to follow Jesus. So you’re an un- American , un-Christian, hypocritical bigot. Love as Unconditional Acceptance But the argument simply doesn’t hold water. And this is the reason: the wisdom of secular society has failed to define love biblic