I had some computer "fu" I had to upload it, but here is a response from my Father, a former Atheist to the Charlotte Observer regarding modern religion and politics. He now does missionary work around the world for the Nehemiah Ministries he founded.
(and back in the day, he used to be a good Aheist)...
" Same-Sex Marriage"
THE REASONS THEY PUT FORTH
by Tom Watchorn
An article appeared in The Charlotte Observer , Saturday, February 4, 2012, featuring an interview with the widely known Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. Bishop Robinson is widely known as being the first openly gay man to hold such a church leadership position. I stress the word "openly", because I'm quite confident there have been in the past, and presently are, men and women who are practicing homosexuals, that have held or currently hold important church leadership positions. Many admire Bishop Robinson for having the courage to make himself such a visible spokesman for same-sex marriages. I was saddened to learn from the article that Bishop Robinson wore a bullet proof vest to his ordination in 2004, and has had to endure numerous threats against his life since then. I have also heard of other church leaders who oppose same-sex marriages also being threatened and harassed. This is most unfortunate and this hateful behavior should be condemned by both sides. I also learned from the article that Robinson was once married to a woman and was both a husband and a father. I gathered from the facts presented in the article that Bishop Robinson has had a homosexual relationship with his present partner since 1988.
During the interview, during which Robinson answered various questions regarding "same-sex marriage" and "homosexuality", I identified six (6) major points or reasons put forth by him in an attempt to justify both and to define the role church leaders should play in the legalization of same-sex marriages. I would like to review each point Robinson raised and by doing so, determine if these "made-made cisterns" of logic and reasoning "hold any water" against historical and biblical evidence to the contrary. Robinson's points, if I have correctly identified each of them, are presented below in the order they appeared in the news article. I understand that for sake of space, the reporter had to edit or shorten Robinson's responses to his questions. Nevertheless, I think I can deal which each of Robinson's responses fairly and objectively.
1. Robinson states, "the much respected principal of the separation of church and state". Robinson would have been more accurate in his reply if he had said, the much misunderstood principle of the separation of church and state. Obviously, his bias is showing by him suggesting that his interpretation of this principle is much respected. It's not. His interpretation is widely discarded as being wrong.
Those that raise "the separation principle", want us to accept the notion that "the church" should not impose its religious beliefs upon the law of the land. Carrying the idea even further, they would like us to believe there is no role that a church leader should play in politics or in trying to influence the outcomes of elections or in the passing of laws. The proponents of this position believe the two, that is, church and state, should have nothing to do with each other. They believe that's what our nation's Founding Fathers wanted and that's what the Constitution says. Nothing could be further from the truth.
It seem odd that Robinson should raise the separation of church and state issue, when it is clear he was here in Charlotte speaking on behalf of the homosexual community and the Episcopal Church in an attempt to influence the May 8th vote regarding a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages.
1 of 6
Those that point to the First Amendment of the Constitution as proof text for removing God from the affairs of the state neither understand what the Amendment actually states or our early American history.
The First Amendment reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..." It says nothing of separating church from state. It says nothing of removing all references to God from all official functions and government affairs. The sole purpose was to make sure that the government did not interfere with or impose its demands upon the religious affairs of the people. That's true religious freedom. Our Founding Fathers did not want to see another "Church of England" situation where the government outlawed and persecuted any religion that was not "state-approved." To promote the absolute separation of church and state, is to demand that the government be allowed to govern outside the influence of the church. But if a government is truly, "of the people, for the people and by the people," and the majority of the people it represents believe in the Judeo-Christian values as set forth in the Bible, how could that government be allowed to govern in a manner contrary to those beliefs? The answer is - it couldn't. The Judeo-Christian values and principles taught in the Bible are at the very heart of why the United States of America was founded. George Washington said, "It is impossible to govern...without God and the Bible." Robinson and others need to be reminded that of the fifty-five men who wrote and signed the Constitution in 1787, all but three were orthodox members of the established Christian churches at the time. Two were Methodists, two were Roman Catholic, two were Lutheran, and the rest were Anglicans (Church of England) which were later identified as Protestant Episcopalians, Quakers, Puritans, American Presbyterians and Baptists. An American government operating outside the influence of the values expounded by the Christian church and the Bible would be a dangerous thing.
If space and time allowed, I could spend the next several paragraphs describing how Hitler's rise to power in Nazi Germany began with him marginalizing the church's influence in government policy. School prayers were banned, carols and Nativity plays were forbidden in schools. In 1938 the name Christmas was changed to Yuletide and Easter was turned into Spring Festival. Anyone see anything closely resembling what's been happening in America in the past fifty or so years to what occurred in Nazi Germany? The point is, first you separate church from the state and then you're free to pass laws that make what the church does - illegal. This has already happened in Europe and we are seeing it happen in America.
Thomas Jefferson has been credited by the promoters of the "separation of church and state principle", (when they're not trying to convince us it's in the Constitution) with first using the term. Jefferson, in fact did use the term in a letter to a church, wherein he strongly objected to the government trying to impose laws on how people should worship. Jefferson was advocating keeping government out of religious affairs, not the other way around. Jefferson never promoted the concept of a secular state. While serving in the Virginia House of Burgesses he was the one who personally introduced a resolution for a Day of Fasting and Prayer in 1774. While serving as President, he helped authorize the use of government funds to print Bibles for use in schools, build churches and support clergymen. He set apart space in the Capitol Rotunda for chapel services. He praised the use of local courthouses in his hometown for religious services. Was Jefferson a fundamentalist Christian? Hardly, he did not believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ. But he understood how vital it was to constantly exert the values promoted in the Bible and Christianity upon the government and its leaders.
2 of 6
2. Robinson says that "no one is suggesting that any church, any religious body, change what it believes." Really? Has the Episcopal Church always believed that homosexuality was "okay" and that same-sex marriages are acceptable in the eyes of the Lord? Hardly.
Someone's changed this church's mind and beliefs on the subject of homosexuality in the past decade or so. If no one's "suggesting" that the Lutherans, or United Methodists, or Presbyterians change what they've believed in for more than 200 years, then how is it that these denominations have all recently altered their church's doctrinal statements concerning homosexuality, particularly regarding the conducting of same-sex marriages and gays serving in their ministries?
Again, if space allowed, I could spend the next several paragraphs talking about the apostasy of the church which is described in 1 Timothy 4: 1, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron," We also read in 2 Timothy 4:3, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires..." and in 2 Timothy 3:1, "But know this, that in the last days, perilous times will come; For men will be lovers of themselves...without self-control...lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power..."
3. When Robinson brings up the issue of "marriage equality" he asks the question, "What is appropriate and fair under the law? What are the equal rights that should be available to all citizens?" You would think a Bishop of a mainline Christian denomination would ask instead, "What does God's Word say about homosexual behavior, sexual immorality and sodomites?" As Christians, our first priority in this matter (as in all matters) should be to understand what the Bible says about homosexual behavior and marriage. Not what does society think is appropriate. Or even what politicians, church leaders or the scientific community think about it. What should be our only point of reference is what does God's Word say about the marriage relationship between a man and a woman. Most importantly, does God anywhere, at any time in His Word make a provision for a same-sex marriage and does He bless it and place it on equal status with the traditional marriage. The answer is - absolutely not!
4. Robinson is concerned about " imposing religious beliefs on a state that promises equal rights for all," and asks "Is that right?" I suppose it depends on what particular religious beliefs one is trying to impose. For instance, God's commandments found in the Bible, such as "Thou shall not murder, thou shall not steal, thou shall not bear false witness, are particular religious beliefs that have somehow found their way into America's legal system. Robinson probably doesn't have a problem with these "impositions." David J. Brewer, a US Supreme Court Justice stated in 1910 that, "The American nation from its first settlement to this hour is based upon and permeated by the principles of the Bible." Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court (1953-1969), Earl Warren stated, "America is a Christian land governed by Christian principles...I believe the entire Bill of Rights came into being because of the knowledge our forefathers had of the Bible..." Therefore, it seems Robinson wants to pick and choose what particular beliefs from the Bible we can impose on the state, and which particular beliefs we cannot. According to Robinson, the beliefs he doesn't like, such as calling homosexuality and sodomy an abomination and a sin, should not be "imposed on the state" by the church. Robinson and others need to be reminded that the Founding Fathers believed that the inalienable rights protected by the Constitution, were granted by God, not by man.
3 of 6
It is a fundamental function of the American judicial system to take certain rights away from those citizens that practice lawlessness. Thank God for that.
5. The reporter for The Charlotte Observer asked Robinson to respond to the quoting of Leviticus by the opponents to same-sex marriage. His response was, "we all interpret (the Bible.)" Robinson is making the claim that, each of us interpret verses from the Bible differently, and therefore some of us, particularly the opponents of homosexuality and same-sex marriages, have simply interpreted this verse from Leviticus incorrectly. The actual verse from Leviticus is not disclosed in the article. So let's do that. The verse is found in the Old Testament in Leviticus 18:22. It reads, " Thou shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination." Now what part of "it's an abomination" does Robinson not understand? This verse is simple and straight-forward. Neither the reporter or Robinson mention the many other verses which appear throughout the Bible that condemn homosexuality. A man having sexual intercourse with another man ( and this must also apply to lesbian women as well ) is abominable behavior according to God. Robinson says at the time this verse (from the Old Testament book - Leviticus ) was written, everyone was presumed to be heterosexual. I wonder where he gets that idea?
Wouldn't it be safer for Robinson to assume that God knew at this time that men were committing this abominable act and He wanted to make it absolutely clear that He considered it "disgusting, vile, loathsome and hateful." Incidentally, these are the words used to describe "a-bom-i-na-tion" that are found in the English dictionary. Look it up. We find no stronger negative word in the Bible used to describe a particular human behavior. The word appears about 150 times in the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments. Because it is used so often throughout the Scriptures, there cannot be any "wiggle room" for any misunderstanding for lack of context. I wonder if the folks living in Sodom & Gomorrah had a different interpretation of the meaning of abomination? If an activity is attached to the word, "abomination" in the Bible, it is clearly something you do not want to do for fear of suffering the wrath of an angry God.
Robinson's notion that because this verse from Leviticus was written before mankind knew about the scientific reasons that make homosexual behavior "natural for a small minority of us," is just a form of denial on his part. He wants to "pick and choose" again, the verses in the Bible he likes, and dismiss those verses he finds objectionable. As if God didn't know what the nature of man was back in the Old Testament days. On the contrary, God knows what the nature of man was then, and what it is now. It's man nature to be sinful. Therefore, God calls us to resist doing evil. It's called "walking in the flesh" and anyone calling themselves a Bishop or a church leader ought to understand this concept better than most Christians. Robinson should know that God's truth transcends time and culture.
6. Robinson states that its regretful that many Episcopalians are leaving the church over the issue of homosexuality and same-sex marriage, and that "we have far more in common than what separates us." I suppose that's a matter of opinion and I for one don't weigh similarities on beliefs by quantity, but rather by quality. Apparently Robinson believes that two people who believe in the Trinity, and believe that Jesus was born of a virgin and rose from the dead, can maintain a Christian-based fellowship. Even if one of them practices sodomy and the other believes it to be an abomination in the eyes of the Lord. As if the common beliefs in the "major" tenets of the Christian faith, somehow outweigh or overcome the fact that one of them is mocking God's Word and selectively rejecting portions of the Bible and substituting their own reasoning to justify their sinful behavior.
4 of 6
The Bible instructs Christians what to do in such situations. From men who are lovers of themselves, from blasphemers, from those without self-control, from those who love pleasure more than they love God, even from those who have the appearance of being godly, the Bible tells us, "And from such people turn away!"
We read in 1 Corinthians 6:18, "Flee sexual immorality...he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body" and in 2 Corinthians 6:14, "...For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? The issue of same-sex marriages, homosexuality and gays serving as church leaders and in the ministry is tearing apart congregations of many Christian denominations across the nation. Life-long members of the Evangelical Lutheran, Presbyterian (USA), United Methodist, Baptist and Episcopal churches are questioning the biblical basis for their church's decisions in these matters and many are following the Bible's instructions to "turn away from such people."
Robinson says he was born an alcoholic, but doesn't say in the article whether he believes he was born a homosexual. Does it matter? I must assume that Robinson knows that the behavior of an alcoholic is self-destructive. He is therefore, ( I hope) controlling his "natural" desire to drink excessively. I must also assume that he is not trying to justify behaving like a drunk, simply because he was "born an alcoholic." In other words, he is not a practicing alcoholic and constantly drunk because he was born with an insatiable desire for alcohol. I think you can see where I'm going with this line of thinking. Can Robinson justify being a practicing homosexual, on the basis that he was born a homosexual? If he is, then why not use the same logic to justify getting drunk each day? He can't have it both ways.
Usually, in matters where there's a difference of opinion involving a minority, in this case homosexuals and those wishing to have a same-sex marriage, it's not a matter of if the "race card" will be played, but when it will be played. Robinson waits until the end of the interview to play it, by comparing how America's discriminatory attitude towards African-Americans changed over time, to how America's discriminatory attitude towards homosexuals will change over time. He's of course right. Americans are changing their opinions towards homosexuals. In fact, in 1978, 85% of Americans believed that homosexuality was a sin. Today, some surveys suggest that less than 50% of Americans believe that way. That however, doesn't make homosexuality any less detestable to God. Just because the majority thinks a certain way, doesn't make it right. Just because the majority of white Americans discriminated against African-Americans for many years, didn't make what they believed about this minority - true. Therefore, just because the majority of all Americans may now believe that homosexuality is not a sin - doesn't make it so. To repeat what's been said earlier. What's important is what does God say about homosexuality, as revealed to us in the Bible.
I totally reject the arguments on religious grounds that attempt to justify homosexuality and to institutionalize same-sex marriages in order to give them equality with sexual behavior that is blessed by God and with marriages blessed by God. According to the Word of God - the Bible, homosexuality is an abomination in the eyes of the Lord. I have listened carefully to all the social, psychological, and even biological reasons presented to justify same-sex marriages and homosexuality. They are all "man-made cisterns" that do not hold water against the Word of God. I know from God's Word that all things can be overcome through Christ our Lord. No temptation, whether encouraged by society, or the result of one's upbringing, or even the result of hormonal imbalances and DNA, can prevent a person from seeking God's forgiveness and receiving the strength from our Lord to overcome all temptations and lusts of the flesh.
5 of 6
Let me close by saying a few words about the accusations of hatred, bigotry, and divisiveness that always seem to be thrown out against ministers of correction. Please be reminded that according to the Bible, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction for instruction in righteousness..." ( 2 Timothy 3: 16. )
Just because I openly convict those that commit what the Bible calls "abominations", and just because I openly rebuke those false teachers and hirelings who pervert the meaning of Scripture and bend the truth to satisfy their own desires, does not make me a bigot, a hate monger, or a homophobic. As a missionary, I have eaten with, cleaned up after and held the hand and counseled too many homosexuals of all color, race and religions that were dying of AIDS, to succumb to the argument that I need to "love more and hate less." I do not need to be "more compassionate and less critical." "I do not need to be more tolerant and less dogmatic." Spare me your incriminations! If you agree with, and support the notion of same-sex marriage, your position is irreconcilable with mine. Much more importantly, it is irreconcilable with the Word of God. It is not a matter to be negotiated. Homosexuals are not being called upon to reform - they are being called upon to repent. The same goes for the heretics, and "the wolves in sheep's clothing" that call evil good, and good evil. Peter warns us, "...that false teachers will come...who secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them...And many will follow their destructive ways." (2 Peter 2:1-2)
Written by:
Tom Watchorn
Nehemiah Ministries
P.O. Box 1165
Cornelius, NC 28031
watchornnc@aol.com
February 6, 2012