Sin of Arrogance

Over the years, I've noticed many constant themes and positions in the arguments, explanations, essays written by people who believe that homosexuality, or homosexual love-making, is a sin.

When challenged by evidence from the lives of GLBTQ people, or by challenges to the theology behind the condemnation, these authors consistently responded within the premise that their belief (homosexuality is condemned in the Bible) is unquestionably correct.

These authors practice for themselves an intrinsic superiority - what they believe is automatically correct, they cannot be wrong, anyone who disagrees with them cannot be correct.

The effort to even consider that their interpretation could be in error is simply not made.


Here, Homosexuality & the Church - Part 1 , for example, despite several well-written challenges to the assumptions about the lives of GLBTQ people, challenges that contradict the notion that our loving relationships are intrinsically sin, responders simply refused to even consider the possibility, engaging in rather strained versions of 'yes, but' to hold onto their condemnation. Despite a post that crticized the trend to reduce GLBTQ people to a mere subject, issue, problem; subsequent posts continue to dehumanize GLBTQ people.

This is arrogance in action, this unwillingness to look at evidence that challenges their pre-conceived position fairly.

Another example is available here:"A Strictly Christian Policy?" -- Linda Hirshman Strikes Again". Rather than actually address the substance of Linda Hirshman's remarks, Dr. Mohler dismisses her premise out of hand. According to Dr. Mohler's other blog entries, homosexuality just is a sin, that's all there is to it - and thus, there is no need for him to consider the point Ms. Hirshman raised.

Trouble is, she raised a good point:

"In most western moral systems, immorality requires an element of harm to, or disregard for, others. The obvious examples are robbery or murder--though even sexual conduct that some call immoral supposedly degrades the moral climate of the community. That's mostly nonsense; on the rare instances when sexual conduct should be an object of moral scrutiny, it involves harming another--as (in Pace's other example) adultery does--through a hurtful breach of trust. But no one is actually harmed--and no civil liberties are trampled--by homosexuality. "

Dr. Mohler summarily dismisses this, as well as projecting assumptions she did not make , despite a key Christian teaching - a definition of morality, lawfullness, from Jesus Christ.

Ironically, it contains no mention of homosexuality.

16Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
17"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
18"Which ones?" the man inquired.
Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19honor your father and mother,'[d] and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'[e]"
20"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
21Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

34Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[b] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[c] 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

In Matthew 19: 16-22, and Matthew 22: 34-40, as well as in parallel accounts in Mark and Luke, Jesus gives a very concise and clear statement about what morality is. Paul, in his letter to the Galatians 5: 14, wrote:
"The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." "

These passages clearly validate Ms. Hirshman's point, her position is scripturally sound. But because same-sex relationships, sexual expression, intimacy do not intrinsically violate either clause of what Christ called the Greatest commandments, side-stepping becomes necessary for those who argue that homosexuality is sin. People who are openly inflicting harm on gays and lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people have to reframe any discussion away from the concept of "an element of harm to, or disregard for, others" because that concept indites their position on homosexuality - the condemnation of homosexuality is intrinsically immoral.

Think that over for a moment. Those who condemn homosexuality based on the Bible, have an interpretation of a handful of passages, and there is in the same Bible, a statement by Jesus Christ that contradicts their interpretation.

Do they even re-evaluate their interpretation? Apparently not. Consistently, they chose their interpretation about homosexuality over direct statements from Jesus Christ.

To me, that qualifes as failing to Love God with your entire self. Further, because this behavior is used to justify and excuse persecuting and physically harming GLBTQ people, they are also violating 'love your neighbor as yourself' - and those of us whom they are harming, are allowed to invite the Dr. Mohler's of the world to repent of their sin against us. His email address is available on his website, let him know he owes you, or your family members, or your friends, an apology.