If you watched the Grammys Sunday night, you saw a pointy shouldered, rubberized Lady Gaga offering up a musical anthem for the homosexual movement. Here are some of the lyrics:
My mama told me when I was young
We are all born superstars
She rolled my hair and put my lipstick on
In the glass of her boudoir
“There’s nothin’ wrong with lovin’ who you are”
She said, “‘Cause He made you perfect, babe”
“So hold your head up, girl and you you’ll go far,
Listen to me when I say”
I’m beautiful in my way,
‘Cause God makes no mistakes
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born this way.
This song would be motivation enough for us Christian to stop making up and using these cute short phrases about God that really miss the biblical point. Take these two: “God doesn’t make mistakes” or “God made you perfect.” Of course they are true is one sense and might bring some biblical comfort if placed in proper biblical context. But you would will not find this idea in the scriptures related to our state at birth.  But what you will find in the scriptures over and over is the revelation that we are all born sinful. How we are born is not God’s original plan. We are born unlike Adam and Eve were originally. We are born fighting God, his will, and his ways.
Christians often fight the contention that gays are born that way with great vigor. And to be fair to those who argue this way, I understand their contention fully.  While the idea that sexual preference is in some sense genetic has become commonly accepted truth rapidly in society, there has been not one scientific study to confirm it. However, this argument itself gives the impression that how people are born is always to be celebrated or embraced by God’s people.
I do not know whether there is a genetic disposition in some towards homosexuality or whether it is sociologically and societally encouraged in some people. What I do know is that being being born any way does not make it necessarily good. Those who claim they are born with a bad temper to justify their hate or claim to be born in a way that heterosexual monogamy can just not be lived out for them will receive no pass here either. And being “born this way” in Gaga’s words, being born gay, does not make pursuing sexual immorality the right track. Homosexuality is not just against a key verse or two in the bible, but is against the entire teaching of manhood, womanhood, sexuality, and marriage in the bible. A different lover is in fact a sin.
Some may wonder, why argue with Lady Gaga on my blog? Well because sadly more are getting their worldview from people like her than any theologian or philosopher, or writer being published in the bookstore.
I was born this way. Sinful. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Why does God care specifically who I love? His only commandment was to love thy neighbor.
Thomas-
First, the commandment to love thy neighbor is given shape in the other commandments given in the scriptures. One of these commandments say not to commit adultery, which is a call to only experience sexual love inside of marriage which the scriptures from start to finish show as a lifelong union between one man and one woman.
Why does he care? Because marriage is the image he uses to speak of the relationship formed between Christ and the Church in his grace. And the picture only works if the relationship is is hetero just as he is hetero from his creation.
Also he cares, because as creator he knows what is best for you.
This song is absolutely an anthem. And what a way to follow up the Fame Monster. Wasn’t sure how I felt about gaga at first…now I know, she is absolutely amazing and a cultural icon.
It is an anthem. There we agree, Beyond that we part.
Let me ask you this. So often when Christians hear the word homosexuality, they first think SEX. Imagine a scenario in which two women are in LOVE, and let’s say they don’t have sex. They hold hands, snuggle up for movies, smile just thinking about each other, and do everything in their power to keep each other happy. It’s a beautiful thing, sans sexual relations. At what point, exactly, does being attracted to and unconditionally loving a member of your own gender become wrong?
Another question I’d like to ask-
The only qualification for salvation is acknowledgement that Jesus is Lord, that he died for our sins and if we confess them to him he will forgive us. SO, imagine a scenario where a traveling missionary makes his way through some remote village, and preaches the Word of God to some people there. One man accepts the Word, acknowledges Jesus as his savior and is “saved.” The missionary tells him to “love God and love others, for this is the sum of the commandments, ” and then he moves on. The man who was saved has no Bible, no mentor, no nothing to further enrich his faith. He just has the knowledge of the Lord and the words of that missionary.
This village man happens to fall in love with another man. Is this a damning sin that will bar him from heaven? The missionary never said anything about that! The man acknowledges Jesus as Lord, he LOVE him, and he clings to that newfound hope in a heaven after earth. Is that now not enough?
I would also like to add, myself being a brought up in a Christian church and home and schools, that the church and its community do not properly address the issue of homosexuality. One in ten people are believed to be gay. One in TEN. I guarantee there is a stunning number of closeted gays in your church who are struggling tremendously with these feelings. Traditionally, the church says homosexuality is wrong, and for some reasons Christians have such a disgusted, emotional reaction to the “gay issue.” What outlets are there for the 13-year-old Christian girl who likes girl? How could she even DREAM of bringing this up with anyone, knowing the shame it would bring to her family and the humiliation she would suffer?So she struggles on her own. And this is dangerous. Too often, churches say gay is wrong, but the only outlet they give to people is prayer. And I will tell you right now, although the power of prayer is so strong and there is nothing God can’t do, prayer will not take the gay away — at least in most cases. And for gay Christians who have spent years or even decades praying on their own, this starts to seem pretty futile and they begin to feel hopeless, helpless, and lost. Instead of pushing so heavily against homosexuality, let’s try making not such a big deal out of it, and maybe churches can even provide outlets for homosexuals who are struggling to reconcile their natural tendencies with their faith. Because, as a gay woman, I’ve heard enough of the “homosexuality is wrong!” sermons and not nearly enough “here’s how we will help you with this.” Word are spewed, but no action is taken. And Christianity is FAITH IN ACTION.
I’d love to hear your thoughts.