Another Weiner Politician: Romney

6 thoughts on “Another Weiner Politician: Romney”

1. Question: I have read through a number of your posts mentioning homosexuality is sin. What, exactly, is your definition of homosexuality? This is a serious question. I am not being silly. But I find that many if not most pastors in the LCMS operate under a religious definition of the word homosexuality that is not the same as the general definition of homosexualiy.

2. I was hoping you would respond when you approved the last post. But, since you didn’t, may I point out the LCMS, in accordance with the Bible, has never said “homosexuality is sin.” At lease not since the formation of the task force on homosexuality under president Barry in the early 90’s. In accordance with Scripture, the LCMS has declared homosexual behavior of the mind and of the body as sin but NOT “homosexuality” for the simple reason that the word “homosexuality” denotes only the persistent presence of a specific temptation. Every official news release from Synodical headquarters has condemned only homosexual behavior, not homosexuality. So also, all resolutions which have been put before the Synod in convention have condemned homosexual behavior – not the temptation.

   Had Romney answered “I believe homosexual behavior to be a sin” he would have been correct. Had he said “homosexuality is sin” he would have been speaking outside of biblical authority and would have been wrong.

3. Matt-

   I apologize for not responding sooner. The Scriptures teach that both the desire and the act is sinful.

   Romans 1:26-27 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

   Strictly speaking being tempted of course is not a sin. But the second we allow that temptation to have its way with our mind or our body, we have sinned. Thanks be to Jesus that sins are forgiven in his blood.

   You are right that generally resolutions of the synod have focus on behavior in order to make clear that being tempted and standing firm is not sinful. But it is not to distinguish what happens between the mind and the body.

   Just read the sermon on the Mount and you will see that mind sin is just as needful of redemption as body sin. And not only in need of redemption, but in need of conquering as well.

   I assume that you take homosexuality to be a condition that in born and not able to be overcome. I know of no such sin. I struggle with many that seek to convince me that they are. But the Word says otherwise. I hope you will respond again so that our distinctions are clearer to other readers as well.

4. Thank your for replying.

   First, a couple of things to correct very quickly. The Synod indeed does not distinguish between mind and body. But neither did I. As I said, “the LCMS has declared homosexual behavior of the mind and of the body as sin.” The mere difference between mind and body is not where the distinction between sin and temptation occurs. You are correct here. But then my argument was not for a distinction between mind and body but between temptation and behavior in either mind or body. I’ll clarify that in a bit.

   Secondly – just to clear up a side issue. While there may be some individuals born with biological or endocrinological differences that may make the development of homosexuality more likely, even secular researchers no longer claim a direct biological pathway to homosexuality. However, Christian therapists generally place the sociological conditions that lead to homosexuality before the age of 3 with the child being unsuccessful in negotiating the gender identity stage. A minority of individuals seem to negotiate that stage successfully but develop some confusion of gender due to later trauma such as sexual abuse. However, even in cases where the gender identity was injured by trauma, if the precursors are not in place by about age 10, homosexuality is not likely to develop at adolescence, at least in males – it is a bit different in females who may develop previously absent sexual attraction to individuals of their own gender even into adulthood. So, no, it is highly unlikely people are “born” homosexual.

   However, it is also very difficult condition to reverse. While the majority of those who enter reparative therapy will make some progress, only about 30% actually develop strong enough opposite-sex attractions to successfully marry a person of the opposing gender. Only a very very few will become almost exclusively heterosexual, and even they will find homosexual desires arising when under stress. Most of those who enter therapy will have to make due with one degree or another of comfortable celibacy.

   But back on the main track. Let’s take a closer look at the sermon on the mount. Matthew 5:28 as “I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” This is probably the correct translation. pros to + the infinitive can (though not always does) indicate intent. That it does indicate intent in this case, however, is supported by James 1:14-15 in which the same word Christ uses for “lust” is used by James to denote desire. “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” Note that in James the mere presence of desire does NOT constitute sin but is, rather, temptation. Sin occurs when “desire conceives and bears fruit.” If Matthew 5 and James 1 are to be reconciled, we must conclude that Christ was not saying the initial reaction of desire for a woman is anything more than temptation but rather it was the intentionality of allowing that desire to remain that was the defining point of sin.

   So also with homosexuality, the fact that such a person experiences a sexual draw, even a strong draw, to members of their own gender (which is all that the word homosexuality was intended to express when it was invented in the late 1800’s and what it still means in general use today) does not in itself constitute sin but only temptation. Obviously, of course, the point at which a person allows such desire to remain or, even, invites such desire, it does cross the line from temptation to behavior and, hence, to sin.

   The Romans passage takes a bit more time to deal with thoroughly but essentially comes down to this. The three “God gave them up” verses are each three part statements Essentially in each of the statements God withdraws from idolaters the protection enjoyed by Christians in 1 Cor 10:13 so that the desires which were already present do indeed give birth to sin, allowing the Law to do its killing work and preparing them for the resurrection of the Gospel. Here some try to argue that the mere presence of the desires in the middle of each statement constitutes more than temptation because Paul uses the phrases “dishonorable passions” and “debased mind (or thought).” However, to this I would say that ALL temptation, by definition, is a dishonorable passion and a draw to that which is debased. Certainly a desire toward Satan worship would be considered a dishonorable passion or a debased thought. Yet Christ did indeed face and overcome that temptation. The fact that it was even a temptation for Him at all, however, does demonstrate that, at that moment, it had great attraction for Him – being tempted with that which is unattractive does not constitute temptation. So the judgment upon Rome is not the presence of the desires but the absence of the divine protection so that temptation had no alternative but to become sin.

   Finally here is the reason this is so important to distinguish between temptation as the desire toward sexual relationships with another of ones own gender and sin as either allowing such desires to remain rather than fighting them or allowing them physical expression. (and this is just one example – there are, in fact, many verses throughout Scripture that are diabolically altered when we allow temptation to be preached as sin) Hebrews 4:15 says “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” However, for the 14 year old boy who finds that he is attracted to other boys instead of girls, we have told him when we use the phrase “homosexuality is sin” that his mere experience of these unwanted desires is not temptation but sin. If the mere existence of these desire is sin then, for him, there is no distinction between temptation and sin – the moment the desire enters his mind, he is sinning. Therefore, the comfort of Hebrew 4:15 is not for Him for Christ was NOT tempted as he is for Christ did not sin. Hebrews 4:15 becomes for him as statement that Christ can NOT sympathize with him for his temptation was alien and anathema to Christ.

   Further, for such a boy, the comfort of the Gospel is removed. Homosexuality is the only scenario in which we preach the existence of temptation as sin (pedophilia comes close but even here we normally don’t preach against the temptation, if we mention it at all). Greed is certainly a sin of the mind but we don’t consider a desire for things to be greed or covetousness until it is allowed to take the place of love for brothers and sisters or until we “fear love or trust” things more than God. But we do declare homosexual desire to be sin at the moment of its appearance and by mere virtue of its existence. As such, we proclaim to this boy that he is a different kind of sinner than all other Christians. All other Christians experience temptation then sin. He, we tell him, experiences sin the moment temptation enters the picture. Having received the message that he is an exception under the Law – that his sin is different – he can not help but wonder, “Am I, then, an exception under the Gospel?” If my sin is categorically different than all other sins, if I am so sinful that Christ Himself could not endure temptation like mine without sinning, how can I know that when the pastor says “Christ has forgiven sins” I am included? If I am an exception under the Law then am I not also likely an exception under the Gospel?

   As such, when the pastor uses the phrase “homosexuality is sin” and especially if he fails to specifically apply grace to the topic of homosexuality in the same sermon, he leaves the homosexual teen believing there is neither hope nor forgiveness for him. For this reason, especially, it is very common, almost universal, to hear same sex attracted Christians, of whom I have met literally hundreds, who are fighting to overcome their temptation say about themselves as teens what one 19 year old recently said “I was afraid to ask anybody why this was (homosexual desire) happening and I was to ashamed to talk to god cause I thought he hated me.”

   In fact, it is my experience that these Christians, fighting bravely against their own desires and temptations, are literally terrified of pastors and will seldom approach their pastor with this problem – all because the pastor said “homosexuality is sin” without properly distinguishing temptation from sin or directly applying the Gospel. To take the step of telling one’s pastor of their temptation is considered extraordinarily courageous. Keep in mind that these particular Christians often separate themselves from the gay community for fear of giving in to temptation. Meanwhile, feeling condemned by pastors and other Christian, they find it excruciatingly hard to form friends with the Church. And, on top of that, they feel ashamed of their own temptation, having never been offered the comfort of Christ’s fellowship in enduring temptation for them nor the compassion of His forgiveness offered to them two.

   I have seen far too many of my friends drift away into the gay lifestyle, not primarily due to their own weakness but because they found neither compassion nor forgiveness in the Church. I have actually heard some say “I know that this lifestyle is a wrong and that the liberal churches are telling lies when they say homosexual relationships are OK but the other churches don’t want us anyway so what are we supposed to do?”

   It is for this reason the Synod has refused to use the phrase “homosexuality is sin.” Because to be unclear in preaching of the Law, to tell young people that the existence of temptation is sin is to rip the Gospel away from them, to burden silent and repentant young men and women with the Law instead of offering the forgiveness of Christ, and to leave them no option but that of despairing sinner. When we say “homosexuality is sin” and neglect to be specific, we literally preach people to hell

5. I know I put a lot into the last response and I doubt you have had time to digest it. But if you don’t mind, I would like to take the next step – if “homosexuality” describes the presence of temptation, then is simply being careful with our language and condemning only “homosexual behavior” enough? Well, actually, no.

   Let me give 3 different scenarios, 2 incorrect ways of addressing the issue and 1 correct way.

   Firstly, when I was in 8th grade one of my teachers, out of concern for me, went to my dad and told him that he was concerned I might be gay and might need some help dealing with it. My father, who was normally a very gentle man, became infuriated that someone would accuse his son of such a thing. Now, I was only 13 or 14. I had not physically done anything with anyone. The teacher who talked to my dad certainly was not accusing me of such. Nor did my father think I had been sexual with anyone. He was angry simply at the thought that his son might be attracted to guys. Now, I did not know of the incident until years later. But I did see the change in my father’s behavior as he became very agitated and upset at any hint of homosexual attraction he saw in my words or behavior.

   From that point on I felt I was stealing every compliment I got from my father. I knew absolutely and without doubt that he would be ashamed of me if he knew for sure I was queer. So every time he said “I love you” or “I am proud of you,” the thought that immediately popped into my head was “if you knew I am gay, you would not say that.” I tried very had to be the perfect son because I craved His love and affection, yet the sense of lying to him every time he complimented me took away any sense of accomplishment or joy I should have had in my father’s pride.

   This is pretty much the approach Christians use at the moment toward homosexuality. By preaching against a temptation we fill teens with shame so that they doubt the Gospel and the love of Christ when it is proclaimed. All you need to do is to really talk to a number of Christians who experience this issue to know that they really do struggle to comprehend the forgiveness of Christ for themselves, largely because pastors and other Christians have made them ashamed of temptation they did not want in the first place.

   Now, let’s pretend my father approached me and asked me if I was gay and that I found the courage to admit it. Then let’s imagine he said, as did the father of one young man I know, “Well, no one can help who they are attracted to. I am proud of you for fighting this temptation and I guess as long as you don’t have sex with other guys I’m OK with it.”

   In a sense, this is the response we would be giving if all we did was separate the temptation of homosexuality from the sin of homosexual behavior. Did you notice how the father put all the responsibility on the son? If all we do is separate temptation from behavior then we put the burden upon the person and his or her ability to withstand that temptation. We also fill them with fear – “what’s happens if I fall into temptation? What happens if I sin with another guy? What happens if I fantasize about another guy? Will I then lose God’s love? Will I have thrown it away?”

   So what is the proper way to handle homosexuality?

   Well the most important thing to keep in mind is that the “answer” Christian homosexuals are looking for when they face this temptation is the assurance that they are not alone, that they will not reach old age and die without having had close friends or family. They desperately long to hear a message of community and comfort in the way we speak about temptation, the forgiveness of sin and the way we relate to them.

   When it comes to temptation and sin, it is certainly important that we keep the two distinguished from each other. However, what is more important is that we assure those who face this temptation that all Christians share this struggle with temptation and with the guilt that comes from the actions of the old man. And this has to happen not by trying to “lift up” homosexuality but by “bringing down” other sins and temptation.

   What I mean by that is this: I have often heard pastors say “homosexuality is no different from all other sins, no sin is worse than another” or “we all face temptation, homosexual temptation is no different than any other temptations.” Now, the pastor may very well be trying to offer assurance but, because Christian leaders and parents do, in fact, treat homosexuality functionally different than any other sin or temptation, such assurances are hollow and come across to the homosexual as self justifying lies.

   Rather, the pastor must truly bring the rest of his hearers down to the level of the homosexual. Christ did this both in the incarnation and the temptation. He came down to us for we could not rise to Him. He endured temptation of a far more shameful variety than even homosexuality. He did this NOT to show us how to overcome temptation as many pastors erroneously preach (that would have been an exercise in futility) but to demonstrate sympathy and compassion for us, that He too endured temptation with us as Hebrews says. Paul brought his own sin down to the level of the homosexual when he called himself “chief of sinners” only 5 verses after listing the most grievous vices, including homosexual behavior. So also, the pastor needs to be willing to admit that homosexual temptation is indeed profoundly unnatural and a perversion of God’s creation. But then he MUST confront his listeners that to desire a women as an object for mere sex rather than the permanent one flesh union for which God created us is as much a perversion of God’s creation as is homosexual desire. He must remind them that the glorification of extra sexual heterosexual intercourse on the big screen and TV, the proliferation of divorce, and the dramatic increase of pre-marital sex and cohabitation have all done unimaginably more damage to society and children than all the homosexual propaganda pushed by all the homosexual activists in the world. In fact, if Christian therapist are correct that one of the major contributors to homosexuality is an unstable relationship with the father and/or an over-involved mother then divorce, broken homes and extramarital affairs are themselves a major cause of homosexuality. The pastor needs to point out that heterosexual temptations and sin are every bit as degrading and sinful as homosexuality. This can also be done in letters to the editor and blogs when the issue is addressed by showing real acknowledgment, repentance and remorse of the heterosexual sins committed by Christians. This, again, is what Christ did when He took upon Himself our sin and died for our guilt. It is also how He preached to the pharisees – by acknowledging the sins of the tax collectors and then condemning the pharisees for being just as evil, sinful and twisted.

   Secondly, the pastor needs to let the listener know that the homosexual has the fellowship of Christ under the Gospel. The sinners and tax collectors flocked to Christ not because He winked at their sin but because He offered direct forgiveness – even addressing them specifically in His sermons. (can you imagine what the reaction would be if He had taught his parable in modern times as: “a drag queen sat in the back of the church praying ‘Lord, have mercy on me a sinner’……”) The homosexual Christians do not flock to the Church today not because, as I heard one woman say “those kinds of people don’t want forgiveness,” but because it has seldom been offered to them. They have heard condemnation from one branch of Christianity and permissiveness from the other. But they have seldom heard real forgiveness. Having been a Christian for 49 years, I would probably not need both hands to count how many times I have heard the Gospel applied directly to homosexuality outside of Exodus International gatherings. I have heard many sermons which mentioned homosexuality under the Law and which had fine and passionate Gospel also. But, because the preacher had not done his job under the Law, because he had presented homosexuality as a fundamentally different sin by not separating temptation from sin and by not bringing his congregation down to the level of the homosexual, when the Gospel was delivered it came across to the homosexual listener as “This wonderful good news if for everyone else, but not you.” For this reason, whenever a pastor mentions homosexuality under the Law, whether in sermons, Bible studies or blogs, he must also bring it under the Gospel. To refuse to offer Gospel on the grounds that “we do not want to preach to itching ears” also denies the bread of life to the starving homosexually tempted children of God and puts them in the position of dogs searching desperately for crumb falling from the masters table. (why is it, by the way, that on almost all other sins we are Lutheran and point to Christ but on this one we become reformed and think that with the Law and reason alone we can make a person change themselves?)

   Finally, the pastor must encourage his congregation to show love and compassion to homosexuals. Seriously, the Christians’ track record in this arena is abysmal. Again and again I hear pastors say “we ask no more of the homosexual than we do the heterosexual – to live in abstinence outside of lifelong opposite sex marriage.” That is a bunch of bullshit. We do not ask straight people to live their entire lives feeling they are a shame and embarrassment to their parents because of their very existence. Yet because of our mishandling of the Law on this issue and because of our parsimoniousness with the Gospel on this issue we create such a situation for those who face this temptation. I have never heard a parent wonder whether to welcome home for Christmas a child who was living with a lover of the opposite sex. I have heard dozens of parents ask if they should tell a gay child he is no longer welcome in the family home until he stops being homosexual. I saw a Bible study from an LCMS pastor about 2 years ago. It came in three sessions a) the causes of homosexuality b) what does the Bible say about homosexuality and c) the dangers of the gay lifestyle. Not a single word was said about how to show compassion or friendship to homosexuals. The LCMS and RSOs put out all kinds of literature to help those going through divorce, extramarital pregnancy, those facing guilt after abortion etc. All deal with such subjects from a great Law/Gospel perspective and offer the comfort of Christ to repentant sinners in such situations. We have many fine resources for those who are depressed, for the single (heterosexual) adult and for those facing grief. But the LCMS has produced nothing written to help the repentant homosexual in our midst. There are many things written about homosexuality. But nothing written to homosexuals. On another LCMS pastor’s blog site I saw the phrase “all we need to do is proclaim Law and Gospel on this issue.” Really? I thought Jesus went a bit further and actually ate with sinners. I thought a great deal of Paul’s writing had to do with how you treat others, especially fellow repentant and believing sinners. I thought a lot of Christ’s preaching had to do with how you love one another. Yet homosexual Christians experience little of this from conservative churches. I have seen no other group experience the excruciating loneliness of homosexual Christians. And all excused by “we ask no more of homosexual Christians than we do of heterosexuals.”

   Seriously, what are straight pastors thinking? Cause I really can’t get in to your heads on this one. Do you honestly believe repentant homosexual Christians receive any sense of friendship or welcome from you and your congregation? Has it never occurred to you guys that if you preach against homosexuality in sermons and blogs but seldom apply the Gospel and never lead your congregation in showing compassion then maybe, just maybe, a homosexual teen in your church might not exactly feel wanted or welcomed. I have heard some Christians say “we would be happy to give friendship to any repentant homosexual, but we don’t know any.” Has it never occurred to pastors that if you set up an environment where homosexual members are afraid to come to you in confession then, of course, the congregation will never have an opportunity to show such friendship to them. I know many Christians who struggle against this temptation. And they ask no more of other Christians than an occasional hug by someone who knows their struggle or a kind word or maybe even to be invited over once in a while for a beer by someone who says “I know you face this temptation but I want to be your friend.” Yet, because of the way the pastor has addressed this issue, they are too afraid to ask their fellow Christians for even that. So they struggle alone and many fall by the wayside. And we excuse ourselves by assuring one another that “we asked no more of them than we do of anyone else.”

   Sorry to continue the rant but, for all that the Church blames the glorification of homosexuality in the media, I have never ever heard anyone say “I decided to try the gay lifestyle because it looked cool on TV.” I have heard dozens say “I turned to the gay community and gave up fighting my desires because I could not live lonely in the Church anymore.”

   So frankly, it doesn’t matter one bit if Romney or any other politician or judge thinks homosexuality is a sin or not or if they support gay marriage or not. If the Church itself does not begin to apply the grace of Christ to this issue properly, gay marriage will be a reality in this nation within the next decade and we might as well throw in the towel now and learn to live with it.

   So, considering the Church’s abysmal track record on this issue, maybe Romney had the right idea to just keep his mouth shut and his opinion to himself. If the Church refuses to handle this issue according to the Word of God then why should we expect a politician to do so?

   Sorry for the long rant

6. Oh wait

   One more thing

   I triple dog dare you to include the following in a sermon sometime in the next month:

   “I know there very well be teens or even adults among us who experience homosexual temptation and desire and are ashamed and miserable and lonely because of it. And you are afraid and unsure of where to go. I would consider it a great privilege if you would come to my office in confession sometime this week. I would consider it a great honor and I will listen with compassion as you tell me how hard it has been for you, how awful you feel when you are tempted and the guilt you feel when you find yourself thinking things you don’t want to think and how lonely you feel. And the first thing I will do is I will pull out the service of confession and absolution and we will go through it together and I will offer God’s forgiveness directly and specially to you. The second thing I will do is give you the biggest hug you have ever had. And the third thing I will do is to ask you what I can do for you to help you with this struggle. I will let you know you have a friend on your side and will walk with you together as we figure out how to help you know the forgiveness of Christ and to find loving friends in His family who will walk with you too. I want you to know that my door is open to you.”

   Just try it and see what happens