Tag Archives: politics

On the Pubcast!

17 Thursday Jul 2014

Posted by in Christianity, Personal, Politics, Theology

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Tanner & Les.

Tanner & Les.

Two really cool guys had me on their podcast (The Reformed Pubcast) recently. They’re Calvinists who talk about Arminians, theology, and beer. But at minute 23 of this week’s podcast, they talked with me about being Gay and Evangelical.

The reaction on the blog has been mixed, but I think is largely good. I have a sense that hearing from a real-life Calvinist who wrestles with his sexuality and identifies as gay (but with the qualification that he is celibate unless he marries a woman at some point) is utterly foreign territory to some. That’s ok…and if you’re visiting from the Pub, welcome!

One question I was asked on the Facebook group has to do with whether or not the word “love” can be used for me to talk about those to whom I’m attracted. I’m well aware of popular Calvinistic teachers who do not like for the word “love” be associated with anything same-sex related. However, since I was asked why I used the word love, this is what I replied. I share it here because I imagine that there are many people who would secretly ask the same question.

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Here Come the Grooms: Why Gay Marriage Will Be Legalized in the U. S.

10 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in Christianity, Politics

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Today’s post is by a guest blogger, W. Todd Weedman. He’s writing to fellow conservative Christians about why it’s our own fault that gay marriage will be legalized. You can contact him at w.todd.weedman [at] gmail [dot] com.

Do not be misled.  It really is our own fault.

Yesterday’s announcement that President Obama has officially changed his position (1) on the definition of marriage really is a milestone for the cause of the LGBT movement.  Though the decision itself is a “personal decision” for the president and therefore does not change anything legally, it does seem to change something about the argument.  This is the first time that a sitting president has expressed such a position, and that grants a new level of authority to the cause of gay marriage.

As the states gradually continue to assent to the legalization of gay marriage, it is going to be very easy for the church to point the finger of blame at the politicians, but ultimately this perversion of the institution of marriage is on our heads.

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Savagery

30 Monday Apr 2012

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Savagery, \ˈsa-vij-rē\, noun.  An act of cruelty or violence.

Dan Savage made some comments recently which posted to YouTube. Certainly, as an American, he has the right to say whatever he pleases under the first amendment. He has issued what may be considered by many to be an apology subsequent to the public outcry against his posture to religion and adherents thereof.

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Response to Randy Alcorn and Abortion

21 Friday Jan 2011

Posted by in Theology

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A friend of mine here at the seminary sent me this link to Justin Taylor’s blog regarding some comments made by Randy Alcorn about Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.  Last night, a few of us from the seminary discussed at some length the merits and demerits of having services which commemorate extra-biblical events, holidays, etc.  This friend, who was involved in the conversation, was interested to know what I’d say to Alcorn’s assertion.  Here’s the email I sent to my friend.

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Part 2: Insightful words on sexuality

17 Saturday Apr 2010

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Will, at the Sojourns with Jesus blog, continues his reflections on Jennifer Knapp and sexuality in the Church.

Jesus in divine obstructiveness has refused for whatever reason to leave me alone especially in my sexuality. I have loved Jesus since early childhood and believed in Jesus even when I did not believe in God. I walked away from him but he never walked away from me. Jesus invaded my life including my imagination, desires, and struggles at seventeen. My only problem with Jesus has always been that he wants to be in charge of all my life including my sex life. He is thoroughly un-modern in his insistence that he is the Lord of my heart and I am not {suppose to be}.

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Someone Else Comes Out of the Closet

14 Wednesday Apr 2010

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Will, at the Sojourns with Jesus blog, writes about Christian singer Jennifer Knapp’s coming out as a lesbian. I’m looking forward to hearing the remainder of his comments.

My spiritual journey with God can best be described as wrestling. I am by nature a skeptic. It is hard for me to believe in a invisible being called God that is a Sovereign Lord. That belief goes against my nature and my culture. The virtue of our society is that we are our own lords and anything goes as long as its “consensual” and “no body gets hurt”. Sovereignty implies submission and the idea of submission goes against my very nature. I love music and it has been a great influence on my spiritual journey particularly in my late teens and early 20s. I really fell in love with the raw honesty of Jennifer Knapp’s music at a time I nearly walked away from the Church. She spoke in her music about struggles with a sovereign God. I’ve struggled too.

Click here to read the rest of Will’s post.

Churches and Gay Youth: A Response, part 3

18 Thursday Mar 2010

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The following post is a continuation of Part 1 and  Part 2 of this series, which references this news story.

John & Charles Wesley wrote and translated many wonderful hymns.

But their theology stank.

The idea that “Christian perfection” or “the victorious Christian life” or “walking in the Spirit” could actually happen this side of heaven is nothing but garbage.  It doesn’t confront the reality that Paul speaks of his life at the time of his writing Romans 7, not in terms of his pre-Christ state.  Romans 7, therefore, is the picture of a Christian…not one who “has not yet surrendered his life to Christ.”

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Churches and Gay Youth: A Response, part 2

16 Tuesday Mar 2010

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The following post is a continuation of Part 1 of this series, which references this news story.

Quoting Lucky Severson:

Pastor Heidi Neumark says that condemnation has led to outright discrimination. She says too many churches have created an environment where it’s okay to bash gays or lesbians or bisexuals or transgenders, known collectively as LGBTs.

In this, I would say that Neumark has a legitimate complaint. The types of jokes I’ve heard at churches, the types of references to gay individuals said with a sneer, even from a pulpit!…these are real things I’ve experienced myself.  This doesn’t mean that everyone who makes a joke or a derisive comment is liable to drag a homosexual behind his/her pickup truck.  I’m not nearly that paranoid.

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Churches and Gay Youth: A Response

13 Saturday Mar 2010

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This news story was brought to my attention by someone who was curious as to my reaction to it, so here are some thoughts regarding it.  As always, I welcome comments on my opinions but I ask that anyone who comments to take the time to watch the story and/or read the transcript at the link already referenced so that any discussion can be useful and productive.

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