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On a recent Saturday afternoon, my dad and I were having a chat over a cup of coffee. He shared with me a quote he had heard somewhere before, but he couldn't remember who said it. It went something like this: "What one generation tolerates, the second generation accepts and the third generation celebrates."
I have to admit that the first thing that came to my mind when I heard that quote is the progression of homosexuality in the American culture. There was a time in this country as short as half a century ago when a person who felt they had homosexual tendencies would keep it to himself or herself because it was such a taboo in our society. As time passed, however, more and more people began to come out of the closet. The hippie "free love" movement in the '60s was key to helping make this happen.
Traditionalists didn't like it, but over time more and more of them just learned to keep their mouths shut even though they didn't agree with the lifestyle. Somewhere along the line, the once household word "gay" transformed from meaning joy and happiness to a term used to describe homosexuals. That was just one way people became desensitized to the matter.
Today in America, there are "gay pride parades" taking place at big theme parks, which is a great example of how something once merely tolerated by the vast majority of American people now is widely and openly celebrated.
Although I believe the homosexual lifestyle is morally wrong, I am a friend to many homosexuals. I have never acted as though I was better than someone because they are not straight. Rather, I have befriended a number of people who are romantically involved with those of the same sex. However, I never try to make even my homosexual friends believe that I think there's nothing wrong with the lifestyle. I think they all know how I stand on the issue, but I love them anyway the same way Jesus Christ has loved me through my sin.
I recall one incident when I was hanging out with a friend of mine who has a homosexual friend who was with us. Something came up about an issue relating to homosexuality, and I somehow expressed my disapproval of it. Later in the day, the guy called my friend and said, "Hey, I didn't know your friend was a gay hater."
Now if that guy really knew me at all, he would know that isn't my personality. But I do understand that some people are uncomfortable with being around homosexuals, and I don't necessarily think there's anything wrong with them feeling that way. It's their right to have their own opinion.
It just seems unfair that when a person expresses their disapproval of the lifestyle, they are automatically labeled a "homophobe." Some people I know wear the title proudly, but I think that in the homosexual community it definitely is meant to be an insult.
As time goes on, homosexuals are demanding more and more tolerance, but at the same time they seem to be completely intolerant of groups such as evangelical Christians who are holding true to the values they had 50 some-odd years ago. In recent years, there has been talk of prohibiting speaking out against the homosexual agenda in the pulpits of our country's churches because it can be considered "hate speech."
I think that if ever enforced, that would be a dangerous slope to go down because it threatens the freedoms of speech and religion that are paramount to making this country free.
According to an ewtn.com article, a human rights court in Canada banned Bible verses in 2001 that speak out against homosexuality, such as "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination." (Leviticus 18:22) That seems to be the direction homosexual lobbyists are trying to go in this country.
If a person tries to argue the point that people are not born homosexual, they tend to be mocked and laughed at. It hasn't been proven that there is a gene that makes people be born homosexual, but the more people repeat it, the more people accept it as fact. If it's said loud enough and long enough, people will start to believe it, but that doesn't make it true.
The reason homosexual groups want to make people believe it despite the lack of scientific evidence supporting it is because then they would gain wider social acceptance and be better protected against discrimination like the so-called hate speech coming from pastors who preach against the lifestyle.
Exodus International is a ministry that has counseled men and women to come out of the homosexual lifestyle for the past 30 years. According to this group, people are not born gay, and it is possible to turn away from homosexuality. They can be contacted by visiting exodus-international.org.
I believe groups that oppose the homosexual agenda should not be negatively criticized for refusing to go with the norms of society. It's not that they are afraid of change; it's that they believe some things never should change. They believe some things never should be tolerated or accepted so that they ultimately will not be celebrated.
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