We were “treated” to a speech by Peter Thiel, co-founder of Pay-Pal, at the Republican convention on Thursday, July 21st. He said: “I am proud to be gay.” True, Thiel did say that he is proud to be a Republican, that the U.S. Economy is broken, and that he supports Trump. But the primary emphasis by the MSM was upon the fact that he was the first openly gay Republican in 16 years to speak at a GOP convention.
Having an openly gay speaker was something novel for the Republicans. As Time writer Philip Elliot wrote, “The words made history – the first time a Republican convention speaker noted his sexual orientation – but also left the party stuck in something of a contradiction.” Elliot continued, “Donald Trump’s acceptance speech mentioned gay rights and it drew cheers too. ‘I have to say, as a Republican, it is so nice to hear you cheering for what I just said. Thank you,’ Trump said, straying slightly from an otherwise closely scripted speech. It was an uneasy moment inside the hall, with those who disagreed choosing to stay silent.”
Why, then, are Trump and some Republicans furthering the contradiction by courting gays? Because they are quite astute, can read voter attitude polls, and hope to appeal to (or, at least, not offend) the voting population. Some of the convention delegates (described as “moderate” by The New York Times) also, I guess, wanted to not offend by including gay rights language in the party’s platform.
Trump and the moderates have, I suppose, read most recent poll results concerning gay rights. Addressing the issue of “gay or lesbian relations between consenting adults,” a recent Gallup poll showed that since 1977, when the should/should not be legal percentages were equal (43%), the percentage of the should not be legal crowd had fallen to 28% in 2015, while the should be legal percentage had risen to 68%. Gallup also investigated the attitude about “whether same-sex marriages should be valid”. The should be valid percentage rose from 27% in 1996 to 61% at present, while the should not be valid percentage fell from 68% to 37%.
Further, a recent Pew Research Center poll found that of the U.S. Population, 55% favor same-sex marriages, while 37% opposes it. The percentages were 35% favor and 57% don’t favor in 2001. And a CBS poll that addressed the question “Do you think it should be legal or not legal for same-sex couples to marry?” found in June of this year that 58% of the population said that they should be legal (33% said they should not, with 9% undecided). The percentages in July 2012 were 46%, 44%, and 10%.
Trump and some Republicans are not stupid. After all, the primary objective is to get elected. They are aware that the voting public’s attitude toward gay issues have changed. And that the numbers of voters who favor gay rights are increasing.
So, with Trump and the Republicans pandering to an ever increasing (and greatly misinformed) voting public, consider what the Bible says about homosexuality.
Leviticus 18:22 states, “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” (KJV) And Leviticus 20:13 state, “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” Unequivocal, calling a homosexual act an abomination. And powerful, stating that gays will be put to death.
These two famous, and for some controversial, verses were applicable when the book of Leviticus was written, and are still applicable today. There can be no doubt that the Old Testament condemns homosexuality. However, gay rights activist often argue today that the Old Testament Law is no longer in effect because the Messiah has come, thereby voiding all Old Testament law. But there are (at least) three points that they choose to ignore:
1. Jesus said of the Old Testament law, “… one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law,…” (Matthew 5:17-19). Jesus didn’t do away with any of God’s laws. Rather, he emphasized that we ought to obey God not only in our actions, but also in our hearts. We are to keep every Old Testament law in spirit, in its attitude and purpose. It’s true that Jesus didn’t speak about homosexuality directly, a fact some claim indicates His support. But they conveniently ignore what He said about the Old Testament law.
2. God created Adam and Eve (not Adam and Steve) in the Garden of Eden. This indicates that God ordained His natural order to be male and female rather than male and male or female and female. This is significant because God did this before the Mosaic Law was written. The Mosaic Law correctly laid out the created order of God, and that order excluded homosexuality. Therefore, the argument that homosexuality is not an abomination because it was defined under the Old Testament law is indefensible.
3. If we are not under Old Testament Law, then can we also dismiss Levitical teachings that prohibit lying (Leviticus 19:11), theft (Leviticus 19:13), bearing false witness (Leviticus 19:16), hating your fellow man (Leviticus 19:17), exacting vengeance (Leviticus 19:18), sacrificing children (Leviticus 20:1-5), committing adultery (Leviticus 20:10), committing incest (Leviticus 20:11-14), and the practice of bestiality (Leviticus 20:15-16)?
Gay rights activists “want it both ways.” They want to dismiss laws that they choose, while leaving other intact, such as Jesus’ commandment to love everyone (Matthew 12:31). Then, after citing the Bible, they dismiss it. Their ultimate argument offered by homophiles against all of this reason is that the Bible is “a bunch of nonsense.”
And, no, “love the sinner, hate the sin,” is not a “more Christian attitude,” a “middle ground.” There is no middle ground. One either believes in the Bible in its entirety, or one doesn’t.
Regarding same-sex marriage, perhaps Trump some Republicans should read Genesis 1:27 and 2:24, as well as Ephesians 5:22-33. All three citations provide a clear picture of the God designed roles for husbands and wives in marriage, and the spiritual image that marriage symbolizes. SCOTUS, in the summer of 2015, struck down bans on gay “marriage” in all 50 states. But the Bible is quite clear when it states that marriage is the union of a man and a woman. Genesis 1:26 states that God created a man (Adam) in His image. Then in Genesis 2:18, God created a “helper” for Adam, a wife, a woman, not another man. Then in verse 24 we have, “… shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Thus, marriage is defined as between a man and a woman.
For homosexuals the issue was not about marriage despite their protestations. Rather it was about opening the door for immorality in every aspect of their lives. Trump and Log Cabin Republicans, do y’all really believe that, once the door is completely opened, they will be satisfied only with the redefining of marriage?
What’s the bottom line? Get elected! Being correct about gays has nothing to do with Trump’s or moderate Republicans’ beliefs or principles. I agree with Thiel when he said, “I don’t pretend to agree with every plank in our party’s platform; …[.]” Trump may not be perfect, but he has my vote because he’s a darn site better than Hillary who said we have to give up beliefs for the benefit of society.
If Trump is elected one his first orders as buisnes should be having Obama and his entire cabinet arrested
Is planting two crops side by side still an abomination?
What about wearing cloth made of 2 types of plants?
Will my religious liberty allow me to enslave others? Can I keep as sex slaves girls and women like they did in the Old Testament ?
From above:
From Hillary:
That is a statement that can be interpreted according to how you want to do so. If a statement is made from the Bible, then each and every person has a free mind to interpret it as to what they personally think it really means. I’m not personally aware of anyone that has been certified as the ‘only official interpreter of the Bible”. So if one person interprets that homosexuality is a ‘sin’, then it is a sin to that person. If another person interprets that God made all people and if some of them turned out more on the gay scale than others, then they should live a life as a person created by God if that is what they are inclined to do. While I used to believe people were homosexual by choice, I no longer believe that. Too many years of seeing too many persons that by all indications are born homosexual. Since they are not ‘normal’, then it would most likely have to be considered as a birth defect. A mis wired brain circuit. That should not mean that person should be treated any differently than any other person. and If the standard for Heaven is the acceptance of God as their savior, then that is all that should be required of anyone, homosexual or otherwise. Enough rambling.