The month of June brings forth a controversial topic of gay pride. June is gay pride month and throughout the month several organizations, companies, celebrities, politicians, etc. use this month to promulgate, celebrate, and propagate homosexual activism. I have written on the issue of gay marriage (http://rratedreligion.org/2020/01/27/124/) and homosexual activism (http://rratedreligion.org/2020/08/03/who-owns-the-rainbow/) in previous articles so feel free to review them as needed. The thesis for this article is more about the fallacy of “pride.” It questions pride itself as a source of anything to celebrate.
The problem in Gay Pride Month is not the homosexual problem, which the biblical text addresses over and over again. The real problem is why anyone would be proud of a sexual act with others. It is perplexing that an entire month should spotlight this act. This celebration extols a debaucherous and perverted pride, promoting self-adulation.
I should first address the root of this problem with Judea-Christianity and homosexuality. The primary concern is the hell-fire eternal damnation clause. This includes the history of Christians persecuting homosexuals for centuries. Homosexual condemnation and persecution should never be conflated, even though it often is. Unfortunately, this is part of our history and invokes such invidious emotions by the mere mention of homosexuality and religion. This is a terrible part of our past, and Christians should own this and learn from it. It is never right to persecute others for not adhering to our theology. The Church is better than that, it has not always been but it should be in the future.
Without going down a theological rabbit hole, I want to leave with one scripture that is often used in this debate but often misinterpreted:
“Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”[1]
This is a very popular passage to condemn homosexuality, and that might be true; however, the next part of the passage is mostly overlooked:
“And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”[2]
The key phrase is “and such were some of you” recognizing that the congregation was once guilty of all these sins, including homosexuality. This is significant in how Christians should judge sin. They ought to condemn sin, but their approach has often been misused in the realm of homosexuality. It is not the act of sodomy, in and of itself, that damns someone. What truly leads to damnation is the inability to recognize sin, confess it, and repent from it. This is where Judea-Christianity should meet the homosexuality debate with kindness, tenderness, and understanding.
That being said, the issue with gay pride month is more than simple theology. It begs the question: What are you so proud of? Why are human beings devoting an entire month to a sexual act? Human beings should not define themselves by what they do behind closed doors. Your sexuality should not define you. This is extremely problematic and has created a modern world that is obsessed with self-indulgence, self-esteem, and sexuality. I portend that this will have catastrophic moral implications.
I ask all people who claim to be part of the LGBTQ community to repudiate this trend. They should strive to define themselves by what they do for others. They should not define themselves by what they do to others. Even if you completely divorce yourself from the theological debate, from a purely secular perspective, gay pride month is simplistic. It is also ridiculous and patronizing. Why would you turn a month-long festivity into a lifestyle choice? A gay man or woman may be completely satisfied with their lifestyle. This is decadence on its face and works to undermine the movement.
Devoting whole months to activism surely reveals the egocentric nature of modernity and highlights the depravity of humanity. This ongoing effort to congratulate ourselves for grouping ourselves into social or ethnic categories shows that humanity resists the truth.
Human history consists of humans fighting for freedom. Once obtained, these freedoms only serve to re-enslave them. Progressive movements further fetter our minds to sin. This situation is unfolding with the transgender controversy. It so obviously slighted what homosexuals have fought against for decades. They have long advocated for choice and autonomy. At one point, the debate was choice, and now it is evident that one can choose his/her sex. Soon, the T from LGBTQ will have a month of their own.
Footnotes:
[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Co 6:9–10.
[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Co 6:11.
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