yikes...am i really writing about eHarmony?
My Friends,
For those of you who have kept up with my blog over the years you know how I feel with regards to homosexuality. I have tried so hard to show compassion and love toward the homosexual community as best as I can, both as a minister and as a parishioner. Because of the way that homosexuals have been treated by the Christian community, I have even written apologies on behalf of Christians, hoping to break down barriers with homosexuals with the hope that when they are introduced to thoughts about Jesus (or even the Gospel) they might be open to at least listening.
Well today I came across an article that talked about how the company eHarmony had come to a settlement with the New Jersey Attorney General's office regarding gay and lesbian customers. Read more about it here. Later, a California Superior Court judge ruled that a separate case could proceed as a class-action. What is ironic is that eHarmony was not found in violation of any law. Read more about it here.
Okay, so what’s the big deal? Well not too long ago, I posted a letter that was on the Focus on the Family website that was addressed to us in 2008 by a Christian, who was living in the year 2012, from Obama’s America. This letter made me laugh because some people, not all, but some, couldn’t get past the Focus on the Family aspect and just read the letter. But that is another story. Inside this letter there was a whole section on the Same-sex “marriage” issue that is facing America. The letter even warned about the creating of law by the court…this struck me because eHarmony was sued and is about to be sued again by California, and they never even broke a law.
…here are some thoughts:
1. I wonder why heterosexual people don’t complain and sue homosexual companies for discriminating against straight people. It only seems fair. If heterosexual companies have to go out of their way in a free market to accommodate homosexuals, then I think homosexuals should have to do the same.
2. I have to admit, I have poked fun at eHarmony in the past, but in reality eHarmony was started by a man who claims to be a follower of Christ. I honestly don’t think I am merely being an alarmist when I say I don’t think it is far fetched to look at this as an attack on Christianity, i.e. persecution.
3. When I envisioned how this issue of Same-sex “marriage,” as described in the Letter from 2012, would affect the Christian community, I will have to admit my first thought wasn’t about eHarmony. I did however think that it would have to be a subtle attack. I can’t help but wonder what Christians will do when their church is being sued because they wouldn’t hire a pastor who is a homosexual on their staff. Or maybe there is a homosexual who doesn’t want to be on paid staff but would like to serve at your church, and they are told they can’t because of their sexual orientation.
4. I think that Christians need to go to the Bible and make sure they know what the bible teaches with regards to homosexuality. Notice, I did not say that Christians need to go to the Bible and figure out what they think about homosexuality? The topic of homosexuality is a very difficult topic, especially when you have friends that you love who struggle with homosexuality. Because of this, Christians often allow their compassion to trump what the bible says. I say this from personal experience. What I am not trying to say is that we are to approach this issue without any compassion. But rather what I am trying to say is that when we go to the bible, we need to allow ourselves to find the truth within the bible, even if it goes against how we feel.
Like always, I would love to hear some of your thoughts.
heart.soul.mind.
kyle diroberts
For those of you who have kept up with my blog over the years you know how I feel with regards to homosexuality. I have tried so hard to show compassion and love toward the homosexual community as best as I can, both as a minister and as a parishioner. Because of the way that homosexuals have been treated by the Christian community, I have even written apologies on behalf of Christians, hoping to break down barriers with homosexuals with the hope that when they are introduced to thoughts about Jesus (or even the Gospel) they might be open to at least listening.
Well today I came across an article that talked about how the company eHarmony had come to a settlement with the New Jersey Attorney General's office regarding gay and lesbian customers. Read more about it here. Later, a California Superior Court judge ruled that a separate case could proceed as a class-action. What is ironic is that eHarmony was not found in violation of any law. Read more about it here.
Okay, so what’s the big deal? Well not too long ago, I posted a letter that was on the Focus on the Family website that was addressed to us in 2008 by a Christian, who was living in the year 2012, from Obama’s America. This letter made me laugh because some people, not all, but some, couldn’t get past the Focus on the Family aspect and just read the letter. But that is another story. Inside this letter there was a whole section on the Same-sex “marriage” issue that is facing America. The letter even warned about the creating of law by the court…this struck me because eHarmony was sued and is about to be sued again by California, and they never even broke a law.
…here are some thoughts:
1. I wonder why heterosexual people don’t complain and sue homosexual companies for discriminating against straight people. It only seems fair. If heterosexual companies have to go out of their way in a free market to accommodate homosexuals, then I think homosexuals should have to do the same.
2. I have to admit, I have poked fun at eHarmony in the past, but in reality eHarmony was started by a man who claims to be a follower of Christ. I honestly don’t think I am merely being an alarmist when I say I don’t think it is far fetched to look at this as an attack on Christianity, i.e. persecution.
3. When I envisioned how this issue of Same-sex “marriage,” as described in the Letter from 2012, would affect the Christian community, I will have to admit my first thought wasn’t about eHarmony. I did however think that it would have to be a subtle attack. I can’t help but wonder what Christians will do when their church is being sued because they wouldn’t hire a pastor who is a homosexual on their staff. Or maybe there is a homosexual who doesn’t want to be on paid staff but would like to serve at your church, and they are told they can’t because of their sexual orientation.
4. I think that Christians need to go to the Bible and make sure they know what the bible teaches with regards to homosexuality. Notice, I did not say that Christians need to go to the Bible and figure out what they think about homosexuality? The topic of homosexuality is a very difficult topic, especially when you have friends that you love who struggle with homosexuality. Because of this, Christians often allow their compassion to trump what the bible says. I say this from personal experience. What I am not trying to say is that we are to approach this issue without any compassion. But rather what I am trying to say is that when we go to the bible, we need to allow ourselves to find the truth within the bible, even if it goes against how we feel.
Like always, I would love to hear some of your thoughts.
heart.soul.mind.
kyle diroberts
posted by Kyle DiRoberts at 5:47 PM
2 Comments:
well, actually, the bible says if a man sleeps with another man, he should be stoned to death. so why are you talking about compassion? or is that just how you "feel"?
Dear Anonymous,
Sorry for the delay in response. I wasn’t even aware that there was a comment left on my blog…I wasn’t really even aware if anyone ever reads this blog. So thanks for stopping by and thanks for sharing your thoughts.
You made the comment about the bible saying that if a man sleeps with another man that he should be stoned to death. What verse in particular were you referring to? I went back and did a little research and I found that the word “stoned” is used 21 times throughout the bible in 20 verses. What I didn’t find however was a verse that mentioned that if a man sleeps with another man they should be stoned. I don’t say this to be a pain in the butt -- I just would like to know which verse you are referring to.
Your comment did bring about some good conversation between a good friend and me. I will share some moments from our conversation, but due to the length of this response, I will try and only give the main thoughts…And I am sorry if this response jumps around a little.
From the sounds of the verse you are describing, I would guess that you are referring to some verse in the Old Testament (I could be wrong). But let’s just say that you are referring to an Old Testament verse. One thing that is important for our conversation is that with Jesus, Christians believe that there is a New Covenant. Well what happened to the old one? The Old Testament covenant that God made with Moses included circumcision and these systems of animal sacrifices. This was all to take place in order to make atonement for the people’s sin. In the New Testament Christ established the New Covenant, which placed Jesus as the one and only sacrifice whose death could atone for people’s sins once for all. Under this New Covenant, God promises to accept those who believe in Jesus as their redeemer and savior.
What does this have to do with our conversation? Well I think that one of the effects of this New Covenant is that we don’t stone people anymore. We haven’t for a long time. And I think that the fact that we are under a New Covenant has something to do with it. The Bible says lots of things that we don’t practice anymore. That does not mean though that there are mistakes in the Bible, or that parts of the Bible have now become useless. It just means that this is a very old book, and we should be grateful we are able to go back and see where we have come. I don’t think that we can truly appreciate or understand as much as we do without the Old Testament. Take for example these passages from Leviticus.
“Also you shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness during her menstrual impurity. And you shall not have intercourse with your neighbor’s wife, to be defiled with her. Neither shall you give any of your offspring to offer them to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God; I am the LORD. You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination. Also you shall not have intercourse with any animal to be defiled with it, nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it; it is a perversion. Do not defile yourselves by any of these things; for by all these the nations which I am casting out before you have become defiled. For the land has become defiled, therefore I have visited its punishment upon it, so the land has spewed out its inhabitants. But as for you, you are to keep My statutes and My judgments, and shall not do any of these abominations, neither the native, nor the alien who sojourns among you (for the men of the land who have been before you have done all these abominations, and the land has become defiled); so that the land may not spew you out, should you defile it, as it has spewed out the nation which has been before you. For whoever does any of these abominations, those persons who do so shall be cut off from among their people. Thus you are to keep My charge, that you do not practice any of the abominable customs which have been practiced before you, so as not to defile yourselves with them; I am the LORD your God.’”
- Lev. 18:19-30
We don’t hold to a lot of what is written in these verses anymore…
“And you shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the LORD who sanctifies you. If there is anyone who curses his father or his mother, he shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother, his bloodguiltiness is upon him. If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. If there is a man who lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness; both of them shall surely be put to death, their bloodguiltiness is upon them. If there is a man who lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death; they have committed incest, their bloodguiltiness is upon them. If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them. If there is a man who marries a woman and her mother, it is immorality; both he and they shall be burned with fire, that there may be no immorality in your midst. If there is a man who lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; you shall also kill the animal. If there is a woman who approaches any animal to mate with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.”
- Lev. 20:8-16
…Same with these verse too.
So it would seem like there are places in our Bibles in which cultural customs are no longer followed. And again, I think this has to do with the time that we are living in now and also the New Covenant that Jesus established.
There are also Jesus’ very words in the Gospel of John, which says, “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.
- John 15:12-13
Does Jesus mean that we do not truly love one another unless we are literally dying for one another? Or is Jesus saying that in order to love one another we are going to have to learn how to serve one another and even place their needs ahead of ours at times?
I use these examples because I think that this shows that there are times when common sense explains confusing problems in the Bible. Much the same way I think that it is common sense that should help us know that we are not to stone people today.
Dear Anonymous, I am not trying to say you don’t have common sense. I do however want to make it clear that there is an easy explanation as to why we don’t stone people anymore.
Jesus changed and challenged a lot of the thought and focus of his followers. I think that it is very interesting that when speaking of enemies he said this, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
- Matt. 5:43-48
I think that these verses only affirm more why we don’t stone people.
And focusing even more specifically on this topic of stoning we find Jesus and his encounter with a woman who was about to be stoned…
…this is so beautiful…
“But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. And early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. And the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. “Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” And they were saying this, testing Him, in order that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And when they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the midst. And straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” And she said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go your way. From now on sin no more.”]
-John 8:1-11
This was Jesus’ view of stoning. So what do you think? Would Jesus stone a homosexual?
heart.soul.mind.
kyle diroberts
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