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| Volume 17 Number 8 August 2015 | Page 4 |
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| Volume 17 Number 8 August 2015 | Page 4 |
Unbelievable!Mark N. Posey
On December 19, 2012 in London, a new Bible was released to the public – the QUEEN JAMES BIBLE – the “first-ever Gay Bible.” The editors say, “The Queen James Bible resolves any homophobic interpretations of the Bible.” They eliminated all references to homosexuality from their Bible, thus changing God’s Word to fit their own agenda. Shame on them! I’m calling on all faithful New Testament Christians to speak out against this perversion of Scripture. To stand and condemn homosexuality in all of its forms as a perversion of the divine order is not an indication of homophobia, heartless prejudice or narrow-minded bigotry, but rather it is to stand on the side of righteousness and truth. God is the only one we need to please!
Homosexuality
Robert Johnson
Most of us take the liberties we enjoy living in the United States seriously. Our Constitution guarantees many of them, including the first amendment to our Bill of Rights. It states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. It is this last part that is now getting trampled on.
Resolution 168-08, passed unanimously by the city and county of San Francisco Board of Supervisors, labeled the Catholic Church’s moral teachings on homosexuality as “hateful, defamatory, insensitive, and ignorant.” It urged the city’s local archbishop and the Catholic Charities to defy such teachings.
When challenged in district court as violating the first amendment, judge Marilyn Hall Patel ruled in favor of the city, saying basically the church started it, and that the city’s proclamation wasn’t entangling the government in church affairs. How the church started it was by publicly expressing its moral teachings.
The Catholic Church isn’t the only religious group the Board of Supervisors has targeted. A rally of 25,000 against “the sexualization of America’s youth” met with one California assemblyman stating, “They’re obnoxious, they’re disgusting, and they should get out of San Francisco.” The defense used in support of these religious groups was based on the principle “the government can’t be used as a weapon to condemn religious faith.” It went largely ignored.
The implications for New Testament Christianity, in a society becoming increasingly more secular and openly hostile to the teaching of Scripture, is clear. Our religious liberty is only valid as long as people recognize it as such. What happens if popularity swings away from Christianity in general? What will we do if holding to a literal view of Scripture becomes viewed as intolerable?
Persecution for being a Christian is a strong possibility in this country, perhaps in the not too distant future. Will you still stand for the plan of salvation? For the organization of the church? For the morality we are to live by? For the hope of eternity? Paul told Timothy, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). Will we stay true to the faith, if doing so means enduring verbal and physical abuse?
Jesus once asked, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8). Perhaps we should ask ourselves, will He find it in us? “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). Let’s encourage each other in faithfulness, for truly the days are evil.