Christians are confused about how to treat gays as leaders give conflicting messages about homosexuality

According to the Christian Post, Christians are confused as to how they should  treat homosexuals. The Christian rules, "Do unto others as you want others to do unto you," and "Love thy neighbor," are acknowledged by Christians, yet, in a world in which Christians find the LGBT community making great strides, gaining acceptance and enforcing their civil rights, Christians are finding it difficult to keep to the spirit of the biblical rules.

According to the Christian Post, when attempts by Christians to represent the biblical perspective on homosexuality are derided and described as hate speech and civil intolerance Christians are provoked and confused about how to react because the bible says that homosexuality is sin.

Christian writer James Middletree admits that, "there are many Christians who are intolerant of gays as human beings," but then he adds confusedly, "There are listed behaviors that are abhorrent to God. There is alcoholism, fornication, and homosexuality with covetousness. If God didn’t bother separating one sin out from that list, why do we?"

Christian writer Coleman says that so much is at stake in the debate about homosexuality that many Christians are unable to distinguish the sin form the sinner. While  Christians are urged to "Hate the Sin, Not the Sinner," the writer admits that Gay rights is a hot issue  in politics which continues to dominate every election cycle because "growing acceptance of same-sex marriage and homosexuality is a direct threat to traditional Christian norms of sex and marriage."

Austin Cline explains why taking a stance against homosexuality is so important to Christian social activists:

Marriage is not only an important cultural symbol, but an example of how heterosexuals are privileged and heterosexual privilege is one of the few remaining social privileging systems in America.

Middletree counsels Christians about their attitudes and behavior to gays,

If it is commonly known at your workplace that you are a Christian, the fact that you are nicer to the straight co-worker who is living in sin than the gay one will be perceived by the gay person as typical of Christians, further driving them away from believers, and reducing the chance of their ever being receptive to the good news of the Gospel.

In-spite of these positive admonitions some Christian groups such as the National Organization for Marriage (NOM)) are active in promoting conspiracy theories about the gay pride movement. These groups enjoy widespread support in the Christian community. NOM president, Brian Brown, makes the bewildering claim in a recent article that "at the heart of the gay campaign for marriage equality is a desire to oppress religious people." In his widely criticized  article, Brian Brown said that,

Those in favor of marriage equality can only win if they can get us to accept and internalize the second-class status they propose for us…to accept our own marginalization, to be quiet, to stand down and keep our heads down. To live in fear, instead of acting, with courage, out of hope…The mask of tolerance has been cast aside. We are looking into the face of a movement which wants, in the name of equality, to take away your rights and the rights of millions of decent, loving, law-abiding Americans who 'cling' – yes, I'm not afraid to call it that! – to God, common sense, and the best of America's long traditions of respect for Judeo-Christian values.

Voices such as Brian Brown's are, unfortunately, the most popular in the Christian community and it would seem that the commandment to "hate the sin and not the sinner" only sets an artificial distinction that most Christians are unable to comprehend. The notorious incident involving Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma of Enugu, Nigeria, and Reverend Richard Kirker, leader of the Lesbian and Gay Christian movement, at the penultimate Lambeth Conference of the Anglican Communion Worldwide, represents the dominant theme of hatred of the "sin and the sinner" that Christians are getting from their leaders. The Nigerian Bishop had angrily confronted the gay priest Richard Kirker and accused him of "killing the church" and then advanced menacingly attempting to exorcise the "homosexual demons" in the priest.

JohnThomas Didymus

Transmodernist writer and thinker. Author of "Confessions of God: The Gospel According to St. JohnThomas Didymus"

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