A bit of an expansion to one of my recent Facebook posts regarding the whole Chic-Fil-A/Dan Cathy’s statement issue (for those living under a rock, read here: http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38271 and here: http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/27/us/chick-fil-a-controversy/index.html ).
“Why are you discriminating against gays ?”
“Why do you hate women and don’t want them to exercise their right to choice ?”
These are loaded questions.
“When will you stop beating your wife ?”
The question assumes its’ own conclusion and is designed to keep you off guard (on the defensive against false charges). It’s also designed to make others think negatively of you before you even begin your argumentation (‘poisoning the well’). Learn to spot this and attack it first before going off on the rest of your discussion.
“Why are you discriminating against homosexuals ?” assumes its’ own conclusion when nothing in Dan Cathy’s statement says discrimination.
More to the point (and the root of the problem), when did gay marriage become a ‘right’ ? This is a ‘hidden assumption’ in the statement (similar to someone assuming that the person is beating their wife prior to asking them when will they stop).
Marriage is a union of opposite sexes. So by definition, man and man or woman and woman isn’t a marriage. That stated, gays aren’t being denied the ‘right’ to marriage – they are free to get married. What they are REALLY arguing for is a redefinition of marriage and they use accusatory language in an attempt to coerce, bully and intimidate people into accepting this REdefinition.
As a Christian, I’m not obligated to affirm a same-sex relationship anymore than I’m obligated to affirm an adulterous relationship, an incestuous relationship or a polyamorous relationship. What the bulk of same-sex marriage supporters engage in is hypocrisy -they claim that no one has the right to tell someone else how to live….and then seek to bludgeon others into accepting their view. In fact, it’s also seen in the way many have no problem supporting companies that support their view, but then criticize Christians who do what they are currently doing – complain about/against a company that doesn’t support what they believe. It’s also seen in the fact that none of these people will stop buying gasoline, even though the countries that control OPEC (all middle-eastern) either imprison or execute homosexuals and treat homosexuality as a crime.
Now let me be equally clear on the other side of the issue: homosexuality, adultery, fornication, stealing, swindling and a host of other sins (non sexual ones, I might add!) are ALL EQUALLY CONDEMNED (there’s your equal rights) alongside each other in 1 Cor. 6:9-10. That puts ‘straight’ people who hate gays and loved porn right alongside their homosexual counterparts and the guy who cheats on his wife. The GOOD news is found in verse 11: “11 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.” Forgiveness is available for all who will turn from serving themselves and place their whole faith and trust in Christ.
I mentioned a day ago that this is a wonderful opportunity for folks to share the gospel, not simply argue against ‘same-sex marriage’. There will be straight unbelievers in hell right alongside gay ones. Homosexuality is the symptom – the problem is sin. Let’s use this time to point folks to Jesus….not heterosexuality. Don’t lose sight of the main thing.
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