Does Christianity = Opposition to Homosexuality?

Does Christianity = Opposition to Homosexuality? June 28, 2016

The purpose of Capitol & Cathedral is to provide commentary and analysis on the role of religion in the 2016 presidential election. But people who are aware of my work will know that I occasionally venture into raising questions and offering thoughts about the role of religion in public life.

Last week, I discussed whether believing marriage is the union of a man and a woman is the same thing as “having religious objections to LGBT people.” Readers’ opinions varied. But I raised the question because I often see the progressives take it as a given that irrational animus is the only conceivable reason a person could believe that the state should not recognize same-sex unions as marriages.

Now I want to push back against a line I often hear from conservatives. They basically draw an equal sign between opposing homosexuality and being Christian.

This is a typical example. In fact, Biola University and other California institutions are arguing that, based on their sincerely-held religious beliefs that marriage is between a man and a woman, they should be exempt from certain LGBT nondiscrimination laws. They do not believe they should lose government funding for running their institution in accordance with their belief about marriage. But notice the implication here, which I see quite often: Evangelical = opposed to homosexuality.

Another example:

The context here pertains more broadly to organizations, including Catholic-affiliated adoption agencies, that argue for certain exemptions from nondiscrimination laws. Again, “being Christian” is equated with opposition to homosexuality.

Most people believe there is considerably more to being Christian than opposing homosexuality (itself a matter of debate). But such rhetoric is tempting and powerful for social conservatives, even if untrue. For one thing, it draws upon and misappropriates the notion that they are being persecuted. Beyond that, it implies that any Christian who affirms same-sex relationships is actually not a Christian at all. This is convenient, but it is also arrogant and highly problematic.

Does the LGBT-affirming Christian cease being a Christian the moment he becomes LGBT-affirming? Or does such a conviction negate his salvation and retroactively render him an apostate for all those years he was a non-LGBT-affirming Christian?

Just as secular progressives wrongfully disparage religion when they say its sum total is nothing more than anti-gay bigotry, Christians do themselves no favors in the public square when they draw an equal sign between their faith and opposing homosexuality.

 


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