30 Days / Homosexuality

last night i was watching 30 DAYS, the show on FX, created by Morgan Sperlock (the guy who made Super Size Me - see my blog on Super Size Me HERE). 30 Days is a great concept for a show... it takes individuals and places them an a strange (to them) or uncommon environment for 30 Days to see what they learn. Episodes have dealt with Living on Minimum Wage, Being a aprt of an Eco-farm community and last nights episode which dealt with a heterosexual Christian man living in an all gay community in San Fransisco.

At one point during the show, Ryan met with a pastor of a homosexual church called Metropolotian Community Church. Her name was Penny Nixon.

After viewing the show, I decided to e-mail her. Below is what I wrote. [i am not posting this to start a controversy in any way]

Penny,

I saw you on 30 Days last night. I wanted to point out that you mispoke (or at least that which was shown appeared to be a mis-statement). When you were talking to Ryan you said to him something like this: "The Bible says 'Thou Shall Not Kill'. How do you justify carrying a weapon in combat?" Most modern translations of the Bible say "You Shall Not Murder." There is a difference between the two, wouldn't you agree?

Websters Dictionary says that there is a difference.
murder: the crime of unlawfully killing someone, especially with malice aforethought.

kill: to deprive of life. to slaughter for food.

If we take Exodus 20:13 out of context, then it was a sin for David to kill Goliath, for the Israelites to kill in combat and for lambs to be sacrificed. It would also have been a sin for our forefathers and military soldiers to 'kill' as a means of protecting themselves and their country or for a police officer to use any form of force to prevent or stop crime.

A distinction between murder and death in battle is apparent in David's statement in 1 Kings 2:5.

Therefore, your question to Ryan was unfair and was used as a means (it appeared) to show that if Ryan was going to choose to accept carrying a weapon in combat was 'O.K.' then he was contradicting the Bible. This, possibly used to then argue that homosexuality is not 'detestable'.

What do you make Leviticus 18:22 & Leviticus 20:13? Forgive me for being so blunt. I have had limited contact with the homosexual community. Also, what do you make of Genesis 1:28: "be fruitful and multiply?" Homosexuals can not naturally procreate. I just don't see how homosexuality is in line with God's plan for his creation (as seen in Genesis and throughout the scriptures). Maybe you could help me understand.

What do you make of those people who have left the homosexual lifestyle and are now straight? Were they born gay or are they just confuesed? (www.exodus-international.org)

You also said 'I think God cares more about what we do with our resources as aposed to what we do with our genetalia. The fact is, you don't know, nor do I know what God 'cares' about more or less. I do know that the scriptures say that a sin is a sin in the eyes of God... There is no hierarchy of sin... lying, lust, stealing, sexual sin, etc... all equally detestable.

Let me close by saying this: although I am a Christian, I do not feel that gays/lesbians should be discriminated against in any way. Also, I do not feel that God Hates Fags. I believe God loves us all equally, no matter what we do or who we are. His desire is for all of us to come to a personal saving relationship with him and to turn from a life of sin. Fred Phelps is an idiot and will pay, in the long run, for his actions against Gays/lesbians. Lastly, I do not doubt that you love your family.

May we both continue to seek God's guidance when it comes to this 'hot topic.'

God bless... politan
Community Churches