Thread by @RScottClark

🧵We need to distinguish between a principled, Christian opposition to homosexuality as a behavior, orientation, & lifestyle and homophobia. The Apostle Paul was not afraid of homosexuals or homosexuality. He feared God and his wrath. He also loved homosexual sinners

enough to incur their disapproval to tell them the truth that a homosexual orientation and behavior is contrary to natural and specially revealed law. It is destructive of the image. Indeed, he taught that sexual sin is not like all other sins inasmuch as

all other sins are outside one's body but sexual sin is more intimate and defiles the imagery intended by the union of a man & a woman, i.e., the union between Christ & his church. What is the image of homosexual union? It's not Christ & his church.

Rude comments, jokes, & caricatures etc, however, might fairly be characterized as homophobic. I agree that homophobia exists but by characterizing every criticism of homosexual orientation & behavior as homophobic, defenders have made the word meaningless.

I grew up in the 60s and 70s. Most of us were unfamiliar and afraid of homosexuals and homosexuality. We made jokes etc bec we were threatened by the effeminate manner of some homosexuals and by the idea that we might be propositioned or worse.

I was a lifeguard at the Y. I did get propositioned (once). It was a little creepy but I said no and I survived. It wasn't the end of the world.

I made friends with one of the two gay guys in high school. He had a bad home life and was almost certainly looking for the

male affection and affirmation he didn't get from his dad.

We made nervous jokes etc bec we didn't understand homosexuals the way we didn't understand bullies. Both usually come from bad homes, are abused or neglected. I've met very few LGBTQ folk who don't come from some abuse

neglect. Bullies behave the way they do bec they're modeling what they've seen or lashing out bec they've been hurt.

We were the victims of what Victorian (?) propaganda about homosexuality and we misdiagnosed it. Now, of course, the media is campaigning to make

homosexuality etc normal and heterosexuality abnormal. It's the final stage of the 3rd sexual revolution since the 19th century. It's like the reversal in the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas, where Yahweh is reprobated or the Gospel of Judas, where Judas is the hero.

LGBTQ advocates won't like this characterization/account but they won't be satisfied with any orthodox Christian account of reality. That shouldn't stop us from doing the right thing, i.e., treating homosexual sinners w/grace & compassion and calling them join the rest of us

sinners in repentance and faith and the continuing Christian life of dying to sin and living to Christ.