Does God make People Gay?
“If this is the way God made me, then this is the way
I'm going to live," Christian
singer Ray Boltz said in defense of his decision to
openly live the gay lifestyle. Boltz, has been married
and has four children, though he is now divorced and has begun dating and
leading a "normal gay life."
Ray Boltz has been a staple in
the CCM scene for several decades, chalking up twelve number one hits, several gold
albums and getting three Dove Awards. His best known hits are probably "Thank You," "Watch the Lamb,"
"The
Anchor Holds" and "I Pledge
Allegiance to the Lamb." It is a hard hit for many evangelicals who
have long ago accepted divorce but do not accept homosexual behavior. Boltz plans to continue his musical career and has some
engagements with the Metropolitan church coming up. Many evangelical churches
plan to boycott Boltz refusing to use his songs in
worship and refusing to attend any of his concerts.
But, did God make Ray Boltz
gay? Boltz says he has been this way all his life and is now
only submitting to the way God made him. Is a homosexual preference something
we’re born with or is it a behavior one adopts? Thinking Christians have been
pondering this for a while. Ray Boltz’ public coming out last week will perhaps trigger
even more thinking and discussion on these issues:
Questions Christians are pondering
1. Do some people have a genetic inclination toward
homosexuality? The data is not in yet here. Biologists have
only recently begun to study the matter and the findings are mixed. Does it
even matter?
2. If we do find a biological inclination to
homosexuality is God the source? Is
every inclination
humans possess from God or are there inclinations to sin that are
a result of the fall and human depravity?
3. To what extent does inclination grant permission? If a person would be actually inclined toward
homosexuality by birth does that mean they have permission to act on their
inclinations simply assuming their inclination is God’s will? If so, to what
extent are those inclined to pornography or adultery also permitted to act on
their inclinations?
4. How do we respond to Christians when they say they
are now practicing homosexuality? Of
course we pray for them, but do we ban them? Boycott their song retroactively?
Refuse even to use the songs they wrote or sang before behaving badly? Does it
mean we were fooled all the time or did they “backslide?”
5. How much should Christians who turn to homosexual
behavior be treated differently? To what extent is homosexuality worse than violations
of other teachings of the Christ—like Christ’s hard line stance against divorce
and marital infidelity? When Sandy Patty
divorced her husband John Helvering in the early
1990s many churches quietly ignored her music even before they discovered her
unfaithfulness. In 1999 when Amy
Grant dumped Gary Chapmen, her husband of 16 years (with whom she had three
children) and married Vince Gill, many Christian bookstores refused to carry
her music. However, after a time both of these women (sort of) apologized and
they returned to the shelves (though not to their original husbands). Many
evangelicals now grudgingly say, “divorce
is not God’s plan but in a fallen world ‘divorce happens’ and we live with it.”
Will evangelicals do the same to Boltz after a decade
or so” Or is homosexuality a sin so repugnant that Boltz
will be banned forever?
------------
These and other questions
arise with the Ray Boltz self-outing. It is a time to
think carefully for we are making the church of the future.,
While the economy is taking all the headlines this week perhaps this is a more
important issue for us in the church. What has your church done with Sandy
Patty and Amy Grant? What will your church likely do with Boltz?
So what do you
think?
During the first few weeks click
here to comment or read comments