How is it that the Bible can be so clear on a particular subject – in this case, the subject of homosexual practice – and yet some Christians are not clear on what the Bible says? And why does it seem that millennials in particular are confused about the Bible and homosexuality?
Here are the main reasons, some positive (meaning, the intent might be good, even if the conclusion is wrong) and some negative (meaning, there are no good reasons for the wrong conclusions).
First, many millennial Christians have friends or family members who identify as gay or lesbian.
These friends and loved ones are nice people, friendly people, decent people, hardworking people, loyal people. They are not sexual predators and they seem perfectly normal in other respects.
Their relationships seem fairly similar to heterosexual relationships, and from what these friends and loved ones say, they were born this way.
How can it be a sin to be gay?
Second, some of these millennials grew up in church environments where gays were demonized.
This only underscores the contrast between what their parents say and what the young people seem to be experiencing. Why, these millennials wonder, should I believe what my parents say when they seemed to be so biased and even bigoted?
Third, many millennials have a heart for justice.
They want to fight against tyranny and oppression. They want everyone to have a level playing field. In particular, they want to stand with people who are treated unfairly, who are rejected, who are stigmatized.
Who has been more stigmatized than gays (and others in the LGBT spectrum)?
Fourth, a significant percentage of millennials come from broken homes, so they’re not that excited about marriage in general and certainly do not see heterosexual marriage as particularly wonderful.
Why shouldn’t gays have a shot at it too? Maybe, some millennials think to themselves, they’ll do better than my parents did.
Fifth, many millennials equate the gospel with being nice, and it’s not nice to hurt people’s feelings.
If they say that homosexual practice is sinful, without a doubt, they will hurt their gay friends. How could Jesus want them to do that?
Sixth, many millennials (who now call themselves “nones”) have been burned by traditional religion.
They’ve seen so much hypocrisy and so little devotion and sincerity that they question “religious” dogma, including traditional teaching on sexuality.
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SOURCE: Christian Post, Michael Brown
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