Review of Newsweek’s Dec. 15, 2008 Issue:
“The Religious Case for Gay Marriage”
• Blatantly Misuse, Twist & Falsify Bible Teachings
• Dismiss & Mock the Bible Itself
– Try to claim that the Bible cannot be trusted
– Try to claim that the Bible writers were inept and uninspired
• Dismiss & Mock the Authority of the Bible
– Mock opposition to homosexuality using Bible as final authority
Review of Newsweek’s Dec. 15, 2008 Issue:
“The Religious Case for Gay Marriage”
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Blatantly Misuse, Twist & Falsify Bible Teachings
Dismiss & Mock the Bible Itself
Dismiss & Mock the Authority of the Bible
Dismiss & Mock Bible Teachings
– Claim homosexuality is “intrinsic” or inherited
– Try to ignore any principles taught in the book of Leviticus
– Blatantly ignore Bible definition for marriage
Review of Newsweek’s Dec. 15, 2008 Issue:
“The Religious Case for Gay Marriage”
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Blatantly Misuse, Twist & Falsify Bible Teachings
Dismiss & Mock the Bible Itself
Dismiss & Mock the Authority of the Bible
Dismiss & Mock Bible Teachings
Dismiss & Mock Bible Believers, Followers & Teachers
Follow & Impose a Subjectively Flawed Standard
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Promote human reasoning
Elevate modern understanding
Advocate an evolving society
Uphold common practice
Advance legalization & legalities
Endorse felt needs
Review of Newsweek’s Dec. 15, 2008 Issue:
“The Religious Case for Gay Marriage”
Lisa Miller’s article:
More basic than theology, though, is human need. We want, as Abraham
did, to grow old surrounded by friends and family and to be buried at last
peacefully among them. We want, as Jesus taught, to love one another for
our own good—and, not to be too grandiose about it, for the good of the
world. We want our children to grow up in stable homes.
Review of Newsweek’s Dec. 15, 2008 Issue:
“The Religious Case for Gay Marriage”
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Blatantly Misuse, Twist & Falsify Bible Teachings
Dismiss & Mock the Bible Itself
Dismiss & Mock the Authority of the Bible
Dismiss & Mock Bible Teachings
Dismiss & Mock Bible Believers, Followers & Teachers
Follow & Impose a Subjectively Flawed Standard
Find & Use Faulty Sources
Review of Newsweek’s Dec. 15, 2008 Issue:
“The Religious Case for Gay Marriage”
Lisa Miller’s article:
But as the Barnard University Bible scholar Alan Segal puts it, the
arrangement was between "one man and as many women as he could pay
for.”… But as Segal says, if you believe that the Bible was written by men and
not handed down in its leather bindings by God, then that verse was written
by people for whom polygamy was the way of the world.
…
In its entry on "Homosexual Practices," the Anchor Bible Dictionary notes
that nowhere in the Bible do its authors refer to sex between women…
…
Review of Newsweek’s Dec. 15, 2008 Issue:
“The Religious Case for Gay Marriage”
Lisa Miller’s article:
Paul was tough on homosexuality, though recently progressive scholars have
argued that his condemnation of men who "were inflamed with lust for one
another" (which he calls "a perversion") is really a critique of the worst kind
of wickedness: self-delusion, violence, promiscuity and debauchery. In his
book "The Arrogance of Nations," the scholar Neil Elliott argues that Paul is
referring in this famous passage to the depravity of the Roman emperors,
the craven habits of Nero and Caligula, a reference his audience would have
grasped instantly. "Paul is not talking about what we call homosexuality at
all," Elliott says. "He's talking about a certain group of people who have
done everything in this list. We're not dealing with anything like gay love or
gay marriage. We're talking about really, really violent people who meet
their end and are judged by God.“
…
Rabbi Arthur Waskow, of the Shalom Center in Philadelphia, believes that
Judaism thrives through diversity and inclusion. "I don't think Judaism
should or ought to want to leave any portion of the human population
outside the religious process," he says. "We should not want to leave
[homosexuals] outside the sacred tent."
Review of Newsweek’s Dec. 15, 2008 Issue:
“The Religious Case for Gay Marriage”
Lisa Miller’s article:
Bible scholar Walter Brueggemann, emeritus professor at Columbia
Theological Seminary, quotes the apostle Paul when he looks for biblical
support of gay marriage: "There is neither Greek nor Jew, slave nor free,
male nor female, for you are all one in Jesus Christ." The religious argument
for gay marriage, he adds, "is not generally made with reference to
particular texts, but with the general conviction that the Bible is bent
toward inclusiveness.”
…
Terry Davis is the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Hartford, Conn., and
has been presiding over "holy unions" since 1992. "I'm against
promiscuity—love ought to be expressed in committed relationships, not
through casual sex, and I think the church should recognize the validity of
committed same-sex relationships," he says.
Review of Newsweek’s Dec. 15, 2008 Issue:
“The Religious Case for Gay Marriage”
Lisa Miller’s article:
More progressive denominations—the United Church of Christ, for
example—have agreed to support gay marriage. Other denominations and
dioceses will do "holy union" or "blessing" ceremonies, but shy away from
the word "marriage" because it is politically explosive.
…
People get married "for their mutual joy," explains the Rev. Chloe Breyer,
executive director of the Interfaith Center in New York, quoting the
Episcopal marriage ceremony. That's what religious people do: care for each
other in spite of difficulty, she adds. In marriage, couples grow closer to
God: "Being with one another in community is how you love God. That's
what marriage is about.“
Review of Newsweek’s Dec. 15, 2008 Issue:
“The Religious Case for Gay Marriage”
Lisa Miller’s article:
My friend the priest James Martin says his favorite Scripture relating to the
question of homosexuality is Psalm 139, a song that praises the beauty and
imperfection in all of us and that glorifies God's knowledge of our most
secret selves: "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made."
And then he adds that in his heart he believes that if Jesus were alive today,
he would reach out especially to the gays and lesbians among us, for "Jesus
does not want people to be lonely and sad." Let the priest's prayer be our
own.
Review of Newsweek’s Dec. 15, 2008 Issue:
“The Religious Case for Gay Marriage”
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Blatantly Misuse, Twist & Falsify Bible Teachings
Dismiss & Mock the Bible Itself
Dismiss & Mock the Authority of the Bible
Dismiss & Mock Bible Teachings
Dismiss & Mock Bible Believers, Followers & Teachers
Follow & Impose a Subjectively Flawed Standard
Find & Use Faulty Sources
Draw Unfounded/Unestablished Conclusions
Review of Newsweek’s Dec. 15, 2008 Issue:
“The Religious Case for Gay Marriage”
Lisa Miller’s article:
In that light, Scripture gives us no good reason why gays and lesbians should
not be (civilly and religiously) married—and a number of excellent reasons
why they should.
…
Religious objections to gay marriage are rooted not in the Bible at all, then,
but in custom and tradition…
…
So the frustrating, semantic question remains: should gay people be
married in the same, sacramental sense that straight people are? I would
argue that they should.
Peter LaBarbera
“In Their Own Words: What Gay
Activists Are Demanding”
May, 1993
“We can undermine the moral
authority of homophobic churches
by portraying them as antiquated
backwaters, badly out of step with
the times and with the latest
findings of psychology…Such an
unholy alliance has worked before
on such topics as divorce and
abortion…
…with enough open talk about the
prevalence and acceptability of
homosexuality, that alliance can work
again here.”
Alan Sears & Craig Osteen
ADF
“The Homosexual Agenda: Exposing
The Principle Threat To Religious
Freedom” ~ 2003
“In the next ten years, we will have
same-sex marriage—and I think
we will start to have the
criminalization of religious speech.
You could give the homosexual
activists whatever they want—
marriage, all the benefits,
everything—but they will not be
satisfied until the church is
absolutely silenced on this issue…
…The bottom line is as long as the
Church says that homosexual
behavior is sinful, the feel
stigmatized.”
Marshall Kirk & Erastes Pill
“The Over-hauling of Straight
America”
Guide ~ October – November, 1987
“The first order of business is
desensitization of the American public
concerning gays and gay rights…You
can forget about trying to persuade
the masses that homosexuality is a
good thing. But if you can get them to
think that it is just another thing with
a shrug of their shoulders, then your
battle for legal and social rights is
virtually won.”
Marshall Kirk & Hunter Madsen ~
“Desensitization”
“Subjecting the public to a continuous
flood of gay-related advertizing,
presented in the least offensive
fashion possible. If straights can’t
shut off the shower, they may at least
eventually get used to being wet.”
Peter LaBarbera ~
“Human Events”
“Unfortunately, much of the real
homosexual agenda—and the
realities of ‘gay life’ remains buried
in the homosexual sub-culture to
which the average American is
seldom exposed.”
The Homosexual Agenda
“Coming Soon To A Child Near You!”
“Whoever captures the kids owns the
future.”
Gene Antonio
“Aids: A Weapon In The Hands of
Militant Homosexuals”
“We shall sodomize your sons…We
shall seduce them in your schools,
in your dormitories, in your
gymnasiums, in your locker rooms,
in your sports arenas, in your
seminaries, in your movie theater
bathrooms, in your army bunk
houses, in your truck stops, in your
all-male clubs, in your houses of
Congress…
…Your sons will do our bidding.
They will be recast in our image.
They will come to crave and adore
us.”
1999 Gay, Lesbian, Straight
Education Network ~ Atlanta
“The fear of the religious right is that
the schools of today are the
governments of tomorrow…And you
know what? They’re right…If we do
our job right, we’re going to raise a
generation of kids who don’t believe
the claims of the religious right.”
Is Their Agenda Succeeding?
Massachusetts High School
Freshman Health Text book
“Testing your ability to function
sexually and giving pleasure to
another person may be less
threatening in your early…
…teens with people of your own
sex…You may come to the
conclusion that growing up
means rejecting the values of
your parents.”
“It’s Elementary”
Three-Part Video Series
“Respect For All”
Debra Chasnoff & Helen S. Cohen
“We have no doubt that the longterm impact of this project will be
tremendous…Giving elementary
school students the opportunity to
hear the word ‘gay’ and ‘lesbian’
described in a matter-of-fact way
by their peers, and experiencing
gay and lesbian families…
…could have a profound effect on
their values and behavior for the
rest of their lives.”
NAMBLA (North American Man
Boy Love Association)
November, 1992
Open Letter
Boy Scouts of America
“…cease discrimination of openly
gay or lesbian persons in the
appointment of scout masters and
in membership…We share a
common mission—to bring a
greater understanding and light
and purpose to the young as they
grow.”
Same Sex Marriages – Why
Not?
Linda Harvey
“What Homosexual ‘marriage’
will mean to America’s
children.”
“If same-sex relationships become
the law of the land, then
homosexual marriage will be
presented to America’s school
children as the equivalent to
heterosexual marriage…The
result will be the ‘right’ of
teachers to wear wedding rings…
…talk about their homosexual
spouse at school functions. Your
little Katie will learn that in
kindergarten that “Mrs. Jones” is
married to another “Mrs. Jones”
and that she can grow up and
choose to do the same if she
wishes. It is, after all, her right…
…Expect a whole new crop of
young adult novels featuring
same-sex romance leading to
marriage to appear instantly and
adopted just as magically by
middle-school and high-school
language departments throughout
the U.S. Your 13-year-old Kyle…
…will be required to read and
give a book report on a novel
where Bruce and Jason meet,
date and get married. What
won’t be covered is how Bruce
and Jason split up a year later
after cheating on each other a
dozen times.”
Kathryn Hooks
“Raising A Tolerant Generation”
2003
“Unless parents and communities
take notice and speak out against
using schools to indoctrinate
children with the homosexual
agenda, the next generation will be
desensitized from any standard of
right and wrong by clever use of
programs to promote “tolerance,”
“acceptance,” and “diversity”…
“…If parents and communities are
not successful in instilling JudeoChristian values in children, the
stage will be set for uninhibited
immorality to be the new societal
norm.”
What the Bible teaches…
Lev. 20:13
Gen. 18-19
Homosexuality= abomination to God; worthy of death
Homosexuality is a sin and very grievous (18:20),
wicked (18:23, 25; 19:7), worthy of God’s destruction
(18:23-25, 28, 31-32; 19:13).
Jude 7
Homosexuality is going after strange flesh
Result: suffering vengeance of eternal fire, an example
2 Pet. 2:6
Homosexuality condemned as an example to ungodly
Rom. 1:24-32 Homosexuality is uncleanness (v. 24), dishonoring
one’s body (v. 25), vile (v. 26), against nature (v. 26-27),
unseemly/shameful behavior (v. 27), can harm your
body with just punishment (v. 27), a serious error (v.
27), worthy of death (v. 32)
1 Cor. 6:9
Homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of God
1 Tim. 1:9-10 Homosexuals in same lawless class as murderers
What can we do?
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10.
Pray!
Write! (Letters to Editors, Governing Officials, School Boards, etc.)
Speak Up! (Don’t Wait for Others to Do It)
Don’t Be Ashamed!
Teach Children, Grandchildren, Nephews, Nieces, Everyone!
Send Emails!
a. Personal Letters Are Better
b. Send Links to Articles—Like Ones on ApologeticsPress.com
Subscribe to Conservative, Reputable Publications & Newsletters to
Keep Yourself Informed and Find Opportunities!
a. Ex: American Family Association (www.afa.net)
Treat Others As a Christian (i.e., As Christ Would Treat Them)!
Listen and Read Carefully and Critically!
Pray!