What Would Jesus Say?

Sunny Hostin, one of the hosts on THE VIEW, opined last week that “if Jesus were on earth right now—He would play a leading role in The LGBT parade.” The assumption of the moral high ground without a moral predicate is common amongst secular humanists who believe that they can define for themselves their own morality—out of thin air. Secular humanism could not survive without situational ethics. There is nothing in the Judeo- Christian traditions—The Torah, The New Testament teachings of Jesus and his Disciples, or for me the Catholic Catechism that supports such an outlandish statement.

Every human being is a child of God, made in His image and is called on to participate in His saving Grace. The only way to receive God’s gift of Grace is to reject sin. Homosexuality, adultery, abortion, pedophilia, pornography, are all specifically called out in both the New and Old Testaments. There are many more sins, but to accept behaviors that are sinful is to reject God’s offer of Grace. As always it is important to state upfront that there is no sin greater than God’s forgiveness and Grace, but one must ask for forgiveness and seek and accept atonement. The moral context for the rejection of Judeo-Christian arguments in favor of homosexuality cannot be found in The Devine and Natural Law. Period.

In Genesis 19: two angels in disguise visit the city of Sodom. During the night, the men of Sodom demand of Lot that they hand over the two guests so that they can have homosexual relations with them. Lot bravely refuses and the angels blind the men of Sodom, and their town is destroyed. The events in Genesis 19: are commented on in Jude 7, and Ezekiel 16. In Leviticus 18 we are told.

If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death, their blood is upon them” (Lev. 18:22, 20:13).

Paul warns in both his letter to the Corinthians and in Romans about the evils of homosexuality.

Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9–10, NIV).

The Natural Law has been defined as a “sense imprinted in the hearts of all men made known through the faculties of reason (logic in the classical sense”) and revelation (faith based on scripture and tradition—in the Christian-Judeo traditional sense.) Every major modern religion dating back 5000 years has rejected homosexuality in the same way they have rejected pedophilia and bestiality.

The arguments above are summed up nicely in the Catholic Catechism:

Basing itself on sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered. They are contrary to the natural law. They close sexual acts to the gift of life. They do not proceed from genuine affection and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2357).

The inclination toward a sinful act must be looked at as a trial that can be overcome. Thoughts and desires are not sinful in themselves. Paul also exhorts us to treat everyone, no matter their trials, with dignity and respect.

Finally in Corinthians Paul comfortingly reminds us, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it”.

One other point needs to be examined and as a Christian physician, I would be remiss in not bringing it up. By explaining away homosexual behaviors as being “natural”, society marginalizes exploring the psycho-social impacts of that behavior. There is for example no scientific basis for the argument of “I was born this way” or that many people are homosexual. Having homosexual ideations is not being homosexual. Because something was not chosen doesn’t mean it was inborn and could not be acquired by habituation, indoctrination, or “grooming”. For example, one is not born being an alcoholic or an adulterer, but one can be habituated and become addicted to those types of behaviors. Addictions of any kind that take away one’s free will and liberty are evil in and of themselves.

As I reflect on my words before I send them to my editor, I think maybe Sunny Hoston was correct in a way different than she would be able to understand. Jesus Christ did lead and continues to lead the parade against all forms of sin including homosexuality The parade followed the route of the “Stations” and did not end on the Cross on Golgotha. It continued through His Resurrection and Assumption and continues today in Heaven. It actually began in “The Garden”. Throughout His ministry Jesus railed against sin sometimes in violent ways—think of his throwing out the money changers at the Temple. Nothing could have been more violent than his own death. All He asks is for us to seek forgiveness and to love Him.

No Sonny, Jesus leads a different kind of parade. I invite everyone especially those in the LGBT and Pro-Abortion communities to join us. Reject sin and love Jesus. Accept “Joy” —a true gift from God and reject pleasure for its own sake.