Tag: Christian
Debate: Can You Be a Gay Christian?
Posted on July 16, 2014 in Sexuality, Theology by Nathan Cherry
Now, on the surface is the short, simple answer from both sides of the debate. Homosexual activists would quickly say “of course it’s possible” and cite several examples, perhaps Matthew Vines, Jennifer Knapp or friends and family they know. Christians by a large majority would quickly say “no, this is not possible” and cite scripture calling homosexual behavior a sin.
At issue then is whether or not homosexual behavior is a sin. Because if homosexual behavior is not a sin then it is entirely possible to be a proud, practicing homosexual and at the same time be a Christian. If homosexual behavior is a sin then to live in sin and be proud of it while claiming to be a Christian is contrary to biblical teaching on several levels.
Believe in Traditional Marriage – Go to Reeducation Camp!
Posted on July 8, 2014 in Religious Freedom, Sexuality by Nathan Cherry
Do you think only women get pregnant?
Believe marriage is the union of a man and woman?
Hold the position that there are inherent differences between men and women?
You old-fashioned, homophobic, bigoted, discriminatory, sexist person. How dare you believe such things.
How dare you believe that only women can get pregnant. Never-mind the biology, it is absolutely sexist and gender-biased of you to think that only women can get pregnant.
And to think that marriage is the union of only a man and woman. I can’t believe any sane, rational, fair-minded person in this day and age would believe such nonsense.
And don’t get me started on gender distinctions. Anyone believing that the genders are inherently different is a product of their discriminatory environment, not an enlightened culture.
Why Do Christians Need to Oppose Transgenderism?
Posted on June 25, 2014 in Sexuality, Theology by Nathan Cherry
Since the SBC annual meeting the issue of transgenderism has been on my mind a lot. Not because I hadn’t thought about it before, but because of the fact that a major denomination needed to adopt a unified statement clarifying biblical teaching on the issue. Something seems terribly wrong with this fact.
Why is it necessary for the SBC to adopt a formal resolution codifying biblical teaching on the issue of transgenderism? Dr. Russell Moore, head of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission answers the question:
“The cultural mindset is that gender is something that is constructed by the individual. So it’s disconnected from how the person is created. And that’s one of the reasons why I think this resolution … was so wise, because it spoke to what the Bible teaches about what gender means in the first place, about how God’s design is good.”
Dr. Moore is right. The fact that society has turned gender into something that can be bent and altered at will is part of the problem. The established gender binary’s that once created the foundation of our society have been attacked and weakened, prompting a surge of defense for the male-female complimentarian view that was once so…normal.
Why I Voted for the SBC Resolution on Transgender Identity
Posted on June 24, 2014 in Sexuality, Theology by Nathan Cherry
The Southern Baptist Convention took a much needed stand in the effort to reshape sexuality into a fluid, preferential aspect of one’s life. At the annual meeting this year in Baltimore, MD, the SBC voted on a resolution entitled “On Transgender Identity.” The full text of the resolution can be read here.
Much discussion has already taken place around this resolution. Even before the convention began there was a rumbling as a result of what some knew would be “controversial” resolutions. One friend, when he heard I would be attending the SBC annual meeting, said he would be praying for me as we would be “voting on some resolutions that will be perceived as controversial.”
When day two of the annual meeting arrived and I looked at the list of resolutions I didn’t see anything that could be remotely considered controversial for a Southern Baptist. Then I got to resolution number nine.
Resolution number nine is speaks to the issue of transgenderism. As efforts to redefine marriage in our culture have progressed and been successful, the logical progression that many of us predicted would occur is now taking place. Once homosexuals found support for their alternative lifestyle and sexual orientation it was just a matter of time before others, such as polygamists and transgender persons began seeking rights as well.
Sadly, even some Christians have been deceived into believing there is nothing wrong with being a transgender person. The reality however is that such abuse of one’s biological sex stands in direct opposition to God’s created design. Hence the need for the SBC to codify in a resolution the Southern Baptist position.
Here’s what the resolution says, in part:
How Should Christians Think About Education?
Posted on June 11, 2014 in Home School, Theology by Derick Dickens
What is a great education? Some people may envision an Ivy League degree or an “A” student who belongs to the honor society. But as Christians, education is more than memorizing facts and being able to answer mathematical equations. These are all good, and they do makeup part of the educational process, but they are not education; education is more substantial.
Part of the problem is that there is a diminishing definition of education. Today, people have relegated education to a diploma and reading, writing, and arithmetic, but this minimalist view of education is destroying the soul of true education, replacing it with a cookie cutter approach, test focused studies, and ideals that fail to educate.
There are many distinct offerings for education that is often missed, but today we will explore three.
Education is Theological and Spiritual
Help Wanted: Where is a Christian Supposed to Work?
Posted on June 5, 2014 in Marriage, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
It appears to me that those seeking to redefine marriage, and those that oppose faith, are creating a hostile work environment for Christians. The choice is clear: choose between your job and your faith.
There seems to be an effort to force Christians into silent support for what the Bible calls sin. If society cannot pressure us into willingly supporting homosexuality and other immoralities, it will threaten us with the loss of our livelihood. You will either conform and support or you will lose your job. The choice might be better stated as: choose between silent condoning of sin and your faith.
The Death Penalty: Is It Right for Christians to Support Killing Murderers?
Posted on June 4, 2014 in Life, Public Policy by Nathan Cherry
To be honest I would be almost apathetic to the discussion were it not for what I believe is a clear Biblical mandate in favor of the death penalty. As much as possible I seek to base my life, my worldview, on the Bible and what it teaches. At times this means adhering to views that are not culturally popular (one man one woman marriage) and defending positions that are hotly debated (abortion is murder).
The same can be said for the death penalty. While some Christians – though they are admittedly few – believe any form of violence against a human being is wrong, most understand the clear biblical teaching in support of the death penalty.
Parkersburg Wrestling Team Will Keep Wearing Bible Themed Shirts
Posted on June 1, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
The kerfuffle that began over a Bible verse printed on the Parkersburg South wrestling team shirts seems to be over, for now. (Click here to read a State Journal article detailing the events and the apparent outcome.)
In case you missed what has transpired over the last couple of weeks, here’s the basic story line.
The Parkersburg South wrestling team has been wearing shirts with the Bible verse Philippians 4:13, ‘I can do all things through Him who gives me strength,’ for years. The shirts are bought by parents and students are not required to wear them. Each student that wears the shirt makes a personal decision to wear it.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, that lovely Wisconsin based legal group that relies on bullying and scare tactics, got a phone call from a single “concerned” person. That was enough to prompt the group to send one of their famous “threatening letters” designed to scare a school into backtracking.
People Might Call Me Names for Agreeing With Donald Sterling
Posted on May 22, 2014 in Public Policy, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
I like this move by Donald Sterling.
I know saying that might make some people angry. Some might even call me names or believe that I am racists or that I support racism. But nothing is further from the truth. Here’s why I agree with Sterling.
It seems redundant at this point to say it again, but let me be clear: I do not condone racism of any kind. That includes black on white racism that is often ignored by media and activists. Racism of any kind is an evil disease in our country that needs to die.
So here is where we’re at concerning Donald Sterling.