Tag: traditional
High Profile Christians Continue Embracing Sin Because – Culture?
Posted on May 1, 2014 in Marriage by Nathan Cherry
When the average, every day Christian decides to support something the Bible clearly calls sin, no one cares. That’s because no one knows except the small circle that person influences. That’s not to say it isn’t a problem, but only that it’s not nearly as egregious an abuse of influence. But when a Christian singer or major book publisher decides to support those same unbiblical positions, things gets weightier.
In this case a major book publisher known for such authors as Kay Arthur and David Jeremiah has decided to publish a book supporting same-sex “marriage.” Add to that the recent revelation that Jars of Clay front man Dan Haseltine has decided to also support homosexual “marriage” and one has to wonder if these Christians understand the weight of their decisions.
First, a recent article reports:
“WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group is planning to release, through its liberal sister imprint Convergent Books, a manuscript paradoxically titled God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships…The book’s author, Matthew Vines, is a homosexual activist and Bible revisionist known for manipulating Christian terminology to advance the counter-Christian homosexualist agenda. Despite his frequent use of a Christian-like lexicon, Vines surprisingly admits to running an apostate enterprise that he calls The Reformation Project. An unabashed denier of Biblical teaching on sexual morality, Vines has publicly acknowledged that his goal is to ‘reform church teaching on sexual orientation and gender identity.’”
Really? Do we have to go through this again?
Yes, what the world needs now is another so-called “Christian” trying desperately to convince the evangelical world that the current and historical majority understanding of biblical sexuality is all wrong and his “enlightened” view is correct. Not only has every conservative evangelical scholar since recorded time – such as Paul, Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Wayne Grudem and Albert Mohler – been completely wrong in their life time of study regarding biblical sexuality. But, so has the majority of Christians throughout history that has affirmed the understanding that homosexual behavior is sin.
Since When is Being a Married Husband and Father Considered an “Alternative” Lifestyle?
Posted on March 19, 2014 in Family, Marriage by Nathan Cherry
When I was 23 I was single, in graduate school while I worked as a professional, and felt like I was “behind” in life because I wasn’t married with kids.
Little did I know that in a very short couple years I would be engaged, have a Master’s Degree, and be preparing for my future as a husband and father. And while I considered this a perfectly normal albeit late part of an adult life cycle, many today seem to think I am now living an “alternative” lifestyle.
Going back into history as far as you can will reveal the “normal” lifestyle for an adult has been to get married, have children, and then raise those children with your spouse. An adult, still define as someone having reached the age of 18, is legally allowed to marry though many prefer to wait until after college. So it has come to be a normal part of societal life for adults of the age of 22, or 23, or even 25 to be married and begin starting a family. Apparently though, that is now considered an “alternative” lifestyle.
The Troubles Caused by Marriage Redefinition
Posted on February 19, 2014 in Marriage by Nathan Cherry
Marriage was intended to be the union of one man and one woman for the purpose of bearing and raising kids in order to propagate humanity and society. From a biblical position, marriage was also intended to be a visible image of the relationship between Jesus Christ and His bride, the church. On an individual level marriage was intended to make us holy, others-centered people. Anything outside this understanding of marriage is inadequate and presents a false view of God’s intended purpose for marriage.
In the effort to redefine marriage, proponents often say that marriage is just a legal contract intended to convey governmental benefits. Ok, I’ll accept that as a secondary, far less significant, man-made construct for modern marriage. That does not in any way alter the true purpose and definition of marriage. Nor should it somehow assuage the conscience and allow support for marriage redefinition.
When we as a society stray from the established purpose and definition of marriage we bring upon ourselves a whole new set of moral, societal, and legal troubles.
Government Gone Wild: Will West Virginia Be the Next State to Fall to Judicial Activism?
Posted on February 17, 2014 in Marriage, Public Policy by Nathan Cherry
I recently wrote about the trend of attorney’s general refusing to defend the laws of the states that elected them to defend their laws. I commented that this trend was accelerated by President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder refusing to defend DOMA. Once the president starts deciding which laws he will and will not defend it is just a matter of time before everyone else decides they can do it too.
Over the last year we’ve seen numerous attorney’s general decide not to defend state laws, while activist judges decide to strike down other laws. The latest in this trend comes from Kentucky where a judge said the state must recognize foreign gay marriages from other states. His declaration is in violation of Kentucky law, but that didn’t stop the judge from deciding to strike down the law and rewrite it according to his opinion. He reportedly ruled:
State Lawmakers MIA in Battle to Redefine Marriage in West Virginia
Posted on February 10, 2014 in Marriage by Nathan Cherry
Not surprisingly the battle to redefine marriage in West Virginia has been kept relatively quiet. Most people, I would venture, don’t even know there is a challenge to our state’s DOMA law currently pending in federal court. The ability to keep “we the people” out of the loop regarding these critical issues is a tactic liberals employ as often as possible.
Nonetheless the effort to redefine marriage for all Mountaineers is being waged by Lambda Legal, a LGBT rights organization, on behalf of three same-sex couples. A federal judge ruled last week that the lawsuit against West Virginia’s ban on homosexual “marriage” may proceed.
West Virginia: Attack on Marriage Intensifies
Posted on January 4, 2014 in Marriage by Nathan Cherry
In case you didn’t know already, a lawsuit has been brought to challenge West Virginia’s DOMA law. The warning that having just a DOMA law and not a constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman was sounded long ago. Many West Virginian’s spoke up to say they wanted to exercise their right to vote on such a constitutional amendment. But our elected lawmakers refused to give us the right to vote and have ever since held our own state constitution hostage from us.
While they held our constitution hostage they told us repeatedly that marriage in West Virginia was safe, but that if anyone ever challenged our DOMA law that they would be the first to take up the fight to defend it. Well, this lawsuit was first filed in October of 2013. Have you heard one peep from a single lawmaker about it or the need to defend marriage? Me neither. But Lambda Legal is moving full steam ahead with their lawsuit and has recently asked for summary judgment in favor of their case:
Court: Australian Same-Sex Marriage Violates Law
Posted on December 14, 2013 in Marriage by Nathan Cherry
Previously, lower court rulings upheld a law making same-sex marriage in Australia legal. But it seems the ruling was short lived as the high court of Australia has ruled that such laws violate the Federal Marriage Law of the country, which defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman. A recent report states:
“The legalization of gay marriage has been overturned in Australia. On Wednesday the country’s high court issued the decision. A landmark ruling in November had upheld same-sex marriage in Australia. That came when the federal government challenged an Australian Territory’s law making gay marriage legal. The high court took a different view, ruling the law violates the Federal Marriage Act, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman.”
The court has not only upheld the law of the land, but has said the issue belongs in the National Parliament rather than in courts. Kudos to Australia for upholding traditional marriage. Click here for original article.