In recent weeks, a lot of attention has been focused upon Anita Bryant's stand against% homosexuality. Since her stand, a number of prominent political figures have announced their support of her petition. Governor Reubin Askew of Florida urged the repeal of a Dade County (Miami) ordinance guaranteeing equal job opportunities, particularly teaching jobs, to homosexuals. Askew, a Presbyterian and the father of two teen-agars, said he would not want "a known homosexual teaching my children." He said he had no known homosexuals on his staff and would not accept any.

A number of people do not agree with Askew and Bryant's stand. Personally, I do. I recognize in America that everyone has certain personal liberties. However, another person's liberties end when they begin to infringe on my rights. I fear that in our attempt to give every minority group the full extent of its rights, we are neglecting the rights of the majority of Americans. I know that this has happened in the laws which have been passed to protect the criminal. As they now stand, the laws of this land protect the criminal more than they protect his victim.

Yet, someone clamors that I am trying to force a set of moral codes upon someone when I try to keep homosexuals from being teachers. So what? Is it wrong, to demand that school teachers have a moral code or conform to a given moral code? Do we not demand that school teachers not be known as habitual murderers, thieves, arsonists, etc.? Is this not the enforcement of a moral code upon a person? Really, the only question which must be faced is not, "Are we going to enforce a moral code upon someone else?" but which moral code are we going to enforce?"

The moral code which is presently being accepted with reference to homosexuality is "to each his own." That is, if a person enjoys the homosexual life-style let him live it and let no one try to degrade him for living that style of life. If that moral code works with reference to homosexuality, we should be able to apply it to other ethical problems. If T want to be a thief, lei me be a thief and let no one try to criticize me; if I want to be a murderer, let me be a murderer and let no one criticize me for it; if a woman wants to be a prostitute; let no one criticize her for it and certainly do not arrest her for violating the law. Otherwise, you will be trying to legally enforce a moral code upon the whole society! I think you can see that this would lead to social anarchy.

The charge that you will be guilty of trying to enforce the Christian ethical code upon the whole society is nothing but a smokescreen to cloud an ethical issue which anyone in his right mind knows is both criminal and sinful. It falls into the same category as rape, prostitution, and sexual abuse of children. It should be enforced in the same way.

Some months ago, I saw a program on one of the public television stations in Indianapolis on which three confessed homosexuals tried to defend their sinful behavior. They commented on the trend of modern psychiatry to treat homosexuality as a sickness; the homosexuals rightfully contended that homosexuality was not a sickness. It was something into which each entered of his own volition. The problem which these had, however, was that they would not admit that homosexuality was a sin. They wanted to treat it as an acceptable form of sexual expression. One of the three was a priest from some denomination. He had the audacity to leave the impression that the Bible approved of homosexuality. A more blatant perversion of the Bible cannot be imagined. Here are some of the Bible passages which speak of homosexuality:

"You shall not he with a male as one lies with a female; it is as abomination" (Lev. 18:22).

"If there Is a man who lies with a male as those who He with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them" (Lev. 20:13).

"Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals . . . shall inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Cor. 6:9-10).

Personally, I would have more respect for the homosexuals if they would come right out and say that they did not care what the Bible says and that they were going to live how they want to live regardless of what God says than when they dishonestly try to leave the impression that God approves of their homosexuality. My friends, God detests homosexuality and considers the man who practices it as a sinner doomed to hell.

Why is it that homosexuality has increased so much in recent years? Again, I think that the Bible has the answer to this question. The society which has decided to disregard God and walls in its own way is headed down the road to destruction. It will become more and more morally corrupt. This the plain statement of Scripture. Paul said,

"For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or glue thanks; but became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the in. corruptible God for an image In the form of corruptible man sad of birds sad four footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over is the lusts of their harts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a He, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them over to degrading passion; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire towards one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error" (Rom. 1:22-27).

Let us examine the steps which led to the sodomy which is condemned in v. 27:

(I) "For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God." The beginning of the moral degradation into which today's society has fallen is the repudiation of God's right to dictate to man the kind of life which he should live. When a society decides to "ban the Bible" and "eliminate prayer," it has taken the first steps toward moral degradation. We are where we are today because man has decided to no longer worship, adore and obey God Almighty.

(2) "Professing to be wise, they became fools." Thisis the second step of the road to moral degradation. When God has been removed as the spokesman who determines what is right and what is wrong, man has no objective criterion left by which he can determine what is right and wrong. This is the situation in America today. Our "wise men" are desperately trying to decide what is to be considered pornography and what is not; they are more and more leaning toward legalizing prostitution. Already they have legalized gambling, adultery, and other sins. Man in his wisdom has become a fool!

(3) "God gave them up." God will only tolerate so much of this kind of conduct before altogether turning his back upon the society which practices it. From the description which is contained in the latter part of Romans 1, I am about to conclude that God has already given America up. The next step is already in progress.

(4) "For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions." The degrading passions are manifest on every hand. Every minute market in America is filled with pornographic literature which features anything from plain nakedness to homosexuality, to sexual abuse of children, to sexual intercourse with animals. The papers in America are filled with advertisements of pornography films. Abortion clinics are even allowed to openly advertise.

And now, homosexuality begins to show itself once again. The pornography, fornication and adultery which are so prevalent in every aspect of modern society is the seed bed which has produced the harvest of homosexuality which we are now experiencing. The degrading passions are already here. Just how much longer God will allow a nation which is so filled with sin to exist is something which bothers me more and more each day. My knowledge of God's word convinces me that He will not tolerate it forever; soon He will bring judgment against this nation, although the form which it will take is not known to man.

Conclusion

In the meantime, we who are following God's word must do what we can to live righteously. I remind you that for want of ten righteous souls, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. We can also try to influence our neighbors to become Christians. But, most of all, we must be careful not to be deceived by the wise men of the world into believing that sins, such as homosexuality, are acceptable forms of sexual expression. So long as we hold on to the authority of God's word, this will never happen.

Truth Magazine XXI: 36, pp. 563-565
September 15, 1977