Wendell Berry on Homosexual "Rights" and my Response

"My argument, much abbreviated both times, was the sexual practices of consenting adults ought not to be subjected to the government’s approval or disapproval, and that domestic partnerships in which people who live together and devote their lives to one another ought to receive the spousal rights, protections and privileges the government allows to heterosexual couples,” Berry said.

How manipulative and dishonest it is for folks to use the word "rights" whenever they are out to get their way, and making it their mission to cause those with dissenting views to shut up.  Women's "rights," homosexual "rights," children's "rights," animal "rights," and so on.  Nobody wants to be accused of removing the "rights" of anyone.  God forbid!  It's proven to be a tactic quite adept at silencing people, especially Christians, who do not want to be labeled as intolerant, hateful, judgmental, unloving or bigoted. 

In light of what homosexuals are clamoring for, why not afford special governmental "rights," protections and privileges to two sisters, or two brothers, or a sister and a brother, or two friends, or a parent and child who have lived together and devoted their lives to each other?  

“Jesus talked of hating your neighbor as tantamount to hating God, and yet some Christians hate their neighbors by policy and are busy hunting biblical justifications for doing so,” Mr. Berry said.  “Are they not perverts in the fullest and fairest sense of that term?  And yet none of these offenses -- not all of them together -- has made as much political/religious noise as homosexual marriage."  

The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, He hates with a passion. ~Psalm 11:5  

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to Him:  haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. ~Proverbs 6:16-19
 

For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness; with you, evil people are not welcome.  The arrogant cannot stand in your presence.  You hate all who do wrong; you destroy those who tell lies.  The bloodthirsty and deceitful you, Lord, detest. ~Psalm 5:4-6
 

Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?  Who may live on your holy mountain?  The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.  Whoever does these things will never be shaken. ~Psalm 15  

Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” Romans 9:13

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them. ~John 3:36


Yes, Mr. Berry, God is love, but He is also holiness and justice, which means He cannot wink at sin.  His love is worthless if not illuminated by His Truth which is Jesus.

“If I were one of a homosexual couple--the same as I am one of a
heterosexual couple--I would place my faith and hope in the mercy of Christ, not in the judgment of Christians,” Berry said.  “When I consider the hostility of political churches to homosexuality and homosexual marriage, I do so remembering the history of Christian war, torture, terror, slavery and annihilation against Jews, Muslims, black Africans, American Indians and others.  And more of the same by Catholics against Protestants, Protestants against Catholics, Catholics against Catholics, Protestants against Protestants, as if by law requiring the love of God to be balanced by hatred of some neighbor for the sin of being unlike some divinely preferred us.  If we are a Christian nation -- as some say we are, using the adjective with conventional looseness -- then this Christian blood thirst continues wherever we find an officially identifiable evil, and to the immense enrichment of our Christian industries of war.”  

Obviously, Mr. Berry is not paying heed to Jesus' own sobering words in Matthew 7:21-23 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’  

Many have enacted great evil in the name of Jesus when, in actuality, their hearts were far from Him.  Their comportment did not display His character.   Even Hitler claimed to be a Christian!  Genuine Christians, part of the Body of Christ, have done great good for the cause of Christ in our corrupted world, people like: William Wilberforce, John Newton, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Corrie ten Boom, to name only a few.  In our day, Dr. James Dobson, Eric Ludy, Chuck Colson, Eric Metaxas, Hannah Rose Allen, Jill Stanek, Dinesh D'Souza, Franklin Graham and Shaun Carney are a few of Jesus' courageous warriors attempting to punch holes in the darkness.

The Gospel, grace, faith, holiness, righteousness, purity and love

The GOSPEL has been reduced to a message merely about forgiveness while the idea of regeneration and transformation seems almost totally forgotten. GRACE has become simply a gigantic hug from God and is no longer the muscle of God brought to earth to aid the weakness of men and to give them strength. FAITH has morphed into this bizarre idea of "honest doubt" and has lost its essence of rock-solid unwavering confidence in the ability of God to perform that which He promises. HOLINESS has transformed into moralistic tyranny for the soul and something to be avoided at all costs. RIGHTEOUSNESS has been redefined to mean an unreachable standard of perfection. PURITY has become nothing more than a legalistic attempt to stay away from things and thoughts that God knows we won't be able to abstain from anyway. LOVE has become unconditional acceptance and tolerance of sin. ~Eric Ludy from the BRAVEHEARTED GOSPEL

Eric Ludy's Tribute to David Wilkerson, Author of The Cross and the Switchblade

http://ellerslie.com/Wilkerson_Tribute_-_Ludy_Radio_Commentary.html

BETRAYED WITH A KISS by Eric Ludy

http://www.ellerslie.com/Eric_Ludy_Sermons/Entries/2011/3/6_Betrayed_With_a_Kiss.html