My first article explained how Church leaders can’t speak up for LGBTs due to peer pressure.
Here, I explain why Christians get zealous about LGBT issues, while being more acceptable of other social ills.
In short, it provides them a cheap religious high with little consequence.
The gospel pronounces God’s unconditional love toward mankind. Christians find it hard to completely reject LGBTs; coming up with cute maxims like “love the sinner, hate the sin.”
I would like to see them try with the loving part at least.
The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no commandment greater than these. (Mark 12:31 NIV)
Does that mean Christians should extend similar marriage rights to the queers?
I have been accused of choosing only parts from the bible to justify being pro-LGBT.
I present the following:
And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. (Matthew 5:30 NIV)
Hand amputation is rarely practiced. When commands are too difficult, they conveniently become metaphorical.
Jesus specified wine to represent his blood in the holy communion. Churches replace this sacrament with cheap, non-alcoholic, fake juice.
Sacrilegious.
Creative license and flexibility are used to interpret the bible.
“Do not be conformed to the patterns of this world!” Your youth pastor in Yeezys and ripped jeans would yell.
He does not realise that the Church constantly updates its theology to fit in with social progress:
Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him… (1 Corinthians 11:14 NIV)
Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. (1 Corinthians 14:34 NIV)
Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? (1 Corinthians 11:13 NIV)
I remain puzzled at why these imperatives apply only to the local congregation it was written to, while verses on homosexuality apply to churches for all time.
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How about plastic surgery? Respected minister Joyce Meyer is known for her face lifts.
Superstar pastor Carl Lentz and congregant Justin Bieber are inked. Too influential to ignore. So tattoos are now hip and relevant.
But look:
Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:28 NIV)
This same passage is where Christians will quote that lying with a male as with a woman is an abomination.
Other prohibitions: wearing clothes of mixed fabrics, shaving sideburns, and not standing up when the aged are present (not just in the MRT).
But sure, just pick on gay sex.
Striking off an unused law precipitates “undesirable moral and social consequences”. But the bible says:
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil… (1 Timothy 6:10 NIV)
Does the NCCS come together to fight greed, so prevalent in Singapore?
When one of their brightest stars Kong Hee fell, did the council get together to roll out a plan to redeem his crime in secular society?
Truth is, they are unable to come to a consensus on important Christian teachings such as speaking in tongues and healing. Neither do they have the ability to enforce biblical commands like tithing on their members.
Yet they want to police what Hindus, Buddhists and Atheists do in bed?
Joke.
But are Church leaders really well behaved in private?
Consider this oft quoted story of how rental porn surged when a Church conference was held at a hotel. The Catholic Church also struggled with a slew of child molestation cases.
If a famed Christian leader has an openly gay child, the discussion would be very different. Sometimes it has less to do with morality and more to do with politics.
Next time a Christian touts about not approving of your lifestyle, kindly remind them that God is no fan of theirs either. Which is why Jesus had to die on the cross.
The Church should instead emulate Jesus who was a friend of sinners.
Unable to order its ranks on many issues, Church leaders are excited to unite against a common enemy—LGBTs whom the government has no incentive to help.
Strangely, many megachurches I visited are very vocal about their love for Mr Lee Kuan Yew, who has said that sexuality is not a choice.
The bible condones slavery in multiple places. Preacher Dr Martin Luther King Jr, deemed them irrelevant as he fought for the liberation of African Americans.
If seeing two men holding hands makes you uncomfortable, at least admit it is a visceral feeling such as the fear of touching a frog. It has nothing to do with society degenerating into chaos.
Repealing 377A is simple bookkeeping and the views of inconsistent zealots should not matter.
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Cover image by Pisit Heng/Unsplash
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