Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Frequently Asked Questions

Was Sodom destroyed because of homosexuality?  NO!
  • God's judgment had fallen upon Sodom long before the destruction account, or God would not have said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am going to do..." Genesis 18:17
  • In Jude 1:11, we see the men of Sodom ran in the way of Cain, who was a murderer, not a homosexual.
  • The shriek of Sodom's sin "cried up to God." The only other thing to "cry up to God" was Abel's blood after Cain killed him.  Genesis 18:20 (Sodom), Genesis 4:10 (Abel)
  • In Jude 1:6-7 and 2 Peter 2:4-7 we see the men of Sodom were fallen angels, not human men
  • In Genesis 6 we see the men of Sodom were fallen angels who mated with human women, which is heterosexual in nature, not homosexual.
  • The men of Sodom were wicked and exceedingly great sinners against the Lord (not people).  Genesis13:13
  • 2 of the men of Sodom were engaged to Lot's daughters, were slated for rescue even though they had been part of the mob, thought Lot was joking even after having already been struck blind by the angels, and perished (Genesis 19:13-14).  This led Lot's daughters to mate with their father because "there was not a man left to lay with them in the customary way"  (Genesis 19:31-38).  This shows not only that the men of Sodom were not gay, but that Lot's daughters recognized them as customarily heterosexual, not homosexual.  The fact Lot offered his daughters shows Lot also recognized the men of Sodom to be customarily heterosexual.  (Genesis 19:7-8) 
  • The Book of Jude relays the account of Enoch who prophesied about the men of Sodom.  The Book of Enoch is an ancient Jewish religious work, traditionally ascribed to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah. It is not part of the biblical canon as used by Jews, apart from Beta Israel. It is regarded as canonical by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Eritrean Orthodox Church, but no other Christian group.  An online search for the text of the Book of Enoch (beginning in Chapter 6) reveals not only that the men of Sodom were indeed fallen angels, but even provides their individual names.
  • See Chapter 14 and Chapter 15 of The Bed Keeper for a more detailed explanation.
Does Romans 1 condemn gay people? NO! 
  • Romans 1:23 provides the context of idol worship: And by them the glory and majesty and excellence of the immortal God were exchanged for and represented by images, resembling mortal man and birds and beasts and reptiles.
  • Romans 1:27 shows the men also turned from (or abandoned) natural relations with women and were set ablaze (burning out, consumed) with lust for one another-...gay men don't have sex with women.  Only heterosexual men can "abandon" the use of women.  This also indicates they were married.  The sins being committed here are idolatry and adultery, both of which violate the 10 Commandments, whereas same gender expressions (in and of themselves) do not.
  • Romans 1:26 shows the women "exchanged their natural function for an unnatural and abnormal one," but does not mention them having lust for one another.  They were having sexual relations with animals as worship to Roman gods, not each other.  Notice the difference in Paul's description between the women and the men.  If the women were having relations with each other, Paul would have said as much.  Also notice he does not call the men's relations with each other as "unnatural" or "abnormal" but says they left the natural use of the women. 
  • Acts 14 shows Paul and Barnabas were mistaken by the people of Lystra for Zeus and Hermes.  The cult priest went immediately to the cult temple to retrieve bulls (four footed beasts representing Zeus) and they began to worship Paul and Barnabas.  This is how Paul knew the particulars that he relays in Romans 1
  • See Chapter 18 of The Bed Keeper for a more detailed explanation
Does Leviticus 18:22 and Leviticus 20:13 condemn gay people? NO!
  • We see the phrase "as with a woman" indicating the men lying with other men were married and heterosexual.  The "abomination" was the adultery involved, which is why Leviticus 20:13 prescribes the same penalty as with adultery with a woman. 
  • The bulk of Leviticus 18 is a laundry list of various types of heterosexual people in acts of adultery.
  • Adultery is a violation of the 10 Commandments.
  • The first verses of both Leviticus 18 and Leviticus 20 read, "Say to the Israelites," (not Christians). We have a New Covenant and Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the Law of Moses and its penalties (Galatians 3:13)
  • See Chapter 16 and Chapter 19 of The Bed Keeper for a more detailed explanation
Did Jesus teach that gay people are born so? YES!
  • Jesus identifies 3 types of people whom He exempts from heterosexual marriage; born eunuchs, made eunuchs, and those who choose to be eunuchs. 
  • Made eunuchs included castrated men.  Those choosing to be eunuchs included celibate people.
  • Nobody is born castrated.  Castration is a procedure, not a birth condition. 
  • Nobody is born celibate.  Celibacy is a choice, not a birth condition. 
  • Born eunuchs are not heterosexual or Jesus would not have exempted them from heterosexual marriage.  (Matthew 19:11-12)
  • Some eunuchs have sex drive or Paul would not have ordained marriage for them in 1 Corinthians 7:8-9 predicated on "it is better to marry than burn in our lusts."
  • Some eunuchs are female or God would not refer to eunuchs as "sons" and "daugthers" in Isaiah 55:11-56:12
  • See Chapter 1 of The Bed Keeper for a more detailed explanation
Did God ordain marriage for single gender couples?  YES!
  • Paul reaffirms heterosexual marriage and then makes same exemption for eunuchs as Jesus did, saying that if they were not celibate, they should marry (1 Corinthians 7:8-9).
  • See Chapter 2 of The Bed Keeper for a more detailed explanation
Is opposing gay marriage a doctrine that demons teach?  YES!
Does God command all people to have children?  NO!
  • Isaiah 54 and Isaiah 56 both show God was aware not all people would have children, tells us not to complain, and promises to give us more spiritual children than a woman can give birth to natural children
  • See Chapter 10 of The Bed Keeper for a more detailed explanation
Will Jesus return before gay people are affirmed in Church?  NO!
Will Jesus return before gay people bring money to Church? NO!
  • See Chapter 20 of The Bed Keeper for a more detailed explanation
Does the Bible teach how to evangelize gay people?  YES!
  • See Chapter 3 of The Bed Keeper for a more detailed explanation
Did God create gay people to prepare the Church for the return of Jesus Christ?  YES!
Did God create gay people to expose the Apostate Church?  YES!
  • See Chapter 4 of The Bed Keeper for a more detailed explanation
Do gay people have to become heterosexual for God to approve us?  NO!
  • Paul rejects ex-gay therapy in 1 Corinthians 7:24
  • Scripture continues to refer to the Ethiopian eunuch as a eunuch, even after his baptism Acts 8:39-40
  • See Chapter 2, Chapter 3, and Chapter 4 of The Bed Keeper for a more detailed explanation 
Can gay people be Christians?  YES!
Does homosexuality always mean gay?  NO!
  • See Chapter 19 of The Bed Keeper for a more detailed explanation.
Will mainstream Christianity ever affirm gay people in Church?  YES!
***************************************************************

Dear Valued Readers,
This blog is a work in progress. As events in the Church impact previously published posts, updates will be published at the end of each post in order to provide the utmost transparency and clarity to all concerned parties as this new move of God progresses. Readers may email thebedkeeper@gmail.com to discuss or comment on any posting. Please note that while all feedback is highly valued and appreciated, it may not be possible to reply to each email.

UPDATE 03.05.13: GREAT NEWS! Regarding the 10.27.12 UPDATE: After new considerations have come to light, I confidently continue my full personal endorsement of Eagle Mountain International Church as a SAFE SPACE for LGBT people to worship, and am pleased to encourage you to resume supporting this vibrant ministry financially. Details here.

UPDATE 02.09.13: Listen in as Brian Anthony Bowen provides the NCK and Friends radio audience with valuable insights into Biblical support of Same Sex Marriage that the Church doesn't seem to want us to know!

Part One:
Part Two:

UPDATE 10.27.12:
Eagle Mountain International Church took an official position on gay marriage in a sermon on 10.14.12. While not in support of gay marriage, Pastor George reminds his congregation that "those considered to be gay" are equally worthy of love and compassion. Pastor Terri continues to consider being gay as "being caught up in bondage." Several passages of Scripture were quoted to support their views, but no mention was made of any Scriptures that disprove their view, such as discussed in Chapter One: Born This Way and Chapter Two: God Sanctioned Gay Marriage. While I am not rescinding my endorsement of Eagle Mountain International Church as a safe space for LGBT people to worship, I am officially recommending we no longer support them financially. It is clear we have a long way to go in educating the Church, and I remain hopefully confident that after the 2012 elections are over, we will have more opportunities to walk further into the new revelations from God's Word shared throughout this blog. I encourage all LGBT people and our families to continue to hold Pastor George and Terri up in prayer, so that the eyes of their understanding may be flooded with light, and they come to more fully understand the prophetic role that LGBT people play in the spiritual life of the Christian Church, and the return of Jesus Christ.

UPDATE 04.29.12:
My previous endorsement of Lakewood Church is hereby retracted due to this interview: wherein Pastor Joel Osteen declares that "being gay" itself is a sin. That is NOT what the Bible says, and I cannot support it, nor ask anyone else to. I explained this in a previous letter to Pastor Joel in response to his interview with Piers Morgan, which can be reviewed here. I apologize for the mixed messages my own comments may tend to manifest themselves as in this case, but it is an unfortunate result of Pastor Joel's own mixed messages, and his decision to tailor his messages to the audience to whom he is speaking at the time. Should he publicly apologize for his unScriptural comments, and declare he has come to understand the difference between saying "being gay is a sin" and "homosexuality is a sin" (to reflect Scripture's own narrowly defined context of married men who engaged in adultery on their wives to be with men...which has nothing to do with LGBT people), I hope to renew my endorsement of Lakewood Church at some point in the future....but not until then.

UPDATE 01.15.12:
Lakewood Church officially endorsed as a SAFE SPACE for LGBT people to worship! Details here.

UPDATE 11.22.11:
Eagle Mountain International Church officially endorsed as a SAFE SPACE for LGBT people to worship! Details here.

UPDATE 12.16.11:
Please also review the response shared with a debate panel regarding the Bible's position on homosexuality, that reveals the unScriptural stance "ex-gay" theology manifests itself as here.

 
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,