Homosexuality out of the closet, Christianity in

By: American Decency Staff

“Dare to be a Daniel,
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm!
Dare to make it known.”

Do you remember this rousing Sunday School song?  It was one of my favorites as a child and I still remember standing with other Sunday School kids as we belted it out somewhere between “Do Lord” and “Deep and Wide.”

Yesterday one sports celebrity was a Daniel – standing alone. 

And it wasn’t NBA player Jason Collins who publically announced yesterday that he was a homosexual.  Collins wasn’t the one standing alone, because he had the vast forces of the secular, liberal army at his side.  President Obama personally called Collins to congratulate him for coming out.   Michelle Obama tweeted:  “A huge step forward for our country.”  The list is endless as celebrities, professional athletes, and politicians have lined up to give Collins a proverbial pat on the back. 

 As Sports Illustrated reported:  “Collins' coming-out party was a joyous affair. He was praised in enormous measure. His announcement was called groundbreaking, epic, country-changing. At last count, his Twitter following had swelled from about 3,500 to nearly 85,000.”

“Praised in enormous measure” for announcing that he prefers men for a sexual partner.

No, Collins isn’t the one who stood alone – not in today’s “tolerant” America.  Those who exhibit real courage – who truly stand alone against the tide of public pressure and muzzled speech – are those who speak the truth in a culture that no longer tolerates absolute Truth.

In an article published in Sports Illustrated magazine about his decision to announce his homosexuality, Jason Collins wrote:  “… I take the teachings of Jesus seriously, particularly the ones that touch on tolerance and understanding.”

The one who did stand alone yesterday was one who seems to take all the teachings of Jesus and God’s Word seriously – ESPN sports analyst Chris Broussard.  Broussard, a Christian, was asked on an ESPN sport program to express his opinion on Collins’ announcement of his homosexuality and his claim to faith.

In a discussion on the topic with another ESPN sports analyst, openly gay L.Z. Granderson, this is what Broussard stated:

"I'm a Christian. I don't agree with homosexuality. I think it's a sin, as I think all sex outside of marriage between a man and a woman is. (ESPN's) L.Z. (Granderson) knows that. He and I have played on basketball teams together for several years. We've gone out, had lunch together, we've had good conversations, good laughs together. He knows where I stand and I know where he stands. I don't criticize him, he doesn't criticize me, and call me a bigot, call me ignorant, call me intolerant.

"In talking to some people around the league, there's a lot Christians in the NBA and just because they disagree with that lifestyle, they don't want to be called bigoted and intolerant and things like that. That's what LZ was getting at. Just like I may tolerate someone whose lifestyle I disagree with, he can tolerate my beliefs. He disagrees with my beliefs and my lifestyle but true tolerance and acceptance is being able to handle that as mature adults and not criticize each other and call each other names.

"… Personally, I don't believe that you can live an openly homosexual lifestyle or an openly premarital sex between heterosexuals, if you're openly living that type of lifestyle, then the Bible says you know them by their fruits, it says that's a sin. If you're openly living in unrepentant sin, whatever it may be, not just homosexuality, adultery, fornication, premarital sex between heterosexuals, whatever it may be, I believe that's walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ. I would not characterize that person as a Christian because I do not think the Bible would characterize them as a Christian."

Broussard’s Biblical statement threw the secularists in a fit of un-righteous indignation.  The gall of this Christian man to call their sin what it is! 

Yahoo Sports writer Kelly Dwyer was especially outraged and couldn’t believe that Broussard still clung to his out-of-date religious beliefs in 2013.

Dwyer wrote: 

“Chris Broussard is allowed to say whatever he wants on any subject he wants at any time, such is his right as an American citizen. Whether his personal views on the subject of homosexuality were appropriate for this particular setting is a completely different story. Especially as an American citizen, one that does not live in a theocracy that creates laws and freedoms based off of a religious text. …

“… be reminded of the fact that if you had sex before marriage, or have had sex and are not married, Chris Broussard thinks that you are a sinner that is in defiance of God, and he used the pulpit of a sports talk show to remind you of such. Do you like him saying those sorts of things about you?  …

“Broussard is free to live his life as he sees fit, and admonish those that he sees as lacking in the face of his chosen god. We’re also free to question the centuries-old influence that created this line of thinking …”

Notice that according to Mr. Dwyer the viewpoints of American Christians are only “appropriate” to express in certain settings – and obviously not in a public discourse – that somehow because Broussard’s comments about morality stem from “religious text,” the First Amendment doesn’t apply to them.

Dwyer and countless others like him are telling American citizens who happen to be Christian – ‘say whatever you like – as long as it’s not in public.” 

Open the door to homosexuality, but push Christians in the closet.

Mr. Dwyer, in “shooting the messenger,” somehow misses the point that Chris Broussard’s statements aren’t just Broussard’s “personal views.”  The message didn’t originate with him – it originated with God.  The sovereign, immutable ruler who will sit in judgment over all mankind.

For the record, speaking the Truth of God’s Word does not make Christians “haters.”  We do not hate homosexuals such as Jason Collins – we love them and therefore speak the Truth, in love.  As the saying goes, the truth sometimes hurts – but it also heals, redeems, and saves.   We know, because we’ve also been blind to our own sin.  We are not ‘morally superior’ – we’re forgiven and justified through Christ and long for all mankind to experience that same forgiveness and redemption.

Millions of people will continue to try to pick and choose the teachings of Jesus “that touch on tolerance and acceptance” and discard the rest of God’s unchanging Word.  They will continue to shake their fists at their Creator.  They will cheer immorality and jeer at those who speak the Truth.  They will put on a pedestal those in rebellion against God’s Law (which is written on their hearts), and vilify those who dare utter that Law.

Yet there will always be a few following the narrow way.  There will always be Daniels daring to stand alone.  May you and I be counted in that band.

“Hold the Gospel banner high!
On to victory grand!
Satan and his hosts defy,
And shout for Daniel's band.”

“Dare to be a Daniel,
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm!
Dare to make it known.”

==========================================================

To support our efforts please click hereor mail your gift to American Decency Association (ADA), PO Box 202, Fremont, MI 49412.  

American Decency Association is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.

---