Gay activist group debates homosexuality at Liberty University
KIM RAFF/THE NEWS & ADVANCE
Liberty University students challenge Soulforce members on their beliefs in the courtyard at the school on Wednesday. Members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender activist group rallied at Liberty as the first stop of this year’s “Equality Ride.“
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By Christa Desrets
Published: October 1, 2008
The dialogue began slowly.
Five members of the gay activist group Soulforce held hands Wednesday afternoon and stood to face about 50 Liberty University students behind the school’s DeMoss Hall in Lynchburg.
They had just returned from donating five gay-affirming Christian books to the school’s library, and Caitlin MacIntyre invited onlookers to join them in singing “Amazing Grace.”
“No thanks,” one student said.
Across the sidewalk, students paged through Bibles as the hymn’s familiar first verse filled the air.
Liberty student Lawanda Sowell said she was searching for passages to describe her belief that homosexuality is a sin.
“They believe in what they believe because they are blind,” she said.
The song ended, and the two groups stood opposite each other with two different opinions on how to interpret the role of homosexuality and the definition of marriage in the Bible.
Liberty was the first of 15 planned stops at faith-based institutions on Soulforce’s annual Equality Ride, a national bus tour meant to encourage an inviting environment for any on-campus gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender students.
“Nowhere in the Bible does it say, ‘homosexuality is sin,’” said Soulforce member Nicholas Rocco DeFinis.
Liberty student Steven Mosley disagreed.
“This is never affirmed in the Bible, ever,” he countered. “You should not be living like this.”
Soulforce member Danielle Cooper said many things have changed since the days of Jesus.
“Marriage, in terms of how we see it, has come a long, long way,” she said.
Although they disagreed, dialogue was exactly what Soulforce had hoped for, said Jarrett Lucas.
“It has to be open and it has to be honest,” he said. “Ideally, we come together and understand each other before the end of the day — or however long it takes.”
Earlier this week, Liberty officials had said they would not allow the group on campus. When Soulforce members came to the school in 2006, more than 20 were arrested on charges of trespassing after walking onto school property.
“It wasn’t our intention to tell them ahead of time to come on campus,” Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. said Wednesday. “In fact, we told them they couldn’t. But they didn’t cause any incidents, so we didn’t arrest anybody.”
“Most students believe, like my father did, that you should love the sinner, hate the sin, show compassion and try to be a good witness. So that’s what I think our students did today.”
Capt. Al Thomas with the Lynchburg Police Department monitored the assembly from off campus and said the day was incident-free.
In the past couple of weeks, he has facilitated conversations between Soulforce and Liberty as the activist group planned for the event.
“They assured us that this would be a peaceful, nonviolent assembly, and I think that has gone according to plan,” he said Wednesday afternoon.
Liberty junior Erika Green said she was happy to have the chance to speak with the group.
“We’re supposed to love everyone, so it would be wrong to turn them away,” she said.
Katie Higgins, co-director of the Equality Ride, said the group had been in contact with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students at Liberty who felt that the school community promoted discrimination against them.
Falwell said the school’s code of conduct does not prohibit homosexuality, but it does forbid sexual activity outside of marriage.
“And in order for there to be a marriage in Virginia, it has to be between a man and a woman,” he said earlier this week.
As for the donated books, he said, “Somebody brought them up to my office today, and we have a committee that will decide whether to make them a part of the collection or not.”
After more than an hour of discussion, Soulforce members walked back to their bus and a dozen other Equality Riders who rallied from just outside of campus. Many students joined them. The group is in town until Sunday, and plans a discussion on the role of homosexuality in Christianity today at 11 a.m. at the Starbucks on Wards Road.
Wednesday’s dialogue had begun slowly, but continued as clusters formed here and there along University Boulevard.
Bill Carpenter, director of national actions for Soulforce, looked on with interest.
“We’re just beginning the adventure for this year,” he said.
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( t4nymets ) on October 04, 2008 at 9:41 am
Cleocat,
I must take issue with your post regarding the sexual behavior of animals. Certainly, you’re not suggesting that human behavior can be condoned because of what animals do. Some animals eat their offspring! Would you call that natural? Would it be okay with you if humans did the same? My dog eats cat feces! Would you like a plate of that for lunch?
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Posted by ( scrivsand ) on October 03, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Liberty4all I meant to ask you did God write the Bible or man? If someone stood in front of 50 people and started speaking would you have one interpretation or 50 different ones?
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Posted by ( scrivsand ) on October 03, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Liberty4all sorry about the grammatical errors its been a long day!
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Posted by ( scrivsand ) on October 03, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Liberty4all in your post to cleocat you said: Furthermore, I am not the one that stated it was unnatural.
Posted by ( Liberty4all ) on October 02, 2008 at 3:12 pm
not only is cleocat an economist, now he is sharing his brilliant research into the science and psychology of the homosexual experience. perhaps someone should let him know that it is unnatural.
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Posted by ( scrivsand ) on October 03, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Liberty4all nobody is asking you to rewrite the Bible. And it seems like you think that only way is your version of the Christian way. I believe in God and I believe that same sex couples have the right to be married. Do you protest divorce this much? According to the Bible no sin is greater than another. So do you not let people get divorced because the Bible said it wrong? There are many many things that the Bible states are wrong that you deal with everyday and so it should not take so much of an effort to let two people who love one another get married regardless of their sex.
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Posted by ( ZIGMITCHELL ) on October 03, 2008 at 5:25 pm
However, emotional healings are still needed for all who come out of split homes. In divorces, children suffer as much (or more) than their parents. God is healing and restoring those who seek His way. Those who continue in the world will only suffer more heartache until they allow the Lord to completely rule in their lives. God alone can “pick up the pieces” and put them together in a second marriage. Without God, a second marriage will only compound the existing problems. Men and women should seek God diligently in regard to this important step in their lives. Only by following God’s plan and His Word will marriage be the fulfilling and beautiful relationship it was meant to be, regardless if it is a first or second marriage.
The Lord has a compassionate heart and He wishes us to have the same attitude toward those who have committed this sin. In fact, the Word of God deals with any transgression of the law as a serious offense. It matters not how big or little we might consider the sin to be. In God’s eyes, sin is sin, and all sin must have the same remedy of Christ’s cleansing. If we point our finger at other’s sins without dealing with our own, we are bringing judgment upon ourselves.
“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment” (James 2:10-13).
From this Scripture we see that if we commit that least sin (one point), we are still guilty of the whole law (murder, adultery, etc.) Therefore we should not judge those involved in the sins of divorce and adultery without mercy, or else we will be judged the same way. We could be judging others critically in this area while committing the same sin in our hearts.
One can commit adultery without divorcing his mate, as this sin can be committed in the heart.
“But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).
We are to minister to others compassionately in the area of divorce, for we have all sinned and fallen short of His perfection in many areas of our lives.
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Posted by ( ZIGMITCHELL ) on October 03, 2008 at 5:25 pm
WHAT ABOUT REMARRIAGE?
Yes, divorce is a sin. We can plainly see the damage it does to the lives of all involved. It is straight from the pit of hell. Yet, there is hope and forgiveness for the divorcee. Satan often lies and tells people that God is doing the separating, but it is not God. God is not the author of divorce. However, His Word does give instructions to those whose unbelieving mates desire a divorce.
“And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace” (I Corinthians 7:13-15).
If this happens, the mate that is left is not under any bondage to this marriage. He is free to remarry should the Lord lead him to do so.
Much conflict about Christians remarrying has arisen in the church because of Jesus’ words in Matthew 19:3-9:
“The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Hath ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh. Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh? What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.“
The Lord points out that those who divorce their mates have “hard hearts.“ God did not mean for divorce to happen. In the beginning His perfect will was for man and woman to remain married their entire lifetimes.
Does this statement of Jesus leave no room for remarriage? This verse has brought much bondage on those who have not looked at this Scripture in the light of the entire Word of God. First of all we must understand that the Pharisees here were attempting to trick Jesus into disagreeing with the Mosaic law so they could discount His ministry. Jesus knew this. Because the question asked here was in regard to divorce, Jesus quoted the perfect law concerning it. He, being perfect, could do no less.
Had the Pharisees asked him, “Master, is it permissible to lie or steal?“ He would have quoted the perfect law in regard to these sins. Exodus 20:15-16, “Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.“ Jesus also knew that man was not perfect and that man would fail, so other portions of His Word deal with the problem of sin. Man could not keep the perfect law; he failed. But the perfect God made a way for imperfect man to be forgiven of his sins through the blood of Jesus. Therefore, no matter what sins we have committed, we can find forgiveness and cleansing through Christ. He not only forgives the sin of divorce, but because of His perfect forgiveness, He forgets the sin and it becomes as if we had never committed it as far as He is concerned. Praise God! We have a new start in Christ as the old is wiped away.
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Posted by ( ZIGMITCHELL ) on October 03, 2008 at 5:24 pm
First we must call divorce what it is—sin. Then we must look to God’s Word to see how He deals with this, or any other sin. Divorce causes one to commit the sin of adultery.
“It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery” (Matthew 5:31-32).
Now let us look at a case concerning a woman who was caught in the act of adultery and see how the Lord deals with her.
“They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him, But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:4-11).
From this account we see the Lord extending mercy to this woman and forgiving her of her sin. We also notice that He made an important statement, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone.“
The Lord treats all sins alike as far as redemption is concerned; sin is sin. The answer to every sin problem is the acceptance of Jesus and His sacrifice that cleanses us from sin. If we turn to Jesus, no matter what sin we commit, we will find forgiveness and mercy. The Lord did not say she had not sinned, but forgave her and admonished her to “sin no more.“ The sin of divorce is not the unpardonable sin. No matter what sin we have committed in our lives, whether it be lying, cheating, stealing, murder or divorce, Jesus made a way for us to cleansed and forgiven. When the Lord forgives sin, He also ceases to remember it. God’s love and forgiveness is so different from man’s. Hebrews 10:17 says, “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.“
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Posted by ( ZIGMITCHELL ) on October 03, 2008 at 5:20 pm
There is a rampant spirit of division in the earth today that is seeking to destroy not only marriages, but all of our relationships. We must recognize this attack of the enemy and resist it. Satan especially seeks to destroy and belittle marriage, because of its spiritual parallel between Christ and the Church. It is our responsibility to recognize that the real enemy is not each other, but the devil and our own sin. Blaming each other or even our own inability, is the easy way out. Through Christ, we can do all things. He makes us strong where we are weak. He gives us the Holy Spirit to empower us. He gives us tools to overcome the enemy. In short, He gives us all we need. Every time we overcome the spirit of division with love and forgiveness, we bind the enemy and grow stronger ourselves. The following verse is an excellent list of spiritual tools that will overcome any attack of division:
“Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing: knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil” (I Peter 3:7-12).
It is understandable how those outside of Christ end up with broken homes, but how sad it is that now Satan is even destroying the homes of God’s holy people. Perhaps it is because we have not been taught how to overcome the enemy or die to self. Whatever the reasons, there are many who are on the brink of, or have already suffered the trauma of divorce.
Those in bad marriages should not use divorce as an escape just because they are in an unpleasant situation, but should seek God for the healing of their relationship. The Lord desires to use such circumstances for redemptive purposes. He wants to heal and deliver the partner that is not committed to Him. This is perfect soil for the growth of the fruits of long-suffering (patience), faith and love to take place in the mate who is hurting due to lack of love in the marriage. God’s kind of love can overcome in the situation, and a mighty miracle of healing can come to that marriage and home.
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Posted by ( ZIGMITCHELL ) on October 03, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Nowhere is God’s love for us better illustrated than in marriage.
“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word, that He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things—that she might be holy and faultless. Even so husbands should love their wives as (being in a sense) their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and carefully protects and cherishes it, as Christ does the church. Because we are members (parts) of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is very great, but I speak concerning (the relation of) Christ and the church. However, let each man of you (without exception) love his wife (being in a sense) his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband—that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him and loves and admires him exceedingly” (Ephesians 5: 25-33, Amplified Bible).
In this verse we see that the union between man and woman is a portrayal of the divine romance between Christ and the Church. The only reason man and woman are attracted to each other and desire to build a life together, is because this principal is true in a spiritual sense. The natural realm is an illustration of the spiritual realm, and all spiritual truths existed long before the natural ones were manifested. In the same that way men and women seek each other to become one, so our spirits are also seeking oneness with God—and He with us.
Just as Eve was brought forth from Adam’s side, so the church was brought forth from the wounded side of Jesus. We are “bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh.“ God is a “family man” seeking to establish a union of love between His son Jesus and His Bride, who is the church. Together, they will rule His creation and bring forth many offspring, just as Adam and Ever were originally commissioned to do.
God hates divorce because it is a perversion of the holy picture of the His Son and the Church. This is also why He hates homosexuality, sexual promiscuity and other sexual and gender-related sins. All of these have their source with the Evil One who seeks to pervert all of God’s truths until they are a twisted lifeless shamble of what they once were. When God’s truths are twisted, instead of being instruments of life and freedom, they become tools of death and destruction. What can bring us the greatest happiness can also bring us the greatest sorrow. God took a great risk when He put so much power in love. He knew it could both heal—and hurt—us more deeply than anything else He created. Yet, if this is true for us, it is even more true for God Himself. He also, is deeply touched and wounded by love. Yet, because He is willing to risk His very heart for the sake of love, so we must be willing to take that risk as well. He is our example. God’s love alone has the deepest power to fulfill us. However, it can only fulfill us to the extent that we use and understand it properly—and we cannot know true love unless we know God
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