GOMORRAH - HERE WE COME!

From My Perspective - - -

“Gay Pride” has become a common phrase in our culture. The word “pride” has varied meaning and usages. Most common are: “a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct; the state or feeling of being proud; a becoming or dignified sense of what is due to oneself or one's position or character; self-respect; self-esteem… a group of lions…” When the phrase – “gay pride” is used, it is done so to recognize a lifestyle choice and expressing the desire for acceptance and equal status within a community.

There is currently a mild firestorm over the fact that President-Elect Obama has chosen Rick Warren, who adheres to a Traditional Lifestyle, to give the Inaugural Invocation. On Bloomberg.Com today, the following headline and report appears: “Obama’s Choice of Pastor Warren a ‘Mistake,’ Barney Frank Says”! President-elect Barack Obama shouldn’t have selected Rick Warren to deliver the Inaugural Invocation because the evangelical pastor has made offensive comments about gays…Giving that kind of mark of approval and honor to someone who has frankly spoken in ways I and many others have found personally very offensive, I thought that was a mistake for the president-elect to do…” Frank, who is openly gay (homosexual), made the comments after Obama stood by his selection of Warren for the January 20 Inauguration. Obama, speaking at a Dec. 18 news conference, said he doesn’t share Warren’s views on gay rights and wants to create an atmosphere “where we can disagree without being disagreeable and then focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans.”

It’s interesting how language changes to allow a different impression and acceptance. For instance, “Liberal” is now changed to “Progressive”; Government Entitlements based on Increased Taxation is now called “Investment”; “Gay” has become the word-choice rather than “Homosexual” and/or “Lesbian”; etc. It reminds one of the old expression: “A Rose by any other name is still a Rose!” Some language from the past has been cruel. Years ago, those living an alternative lifestyle were called “queer” or “fruits”, etc. As a matter of fact, due to the alternative lifestyle, excessive drug use, motion picture philosophy – comedians began to refer to California as being the land of “fruits and nuts”! Rick Warren becomes the flash-point today because he (a) supported Proposition 8 in California in the most recent voting cycle, and (b) he supports Traditional marriage – a man and a woman constituting a legal union called marriage. The opponents to Warren also state that he opposes abortion, and they use that as another reason why he should be removed from the Inauguration Schedule.

Consider these things with me - - - In Genesis 18:20, the advocacy and practice of Homosexuality was no small matter to Almighty God. The Scripture records: “Then the Lord said, The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin (homosexuality) so grievous…” In II Peter 2:4-9, the explanation and declaration of judgment is given. In the midst of it are these words: “…if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (Homosexuality)…” The clarity is shared in Jude 7: “In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.” However, there is hope for the sexually-perverted (or can we say, “disoriented”). We read in I Corinthians 6:9-11, “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” There is transformational hope for those who seek and choose it. Otherwise, it’s Gomorrah – here we come! Hope and Eternal Life are much better choices than Punishment and Judgment!