Presidential Contender Takes Dr. Laura To Task
By Thomas Horn
Appearing on the GAYBC Radio Network (www.gaybc.com) on Saturday, former senator and presidential hopeful Bill Bradley criticized Dr. Laura Schlessinger’s stand on homosexuality.
When asked about the controversial talk-show host’s anti-gay position, Bradley said “[it] makes me sick to my stomach.” He also said Paramount should drop plans for the “Dr. Laura Show” this fall. “I bet that there are enough gays and lesbians in Paramount [that] Paramount would not have its own interests served by continuing this sort of thing. So, I think it should go off.”
Dr. Laura has infuriated the gay community, calling them “deviant” and insisting that they are “biological errors.” Bradley retorts “that’s a kind of homophobic extreme that indicates not only unfairness, but a kind of deep-seeded, border on hatred, and a total misunderstanding of what it means to be gay and lesbian.”
Exodus International disagrees with Bradley about what it means to be gay, arguing that homosexuality is an erotic expression outside of God’s will. “Homosexual tendencies is one of many disorders that beset fallen humanity,” they say. “Choosing to resolve these tendencies through homosexual behavior, taking on a homosexual identity, and involvement in the homosexual lifestyle is considered destructive, as it distorts God’s intent for the individual and is thus sinful.”
Until recently most Bible Scholars agreed, citing homosexuality as a form of idolatry, and pointing to it as a cardinal indication of a demonized society.
Surveys of past great civilizations seem to support this notion, observing that socially accepted homosexual behavior is often a visible element of a culture in demise. This was true of Noah’s day, Sodom, Gibeah, Corinth, Rome, Germany, and others. It may now indicate destructive societal conditions within the United States.
THE ROOT OF THE MATTER
Some conservatives hold that, in the beginning, homosexuality was an attempt of Satan to disrupt the lineage of the Messiah. The hypothesis goes something like this:
In Genesis 3:15, the protoevangelium is announced–the promise that the seed of the woman would someday appear, born of a virgin, and would destroy the serpent’s power. Soon after the promise was given, fallen angels had widespread intercourse with antediluvian women in an attempt to intercept, pollute, and destroy the righteous seed. God responded by judging the giant offspring of this union (nepheli, the fallen ones), and by commanding Israel not to intermarry with the heathen populations. This was so there might be pure seed in Israel.
When Satan saw that his plans had failed, he filled the hearts of men with passion for each other. If men preferred men and women preferred women, no children would be born. Thus Satan’s strategy to cut off the bloodline of the Messiah and to compel God’s wrath against humanity continued.
Satan’s plan worked to a limited degree. The Bible records God’s historic judgment against those who accepted homosexuality (Gen. 18:16-19:29; 2 Pet. 2:6; Jude 7).
Paul advocated such theology in the New Testament, writing to the ancient city of Corinth–a city known for its pride, ostentation, homosexuality, and lasciviousness (which not only was tolerated, but consecrated through the worship of Venus)–that neither “fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind…shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10). The word “effeminate” refers to “catamites” (the passive male partner in a homosexual relationship), while the phrase “abusers of themselves with mankind,” refers to “sodomites,” the dominant homosexual figure. Both activities are condemned in various portions of Scripture. (See Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Rom. 1:21-27; 1 Tim. 1:9-10)
PREACHERS OF THE GOSPEL OR PRACTICING HOMOPHOBES?
Hate-mongers define homosexuality as the root of all evil. Liberals disagree, stereotyping hyper-conservatives as narrow-minded social ingrates.
But while some may believe the Bible offers a purely demonic interpretation of homosexuality as breaking the Laws of God, people like Dr. Elizabeth Moberly (Homosexuality: A New Christian Ethic) present a psychoanalytic interpretation, defining homosexuality as “a deficit in the child’s ability to relate to the parent of the same sex in general [coupled with] a corresponding drive to make good the deficit – through the medium of same-sex or ‘homosexual’ relationships.”
Regardless of how one describes the homosexual condition, Christians must not practice hatred. It is the antithesis of God. God is love, and the choice of believers is to reach out to every lost soul with a message of redemption and forgiveness. Even Moral Majority founder, Jerry Falwell says “It is wrong to hate homosexuals…those who lift a violent hand against them invite the wrath of God upon themselves.”
What should people with homosexual tendencies do?
In “The Four Stages of Healing,” ex-gay Douglas Houck offers the following advice:
FIRST STAGE: The Call to Obedience
The very first steps in making a change in any aspect of life is to change behavior. The behavioral changes will in themselves produce a new perception of who one is. Throughout the Scriptures we constantly find commands to obey — regardless of our feelings at that time.
Genesis 4:6-7 gives us the example of Cain. The Lord says to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” This conversation took place before Cain killed Abel.
For the person struggling with homosexuality this means quickly and completely cutting off all associations with the homosexual lifestyle which includes those people and places like gay friends, gay bars, pro-gay groups like the Metropolitan Community Church, Evangelicals Concerned and liberal mainline churches who support the homosexually active person.
In this first stage of the transformation process God simply calls us to obey. In Ezekiel 33 the prophet declares God’s Word, ‘Turn! Turn from your evil ways! … And if I say to the wicked man, ‘You will surely die’ but he then turns away from his sin and does what is just and right — if he … follows the decrees that give life, and does no evil, he will. surely live, he will not die’ (vs.11,14,15) When we obey, we receive God’s blessing. Obeying and restraining from homosexual activities and social settings, is the necessary first step. Even though making these first steps can be traumatic, God’s Word still calls us to obey.
SECOND STAGE: Self-Esteem Founded in Grace
The second stage of the transformation process involves the establishment of self esteem. Many clients are weighed down with the guilt of their sinful past. Often the real guilt is magnified by false guilt or false beliefs about themselves. Yes, you are guilty of sin, but no, you are not unforgivable. Yes, you have behaved in an unlovely manner, but you are still worthy of love -both God’s love and the love of those in your Christian community.
One of the significant transition points in my life was the afternoon when Ren, a pastor who knew I had fallen sexually, expressed his love for me anyway: “Doug, what you’ve done really hurts me!” Maybe the message wasn’t conveyed in those words, but it certainly was conveyed through our relationship. He could accept me for who I was — sin and all. In that situation, my spirits didn’t soar, but more importantly, they stopped sinking deeper.
This second stage established the reality of God’s grace, love and forgiveness. It is because of God’s love expressed through His grace and forgiveness that we come to see that we who struggle with homosexuality have intrinsic worth. For those raised in a traditional Christian home and church, this is a time of seeing theology transformed into living, personal reality.
Another aspect of this stage is beginning to accept yourself for who you are, including things about your body that are basically unchangeable, like shape of face, hair color and bust size. There are some things that are changeable, like weight, but it’s still very important to start with the premise that you are lovable as you are.
If you have been sexually abused, it means realizing that you are not “damaged goods” because of the event. As a guide to inner healing we encourage praying Psalm 139:14 and the study of Scriptures which teach us who we are in Christ.
Finally we must also deal with the age-old question, ‘Who am I?” We have already begun to answer that by examining who we are in Jesus Christ. Yet there is a need to continue onward. Who am I as a member of society? Having a realistic picture of myself is of utmost importance.
While in college I often let my failures define who I was, while at the same time I didn’t allow my successes to influence me. A “D” on an ancient philosophy course paper told me I could never write anything. Yet when my psychology professors explained “I like your writing style!” and gave me an “A” on the course paper, I refused to believe that I could really write anything worthwhile.
This stage deals with reinforcing the true positives in your life. A significant number of our clients are either unemployed or underemployed while seeking counsel. This state often locks them into an ‘I’m a failure” mentality. Dealing with self-esteem as it is defined by our occupations, social activities and cultural expectations is an important element in the healing process. Learning to see yourself as God sees you and coming to accept the compliments of those in your social circles will help free you from various self-defeating and degrading behaviors and thoughts.
THIRD STAGE: Establishing Same-Sex Friendships
Through the third stage of the transformation process, the person seeking freedom from homosexuality is required to establish deep interpersonal relationships with members of his or her own gender. This stage is analogous to ministering to the needs of starving people. The first major concern is to provide the person with the vital nourishment that will maintain his life. It is needful to restore the person to full health, slowly increasing the supply of nourishment. After full health has been achieved, it is important to maintain a consistent supply of nourishment through a balanced diet. Too much nourishment can cause obesity; too little, starvation.
For the person seeking freedom from homosexuality, the nourishment comes through the formation of same-sex relationships. The homosexual condition, as described by Moberly, is this lack or deficit in the same-sex relationship. It is not a failure with the opposite-sex relationship.
Nourishment comes in two specific ways. First it’s needful to treat the hurts of the past. That is, the person must be called to forgive those members of his gender who have intentionally or unintentionally wounded him. Bitterness and anger must be resolved.
Secondly, the individual must begin to experience the unconditional acceptance and love from the members of his own gender. This can be done through the establishment of same-sex friendships.
After the initial healing has occurred and the person achieves full health, it is important that he continues to feed his same-sex [friendships]. As they are fulfilled, he will have no need to seek fulfillment through the homoerotic relationship.
FOURTH STAGE: Accepting Heterosexuality
The fourth stage of the transformation process is the growing and drawing towards, the acceptance of, and the incorporation with the opposite or complementary sex. This can only occur when the same-sex [friendships] has been filled and continues to be filled. Only when one has accepted and embrace himself as a member of his own gender can attraction begin to develop toward that which is different from the self.
I GOTTA NEW ATTITUDE!
While Dr. Laura’s familiar theme song, “Ooh ooh ooh, I gotta new attitude,” summarizes the four stages presented by Douglas Houck, It will not appease the political ambitions of presidential contenders seeking to win favors with gay voting blocks.
One thing is for sure, Mr. Bradley, Something Primary This Way Comes! We’ll soon know if your dice roll paid off.
By Thomas Horn
Editor@RaidersNewsUpdate.com
www.raidersnewsupdate.com
Copyright © 2000 Thomas Horn. Article reprinted with permission from the Author.
Special Thanks from Worthy News to Thomas Horn for this excellent article.