Moral absolutes - speaking the truth in love

[lightsoutcalls]

   Lunch break is very quiet here at work today.  I shared my views in regards to the president's recent  announcement regarding gay marriage as based on my moral beliefs a few minutes ago with my co-workers.  One went out to lunch, the other just went out... the second almost looked as if she was going to cry as she asked me not to say anything else about it because it offended her.  Wow. 
   I shared my concern that the move was only the beginning of a progression to more deviant behaviors to be legitimized down the road.  I presented the example that 30 years ago, the idea of homosexuality was viewed by most as being deviant.  (This is where she began to disagree and protest, at which point I asked how old she was 30 years ago - not even a glimmer in her parents eyes then.) I pointed out that even the American Psychological Association viewed homosexuality as a diagnosable mental illness and included it in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual at that time.  (We work in the mental health field.)  I went on to explain my concerns that by legitimizing homosexuality, it is but a precedent to legitimize in the future what most people currently see as deviant- to include incest, polygamy, pedophelia (involving children), beastiality (involving animals) and necromancy (involving the dead).  I was not hateful.  I was not loud or overbearing. I don't not quote scriptures.  I did not pound my desk, spit or foam at the mouth. I simply shared my concerns of how this most recent move by our president may effect the future of our nation.     
   Now I sit alone in a quiet office with time to reflect...  I feel like I will now be viewed as a "hater" or "biggot" by the person I spend 40 hours a week with in these 4 walls.  It concerns me that people can't engage beyond the talking points of the day's headlines.  I'm beginning to understand how certain words or ideas trigger a shut-down response in people who claim to be "tolerant" and "peace-loving" and how simply stating what you believe is viewed as "hate-speech".   
   It sure is quiet in here...

[misfire]

And this young lady is probably one of the many nowadays who wont attend a church unless it is one of those touchy feely churches. People need to hear God's views and there are several scriptures in the New Testament talking specifically about homosexuality and the downfalls of such practices. It is not my place to judge nor condemn, but it is my place ( just as it it yours and every other Christian) to minister to the lost. If she is a Christian, challenge her to read the bible and find where God says that the practice is acceptable. I am sure that the occupants of Soddom and Gamorrah all thought that it was ok and we should only "live and let live".

[lightsoutcalls]

I took the time when she came back to expound on my viewpoints and assure her that my issue is with the behavior, not the individuals.  I tried to use the example of playing a race car video game (stay with me).  When you drive the race car between the lines that represent "boundaries" or the sides of the road, your car stays intact.  When you begin to cross those lines, you may feel your car vibrate or there may be some kind of visual warning sign that you need to get your car back between the lines.  You may have to steer around objects within the lines, but be assured that once you go outside of the lines, there are consequences.  Just like life.  God has established boundaries for our protection.  As long as we function within those boundaries, we can keep going down the road. 
I assured her that wrong is wrong, whatever shape it takes.  I told her that if I, being a married man, chose to have a relationship with another woman, it would be wrong, just as homosexuality is wrong.  The penalty for going outside the lines of God's design is the same.  They both earn us eternal separation from God. 
I told her that my concern is that America has accepted and affirmed far too many actions that are outside the lines of acceptable behavior/lifestyle.  We debated a bit about homosexuality being behavior or being hereditary/inherent to an individual.  We basically agreed to disagree there. 
This young lady has a bulletin board above her desk that has several Bible verses posted on it.  Along side of the Bible verses are numerous hindu mantras, pictures of an eye in the palm of a hand, and pictures of what I believe are hindu gods. It's kind of a visual representation of the "all roads lead to God" universalism belief.  She thanked me for taking the time to talk through the situation and assured me that she didn't think I was a "hater".
At the end of the day, I'd still open the door for her on the way out the building or share my lunch if she didn't bring anything. 

[misfire]

Maybe I am old fashioned, well, no MAYBE about it, I am!!! But it sounds to me like she has some confusion in her spiritual life, or I may be reading it wrong as I have absolutely ZERO knowledge of the Hindu religion. I would hope that she sees what you tried to point out and look for herself. All you can do is point someone in the right direction, and as much as you would like to beat them over the head with what is right, alot of times even that doesnt work.

[BOFF]

I wasn't able to reply to this earlier today Wendell, but I see it worked out with further communication with the individual.

I was fairly certain, you wouldn't be viewed as a "hater" or "biggot" by the person in which you spend 40 hours a week with in your work place. If they have been around you long enough, they realize you would love the person, but not the actions. If for some reason they DID take that view, I would imagine it would be more from a attempt to get the focus off of what they were being convicted about, to a focus on you.

Regardless, you did well in holding to God's word.



God Bless,
David B.

[Duke0002]

Thanks for doing such a great job of speaking the truth in love, Wendell. 

This is our Heavenly Father's world.  While many people don't like that thought, it is true.  He has given us His law for our benefit, as you stated.  May God grant repentance to hearts deceived by sin, and then grant forgiveness and new life though faith in Christ.