Franklin Graham, son of famous minister Billy Graham lashed out at LGBT children[1] in an interview by Christian psychiatrist and evangelist Jim Dobson
on his
radio show Religious Right, saying that churches should not allow them to
attend because to do so is morally “dangerous,” although in an interview that appears on
Moskoviskij Komsomolets newspaper he asserts that he's “not against homosexuals as people,”[2]
which was after the legalization of same sex marriage on June 26, 2015.[3]
“We
have allowed the Enemy [Devil] to come into our churches,” he says when speaking
about some Christians who had told him about their efforts to minister to on LGBT.[4]
"I
was talking to some Christians and they were talking about how they invited
these gay children to come into their home and to come into the church and that
they were wanting to influence them. And I thought to myself, they’re not going
to influence those kids; those kids are going to influence those parent’s
children,” Franklin says.
“What
happens is we think we can fight by smiling and being real nice and loving.......“We
have to understand who the Enemy is and what he wants to do. He wants to devour
our homes. He wants to devour this nation and we have to be so careful who we
let our kids hang out with. We have to be so careful who we let into the
churches. You have immoral people who get into the churches and it begins to
effect the others in the church and it is dangerous,” he stressed."
Children brought up by lesbian mothers or gay fathers will show disturbances in gender identity and/or in gender role behavior; be more vulnerable to mental breakdown, would exhibit more adjustment difficulties and behavior problems, or would be less psychologically healthy than other children; and experience difficulty in social relationships as they are stigmatized, teased, or otherwise victimized by peers, and will be more likely to be sexually abused by the parent or by the parent's friends or acquaintances.
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Lashing out against gay people, while
overlooking other immoralities like adultery, abortions, pre-marital sex,
pornography, prostitution, and other sexual immoralities is practically the
same as saying that immorality inside heterosexuality is right than sexual immorality
in homosexuality, which appears like "preventing the sinners” from homosexuals but welcoming
transgressors from heterosexuals" of entry to the church. Otherwise, these churches around
the world will empty out very quickly if his perception towards immorality is
fair.
Franklin
shows disapproval on what he utters as governmental efforts to “push
homosexuality” but firmed that he’s not bashing gays. Nevertheless, he points out that
one cannot stay gay and call himself a
Christian – which is inconsistent with his pronouncement on getting rid of LGBT
in the churches because how can these communities be reminded and nourished of values taught
in the Churches if they are banned.
In
a different occasion, he claimed that God would punish President Obama with
lightning celebrating the Supreme Court’s legalizing same-sex marriage
nationwide. [5]
Likewise, he writes in a magazine produced by his father’s ministry: “Lest we forget, it has
not yet been 25 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the collapse of the
Soviet Union and the retreat of godless communism. Just a few generations ago,
America held the high moral ground,” “How the times have changed!” I very much appreciate that President Putin is protecting Russian young people against homosexual propaganda.” This he
echoed last year during a trip to Russia, telling a local newspaper , “I very much
appreciate that President Putin is protecting Russian young people against
homosexual propaganda.”[6]
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Lashing out against gay people, while overlooking other immoralities like adultery, abortions, pre-marital sex, pornography, prostitution, and other sexual immoralities is practically the same as saying that immorality inside heterosexuality is right than sexuality immorality in homosexuality, which appears like preventing the “sinners” from homosexuals while welcoming transgressors from heterosexuals of entry to the church. Otherwise, these churches around the world will empty out very quickly if perception towards immorality is fair.
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Nevertheless,
in fairness to him, I agree when he defended Russia’s ban on teaching about
homosexuality to children in 2014 because whether we like it or not (to be objective about it), there are a lot of threats in the presence of toleration
of homosexuality to be imprinted in their gender identity struggles than
helping them repairing their identity
crisis: in Singapore’s health ministry
for example reveals that the number of homosexual and bisexual men diagnosed
with HIV, overtakes that of heterosexual men,[7]
which is not surprising because even in the United States gay and bisexual men
are more severely affected by HIV than any other group.[8]
Based on research that focused on countries with long history of gay marriage
like Denmark and Norway, reveals that married gays and lesbians have a shorter
lifespan than their conventionally married counterparts – by 24 years[9] - which is ironic considering that smoking
which shortens from 1 to 7 years of lifespan is condemned but endorsing
the other.
In another study with 942 nonclinical adult
participants, gay men and lesbian women reported a significantly higher rate of
childhood molestation than did heterosexual men and women. Forty-six percent of
the homosexual men in contrast to 7% of the heterosexual men reported
homosexual molestation. Twenty-two percent of lesbian women in contrast to 1%
of heterosexual women reported homosexual molestation.[10]
Other research says that children brought up by lesbian mothers or
gay fathers will show disturbances in gender identity and/or in gender role
behavior; be more vulnerable to mental breakdown, would exhibit more adjustment
difficulties and behavior problems, or would be less psychologically healthy
than other children; and experience
difficulty in social relationships as they are stigmatized, teased, or
otherwise victimized by peers, and will be more likely to be sexually abused by
the parent or by the parent's friends or acquaintances.[11]
Argument that same gender union is married in God’s eyes strongly suggests that God is cross-eyed providing a misleading notion that the God who created marriage in the first place would withdraw His own command to adopt what He has called sin. God declared marriage to be one man and one woman united for life.
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Disclosure from another source also points out
that homosexual sex is often associated with dangerous behaviour like the use of illegal and deadly drugs.[12][13]
Businesses facilitating gays to meet up in groups
for sex and orgies with strangers sprout illegally, functioning as spas and
clubs. it has been reported that minors, as young as age 15, 16, are getting
increasingly involved – experimenting with gay sex.[14]
Sexual Immorality defined
In the New Testament, the word most often
translated “sexual immorality” is porneia, translated as “whoredom,” “fornication,” and
“idolatry,” which means “a surrendering
of sexual purity”, and primarily used of
premarital sexual relations. From this Greek word, the English word pornography is
taken, which stems from the concept of “selling off.” Sexual immorality[15]
is the “selling off” of sexual purity and involves any type of sexual
expression outside the boundaries of a biblically defined marriage relationship
(Matthew 19:4-5.
There is a linkage between sexual immorality and
idolatry: “Avoid
immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the
immoral person sins against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18). The bodies of believers are the “temple
of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Pagan idol worship often involved perverse and immoral sexual acts performed
in the temple of a false god. Using physical
bodies for immoral purpose is emulating pagan worship by profaning God’s holy
temple with acts He calls detestable (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
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Sexuality is God’s sacrosanct matrimonial gift to human beings. Any expression of it outside those parameters constitutes abuse of God’s gift. Abuse is the use of people or things in manners that are not designed to be used, which is a sin. Adultery, premarital sex, pornography, and homosexual relations are all outside God’s design making them a sin.
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Biblical prohibitions against sexual immorality
are often attached with warnings against “impurity” (Romans 1:24 ; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 4:19), comes from the Greek is akatharsia, which means “defiled,
foul, ceremonially unfit.” It denotes actions that render a person unfit to into
God’s presence, as Jesus says, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall
see God” (Matthew 5:8; Psalm 24:3-4). It is unattainable to maintain a healthy intimacy with God
with bodies and souls given over to impurities of any kind.
Sexuality is God’s design who can define the
parameters for its use. Sex was created
to be enjoyed between one man and one woman in a covenant marriage until one of
them dies (Matthew 19:6). Sexuality is God’s sacrosanct matrimonial
gift to human beings. Any expression of it outside those parameters constitutes
abuse of God’s gift. Abuse is the use of people or things in manners they were
not designed to be used, which is a sin. Adultery,
premarital sex, pornography, and homosexual relations are all outside God’s
design making them a sin.
Dealing with protestations
The contention that loving
each other by both sexes is not wrong denies the
reality that the Scripture makes no distinction between “loving” and
“unloving” sexual relations, except between married and unmarried people. Sex
within marriage is blessed (Genesis 1:28); sex outside of marriage is “fornication” or “sexual immorality”(1 Corinthians 7:2-5).
Disputation that times have progressed,
and what was off beam in biblical times is no longer regarded as a sin is unawareness that most of the passages condemning sexual
immorality also include evils such as greed, lust, stealing, etc. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21) which are still sin. God’s character
does not change with culture’s opinion (Malachi 3:6; Numbers 23;19; Hebrews 13:8).
Argument that same gender
union is married in God’s eyes strongly
suggests that God is cross-eyed providing a misleading notion that the God who created
marriage in the first place would withdraw His own command to adopt what He has
called sin. God declared marriage to be one man and one woman united for life
(Mark 10:6-9), whose imagery and a covenant marriage is a metaphor to teach spiritual truth (Matthew 22:2); Revelation 19:9). The Creator of marriage Himself takes marriage very seriously who could perceive immorality for what it is, no matter how cunningly humans have redefined
it.
The assertion that same sex union can still have
a good relationship with God because after all He understands invalidates God’s word: “If
one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination” (Proverbs 28:9) . Thinking that same sex/immorality can obstinately choose sin and God does not
care is simply a foolishness, which denies, “The way we may be sure that we know Him is to
keep His commandments. Whoever says, "I know Him," but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:3-4).
God’s expectation for His children is crystal
clear, “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be
undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous” (Hebrews 13:4).
Sexual immorality is wrong. The blood of Jesus can cleanse every type of
impurity that every human committed by repentance and receiving of His
forgiveness (1 John 1:7-9). But that cleansing means one’s old nature, including sexual immorality, is
put to death (Romans 6:12-14, 8:13), as the Scripture re-echoes, “Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be
mentioned among you, as is fitting among holy ones” (Ephesians 5:3)
References:
[1] Matthew Sheffield, Billy Graham’s Son Franklin: Christians Should
Ban Gays from Church, January 20, 2016, http://bold.global/matthew-sheffield/2016/01/20/billy-grahams-son-franklin-ban-gays-from-church/
[2] ( Miranda Blue on Monday,
Franklin Graham Praises 'Gay Propaganda' Law, Critizes US 'Secularism' In
Russia Visit, 11/2/2015 11:45 am, http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/franklin-graham-praises-gay-propaganda-law-critizes-us-secularism-russia-visit#sthash.5O5Q1kY0.dpuf
[3] Map: Same-sex marriage in
the United States, Updated 12:05 PM ET, Fri June 26, 2015, http://edition.cnn.com/interactive/us/map-same-sex-marriage/
[4] Hemant MehtaFranklin, Graham: Letting Gay People Attend Church Aids the “Enemy”
Who Wants to “Devour This Nation”, January 20, 2016, http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2016/01/20/franklin-graham-letting-gay-people-attend-church-aids-the-enemy-who-wants-to-devour-this-nation/
[5] Franklin Graham, https://www.facebook.com/FranklinGraham/photos/a.133380553384801.23489.131201286936061/960044127385102/?type=1&theaterfor
[6] Aaron Blake March 19, 2014, Franklin Graham: Putin is
better than Obama on gay rights, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2014/03/19/franklin-graham-putin-is-better-than-obama-on-gay-rights/
[7] Surge in HIV infections among gays, bisexuals,
22-Apr-2012 (Sun) The Sunday Times http://www.nuh.com.sg/news/media-articles_2319.html
[9] https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/expert-research-finds-homosexuality-more-dangerous-than-smoking,
Expert Research Finds Homosexuality More Dangerous Than Smoking.
[10] Tomeo ME1, Templer DI, Anderson S, Kotler D., Comparative
data of childhood and adolescence molestation in heterosexual and homosexual
persons, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11501300
[11] Sexual Orientation, Parents,
& Children, Adopted by the APA Council of Representatives July 28 & 30,
2004, http://www.apa.org/about/policy/parenting.aspx
[12] Sarah Morrison, Drug use
'seven times higher' among gays, http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/drug-use-seven-times-higher-among-gays-8165971.html#
[13] Dicing with death, asiaone
news, http://news.asiaone.com/News/The+New+Paper/Story/A1Story20091108-178561.html
[14] Dennis Shepherd to Senator Ted Cruz, June
25, 2015, https://www.facebook.com/SenatorTedCruz/posts/510754472405193)
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