The Utne Reader is an online digest of reading material designed to offer “meaningful conversations that transcend traditional labels, biases, and stereotypes.” Its slogan is “Cure Ignorance”, and topics cover the gamut of societal issues. A recent article that appeared in the digest under the topic of politics is an article by a lesbian writer titled “The Gay Option.”
Beginning the article with a personal anecdote, this writer, Stephanie Fairyington, alluded to a couple of lies she told her mother when coming out of the closet at the age of 28. She said her first lie was “I was born this way”, and the second one was “If there were a straight pill I’d swallow it faster than you can say the word gay.” She writes that “I didn’t mean either of these things.”
The position trumpeted by the Homosexual lobby for decades now is that homosexuality is not a choice. That they are born the way they are. That because of the hardship that comes with being “different”, no one would choose to be homosexual. Eventually this position was accepted by the majority of social scientists, leading our culture to embrace the notion, and to both embrace and legislate protections to an entire spectrum of alternative orientations, “genders” and activities. These fall under the umbrella LGBTQ+, and most consider opposition to these views to be a sign of bigotry.
Now that toleration and acceptance have been achieved, it seems that the message may be changing. The article in question is being given as a reading assignment to some high school English students here in Fort Worth. Fairyington readily admitted to the beneficial nature of the idea of sexual determinism. She wrote, “As a political strategy, it has helped reap enormous benefits, from antidiscrimination legislation to adoption rights in some states and civil unions in others.” In other words, whether true or not, it accomplished its purpose. She stated that the notion is the product of “a slew of shoddy and inconclusive scientific research on the biological origins of gayness, reinforcing the belief that sexuality is predestined”, that took place in the 1980’s and 1990’s.
But now that toleration and acceptance has occurred. It seems that there is a desire to get beyond the “pity” shown by society because homosexuals can’t help who they are. Now, they desire their sexual preference to be acknowledged as a choice. Notice this final quote from the article:
“By affirming that homosexual practice and identity are a choice, we can attach an addendum–it’s a good choice–and open the possibility of a more nuanced argument, one that dismantles the logic of the very premise that whom we choose to love marks us as sinful and immoral and interrogates the assumption that heterosexuality is somehow better for the individual and society as a whole.”
Response
Don’t expect the fallacious reasoning to be rejected publicly for a while. The statement, “I was born that way” is a powerful one that has served to shut the mouths of those who would oppose the LGBQT+ agenda. However, consider that this article is assigned reading material to young people. The paragraph directly above will one day be embraced as the predominant view of the next generation.
Fairyington’s view of the matter actually mirrors what I believe the Bible to teach. That is, there is a difference between an inclination and the action that results. She wrote, “I have plenty of desires… which for one reason or another, I don’t act on; my desire for women is not one of them. Biology is not destiny, and I am the architect of my own life, as is everyone.”
Consider James words in James 1:14-15, “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”
The inclination to engage in actions that are condemned by God is not sin. A man can desire alcohol, but if he does not choose to drink, he will not be guilty of the sin of drunkenness. A man can “burn with passion” (cf. 1 Corinthians 7:8), but if he satiates those desires in the marriage bed rather than as an adulterer or fornicator, he has not sinned. “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4). A man who is tempted to steal, or lie, or cheat, can resist those temptations and be considered righteous before God.
The big difference between Fairyington’s view, and what the Bible teaches, is the characterization of the choice that is made. She believes that homosexual sex is normal, moral and beneficial. The Bible calls it perverted and sinful. “…For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, … God gave them over to a debased mind…” (Romans 1:26-28).
Nature shows us that homosexuality is an aberration. The primary purpose of sexual activity is procreation, something not possible with same sex activity. The Bible rightfully refers to the action as an abomination (cf. Leviticus 22:13).
The battle has already been won by the LGBTQ+ agenda in our culture. As Christians, what is left is to teach our children that sin is sin, and protect them from the influence of the ungodly world in which we live.
