I have been away from home for a few days, but
I did check Doves when I returned, mainly to see what
reaction
(if any) there might have been to my article
"Our Bodies". I think only two responded, but I
may
have missed others. Those of you who did were
appreciated. Thank you.
When we read John 8, we read where Jesus
was once in the temple teaching the
people. The "religious"
ones had brought a woman, caught in the act of adultery to
see what He might say when they
reminded
Him of Moses's law: she should be stoned.
They asked Him what He would do. Jesus then took
his
finger and drew a line into the dirt. We
are not told what it was He drew. Jesus simply replied, "let
him who is
without
sin cast the first stone". At those words, they had no
reply. But those who saw it, quietly turned
aside and went away, for this turned out to be
one of His most powerful sermons.
The line in the sand? Perhaps Jesus
began writing the law of Moses. They were face to
face with
their own personal decision...and people
do not readily want to come face to face with themselves and the
exposure of hyprocisy hidden in their
hearts.
Jesus then spoke to the woman and asked her,
"woman, where are all your accusers?" She looked
around and saw none. "Neither do I accuse
you" He said. But then He also added, "Go and sin no
more". He
did not qualify adultery as something to be
accepted and condoned, but simply a sin she must
turn from.
I believe strongly that we are now standing in
front of another such "line drawn in the
sand". Do I believe that marriage
is reserved only for a man and a woman?
Yes I do. Why? Because God defined it that
way. Do I judge others who
disagree? No. But God also defined
homosexuality as sex between persons of the same
gender as sin,
And again, I must agree with God. It's a
God thing. It is what He says about it which
determines my opinions.
In this country, citizenship for foreigners
requires application, many months, even years
of waiting, indoctrination, and an
investigation process. I have had friends from other
countries who considered
moving here, but were turned away by the
high cost and long wait to becoming one of our citizens. And I watched the
television showing the elation of those who were finally
accepted, there were tears in their
eyes as they said their pledges of
allegience.
Many, many thousands did not pay any price at
all...they simply came in illegally to enjoy
every benefit, but not by having to work to
qualify themselves. They have an agenda: Accept
me, recognize me, and qualify me as an American
citizen. In the same way, so many are wanting to
be accepted as being 'married'....but not under
God's definition of marriage...just theirs.
Will that be enough to satisfy their
wants? No...never. The men of Sodom beat
hard against Lot's door to try
and break it down so they could 'know' even the
very angels of God sent to deliver his family from
the judgement to come.
Breakdowns of moral restraints and the
allowance for 'every man to
do what is right in his own eyes' is
rapidly leading us to soon face the same horrible
judgement upon Sodom and Gomorrah.
It's a God thing, whether we agree it
is or not. But it will also surely cost us,
whichever choice we make.... For those who choose to
defy God's word... judgement to
come. And for those who choose to
respect and follow God's word...expect to suffer scorn,
hatred, and retribution from those very same ones
who now accuse God's people of denying them
their 'rights'. You'll be called a bigot, a
narrow-minded intolerant, and a right-wing
religious nut. Even "Christians' will turn aside
from you. Your government may even imprison you
and close the doors to your churches for the stand you
make on this issue.
We don't have to wait and see if that will
happen or not. It already is, or presently
awaiting Washington to make it happen.
MARY E. ADAMS