In the article by Christian Post in Singapore entitled "Homosexual Activism Rising in Singapore, Warn Christian Leaders", dated -5 Nov 2008, it talks of "a successful attempt by Gay lobbyist to hold the Gay parade at the speakers corner ....". The parade actually did not happenned and neither do you need special rights to hold the parade. The Christian Right must be jealous as the only race and religion are out of bounds at the speakers corner, and anyone even me can register and talk. The article then goes on to table the counter arguments against gays by Rev Moses Tay, the former Anglican Bishop.
Three counter arguments were highlighted:-
a) The alleged claim that the bible is Intolerant
Bishop Moses tay claimed that "The right kind of intolerance, discrimination and discernment will get you to heaven. The wrong kind of tolerance will get you to hell.". The bible is rather intolerant and absolute but that is in terms of salvation in Christ alone and not your sexual orientation. Jesus did not say, all you who are straight can come to Him. In fact, His ministry was amongst the outcasts of society, and if He was here today, Jesus would find His best company amongst the Gay community and not the rich and powerful Anglicans.
In mixing the central message of the bible concerning Christ, His works, His sacrifice, and His resurrection, we missed the focus and context of the bible. The bible was defintely against the idol worship and was addressed to the straight people who were so zealous to worship these gods that they were willing to have same sex acts. The focus were to worship the fertility Gods and not an innate sexual orientation.
When we mixed the message of the bible, we are ultimately shooting our foot, because it impacts the Gospel message. The bible is not intolerant, it is full of God's grace and mercy. It is not tolerating same sex acts motivated by religious worship, because the bible exalts Elohim, the one true and mighty God. We don't worship the bible, we worship Jesus. And when we have our interpretation of the bible above and beyond the revelation of Christ, then our idol is the bible. If we do not see Jesus in it, then we are just looking at the bible based on the carnal self.
b) Being Born Gay
Being born gay by the dear bishop was equated the "original sin", and so we should not persist in this sin. At the garden of Eden, it was man's rebellion against God that sin came in. And we the descendents of Adam and Eve, are born with a "sin conscience". Eve did not have a homosexual relationship with Satan, neither did Adam. So why is sexual orientation singled out as a reflection of original sin when heterosexuality is not. There was also a common belief by the conservatives not too long ago that being black was a curse and dammed to be a slave to the white Christian race. This of course is not true and whether we are born white, yellow, or black does to change the fact of the original sin or a reflection of a fallen nature.
Bishop Moses Tay has effectively changed the meaning of sin, in that it is no longer rebellion against God, but it is something instinsic ie your sexual orientation. This actually devalues the significance of sin and salvation in Christ, because the same argument could now be used in reverse to state that other religions have equal reflection of God but they just happened to be born in another race and culture which in many cases means that they will be of a particular religion. Man is a moral creature and left alone having a sin conscience would gyrate towards a religion of morality where it is only right that doing good be rewarded for eternal life rather that drinking the blood of the Lamb that was slain, Jesus Christ.
Moses Tay and his national council of churches may have won the 377A war, but they have in the process dilute the message of Christianity to one of morality based on human morals so abhorent to God. Does banning Gays further the Kingdom of God and the spread of the message of the good news ? Does it bring greater relevelation of Jesus - his love, compassion, and grace? On the contrary, it distorts the message of the gospel, that God is a condeming God, and that at every turn, He condemns you of your sin, even those that is not a sin. Hence to 5% of the population who are Gays, and who naturally are, Jesus becomes an indifferent God, and have no relevance nor compassion. What a far cry from Jesus of the bible.
c) Destruction of society
The destruction of society apparently caused by Gays is a common argument by the Christian Right. The Bishop Moses Tay " said that the Bible contains ample warning of what would happen to a society that embraces homosexuality, citing the tragedy mentioned in Scripture that befell Sodom and Gomorra where the righteous man, Lot, had no choice but to surrender his two virgin daughters to be gang-raped by the crowd of men .... ".
(Gen 18:20 NKJV) And the LORD said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave,
(Gen 14:21 NKJV) Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself."
Sodom and Gommorah did not embrace homosexuality, ie there was no indication that they were supportive of the 5% of the gay population within its walls of their basic rights and dignity. Indeed, the men of Sodom and Gommorah were evil and wicked, and these was the main criticism of them. Why, because they violently subdued the nations around them and put them into slavery.
Cleary, the incident highlighted by Bishop Tay with Lot offering His "virgin" daughters highlights very clearly that this is not an issue of "homosexuality" as an orientation as the incident reflects:-
1) Women were a property and do not have rights. Therefore "righteous" Lot had full rights to offer Her daughters to be gang raped by men. Why wasn't it enough for the men of Sodom and Gommorah. Because it proves nothing. They were already raping the women they forced into slavery. And women were property, and there is no need additonal need to prove who was in control. However, the angels were men. And if they had sex with men, they would have reduced the status of the Angels to that of women. It is a clear message and symbol that they owned you, and you are like a woman being raped by them.
2) Rev Moses Tay obviously do not know a gay man. If he did, then he would realised that Gay man are not attracted to women and would never in their lives had desired to have sex with Lots' daughters. This is another clear indication that the men were straight men which is obvious since the gay population now and then is no more than 5% of the population, and not all the men of Sodom and Gommorah as inidcated in the bible as coming to disturb Lot.
The three arguments would be easily dispelled by any careful read of the bible especially one as experienced by the Anglican Bishop. We can only conclude that there is a deliberate intention to bear false witness upon the gay community using the bible, and Christianity as a means by the Christian Right as a whole. This is sin and very great sin because it denies a people group from ever coming to Christ. The Gay community is far too small and disorganised (not like the men of Sodom and Gammorah) to come against the church. But God will hear their cries and He will sent His angels to visit the church in Singapore.
(Heb 13:1 NKJV) Let brotherly love continue.
(Heb 13:2 NKJV) Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.
When the cries of the Gay community of the injustice and cruelty they faced by the Christian Right reaches the heavens, God will sent His Angels to visit the Christian Church in Singapore. Perhaps the Angles will visit City Harvest Church or New Creation Church. The Angels can be two gay men walking into the church, hand in hand, and we will put up a sign that "gays are not welcome here". Shall we be turned into a pillar of salt?
We may be indifferent to the cries of the Gay community, but God is not. The bible is very intolerent of crimes against defenceless minority groups, and He will send His Angels, and they will be a test for us. God did not sent two women to Sodom, or a men and a women, He sent two men precisely to see the extent of the evil heart of the entire straight population of Sodom and Gomorrah. And He will sent His Angels, and it will be a test to highlight our false witness and judgement against the Gay community. Maybe they will be dressed so outlandishly and gay that instead of being allowed to worship God, they will be ushered into the counselling room where they will dissapear and judgement sealed .... who knows.
(Mat 11:24 NKJV) "But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you."
(Ezek 16:49 NKJV) "Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
(Ezek 16:50 NKJV) "And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit.
The sin of Sodom was that they have taken full advantage of those who are weak and vulnerable, and raped them. We too have abused our gay flock and in many ways we have "raped" them of their dignity, rights and relationship with God. We have stolen their lives, just as the men of Sodom took away the dignity of the men they raped to show who was in control. We are the religious pharisees mentioned in the bible, who appear to know the bible so well, and be able to condemn others of their sins. But our judgement is confirmed and it will be worst than even Sodom, if we do not repent.
Jesus is calling today for a church that is holy and pure - to come back to God. He does not desire only our mega buildings and titanium buildings, but desires that we have a pure heart that Christ may be reflected in the nations and the Gospel message of salvation be known to the nations. When His Angels come, let us welcome them. Let us welcome the Gay tribe in our midst that God be glorified and His name known throughout the nations.