In most civilizations traditional marriage is considered a fundamental institution and the backbone of a stable society.
Yet today we're seeing one of the greatest attempts at social
reengineering in history in the fight to uproot the definition of
marriage to include same-sex partners. It threatens the very foundation
of the traditional family already battered by the prevalence of
premarital sex, unmarried couples living together and rampant divorce.
As most of our
Good News readers know, we view trends and
events in culture and society through the prism of the Bible, the
revealed Word of God. When societal changes run contrary to biblical
revelation, it's necessary for us to keep our readers informed of
influences that are detrimental to their future and that of their
families. So what's going on? What's behind the gay agenda that's
sweeping in this dramatic change?
What is the gay agenda?
If you were to ask gay activists about their agenda, the vast
majority would insist there is no such thing as a gay agenda. In fact,
proponents instruct their followers that such terminology should be
avoided. A good example can be found on the website of the Gay and
Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (
GLAAD) under “
GLAAD Media Reference Guide—Offensive Terms to Avoid”:
“Offensive: 'gay agenda' or 'homosexual agenda'
“Preferred: Accurate descriptions of the issues …”
“Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (
LGBT) people are motivated by many of the same hopes, concerns and desires as other everyday Americans …
“Notions of a so-called 'homosexual agenda' are rhetorical
inventions of anti-gay extremists seeking to create a climate of fear by
portraying the pursuit of equal opportunity for
LGBT people as sinister …”
So while the gay activists clearly have an agenda, they want to hide
that fact by replacing the word “agenda” with more euphemistic terms.
But is it really sinister to provide an honest evaluation of what is really taking place? The fact is, there
is
a gay agenda. Simply put, it's an organized effort to produce
political, social and religious change within society that will lead to
tolerating—and eventually accepting as normal—homosexual relationships.
Let's define our words
In this article, “gay” (or “lesbian,” if female) refers to one who
is actively engaging in a homosexual lifestyle, indulging in sexual
relationships and activity.
We are not using the word “gay” to refer to someone who merely has a
homosexual attraction or leaning but does not act out on his or her
temptations by engaging in sexual actions. This attraction or leaning is
often labeled same-sex attraction, or
SSA for short.
To understand the struggles of those with
SSA
who are sincerely trying to resist sexual temptations and who are
trying to “be transformed” to follow “the perfect will of God” (
Romans 12:2), please see “
The Human Side of Homosexuality: From One Who Has Struggled “).
What drives the aggressiveness of the gay agenda?
Why is there is so much zeal—and at times militant rhetoric and actions—behind the gay agenda?
In part it's reactionary against the past. It's understandable that
gays want to avoid persecution as severe as they once felt from some
religious, social and political groups. They want to avoid this deeply
painful treatment fraught with fear, isolation and ridicule.
Until recent years, many homosexuals felt publically scorned by some
who view homosexual acts as the worst of sins—usually with little or no
mercy shown.
But the apostle James points out that, spiritually speaking, if a
person stumbles in one point of God's law, it's as if he is guilty of
breaking all of it (
James 2:10-11). And he warns that God will judge individuals as they judge others (
James 2:13).
Another aspect, though, is that, as increasing numbers in society
drift further from traditional values, they inevitably join ranks to
push acceptance of them and their values by wider society. And the more
gains they make, the more brazen they become in their efforts—even to
the point of tearing down traditional values. The root of the problem,
however, is ultimately spiritual, as we will later consider.
Many organizations with specific plans
While not all homosexuals support the gay agenda or are actively
involved in trying to redefine marriage, many gay organizations
are involved, as Michael Brown points out in his 2011 book
A Queer Thing Happened to America: And What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been.
As he documents, “There are well-funded, highly-motivated, sharply-focused gay activist organizations such as
HRC [Human Rights Campaign] and
NGLTF [National Gay and Lesbian Task Force] and
PFLAG [Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays] and
GLSEN [Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network] and
GLAAD [Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation] and Lambda Legal—just to mention a few” (p. 40).
But, again, the activists would have us believe there's no such thing as a gay agenda!
Brown shows that many of these organizations have specific plans
with targeted goals. These include creating visibility, increasing
awareness and fostering community. To promote their agenda they utilize
task forces, policy institutes, organizing and training programs and
even an annual “Creating Change” conference (p. 37).
Later Brown categorizes some of the movements. “There is a gay
revolution, a gay liberation movement, a plethora of gay activist
organizations with clearly identified missions and goals, but no gay
agenda … How can that be? …
“Ironically, when it comes to denying the existence of a gay agenda,
there is 'immense unity' in the gay community. Why? It is because the
denial of that agenda is part of the agenda … It must be a
stealth agenda. Otherwise, its progress will be thwarted and its success greatly impeded,
because the open, unambiguous, full disclosure of the goals and
ramifications of the gay agenda would stop that agenda in its tracks” (pp. 42-43, emphasis added throughout).
How far have they come?
It's the view of many that the impact the gay agenda is having on
society is a bellwether indicator of just how far society has morally
degenerated and where it's ultimately headed.
The Los Angeles Times summarizes the growing impact in an article titled, “Gays May Have the Fastest of All Civil Rights Movements” (May 20, 2012).
The article notes that “attitudes toward gays and lesbians have
changed so much in just the last 10 years that, as Gallup reported last
week, 'half or more now agree that being gay is morally acceptable, that
gay relations ought to be legal and that gay or lesbian couples should
have the right to legally marry.' (In 1996, when Gallup first asked
about legalizing same-sex marriage, 68% of Americans were opposed).”
In about a generation we have seen society transformed from
considering homosexuality to be a psychological disorder to the point
that those who do not accept or affirm homosexuality are themselves
called homophobic and viewed as mentally abnormal!
Homosexual behavior, once considered morally wrong and outlawed in many countries and
U.S.
states, is now largely immune from public condemnation or even public
criticism. And in some countries those who do criticize it face fines
and/or imprisonment!
The term “tolerance” is now employed to mean the complete acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (
LGBT)
lifestyles and ideology—in the family, in the workplace, in education,
in media and in religion. Those who do not accept this definition of
“tolerance” are often labeled intolerant.
Today the term “diversity” means more than seeking women and
minorities to join a company or organization. It often includes
embracing homosexuality,
LGBT behavior and showing solidarity with the gay agenda.
The gay agenda, along with the sexual revolution that began half a
century ago, has transformed America's moral standard that was once
based on biblical values to one that accepts as commonplace the
homosexual lifestyle and many other biblically condemned behaviors.
Ironically, while gay activists demand tolerance toward themselves,
they are quick to slam anyone who dares to disagree with them as
intolerant, biased, bigoted or homophobic. In demanding their “rights,”
they not only demand that everyone else recognize their self-proclaimed
rights, but they actually strip away the freedoms and rights of those
who disagree with them and who are standing up to their agenda.
Growing support at many levels
This powerful political and cultural current is explosively
impacting society. Due in part to the activists' hype and that of the
media, most Americans think the size of the homosexual community is
seven or eight times larger than it actually is. The title of the most
recent Gallup poll on the subject explains: “
U.S. Adults Estimate That 25% of Americans Are Gay or Lesbian” (Gallup.com, May 27, 2011).
The actual number, confirmed by surveys going back several decades,
is 2 to 4 percent—admitted even by researchers supportive of the
gay-rights movement.
In recent years the gay-rights movement has changed the target of
its agenda. Thirty years ago gay activists made little effort to try to
change the definition of marriage. But today this change is central to
the gay agenda in most of the Western world.
And they have gained considerable political support. American
President Barack Obama's policies have consistently favored the
expansion of gay rights. On June 29, 2009, the 40th anniversary of what
established gay pride month, Obama welcomed 300 gay activists to the
White House, stating, “Welcome to your White House,” assuring them that
their goals would be realized in his administration.
Another example is his pushing for the 2011 ending of restrictions on homosexuals serving openly in the
U.S. military, a practice which had been in existence since the time of George Washington.
Last summer
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon
Panetta went so far as to give a thank-you speech for homosexual,
lesbian and bisexual military service members as part of the Pentagon's
first-ever celebration of gay pride month.
Last spring Obama became the first sitting president to publicly
declare support for the legalization of same-sex marriage. This was
followed by the Democratic Platform Committee unanimously endorsing it
for the 2012 presidential elections—a first for a major-party platform.
More than a year ago the Obama administration ordered the Justice
Department to halt any legal defense for the federal Defense of Marriage
Act (
DOMA), which was passed by Congress in 1996 to preserve marriage as a union between one man and one woman.
Since
DOMA passed, 42 states have
instituted their own support-of-marriage acts, defining marriage as the
union of one man and one woman. This helps ensure that children, the
next generation of taxpayers, grow up in a stable family unit. So far,
eight states have approved gay marriage by legislative or court-ordered
action—though none by popular vote of citizens.
Biological differences
Why is there so much sound and fury coming from so many quarters demanding a change to the definition of marriage?
One reason is that the gay agenda has successfully changed the
public focus away from the fundamental biological difference between
same-sex couples and heterosexual partners. They may be able to fool
some people some of the time, but they cannot fool God. There is simply
no way to magically erase the inherent biological differences.
Think about it! If everyone took up the homosexual lifestyle,
populations would begin to rapidly dwindle and the human race would
eventually die out. It should be evident to everyone that, barring some
artificial outside assistance, biological procreation is only possible
in heterosexual relationships.
God designed marriage to provide a husband and wife the opportunity
to raise their own biological children in a caring, balanced family
environment conducive for developing their children's personal identity (
Genesis 1:28).
God “seeks godly offspring” and hates anything that undermines or destroys marriage because of the harm that creates (
Malachi 2:14-16).
The inherent contradiction between what God designed marriage
relationships to be and same-sex marriage cannot be changed by altering
the definition of marriage or carefully couching arguments to make
alternative lifestyles seem more acceptable.
How far will they go?
It appears that those pushing the gay agenda won't give up until the
definition of marriage is changed in law and common language and their
influence is felt in every aspect of society, as Brown documents:
“Children in elementary schools will be exposed to the rightness and
complete normality of homosexuality, bisexuality, and transgender
expression … Opposing views will be branded as dangerous and homophobic,
to be silenced and excluded from the classroom. Middle schools, high
schools, and colleges will go out of their way to encourage both the
celebration of homosexuality and deep solidarity with gay activism”
(p. 49).
In addition, Brown believes that pressure will build for American
businesses to openly embrace every aspect of these biblically immoral
practices to the point that employees who resist or refuse to follow
suit will be dismissed.
Pastors and religious groups teaching that homosexual behavior is
immoral will increasingly find themselves being accused of “hate
speech.” In some countries ministers have already been convicted and
fined for simply teaching the biblical truth on the subject.
Lasting impressions on our children
When you realize where their agenda is headed, it's extremely
disconcerting to see gay activists targeting younger and younger
children—the most impressionable among us. American schools have become
bastions of homosexual and transgender activism beginning as early
as kindergarten.
Brown provides an example of the efforts of one homosexual advocacy
organization over the past two decades: “This is the day of the
'queering of elementary educations' —to quote the title of a
highly-praised book —and much of this is due to the influence of
GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Educational Network (pp. 87-88).
“
GLSEN wants homosexuality and
transgenderism completely normalized—and even encouraged, celebrated,
and nurtured—in the educational system … Gay-inspired curricula and
gay-affirming educational programs are now everywhere today” (p. 89).
In addition,
GLSEN offers a comprehensive training program for teachers called
GLSEN
Lunchbox 2, which is designed for educators to use beginning at the
kindergarten level. It comes with a training video, a 141-page trainer's
manual, game cards with gay or transgender historical figures and
terminology cards designed to teach a variety of sexual
lifestyle alternatives.
It offers activities designed to subvert the family, including one
titled “Deconstructing Definitions of Family.” Brown summarizes, “In
short, say goodbye to male and female, to masculinity and femininity, to
'biological sex,' and say hello to genderqueer, gender non-conforming,
transgender, and transsexual” (p. 95).
In the United States
GLSEN also sponsors the rapidly growing Gay Straight Alliances (
GSAs)
in middle schools, high school and college campuses. There are now more
than 4,000 student clubs on campuses, and the number continues to
grow rapidly.
These do far more than just provide a “safe place” for homosexual,
bisexual and transgender students to hang out. They have become a
springboard for pro-homosexual advocacy. They seek to alter curriculum
and silence dissent. They push for the full acceptance of homosexuality
in schools.
And they encourage children as young as 11 years old to declare themselves gay in
GSA meetings, often without the knowledge of their parents.
Civil rights cover-up
All these blatantly aggressive efforts are a direct assault on the
God-designed family unit. And they are cleverly hidden under the banner
of “equal opportunity” or “civil rights.”
Activists even guide the media in how they want their agenda positioned. The
GLAAD
Media Reference Guide, quoted earlier, points out the terms they expect
to be used or not used: “Offensive: 'special rights.' Preferred:
'equal rights' or 'equal protection.'”
But is the real motive behind their agenda simply to gain the same rights as others?
In most states gays already can gain most if not all the rights
heterosexual marriage partners have by voluntarily entering into a
private, informal domestic partnership agreement specifying their mutual
obligations. And they can even hold private religious
marriage ceremonies.
Likewise, nothing prohibits private companies from offering benefits
to same-sex partners of their employees. In fact, the majority of
Fortune 500 companies already do.
A deeper question is: Does it make logical sense to form a special
class of people based purely on sexual orientation and then equate it to
a race or ethnic group's push for civil rights?
There are at least three reasons that the two are not a legitimate comparison.
First, homosexuals (of both sexes), bisexuals and the transgendered
are not all united by having the same sexual attractions—each subgroup
is different.
Second, the black civil rights movement was united around those who
had the same skin color, which does not change. On the other hand, the
LGBT community was artificially linked together based solely on sexual orientations, which can change over time.
Third, there is no moral difference between being black or white (or
yellow or red). But romantic attractions and sexual behavior often have
moral (or immoral) qualities.
The underlying moral issues
Society places way too much emphasis on sex, and gay activists are
trying to convince everyone that you can have it your way, their way or
any way.
One of the critically destructive forces behind this gay agenda is
the idea that everything is malleable to accommodate changes in society.
But no matter what the changing vagaries of fickle public opinion,
God's principles of right and wrong do not change (see
Malachi 3:6;
Hebrews 13:8).
God set certain natural laws in motion at creation that were
designed to govern and support humanity's existence on earth. His Word
tells us that sex was designed exclusively for only one
relationship—that between a man and a woman in marriage.
Because homosexual activity, premarital sex and adultery are all
outside of marriage, all are violations of God's instructions. These
sins exact negative penalties, whether a person understands God's laws
or not. And unless they are repented of, the ultimate consequence is
death (
Romans 6:23).
The Bible contains specific passages condemning both male and female homosexual behavior (
Leviticus 18:22,
Leviticus 18:24-30;
Romans 1:24-27;
1 Corinthians 6:9;
1 Timothy 1:9).
When it comes to sexual relations, the only two options affirmed for
Christians are God-designed marriage or abstinence (no
sexual relationships).
It can be a struggle for those who desire to leave the gay lifestyle (again, see “
The Human Side of Homosexuality: From One Who Has Struggled
“). And like other human temptations, it may be a battle they fight all
their lives. But God knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations (
2 Peter 2:9).
And it is encouraging to see there is clear biblical evidence that
God can help change wrong behavior—including homosexuality and sodomy,
as some of the Corinthian church members were able to do (
1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
Marriage cannot be redefined
In law and society, marriage touches every aspect of life from birth
to death. Since God is the Creator of human beings and marriage, only
He has the right to define what the marriage relationship should be.
Human beings were created with a deep need to bond to others. And
there is no deeper bonding relationship among human beings than the one
that can be achieved between a husband and wife. Eve was created so that
Adam would not have to live alone (
Genesis 2:18). The two were directed to be fruitful and multiply through the only physical union capable of producing new life (
Genesis 1:28).
The institution of this marital union was one of the very first
actions God took to establish the basic structure of human society (
Genesis 2:24; Genesis 4-6;
Ephesians 5:31). It is a natural union and a divine institution ordained of God.
Like no other institution, it can provide material and emotional
support as well as a sense of safety and love for as long as both
husband and wife are alive (
Romans 7:2).
Our loving Father gave us the institution of marriage and the
blessing of family so that we might learn to love one another as He
loves us (
Ephesians 5:25-33).
Because of the importance of this divine institution, Jesus Christ
stood up to those who wanted to adapt marriage to the changing whims of
society and brought them back to God's original instructions regarding
the sanctity of marriage (
Mark 10:1-12).
Notice Christ's instructions: “But from the beginning of the
creation, God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man shall
leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall
become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate” (
Mark 10:6-9).
Sign of the times
What this all adds up to is that the gay agenda has become one of
the greatest attempts at social reengineering in history. The fight to
uproot the definition of marriage to include same-sex partners is just
one more social trend threatening to further undermine the very
foundation of the family unit and the stability of society itself.
The sad reality is that our society is continuing headlong down the
moral spiral prophesied for the end time before Jesus Christ's return (
2 Timothy 3:1-7,
2 Timothy 3:13). God's Word says the family will continue to be under assault as we approach the end of this age.
Perhaps not so coincidentally, Jesus Christ compares the days
leading up to His second coming to the destruction of Sodom in Lot's day
(
Luke 17:28-30).
Thanks in part to the gay agenda, our society is headed in the same
direction. Nearly all the people of Sodom had turned away from God's way
of life (
Genesis 18:16-22).
There were not even 10 righteous people to be found in the city. The
men of the city threatened to sexually violate the two angelic
messengers God sent to warn Lot to leave before He destroyed the city (
Genesis 19:1-29; Jude 7).
While Lot and his family were in some ways negatively influenced by
the evils of the society around them, he is called “righteous Lot” (
2 Peter 2:7). He felt tormented, oppressed and distressed by the immoral and degrading ways of those around him (
2 Peter 2:7-8).
We must remain vigilantly on guard against letting a morally
degenerating society pull us down with it—as Christ warned: “And because
lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold” (
Matthew 24:12).
Thankfully, our loving and merciful Savior will return to heal the hearts and minds of all humanity (
Isaiah 9:6-7). He will save mankind from complete depravity and self-destruction (
Matthew 24:21-22). He will establish a healthy, wholesome and happy world. May God speed that day!
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There’s been a lot of buzz about gender identity recently, and young people are taking note. The question is… what are they resolving as true?
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