c o m m e n ta ry
Born This Way! by Pastor Robert Fleischmann
Adapted from Pastor Fleischmann’s blog (www.RobertFleischmann.com) of August 27, 2013:
It is becoming a common mantra among those who cite sexual preferences outside of the norm. New Jersey recently banned counseling against homosexuality. California led the charge when it outlawed counseling against homosexual inclinations in late 2012. The state is now considering a challenge of the tax-exempt status of agencies like the Little League, the Boy Scouts, the Cub Scouts, the Girl Scouts, the Young Men’s Christian Association, the Young Women’s Christian Association, the Future Farmers of America, the Future Homemakers of America, the 4-H Clubs, the Boys Clubs, and the Girls Clubs if they do not embrace new proposed gender identity and sexual guidelines that are consistent with our permissive culture. C l e a r ly C a r ing
It’s too early to tell if this effort will get any traction, but experience suggests it is only a matter of time before the showdown will begin. It does, however, raise the question as to whether deviant sexual interests are products of the will or organically programmed into people. In other words, are some “born that way”? I have read my share of medical papers to believe that brain physiology, genetic predispositions, organically or artificially altered states, and environmental influences all remain reasonable explanations for departure from behavior deemed acceptable by Scripture. These things might explain maladies ranging from alcoholism to anger, from schizophrenia to suicide, from pedophilia to pornography addiction, and from asexual interests to hypersexualized and diverse sexual interests. Society has increasingly accommodated these deviations by ascribing degrees of guilt. In fact, there is even “non guilt” when mental defect can be established. God’s perspective on these things, however, remains unchanged. Scripture teaches us
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2013 VOLUME 33 / NUMBER 2