Why a "Homosexual Gene" Will Never Be Found
There is a deceitful way to make your opponent look like a fool even if he is no fool. That is to manipulate words. Politicians are notorious for it. But even Christians do it by condemning another’s personal interpretation of a non-salvation issue, or one’s preaching style, etc. One misplaced or redefined word attacking the person and not the immediate argument is bad logic and can do a lot of damage requiring years of repair.
A perfect example of modern word manipulation (and horrid logic) involves the popular term "homophobia." In its pure definition it means a fear of homosexuals or homosexuality. But is has grown to mean much more than that.
Nowadays anyone who remotely disagrees with or speaks out against homosexuality is labeled “homophobic.” Notice it is not just the one who genuinely fears homosexuals who gets this label but anyone who disagrees with homosexuality, as well.
Thus, it is implied, "you disagree with my world view because you fear it or don’t understand it." This completely begs the question of whether homosexuality is right or not in the first place. "It is merely one normal sexual preference," goes their reasoning, "and you will eventually embrace us as normal when you drop all your preconceived fears."
No matter that there are rational reasons for being against homosexuality. No matter that you are willing to present those reasons, in love. "You disagree with us, therefore you are ignorant, therefore you are fearful."
Immediate point: Homophobia is an illogical and unfair term used to discredit the opponent whether or not their anti-homosexuality argument is valid or not.
Now while we’re at it, let’s turn the argument around:
I wonder if the homosexual community may be genuinely guilty of what they accuse "those right-wing Christians" of being: maybe they are Theophobic.
It is often a true statement that we fear that which we do not know. Perhaps the "gay" community does not know God (i.e. His love and His willingness to forgive, His grief over lost lives, His power to change people, His death on the cross as substitution for us in our rebellion, His ultimate and archetypal Fatherhood, His non-abusive parenting skills, His demand for us to be perfect, to clean up our act with His help). And by not knowing this, homosexuals are ignorant and afraid - I would be, too. And being afraid they lash out in emotional, irrational ways mislabeling others and falsely accusing them with terms like "homophobic" or the now-classic "intolerant."
Just a thought.
Finally, should we as Christians be afraid of homosexuals? No. Most that I know are kind, considerate, sensitive, and caring - some more than a lot of Christians I know. (And being the classic recipients of name-calling, is it any wonder they lash back with their own derogatory names?)
But let’s not sit idly by, becoming callously “tolerant.” Let’s make a knowledgeable stand against homosexuality. Let’s help free them of their ignorance concerning the attributes of our loving and righteous God - not by abusive condemnation - but through love and truth. By the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, let us present to them the Loving Father, His call to repentance, and the glorious Escape Plan provided by the blood of Jesus.
And then they will know the Truth and the truth shall set them free.
