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Beth Moore, bible, Christian, LGBT, LGBTQ, Moms of LGBT, Moms of LGBTQ Kids, scripture, Serendipitydodah for Moms
Beth Moore stated the following when speaking to a large gathering of 18 to 25-year-olds in Atlanta during the 2017 Passion Conference last week:
“You will watch a generation of Christians — OF CHRISTIANS — set the Bible aside in an attempt to become more like Jesus. And stunningly it will sound completely plausible. This will be perhaps the cleverest of all the devil’s schemes in your generation. Sacrifice TRUTH for LOVE’s sake. And you will rise or fall based upon whether you will sacrifice one for the other. Will you have the courage to live in the tension of both TRUTH and LOVE?” -Beth Moore
The statement stung me because as the mother of a son who is gay I have often been accused of throwing out scripture in order to support and affirm my son. But, nothing could be further from the truth. As a devoted follower of Jesus and a loving mother I studied, prayed, sought, questioned, listened MORE because I was a Christian mom with a gay son and my experience is that is also true of others like me.
I have a secret Facebook group for moms of LGBT kids (Serendipitydodah for Moms) with more than 1,400 members and everyday I witness the moms in that group asking deep and meaningful questions, sharing profound insight and wisdom, talking about the original language and historical context of scripture. These moms are not people who throw something aside in order to come up with an easy answer for their kids. These moms are not throwing out scripture or setting the bible aside. They don’t want to mislead their kids. They want to know the truth as best they can. They want the best for their kids. They want to feel confident and at peace with the guidance and insight they offer their kids.
So, when someone like Beth Moore says that “a generation of Christians will set the Bible aside in an attempt to become more like Jesus” our ears perk up and we want to respond and share the insight and wisdom that we have gained on this journey of love and faith.
Here are some of the responses from moms who are members of Serendipitydodah:
We follow the Bible, no one is setting aside anything. We are embracing it through the lens of Jesus, not the Lens of religious leaders. We emphasize and embrace what we saw Jesus emphasize and embrace (the best we can). We want to see Jesus be glorified by our love, service to others and the grace we extend to others, not our adherence to rules. – A Mama Bear
Isn’t Jesus the Truth? – so, by becoming more like Jesus you are not actually letting go of the truth. – A Mama Bear
“I struggle to resolve what Beth Moore said, with what the Apostle Paul said, particularly Chapter 13 of First Corinthians on love as one of the only three things (other than faith and hope, which he elsewhere defines) that followers of Christ are to hold primary above mortal speech, human knowledge, and all human understanding. Also, I struggle with Beth Moore’s words when considering the words of Jesus in the definition of the call of Christianity in the Great Commandment, where loving God with all our thought, and emotion, and spirituality, and loving others with the same wholeheartedness, is a refection of how God loves us, and is the axis on which all prophecy and law hinge and find resolution, as in Mark 12 and repeated again in Matthew 22. Therefore, my question to Beth Moore would be, “What truth should we hold above love?” – A Mama Bear
Bill Maher once said, “I don’t know anyone less Jesus-like than most Christians.” And you know what? The Christians he’s referring to read the Scriptures. I think we moms know from our own experience of supporting LGBT folks that the Bible bullies come out because of their faulty reading of the text. They erroneously employ Scripture to shame, condemn, and ‘other-ize’ people who aren’t like them and who don’t behave in ways they deem appropriate. So it’s not so much that we are dropping the Bible to follow Jesus – it’s that we are trying to drop a faulty, abusive hermeneutic to “GO and DO” what He commanded us in order that the Bill Mahers of the world can see a true expression of God in us. – Meredith Webster Indermaur
Sorry Beth Moore–The BIBLE tells me the Spirit will be my personal teacher. The BIBLE tells me to follow Jesus. The BIBLE tells me to love, even my enemy. The BIBLE tells me to be wary of false teachers (men and obviously women, too) who try to deceive the SPIRIT within me. So I think it’s you and your twisted interpretation of scripture the Devil is using because you are the one trying to separate the walk and life of Jesus from your reading of the BIBLE. – Margaret Boelman
My question to Beth Moore would be, do you have the courage to dig deeper and discover TRUTH? …not the truths twisted, added to, reworded & revised in translations, but the truth of God given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit to Hebrew and Greek speaking people. And would you filter those words through Jesus, THE absolute true WORD OF GOD, who was with God, in God, was God from the beginning? Because in light of that TRUTH there is no tension between truth and love. – Betsy Bruce Henning
I would say that Beth Moore does not have the desire, courage, or humility to see how she is harming God’s dearly loved LGBTQ children. Hers is one of the most dangerous and toxic statements a Christian authority can make, because it instills so much fear in followers and that fear causes a superficial reading of scripture and a reliance on so called Bible authorities. After all, who wants to come to the end of their life to have Jesus say “away from me I never knew you?” I grew up in and lived my whole life in an extended family who believed you were going to hell if you weren’t on the narrow path–the very narrow path that most won’t find and is tiny as the “eye of a needle” [which was interpreted literally by my family rather than in its Middle Eastern context]. Most of the church-going “Christians” I know won’t do that deep digging to uncover Biblical truths. It’s a lot of work, and they’re afraid and don’t trust themselves. Salvation is a lot to risk! They’d rather rely on their pastors and teachers like Moore to tell them what to think. After all, life is busy, and that’s what pastors and Bible teachers get paid for! (sarcasm) If you take the Bible “sola scriptura” as someone else mentioned and as I was taught, you have a lot of cognitive dissonance when you read and study scripture. True study is difficult when you try to understand context and compare the original languages to various translations. An individual almost necessarily needs an “authority” to guide them through those passages that create the cognitive dissonance, or at least someone who makes them feel they’ve arrived at the correct conclusion, because after all, salvation is at stake. – Laura Sparks Turner
Last I checked, love and truth should never be in conflict. If they are there is something wrong with your “truth.” And since when was living Christ-like *ever* secondary? – Debbie King
Be careful judging how the Holy Spirit guides those that don’t fit your label. It is not for you to say what their relationship with God should look like. Doing so, does not define truth. – Debby Laird McCrary
I love the Bible..But I don’t like it being used to discriminate against our LGBTQ children. – Lenora Lea Gill
I will live my life to be more like Jesus and less like the Bible because Jesus is the key to my salvation… not the Bible. – Sara O.
We shouldn’t have to sacrifice truth for love because Truth is Love. – Julie Ackerson-Armstrong
Not just me, but my child searched scriptures, opinions, books… many resources before deciding to just live for Jesus. She has contemplated and attempted suicide over her salvation, over wanting truth and love in her young life. She’s only 14… – Glenda Moore
I have searched and studied because I have a gay son. My heart is now at peace because my eyes have been opened to the true meaning of being a Christian. Many many people adapt the Bible to suit their way of doing things, just as I suppose this Beth Moore has. But one thing I do know for sure is my prayers to God were fervent and from the core of my soul and if God chose to ignore these prayers of mine then I can say He does not love me. But I know that His love for me is real so therefore He heard my cry. – A Mama Bear
I am tired of the box of Christianity they think is so neat and tidy. Life isn’t. God loves each and every one of us just as we are. If one believes that we are souls who inhabit many bodies in this earth school to learn lessons, then it would be obvious that we have been different genders. That can explain a lot. I choose not to be labeled anymore and think that we would all be better off not to slap labels and condemnations on anyone. Sadly, those who think they are right and are hell bent on proving it seem to have no trouble putting themselves in the driver’s seat of the Creator if the Universe. If that isn’t arrogant I don’t know what is. – A Mama Bear
I think we are setting aside the Bible, in some instances, because it simply doesn’t make sense. So many holes. So many translations. Once you free yourself from the Bible being the actual word of God, it is liberating to find your own relationship with Him. People like Beth who cling to the literal Bible as infallible take the easy way out because they don’t require any thinking with their faith. True believers can read the Bible, use their brains and come to a place of peace. That’s faith. Holding fast to something that makes no sense isn’t faith. It’s a crutch. – A Mama Bear
I have become a stronger Christian, and a stronger person because of my gay son. I read the BIBLE a lot more, and I pray a lot more. – A Mama Bear
IF anyone lives in the tension between truth and love, it is those of us with LGBTQ kids. We have had to learn to love in the unconditional way Christ taught us, instead of the conditional way our culture (yes, our church culture) instructs us. Putting the Bible aside has never occurred to most of us. Indeed, it is what we continue to lean on as we struggle with how God is using us in the place we find ourselves. He watched is Son suffer and die. Many of us do the same, at the hands of people who call themselves Christians. We know the depths of misery and the heights of Christ’s love in our lives. I would also add that if anything has turned me personally away from the Bible, it is people like Beth Moore.- A Mama Bear
It is a far scarier, humbling way to live… to not have it all wrapped up in a neat little box…. It also takes more faith and a much bigger God. – A Mama Bear
This statement from BM brings visions of the type of judgmental, self-righteous church mentality that keeps me and my husband away. It’s so ignorant, flippant and cold-hearted that it’s the furthest thing from Christlike. BM and those like her can keep their American Jesus. – A Mama Bear
I don’t know what truth is anymore — I have read so much information that I am not even sure about the Bible – I am beginning to think it is just stories written by people that lived a long time ago and PEOPLE have translated it from language to language not even knowing if they are right … And picking and choosing what stories should be included, I am just fed up with the Christian right thinking that their interpretation is the one and only way to read the Bible… Whether it is Satan blocking the way or I am just seeing a way different picture. I believe there is a God, I have good sound morals and I try to see people in a different light…. And treating people Lovingly and equally! Right now I don’t anymore! I definitely don’t need to go be “educated” in a church anymore! So DONE with all this! I just want to LOVE! – A Mama Bear
Being a l o n g time fan, it made my heart sink to read those words from her and even more alarming that my more conservative friends and family have used her words to wedge the divide even deeper between the Church, the LGBTQ community and their allies. For me, that’s not how the Word of God works, not at all. The Truth has set me free from any law and I have never loved more deeply or experienced God or the Word more profoundly. – A Mama Bear
The church’s treatment of the LGBTQ community is reminiscent of days when the developmentally disabled and mentally ill were rejected and mistreated and accused of being possessed by satan. It is heartbreaking to see that kind of hate and rejection aimed at your child. The Bible has been in the control of white hetero men of power since its inception therefore, as with all things in human control, is fallible and corruptible. We would be incredibly naive to think that has not been changed to meet the agenda of these powerful men. I love the bible. I read scripture and glean wisdom when God speaks to me through it. I Worship God not a book. He has given me a heart of love for all mankind, including the LGBTQ community. Unfortunately my husband, our church and his extended family do not agree. I will stand with all those rejected and persecuted for simply being who God created them to be. – Elizabeth Frauenknecht
My God is SO BIG and has such a great imagination. Look at the diversity of ALL that God made! I will certainly NEVER be worthy of such unconditional love. Luckily, I don’t have to be, I just have to accept God and God accepts me JUST THE WAY I AM. God made me to be me. He made you to be you. All God wants is for me to be the most kind, loving person I can be and for you to be the most kind loving person you can be. If we all do that (and I fall short EVERY DAY), we won’t have enough time to judge our sisters and brothers. Can I get an AMEN? – Spring Davidson
I’m not a Beth Moore fan. God is much bigger than the biggest, most popular, most righteous, most justified self proclaimed evangelist. I don’t set aside scripture. I listen to what God is telling me which might just not add up to what my pastor, or my Sunday school teacher, or my small group leader or my dearest friend, or my dearest friend who is a pastor or my bible study teacher interprets. I read scripture, I teach Sunday school, I teach Bible studies, I lead support groups, lead small groups, and women and kids and I listen for the still quiet voice of the Lord to tell me what He has for me. My daughter coming out helped me to become authentic. Authentically Christian. Including a slightly different interpretation of scripture from many around me which does not make me wrong. Pray for God to separate the man made stuff from His stuff. He can’t not. It’s a great journey. He has my in the palm of His hand or I couldn’t do any of this. It’s not about me. Beth is too much about Beth. Sorry. Not a fan. – Deborah Noffert
I pray sincerely that one day Beth Moore will have her spirit humbled and broken by the same loving, gracious God that humbled and broke mine years ago! The church has been wrong in judging and persecuting our LGBTQ children of God. The church has taught partial truths and used verses out of context to justify a position of “judge and jury”, acting as “THE voice of God” on a subject that is in no way “perfectly clear” if studied in depth at all. In the gray space, I had to choose a place of trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit in my life. It is a faith journey that IS NOT for the faint of heart. I reject the implication that I have set my Bible aside in any way. God has walked me into His beautiful presence and commanded that I accept my LGBTQ brothers and sisters as perfectly His. I am in no way to try to change them. I am simply commanded to love them as they are. I was also commanded to apologize profusely on behalf of “the church” that has judged them for the grave and serious harm they have caused in the lives of LGBTQ people that have sought God with their heart and were pushed away by Christians. – Tamara Darbin
I have been to several Beth Moore events and loved her. It hurt me deeply to see her say this. I have gotten so much closer to God since my daughter came out. I have learned so much actually studying my bible, and not listening to what past church leaders/pastors have said. God loves all people, man created the love the sinner hate the sin mentality! God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit loves all. Remember the greatest commandment is about love. – Renay Boyes
I was shocked at the pain I felt all over again when I watched that statement be tweeted and then retweeted by others I believed to be allies. I have struggled to be sure that the truth of scripture was never distorted in my relationship with my child and can honestly say that we have not sacrificed or abandoned any of the truth of the gospel in loving our son or helping him to become the Christian Man that he has become. – Laurie Harrison Lewis
We can idolize our understanding of the Bible and totally miss the God of the Bible. Mercy not sacrifice was both the God of the Old Testament and the God/Jesus of the New. My favorite recent quote comes from Richard B. Hays: “the quality of mercy is not set in opposition to the Torah; rather, Matthew’s Jesus discerns within Scripture itself the hermeneutical principle – expressed epigrammatically in Hosea 6 : 6 – that all the commandments are to be interpreted in such a way as to engender and promote the practice of mercy among God’s people.” – A Mama Bear
Beth must not have read Matthew 22:40! – A Mama Bear
As a parent of a child that was so depressed they would not leave their room for months or get out of bed, I prayed and agonized with God that He would reveal to me what was wrong. During those agonizing times He would whisper “Transgender” to me. It was a couple of weeks later that my then son broke down and told me he was a girl. Was I totally surprised? No, I was so relieved that God had answered my prayer. During our journey, I asked God to close any doors that we were not to go through while we maneuvered through her transition. I believed and had faith that God would close those doors, if we were not to go through them. I had peace from day one. John 14:27 But during this time, I would sit in my then home church Sunday after Sunday with a spirit that was so “troubled” because they did not embrace our daughter. I would see her friends and their parents sitting in the pews and they never asked about her. I would leave sobbing and so heart broken and grieving. As a sister in the body of Christ should I have suffered alone? Our daughter needed her christian friends beside her, but where were they? Who ended up setting the Bible aside? My guess would be the generation of Christians in the church. – Gloria Melton.
I believe/pray that this will be the first generation that truly sees how horribly we have treated our LGBT brothers and sisters in Christ. I keep asking myself why don’t I know any gay Christians and the response seems to be because we’ve not welcomed them into our churches or society. What are we Christians so afraid of? It’s not a disease that you can catch. These people are just like us made in the image of God. Jesus loves them as much as He loves you and me. Could some of our Holy Scriptures that were translated from Greek and Hebrew be wrong? Yes! Has culture changed since ancient times? Yes! Do you have the courage to open your heart, mind and church to LGBT people? What if Satan is blinding you, as most of our Evangelical churches have sent our LGBT children out on their own in this world confused, depressed and thinking God and His people hate them! This generation hopefully will have the courage to stand up for the LGBT children in their churches and welcome them with open hearts and minds. – A Mama Bear
I read a Letter to Beth Moore in 2015 and through that post I got in touch and joined Serendipitydodah for Moms. In a way it feels like Beth Moore led me to join this group of moms who love and affirm their LGBT kids. I wonder how Beth would feel about that. – A Mama Bear
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Serendipitydodah for Moms is a private Facebook group created as an extension of the Serendipitydodah blog. The group is private so only members can see who is in the group and what is posted in the group. The group was started in June 2014 and presently has more than 1,400 members. The space was specifically created for open minded Christian moms who have LGBT kids and want to develop and maintain healthy, loving, authentic relationships with their LGBT kids.
For more info email lizdyer55@gmail.com
Serendipitydodah 
Love the Mama Bears and their thoughtful, intelligent replies. God bless you Liz for not just supporting your son but all those moms who need you.
Please, please continue to love your gay children with the love of Jesus. It is hard not to pity the position of Beth Moore – her entire empire rests on affirming the teachings of the chief priests and elders. Even if she saw the wisdom of Christ in your words here, it would be so hard for her to give it all up and be cast out by early the entire Evangelical world. I pray for her to find the strength in the Spirit one day to follow Truth over the Pharisees.
Wow, just wow. I so respect and admire you Liz. You remain calm, cool and collected when I just want to blow up. What is so incredibly ironic is that Beth Moore starts her speech with thinly veiled hate at (of all things) a compassion conference! None are so blind as those who will not see.
As a fellow mama bear, I so appreciate this blog Liz, along with all the comments from the other mama bears. Thanks!
Liz, I thank the Lord for you and the other Mama Bears who have shown me “Jesus with skin on” far more than most of my other Christian friends ever did when my child came “out.” My beautiful Jesus-loving child who led dozens of mission trips and would (and has) given away everything she has to those who need it more. Thank you for helping us see the truth in the person of Jesus.
Thank you for sharing this; beautifully & lovingly presented!
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was this sent to Beth Moore? she needs to read this. ASAP.
I’m only going to say this to Beth Moore or anyone, with all due respect: until you’ve walked in my shoes, until your son or daughter comes to you and says ‘mom, I’m gay’ and cries in your arms, until you’ve begged God to change them/yelled at God in anger/stayed up days and nights on end tearing through your Bible and crying out to God for answers (‘why me, why us, why MY child)…until you’ve experienced ALL the above, there is nothing you can say to me. Period. My struggle, my joy, my walk is between me and God, not between me and man or me and other Christians.
Don’t love your son’s straight to hell for eternity just so you don’t upset them now in this temporary life. I know it would break your hearts to be at odds with sons who aren’t living as they should, but remember, it’s not how they feel that they will be judged for, but their chosen actions with other men. And if you fail as God’s appointed parent to make that clear to them, the their judgment is in your head also. So think carefully what a little heartache now is worth for eternal redemption, vs peace now only to suffer eternal condemnation and regret.
You cannot embrace sin and call Jesus Lord.
“Why do you call me ‘Lord Lord’ and do not do what I say.” -Jesus, Luke 6:46
It is good for you to love and care for your son’s, but you must in good faith as followers of Christ reject any attempt they make to live a lifestyle contrary to God’s Word. Otherwise you are the one Beth Moore is talking about. That’s the truth.
Nathan, you are reading people here who are very, VERY familiar with the Evangelical Church’s take on “what Paul said” and “what Genesis said.” Yet, they are giving thoughtful responses as to why they hear God saying something different, through both the words recorded in the Bible, and through the people around them.
I hope you can learn to listen to them. Most importantly, I hope you can develop some good, strong friendships with gay people. It does not take long in a friendship like this to bring you to an understanding that, perhaps, the Evangelical church’s take might need some adjustment…and it does.
Do yourself a favor and go back and read Romans 1:18 and following very, very carefully. You will soon discover that no gay person you know is described there.
All of us are born with a sin nature. All of us who decide to follow Christ are asked by Him to go and sin no more. As Jesus died to pay the debt of our sin, so we are washed clean and seen as holy in God’s sight. By mercy and grace we live and walk and have our being. We walk as Jesus walked. We’re not to walk in such a way that we normalize our past sin nature and current struggles. I love Chuck Swindoll’s book Grace Awakening where he says as regenerated believers we need to be taught that we will actually live weeks without sinning as we focus our lives on Jesus, rather than being taught about being caught in repeats of our previous carnal nature. But when caught, we again are greeted by His love and forgiveness as we confess our sin and allow Him to wash us of all unrighteousness.
The dangerous folly comes in assuming that a same sex attracted child isn’t the same as a child who is tempted to steal, lie, cheat, or even murder. Although sexual immorality has it’s very own distinction. The temptation isn’t the sin – acting on the immoral temptation is the sin. I have two daughters who have chosen to live counter to God in their sin of sexual immorality, accepting the counterfeit instead of resisting their temptations as we all must do in order to defeat the devil and gain victory through Christ. If you are supporting your child’s choice to choose immorality over holiness, you are indeed exactly who she is speaking of – and sometimes the truth just plain hurts. You each have my sincere prayers – both for yourselves and your children.
Terri, in parroting the bullet points of popular theology, I think you have missed the point of these replies fairly badly. When the starting point is a misunderstanding, then arriving at a satisfactory destination is impossible. Parents of homosexual children can see that there is a disconnect between what your favorite theologian says you must believe the Bible says about gay people, and who they actually are.
And love can never move a parent to ignore what God is saying through who people actually are. Love has moved these parents to take a step back from popular theology and see if there might be something it gets wrong.
And in this area, it becomes clear fairly quickly that it does.
Hi JIm, I earnestly understand the want that each of you has for an alternative theology – the need to seek legitimization and approval for a revised theology that will dispel the notion that without rejecting homosexuality, one will indeed be the recipients of an eternity separate from God in hell – how could I not understand that, and to, in light of my own daughter’s, wish that you were all correct? What you’re arguing against (and what I suppose you mean by “popular theology”) is the Judeo-Christian sexual ethic which is clearly defined in the Holy Bible. The Holy Bible is wholly reliable, trustworthy and true in all that it affirms. It clearly teaches the honor, dignity and value of the two sexes as created in God’s image – intentionally male and female – each bringing unique and complementary qualities to sexuality and relationships. The alternate theology that seems far more popular these days, places human feelings and desires above biblical truth, leading people to believe lies. Your hope to find fault in order to substantiate your feelings is a revised theology that promotes the justification of behaviors that God clearly defines as sin. Confronting this false doctrine lovingly – but firmly – is necessary because it demands that we confirm professing Christians in their sin, when we are biblically commanded to do just the opposite. I have no wish to argue with you, and have no notion that I will change your mind about this issue – I’m simply offering you the truth as defined by God. As I said before, you sincerely have my prayers – and as such, I’ve offered all that I intend to on this subject. Grace be with you.
The statement made by Beth Moore at the 2017 Passion Conference was a perfect description of today’s lukewarm church and her people. High profile men and women in ministry continue to water down Truth, some even claiming God will bless homosexual relationships and marriages. God help us! That is a lie from the pit of Hell! Like many of you, my child has struggled with same sex attraction from a very early age, walked away from his once very strong faith and is now pursuing a homosexual relationship. The pain and experiences that we share are indescribable and gut wrenching. Deep grief still consumes me to this day, seventeen years into this journey. As his mother, I love him more than words could ever express, but is is my obligation to speak Truth on this issue. We have a wonderful, respectful relationship and I would never do anything to harm him or our relationship. He is the recipient of unconditional love and I am his greatest defender and will be until my last breath on this side of Heaven. God loves him immensely more than I am capable in my human condition and has never left his side. God’s promises assure me that my son will return to his faith and I am more than confident in that fact. I fully believe that all sin is equal in God’s eyes and His word makes it abundantly clear that homosexuality is a sin. As Christian parents, we bear the responsibility of authority in the lives of our children and we must not exchange Truth for a lie and lead our children down the dark path to Hell.
Well stated, these poor , desperate people are grasping for a lifeline for their children , but are being deceived about the way ,Jesus, and what truth means and how it accomplishes God’s eternal plan of salvation. Like the Democratic party,they can only accuse others to hide the awful truth they are trying to avoid. Jesus said , homosexuals or the effeminate will not inherit the kingdom of GOD. End of story. They must repent or perish forever! Pray that God will move on them to repent and that they will do so and be saved in Jesus name.
I appreciate your reply, Craig, but I do not agree with your characterization of the parents of LGBT children. Until you have walked in our shoes, you can have no understanding of this heartbreaking journey. Desperate? I have absolutely felt desperation as my prayers and the tender prayers of my young son went unanswered. It is not his choice to be attracted to his own gender. Period. I feel we are all acutely aware that Jesus is the one and only lifeline for our children. He, and He alone, is our only hope! Scripture states that MANY will not inherit the kingdom of God for various sins. I see my sin in those scriptures and know that my sin is as repugnant to the Lord as the sin of the homosexual. As parents, all we can do is love our children, pray for them earnestly and await the glorious day when Jesus meets them right where they are and delivers them through His irresistible grace, love and mercy. He will do it!
Here is some good info for those who have commented here and think scripture condemns all same sex relationships. It simply isn’t true, And I don’t know any Christian parents who are desperately trying to twist or rewrite anything. What we are desperate to do is to guide our children in the right way and we know that the right way – God’s way – will bring life and wholeness and health – not depression or despair or self loathing or self harm – when one’s theology brings death instead of life one has to come to grips that they have something wrong. Parents of LGBT kids are studying long and hard – no one studies scripture more intensely than a Chrisitan LGBT person or the Christian parent of an LGBT person – and by taking original language and historical context into consideration it is obvious that scripture NEVER condemns about a loving monogamous same sex relationship.
Here is a thorough but easy to understand explanation of all the verses typically used to condemn same sex relationships. If you really want to know what scripture says look at this. If you don’t really want to know then don’t bother – but think about this … there is more in scripture to make someone believe that owning a slave is okay with God than there is to make someone think that God condemns all same sex relationships.
That… is the biggest load of crap I have ever read!coming from a Christian. The Bible condemns this. God’s way isn’t always “the easy way that brings happiness”. Look at Jesus, he prayed God would take the cup of suffering, but nevertheless he took it. What was easy and less depressing about Christ’s suffering?
God created male and female and for this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife. You people deliberately want to twist the scriptures to support this depraved idea of same sex relationships. Have you not read what happened to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah? Just because your son or daughter is caught in this doesn’t mean you get to twist what God says to comfort yourself
There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death-Proverbs 14:12
1 Timothy 1;10
Jude 1:7
1 Corinthians 6:9
Leviticus 18:22
Without even a moment’s reflection on whether you are handling those Biblical passages correctly, nor any consideration for what God is saying through gay people to you. Nicely demonstrated.
I read and reread what Beth Moore said. Maybe I should listen to her whole message and not just this part you cut out to fit around your blog. I will always hold the Bible’s words above Beth Moore’s words & over any blog’s words. I am not perfect, I am no less a sinner than you are. I lied to my neighbor which is the same sin as sexually being active with the same sex. Anyone who says it’s not hasn’t read the Bible. There’s not a true and false part of the Bible, it’s all true. The old testament, the new testament, the book of Revelation. It’s ALL true. Jesus doesn’t say just to love your son that is gay? I take it if he’s trans or bi, my mistake. A lot of what you are saying is confusing me. Jesus says love the murderer, the thief, the republican, the democrat, the president of the U.S., the pot head, the lawyer that beat you, the rapist, the kidnapper; hate no one. Hate the sin. I don’t hate your son, I hate the devil for tempting your son. I wish the devil would leave us all alone and one day he will, but today is not that day. I pray for you and your son to have a safe life, an educated life, a close to Christ life until He comes again. I pray for people who quote scripture to you that they might reread what they have said to you and look at it from your perspective. Anyone who replies to your blog should first put themselves in your shoes. Secondly they shouldn’t see their selves as forgiven of sins first they should see their selves as sinners first. For we have all fallen short of the glory of God. Be blessed, Liz & family. Feel God’s presence in your life.
John, unless the whole town of Sodom and Gomorrah were gay men, the story isn’t even talking about homosexuality. A town of men want to gang rape 2 guys who are visiting the town and Lot insists that they have sex with his virgin daughters instead??? Please don’t tell me that you take that story as a way to handle homosexuality. Its about hospitality, how do you treat the outsider, the visitor. It has NOTHING to do with monogamous, same-sex, adult relationships. When “homosexuality” is mentioned in the bible (though that word wasn’t even created until the end of the 1800’s), its always referred to as excess lust or a way to show power. It doesn’t talk about a relationship between the same sexes. Temple prostitutes, slaves, young boys, those are all ways that men can show their power over someone else or to fill their need for sex (excess lust). We can all agree that those are wrong and not loving. They are harmful to the other person and are just selfish acts. Tell me how two people of the same sex who love each other, look out for each other, care about each other, enjoy time with each other (the same way a man and a woman would that i’m sure you have no problem with), is the same thing the bible refers to? Same-sex RELATIONSHIPS are not all about sex, they have very little to do with the act of sex actually.
I know its hard to change your mind on something thats been so strongly taught for years. But the christian church has been wrong before, they have used the scripture to defend wrong actions before. How they treated women, slavery… We know that women aren’t just property. We don’t support slavery anymore. Why? Because its wrong and not loving. Jesus came to teach us how to love and what it means to follow God. Love God, love others. Jesus actually never said anything about homosexuality so you can’t quote Jesus’s opinion on it. What he did make clear though was that we needed to stop focusing on the laws and focus on loving your neighbor, loving the outcast, loving others more than yourself.
First, let me say, I’m not speaking on behalf of anyone’s words here, only my own and my own experiences of the last 67 years of life.
No matter what is said about the gay lifestyle, what I see that is most apparent is just how uninformed the majority of adults are as to what children are exposed to on a daily basis leading them to be in constant flux as to who they are, or not. When I say, “no idea”, this is not meant as if parents are not vigilant in attempting to keep abreast of al that is around them.
If you were to spend a week at a school in a very active LGBTQ+ (more variables than these) community, you might be surprised as to what is going on, what a child is subject to and why there is true confusion for some leading to a lot of discourse over a number of years.
Yes, I do have family and friends in this community. No, I do not preach or hate or what have you. I can only pray for each and every one and love them where they are at any given time.
There are far too many people choosing a life-style because of what they believe to be true. God is more often than not in the mix as many kids who have been raised in a Christian faith, often see God more as a list of rules and further attribute the rules to be composed by man. They do not see the Living Jesus in all of His love. Love not meaning “anything goes” because it’s how I “feel”, but, love being much, much more. Love often has the side many choose not to view because it doesn’t “feel” good. Love is richer and deeper than any sexual desire than one has and which shows love so skewed in our over romanticized, anything goes society.
Everyone wants to “feel good” about everything in life and that’s not going to be possible when God is not the center of one’s life. If sex and identity is the focus of one’s life, then, it’s often far more difficult to truly know who we are.
So, are some people born gay? Absolutely! But, so many are not and are making a “choice”. This is where it gets “fuzzy” for many kids. It’s not about Beth Moore or some Christian right wing group or what have you. When a parent of a child who says she is a transgender person who identifies herself as a male, dresses like a male and then, on her social media pages for “dating”, shows herself in sexy lace lingerie, because as a transgender she/he considers his/herself as a cross dresser, there is not one moment that one cannot help but wonder just how one comes to this.
When the parent of that child said, in regards to any monies for education going to a Christian/religious school (which they don’t), “I would not want my child exposed to any of that brain-washing, indoctrination”, I took pause. Because, at the school her child is attending, in a very large LBGTQ+ community, there is so much exposure and coaxing going on while mocking kids who are straight.
Watching as a few friends who have “switched” back to straight is just as confusing as watching neighbors who “used to be” gay, give up their lifestyles to “go straight” and live much different lives. Watching a friend marry a women who used to be gay, telling me some 30+ years ago, “I decided to go straight because women are just as bad as men can be”, was the beginning of a very eye-opening experience for me.
This woman had worked in a place where, oddly, all of the women in her dept. all teens at the time, figured out they were all gay. What are the odds? Many of them had never dated. Nearly all, as we later come to find out, were abused as young children or as teens. Many had alcoholism and some, violence in their families and were very shy, quiet young ladies who experienced more than any child or teen, let alone, adult, should need to deal with. These women became partners with each other and then with other women, many whom were just like them. Coming from families with multiple problems.
This is not the way this lifestyle comes to a child today. Today, it’s considered “normal” and kids from great families, who have learned that to be Christian is to be compassionate, have come to identify with those to whom they have learned to be compassionate towards.
I see no “answers”, but, I do see a great need for prayer. Prayer for our children as they are exposed to so much and they don’t come equipped with filters as the message of love has been broken down to be, anything goes. When statistics do not match a reality, even Science can tell you, something isn’t quite right.
Is your child really gay? I have no idea, but God does. When any of my gay friends, family or whoever, asks me if I accept them as gay, I always tell them that I love them. I don’t need to accept their lifestyle as it’s not my place to judge anyone. The only person they need to ask that question to is God, not anyone else.
The truth will always, ” … set you free … “. The most difficult place to get is to find that truth within ourselves without calling out others as to their intent or purpose. “Judge not lest ye be judged.”
Listen to what God is telling you. Our “feelings” are not a great filter. Because then we are in a place that is not where God is. He is not telling us, “If it feels good, do it.” He only asks that we choose Him. And in choosing Him, he asks us to leave everything else behind. For some, this will be a far greater challenge than for others. And, the only reason that will be a struggle is that so often, we want what WE want and to follow Christ may mean letting go. For others, there will be little to no struggle because their trust and belief in God is stronger than any human bondage of any kind.
So, just pray: pray for guidance, understanding, strength, all in following Him and what it is HE wants of us, for us, and for our loved ones. As this often differs from what any one of us may “want”, the truth is, when we choose Him over all else, truly choose Him, our burdens become His … “Let go, Let God”…
Loving the person is different than embracing their wrong life style. Jesus loved people but He did not defend their sin. You will never be able to change God’s word when He says that any homosexual act-the act not the person- is an abomination to Him. Defending out children is normal for any mother but that just does not change the truth. My heart goes out to you who hurt so much over the strong hold the devil has on your children and the deception he is working in your family.
Listening to what a theologian tells you, and suppressing what your child tells you, and what God may be saying through them, is not love.
Peggy, you said: “Loving the person is different than embracing their wrong life style.”
That is not the real decision to be made. It is a choice between loving your favorite theology, vs. loving your child as they really are.
Peggy, I once thought that was what the bible said too but when I studied it I discovered that there is nothing in scripture that says a loving, monogamous same sex relationship is a sin.
When I studied the verses in the old testament that use the word abomination I was surprised that the verses didn’t mean what I thought they did.
Here’s a link to a good piece that could help you get started on studying and understanding those verses if you are interested
http://religiondispatches.org/does-the-bible-really-call-homosexuality-an-abomination/
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You have misunderstood Beth Moore. She did not mention gay people in her statement. She said that the day has come when people will be deceived into believing that love is more important than belief in the Biblical Jesus. In other words we can disregard Jesus, be atheists even, but will be acceptable to God if we “love.” However God is the Source of love. He cannot be denied. What does this have to do with having a gay son? Of course you can love the Bible and Jesus and your son. It is “the goodness of God that leads to repentance.” May your love of your son and goodness to him lead him to Jesus! God loves him. God loves Bill Maher too, but don’t get your theology from him. Isn’t he an atheist?
Sara O. Jesus is the bible. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
These are classic examples of how good intentions often don’t translate into wise beliefs and actions. Let’s admit it, moms. We sometimes make the mistake of thinking that loving our kids means supporting them no matter what. That’s such a cliché. Just as there is a difference between just another guy and a father, there is also a difference between a woman whose claws come out in defense of her children almost like a reflex and a wise mother who is like a sage.
There is a reason why God exalted his word even above his name. You are only as good as your word. If your word is not truth, your name means nothing.
Setting the Bible aside in the name of “love” is a problem today. An appearance of godliness that denies the power (truth)of God is a problem. Thinking that we can just love and ignore God’s actual direction is wrong. I believe this is what Beth Moore was referring to. But why do you have to deny that homosexuality is a sin to be able to love someone in that sin? Do we deny that murder is wrong in order to love the person who committed the crime? Do we deny pornography is wrong in order to love the person trapped in it? The answer is no. Otherwise, what is salvation? Just an announcement? A new address slapped on the same old house?
The Word of God is clear and true AND the love of God for all people is just as clear. Think about it. Were you not walking in sin when God saved you? Did he not call you out of darkness? Was that not actually his love? Are you not grateful for that love? I do not doubt that you are. So then, Calling our children out of darkness is love?
If the truth of the gospel is not preached Fully & unashamedly, Then it lacks power and it brings about no salvation. I know we hate having to address hard things and we sometimes hate yielding our thoughts to Jesus’ thoughts, but this is what it means to serve the Lord. He is King & I will stand before him one day. Truth & love. They are not independent of one another.