Saturday, February 19, 2005

"Homey"sexuality and the Simpsons (and SpongeBob and the Bunny and Teletubbies and......)

Thank God for gay marriage.

I never thought I would say that, but I say it now. Why?

Because it signals the end of an era that has been fading for a long time. Regardless of how you feel about the issue, it is about time that the church learns that it does not run the World, or the USA, or even Springfield, USA.

We in the church have become embedded in our culture. Like reporters embedded with truth, when we become embedded we become enmeshed. We think we should run the country, legistlate appropriate lifestyles, and set the pace for the world around us. Jesus never intended any such thing. He ran from political and military power in order to become a teacher and a healer in some backwoods province in a politically weak third world country. Homosexuals get in bed with people of the same gender. The evangelical church gets embedded with military might, materialism, and the lust for power. Which is worse?

When did Christians get so invested with cartoons? Wouldn't the potential for an alternative lifestyle be evident for SpongeBob when you first meet him? If a bunny talking to a family with two mommies is going to effect who they screw when they get older, then maybe Daddy is spending too much time at the hardware store, and not enough time telling Bible stories to his little girl before she goes to bed.

If Christians are so invested in reaching children, why don't they put more money into making cartoons that make a difference?

Now the Simpsons. What are the Simpsons doing. Making fun of the whole situation. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Infact, the Simpsons are in fact prophetic. Because the longer followers of Jesus fixate on the sexual orientation of dolls, or the sexual message of cartoons, the more irrelevant it will become. More and more the church will be known for what it is for than what it is against.

Is homosexual behavior a sin? Yes. Are homosexual people worse people than I am? Of course not. Look at it this way: In counselor training we were once challenged with a question. Is it more important to you and to God that you are right or that you are loving? Although I desprately want to be both, when I leave this earth I would rather have a legacy that says, "he loved" than "I told you so".

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