"I figured a way out, a way to get rid of all the lesbians and queers, but I couldn't get it past the Congress ... Build a great big, large fence – 50 or a 100 miles long – and put all the lesbians in there ... Fly over and drop some food. Do the same thing with the queers and the homosexuals, and have that fence electrified so they can't get out. Feed them. And you know in a few years, they'll die out. You know why? They can't reproduce."
Charles Worley, pastor of Providence Road Baptist Church in North Carolina, uttered these words in his May 13th "sermon," and the video recording soon went viral on the Internet. Under normal circumstances I might be inclined to make a few cute remarks; maybe a few sarcastic comments. In this case, I am in no mood to mince words. This man has done nothing but demonstrate his abject and baseless bigotry for homosexuals. He has proven himself to be overflowing with hatred and I cannot consider these to be the words of a true Christian (or at the very least I have *serious* doubts about the present state of his soul based on his actions). He has shamed the name of Christ, and I pray that the Lord brings him swiftly to repentance from his hatred, bigotry, and idiocy.
There are no two ways about it, folks. The man is an ignorant fool and he has done immense harm to the reputation of Jesus Christ. Christians need to be outspoken against this and all who imitate him. I thank God that we have a government built on laws that prohibit the very kind of hateful Nazi-esque goals of Mr. Worley.
It is true that Christianity is incompatible with homosexuality, but Christians are required by holy Scripture to take a completely different approach than Mr. Worley in how we interact with and speak to the LGBT community. The reason being that Christianity is also incompatible with Mr. Worley's religion. Whatever religion he is promoting, that is not the same religion I belong to. The Apostle Peter offers some insight into how Christians should respond to the world:
13 Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; 16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. (1 Peter 3:13-17, NASB)
Verse 15 is surely one of the most well-known verses by Christians in the New Testament, yet the surrounding context offers invaluable insight into what Peter meant. He begins by making the point that if you do good no one will generally harm you, and even if you end up suffering for doing what is good then you are blessed. Only at this point does Peter venture into saying what he says in verse 15: "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence." The believer in the Lord must always be ready to offer a defense and an answer for the hope that is in him. Do I need to even add that Peter's point is a 180 degrees different direction than the views held by Pastor Worley? What do I mean? In a nut shell, that a defense of the Biblical understanding of marriage and human sexuality as designed by God is a logical and rational viewpoint. All Mr. Worley has done is blurt out a few unmeaningful, irrational and bigoted statements jumbled together in a single message.
How is the positive message of the defense for the hope that we have as Christians supposed to be delivered? "With gentleness and reverence." Mr. Worley was anything but gentle and reverent. In fact, the following verse was intended to warn Christians against the very behavior we saw in Mr. Worley: "and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame." Unfortunately for the pastor from North Carolina, as he faces criticism it could not properly be called slander because he is guilty of bigotry.
Where do Christians in our society fit into this discussion? First and foremost, very differently than how Charles Worley has decided to make his ridiculous contribution. We are ambassadors for the Lord Jesus Christ, and we are to love our fellow sinners by delivering our message with gentleness and reverence. If you count yourself a slave of Christ then you must not remain silent ... for two reasons: (1) out of love for God; and (2) out of love for fellow sinners. The Lord of the Universe had compassion on you and you ought to have compassion on your neighbor, your friends, your co-workers, and your family who have yet to experience the undeserving grace of Jesus Christ. We should pray for the unbelievers in our lives - that God might be merciful to them and grant repentance unto saving faith in Him, and that we might be instruments to preach the foolish message of the gospel of Christ to all people (including the homosexual community).
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