Your Christianity is different from my version, and mine is clearly the correct one. Here's some Bible verses and my interpretation of them, clearly showing my moral superiority. If you could change your faith and beliefs to fit mine, that would be in your best interests.
Also, couples who can't have children naturally don't deserve them.
No, two MEN who are practicing unnatural abomination of sexuality should not and cannot produce any children OR purchase them through surrogacy. Its evil and damages the kid who will have a gaping hole in his heart not ever meeting or knowing a motherly figure in his life (and any broken family for that matter. But homosexuality is a totally different manner becase its a Satanic setup to completely rebel against God. And its totally confusing for the kid). To state it bluntly, it's unnatural and Satanic. And its not about "the correct interpretation". It's the BIBLICAL ONE that has been held as self evident to Chrisfians for 2,000 years. Just like 1 Timothy 1:10 clearly states.
Tell me, Slavic, if the Bible is so obvious in its message, how that resulted in over 45,000 different denominations of Christianity who all claim to have the correct interpretation of a several thousand year old book written by hundreds of authors in various cultures over many hundreds of years?
And there it is, the “holier-than-thou-card” thrown to people who calls out what was needed to call out AS SCRIPTURE POINTS IT. If you have any problem with it, why don’t you bring it up to God Himself.
I was actually raised in evangelical Christianity where it was a considered a sin to be gay. When I hit puberty and realized I was attracted to the same sex, I spent years in tearful prayer, reading the Bible, trying to understand why God would give me those feelings if he was just going to send me to hell for them anyways.
I came to the understanding that the Bible could be interpreted in many ways, and my concept of unconditional love (which I had experienced) didn't match with what the church was telling me. I ended up choosing God over the church when I understood that it was entirely between me and God, and not something I needed to listen to the opinions of others on, no matter how pious they claimed to be.
So in answer to your comment, I have taken it up with God, and we're good. I let others believe what they want to believe, as long as I'm allowed to do the same.
I don't think God can be confined to a specific interpretation of a specific book. To me, that is pure arrogance.
God didn't give you those feelings Satan did. At that moment you gave into the feelings Satan rejoiced and God cried. Satan became victorious over your life.
It's not about what you think or don't think God said in his word. It's what his word very clearly says, and it's that homosexual relations are abominable. That is not open to interpretation, it is as clear as a crystal. It's what the open letter is about.
Period.
For what it's worth, gay people are not the only ones that struggle with immoral sexual desires. Straight men struggle with the desire, albeit at different intensities, to have sex with every attractive woman we see. Heck, some of us may even have the "moral" desire to have several beautiful "WIVES" and be "faithful" and loving to all of them.
Are we to blame or ask God why he gave us these desires? We CAN. We cannot hide the deepest, darkest thoughts in our hearts, but that doesn't mean we're going to justify our desires by making up the interpretation of the Bible that suits our desires.
And you can claim to be at peace with yourself as much as you want. You say you took it up with God and "you're good". Just because you stated your case and decided to stop listening to what his Word says, doesn't mean HE is good with your decision. So, if you're acting on your desires, know that God is patiently waiting for you to give them up for Him. As Jesus stated, we must deny ourselves, not justify our desires.
God doesn't give us feelings. To state that as truth what about the child molester? Did God give them those feelings? Or the serial killer? We all have feelings. Some lead us in a good direction and some lead to sin. YOU decide which way you want to go not God.
Did God not create us in his image? If feelings aren't from God then we can't be entirely his creation.
If God created everything, including us and our feelings, then they have to be from him. That's not to say we should act on every feeling we have, but we have to recognize that God is both the dark and the light because God is everything and created everything.
While scripture can be interpreted in a variety of ways, truth cannot and His doctrine cannot. Truth is truth and the Holy Spirit will bear witness of it, nothing else.
So you’re saying that your interpretation of scripture trumps my lived experience of God? That seems very arrogant. I’m happy God specifically chose you as one of the few to understand what God actually meant with his scripture, but the idea that you (and maybe a few of those that believe the same exact things you do) are above everyone else is catastrophically narcissistic
And there it is, the “holier-than-thou-card” thrown to people who calls out what was needed to call out AS SCRIPTURE POINTS IT. If you have any problem with it, why don’t you bring it up to God Himself.
Why didn't Owen? Why didn't Owen go to the Gaines' directly...you know...like Jesus told us to? I can answer that for you: Because those methods wouldn't get clicks, comments, and pats on the back
EXACTLY! I would add...why not just send this to them in an email or USPS? Why the Open Letter? Well aside from the obvious virtue signal and attention grab
Hi Lynn! I’m not actually a pastor— I wrote my comment as a satirical paraphrase of what the original essay said. I apologize if I came across as rude.
Your words bring this phrase to mind: “Everyone has the right to interpret Scripture, but no one has the right to misinterpret Scripture.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good.”
Oh perfect. So we’re still good with slavery then? Because slavery was justified by Scripture for hundreds, nearly thousands of years. We only just recently re-evaluated our stance on that. What decade in history are we going with our interpretation?
Look buddy I do not agree with the whole LGBT stuff I as a Christian find it disgusting. The problem I have with you is to say if a person can not have children naturally they do not deserve them. How dare you. You peice of crap!!!
He said a child should have the love of a mother. That the childs life will be altered. If you can't comprehend that then you're blind to the innate desires of an infant through childhood.
If this is truly your viewpoint, then I would ask if you personally know any families who are not of a traditional set. Do you know these destroyed children? Are these children still destroyed even if they had two loving and nurturing parents? These are actual questions. I believe Jesus would consider these people your neighbors, so do you know them? Have you shared a meal with them? Have you invited them into your home? I'm asking this because I know it is quite easy to point out wrongdoing and much harder to love the one we would judge.
As believers we ARE called to judge SIN. Jesus loved others but called them OUT of their sin. That's what he is doing. Chip and Joanna are lovely people but contributing to normalizing what the world says is "love", the Bible clearly notes as sin, we are called against that. Being ok with this is "luke-warm".
I’m so very proud of the Gaines for stepping into this. It was clearly a risk for them given the blow back. As a follower of Jesus for almost 50 years, I can honestly say that a persons sexuality is the very bottom of anything I would care about in their life. I have many Christian friends that are LGBTQ+ and am thankful for what they have taught me about the expanse of Gods Love and perseverance - they came to and endured faith being persecuted by the Pharisees of our age.
I’m completely supportive of “normalizing” loving, happy, caring families that nurture loving, secure, productive children. Frankly I don’t care how those families look- and I absolutely don’t understand you judging another family.
My suggestion is to throw away your purity yardstick. It’s what blocks people from Christ.
We disagree. The church shoots its wounded. We won’t agree on this. I respect your right to feel as you feel, and interpret scripture as you do. I stand on the other side equally committed. Stand in judgment if you want.
There is no misinterpretation that the only way to the Father is through Jesus. And we must repent and try to live a holy life as much as lieth in us. It has nothing to do with interpreting Scripture. That IS what the Bible says! I'm not interpreting it. The Bible says that sin keeps us from God. End of story.
“Even the demons believe and tremble; thus, believing in Jesus is not the same as being born again Christians.
Also, it’s far more important to be divided by truth than to be united by error. Jesus is the way the truth and the life and the Living Word. If He is the Living Word, and the only way to heaven, how can one then arbitrarily disregard portions of scripture they don’t like based on their own fleshly desires and still be a Christian? God is love, and He gave us Jesus who died on the cross, became a curse for us, and rose again to deliver us from sin, not to affirm or celebrate it or leave us unchanged. Salvation is a gift of grace, received through faith in Jesus Christ. Grace does not give license to sin but empowers Christians to live a transformed life in accordance with God's will. Christians may still struggle with sin, but the evidence of salvation is in a person's desire to turn away from sin and pursue holiness. The evidence of salvation lies not in self-declared religious activity or feelings, but in a transformed life that reflects the grace of God through genuine faith and obedience. True salvation results in a changed heart, evidenced by a love for God and His church, a desire to obey His commands, and a life that is increasingly conformed to the image of Christ.
If you see your neighbor's house on fire, true love would compel you to not only tell them to get out, but also to help them escape if necessary.
Similarly, it is not loving to ignore or condone someone's sin when you believe it is putting them in spiritual jeopardy.
Speaking the truth, even when it's uncomfortable, is a loving act because it aims to warn others about potential danger and help them avoid negative consequences.”
And one day You will have to answer to God for supporting your friends in their sinful lifestyle. Jesus told those in sin that they needed to repent and sin no more...His words, not mine. Nothing to misinterpret. You will answer for it.
Okay. I’m good with that. I’ll happily stand with my LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters. No problem. No shame. No guilt. I’ll trust the vastness of Love of God every single time.
In a spiritual sense, that’s like watching a blind person walk towards the edge of a cliff and refusing to warn them. Is that love? In this case, what’s worse is that you’re not only not warning them, you’ve claimed to have and know The Truth for over 50 years, and yet you’re willfully walking hand-in-hand with them towards the edge of the same cliff under the guise of love. It’s actually not love, it’s the opposite. At best, it’s compromise; at worst, it’s hate.
Love rejoices in truth. Jesus is the truth. He is also the Living Word. Your comments do not align with the Bible/Christ Himself.
In Matthew 6, He said: “If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” I pray that you will pray and meditate on that, study all of this out, and reevaluate your position. Does the Jesus you follow align with the Jesus of the Bible? Or have you created or followed a version of Him that contradicts scripture and the true Christ Himself? If the latter, you’ve created an idol.
Regardless of what anyone else may say or do pertaining to those struggling with this kind of bondage, the true Jesus of the Bible can heal them. He can deliver them. He can set them free. Truly. He’s already paid the price, but many reject Him, and comments like yours affirm and validate their rejection of Him. Only a false Jesus would “set them free” by insulating them from hearing the truth in love, the sting of conviction, the call to repent, deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him while allowing the Holy Spirit to TRULY transform their hearts and lives. Affirming their sin robs them of everything Jesus paid for on the cross for them. Don’t you see… love devoid of Truth is not love at all.
You have the right to wrong this side of eternity. Feelings are fickle and easily lead us astray. The truth of scripture is clear. We have free will to choose what we believe. Our choices have consequences.
Again, I am absolutely good with the consequences of my stand. I’ll trust in the Grace and Love of God over all this any day of the week.
And yet, one more time, I’ll say it: I did not post to convert anyone to my views. I simply wanted to give voice to another group of believers that were not represented in the comments.
Evangelicals are NOT the end all in faith today. There are lots of us that are faithfully living out our Christian faith, far from the rigid judgments of the Evangelical faith. THANKFULLY!
Ma’am, your comments have weighed heavily on my heart today. I find myself wondering—if someone asked you to share the gospel, how would you respond? Some of your remarks, whether intentional or not, contradict God’s Word, challenge Christ’s truth, and even dismiss the work of the Holy Spirit. My deepest prayer is that God would open your eyes and ears to His truth. If the Jesus you follow doesn’t align with Scripture, your eternal soul is at stake. I urge you to seek Him earnestly—not a version of Him molded by progressivism or social acceptance, but the true Christ, revealed in Scripture. We’re called to worship in spirit and truth, and I pray the Holy Spirit convicts your heart and draws you to that reality.
I say all this not to condemn but because I care deeply about your soul. The Jesus of Scripture is a Savior who meets us in our brokenness but never leaves us there—He transforms us. If what you believe doesn’t align with His Word, it’s not Him you’re following, and that terrifies me for you. But here’s the beautiful truth: No matter how far you’ve wandered, His grace is deeper still. So, I beg you—lay down anything that distorts His truth, and run to the real Jesus. I’ll be praying fervently that the Holy Spirit breaks through every barrier, not because I’m right, but because He is. And when you seek Him wholeheartedly, I promise—you will find Him. I pray He helps you surrender every idol, repent in faith, and build your life on the unshakable foundation of Jesus Christ—the Living Word.
Nicole, thank you for the tone of this note. I do appreciate that. One of the gifts of platforms like this is getting to interact with people you would never have the opportunity to in daily life. The limitation however is it’s very difficult to go deep into conversation.
(It is my practice to share the gospel, both in word and in my behavior. It’s imperfect, as I am. The Spirit intercedes…for God so loved the world…)
I suspect if we had the opportunity to have a weekly coffee date we would have some interesting conversations about theology and what living out our faith looks like.
As for now, I’ve spent 2 days attempting to open a window into another way of being a Christian - i have work to do and people to care for- so I’m going to leave this conversation. I don’t feel great about that. There’s much more that can be, and I think should be, discussed. However, I have a few responsibilities weighing in on me and I cannot give this online conversation the time it would require to be more than a sound bite.
I hope you can forgive me that piece. And thank you for pondering my words (and caring about my soul.)
Youre just supporting pure sin. You need to truly repent and get right with God. Homosexuality is an abomination to God and totally unnatural. You know it and they know it. The reason you're enjoying it and accepting it is because promoting LGBTQ is the last stage of a dying society and culture that has given a middle finger to God and His order. The order that brings LIFE not DEATH. Its not Pharasaical to stand on Truth and that Marriage is between One Man and One Woman not two men or two women or 3 men and 3 women, or a man and a robot machine "feme", etc...
You need to open up the Bible again and ask God to open your eyes to the deception you and your friends have been living with. You cannot be a true born again believer AND SAY gay sex is great and approved by God. You're a hypocrite and totally demonized by Satan's minions. Please get right with God before judgment day.
My dear, we all live in sin EVERY SINGLE DAY. And I’m completely comfortable with my stand. (And I don’t think it’s sin- so block me) Jesus hung out with and PROTECTED people on the margins of traditional “church “ life. That’s where I’ll be too. That is exactly what Grace is for. It’s very much like Acts 8:26-40.
You wouldn’t want me darkening the doors of your church and the good news for both of us, I wouldn’t. There are lots of believers that share the grace I’ve experienced and I kinda like hanging with them.
How sad that you decided to “be right” rather than extend Grace, kindness and try to build a relationship with someone different from you. Perhaps take the self righteousness out of your own eye before you go at someone else.
He didn't hang out with sinners...he visited and sometimes sat down for a meal with them. He in no way condoned their sinned and he never encouraged them to continue on in their sin. He did not "normalize" their sin. He told them to go and sin NO MORE! If we are capable of that, he wouldn't have told us to. Yes, we all sin to some extent, but at the end of the day, most of us repent and try not to do it again.
Yes. He hung out with the fringes to bring them into the fold. All sinners are welcomed with the words, "and sin no more"..
Yes, Jesus reached out to the least and absolutely rebuked sin.
And as for judging, the Bible specifically teaches the Christians are to help other Christians who may fall into sin get up and get out of that type of life.
And ANY change that comes is between the Spirit of God and the person who came to trust Jesus. It’s none of your beeswax. I trust God to determine whatever the work is.
I’ve been in churches where pastors had affairs with choir directors, elders stole money from old folks, youth pastors sexually assaulted those under their care, and young girls had abortions because they couldn’t face the shame of telling their parents they were pregnant. So if we’re going to talk about sin, the church has plenty of its own to go around- that’s among those “good believers” already welcomed in the community you are “protecting .”
Here’s the deal; the LGBTQ + people I know are living more faithful obedient Christian lives than a lot of heterosexual Christian people I know. They aren’t putting on a show or playing at faith.
Again, I’m VERY COMFORTABLE standing with them. I long ago abandoned turning a blind eye to the hidden hypocrisy or just pretending to be something I’m not.
Y’all don’t need to agree with me. You won’t convert me. If you are living your faith with kindness, gentleness and love; God bless you! It’s a struggle, I know. For everyone else, I’ve been around church too long. I see you. Nothing remains hidden.
Unfortunately, I would say where we disagree is on if it’s sin in the first place. Believe me, I have heard the prevailing stance for my entire 50 years in Christendom- I hear you. It’s not new to me. I simply completely disagree. For me it is very much like the Eunich in the Acts chapter 8 passage- Phillip didn’t hesitate, he didn’t require “purity.” The Ethiopian Eunich asked “What is to prevent me from being baptized?” Nothing. Nada. Zip. That’s the God I’m interested in following. I’m very comfortable letting God sort out the particulars. I don’t need a tidy box and I certainly don’t need to be “right” about this. I do feel a responsibility to be as kind as possible, to remove as many barriers as possible to Christ. Again, I will stand with my LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters every time. Id much rather err on the side of Grace. No hesitation.
It is my great hope that people of faith would respond with the kindness and grace their faith requires when we discuss these hard things. Our world would prefer to pidgin hole us and separate us. Make us angry- That might be why Jesus prayed for unity. It’s our deep challenge.
I agree on the kindness, the world could use a lot more of it. We fall short as Christians and we should strive to treat each other with the grace that Christ shows us, however being kind does not include validating sin and Gods word is clear on homosexuality. We also fall short on obedience and we like to shape Gods word to fit our wants and ideals and that is as wrong as being unkind. The one thing we can count on is consistency from our Lord, his word is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Unity is not something we sacrifice truth for.
I can only say not all scholars agree with you. Your points bring up the potential for some truly interesting conversations I would enjoy over a coffee… for say about a year.😉 We would likely never agree, but it might still be stimulating conversation.
You are also correct that we don’t need purity to come to Christ,but the moment we submit to him he will make us a new creation. We are called to be obedient and striving to live within Gods will is something we should do. Grace is not an excuse to continue living in the world.
I agree. And not only are we called to obedience, but as a new creation saved by grace through faith in Christ, the work of the Spirit produces a desire to… and not out of fear, but out of love. Essentially, our obedience is the fruit and proof of love.
You do not follow the same Jesus we do. The Father of lies comes to kill, steal and destroy. If you were truly following Jesus and had the Holy Spirit, He would be convicting you from that. You can love them all you want but if you are not confronting them in their sin to repent and be made new you are of the devil. Truth in love.
Ultimately, a person’s faith defines their OWN BELIEFS AND BEHAVIORS-
YOUR beliefs do not in any way determine my beliefs or behaviors. I trust the Spirit of God to reveal ways to for me live out my faith and the kingdom of God daily. Feed the poor, care for the immigrants, see to the widows and homeless.
To walk humbly, love completely and live differently (Micah 6:8) from the world. I’m good making that my quest.
On this thread, I simply didn’t want the hating and Gaines bashing to stand without a pushback. Not everyone feels as you do. And we ARE believers.
Kathleen, as a fallen man I admit that I sin, probably on a daily basis. Where we disagree is that when it comes to my sin, I try to change it. Sometimes I am successful and sometimes it takes a little time for me to figure it out.The difference is I am not openly trying to convince others to accept my sinful ways as acceptable and even encouraging others to normalize it. I am thankful that I serve a God who loves me enough to want me to be sin free and it is clear to me that when I am out of fellowship with the Lord that I have things in my life coming between us. Everyone always uses let him without sin cast the first stone, but forget the go and sin so more part.
Fallen angels, demons, and even Satan himself are believers - they know who Jesus is. But they are promosed an eternity of perpetual death. They don't follow God's Word, and they convice others to call evil, good and good, evil. Might be time for a reevaluation of where you want to spend eternity. It doesnt sound like you are following God's Word. The Spirit of Truth wouldn't guide you this way. God called homosexuality a sin. His Word, not ours. You can call an apple and orange, but that doesn't make it so. And no hate here, just because I don't agree with you.
Suzanne, I’ve actually left this thread- but because of the intensity of your posts I do feel compelled to this reply:
Do you have you all your limbs and both eyes? In Matthew 18 Jesus himself clearly addresses this. So let’s not go toe to toe using scripture as a baseball bat to whoop on other believers, leaving bloodied and bruised children of God littered about. It’s an exercise in futility. I am not here to convert you. You won’t convert me. We will not agree on this. While unfortunate, not exceptional. People used to have this same intensity about divorce and children born out of wedlock - to name a few.
I am completely at peace with my stand. You are responsible for YOUR belief system, NOT mine. (Thankfully!!!)
Be at peace knowing I am at completely comfortable standing before a God of Love, Grace and Mercy… Just As I Am.
I guess you forgot, or have never read Romans 1:18-32, YOU are the person scripture is speaking of in verse 32, where it says, "that those who are practicing such things, and those who ARE IN AGREEMENT with these things will also be condemned." You should fear God more than appeasing people. There is a Narrow Gate to get into heaven for a reason, and you are on the wide road that leads to destruction as the Bible says. You are the type of Christian who THINKS they're Christian, who THINKS they're on their way to heaven, but we cannot be in agreement with sin, we are to hate what God hates, not that we hate the person, but the sin they are in. There's no such thing as a gay Christian, an adulterous Christian, or a Christian rapist, those are all sins and God hates them all. Repent and get right with God before it's too late. The time is short.
You can"normalize" it all you want. You have free will. You are still siding with what Satan created and calling it love and normal. The bible is very clear on a man lying with another man. It's a sin and who's the father of sinful nature none other than Satan. It's basic stuff not hard to comprehend. You can call yourself a 50 year Christain make no mistake you're condoning sin. You will be judged for doing so. You can love the sinner but you must oppose the sin.
Rachel, something we agree on: We do not follow the same Jesus.
You are not the first person to say I’m of the devil. It’s the same tired argument again and again with difficult topics. I wonder why being “right” is so important? Why annihilating another is an acceptable response to experiencing and studying scripture through a different lens? Why there’s no curiosity about how I got here? Why judgement and anger are the knee jerk response? I suspect there will be a lot of surprised people in heaven when they find out Gods grace covers us troublesome, difficult Christians too.
Again, I will continue to attempt to clothe myself in the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self control.
I support your right to have your beliefs. I’m not trying to convert you to my thinking. However, once again, your belief system does not give you the right to tell me what to believe. I get to determine and live out my own belief system. The good news for you is that I answer for my beliefs, not you. You should rejoice in that. (I am thankful not to answer for your beliefs. ) I trust God to be big enough to hold it all.
Again, my entire point of posting on this thread was to give voice to the other side of the Gaines bashing posts that were prevalent. There are many, many Jesus followers that see this differently. I’m not alone. You just don’t know we are out there.
You completely misunderstood me. I’m not interested in appeasing anyone. You have no idea what my faith journey has been, how I’ve seen God work or what God has done in my life. For the record, again, I actually believe they are not sinning. I know that is irrational and sinful to you. So be it. I don’t care what you think of me. I’m good with God and that’s what matters. Call me a sinner, the devil, whatever 🙄. I’ve been called worse. I trust God completely. You don’t have to understand it.
And.
My personal experience with evangelical Christian’s is they ALWAYS hate the sinner. That sin/sinner stuff doesn’t pan out well in real life.
As an aside, if this was about appeasing people I would be standing with you folks. As you can see in the comments on this very thread, for me to move from your views to mine has been costly and made me an outsider to traditional Christendom. I did not make this move lightly but prayerfully. I am in no way “appeasing people” with my stand.
Lovingly well spoken. I hope they read this. I was so excited when I first saw previews for this show, I watched a similar PBS show in high school and loved it and still think about it from time to time. Thought it would be great to watch this new version with my own children but was quickly disappointed when I realized there was a gay couple featured as one of the “normal” families. I am saddened that Chip and Jo have seemingly fallen for progressive “Christianity”.
Very well written. I happened to see episode 1 recently and was dismayed to see a gay couple featured. Praying for you, Chip and Joanna and the decisions you need to make.
Beautifully stated, Owen - well done! You lovingly presented the truth as outlined in the word of God. Praying that it doesn’t fall on deaf ears.
My man. Good work.
Amen Virgil!!!
Why do you support a Ukraine hating, Jew hating, Russia loving, Iran loving POS?
You got so perfect husband.coungratulations.
Dear celebrity couple I've never met before,
Your Christianity is different from my version, and mine is clearly the correct one. Here's some Bible verses and my interpretation of them, clearly showing my moral superiority. If you could change your faith and beliefs to fit mine, that would be in your best interests.
Also, couples who can't have children naturally don't deserve them.
Thanks,
Self-Righteous Pastor
No, two MEN who are practicing unnatural abomination of sexuality should not and cannot produce any children OR purchase them through surrogacy. Its evil and damages the kid who will have a gaping hole in his heart not ever meeting or knowing a motherly figure in his life (and any broken family for that matter. But homosexuality is a totally different manner becase its a Satanic setup to completely rebel against God. And its totally confusing for the kid). To state it bluntly, it's unnatural and Satanic. And its not about "the correct interpretation". It's the BIBLICAL ONE that has been held as self evident to Chrisfians for 2,000 years. Just like 1 Timothy 1:10 clearly states.
Tell me, Slavic, if the Bible is so obvious in its message, how that resulted in over 45,000 different denominations of Christianity who all claim to have the correct interpretation of a several thousand year old book written by hundreds of authors in various cultures over many hundreds of years?
Garygruber, I respectfully disagree.
the only correct interpretation of the bible is the Catholic Church. All other forms of Christianity are heresies.
And there it is, the “holier-than-thou-card” thrown to people who calls out what was needed to call out AS SCRIPTURE POINTS IT. If you have any problem with it, why don’t you bring it up to God Himself.
Hi Anji,
I was actually raised in evangelical Christianity where it was a considered a sin to be gay. When I hit puberty and realized I was attracted to the same sex, I spent years in tearful prayer, reading the Bible, trying to understand why God would give me those feelings if he was just going to send me to hell for them anyways.
I came to the understanding that the Bible could be interpreted in many ways, and my concept of unconditional love (which I had experienced) didn't match with what the church was telling me. I ended up choosing God over the church when I understood that it was entirely between me and God, and not something I needed to listen to the opinions of others on, no matter how pious they claimed to be.
So in answer to your comment, I have taken it up with God, and we're good. I let others believe what they want to believe, as long as I'm allowed to do the same.
I don't think God can be confined to a specific interpretation of a specific book. To me, that is pure arrogance.
-Stephen
God didn't give you those feelings Satan did. At that moment you gave into the feelings Satan rejoiced and God cried. Satan became victorious over your life.
"I don't think God...."
It's not about what you think or don't think God said in his word. It's what his word very clearly says, and it's that homosexual relations are abominable. That is not open to interpretation, it is as clear as a crystal. It's what the open letter is about.
Period.
For what it's worth, gay people are not the only ones that struggle with immoral sexual desires. Straight men struggle with the desire, albeit at different intensities, to have sex with every attractive woman we see. Heck, some of us may even have the "moral" desire to have several beautiful "WIVES" and be "faithful" and loving to all of them.
Are we to blame or ask God why he gave us these desires? We CAN. We cannot hide the deepest, darkest thoughts in our hearts, but that doesn't mean we're going to justify our desires by making up the interpretation of the Bible that suits our desires.
And you can claim to be at peace with yourself as much as you want. You say you took it up with God and "you're good". Just because you stated your case and decided to stop listening to what his Word says, doesn't mean HE is good with your decision. So, if you're acting on your desires, know that God is patiently waiting for you to give them up for Him. As Jesus stated, we must deny ourselves, not justify our desires.
God doesn't give us feelings. To state that as truth what about the child molester? Did God give them those feelings? Or the serial killer? We all have feelings. Some lead us in a good direction and some lead to sin. YOU decide which way you want to go not God.
Did God not create us in his image? If feelings aren't from God then we can't be entirely his creation.
If God created everything, including us and our feelings, then they have to be from him. That's not to say we should act on every feeling we have, but we have to recognize that God is both the dark and the light because God is everything and created everything.
I am very glad you're good with God, truly.
While scripture can be interpreted in a variety of ways, truth cannot and His doctrine cannot. Truth is truth and the Holy Spirit will bear witness of it, nothing else.
So you’re saying that your interpretation of scripture trumps my lived experience of God? That seems very arrogant. I’m happy God specifically chose you as one of the few to understand what God actually meant with his scripture, but the idea that you (and maybe a few of those that believe the same exact things you do) are above everyone else is catastrophically narcissistic
And there it is, the “holier-than-thou-card” thrown to people who calls out what was needed to call out AS SCRIPTURE POINTS IT. If you have any problem with it, why don’t you bring it up to God Himself.
Why didn't Owen? Why didn't Owen go to the Gaines' directly...you know...like Jesus told us to? I can answer that for you: Because those methods wouldn't get clicks, comments, and pats on the back
EXACTLY! I would add...why not just send this to them in an email or USPS? Why the Open Letter? Well aside from the obvious virtue signal and attention grab
You obviously didn’t read the whole thing…
What part did I miss?
Wow! How rude can you be?!?!
I’m glad you are not my pastor!
Wow! How rude can you be?!?!
I’m glad you are not my pastor!
Hi Lynn! I’m not actually a pastor— I wrote my comment as a satirical paraphrase of what the original essay said. I apologize if I came across as rude.
That is not at all what this was. This was someone thoughtfully, reaching out to share what is in their heart.
Your words bring this phrase to mind: “Everyone has the right to interpret Scripture, but no one has the right to misinterpret Scripture.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good.”
Oh perfect. So we’re still good with slavery then? Because slavery was justified by Scripture for hundreds, nearly thousands of years. We only just recently re-evaluated our stance on that. What decade in history are we going with our interpretation?
Look buddy I do not agree with the whole LGBT stuff I as a Christian find it disgusting. The problem I have with you is to say if a person can not have children naturally they do not deserve them. How dare you. You peice of crap!!!
He said a child should have the love of a mother. That the childs life will be altered. If you can't comprehend that then you're blind to the innate desires of an infant through childhood.
Wow! How rude can you be?!?!
I’m glad you are not my pastor!
If this is truly your viewpoint, then I would ask if you personally know any families who are not of a traditional set. Do you know these destroyed children? Are these children still destroyed even if they had two loving and nurturing parents? These are actual questions. I believe Jesus would consider these people your neighbors, so do you know them? Have you shared a meal with them? Have you invited them into your home? I'm asking this because I know it is quite easy to point out wrongdoing and much harder to love the one we would judge.
As believers we ARE called to judge SIN. Jesus loved others but called them OUT of their sin. That's what he is doing. Chip and Joanna are lovely people but contributing to normalizing what the world says is "love", the Bible clearly notes as sin, we are called against that. Being ok with this is "luke-warm".
I’m so very proud of the Gaines for stepping into this. It was clearly a risk for them given the blow back. As a follower of Jesus for almost 50 years, I can honestly say that a persons sexuality is the very bottom of anything I would care about in their life. I have many Christian friends that are LGBTQ+ and am thankful for what they have taught me about the expanse of Gods Love and perseverance - they came to and endured faith being persecuted by the Pharisees of our age.
I’m completely supportive of “normalizing” loving, happy, caring families that nurture loving, secure, productive children. Frankly I don’t care how those families look- and I absolutely don’t understand you judging another family.
My suggestion is to throw away your purity yardstick. It’s what blocks people from Christ.
What blocks people from Christ is sin...pure and simple.
Monica, your comment is simple yet the most profound!
And, it
speaks truth.
We disagree. The church shoots its wounded. We won’t agree on this. I respect your right to feel as you feel, and interpret scripture as you do. I stand on the other side equally committed. Stand in judgment if you want.
There is no misinterpretation that the only way to the Father is through Jesus. And we must repent and try to live a holy life as much as lieth in us. It has nothing to do with interpreting Scripture. That IS what the Bible says! I'm not interpreting it. The Bible says that sin keeps us from God. End of story.
“Even the demons believe and tremble; thus, believing in Jesus is not the same as being born again Christians.
Also, it’s far more important to be divided by truth than to be united by error. Jesus is the way the truth and the life and the Living Word. If He is the Living Word, and the only way to heaven, how can one then arbitrarily disregard portions of scripture they don’t like based on their own fleshly desires and still be a Christian? God is love, and He gave us Jesus who died on the cross, became a curse for us, and rose again to deliver us from sin, not to affirm or celebrate it or leave us unchanged. Salvation is a gift of grace, received through faith in Jesus Christ. Grace does not give license to sin but empowers Christians to live a transformed life in accordance with God's will. Christians may still struggle with sin, but the evidence of salvation is in a person's desire to turn away from sin and pursue holiness. The evidence of salvation lies not in self-declared religious activity or feelings, but in a transformed life that reflects the grace of God through genuine faith and obedience. True salvation results in a changed heart, evidenced by a love for God and His church, a desire to obey His commands, and a life that is increasingly conformed to the image of Christ.
If you see your neighbor's house on fire, true love would compel you to not only tell them to get out, but also to help them escape if necessary.
Similarly, it is not loving to ignore or condone someone's sin when you believe it is putting them in spiritual jeopardy.
Speaking the truth, even when it's uncomfortable, is a loving act because it aims to warn others about potential danger and help them avoid negative consequences.”
And one day You will have to answer to God for supporting your friends in their sinful lifestyle. Jesus told those in sin that they needed to repent and sin no more...His words, not mine. Nothing to misinterpret. You will answer for it.
Okay. I’m good with that. I’ll happily stand with my LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters. No problem. No shame. No guilt. I’ll trust the vastness of Love of God every single time.
In a spiritual sense, that’s like watching a blind person walk towards the edge of a cliff and refusing to warn them. Is that love? In this case, what’s worse is that you’re not only not warning them, you’ve claimed to have and know The Truth for over 50 years, and yet you’re willfully walking hand-in-hand with them towards the edge of the same cliff under the guise of love. It’s actually not love, it’s the opposite. At best, it’s compromise; at worst, it’s hate.
I’m sorry you feel that way. I’m secure with my faith and my stand. I trust God to reveal what needs to be revealed to me. I’ll pray for you.
Love rejoices in truth. Jesus is the truth. He is also the Living Word. Your comments do not align with the Bible/Christ Himself.
In Matthew 6, He said: “If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” I pray that you will pray and meditate on that, study all of this out, and reevaluate your position. Does the Jesus you follow align with the Jesus of the Bible? Or have you created or followed a version of Him that contradicts scripture and the true Christ Himself? If the latter, you’ve created an idol.
Regardless of what anyone else may say or do pertaining to those struggling with this kind of bondage, the true Jesus of the Bible can heal them. He can deliver them. He can set them free. Truly. He’s already paid the price, but many reject Him, and comments like yours affirm and validate their rejection of Him. Only a false Jesus would “set them free” by insulating them from hearing the truth in love, the sting of conviction, the call to repent, deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him while allowing the Holy Spirit to TRULY transform their hearts and lives. Affirming their sin robs them of everything Jesus paid for on the cross for them. Don’t you see… love devoid of Truth is not love at all.
I completely disagree
You have the right to wrong this side of eternity. Feelings are fickle and easily lead us astray. The truth of scripture is clear. We have free will to choose what we believe. Our choices have consequences.
Again, I am absolutely good with the consequences of my stand. I’ll trust in the Grace and Love of God over all this any day of the week.
And yet, one more time, I’ll say it: I did not post to convert anyone to my views. I simply wanted to give voice to another group of believers that were not represented in the comments.
Evangelicals are NOT the end all in faith today. There are lots of us that are faithfully living out our Christian faith, far from the rigid judgments of the Evangelical faith. THANKFULLY!
Ma’am, your comments have weighed heavily on my heart today. I find myself wondering—if someone asked you to share the gospel, how would you respond? Some of your remarks, whether intentional or not, contradict God’s Word, challenge Christ’s truth, and even dismiss the work of the Holy Spirit. My deepest prayer is that God would open your eyes and ears to His truth. If the Jesus you follow doesn’t align with Scripture, your eternal soul is at stake. I urge you to seek Him earnestly—not a version of Him molded by progressivism or social acceptance, but the true Christ, revealed in Scripture. We’re called to worship in spirit and truth, and I pray the Holy Spirit convicts your heart and draws you to that reality.
I say all this not to condemn but because I care deeply about your soul. The Jesus of Scripture is a Savior who meets us in our brokenness but never leaves us there—He transforms us. If what you believe doesn’t align with His Word, it’s not Him you’re following, and that terrifies me for you. But here’s the beautiful truth: No matter how far you’ve wandered, His grace is deeper still. So, I beg you—lay down anything that distorts His truth, and run to the real Jesus. I’ll be praying fervently that the Holy Spirit breaks through every barrier, not because I’m right, but because He is. And when you seek Him wholeheartedly, I promise—you will find Him. I pray He helps you surrender every idol, repent in faith, and build your life on the unshakable foundation of Jesus Christ—the Living Word.
Nicole, thank you for the tone of this note. I do appreciate that. One of the gifts of platforms like this is getting to interact with people you would never have the opportunity to in daily life. The limitation however is it’s very difficult to go deep into conversation.
(It is my practice to share the gospel, both in word and in my behavior. It’s imperfect, as I am. The Spirit intercedes…for God so loved the world…)
I suspect if we had the opportunity to have a weekly coffee date we would have some interesting conversations about theology and what living out our faith looks like.
As for now, I’ve spent 2 days attempting to open a window into another way of being a Christian - i have work to do and people to care for- so I’m going to leave this conversation. I don’t feel great about that. There’s much more that can be, and I think should be, discussed. However, I have a few responsibilities weighing in on me and I cannot give this online conversation the time it would require to be more than a sound bite.
I hope you can forgive me that piece. And thank you for pondering my words (and caring about my soul.)
Kathleen
How do you interpret that man shall not lie with mankind as he does with a woman?
I am leaving this thread, but did want to respond to this :
I deal with it the same way you deal with Matthew 18:8-9.
Youre just supporting pure sin. You need to truly repent and get right with God. Homosexuality is an abomination to God and totally unnatural. You know it and they know it. The reason you're enjoying it and accepting it is because promoting LGBTQ is the last stage of a dying society and culture that has given a middle finger to God and His order. The order that brings LIFE not DEATH. Its not Pharasaical to stand on Truth and that Marriage is between One Man and One Woman not two men or two women or 3 men and 3 women, or a man and a robot machine "feme", etc...
You need to open up the Bible again and ask God to open your eyes to the deception you and your friends have been living with. You cannot be a true born again believer AND SAY gay sex is great and approved by God. You're a hypocrite and totally demonized by Satan's minions. Please get right with God before judgment day.
My dear, we all live in sin EVERY SINGLE DAY. And I’m completely comfortable with my stand. (And I don’t think it’s sin- so block me) Jesus hung out with and PROTECTED people on the margins of traditional “church “ life. That’s where I’ll be too. That is exactly what Grace is for. It’s very much like Acts 8:26-40.
You wouldn’t want me darkening the doors of your church and the good news for both of us, I wouldn’t. There are lots of believers that share the grace I’ve experienced and I kinda like hanging with them.
How sad that you decided to “be right” rather than extend Grace, kindness and try to build a relationship with someone different from you. Perhaps take the self righteousness out of your own eye before you go at someone else.
He didn't hang out with sinners...he visited and sometimes sat down for a meal with them. He in no way condoned their sinned and he never encouraged them to continue on in their sin. He did not "normalize" their sin. He told them to go and sin NO MORE! If we are capable of that, he wouldn't have told us to. Yes, we all sin to some extent, but at the end of the day, most of us repent and try not to do it again.
Yes. He hung out with the fringes to bring them into the fold. All sinners are welcomed with the words, "and sin no more"..
Yes, Jesus reached out to the least and absolutely rebuked sin.
And as for judging, the Bible specifically teaches the Christians are to help other Christians who may fall into sin get up and get out of that type of life.
Jesus said come as you are, not stay as you are
And ANY change that comes is between the Spirit of God and the person who came to trust Jesus. It’s none of your beeswax. I trust God to determine whatever the work is.
I’ve been in churches where pastors had affairs with choir directors, elders stole money from old folks, youth pastors sexually assaulted those under their care, and young girls had abortions because they couldn’t face the shame of telling their parents they were pregnant. So if we’re going to talk about sin, the church has plenty of its own to go around- that’s among those “good believers” already welcomed in the community you are “protecting .”
Here’s the deal; the LGBTQ + people I know are living more faithful obedient Christian lives than a lot of heterosexual Christian people I know. They aren’t putting on a show or playing at faith.
Again, I’m VERY COMFORTABLE standing with them. I long ago abandoned turning a blind eye to the hidden hypocrisy or just pretending to be something I’m not.
Y’all don’t need to agree with me. You won’t convert me. If you are living your faith with kindness, gentleness and love; God bless you! It’s a struggle, I know. For everyone else, I’ve been around church too long. I see you. Nothing remains hidden.
Amen
Inyour interpretation of scripture.
Thank you for the very civil conversation Mike.
Unfortunately, I would say where we disagree is on if it’s sin in the first place. Believe me, I have heard the prevailing stance for my entire 50 years in Christendom- I hear you. It’s not new to me. I simply completely disagree. For me it is very much like the Eunich in the Acts chapter 8 passage- Phillip didn’t hesitate, he didn’t require “purity.” The Ethiopian Eunich asked “What is to prevent me from being baptized?” Nothing. Nada. Zip. That’s the God I’m interested in following. I’m very comfortable letting God sort out the particulars. I don’t need a tidy box and I certainly don’t need to be “right” about this. I do feel a responsibility to be as kind as possible, to remove as many barriers as possible to Christ. Again, I will stand with my LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters every time. Id much rather err on the side of Grace. No hesitation.
It is my great hope that people of faith would respond with the kindness and grace their faith requires when we discuss these hard things. Our world would prefer to pidgin hole us and separate us. Make us angry- That might be why Jesus prayed for unity. It’s our deep challenge.
I agree on the kindness, the world could use a lot more of it. We fall short as Christians and we should strive to treat each other with the grace that Christ shows us, however being kind does not include validating sin and Gods word is clear on homosexuality. We also fall short on obedience and we like to shape Gods word to fit our wants and ideals and that is as wrong as being unkind. The one thing we can count on is consistency from our Lord, his word is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Unity is not something we sacrifice truth for.
I can only say not all scholars agree with you. Your points bring up the potential for some truly interesting conversations I would enjoy over a coffee… for say about a year.😉 We would likely never agree, but it might still be stimulating conversation.
You are also correct that we don’t need purity to come to Christ,but the moment we submit to him he will make us a new creation. We are called to be obedient and striving to live within Gods will is something we should do. Grace is not an excuse to continue living in the world.
I agree. And not only are we called to obedience, but as a new creation saved by grace through faith in Christ, the work of the Spirit produces a desire to… and not out of fear, but out of love. Essentially, our obedience is the fruit and proof of love.
You do not follow the same Jesus we do. The Father of lies comes to kill, steal and destroy. If you were truly following Jesus and had the Holy Spirit, He would be convicting you from that. You can love them all you want but if you are not confronting them in their sin to repent and be made new you are of the devil. Truth in love.
Amen Rachel
Ultimately, a person’s faith defines their OWN BELIEFS AND BEHAVIORS-
YOUR beliefs do not in any way determine my beliefs or behaviors. I trust the Spirit of God to reveal ways to for me live out my faith and the kingdom of God daily. Feed the poor, care for the immigrants, see to the widows and homeless.
To walk humbly, love completely and live differently (Micah 6:8) from the world. I’m good making that my quest.
On this thread, I simply didn’t want the hating and Gaines bashing to stand without a pushback. Not everyone feels as you do. And we ARE believers.
Kathleen, as a fallen man I admit that I sin, probably on a daily basis. Where we disagree is that when it comes to my sin, I try to change it. Sometimes I am successful and sometimes it takes a little time for me to figure it out.The difference is I am not openly trying to convince others to accept my sinful ways as acceptable and even encouraging others to normalize it. I am thankful that I serve a God who loves me enough to want me to be sin free and it is clear to me that when I am out of fellowship with the Lord that I have things in my life coming between us. Everyone always uses let him without sin cast the first stone, but forget the go and sin so more part.
Fallen angels, demons, and even Satan himself are believers - they know who Jesus is. But they are promosed an eternity of perpetual death. They don't follow God's Word, and they convice others to call evil, good and good, evil. Might be time for a reevaluation of where you want to spend eternity. It doesnt sound like you are following God's Word. The Spirit of Truth wouldn't guide you this way. God called homosexuality a sin. His Word, not ours. You can call an apple and orange, but that doesn't make it so. And no hate here, just because I don't agree with you.
Suzanne, I’ve actually left this thread- but because of the intensity of your posts I do feel compelled to this reply:
Do you have you all your limbs and both eyes? In Matthew 18 Jesus himself clearly addresses this. So let’s not go toe to toe using scripture as a baseball bat to whoop on other believers, leaving bloodied and bruised children of God littered about. It’s an exercise in futility. I am not here to convert you. You won’t convert me. We will not agree on this. While unfortunate, not exceptional. People used to have this same intensity about divorce and children born out of wedlock - to name a few.
I am completely at peace with my stand. You are responsible for YOUR belief system, NOT mine. (Thankfully!!!)
Be at peace knowing I am at completely comfortable standing before a God of Love, Grace and Mercy… Just As I Am.
I guess you forgot, or have never read Romans 1:18-32, YOU are the person scripture is speaking of in verse 32, where it says, "that those who are practicing such things, and those who ARE IN AGREEMENT with these things will also be condemned." You should fear God more than appeasing people. There is a Narrow Gate to get into heaven for a reason, and you are on the wide road that leads to destruction as the Bible says. You are the type of Christian who THINKS they're Christian, who THINKS they're on their way to heaven, but we cannot be in agreement with sin, we are to hate what God hates, not that we hate the person, but the sin they are in. There's no such thing as a gay Christian, an adulterous Christian, or a Christian rapist, those are all sins and God hates them all. Repent and get right with God before it's too late. The time is short.
You can"normalize" it all you want. You have free will. You are still siding with what Satan created and calling it love and normal. The bible is very clear on a man lying with another man. It's a sin and who's the father of sinful nature none other than Satan. It's basic stuff not hard to comprehend. You can call yourself a 50 year Christain make no mistake you're condoning sin. You will be judged for doing so. You can love the sinner but you must oppose the sin.
Rachel, something we agree on: We do not follow the same Jesus.
You are not the first person to say I’m of the devil. It’s the same tired argument again and again with difficult topics. I wonder why being “right” is so important? Why annihilating another is an acceptable response to experiencing and studying scripture through a different lens? Why there’s no curiosity about how I got here? Why judgement and anger are the knee jerk response? I suspect there will be a lot of surprised people in heaven when they find out Gods grace covers us troublesome, difficult Christians too.
Again, I will continue to attempt to clothe myself in the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self control.
I support your right to have your beliefs. I’m not trying to convert you to my thinking. However, once again, your belief system does not give you the right to tell me what to believe. I get to determine and live out my own belief system. The good news for you is that I answer for my beliefs, not you. You should rejoice in that. (I am thankful not to answer for your beliefs. ) I trust God to be big enough to hold it all.
Again, my entire point of posting on this thread was to give voice to the other side of the Gaines bashing posts that were prevalent. There are many, many Jesus followers that see this differently. I’m not alone. You just don’t know we are out there.
You completely misunderstood me. I’m not interested in appeasing anyone. You have no idea what my faith journey has been, how I’ve seen God work or what God has done in my life. For the record, again, I actually believe they are not sinning. I know that is irrational and sinful to you. So be it. I don’t care what you think of me. I’m good with God and that’s what matters. Call me a sinner, the devil, whatever 🙄. I’ve been called worse. I trust God completely. You don’t have to understand it.
And.
My personal experience with evangelical Christian’s is they ALWAYS hate the sinner. That sin/sinner stuff doesn’t pan out well in real life.
As an aside, if this was about appeasing people I would be standing with you folks. As you can see in the comments on this very thread, for me to move from your views to mine has been costly and made me an outsider to traditional Christendom. I did not make this move lightly but prayerfully. I am in no way “appeasing people” with my stand.
You have certainly scolded me appropriately. Consider it a job well done.
I still stand where I stand.
Well done. Let us know if you get a response. I would love to hear what they say. You have definitely spoken truth in love.
Lovingly well spoken. I hope they read this. I was so excited when I first saw previews for this show, I watched a similar PBS show in high school and loved it and still think about it from time to time. Thought it would be great to watch this new version with my own children but was quickly disappointed when I realized there was a gay couple featured as one of the “normal” families. I am saddened that Chip and Jo have seemingly fallen for progressive “Christianity”.
That was written so well.. Praise God..
Well said, Owen & thank you for doing this.I am praying Chip & Joanna will confess & repent.
Thank you for writing this letter. We agree!
I agree. Change-order, please.
Well said! Amen
Very well written. I happened to see episode 1 recently and was dismayed to see a gay couple featured. Praying for you, Chip and Joanna and the decisions you need to make.
Very well written and totally necessary. Thank you for stepping out.
Very well written. And I agree.
Well said. Rock solid principle. God is holy and He is not mocked.
Amen!!
Well said ❤️