No Pride

The Bible, I believe, calls us to be compassionate and civil people, firm in our convictions, which
includes how we approach others, making sure we are reflecting Christ's character. 1st Peter 3 says:
8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;
9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

It is very easy to be reactionary in our culture today.  Anger that is directed toward Christians has the potential to yield a similar response.  But, that's not the way the Scriptures teach, and we have the power to bless, even when we are not being blessed, or perhaps when we are being "blessed out." When we are in an adversarial situation or find ourselves in a disagreement with the temperatures rising, we can depend on the Lord to provide clarity, compassion, and a cool demeanor.

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It can be rather difficult to navigate this culture, especially when people of faith generally are being mischaracterized as being less than cooperative.  Colossians 3 offers us a great template for living
compassionate, Christ-reflecting lives:
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

The question of new laws allegedly protecting LGBT individuals was put to survey participants by Gallup recently, and according to this survey, it appears Americans are split on two issues concerning sexual orientation and gender identity: whether or not there should be any laws reducing gay individuals from what is termed "discrimination" and whether or not transgender individuals should use the restroom corresponding to their gender, according to biology, or their supposed "gender identity."

Regarding the question about whether or not new civil rights laws are needed to protect LGBT individuals, the Gallup summary states that: "Fifty-one percent of U.S. adults say such laws are needed, while 46% say they are not."  A CNSNews.com story gives this summary about some of the subgroups:

Although a Gallup poll shows that Americans are split over whether new laws are needed to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, the same survey shows that strong majorities of male adults, weekly church goers, conservatives, and Republicans believe no new laws are needed.

On the flip side, strong majorites of women, young people, Democrats, and liberals believe more laws are needed.

The story points out that "for American adults who attend church weekly, 59% said no new LGBT laws are needed..."  It also states: "Fifty-five percent of adults who 'attend church less often' and 'nearly weekly/monthly' support enacting new laws for LGBT people."

This reminds me of a great quote from current Housing and Urban Development Secretary Dr. Ben Carson.  LifeSiteNews.com, in reporting about Carson's confirmation hearing, states:

“Of course, I would enforce all the laws of the land,” Carson said. “Of course, I think all Americans should be protected by the law.”

He then added, “What I have said before is I don’t think anyone should get ‘extra rights.’”

And, he was specifically referring to those in the LGBT community, who, I believe, have created a narrative of so-called "discrimination" so that they can contend for "special" rights.

Also, the Gallup poll expressed the explosive "transgender bathroom" issue, which did not seem to be a problem, until activists began trying to create a special right based on a flawed narrative. Flashpoints included high profile battles in Houston and Charlotte; in the latter situation, the state of North Carolina passed HB2 to fight back.  And, the previous Administration issued a directive that was interpreted to be threatening federal aid if schools across the U.S. did not provide special accommodations for students to use the bathroom or locker room corresponding to their declared "gender identity."

The Gallup summary says:

Currently, Americans are split on what public restroom access policies should be -- they are about as likely to say transgender individuals should be required to use a bathroom that corresponds to their birth gender (48%) as to say a transgender person should be allowed to use a bathroom that corresponds to their gender identity (45%). Seven percent have no opinion on the issue.

According to CNSNews.com, 63% of weekly church attendees believe that transgender persons should use the restroom corresponding to their "birth gender." 56% of those who "attend church less often" support transgender individuals using the facility corresponding to their gender identity.

June is typically Gay Pride Month, and is marked by marches and parades, including public displays of affection that many would find revolting.  So far, there does not seem to have been a proclamation by the White House of a special LGBT month.  And, while the LGBT activists want to impose their lifestyle and perceived "rights" on the culture, perhaps they need to do some policing of their own culture.

A recent USA Today story actually took a rather ominous direction from the standard contentions of hate and violence toward LGBT individuals.  It quoted a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The story said that:

• 44% of lesbians and 61% of bisexual women experience rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner, compared with 35% of heterosexual women.
• Half of bisexual women will experience sexual violence at some point in their lifetimes.
• 26% of gay men and 37% of bisexual men experience rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner, compared with 29% of heterosexual men.
• Bisexual women are stalked twice as much as straight women.

The story says that according to Beth Hamilton, associate director at the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence, "statistics likely don't reveal how pervasive sexual violence is in the LGBTQ community." The article points out that "Sexual assault is a notoriously under-reported crime, and advocates suspect the rates of reporting are even lower for LGBTQ survivors."

The gay community should take no pride in these statistics, and I would contend should take no pride in its brazen attempt to force other people, people who hold to the Scriptures, for instance, to accept their lifestyle.  As Carson said, all people should have equal protection under the law; I would contend that's justice.  But, people should not have "extra" rights.  That's activism.

And, beyond the crusade for special rights, these activists want to silence the people of faith who just want to exercise the rights that they have under the Constitution.  We are guaranteed freedom of speech and freedom of religion.  But, our religious faith is being mischaracterized as bigoted or intolerant because it doesn't agree with their own agenda.  I think Christians should be able to think and speak in opposition to homosexual behavior in the same way that LGBT individuals support their own behavior.  And, they should not be subject to rude and abhorrent acts by those who disagree; I think people of faith get that and respect that, despite the attempt to misrepresent people's faith perspectives.

It will continue to be a challenge to navigate.  But, in response to "gay pride," we as Christian believers can practice Christ's compassion for all people and not be intimidated when we sense that we are being wrongfully branded for it.  We can continue to be vessels to be used by God to speak truth and to radiate His nature.