My wife and I drive a Ford Taurus. We like the car and after being in a small accident we can affirm that it is truly one of the safest cars in its class. We have been happy with the car until some recent news came out about the Ford Corporation. We learned that Ford had recently supported a Gay Pride Festival and were shocked that a major corporation would do something like this. We forget sometimes as Christians that not everyone around us shares our Christ-Centered Worldview. We made a decision that we will never buy a Ford product again as a family. This was not an easy decision because we enjoy their products. We feel as Christians that we must take a stand in as many areas that we can. In this process of discovering this out about Ford we have since come to find out about many other national companies. As Christians this is troubling because of what the Bible says about the sin of homosexuality.
The issue of the declining moral values in America is something that my wife feels a burden for. Both of us feel that the Church of America is laying down right now concerning many moral issues that will eventually affect all of us in the Church unless Jesus returns within the next decade. Being passionate about this my wife sometimes sends emails out to friends and family to let them know about issues like Ford or other companies supporting gay rights. We may not always agree in the Church about doctrinal issues, but we should always agree with the basic tenets of the Word. This past week my wife sent an email to a friend out west that dealt with the issue of gay rights and Christians taking a stronger stand against it. The friend replied with this statement; "I would love to hear from you, but please don't send me things like this. I am a huge advocate of equal rights for everyone, regardless of sexual preference, and some of the people I love best on this world are gay. " This response is from a fellow Christian. I believe it depicts that there is a dividing wall within the Church.This reply took the wind out of my wife and stayed in her head all that day. It stayed in me throughout the entire weekend. Why should there be a dividing wall with the issue of homosexuality within the Church? I believe that we must minister to the gay community, but in love we must hold true to the Word of God. Romans 1:18-32, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, and Revelation 21:8 all deal with homosexuality and immorality. There are other scriptures that deal with immorality that can be linked to homosexual practices, but these are the strongest concerning homosexuality as a sin and the punishment of such an act.
Before you think I might be going off the deep end let me explain a few things first. I would welcome a homosexual into our Church without hesitation, but I would not back down from the Biblical stance of homosexuality and our Church would not let someone join as a member until they renounced that lifestyle. My wife and I know several homosexuals whom we love. One is a member of my wife's family and I enjoy their company every time we get together. Regardless of my feelings for those in the homosexual lifestyle I still must not waiver on the Biblical stance one bit. Someone might say, "But isn't Jesus all about grace?" Yes He is! "Then how do you think Jesus would say to a homosexual?" I think He would say "leave your homosexual lifestyle and follow me!" I say that because Jesus is saying to everyone "lay down your sins and come and follow me!" This issue of homosexuality is invading the Church and we need to be engaging it head on because it is not going away. My desire is that as we engage this issue we will do so in a loving Biblical manner.
7 comments:
Sorry to hear that. That email had to hurt very much. It was probably hard to hear someone you thought you could trust to be on the same link to come back with that.
I heard about all the gay pride things on way of the master. It is sad. I can't say that I will never buy a Ford again. That is a matter of what your wish for your own spiritual life is or where you draw the line. My opinion is you could run yourself ragged trying to avoid every thing like that.
But as for the issue. You are right its wrong and the church is selling out big time to it. I don't expect Ford or any other who is offering partner benefits to be on it but the church should be and its not.
I agree with sharingtimeagain, my husband. Your argument is very valid, and I strongly agree with the principal. However, if you boycotted every consumer product out there that was owned by a company that supported issues that you don't agree with, you would be homeless, jobless, hungry and walking. It's just not realistic and to say I won't buy a Ford, however, I'm going to buy this other product with attached issues that are unknow to me at this time is hypocritical. Jesus ate with the sinners, so I figure I can drive their cars, buy their milk, and fill my tank up with their gas. And then you also have to take into account that if everyone did what you are doing, you would not be hurting "Ford". Ford's top CEO's and decisions makers would still get theirs, but your neighbor wouldn't and mine wouldn't. You wouldn't be hurting the big people, you hurt the little people. If everyone in the country boycotted Walmart tommorow, it wouldn't bankrupt the Walton Family, it would bankrupt a 3rd shift cashier, and the Lawn and Garden Manager, the bakery attendent, etc, etc.
Every family will have to decide what to boycott and what they will use as far as products. I agree that its hard on those who work for the companies and it is hard to know most of the beliefs of those who own the companies.
What I am seeing right now in the church is that we are not coming together on this issue and we are not making a plan of action. I don't have a lot of answers right now, but we need to begin to talk about it and work through it together.
We look like "gay bashers" when we say that homosexuality is a sin. My focus is not necessarily on Ford, but on the complacent attitude that prevails in the church.
I appreciate both of your comments. We need to talk about this and listen to each other more concerning this issue.
They are good that is for sure. They play on your feelings and that is always a slippery slope.
They will ask, "don't you think gay people should be treated right?" Course you are going to say, yes b/c no one deserves to be abused or physically attacked. So they get you on that well understood stance and then they can go a little further.
Much of it goes back to special rights as well. I see this in the minority area as well. There are many pride parades and shows but if the Christian-hetero-white-man chooses to have a parade or his own club or something he is exclusive and a hater.
If you don't like Ford for supportign a Gay Pride Parade. I suggest that you take down Starbucks from your website also.
They are huge supporters of Gay Pride events, and have gay employee get togethers.
Mike J,
Great point about Starbucks. I knew that, but blocked it out because I love their bean coffee.
My wife and I will probably not boycott anything. We may even buy another Ford. We had talked a bit and realized we would have to boycott a lot of things that we don't want to.
My main focus of the article is the dividing wall concerning homosexuality within the church. I see some being so accepting of that lifestyle and I wonder how much further off center we could get? As I stated before we need to start talking about homosexuality and learn how to engage them because this is not going away.
You like Charbucks beans. Oh Jeff. Removing someone from the fellowship is so hard but...
Hey I hate Starbucks but we have freedom in Christ so I can't say anything. If we are talking big name coffee company's check out Seattles Best or Caribou Coffee.
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