Gay scene and terrorism from a biblical perspective. By Kai Mester

The massacre in Orlando makes people sad and thoughtful. Omar Mateen murdered 12 people with an assault rifle and injured 2016 at a gay club in Florida on June 49, 53, before police shot him. He claimed allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) through a phone call to the police, even though it appears that he was a "lone wolf" who radicalized himself on the Internet.

The encounter between homosexuality and Islamist terrorism brings two major issues of our time into close proximity and raises questions: What motives motivate people to hate and violence against homosexuals? How will we try to better prevent such attacks in the future? What answers does the Bible give for dealing with homosexuality and the people who practice it? What has been God's plan for human sexuality? This article addresses these and other questions.

Enemy images: Islamists and homosexuals

When Anders Breivik shot 2011 people on the island of Utøya in Norway in 77, his enemy was Islam and his concern was to stop the "mass import of Muslims" into Europe. At least since the wave of refugees in the summer of 2015, this enemy image has driven many Europeans onto the streets in order to achieve the same goal in a more or less non-violent way.

Omar Mateen was the classic embodiment of this enemy image. In order to prevent such terrorist attacks, they want Muslims to stay in their countries. Omar Mateen pointed his gun at people like Breivik. But in completely different ways. They were people who were seen as a threat not only in the Orient but also in the West by certain parts of society because they represented the new change in values: homosexuals. Why are they seen as a threat? Because they question what was true for Abraham's physical and spiritual descendants for thousands of years, namely that children grow up with a biological father and a biological mother who have previously said yes to each other "until death do you part." Today, homosexuals are the pioneers of a changing sexual identity that can now be freely chosen, with multiple partner changes on the fly within just one day. Both are becoming increasingly popular and are almost glorified in the media. So this bloodbath was due to the gay enemy.

This enemy image is ancient, at least as old as the patriarch, in whose heritage all Muslims see themselves and whose faith they have accepted. It was the patriarch Abraham who, after the Battle of Siddim, freed the inhabitants of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah from captivity because his nephew Lot was among them. These cities were known for their sexual permissiveness and, above all, their homosexuality, which is why they ultimately perished in the inferno. To this day, homosexuality is still referred to as “sodomy” in many languages.

Omar Mateen's hatred was directed against such people, modern kindred spirits of Sodom. But he is not alone. The words of the Baptist preacher Roger Jimenez from Sacramento were also directed against these people. He said in his Sunday sermon: "The tragedy is that more of them didn't die... What angers me is that he couldn't finish his job... As Christians, we shouldn't be sad that people who are unnatural Fornicating, dying… I wish the government would round them all up, put them against a wall, and have a firing squad put a bullet through their heads.”

Oops! Which disciple of Jesus can identify with such a statement? Well, most are not calling for such radical measures. They prefer to leave these atrocities to the Last Judgment. But the basic setting?

In any case, terrorists and Bible Christians suddenly have a common enemy. Or to put it another way: Well-known media have the opportunity to label a drawer with various keywords that apply equally to terrorists and Bible Christians. Homophobia isn't the only thing there.

End-time developments: freedom and trust are dwindling

Since September 11th, it has been observed how the entire world is passing laws in the war on terror that further restrict the freedom of the individual and make the scenario from the revelation even conceivable. Revelation prophesies that a group of people would be exposed to severe religious discrimination on a global scale shortly before Jesus' return. They would no longer be able to buy and sell. Thanks to smartphones, this has only become more and more conceivable today. In the end they will even face the death penalty (Revelation 13,16.17:XNUMX)

In order to prevent attacks by lone wolves, everyone must be sworn to report suspicious figures in the neighborhood or among friends and family at an early stage. There is hardly any other protection. Because such self-proclaimed terrorists can act suddenly and without consulting others. The times of the NSDAP and Stasi will soon return. Let's be honest: Facebook and other networks have made spying and eavesdropping almost unnecessary! We're already hanging on everything ourselves.

Anyone who is suspected of being a potential terrorist or, in a second step, of spreading content on the Internet that could motivate the soul of a lone wolf to commit a terrorist attack may feel the power of these laws. Home searches, imprisonment, and withdrawal of custody without a trial would be three possible examples.

Christian homophobia questioned

But what really concerns me is our Adventist attitude towards homosexuality. Are we actually homophobic like that Baptist preacher? Or does the Bible give us a different model for classifying homosexuality mentally and emotionally?

“If God doesn’t punish America now, he’ll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah,” Billy Graham’s wife is said to have once said. Is terrorism perhaps finally the criminal justice that many have been waiting for for so long? Aren't there even statements by Ellen White that describe terrorist attacks as a foretaste of the final criminal judgment? In any case, she talks about collapsing skyscrapers in New York and the arrogance of its builders. A warning to bankers and business bosses? And now Orlando. Is it a warning to the gay scene, which is becoming increasingly self-confident and demanding? With this divine warning, can we use Christian disgust and phobia against homosexuals and the whole thing? LGBT community justify?

The biblical atrocities

Homosexuality is considered an atrocious sin by many Christians. And indeed, the texts cannot be denied: "You shall not lie with a man as one lies with a woman, for that is an abomination." However, alongside incest, sex with animals and human sacrifice, classic adultery is also considered one of the atrocities which are listed in the same chapter (Leviticus 3:18,22.26.27.29, 5, 12,31, XNUMX; Deuteronomy XNUMX:XNUMX). Surprisingly, most Christians are more emotionally accustomed to adultery than they are to homosexual sins. Astonishing, because one should never get used to sin and also because it is not justified to view a particular sin, which naturally goes against my grain, with particular disgust.

The atrocious sins also include transvestism and travesty. Yes, perhaps fashion here also plays a game with a large part of society: “A woman should not wear men's clothes, and a man should not wear women's clothes; because eachAnyone who does this is an abomination to the LORD your God." (Deuteronomy 5:22,5) Hardly anyone shakes when it comes to women who are dressed like men. Soon the reverse situation will no longer make anyone bat an eyelid. The fashion czars have already succeeded so far. When women's fashion changes, the new men's fashion is sometimes surprisingly similar to the previous women's fashion, so that heterosexual eyes get lost. Coincidence or plan?

Likewise, it is an abominable sin to remarry the woman from whom one has divorced; Idolatry and occult practices are abominable sins, as are falsifying weights and measures and eating pork (Deuteronomy 5:24,4; Deuteronomy 5:7,25.26, 18,9; 12:25,13-16; 65,4:XNUMX-XNUMX; Isaiah XNUMX:XNUMX ).

This list is also interesting: “These six the LORD hates, and seven are an abomination to his soul: proud eyes, a false tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that plots evil, feet that run quickly to evil , a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord between brothers." Or: "Evil thoughts are an abomination to the LORD, but pleasant speech is clean to him... He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, even his prayer is an abomination." (Proverbs 6,16:15,26; 28,9:XNUMX; XNUMX:XNUMX)

These texts do not give us the right to hate homosexuals. Although they warn us about homosexuality and its corrosive effects on families, God does not hate this sin any more than many other dangerous sins. But God hates sin precisely because he loves the sinner and wants to save him.

And what about the death penalty?

But now many agree with Roger Jimenez and say: Homosexuals really deserve the death penalty. The Bible itself says: “If a man lies with a man as he would lie with a woman, they have both committed an abomination, and they must surely be put to death; their blood be on them!” (Leviticus 3:20,13) And in order to fulfill this commandment, the state needs people whose hearts are not too soft.

Many counter this by saying that the time of the rule of God (theocracy) was only in the Old Testament. Since Jesus' first coming, the death penalty has been postponed until the last day. God withdrew as judge. Well, I don't share that opinion. Because Jesus announced the dawn of the reign of God here on earth. »The kingdom of God will not come in such a way that one can observe it. People will not say: Look here! or: Look there! For behold, the kingdom of God is in the middle among you." (Luke 17,20.21:XNUMX, XNUMX) His principles are already being implemented by those who have joined him: "Your kingdom come. Your will be done, as it is in heaven on earth. " (Matthew 6,10:8,11) One of the principles of the rule of God in the New Testament is: meekness instead of capital punishment. This is shown by Jesus' loving treatment of the adulteress Mary Magdalene. He was the great role model for dealing with every sinner who needs inner healing. Jesus didn’t even ask her if she was sorry for her sin. He simply said, “I’m not judging you either. Go and sin no more!" (John XNUMX:XNUMX)

Rehabilitation of atrocity offenders

Paul also understands God's kingdom in this sense:

“Do not be deceived: people who live in sexual immorality, worship idols, or commit adultery, Lust boys and boy molesters, thieves or greedy people, drunkards, blasphemers or robbers will have no place in the kingdom of God. And that's some of you gewesen. But by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God you are washed clean"If you have been sanctified, you have been declared righteous." (1 Corinthians 6,9:11-XNUMX New Evangelistic Translation)

So among the early Christians there were former pleasure boys and boy molesters. In any case, homosexuals were not considered worthy of death by Paul, but had a right here and now to God's kingdom through cleansing, sanctification and justification. Because God “wills that "People will be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2,4:XNUMX). Because of this basic attitude, Seventh-day Adventists often have lively communities in the high-security prisons with serious criminals. If we were for the death penalty, our work there would make little sense.

Why did the death penalty even exist?

Why then do we even find the death penalty in the Law of Moses? Paul also answers this question: “It is clear that you are a letter from Christ, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tables of stone, but on tables of flesh of the heart, made fit for purpose Servants of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the spirit; because the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (2 Corinthians 3,3:XNUMX)

Yes, the letter on the stone tablets pronounced the death sentence on many sinners. In the Law of Moses there was this “ministry of damnation” that was “taken away”: the death penalty. It was precisely this service of condemnation that led to the Messiah being condemned and crucified. However, what “remains” from the Law of Moses is the “ministry of the Spirit” and “hope.” God's Spirit in the human heart has already set many free from their sin. Where the Spirit of the LORD is in the heart, there is freedom from sin, but also freedom from people locking God's spirit of selflessness out of their hearts and leading a different, sinful lifestyle (verse 8.11.12.17, XNUMX, XNUMX). Freedom and hope cannot then penetrate their hearts. Therefore, unless they repent of their sins, they will fall prey to self-imposed judgments and lose eternal life.

The death penalty, like war, monarchy, slavery, etc., is a part of the human, sinful, and often demonic state and social system. With it, God was able to largely ban killing from private hands. Despite the death penalty, he gave the people of Israel a criminal law that was far more humane and merciful than that of the surrounding peoples. If he had introduced non-violence immediately, the people would have taken the blood feud into their own hands again.

To the cruelest tribe of Israelites, whose father Levi had already made a name for himself through the massacre in Shechem (Genesis 1), God gave a strange command through Moses: In his name, the Levites should be brothers, friends, among the worshipers of the Golden Calf and kill neighbors. 34 men died (Exodus 3000). In doing so, however, he solved the cruel streak in the temperament of Levi's descendants. As a “reward,” he no longer had the Levites enlist in the military army, but rather in the priestly army. With that he had taken the weapon out of their hands and made them particularly intimately acquainted with the plan of salvation that was revealed in the sanctuary. Later they even became the inhabitants of the cities of refuge, where people who accidentally killed someone were safe from blood revenge. A deep topic!

Homosexuality in the animal kingdom

Homosexual behavior in the animal kingdom is often cited in order to portray homosexuality as something natural. But should that be a reason to imitate this behavior? There are plenty of other behaviors in the animal kingdom that we find equally unworthy of imitation. It is precisely this reorientation from the glorious, beautiful plan of God to the imitation of animals that Paul described:

“Believing themselves to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the imperishable God for one picture, that to transient man, to birds and to four-footed things and things that creep resembles animals. Therefore God also gave them over to the desires of their hearts to be unclean, so that they would dishonor their own bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and gave honor and worship to the creature instead of to the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen!” (Romans 1,22:25-XNUMX)

Sex as God means it

In God's original plan, lust is the fruit of selfless love; In Satan's plan, lust is the fruit of selfish abuse. But selfless love is not the only characteristic of divine sex. Even atheist biologists will agree that, anatomically and physiologically, sex is primarily for reproduction, but also has a strong potential for bonding with one's partner, especially if one has never changed partners. Atheist psychologists and educators also recognize how important strong attachment figures are for the healthy physical and mental development of young children and young people.

But our throwaway and consumer society is becoming more and more disconnected and erratic. There are also monogamous couples among homosexuals who remain faithful to their partner until death - this is also said to exist in the animal kingdom, for example among homosexual swans. But men tend to be more sexually proactive because of the hormone testosterone. The sexual arousal curve is also steeper. Studies have found that men think about sex more often than women, have sex more often, and want more partners. It is therefore not surprising that gays have, on average, more sex and more partners than the rest of the population.

The apostle Paul sees reproduction as an important fulfillment of sexuality. He even attributes a healing function to her: “The woman... but will blessed will thereby"That she may bring forth children if they continue with a sound mind in faith and love and holiness." (1 Timothy 2,14:XNUMX)

There are studies that show that major changes occur in a woman's brain as a result of pregnancy and childbirth. Hence the enormous empathy and the proverbial motherly love. Did that have anything to do with what Paul wrote to Timothy?

Sexuality can actually only develop its full potential if it happens responsibly under conditions that are optimal for growing children, namely with a loving couple of parents who remain faithful to each other throughout their lives.

Our society in transition and dismantling

The world we live in is making it increasingly difficult to lead an idyllic family life and stay together as a married couple and family. Our whole lifestyle is opposite to that. The young members of the family are constantly divided into age groups, even in our church communities. Almost everyone leaves the house every morning. They are divided into crèche, kindergarten, primary school, secondary school, university and workplace. Many people automatically spend their free time with the people they spend most of the day with, i.e. outside of the family.

The family, indeed the entire society, is in a process of restructuring and dismantling. Divorce and abortion are becoming easier all the time; Unfortunately, the latter is practically always possible on request, even in Adventist clinics. Premarital relationships and wild marriages are now completely normal and no longer uncommon in the community. Gay marriage is currently winning the hearts of lawmakers. Gender mainstreaming will soon completely leaven educational plans.

Radicalization as a response to the decline of a culture

In view of this course that our society is taking towards meaninglessness, choice and structure, more and more people are becoming radicalized. In an article in Die Zeit, the author describes how in this world “the normal state and the exceptional state, the meaning and madness of modernity merge seamlessly into one another - into an interim period in which the old order collapses without a new one in sight.” Terror arises in the vacuum of the breaking order; it is the barbaric underside of liquefaction and dissolution. The hatred is sparked “by everything that is supposedly driving the world even further into ruin and turning “natural nature” on its head: gay marriage… multiculturalism, not forgetting the pincer birth of the left-wing revolt, the attack of feminism and gender theory to the timeless eternity of the patriarchal order.« (Thomas Assheuer, Die Zeit, June 16, 2016, "Where did his deadly hatred come from?")

Tel Aviv in Israel is now the only city in the Middle East to be one of the most important gay metropolises on the planet. The country is surrounded by Muslim countries in which the patriarchal family model of the patriarch Abraham is still influential. This is not the only reason why Israel is the symbol of the immoral West for Muslims. The fight to liberate Palestine is a fight against the godlessness of, as paradoxical as it sounds, a Jewish crusader state, an outpost of the evil West.

Many Muslims who themselves live in Western culture, even though they are not particularly religious, perceive the decadence here as a threat to their families, their children, and their society. Quite a few also lack the fortitude to personally resist these attractions, which can lead to massive self-loathing. Radicalization towards violence can be the consequence of the resulting hatred. It is no different with non-Muslims, except that radicalization and violence sometimes happen differently and have different consequences.

Paul: Warning against pederasty?

Paul lived in a Hellenistic culture. In the large cities of Ephesus, Corinth, Athens and Rome, many citizens indulged in pederasty and had their pleasure boys. The Sibylline Oracle says that among the peoples of antiquity, only the Jews did not have pleasure boys. And in fact: Paul writes a lot about fornication and fornication, which means something like: sexual license or forbidden sexual relationships. Some now believe that this fornication in the area of ​​homosexuality refers exclusively to prostitution and the tradition of pleasure boys, who were minors and usually provided their services passively. However, the apostle's statements in Romans contradict this:

“Therefore God also gave them up to the desires of their hearts, to uncleanness, to destroy their own bodies among themselves dishonor... for their wives have exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural intercourse; In the same way, men have also left natural intercourse with women and are against each other "Inflamed with their lusts, they have shamed man after man, and have received in themselves the reward of their error." (Romans 1,24:26-XNUMX)

There is nothing to be seen here about the exploitation of underage youngsters, but rather the text speaks of equal action between women and men.

What is the alternative to hate?

Of all the biblical writers, Paul seems to have studied the phenomenon of homosexuality in the most depth. What recommendations does he give for dealing with sexual sins and sinners? Does it offer an alternative to hatred and violence? Let's take a closer look at his recommendations.

“But the body is not for sexual immorality, but for the LORD, and the LORD for the body. Flee fornication! ... whoever commits fornication sins against his own body ... but in order to avoid fornication, each one should have his own wife and each her own husband ... But the works of the flesh are manifest, which are: adultery, fornication, impurity, licentiousness ... fornication but and all uncleanness or covetousness shall not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints" (1 Corinthians 6,13.18:7,2, 5,19; 5,3:XNUMX; Galatians XNUMX:XNUMX; Ephesians XNUMX:XNUMX).

“Kill therefore… fornication, impurity, passion, evil desires, and covetousness, which is idolatry; Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience; you too are among them once walked when you lived in these things... For this is the will of God, your sanctification, that you should abstain from sexual immorality... There is no law laid down for the righteous, but for the lawless... the ungodly and sinners, the unholy... fornicators, sexually abusers, robbers of men, liars, perjury and whatever else contradicts sound doctrine... Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed undefiled; But God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers!" (Colossians 3,5:7-1; 4,3 Thessalonians 1:1,10; 13,4 Timothy XNUMX:XNUMX; Hebrews XNUMX:XNUMX)

In these texts, Paul only warns against sin, not against the sinner. There is also one passage that is an exception: He warns people against a single type of sexually immoral person. They are those who can also be called brothers in the community.

“I wrote to you in the letter that you should not associate with sexually immoral people; and not with the fornicators of this world in general, or with the covetous, or robbers, or idolaters; otherwise you would have to leave the world. But now I have written to you that you should not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother and is an immoral person, or a covetous person, or an idolater, or a blasphemer, or a drunkard, or a robber; You shall not even eat with such a person." (1 Corinthians 5,9:11-XNUMX)

Jesus' close contact with sinners

Jesus gave us an example for other sinners. We have already mentioned the example of the adulteress Mary Magdalene. According to the Law of Moses, their crime was also punishable by death. But after Jesus sent away their accusers, saying, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her," he did not condemn them, even though he was the only sinless one in the crowd. He had cast out “seven demons” from her. She was the "sinner" who anointed him out of gratitude in the house of the Pharisee Simon and kissed him continually through tears (John 8,7:16,9; Mark 7,37.45:XNUMX; Luke XNUMX:XNUMX, XNUMX). But she was not the only sinner whose company Jesus was not ashamed of:

»Why does your master eat with them tax collectors and sinners? But when Jesus heard it, he said to them, It is not the strong who need a physician, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I want mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance... Verily I say to you, The tax collectors and the whores enter the kingdom of God sooner than you!” (Matthew 9,11:13-21,31; XNUMX:XNUMX)

Pastoral care recipe: Have mercy in fear!

So it is the mission of all Jesus' disciples to mingle with sinners in order to save many: "Have mercy on those who doubt. snatches others out of the fire and saves them; another have mercy in fear and hates also the garment that is polluted by the flesh." (Jude 22.23)

This verse shows an important principle: we are called to help. Yes! But it is important to constantly be on guard. How often has a pastor lost his innocence in the togetherness of regular pastoral discussions. One reason why a pastor should never advise a woman alone and a female pastor should never advise a man alone. But these days, same-sex pastoral care can also be risky under certain circumstances.

That is why Paul wrote: “Let us walk honorably as in the daytime…not in fornication and debauchery, not in strife and envy; but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not take care of the flesh unto the end excitement of desires! … I will subdue my body and make it a slave, lest I preach to others and become reprobate myself.” (Romans 13,14:1; 9,27 Corinthians XNUMX:XNUMX)

What holiness really means

The LORD God says: “For I am the LORD your God; Therefore you must sanctify yourselves and be holy, for I am holy" (Leviticus 3:11,44). Too often holy is defined as set apart, set apart for a special purpose. But is that all? A pitchfork would also be sacred. And God Himself was certainly never set apart or set apart for any special purpose. Yet he is holy. As we continue reading the verse, the meaning becomes clear: “and you shall not defile yourselves.” Holy also means pure and clean. The saints are therefore the pure ones, a revolutionary idea in my opinion.

In view of Orlando, lived purity is even more in demand. Not only homosexuals and Islamists need this purity, but all people. Murders, suicides, rapes and other injuries occur every minute and the world continues to hurtle towards the abyss. The earth longs for enlightenment through Jesus' glory, holiness, purity revealed in Jesus' disciples, "who follow the Lamb wherever he goes... who are virginally clean" (Revelation 18,1:14,4; XNUMX:XNUMX). The beauty of God's character is infinitely attractive. His nature, his spirit, his disposition, revealed in the blood of the Lamb, offers healing and freedom for all.

Hate or selfless love?

Neither hate nor violence helps against the terrible goings-on on this earth. Selfless love is the only power that can save here. Homosexuals think they have won love and conquered the war. But they don't have true love. Muslims believe that they have leased love for themselves, as almost every Quranic sura begins with the words: in the name of God the loving lover. Although it is usually translated: in the name of God the merciful, compassionate, the word is derived from the word used in the following verses: “I want you love from the heartO LORD, my strength!" (Psalm 18,2:XNUMX) "Can a woman forget her little child, that she may not pity about her biological son?" (Isaiah 49,15:XNUMX) This word is about the merciful love of a mother. Unfortunately, most Muslims do not understand God's love, and especially not those who allow themselves to be infected by hatred.

True love endures all tensions, believes all promises, hopes for the salvation of every person, endures all suffering. If we live this love, it will not be so easy to pigeonhole ourselves into a category with violent reactionaries. Rather, we will be known as those who cast out demons.

The possessed man from Gadara ran around naked, screaming and violent. The demons that possessed him showed their destructive potential when they entered the pigs. But later the man sat at Jesus' feet clothed and sensible, which caused great astonishment among the swineherds. He had taken on the mind of the Lamb (Luke 8,26:39-XNUMX).

Will we also dress naked people today? Will Jesus be able to say of us: “I was naked and you clothed me”? (Matthew 25,37:XNUMX). We always think of people who no longer have any clothes. But it seems to me that these days it's also about people who are increasingly putting their clothes aside as annoying ballast or reducing them to an aesthetic minimum of square centimeters. Dressing them is not a direct route. First of all, their spiritual nakedness must be remedied through the gospel, and not through clumsy therapy that aims to free them from their inclinations and addictions. For God does not necessarily deliver from inclinations and temptations, and it is not we, but only He, who can deliver from addictions and sins.

Will we harbor the violent stranger? Will Jesus be able to say of us: “I was a stranger and you welcomed me”? (Matthew 25,36:XNUMX) Again we think of the stranger who sleeps on the street without a place to stay. But it seems to me that these days it's also about the people who are lonely in their homes and are in danger of falling apart because of society's changing values.

If God can use us to bless all of these people, then we have understood Orlando's warning message.