Just Evolve

I rarely write about things stemming from the political realm on our blog, but I want to do that today. The purpose is not the politics, though. It is to take a political story and make a personal application.

By now, you have probably heard of the blunder made by President Obama’s inaugural committee over Atlanta pastor Louie Giglio. About 20 years ago, Giglio preached a sermon that clearly condemned homosexuality, calling for those who were gay to come to faith in Jesus Christ. He, by extension in the sermon, made it clear that homosexuality was a sin.

Fast forward to earlier this week, after Giglio was chosen by the inaugural committee to lead the benediction at our President’s ceremony. Whether one agrees with a political leader or not, this is certainly a high honor. However, gay right’s groups went all the way back to that sermon preached in the 1990’s, and called the invitation into question. In the midst of the controversy, Giglio finally pulled out of the ceremony.

Why? Because he once believed that homosexuality was sinful, and stated such publicly.

In reality, that was the only reason.

But there is another angle of this story that I want to call to your attention. The founder of the gay right’s group responsible for this reversal, Wayne Besen, used a very interesting phrase in an interview with The New York Times. He said,

It is imperative that Giglio clarify his remarks and explain whether he has evolved on gay rights, like so many other faith and political leaders. It would be a shame to select a preacher with backward views on LBGT people at a moment when the nation is rapidly moving forward on our issues.

Do you see the import of this statement? If you once believed that homosexuality was sinful, you can just evolve. Implied is that you are going on to something greater, higher, and more “fit” by evolving.

After all, isn’t that what Darwin taught us? Isn’t that what we are fed constantly through evolution? It is survival of the fittest, so if you don’t adapt, you die.

Now, that same language is being applied to beliefs about sin. If I hold to a “backward view” (to use Mr. Besen’s words) on this issue, I am going to be trampled by the “forward” movement–the evolution–of our nation.

So, how do you make it in our modern world? Just evolve.

How tragic it is that our children are fed this language daily. How sad it is that they are told constantly that their moral, Bible-founded beliefs are backward. How frightening it is that many of our own children think they need to “evolve,” or they will be stuck in the backward past.

I do not plan to evolve. If I’m seen as backward, so be it.

And, maybe I am backward. After all, I sure do spend a lot of time “back” in the First Century, walking and talking with my Lord Jesus.

No matter what society says, will you join me there?

COMMENTS? Please share your comments on this news story below or my article about it below.

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Photo credit: Tara Siuk on Creative Commons

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