Today I read the following statement from Progressive Christian, Jen Hatmaker:
On this incredibly meaningful, special bonus episode of For the Love, in honor of Pride Month, a mother and daughter come together to have a frank and beautiful conversation about what it’s like to grow up as the daughter of a popular Christian author and speaker and in a household steeped in the church . . . and realize you’re gay. This is Jen and Sydney Hatmaker’s experience—and in this episode, Sydney and her mom tell their story so that parents, family, and friends of LGBTQ+ kids who need trustworthy voices to lead them into love and affirmation will find hope here. Sydney bravely and tenderly shares how she grappled with reconciling her sexuality and her spirituality, all the while wondering if God would still love her if she decided to build a life where she could be who she was meant to be. The pair candidly discuss Sydney’s initial silent journey and Jen’s deep regret at not being more aware of what her daughter needed during these early days as Sydney wrestled alone with who she was. Jen and Sydney make a call to Christians to look at what it means to really love our LGBTQ+ family: recognizing them wholly as God’s children, who are wholly loved by God. Sydney also gives us insight into how we can come alongside our LGBTQ+ family by showing us what meaningful allyship looks like: supporting and protecting those who are subject to marginalization with tangible actions filled with love.
As a parent I can’t imagine what it’s like to have a LGBTQ+ child and I feel for the Hatmakers. However, Jen has not always been a progressive Christian. It was just a few years ago she was labeled as a Evangelical Christian so it makes me think she started to affirm the LGBTQ+ community because of her daughter’s sexual desires. She was more afraid of her daughter’s feelings than what the truth says. And this is where the danger lies.
Society will tell us that as Christians we must agree with the LGBTQ+ community’s sexual desires and if we disagree with their desires then we are labeled as homophobic or bigoted. As Christians we are called to speak the truth boldly and lovingly. We must not back down from people who accuse our beliefs of infringing on their desires. Most unbelievers are driven by their sexual desires instead of looking at what the truth is and what evidence we have for it. Our society has placed their self-gratification over anything else. That is why so many people (unbelievers) are angry. But why are they angry?! If something causes them to feel this way why are they so angry when the LGBTQ+ community says there is no objective right or wrong. What makes them so angry at us Christians if we are doing what we know to be right?! Can’t we all be right?!
The only answer is that there has to be a moral law giver for us to make objective right and wrong determinations. If there was no wrong or right then why do we make these distinctions in so many other areas of our life?! Certainly law enforcement and our justice system adhere to a standard of right and wrong and our laws were founded on a Christian worldview. Additionally, when we break these laws there are consequences based on the severity of the crime committed. God, as our moral law giver also hands out consequences not because he is a “moral monster’ but because we expect him to carry out justice. We have laws because humanity needs boundaries and God gives us boundaries to keep us safe. God is a just God and we were created in his image so we expect him to act justly when someone does something wrong. Similarly, We expect the same from our justice system when someone commits a crime. We expect to see the criminal punished so that he/she can’t harm others.
However, when it comes to sexual desires unbelievers somehow turn into a hormonal teenager who isn’t getting their way. They are throwing an emotional driven fit and if you are a parent you know you can’t give into these tantrums otherwise it will be harder next time to say no to them. Society has allowed groups like them to continue demanding others approve of their desires. The LGBTQ+ community doesn’t know the truth (or if they do they are ignoring it) so they are being led by their emotions which changes all the time.
Let’s not give into their demands like Jen Hatmaker and other Progressive Christians are doing. It’s not biblical nor is it loving. Love is not agreeing with everything someone else wants. Love includes boundaries and when we don’t speak up when we see people we love crossing boundaries we need to speak up by guide them to the truth with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).
“Let the dogs bark, it is their nature to. Go on preaching Christ crucified.”
-Charles Spurgeon