From the department of “let’s violate your First Amendment Rights,” comes this jewel. A school district in Florida has suspended a teacher because he wrote that he believes homosexuality is a sin on his Facebook page.
Jerry Buell, who teaches social studies at Mount Dora High School, wrote on his personal Facebook page that same-sex unions is a sin, that he “almost threw up” over news about the legalization of same-sex marriage in New York, and that gay marriages were part of a “cesspool,” as reported by Orlando Sentinel.
The comments were brought to the attention of Lake County School District officials by a former student, according to WESH 2 News. The district has suspended Buell from the classroom and reassigned him to a clerical position at the district’s administration building while an investigation is pending, the local news agency reported.
Buell told the Orlando Sentinel that “it wasn’t out of hatred” that he made the posts. “It was about the way I interpret things.”
In other words, he was suspended because of his belief that homosexuality is a sin. Unfortunately, this is what the gay lobby is all about in silencing those of us who believe God’s word. To call sin sin, is the ultimate in sin for the politically correct. It doesn’t reduce homosexuality’s sinfulness. It is still an abomination to God. But they don’t want us speaking the truth at all.
I hope this teacher continues to stand for the truth and fights for his First Amendment rights.
Yes, we need a clear 1st Amendment victory on this — and the sooner, the better. This kind of action against religious freedom was inevitable once sexual preferences (read: perversions) were classified as civil rights. If only the wimpy Christians would have had the guts to state the obvious: Marriage is a union of one man and one woman.
Let’s just keep speaking the truth. How many prophets spoke the truth when the ears of the Israelites were closed? We cannot help that, and I’m kind of getting the impression that even the church doesn’t want sound doctrine.
Much of the church doesn’t want it — itching ears and all that. I was just reading Ezekiel and how God told him that if he didn’t speak the truth then he was accountable, but if he did speak the truth then the hearers were accountable for rejecting it.
Hi Neil,
Yes, a good reminder. I really feel the brunt of that at the church where I’m currently serving. Only a few want me to be the full-time pastor. The rest are dead set against me, all for piddly reasons. The man they are calling, they are doing so because he is right out of seminary and they want to “shape and mold him.” I will be praying for him. I feel like these people are truly rejecting the word of God.
Jesus tells us this: “Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.”
It is a sin to judge, that is made clear in the bible. God created gay people they way they are, just as he did straight folk. The ability to love is a gift and whether that be with someone of same or opposite sex, it is God’s plan. Open your eyes to the reality: it is only in the Hebrew bible that condemns actual homosexuality. (Leviticus 18 & 20) The new testament only condemns homosexual prostitution, as it does straight prostitution. Jesus never actually addressed homosexuality and would have loved to have seen two of his men love one another, as his father planned.
To believe in Jesus is to believe in his teachings: love and let love. Be a proper Christian and stop spreading hate, pray for your forgiveness as I pray that God lifts your blindness.
Please stop encouraging the work of the devil by making life hell for homosexuals.
Hello Curb,
Actually you are wrong on several levels. Jesus tell us not to judge hypocritically. This means we are not to condemn those for the same sin we are committing. We are to work on the sin in our own lives and then address the sin of others.
Secondly, the sin of homosexuality is addressed as sin every time it comes up in the Bible, both Old Testament and New Testament. Jesus does address the issue indirectly because the entire Bible is HIS word. Yes, He used men to write it, but ultimately the writer of Scripture is God Himself. As for the fact that Jesus never directly addressed homosexuality, this can be answered because that sin was so outside the norm of Jewish culture that He didn’t need to.
Third, by saying God made the homosexual to be gay, is making God to be the author of sin, and He is not. Yes, men and women are born as sinful fallen people. If He were to eradicate the sin from us, He would wipe out the entire human race. I even admit that gay men are born with a tendency to be gay. But this still does not make it right. We are born with sinful hearts and born as sinners. This doesn’t excuse the sin, nor put it back on God’s lap. Our sin is completely our own and we need to repent from all of it, both gay and straight, and turn to Christ for salvation.
You say you believe in Jesus’ teachings. Which ones? You say love and let love? Where did He ever say that? Remember, He is the One that spelled out the doctrine of hell for us, so which Jesus are you believing in? The one of your own making, or the One revealed to us in Scripture? Remember that with the woman caught in adultery, He didn’t affirm her in in her sin, but told her to go and sin no more. Is that “love and let love?” No, that is calling for repentance. That is what we are doing as well. Homosexuals need to repent of their sinfulness. It is not hateful to tell someone they need to repent from sin, trust in Christ for salvation and be saved. Actually, that more loving than what you are doing, affirming them in their sinful, fallen estate on their road to hell and eternal damnation.
Please stop encouraging the work of the devil by lying to homosexuals thereby sending them to hell.
Pastor,
Our differences lie in interpretations of the scriptures regarding homosexual thoughts, feelings or acts. This is perhaps one of the most debated issues concerning biblical teachings of our time. The scriptures nether directly or explicitly communicate that homosexuality is a sin, and therefore, the judgment and hatred that is bestowed onto this group of God’s creatures, solely based on majority-opinion-driven interpretations of scriptures regarding this minority group, is in itself a sin.
First, it is extremely objective and presumptuous of you to believe that the only reason Jesus didn’t address homosexuality is because it was outside the norm of Jewish culture. To make the argument that Jesus thought homosexuality is a sin but didn’t make such beliefs apparent only because he never witnessed or heard of such acts while living in Jewish culture relies on some flawed and hypercritic assumptions that can not be backed by any legitimate premises.
Second, trying to understand the historical context in which the scriptures were written is not the only thing that should be taken into focus when interpreting the words. One must also know the original meaning of the words in Hebrew or Greek, and acknowledge other sins that are being committed through the use of specific acts as catalysts to communicate the underlying sin, whether these acts be taxation, consumption of food or alcohol, or homosexuality, for example. The assumption that the Bible condemns homosexuality is passed down from generation to generation with very little study or research. The consequences of this misinformation are disastrous, not only for God’s gay and lesbian children, but for the entire church.
Only seven of the Bible’s one million verses refer to same-sex behavior, in any context, and none of these verses refer to homosexual orientation or activity as consensual acts of love between two men or two women. Rather, homosexuality in the bible is always put in context of other clearly defined sins making it a catalyst to communicate these underlying sins that still prevail today, whether it be prostitution, fidelity or generally sexually immoral. Allowing the homosexual act in itself to be interpreted as the sin rather than the actual underlying sins not only blinds us from the real message but makes good Christian fighters spread the word of homosexuality as sin rather than the other clear sins that are rampant today.
With homosexual acts not clearly defined as a sin, not included as one of the Ten Commandments, and with the New Testament offering a strong message of love, then rather than trying to be God and pass judgment on those individuals, a better option may be to offer prayers to those struggling with their sexual identity. If a homosexual man can guiltlessly accept the gift of love God is offering him through embracing his homosexuality, he will steer clear of committing clearly defined biblical sins: adultery, suicide, lying…
Even when we believe the scriptures are without error, it is a risk to think our interpretations are without error. By creating a divergon for our attention to focus away from the clear sins is encouraging the work of the devil.
By accepting that God has made people homosexual since the beginning of humanity and that it is sinlessly and prosperously possible for humanity to thrive with such acts of love will lay foundation for all peoples of the church to unite, including you & I, against the explicitly clear sins that are rampant today and pose a greater threat to the existence of humanity’s faith in our lord Jesus Christ.
Curb,
You are wrong in this again. To add the “consensual” context is another ploy of those who are bringing their world view to the Scripture instead of letting Scripture shape their world view. For instance, Paul condemns same sex relationships in Romans 1:18 and following. He was writing to the Romans about the culture of the Romans and the sinfulness of that culture, and complete depravity of man. The same-sex reference was about those who were consensual in their sexual relationships, for in the Roman culture, same-sex activity was not seen as a sin. It is however, a sin before God and a result of those who suppress the truth in all unrighteousness. So you can go on and on the way you do if you like about homosexuality being passed down from generation to generation, but the Greek text in Romans blows your argument out of the water.
You are also committing the sin that Paul was writing about: the suppression of the truth which brings down God’s wrath. Try your arguments elsewhere, but I actually know both the Bible, what is written and the culture that it comes out of.
As for you NT offering strong message of love, yes, I would agree. But that message never winks or looks the other way concerning sin. Again, the language of the NT is just as strong against sin, and homosexuality as that of the Old Testament.
If you cannot offer some biblical proof for your position, then please quit coming by for dialogue.
Romans 1:18-32 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,[a] wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving,[b] unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
1 Cor. 6:8-10 No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals,[a] nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
Excellent responses, Pastor Timothy.
“This is perhaps one of the most debated issues concerning biblical teachings of our time.”
That’s part of the pro-gay theology game: “We keep debating it, so it must be a toss-up.” Not at all. The Bible is crystal clear:
100% of the verses addressing homosexual behavior denounce it as sin in the clearest and strongest possible terms. 100% of the verses referring to God’s ideal for marriage involve one man and one woman. 100% of the verses referencing parenting involve moms and dads with unique roles (or at least a set of male and female parents guiding the children). 0% of 31,173 Bible verses refer to homosexual behavior in a positive or even benign way or even hint at the acceptability of homosexual unions.
“Only seven of the Bible’s one million verses refer to same-sex behavior”
False teacher alert! How many times does God have to say something before it is true? It describes bestiality as a sin less times than that, so does that make it OK?
Even the moniker “Curb your hatred” is fallacious, as he uses a personal attack, and a false one at that, as his starting point. But the truth sounds like hate to those that hate the truth. And pro-gay theologians hate the truth.
“First, it is extremely objective and presumptuous of you to believe that the only reason Jesus didn’t address homosexuality is because it was outside the norm of Jewish culture.”
Another false teacher alert: The Bible is the word of God and Jesus is God, and therefore everything in it is the word of Jesus — not just the “red letters.”
Also, Jesus reiterated God’s original and unchanging design for marriage: one man and one woman. By definition that means other combinations are unacceptable.
“Even when we believe the scriptures are without error, it is a risk to think our interpretations are without error.”
Ever notice how they want you to think your views are in error but their views are not? Just more false humility,
Hi Neil,
Thanks, I do appreciate it.
Thanks for responding. I have to chuckle because I’m working on a blog post with “Curb’s” statements disecting them one by one for tomorrow or the next day. And guess what, I pull in some support from Eternity Matters.
Please keep us in prayers… we’re a bit shocked by the turn of events…