Just learned that Tony Jones (apparently one of the “New Christians” and a known voice in the youth ministry community), has confirmed how he has changed his views on same sex marriage, in a Same Sex Marriage Blogalogue with Rod Dreher:
"I now believe that GLBTQ [people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender/transsexual, queer] can live lives in accord with biblical Christianity (at least as much as any of us can!) and that their monogamy can and should be sanctioned and blessed by church and state."
How is this even possible? How much of Scripture must be ignored to endorse anything other than the original model created by God Himself in Genesis?
"Then the Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.' ...So the Lord God ... made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man...This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one...they felt no shame" (Gen 2: 18-25, NLT).
Am I missing something? Is there some obscure passage of Scripture that endorses "GLBTQ" unions as appropriate and thus overwrites this original design?
I realize that there are many other passages of Scripture that would also need to be “re-interpreted” in order to wipe the shame from these aberrant practices, but for the sake of simplicity, let's just answer this ONE question first: How do you deal with the issue of God's plainly revealed design? Did He change His mind? Is there some way to modify the Hebrew so that it is inclusive and gender-neutral concerning Adam and Eve? Seriously...what gives?
This kind of public proclamation is irresponsible at best. Think about it...
What a surreal time we live in. Tony Jones is obviously standing on theological shifting sand. He doesn't really know what he believes and admits as much. The really frightening thing is that he is regarded as a leader and teacher. And I quote, "Well, I suppose this blogalogue will be a test of whether I have good theological and philosophical reasons for supporting the rights of GLBTQ persons to marry, or whether I've simply caved to the mushy inclusivity of pluralized nothingness." Funny thing. He never quoted a single scripture in the blog. I'd say that rules out "good theological" reasons for supporting gay "rights". His staunchest argument hearkened back to something his mother said to him when he was 7 or 8 that smacks of "tolerance at all costs". (Just goes to show how important parental guidance is - and how important it is that parents get it right.) Tony and so many others in America are falling for the lie that says it is compassionate to embrace homosexuality in the church. Homosexuality is one of a host of sins, and we know it exists in the world. But we don't embrace sin in the church. Paul tells us so. 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 "For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves." This is speaking of habitual sin, a lifestyle of sin. This lifestyle of sin is exactly what Tony proposes to accept in the church - in direct contradiction to Scripture.
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