In the letter “Christ would accept gays” Karmen Temples tries to persuade us that if Christ were here today in the flesh, He would accept gays, lesbians and bisexuals. From looking at Jesus’ life, I completely agree that He would accept any person who came to Him.

Matthew 9:10 says, “Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.” The religious leaders came in and asked, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

Many people look at verses like this and realize that Jesus accepted sinners, but this is the point at which too many people stop. They point fingers at Christians with indignance and say things like, “Jesus accepted everyone, so you Christians who think it’s wrong to be homosexual are all intolerant.”

They realize that Jesus loved people no matter what their backgrounds, but they neglect other aspects of His character.

It is very true that Christians are to love with an unconditional love, and that Jesus is the ultimate example of unconditional love.

When He was nailed to the cross, He forgave those who nailed Him there.

Look at what Jesus, who is all loving, says in response to the religious leaders in chapter 9:12-13, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick … I did not come to call the righteous, but the sinners to repentance.”

He makes a very profound statement here.

He accepts those who come to Him, but He also recognizes that the people who come to Him are sinners who need to repent for their sins.

As a Christian, I am called to accept people unconditionally, but I am also called to recognize the things that God has determined to be wrong.

I would not treat a homosexual in a disrespectful manner, but if I was asked if I thought homosexuality was wrong, I would say “yes.”

I would also say that lying and stealing are wrong, but I don’t hate people who would lie and steal.

In Karmen Temples’ article, it is mentioned that “Consensual gay and lesbian partnerships are not referred to in the Bible.”

I am not sure how the author came to that conclusion.

There are verses that talk about it. 1 Corinthians, Leviticus, Romans, etc.

Romans 1:27 says, “Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the women, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful.” This sounds pretty consensual to me.

In conclusion, I don’t think that Karmen Temples did as thorough of a character study on Jesus as should have been done before writing the article “Christ would have accepted gays.”

Just because someone takes the stand that homosexuality is wrong doesn’t make them a “hate monger.”

It may be difficult for people to believe that you can “love the sinner and hate the sin,” but I know that it can done through Jesus because I have experienced it.

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Matt Graham

Junior

Liberal arts and sciences