Cowardly Christian entertainers

By Marsha West

During an interview with The Independent last year, country western star Carrie Underwood, a professing Christian, got the media's full attention when she decided to come out in support of gay "marriage." "As a married person myself," she chirped, "I don't know what it's like to be told I can't marry somebody I love, and want to marry. I can't imagine how that must feel. I definitely think we should all have the right to love, and love publicly, the people that we want to love." Underwood also noted that she attends a gay-friendly church.

Four years ago another popular "Christian" singer, Jennifer Knapp, came out as a lesbian. In an interview Knapp stated that she wasn't interested in becoming another spokesperson for the gay agenda because she wasn't equipped for that. "I'm in no way capable of leading a charge for some kind of activist movement," she bluntly told "Christianity Today" in 2010, adding, "I'm not capable of getting into the theological argument as to whether or not we should or shouldn't allow homosexuals within our church." (Source) Four years later we learn that Jennifer has boned up on theology 101 and now feels she's capable of arguing her view on what the Bible teaches on homosexuality. Purchase her soon to be released book where she tells the story of her troubled life and you'll discover Jennifer's liberal theology. And, not surprisingly, on her book publisher's website we learn that she has become an "advocate for LGBT issues in the church."

The gay agenda has weaseled its way into all aspects of society, including religious institutions, corporations, politics, the media, education, the arts, the entertainment industry and so on. As a result, there's a great divide in this country. Even though the Bible clearly opposes homosexuality, a growing number of professing Christians have no problem with it. Far be it from a Christian to hurt someone's feelings or to be thought of as – gasp – homophobic. Anyone who dares oppose sodomy is said to be intolerant, even bigoted. Well, the fact of the matter is that society has been indoctrinated to believe that homosexuality is normal and natural despite the fact that the scriptures teach just the opposite. Not only is sodomy deemed unnatural, the Apostle Paul uses the term unseemly:

For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. (Rom 1:26-27)

With all the health risks involved in homosexual behavior why are Christians expected to be tolerant instead of outraged?

The vast majority of highly respected, published, biblical scholars agree that Scripture clearly teaches that homosexuality is sin. Therefore practicing same-sex sex is unacceptable to God...to Jesus...to the Holy Spirit...in other words, to the holy Trinity.

Pastor Larry Tomczak said of so-called Christian entertainers who seem more concerned about their careers than with what the Bible teaches, "To say we genuinely care about our fellow man, yet not "speak the truth in love" is cowardice."

Amy Grant and Dan Hassletine are the most recent Christian entertainers to take a stance on gay "marriage." They're for it. Thus, Amy and Dan are cowards.

Amy Grant is a singer-songwriter, musician, author and actor. This accomplished woman also has dozens of Dove awards, six Grammys and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Dan is the lead singer of popular Christian singing group Jars of Clay and "tweeter" extraordinaire.

Recently Grant agreed to do an interview with the gay press. According to Chris Azzopardi:

During her first gay press interview, and for an entire hour, the Grammy winner reflected – with her usual sincerity and thoughtfulness – on her loyal gay fan base, how she reconciles Christianity and homosexuality, her "compassion" for gay marriage...

Azzopardi was curious to know if she was invited to perform at the wedding of one of her gay fans and couldn't do it because of a conflict in her schedule. She replied:

I was invited. I was honored to be invited. (Source)

Honored? Why would Amy, who proclaims her love for Jesus, feel that it's an honor to be invited to sing Christian music at a gay "marriage" ceremony?

The answer is obvious. She has rejected Sola Scriptura in favor of following her feelings. As I already pointed out, homosexuality is diametrically opposed to Scripture.

Equally concerning is Grant's 2010 interview with the world's largest Catholic network, Catholic Online. Has she not heard of the Protestant Reformation? By doing the interview she as much as endorsed a religious system that has led billions of people down a path that ends at the Gates of Hell.

Reformer Martin Luther made it clear what Protestants must believe about the Roman Catholic Church:

What kind of a church is the pope's church?" asked Martin Luther. "It is an uncertain, vacillating and tottering church. Indeed, it is a deceitful, lying church, doubting and unbelieving, without God's Word. For the pope with his wrong keys teaches his church to doubt and to be uncertain.

If it is a vacillating church, then it is not the church of faith, for the latter is founded upon a rock, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it (Matthew.16:18). If it is not the church of faith, then it is not the Christian church, but it must be an unchristian, anti-Christian, and faithless church which destroys and ruins the real, holy, Christian church.3 (H/T Ken Silva)

It doesn't require a degree in theology to know that the RCC has for centuries been spreading a false gospel, a gospel that does not save and intends to keep men blinded from the truth. (2 Corinthians 4:4). That Ms Grant – or any other professing Christian – would agree to sit down with a representative of a false religious system shows how little discernment she has. Sadly, it appears that she is not concerned that her fans understand authentic Christian doctrine that will help them mature and grow in their faith. Amy must know that,

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. (Proverbs 16:25)

Likewise:

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." (John 14:21)

Dan Haseltine is not a household name. But many believers are familiar with the popular Christian band Jars of Clay. In April Dan tweeted his support for gay "marriage" and claimed that Scripture has nothing to say on morality. When Christians objected to his unbiblical stance, he tweeted this stunning rebuke:

I don't particularly care about Scriptures stance on what is "wrong" I care more about how it says we should treat people.

On biblical morality he tweeted:

Because most people read and interpret scripture wrong. I don't think scripture "clearly" states much about morality.

The following day Metro Weekly reported Haseltine's response to the uproar:

"Not meaning to stir things up BUT... is there a non-speculative or non 'slippery slope' reason why gays shouldn't marry? I don't hear one." He went on to write "I'm trying to make sense of the conservative argument. But it doesn't hold up to basic scrutiny. Feels akin to women's suffrage. I just don't see a negative effect to allowing gay marriage. No societal breakdown, no war on traditional marriage. ?? Anyone?" (Source)

By not taking a strong stance against gay "marriage" Amy and Dan have surrendered to three enemies: the world, the flesh and the devil. And let's be clear. From their "progressive" vantage point, their brothers and sisters in Christ who oppose same-sex "marriage" (for biblical reasons) are homophobes, hate mongers and bigots.

But this is not only about Christian entertainers that have gone the way of progressive Christianity. It is equally about the so-called Bible believing Christian who has chosen to ignore what God's Word says on homosexuality; the one who puts his tail between his legs and cowers rather than to stand up for the Truth. God's people are commanded to "contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints." (Jude 1:3) And by the way, the discerning Christian knows perfectly well that same-sex sex is prohibited in Scripture. Moreover, a spiritual person (1 Cor. 2:15) will understand that every sin is ultimately a sin against God. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

I'll end this with a lengthy quote from Walter Martin, apologist and founder of the Christian Research Institute. Over two decades ago Dr. Martin gave us fair warning:

I don't think it needs blackboard diagram; or any amount of sophisticated logical presentation a fortiori. I think you can be a fifth-grader and understand that if God says "cursed" is something He takes an extremely dim view of it. I think that's a rational approach. So the homosexual theologians who are attempting today to defend homosexuality on the basis of Biblical theology are in the same position as the Sadducees, to whom Jesus addressed this remark: "You do err. Not knowing the Scriptures or the power of God."

That's exactly where they are. They are trying to put Christianity and homosexuality in the same bed; and you're not gonna do it because Jesus Christ very forcibly condemned it. And you say, "Where in the New Testament did Jesus ever mention homosexuality?" Open your Bibles and find out; because contrary to what the gay church says, He not only spoke against it – He went out of His way to make it very clear [so] nobody'd misunderstand Him.

Of course, you do have to study your Greek New Testament to come up with it. Most homosexual theologians, so-called, that I have talked to don't even know the Greek alphabet, much less their Greek exegesis so they miss it completely – but it's here in the passage and it should be looked at. Matthew, chapter 15, Christ is speaking, verse 19, "For out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts, murders," notice the differentiation, "adulteries, fornications," plural, "thefts, false witness, blasphemies."

"These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile." "The word homosexual is not there; what are you arguing about?" I'm arguing about the use of the word porneus, which was found written over the wall, and the doorway, and the arches, in excavations [by] archaeologists of Roman brothels. And the word porneus did not mean "sex before marriage" alone.

It meant homosexuality, bestiality, and all forms of degraded sex. And it became well known to everybody in the culture, if any of them ever did their homework, that porneus referred to anything goes. Jesus well knew the Roman brothels. He well knew the culture of His time; and when He said adulteries and fornications – plural – He was making a direct reference to the practices of the Romans and the Greeks and the pagans of the time who prostituted themselves to all forms of evil.

He knew it; He condemned it. It's not just the matter of the word, it's a matter of the culture; and Jesus certainly understood the culture of His time – if He didn't, nobody did. And therefore, when He used the word fornications, He obviously was making reference to all forms – all forms, inclusive forms – of that which was the deviation from the norm of Jewish law.

And the reason I can say that with such dogmatism is because He was a rabbi. And if a rabbi didn't know Jewish law on the subject of homosexuality, nobody on earth knew it. ... (Source)

Additional Resources

Homosexuality – On Solid Rock Resources

Answering the Gay Christian Position – Joe Dallas

The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics – By Robert Gagnon. Dr. Gagnon is Associate Professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. "Gagnon offers the most thorough analysis to date of the biblical texts relating to homosexuality."

© Marsha West