“If you could ask 1,000 Christians one question, what would it be?”
That’s one of nearly twenty questions I ask people on a weekly basis. There’s a lot of insight to be gained by listening to the questions people are asking.
If you’re new to my blog, click Drawing Conclusions to learn more about my art and the interviews I conduct every week. Most of the people I meet with for coffee are students at the University of Delaware.
In this post, I’ve compiled twenty questions for Christians, asked by the first twenty people I interviewed. Be sure to leave a comment and share the link with a friend.
1.) COLLEEN (21, JERSEY CITY, NJ)
7.) ANDREA (21, LONG ISLAND, NY)
9.) MEREDITH (20, FAYETTEVILLE, NY)
13.) CHELSEA (22, KISSIMME, FL)
14.) JOHN (45, WILMINGTON, DE)
15.) JULIANNE (21,McHENRY, IL)
17.) MICHELLE (20, DELRAN, NJ)
18.) SEAN (28, WILMINGTON, DE)
20.) CHARLES (85, CARLSBAD, NM)
LEAVE A COMMENT:
- If you’re a Christian, pick a question and share your response.
- What themes did you notice among the twenty questions? What insight might your observations offer?
Subscribe to the blog and receive notifications for each post via email.
I think the common theme to these questions is “Help me understand how and why your faith is real and personal, and how it impacts you in the ‘real’ world.” I have been a Christian for over 30 years, and I will pick question #1, “What do you think of gay people?” My views on the issue of being gay have changed over the years I have been a Christian. I have now come to believe that I do not have all the answers about why some people are “gay.” I have come to believe that for most it is not a “choice” but something they are born with, and if that is the case, understanding what Scripture appears to say about this is confusing to me, so I am OK with saying that this is an issue I may never fully understand from the Bible alone. One of my closest friends is gay, and through knowing him over the past 15 years it has helped me to have more insight. When he first came to me to “confess something” to me that he was “gay,” he was sure that I would stop being his friend, since I was a Christian, and he was not only a Muslim but way “gay.” But it did not change my love and friendship with him, in fact, it was not a surprise to me. I believe that gay people should have the same rights as heterosexual people when it comes to marriage. Our society is not a theocracy, therefore I have no right to force my personal religious convictions upon others through government laws, it is their choice. I admit I do not fully understand what it means to be gay, but I give others the freedom to make their own choices. I am also friends with at least 3 other gay people besides the one I mentioned (2 I have known from high school), and I accept them as they are. Why would someone “choose” a lifestyle that would bring them such difficulties? When I hear some Christians calling for the Mosaic law to be enforced in America and the government execution of gays, it makes me sick. I don’t believe Jesus had any direct words on the matter. This is my two cents:)
But the Bible says gay people should be stoned to death.
I am wondering if you personally believe that, and why or why not?
Personally I think homosexuals are just like us and like us should be able to live as they like, and have relations with any consenting adults they like. The reason I am free to think this is because I’m not Christian and don’t believe the Bible is the inerrant word of God.
The question of the Bible’s position on homosexuality in the Old and New Testaments is a tough one. For those interested in further study, I’d like to recommend these helpful resources.
The three best chapters I’ve ever read on homosexuality from a Christian perspective are:
1.) No Perfect People Allowed, by John Burke (chapter 8);
2.) The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask, by Mark Mittelberg (chapter 7); and
3.) They Like Jesus But Not The Church, by Dan Kimball (chapter
Dan Kimball also points people to these books for an in-depth study:
1.) Homosexuality and the Bible: Two Views, by Robert A.J. Gagnon
2.) Welcoming but Not Affirming: An Evangelical Response to Homosexuality, by Stanley Grenz
3.) Loving Homosexuals As Jesus Would: A Fresh Christian Approach, by Chad W. Thompson
4.) Slaves, Women and Homosexuals: Exploring the Hermeneutics of Cultural Analysis, by William J. Webb
I dont’ think what the Bible’s position on homosexuality is a tough one at all. The Bible is very clear:
“If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” Leviticus 20:13
Sean, I just want you to know that I’m thrilled to have you
read my blog. Your comments are always welcome.
You’re right about Leviticus 20:13 being clear. However, when I said it’s a
tough question, I was referring to the topic in light of the entire Bible. When reading the Bible, there are many things
to take into consideration in order to arrive at a confident understanding on
any given topic. For example, the
original meaning of Greek and Hebrew words; the historical contexts in which
passages were written;
the differences of the old and new covenants; God’s response
considering a person’s heart, etc.
Again, the books I’ve recommended do well to address this
particular topic in much more depth that I could do justice here.
As far as the reliability of the Bible, I recommend the DVD
series, ‘Is The Bible Reliable, available at http://www.trueu.org.
Either Leviticus 20:13 is true, or it isn’t. If it isn’t, then the Bible is unreliable. I lean towards the theory that the Bible is unreliable.
When Christians say you need to answer questions “in light of the entire Bible” or same something similar like “scripture interprets scripture” it really means the Bible contradicts itself and you want to cherry pick it to make it say what you want it to. When you say you need to look at it in the original language your admitting you think the Bible you are reading is in error.
Sean,
I believe we have good reasons to believe the Bible is reliable. If it is, then Leviticus 20:13 is in fact what God said. The question is, how are we to apply it? How does God expect us to respond to it today? And should God’s response or our response be influenced by whether or not the individual is aware of what God says or whether or not they repent?
The books I’ve recommended do well to address these questions. It is not the purpose of my blog to do so.
The Bible includes both commandments AND instructions on how to carry out those commandments. Sometimes the manner in which God expects us to obey the essence of His commands changes. Two examples of this would be the food we’re permitted to eat and the practice of animal sacrifice. Hence, God’s commandments and our response to those commands are better understood “in light of the entire Bible.”
For you Sean – as someone who doesn’t accept the Bible as revelation from our Creator – I think addressing this issue is more of a disagreement with what it means rather than proof that the Bible is unreliable. I respectfully encourage you, if you haven’t already, to accept the challenge of holding the Bible up to the laws of histiography (which is a reliable way of testing any historical document). The historicity of Jesus, and especially his resurrection, are foundational to Christianity.
If you wish to continue the conversation, from this point on I’ll respond via Facebook email.
When the Bible says thou shalt not steal, I assume you think it means just that, not look to make excuses not to do what the Bible planely says. Regarding what you should eat, I think Jesus did at times contradict the OT, so I can see some plausible denial on your part. However when it comes to sexual matters Jesus did no such thing and if anything was tougher, for example toughening up on adultery as something you did if you even looked on another with lust. So I imagine he would think at homosexual is homosexual in his heart and sinning just for looking on another with lust. Morals have moved forward in the secular world leaving Christianity in the dust so I can see your motivation for pleading ignorance as to what the Bible teaches, but in spite of that motivation the Bible is still pretty clear on the subject of homosexuality.
I would be more than happy to comment on the historictity of the resurection, However, I don’t do these discussions for myself but rather onlookers so I have no interest in private conversation. You are welcome however to ignore me, block me from posting, or erase my messages. All Christians in the past have done one of those eventually. I interpret that as my having one the argument.
Hey, I see you went to NAU, that’s where I graduated!
Editing my posts already?
That was an easy win.
Why continue the discussion by email? I and I imagine others would like to hear what you guys come up with.
Hey Jacob,
Sean actually wasn’t interested in private correspondence. Considering the subject and the purpose of my blog, that was simply my preference.
As a new part-time blogger in full-time Campus Ministry with a family, I’m learning a lot about blogging as I go. One lesson is that I just don’t have enough time to respond to every comment, email, tweet and facebook post. It’s just not realistic. I’ve decided to experiment with a comment policy for myself. When subjects arise that reach beyond the extent of my blog’s purpose, or my time or my knowledge; I’m going to do my best to round up a list of recommended resources to offer. That way, people have the option of furthering their exploration in more depth than I could do justice.
We’ll see how it goes.
Thanks,
Tyler
I’m trying to wrap my brain around the idea that you have time to correspond with him in private, but not in public. It seems to me the time demands would be identical, but in public you could avoid responding to the same issues more than once. With your current policy people might think you are just censoring those with differing opinions.
I’m a bit disappointed not to be able to read your exchanges myself, since he had different take on things that seemed to follow word for word from the Bible and it would have been interesting to see you two go back and forth.
What led me to initiate private correspondence had to do with the reasons I mentioned already. My idea to share resources actually came later for the reasons you mentioned regarding time. I’m stretching my time as it is. Wish I had more.
Subject: [tylerskodersite] Re: 20 QUESTIONS FOR 1,000 CHRISTIANS (PART 1)
I can’t find your reasons. What reasons did you mention already?
For what it is worth I am posting this as a person who still identifies himself as Christian, but am having doubts leading me to agnosticism. One of the largest factors leading to that is watching debates of Christians vs. secularists, and seeing the Christians waffle so much with their answers. That’s why I would really like to see some Christians stand up for what they believe, answer questions openly and not shy away from criticism, because I do see the atheists doing that and it’s disheartening when our side can’t do the same.
Tyler let me get this straight. You think it used to proper to kill homosexuals, but now you aren’t sure if that’s right or not? And please don’t try and sell me a book, lets here what you think.
Thanks for the book suggestions….I doubt I will be able to read any of them fully but I may see if there are any online summaries. I wish I had the ability to read more!!
I looked it up and it does say that, but that just doesn’t seem right to me.
So are those rules only for that time? Were the 10 commandments only for that time? Were gay people different back then, that made it OK to kill them back then? I just don’t get it.
And Jesus said:
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Eileen, Thanks for sharing. Your summation of the questions
was well put.
It’s refreshing to hear your response to your gay friend’s
“confession.” It shouldn’t change our love.
Are people born gay? That’s a good question. What’s interesting is,
whether a person “chooses” to be gay or not, they still have the
choice to act on that impulse. It is the same with a married person who
desires to commit adultery. Was he or she “born with” that propensity?
Either way, he still has a choice to act on it.
The deeper question I think you’re getting at is, if a person is born gay, why
would God create someone to be a certain way and then turn around and condemn
them for it? That is a good question. Here’s one way to look at it.
People ARE born gay. In fact, people are born to commit adultery, murder,
lie, steal and worship idols too. The
Bible says we have a sinful fleshly nature within us (see Romans 7). Paul talks about it as being something that “comes
alive.” Makes me think of a volcano that
sleeps for a while but eventually erupts.
In other words, we can’t but sin.
It is inevitable. But did God
create us that way? If so, it wouldn’t
make sense.
The key is understanding God’s original intent. The first two people God created, Adam and
Eve, were perfect, not born with a sinful fleshly nature. However, when they used their free will to
rebel against God, they were turned over to the consequence of their choice. They were cursed. And that is the world we were born into. Our parents were bitten by the snake and the
poison passed on to us.
From that perspective, God is not creating people “to be”
inclined to any certain lifestyle. He is
creating us all with a choice. And
though it may not seem fair that we would inherit the curse from our parents,
so too, it was not fair for Jesus – born of a virgin (without the curse),
called “the Second Adam” – to die in order to appease God’s justice on our
behalf. When we understand the
significance of Jesus’ sacrifice, we understand that God loves us more than we
ever imagined.
I guess I have a quick question….if being “born gay” is equal in nature to the propensity to commit adultery, lie or steal….what is the converse of the choice? For example, a married heterosexual person tempted with adultery can choose to draw closer to their spouse instead and reap the blessings of that….a person tempted to lie can choose to tell the truth and reap the blessings of that….a person tempted to steal can choose instead to work with their hands and reap the blessings of that. What is the choice for the person “born gay” in terms of having a deep meaningful connection with one other human being? This is the issue I struggle with in saying that a person can be born gay but can choose to “not live that lifestyle.” A gay person also has the same needs and feelings that a heterosexual has. I do know a Christian who is gay who has chosen celebacy. I have never discussed the issue with the person, I only know second hand. They seem fairly content but I do not know their personal struggles. I am not against a Christian gay person choosing celebacy…but I also feel uncomfortable requiring someone outside the church to choose that same standard. Do you know Tony Campolo, the Christian author and apologist? I remember reading that he and his wife disagree on this issue….she feels that to require that of gay people may be to deprive them of the only meaningful human contact and happiness they have in life. Again, I don’t know the answers but I believe this is a very difficult issue.
Good question Eileen. I wish I had time to respond to everybody’s comments, but I just don’t. All I can do at this point is direct you to the books I recommended. I hope you understand. Thanks.
OK thanks!
Eileen, as a Christian who is starting to lean agnostic I think you bring up a lot of very good points. I haven’t read the books Tyler recommends but I can’t imagine them saying anything other than being gay is wrong, or being gay is OK as long as you don’t act on it. So if you are gay you have to choose between self denial and living life alone, or accepting yourself for what you are and still living a life alone. I’m starting to read more general philosophy and psychology books and finding that the only real opposition to the gay lifestyle is a religious one and unfortunately this does seen supported by the Bible, so I’m not sure where that leaves us.
Jacob sorry to take so long to respond, I’ve been thinking of how to say what I want to say! I think that you should let yourself feel at peace with being a Christian (if you believe Jesus is your personal savior and Lord and love Him) without necessarily having all the answer, and allowing yourself to question and have your own ideas on things. Of course, if you feel better calling yourself an agnostic, that is fine too. My personal belief is that we are all on a journey, we are all trying to come to a more fuller understanding of God and the world. In the parable of the sheep and the goats, Jesus indicates there will be some who are sure they are “saved” and others who don’t realize they are. I think too often Christians think of being “Christian” as either being “in” or “out” (and I do understand there is biblical support for this) rather than being on a journey and working through their salvation and their understanding in some respects. I think that one of the biggest problems in the Christian church is the idea that to be “Christian” you have to think identically on every issue/doctrine, and Christians are uncomfortable with saying they “don’t know” something for sure or “don’t have all the answers.” They view the Bible as the answer book on everything, and although I do believe it is God’s inspired revelation of Himself to mankind, when it comes to interpreting all that is in it, it leaves me with some questions sometimes. Again, Christians often feel compelled to believe they have an exact interpretation on every matter. Maybe it comes from insecurity in their beliefs, I don’t know. Christians in general do not seem encouraged to think for themselves, and to expose themselves to other ideas and thinking and then have to do the hard work of personally deciding how they think it lines up with God’s word. This is why I like Tyler’s blog so much, at least from the title, he is encouraging people to not be afraid to question and think through for themselves. I think that in today’s church, and the impression we give to the world, is that to be a Christian you must be Republican, pro-life (in the sense of wanting to outlaw a woman’s right to choose), anti-gay/gay rights, unconditionally pro-Israel, etc. I consider myself none of these, and I get flack for it sometimes! But I am OK with this, because I am secure in my relationship with God through Jesus Christ and in not having all the answers. God gave me a brain, and I use it in trying to understand things that aren’t simplistic but complex. God’s blessings to you, Jacob.
I think Christians are challenged with these questions everyday. Especially when it comes to the subject of being gay. The difference between the OT and the NT can be treated differently. In the OT, they were still held to the law before the coming of the Messiah. Paul tells us that we are not kept in bondage anymore; for if we continue to try to live by the law then we will be judged by the law; therefore making Jesus’ sacrifice a vain attempt and the cross would mean nothing.
Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19) was destroyed due to the very nature of homosexuality. But then we see in Leviticus 20:10 that the law states that anyone committing adultery would be put to death. Two very different natures of sin, but both suffering the same penalty. In Matthew, could Joseph had Mary stoned to death due to the thought that she had committed adultery until the angel of the Lord had gave him the full story? Possibly.
I believe homosexuality is caused by more of a hormone imbalance issue as God did not attend for “man for man, woman for woman (Gen 1:22; 1:28; 8:17). I don’t think that all things can be really explained as God’s wisdom surpasses all human understanding. But know this: Jesus died on that cross and took on sin for us all. Therefore releasing the law, for the law is now a way of showing us how sinful we really are.
Destry, many Christians are not aware of this, but in Ezekiel 16:49 we are given the explicit reason Sodom was destroyed:
“‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.”
Tyler, I appreciate how open you are to different opinions while stating your own as well. I know your desire is for everyone to feel welcomed and challenge us to test (QUESTION) our beliefs since that is what really defines us. I have TONS of questions on some of the things brought up as well. Your blog isn’t about debates nor this issue on homosexuality nor claim to have all the answers to all of our questions or hang ups we may have on any topic. It is up to us to figure it out. You provide a beginning point for that-so thank you.
Speaking seeking answers to questions, I would like to voice my quest on number 14 from John.
This bothered me since someone I loved very much said the same thing. Also, it bothered me because I was in that category as well. Christians by name, destructive by action. I missed the point and cause other people to miss it as well and even be repelled by God, when really it was me. I actually would like to write a guest post about my experience on your blog one of these days. But without going into specifics on my own life….there are many reasons why ‘Christians’ are fools. Here are some:
1. We love being rich and comfortable.
2. We want to be right.
3. We are fearful.
4. We missed the whole point of Salvation and are simply religious.
Etc.
That is a taste of what has been first in my list of questions lately. I think question from Isaac #12. Is cute.