Dancing Nancies

“Could I have been anyone other than me?”

For the last few months a dear friend here in the South has been keeping me up to speed on the antics of a candidate for national office in her state. This candidate claims to be a follower of Christ but has made it clear time and again that they have, at best, a very warped understanding of the separation of church and state, and will gladly put aside their stated religious beliefs in order to get elected. This candidate, because they are running in a district with a large homosexual population, is supporting “equality,” i.e. “gay rights.”


If the idea of setting aside religious beliefs in order to further one’s political career sounds familiar, that’s because it is. When running for president in 1960, John F. Kennedy famously told the Greater Houston Ministerial Association that “the [Catholic] Church does not speak for me. Whatever issue may come before me as President, if I should be elected... I will make my decision in accordance with... what my conscience tells me to be in the national interest, and without regard to outside religious pressure or dictates.” Many Catholic Democrats running for public office, particularly in the northeast, have followed Kennedy’s lead (such as the president’s brother, the late Ted Kennedy). The difference here is that the candidate in my friend’s state is running as a Republican.

Of course, this is not the first time that a Catholic Republican has ignored what the Bible, not to mention the Vatican, has to say about abortion and “gay rights.” In 2008, Rudy Giuliani was criticized for his pro-choice and pro-“gay rights” positions, and if I’m not mistaken, that helped ensure his defeat in the Republican primaries.

Some of you may have seen the video of Nancy Pelosi saying her “favorite word” is “the Word,” adding, “We have to give voice to what that means in terms of public policy that would be in keeping with the values of the Word.” Moments later she pontificates that, “He will come again, so we have to make sure that we’re prepared to answer, in this life or otherwise, as to how we have measured up.” Of course “he” in this case is Jesus, but she can’t bring herself to say his name. The closest she comes is by quoting John 1:14: “[T]he Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst [sic] us.” (The KJV actually says “among,” not “amongst.” The only references to “amongst” that I could find in a quick web search were all quoting her statement.)

When Pelosi refers to “public policy that would be in keeping with the values of the Word,” it’s clearly nothing more than an attempt to put the imprimatur of divine mission on the liberal agenda. The Word speaks clearly on the issues of abortion (see, e.g., Psalm 139:13-16) and homosexual behavior (see, e.g., 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

(Before I go on, let me say one thing: I would never suggest that anyone who feels physical attraction to someone of the same sex is automatically headed for hell. But there is a major difference between temptation and sin. I can be tempted toward homicide, suicide, gluttony, drunkenness, greed or pride. But as a Christian, I do not have to give in to those temptations. Temptation and sin are not the same. The only way to get to heaven is through a personal relationship with Jesus as your Lord and Savior (see Ephesians 2:8-10). But the New Testament also makes it clear in several places that there are certain things we cannot do as followers of Jesus Christ, and among these is homosexual behavior.)

So what am I trying to say? Simply this: No matter what your political party or identity, if you’re going to claim to be a follower of Christ, you should know what his Word says AND OBEY IT. As John says, “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:3-6)

In government, we do not compel everyone to behave as if they were followers of Jesus. Jesus says, “Love your neighbor.” Government cannot require this. But when God says, “Do not murder,” government does seek to enforce this. The government will never succeed in eliminating sexual immorality. That does not mean that the government should approve, and recognize as legitimate, sexual immorality.

(UPDATE: I just found a blog entry from June 3 by my friend La Shawn Barber. She quotes, in full, an excellent piece by "Christian apologist, author and debater" James R. White. You can read her blog entry here: http://tinyurl.com/25jtykw.)