Culture and Scripture

What the Apostle Paul wrote about same sex sexual relationships generates a lot of strong feeling which often ends up being expressed in strong divisive language.  There is little room for reasoning among those who differ with one another.  When he wrote, "...women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, and in the same way also the men..."  (Romans 1:26-27)  he likely made something not talked about openly a public  conversation.  

It is different in our culture.  There is no hesitation in making it a matter of public conversation.  Generally speaking, culture has created an environment which not only gives permission to the same sex lifestyle, but also offers a strong stamp of approval.  The church struggles trying to appease those who see the Scripture as an out-of-date and out-of-touch with reality word and those who insist on the Scripture being an integral part of the conversation.  It is becoming an increasingly painful fence upon which to sit.  

The sad truth is that the church cannot tolerate both positions.  It has become one of those choose up sides and fight issues.  Maybe it can be no other way.  As one who has weathered many a battle within the church and has come to understand that fighting within the community of the church creates no winners, it is more than sad to see the brokenness among the community of the faithful, the loss of relationships once valued, and a future that only seems to offer even greater fragmentation.