Same Sex Issues-Part 2

Jennifer Knapp Announcement-Part B
Can A Christian Be “Gay”?

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/music/interviews/2010/jenniferknapp-apr10.html

http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xDWc7SvBOA


Last week I discussed my disappointment with Jennifer Knapp and her announcement about being lesbian. Many of you have wanted me to rush to judgment regarding the issue as too whether a Christian can be homosexual or not. I would prefer not to do that at this point, but want to take this opportunity to explore this issue in detail.

Attached are two links of two different interviews in which she makes her announcement. The first is with Christianity Today and the other is a You-Tube copy of the Larry King Live show where the announcement was made. It also includes Pastor Bob Botsford and Ted Haggard as part of the debate. The You-Tube link is in four parts. Part four is very interesting to me because of the rabble which occurs at the end. I’ll deal with this at the appropriate opportunity.

Allow me to also remind everyone as we go through this discussion that we are exploring science, statistics, culture, history and Scripture together in order to come to the final answer. This may take several weeks or even months to get to. Stick with me and wait to criticize at the end of the discussion.

Several of you have e-mailed me that you had read an article several weeks ago, hearing that this announcement had already been made. If you will read the previous blog you will note that I had already heard the rumors of what was transpiring. The article that some of you are noting is from Christianity Today on an April 13, 2010 online interview which Jennifer Knapp participated in, which I had already read.

Allow me to be very critical at this point of Ms. Knapp. In the Christianity Today interview everything is going fine until Mark Moring corners her with a question regarding the homosexual issue. Ms. Knapp is very frank about how she really does not want to discuss the issue, but Mr. Moring presses the subject. Once she is pressed then she openly states that she has been in a lesbian relationship for seven to eight years. She also states that she really did not want to discuss it and basically attempts to blow Mr. Moring off. But his consistent pursuit pays off. She admits to it, then when asked if this was the reason she went incognito, she says no. However upon reading the complete interview it becomes clear that this may have, in fact, played a very important role in her leaving Contemporary Christian Music for a while. It also comes across that Ms. Knapp is attempting to get by the issue so that she can reclaim her thrown as one of the leaders in the CCM market. I have read this article four or five times through and found Jennifer Knapp very disingenuous and more focused on returning to her claim to fame then really wanting to glorify God.

This leads us to the interview with Larry King and the debate between her and Pastor Bob Botsford as well as Ted Haggard’s input. Allow me to criticize some bloggers (http://pursuegod.wordpress.com/2010/04/23/jennifer-knapp-pastor-botsford-and-ted-haggard-on-larry-king/) who have made it their thing to criticize Pastor Bob Botsford. First, note that not everyone is a debater; therefore it would do well that if you do not know how to set up a truth table to prepare for the debate, you probably shouldn’t. This may very easily be the case for him. Also, during the interview/debate I found that everyone teamed against Mr. Botsford. I am not familiar with this gentleman, nor his ministry, but the blog which started this fire between him and Ms. Knapp (http://www.bobbotsford.com/2010/04/straight-to-the-truth-in-love%E2%80%A6/) seems to be something which showed great concern for what was occurring. I did not find it offensive, in fact while reading it you can tell there is a background that is familiar with those in the homosexual lifestyle. I will say though the he was not the best choice in regards to this topic. Someone like a John MacArthur who is more skilled in this kind of debate, would have been better. Mr. Botsford did start the debate and should have heeded Luke 14 and counted the cost before doing so. Having said that Mr. Botsford’s views were critical to the discussion.

Ted Haggard’s role in this dispute seemed somewhat squishy. (Is that a word?) He really never willingly touched on the topic. He constantly affirmed his belief in the Gospel and in the infallibility and inerrancy of Scripture, but never dealt with the issue itself. I believe that his final conclusion of Romans 1 and 2 can be questioned, while it may in part be correct. He constantly talked in circles about a love relationship with God, but never about the standards of that relationship and how that plays out. He made one weak attempt of saying it was like the love relationship with his wife and that there were rules, but he never enumerated on it much. Mr. Haggard’s answer to Larry King’s question as to whether homosexuality was a choice or not, was very ambiguous. I also found him ineffective because when Larry King and Jennifer Knapp were bombarding Mr. Botsford with technical questions, rather than being a theologian and discussing the technicals, Mr. Haggard just lets it happen.

Now to Ms. Knapp, from the get-go you could tell she was uncomfortable with the discussion of the subject. She really didn’t want to talk about it, it was an issue of conscience and you could tell. I found many of her answers to be inadequate. When asked if her lifestyle contradicted Biblical Christianity she attempted to circumnavigate and never gave a definitive answer. While some may criticize Mr. Botsford for not being very knowledgeable about the technical’s of the subject matter, may I say that same criticism should be handed out to Jennifer Knapp. I found her intelligent but not very skillful with the discussion either. She could never give the name of any historical theologians or reference specific scriptures which directly supported her lifestyle. She argued well, but did not debate agreeably. Again, I found her inconsistent and disingenuous. The real question which tell-tell this moment is when she asks (while being on the attack) Bob Botsford, “Would you have a young teenage girl setting in your congregation choose between her sexuality and her faith?” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnOJnHjgkI0&feature=related) Here she shows her lack of knowledge in terms of the Scripture. Constantly Scripture is calling for Christians to make a choice between this and that regarding the Kingdom of Heaven verse the things of this world.

But what Ms. Knapp has done for us is brought into play the issue of identification. To this the scriptures speak clearly. Therefore, in the next part of our discussion we will layout the argument to see if someone is created (or evolved) to the point of being bent toward same sex relations. In the mean time I would express that Jennifer Knapp re-read the Gospels and attempt to see the call which the Lord Jesus makes in regards to our lives. Then she needs to balance that out with a strong reading of the epistles in light of the Old Testament for clearer understanding of the calling placed on an individual’s life when Christ becomes Lord.

Your comments are welcomed. Remember only debate the issue not the person.

Lord Bless,

Steven