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PDFThis outreach has forged an alliance between homosexual advocates and so-called "Christian" leaders.
You will recall it was Dan Savage, the featured speaker, who mocked Christian kids and the Bible at a convention for high school journalists last year in Seattle in which 3000 high school kids attended. I wrote a blog about it at the time. His comments were so malicious and offensive that Christian kids in attendance walked out.
Now he has joined several so-called "Christian" leaders in the launch of a national outreach and website called, "Not All Like That" (NALT).
The site says, "The purpose of the NALT Christian's project is to give LGBT affirming Christians a means of proclaiming to the world---and especially to gay people---their belief and conviction that there is nothing anti-biblical at all or inherently sinful about being gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgender."
My friend, the late David Wilkerson, would have called this a "soothing seduction."
It is aggressively anti-biblical regarding homosexual behavior. The site is using the same tactics they used in the campaign to redefine marriage in Washington State and elsewhere.
They are playing people's emotions with lies.
The project is asking "Christians" to upload videos of themselves communicating the message that all Christians are not like the ones who say homosexual behavior is sinful. Some of the initial videos include messages from so-called evangelicals who say that homosexual behavior is completely compatible with biblical teaching and Christianity.
Dan Savage told the Huffington Post that he got so sick of people coming up to him after talks and TV appearances informing him that not all Christians were bigots and against full equality of LGBT people that he came up with a word for them -- "NALTS" -- for "Not All Like That."
The Huffington Post says, "Part of the gay sex columnist and author's frustration was that he wanted these Christians, who were so eager to tell him about their enlightened stance, to focus their efforts on telling that to the Christian leaders who were condemning gay people and telling it to LGBT people, especially young Christians, who need to hear that not all Christians are... well, 'like that'."
Now some Christians have taken Savage's challenge -- and even adopted his title. Christian blogger John Shore and Wayne Besen, from Truth Wins Out, with the blessing and full support and participation of Savage, have launched NALT, The Not All Christians Are Like That project. Based on the format of the "It Gets Better" campaign, the website launched on September 4th as a platform, they say, for Christians who want to send a direct message of welcome and acceptance to the LGBT community.
Savage told The Huffington Post that he thought the videos were really important. "The It Gets Better Campaign brought LGBT kids who were struggling a message of support. This series of videos will be great for young LGBT kids coming out to their Christians families who can direct their parents to NALT." Savage went on to say that the NALT campaign can also have a political message in that anti-gay Christians appear to speak for all Christians when they condemn gay people. "I know that isn't true. My mom was a Christian," Savage says. He says, "This is an opportunity to harness social media and mass activism online."
On its first day online there were messages from Pentecostals, Methodists, Episcopalians, Baptists and Evangelicals offering their testimonies both about their Christian faith and how that faith moves them towards welcoming LGBT people.
In one video, an African-American pastor named Ray McKinnon tells the story of how he condemned a gay person when he was sixteen and a leader in the youth group and how much his hurtful words haunt him to this day. He ends his video with this message:
"Let me say clearly to you, being a homosexual is not a sin. Hear me today, friend, you are loved, you are lovely and you are lovable. Don't hear folks who want you to think that God hates you, God loves you. I love you. God bless you. We're not all like that."
In another video, Lisa Salazar, a transgender who claims to be a Christian, records her video at a conference for transgender pastoral care. As she walks along a path, she tells the story of her own faith journey as a transgender person and how the Bible and prayer actually helped her in her transition. She says she hopes her story gives hope to other transgender Christians, saying that in the five years since she transitioned, she has grown even closer to God.
Dan Savage has made his own video. This is a link to it on YouTube.
Savage is strongly encouraging people to make their own video testimonies and add them to the site.
He says, "If you don't take that step, speak up, then know that your silence allows the Tony Perkins and Pat Robertsons to speak for you and to continue to do real harm not just to LGBT young people but to Christianity itself."
The message then, is that those who advance homosexuality are courageous, spiritual and biblically correct. Those who hold to what the Bible actually teaches are harming people and harming Christianity itself.
John Shore, one of the "Christian" leaders of this new outreach says, "So many Christians are struggling with the idea that they must essentially choose between their faith in God---which in many real ways is to say their belief in the Bible as the word of God---and their natural loving compassion."
They are saying that the Bible must be revised to affirm their sexual behavior and passions.
"Homosexual rights" activists seem to be defining their mission, at least in part, as redefining Christianity and biblical teaching. And the redefinition they are proposing undermines the very foundations of Christianity and biblical authority.
It echos the line from Genesis 4, "Surely you won't die..." the serpent told Eve. "I know God said that but..."
There is a narrative in the Old Testament that my friend, the late David Wilkerson called a "Soothing Seduction."
The story is in II Chronicles. Chapter 17 verse 10 says, "And the fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat."
They were living in peace and prosperity, with no one daring to come against them. This, of course, provided by the Lord due to their honoring Him and His precepts.
But as you continue to read the account of events, you soon learn that Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah, creates a social and familial relationship with Ahab, the King of Israel. It was a very ill advised relationship.
Scripture says after Jehoshaphat entered into this new relationship with Ahab, Ahab persuaded Jehoshaphat to become involved in a war with him against Ramoth-Gilead. And in chapter 18, they were assuring each other they were alike---they shared the same beliefs---"I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will be with you in war," they told one another.
This story speaks of prophets who told the King what he wanted to hear and gave assurances that were not based on God's word, but on political expedience and personal agendas.
The war was a disaster. Ahab was struck by an arrow in the joint of his armor, "The battle increased that day and the King propped himself up in his chariot facing the Syrians until evening; and about the time the sun set he died" (18:34).
Finally there was a moment of truth---straight talk.
Jehu went out to the battle and said to King Jehoshaphat, "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Therefore the wrath of the Lord is upon you" (19:2).
God spoke through the transparency of Jehu, Jehoshaphat returned home and "brought the people back to the Lord God of their fathers" (19:4).
Deception is Satan's strongest tool:
2 Corinthians 11:14-15
And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
I will be talking more about this on the radio this morning. You may listen from anywhere in the world, live at 9 AM, PDT and re-broadcast at 7:30 PM, PDT. Here's how to listen.
Forgiveness and restoration is the only hope for America.
Be Vigilant. Be Discerning. Be Informed. Be Prayerful. Be Blessed.