An open response to Matthew Vine's 40 Questions for Christians who oppose marriage equality (or sniffing out a red herring straw man)

Dear Matthew,

I do not know you, but I have met many people who have read your book and are further convinced that they are affirmed as Christians and homosexual. That terrifies me, and it should you. There is no such thing as a person who practices their sin with knowledge (conscience) that that sin is an offense against God who is a Christian. Yes, Matthew, I know that you assert through hermeneutic gymnastics that homosexuality is not a sin. It is according to every legitimate interpretation and translation of the Scripture as well as the God-given conscience that you have clearly suppressed in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18-20). 

As I respond to your questions, I want you to know that I do not hate you or any person who is trapped in sin and blinded by the god of this world (2Corinthians 4:4). I am angry at the fact that you are leading so many people astray, calling into question God's Word and in your own way blocking people from the Gospel truth that they can be saved, cleansed, delivered- indeed born-again. I hope in some small way my answers to these following questions will bring people to the light so that they can experience the cleansing from sin (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) that I have - making me a different person from the inside our (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:10). 

1. Do you accept that sexual orientation is not a choice? I do not accept the term sexual orientation. The only orientation I accept is that we are all orientated to sin (Romans 3:9-19) and that we are love sinning (John 3:18-20) and when we sin we are just revealing our true nature (Ephesians 2:1-3). 
2. Do you accept that sexual orientation is highly resistant to attempts to change it? Sin is resistant to change, we cannot change our nature to sin, because we are sinners by nature (Romans 3:9-18, Ephesians 2:1-3) Whatever your sin is, you will struggle against it in your flesh (Romans 7) for your entire life, or it will master/enslave you (Romans 6:16) For the true Christian, your new nature empowered by the Holy Spirit, can conquer sin (Romans 6:11).
3.  How many meaningful relationships with lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) people do you have? Though this is an irrelevant question- because who I have as friends has nothing to do with the veracity of the Word of God- I will answer. (Red Herring #1)I have a dozen or so people in my life that are openly homosexual. I do not know what meaningful means, but I have travelled over the world with at least two and have 'broken bread' several times with others. To a lesser extent, I have shared coffee, had conversations with, and hung out with dozens in my lifetime. I also have meaningful relationship with present and former liars, blasphemers, adulterers (at heart, and physically), murderers (at heart), thieves, covetous, and idolaters. 
4. How many openly LGBT people would say you are one of their closest friends? I have no idea. Probably zero. What does this have to do with marriage equality? (Red Herring # 2) Some of my closest friends are present and former liars, blasphemers, adulterers (at heart, and physically), murderers (at heart), thieves, covetous, and idolaters. 
5. How much time have you spent in one-on-one conversation with LGBT Christians about their faith and sexuality? I have only ever spoken with two homosexual Christians. These are people who have repented of their sin and have trusted Christ as their Savior. As promised in the scripture, they were cleansed (1 Corinthians 6:11) and given a new nature ( 2 Corinthians 5:17) and no longer practice their sexuality, because they recognize it as sin- and it is no longer their master. One of them is Married (That is one man one woman as Jesus defines it (Matthew 19:3-6)) and one has chosen to this point to remain celibate. 
6.  Do you accept that heterosexual marriage is not a realistic option for most gay people? Yes. Because homosexuals know the One True God, yet refuse to acknowledge Him or give Him honor that He deserves, they become unrighteous. God removes His hand of restraining grace, giving them over to their sin. Slowly but surely, their heart is hardened, their conscience is seared, and they are given over to a reprobate (worthless) mind so that they can continue their perversions of God's law (Romans 1:18-32). Since homosexuals are by nature sinful (Ephesians 2:1-3) and have been caught in their sin, they cannot be expected to submit to God. 
7. Do you accept that lifelong celibacy is the only valid option for most gay people if all same-sex relationships are sinful? That would be foolish, celibacy cannot save you from your sin. However, if the person repents (turns from) sin, and trusts Christ, that person will be a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) no longer enslaved to sin (Romans 6:1-12). All same sex relationships are not sinful; I have lots of male friends I consider to be brothers. We have Godly relationships that are not sinful. 
8. How many gay brothers and sisters in Christ have you walked with on the path of mandatory celibacy, and for how long? (Red herring #3) By definition, A Christian is one who has repented of sin (that necessarily means confession, which is agreeing with God on what He says is sin- found in His Word and your conscience) and has turned to Christ alone for salvation from the penalty and power of sin. By that definition, Homosexuals who actively practice their sexuality in KNOWN rebellion against God are not Christians, so they are not my brothers. I would say that I have never demanded celibacy of any homosexual, for celibacy cannot save them from sin. They are just doing what comes naturally to a person who has been 'given over' to that sin (Romans 1:22-28). The only way celibacy benefits a person is when it is done in a relationship with Christ, after having been born again, to honor God with our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
9. What is your answer for gay Christians who struggled for years to live out a celibacy mandate but were driven to suicidal despair in the process? (Red Herring # 4) (See question 8 in regards to homosexual Christians) How do you know they were driven to suicidal despair as a result of this? Because of what they say? I argue that their conscience is bearing witness that they are sinning against God (Romans 2:15-16) and that they are living in a fear of judgment that they know is coming (John 16:7-11, Hebrews 9: 27) and that many have been turned over to sin and hardened, and there is no sacrifice remaining for them as they have trampled through rebellion against their conscience the free offer of grace they had been offered (Romans 1:18-32, Hebrews 10:26-31). 
10. Has mandatory celibacy produced good fruit in the lives of most gay Christians you know? (See question #8 re: Homosexual Christians) If they have repented and trusted Christ alone for salvation, then obedience to Christ empowered by the Holy Spirit does produce good fruit (John 15:1-5). I have witnessed this in the lives of former homosexuals, as well as those who have stopped lying, stealing, looking with lust at pornography, blaspheming, and coveting (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). 
11. How many married same-sex couples do you know? (Red Herring #5) I don't personally know any. I know a couple that are in a committed relationship for a number of years, but believe marriage is between one man and one woman. What does this have to do with anything? Knowing and loving people living in sin (which I do) does not change the truth of the Word of God that they need a Savior that delivers them from the penalty (death) for sin (Romans 6:23) as well as the power of sin in their lives (Romans 6). 
12. Do you believe that same-sex couples’ relationships can show the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? (See question #8 re: homosexual Christians) No, since these are fruit of the Spirit, a person engaged in practice of sin (1 John 3:3-8)  cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit. If they were Christians, they would have the fruit of self-control, and that would destroy your argument in questions 7-10.  
13. Do you believe that it is possible to be a Christian and support same-sex marriage in the church? No; though some are ignorant or have a fear of man rather than proper fear of God. I believe if a Christian is shown the Word of God and is brought to understanding in God's Word and still refuses to believe that God sees it as sin, that is a problem. That person may not be a true Christian. They (like we all) should examine ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5) to see if we are in the faith. 
14. Do you believe that it is possible to be a Christian and support slavery? Red Herring #6-this has nothing to do with Homosexual marriage). No, see the previous question. However, many Christians out of ignorance to the Word of God or Teachings of their Pastors supported and owned slaves, which is sin. 
15. If not, do you believe that Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Jonathan Edwards were not actually Christians because they supported slavery? (Red Herring #7- Again, this has nothing to do with Homosexual marriage).  None of them supported slavery. Martin Luther and John Calvin did not address it in their writings, as the topic was not on their radar as slavery was not prevalent in their locality at the time. As to Jonathan Edwards, He was opposed to slavery as it was practiced in the US re: man selling, to which the Bible is also against. The Bible's slavery had to do with the paying off of a debt or a legal obligation. In the Bible the slave was released after 7 years (the year of Jubilee) regardless - unless they loved their master, then they could choose to be a bondservant. The Hebrew slavery was more like a modern day job than the pre-Civil war American slavery. 
16. Do you think supporting same-sex marriage is a more serious problem than supporting slavery? (Red Herring # 8 -Again, this has nothing to do with Homosexual marriage.) I think both are serious, but the former has a much more deadly societal impact. One generation of only homosexual marriage would wipe out the human race through disease or lack of reproduction. Slavery, as practiced by the Hebrews in the Old Testament, is not the same as the kidnapping and enslavement with the cruel inhumane treatment towards the slaves we see in our history. Looking back, slavery as practiced in the west was definitely wrong and anti-Biblical. Marriage is only between a man and a woman according to God. When we take an institution that is established by God for His purposes and glory, and redefine it, we are blaspheming His character and nature. Calling it marriage does not make it marriage, no matter what the Supreme Court says.
17. Did you spend any time studying the Bible’s passages about slavery before you felt comfortable believing that slavery is wrong? (Red Herring # 9 - Again, this has nothing to do with Homosexual marriage). I think my conscience told me before my Bible study told me that Slavery, as practiced in America, was wrong. It was only when people like Matthew Vine brought up arguments to distract from the truth of scripture  that I have done research in the scripture to find out about slavery, shellfish, and mixed fabric. 
18. Does it cause you any concern that Christians throughout most of church history would have disagreed with you? Not really. I am thankful for William Wilberforce who, upon conversion, passionately stood for what the Bible taught and passionately fought for many social changes including the abolition of slavery. There are stories like this throughout history of true born-again Christians who have brought about sweeping societal changes - including many Christians who were abolitionists in our own country.  
19. Did you know that, for most of church history, Christians believed that the Bible taught the earth stood still at the center of the universe?  (Red Herring #9-Again, this has nothing to do with Homosexual marriage)  Yes, but the Bible did not teach that (Job 26:7), and most Christians did not have a Bible in their own language. You are speaking about the Institutional Catholic Church that taught that- and the people who were trapped, until the reformation- in that church just trusted their priests. They also believe to this day that a wafer becomes the literal body of Christ and that Mary was without sin and ascended into heaven- neither of which is taught in the Bible.
20. Does it cause you any concern that you disagree with their interpretation of the Bible? (Red Herring #10-Again, this has nothing to do with Homosexual marriage) Nope- like I said, they did not have the scripture in their own language. I am more concerned for the priests who had the Bible and taught them this falsehood.  
21. Did you spend any time studying the Bible’s verses on the topic before you felt comfortable believing that the earth revolves around the sun? (Red Herring #11-Again, this has nothing to do with Homosexual marriage) Nope- mostly from personal observation and teaching in school. Confirmed it by reading the scripture. Always knew that God was the creator of all things - including man, woman, and marriage (Genesis 2:21-24) and rested in that (Genesis 1-2). 
22. Do you know of any Christian writers before the 20th century who acknowledged that gay people must be celibate for life due to the church’s rejection of same-sex relationships? (Red Herring #12 - it does not matter what they say, matters what the Bible teaches) Prior to the last 100 years, it was not an issue. It was well understood, like in Jesus' day, that homosexual relationships were unnatural, sinful, and against the Word of God. In the Christian culture of the day, this was not a public issue as it is today.  
23. If not, might it be fair to say that mandating celibacy for gay Christians is not a traditional position? (Red Herring #13) (see question #8 regarding homosexual Christians, question # 7 regarding mandating celibacy) It may or may not be traditional, but it is not biblical. You see, being celibate may be the Christian choice, or even the moral choice, but again it cannot save a person from their sin. Neither  I nor the church can mandate any sort of behavior from an unsaved person. 
24. Do you believe that the Bible explicitly teaches that all gay Christians must be single and celibate for life? (see question #8 regarding homosexual Christians, question # 7 regarding mandating celibacy, question #23 regarding mandating moral behavior)  The Bible teaches that if you are not born again, you will not see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3, 5, 15-20) and that those who practice sin, and do not have their sin cleansed, will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Revelation 21:8). Those who identify as Christians and still are enslaved in a lifestyle of continued and rebellious sin against God are likely not Christians- and there will be many of those revealed on the day of Judgment (Matthew 7: 20-23)
25. If not, do you feel comfortable affirming something that is not explicitly affirmed in the Bible? No I do not. Since the Bible does specifically affirm that Marriage was created to be, from the beginning, between one man and one woman ( Genesis 2:22-24) and that was reaffirmed by Jesus (Matthew 19:4-6) and that Homosexual behavior is condemned by Jesus (1 Timothy 1:8-11, Galatians 5:19-21, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10) I feel very comfortable in saying that homosexuality is sin, as is same sex marriage. 
26. Do you believe that the moral distinction between lust and love matters for LGBT people’s romantic relationships? No, because it is the sexual relationship that is called sin. It is the homosexual proclivity that is the result of the sin nature. This is why the homosexual (or the adulterer, or the thief, or the liar, or the blasphemer- whatever sin-) needs a supernatural salvation that can change their very nature (Ephesians 2:1-10, 1 Corinthians 6:11, 2 Corinthians 5:17) so that they will not be controlled by their lust. 
27. Do you think that loving same-sex relationships should be assessed in the same way as the same-sex behavior Paul explicitly describes as lustful in Romans 1? Yes, because it is the tip of the iceberg. You see, homosexuality is a result of God slowly removing his hand from an individual and allowing His wrath to become manifest. In this open letter, I do not have time to exegete Romans 1, but I will note that homosexuality (and other sins of the reprobate mind) is the direct result of refusing to believe what Humans all know about the one true God (Romans 1:18-20). Homosexuals (as well as other sinners; see Romans 1:28-32) are unrighteous, because they are ungodly. They refuse to acknowledge the knowledge of God and their conscience (Romans 2:15) and therefore justify behavior that is unrighteous. Over a lifetime, God 'gives them over' to a progressive deterioration of morality that makes clear their suppression of truth. Finally, they are given over to a reprobate (adokimos  reprobate -s unapproved, unworthy; spurious, that will not stand proof ) mind to do things that are not convenient (καθήκω kathēkō not fit, proper, or seemly). This includes, but is not limited to homosexual behavior. 
28. Do you believe that Paul’s use of the terms “shameful” and “unnatural” in Romans 1:26-27 means that all same-sex relationships are sinful? Yes, but not just there. Shameful is from the Greek ἀσχημοσύνη (aschēmosunē)  deformity, unseemliness, which is how Paul would describe a behavior that is against nature- the way God intended it- or a perversion of nature. In context, this is a punishment for suppressing the truth  - So God allows or gives  people over to their sin.  
29. Would you say the same about Paul’s description of long hair in men as “shameful” and against “nature” in 1 Corinthians 11:14, or would you say he was describing cultural norms of his time? ἀτιμία (atimia) Is an entirely different Greek word translated shame that means dishonor, disgrace, stigma, or a reproach. Yes, that would describe cultural norms of the time, the same way it would be a sin for a Nazarite to drink wine or cut his beard. It however is about cultural reproach, which the Nazarites experienced- part of the fact that they did not trip their beard was to separate them- The word ἀσχημοσύνη (aschēmosunē) has to do with a deformity that is unseemly, unfit, and unnatural- or a perversion of the natural order as Paul describes homosexuality. 
30. Do you believe that the capacity for procreation is essential to marriage? No, but it was part of God's original intent for marriage to "be fruitful and multiply". For a infertile couple, this is not disobedience to God's intent, it is a sad result of the fall. In the OT culture, children were seen as a blessing of God. Infertility was seen as a curse- and women and men would pray that curse lifted so they could be a part of God's plan. 
31. If so, what does that mean for infertile heterosexual couples? Sad. With todays technology, they can choose many different options. I know couples who could not have children (and even some who can ) who rescue babies from abortion by adopting them. I know others who adopt special needs kids. Still others who served God on many missions fields who have no adopted or natural children, but thousands of 'spiritual' children. Anyhow, they can still serve God without being able to reproduce. 
32. How much time have you spent engaging with the writings of LGBT-affirming Christians like Justin Lee, James Brownson, and Rachel Murr? Who? (Red Herring #14) 
33. What relationship recognition rights short of marriage do you support for same-sex couples? I have always supported civil and legal recognition of their relationships. It is not my business what behavior non-Christians engage in. It is not business that the state would legislate means by which same sex partners can pass property to one another after death, be involved in legal decisions, rent an apartment or buy a home, have health insurance, etc. 
34. What are you doing to advocate for those rights? Nothing; when it was coming to a vote in my state I made sure that everyone knew that these rights were already in place. Homosexual Marriage has always been about getting church and state approval of homosexual behavior- nothing more. Legal protections were already in place. 
35. Do you know who Tyler Clementi, Leelah Alcorn, and Blake Brockington are, and did your church offer any kind of prayer for them when their deaths made national news? No.
36. Do you know that LGBT youth whose families reject them are 8.4 times more likely to attempt suicide than LGBT youth whose families support them? (Red Herring #15) Fascinating. Nothing to do with Gay Marriage. 
37. Have you vocally objected when church leaders and other Christians have compared same-sex relationships to things like bestiality, incest, and pedophilia? Never heard that incest and bestiality is compa ed to homosexuality, but here is a statistic for you: Homosexual pedophiles sexually molest children at a far greater rate compared to the percentage of homosexuals in the general population. A study in the Journal of Sex Research found that "approximately one-third of [child sex offenders] had victimized boys and two-thirds had victimized girls." The authors then make a prescient observation: "Interestingly, this ratio differs substantially from the ratio of gynephiles (men who erotically prefer physically mature females) to androphiles (men who erotically prefer physically mature males), which is at least 20 to 1."(Freund, "Heterosexuality, Homosexuality, and Erotic Age Preference," p. 107) Similarly, the Archives of Sexual Behavior also noted that homosexual pedophiles are significantly overrepresented in child sex offense cases:

The best epidemiological evidence indicates that only 2 to 4 percent of men attracted to adults prefer men (ACSF Investigators, 1992; Billy et al.,1993; Fay et al.,1989; Johnson et al.,1992); in contrast, around 25 to 40 percent of men attracted to children prefer boys (Blanchard et al.,1999; Gebhard et al.,1965; Mohr et al.,1964). Thus, the rate of homosexual attraction is 6 to 20 times higher among pedophiles."  (Ray Blanchard, et al., "Fraternal Birth Order and Sexual Orientation in Pedophiles," Archives of Sexual Behavior 29 (2000): 464). 

 38. How certain are you that God’s will for all gay Christians is lifelong celibacy? (see question #8 regarding homosexual Christians, question # 7 regarding mandating celibacy, question #23 regarding mandating moral behavior)

39. What do you think the result would be if we told all straight teenagers in the church that if they ever dated someone they liked, held someone’s hand, kissed someone, or got married, they would be rebelling against God?  They would rightly call us liars. 

40. Are you willing to be in fellowship with Christians who disagree with you on this topic? I am willing to fellowship with Non-Christians, like Matthew Vine, who disagree with me on this topic. I will let you know when a person who actually has repented and trusted Christ, believes all of the Word of God and strives to obey it, and still feels that homosexual marriage is marriage- I will let you know.  

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