THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, March 18, 1995 TAG: 9503180022
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 33 lines
Regarding ``Statements harm homosexuals'' (letter, March 1): Describing himself as an ``openly homosexual Christian,'' the author says that ``Christ preached love'' and never condemned gays or lesbians.
The gentlemen seems to have failed in noticing the fact that Christ also never endorsed homosexual behavior, just as he likewise never endorsed heterosexual adultery or fornication. In fact the only sexual union he ever did condone was marriage between a man and a woman when he stated that God created us male and female and that because of this a man would be united with his wife in marriage and they would become one flesh.
Nobody, including those who follow him, is completely without sin. And if anyone claims to be perfect, he is being less than honest. Nevertheless, if the only sexual relationship Christ ever sanctioned was a heterosexual marriage; if he called those committing sexual sins to repentance; if he said that only those who obeyed him were his true followers, does it not then follow that to label oneself an ``openly homosexual Christian'' is nothing short of a contradiction in terms? After all, what would you think of someone who claimed to be an openly Christian bigamist, prostitute or alcoholic?
DAVID AUSTRING
Norfolk, March 3, 1995 by CNB