OPINION: Can True Christians Celebrate Easter and Homosexuality?

By Raynard Jackson (NNPA Newswire Columnist)

With the Christian celebration of Easter coming upon us Sunday, I thought this would be a good time to reflect on the state of the church, especially the Black church.

Easter commemorates the rising from the dead of Jesus Christ in the Christian faith. It is one of the holiest times of the year for Christians.

Unfortunately, we Christians have allowed liberals not only to remove anything acknowledging God from the public square, but we have also seemingly become ashamed of our Christian faith and values and unwilling to fight for them.

Today’s church has become as the sounding brass or the tinkling cymbal; full of sound and fury signifying nothing.

Where was the outrage when liberal dunce and co-host of The View, Joy Behar equated our Christianity to a “mental illness?” Many White liberals are anti-God, so Behar’s words on The View did not surprise me; but to have Sherri Sheppard and Sunny Hostin, both who are Black, co-signing for Behar was stunning.

Last year, President Trump met with a group of Christian ministers who laid hands on Trump when they prayed for him; the ridicule from the media and liberals spread like wildfire.

So, it seems to be open season on attacking Christians, but let someone like me, say that homosexuality is incompatible with Christianity and watch the hatred that gets directed towards me.

Why is it that you can’t get a straight answer out of people like T.D. Jakes as to his views on homosexuality and the church? If you can glean from him where he stands on this issue from this video, please let me know.

Too many “self-described” Christians like Jakes and Kirk Franklin are too concerned about their homosexual base that they are too afraid to stand on what the Bible says.

Where are award-winning gospel artists and talk show hosts like Yolanda Adams or Mary Mary? Don’t they have an obligation to defend their faith when it is viciously being attacked and denigrated by liberals?

They have been given a public platform, but they have refused to use it. Former President Obama revealed his support for same-sex marriage and the Black church came down with a severe case of laryngitis.

There was a time when the church, as an institution, and preachers were highly regarded. Not anymore.

Many churches and preachers have turned into social clubs, who are desperately seeking approval and adoration from the public versus standing up for their values and principles they claim to believe in.

In 2013, the liberal Pope Francis famously said, “Who am I to judge,” when asked about homosexuality. Well, the Bible is pretty clear. Paraphrasing Matthew 7:16, “you will know a tree by the fruit it bears.”

Far too many Christians spend far too much time apologizing for their faith and their beliefs, instead of defending them.

Every group or organization is founded upon a shared set of values that everyone rallies around. In order to be a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), you must be a CPA or have a four year degree in accounting. You can’t be an English teacher and demand membership. Your background is incompatible with membership in the AICPA.

You can’t be a member of Tall Clubs International (TCI) unless you are at least 6’2” for men and 5’10” for women. If you don’t meet these requirements, then your deficient height makes you incompatible for membership in this organization.

If you are a male, you cannot join a sorority; and if you are a female, you can’t join a fraternity. You don’t meet the requirements for membership.

Thusly, if you are a homosexual, you cannot be a Christian in good standing in the church. I am fed up with preachers refusing to state this obvious tenant of the Christian church.

Let me again say for the record, homosexuality is not compatible with Christianity. Yes, we serve a forgiving God, but part of forgiveness is turning from our wicked ways.

God will forgive you for lying, but you must stop lying; God will forgive you for adultery, but you must stop committing adultery; God will forgive you for homosexuality, but you must stop committing acts of homosexuality.

If you are not willing to change your behavior, then your lifestyle is not compatible with Christianity. It’s just that simple.

I often tell my homosexual friends that they don’t deserve special treatment, because of their sexual preferences; but they do deserve equal protection because of their humanity.

So, when my liberal friends attempt to rebut me by saying “sin is sin and God doesn’t judge one sin more harshly than others;” I agree with them 100 percent.

My rebuttal to them is, of all the sins listed in the Bible, homosexuality is the only one that people are trying to legalize. No one is trying to legalize lying, murder, or adultery. That’s the difference.

So, as we celebrate this Easter, I hope Christians will once again rise up and stand up for what the Bible says and no longer be intimidated by the liberal secularists.

Raynard Jackson is founder and chairman of Black Americans for a Better Future (BAFBF), a federally registered 527 Super PAC established to get more Blacks involved in the Republican Party. BAFBF focuses on the Black entrepreneur. For more information about BAFBF, visit http://www.bafbf.org. You can follow Raynard on Twitter @Raynard1223.