Gay Pride and buffet restaurants

Saturday was the big Gay Pride parade through Paris. I was planning to go to support a sister who works at an agency that seeks to help men -- mostly transvestites -- get out of prostitution. I wasn't able to make it for several reasons, but she shared some interesting stories with me about the people she went with.

God is giving her a more rounded view of these men and women, something that goes beyond the sometimes shocking images that are projected. ... During the prayer she called us on the phone and asked for prayer, though. It was heavy being in the environment at first. In the end she didn't regret it. More on that another time.

When witnessing images from such an event it is typical of Christians to think about Sodom and Gomorrah.

I've often heard people call out predictions about the end being near because such things are becoming more acceptable in our society.

This may be true, but before we go too far in our self-righteousness, listen to what I.T. colleague Nancy Donat shared with me recently.

(Nancy lived and served among the poorest of the poor in the squatter areas of Manilla and now serves in an inner-city neighborhood in Fresno, Califorina. She is passionate about our attitudes on poverty.)

Nancy often asks if we know why God destroyed Sodom. She told us to look at Ezekiel 16:49 ...

"Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy." NIV

"Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. NASB

"Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy." KJV

Perhaps Gomorrah was destroyed because of something related to sexual sin (though it is not expressly stated), but what is clearly stated in Scripture is that God judged Sodom because of prideful, overfed people who didn't help the poor and needy.

Perhaps we should be as worried about what goes on at our neighborhood buffet restaurant as we are about Gay Pride! Just a thought.

Click on "comments" below to share your thoughts.

Comments

[Peter]

Wow! I never saw that Scripture before. Amen, sister. Please see my comment posted at the "English camp and Dixie" section.

[Russell Sutherland]

Thanks for your balanced remarks regarding the "sins" of Sodom and the surrounding cities. As far as the condemnation for "sexual sins" goes, Jude 7 makes it quite clear that sexual immorality and unnatural desires were instrumental in their downfall.