There are plenty of stupid arguments for homosexual marriage, but one of the stupidest was made by the Prime Minister of Australia last night as he rudely and rather brainlessly replied to a question by a Christian pastor. Kevin Rudd’s nonsense was as appalling as it was disingenuous.
His ‘knockdown and bulletproof’ argument went something like this: ‘You say homosexuality is abnormal. Well the Bible says slavery is normal. Therefore we must have homosexual marriage.’ This has got to be one of the most inept and idiotic things I have ever heard when it comes to pushing homosexual marriage.
Can someone please buy this guy a basic textbook in logic and logical fallacies? Or at least buy him a Bible. It is clear he is completely unversed in both. His “reasoning” is just so wrong on so many levels, that it is hard to know where to begin. But let me offer a few brief points here.
First, slavery in biblical times was much different than say in America’s south two centuries ago. In the Old Testament for example it was in fact indentured servitude. Even Israelites could sell themselves into such servitude in order to pay off debts. It was voluntary and it was all rather humane.
Second, the first act of the sceptic is to rip texts out of context. Rudd’s use of Ephesians 6:5 (“Slaves be obedient to your masters”) has a clear context, and it must be read in its entirety. Paul goes on to tell masters to treat their slaves kindly (Eph. 6:9). And the same Paul tells slaves they may take advantage of release from servitude if offered it (see 1 Corinthians 7:21 and the book of Philemon).
Third, it was the very New Testament which Rudd wrongly claims kept people in their chains which in fact provided the basis of all the abolitionist movements in the West. Paul said quite clearly that in Christ there is “neither slave nor free” (Galatians 3:28).
The truth Jesus emphasised that we are all made in the image of God of course led to the eventual elimination of slavery, and it was Christians, motivated by the New Testament, that spearheaded the drive to see it made history. So Rudd is totally wrong here.
Fourth, slavery in biblical times had little to do with race, as it did in more modern cases, such as with Black slaves in the US. Those who want to draw parallels between the treatment of Blacks and the treatment of homosexuals are simply mixing apples with oranges.
As Black American pastor Ken Hutcherson recently put it: “It has been said loudly and proudly that gay marriage is a civil rights issue. If that’s the case, then gays would be the new African-Americans. I’m here to tell you now, and hopefully for the last time, that the gay community is not the new African-American community. Don’t compare your sin to my skin.”
And fifth, the biblical case for heterosexual marriage has absolutely nothing to do with the issue of slavery of course. Contrary to the clear falsehoods of Rudd, the Bible most certainly does see homosexuality as abnormal, while it always views heterosexuality and heterosexual marriage as the norm.
Heterosexual marriage is the biblical ideal from Genesis through to Revelation. Homosexuality however is not just an abominable and grievous sin, but when Paul writes in Romans 1 he uses it as the epitome of human defiance and rebellion against God, earning his just wrath.
Slavery, like divorce, was allowed by God as temporary concessions for mankind living in a fallen world. Neither was God’s ideal, and neither have a place in the coming Kingdom. Heterosexual marriage however was always God’s intention, and the eternal relationship between Christ and the church is of course fully patterned on heterosexual marriage (see Eph 5:23, eg.).
Sorry Kevin, but you made a ghastly meal of it. There is no doubt that his answer was well rehearsed, and that the ABC told him the question was coming. This is typical of how the ABC operates. And with an audience packed with Rudd supporters, cheering him all the way as he gave his reply, we know this was a stacked deck.
The truth is, no one can claim to be a true Christian and deliberately and defiantly shake their fist in God’s face and call him a liar as Rudd has effectively done. He has made it crystal clear that he treats the Word of God with contempt and thinks that he, not God, is the fount of all ethical truth.
And no one who claims to be a true Christian should dare vote for this charlatan on Saturday. Yet incredibly I fear many deceived believers will do just that this weekend. If they do they will have to stand before God on judgment day to give an account for their irresponsibility and recklessness.
A few other quick points. This same Rudd was of course arguing against homosexual marriage just a few short months ago. This is yet another flip flop from him and Labor. They cannot be trusted in anything. They lie, obfuscate, deceive and twist things on a regular basis. Who in the world would vote for these guys?
And all this arose because one man had the guts to stand up and confront this conman. I say Matt Prater for PM! He not only put to shame the charlatan who wants to be re-elected on Saturday, but he puts to shame the great majority of spineless wonders who occupy our pulpits every week yet refuse to speak out on this absolutely crucial issue.
These invertebrate shepherds will have to give an account on judgment day as to why they refused to stand up for God’s institutions of marriage, family and human sexuality. If God values them so highly then so should God’s people – especially their leaders.
For those who want more on all this, my recent book Strained Relations deals with these matters in great detail: http://orders.koorong.com.au/search/product/strained-relations-bill-muehlenberg/9780646560953.jhtml
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