There is an aggressive attempt to normalize homosexuality, especially during the month of June, being inundated with wokeness. It is neither normal nor Godly.
This season, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty called out five Tampa Bay Ray's players for refusing to wear LGBTQ Pride uniforms, calling it an "absolute joke ".
Whats obvious about this is that Flaherty, who calls himself a Christian, knows nothing about what Christians believe on homosexuality or doesn't care. It's a fact that Christians take their faith seriously. No Joke! Religion is more than just going to Church on Sunday. Christians practice their faith everyday in the public square.
While Christians believe that homosexual actions are a sin, comments on social media websites have been making Christians out to be homophobic bigots. This would mean that Christians hate or dislike gay people showing prejudice against them. That couldn't be further from the truth!
Bishop, Joseph Strickland, head of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, said that preaching the truth of the Gospel is not homophobic, that sexual intimacy is for a married man and woman "for the procreation of children," and that this is "simply reality."
As Christians, we are taught to love the sinner but hate the sin. From a Catholic perspective, "they must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition." (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2358)
One of the common statements is that Jesus Christ = Love.
True love of Jesus Christ doesn't mean that it's okay to look the other way when someone sins. Jesus Christ didn't look the other way when He turned over the tables of the money changers in the temple. When a woman who was accused of adultery was brought before Him, He didn't look the other way. He told her to "go and sin no more".
We wouldn't look the other way with people who murder, rape, steal, or commit adultery. So why does society have different rules for the sin of homosexuality.
Pope Francis calls the church a hospital for sinners. We are all sinners. As Christians we are taught to repent and ask for forgiveness no matterwhat our sins are.
We must recognize that we have done wrong.
We must have true remorse for doing wrong and for the pain and problems we've caused. We must be committed never to repeat the act regardless of the temptations or situation. We must repair the damage we've done, or at least do what we can to apologize directly to the injured party.
Jesus Christ died a horrific death on the cross for all of our sins. Christ does indeed = Love, but true love of Jesus Christ is not giving people the green light to commit sinful acts.
True love is offering His Mercy and Forgiveness. Jesus Christ will forgive everyone who asks. Our job as Christians is to get to heaven and to take as many people as we can with us. Only when we offer the Mercy and forgiveness of Christ do we accomplish that. We shouldn't force it on them, but at least offer it to them.
Love is not condoning a sinful lifestyle, love is helping them out of sin and helping them understand why its a sin. Love is telling people the truth. I dont ever want God to ask me, "Why didnt you tell the truth?"
So why can't Christians wear the Gay Pride uniforms or take part in the celebrations of gay people as a sign of unity. Are Christians hiding behind their religion?
One comment I've seen is that Jesus Christ would have worn the uniforms. That's probably not true.
St Paul tells us that it is also a sin to approve the sinful actions of others or participate in their sins.
Romans 1:26-32
26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error.
28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a base mind and to improper conduct. 29 They were filled with all manner of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity, they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God’s decree that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do them but approve those who practice them.
Also 1 Timothy 5:22
22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor participate in another man’s sins; keep yourself pure.
For this reason a baker can't bake a cake for a homosexual celebration, a florist can't provide flowers for a homosexual celebration and a baseball player can't wear a Gay Pride uniforms. That would also be a sin. Why would you want to force anyone to go against their beliefs? Why would you want to force someone to sin? Wouldn't that be reverse discrimination against the Christian? '
Homophobic prejudice would be refusing to hire a gay person, rent an apartment to a gay person, or serve them at a restaurant because they are gay. Those situations would be wrong because those aren't sinful actions. The Christian isn't participating in another person's sin. The Christian isn't taking part in the celebration. See the difference?
What if on Easter Sunday all players would be asked to wear a cross on their sleeve to symbolize the resurrection of JesusChrist? Would it be ok for players to refuse because of their religious beliefs or lack of them? Of course! Would you ask a Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or Atheist to wear that cross or participate in a Christian Celebration? Some MLB teams have Christian day at the ballpark. What if MLB and its teams incorporated the Crucifix or the Christian fish symbol into its logos for a month, like they do with the Gay Pride Rainbow? Do you think that maybe non-Christians such as Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, or atheists would be offended?
I am a St. Louis Cardinals fan, and I like Jack Flaherty as a baseball player, he has a lot of talent, but I don't like the way he or MLB divide the fans. Sports is supposed to bring people together. Not divide them. Christians take their faith seriously. Gay people take their lifestyle seriously.
You may not agree with the beliefs of Christians but you should always respect them and their right to believe just like Christians should respect gay people. But society should never expect anyone to celebrate the lifestyle or beliefs of anyone else.
This is why MLB should stay out of politics. Stick to what you do best. Play Baseball!
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