We live in a world that is so complex and divided. Where opinions are universal and universally different. Especially in the United States where freedom of speech has been a most cherished philosophy since the country’s inception in 1776.
However, not every opinion is reasonable. Or positive. Or compassionate. Or possessing even an ounce of humanity. They have that right because that’s their opinion, but where criticism needs to be laid upon is when those who spout their opinions and make it representative of an entire religion.
It boils this Christian journalist’s blood when homophobic preacher Roger Jimenez says things to the Washington Post like, “People say, like: ‘Well, aren’t you sad that 50 sodomites died?’ ” Referencing the initial death toll in Orlando, which authorities later clarified included 49 victims plus the gunman. “Here’s the problem with that. It’s like the equivalent of asking me — what if you asked me: ’Hey, are you sad that 50 pedophiles were killed today?’”
This “preacher” is a fraud. A charlatan. He’s as real as a seven-dollar bill featuring Adolf Hitler as an American president.
What makes him a fake is he has forgone the entire philosophy of Christianity and what it means to be a preacher who spreads the word of love. Instead, he’s filled to the brim with hatred. It’s either that or he’s a corrupt power-hungry man who needs to be removed from his pulpit because his agenda is nothing short of satanic. He’s no different than Lucifer.
One reason that “preachers” like this are able to get away with this level of malice and prejudice is because there are kernels of truth inside what they say. Kernels that have been twisted, bent, and perverted into weapons that incite hatred.
The kernels are these and I’m not sorry to the LGBT community to say it. The lifestyle that the LGBT community advocates, that kind of sexual behavior; it’s a sin. It’s against God’s word and there’s no way to go around that. It clearly says in the Bible.
Leviticus 18:22 of the King James version (Which is the version I will continue to quote in the article): “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.”
In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 it says: “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind. Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
It’s clear that homosexuality is a sin, but that’s not the real problem here. The real problem stems from two gigantic errors in biblical interpretation; errors that have corrupted and created a legion of bigots who are stirred on by preachers like Jimenez.
The first error is that there is this illogical notion that homosexuality is on a different echelon of sin. That it is a worse sin. Now, there is a logical connection that not all sins are the same (at least to the human mind) is because we have a criminal justice system that prosecutes many of the sins as crimes. Robbery, murder, rape, perjury, and other crimes that coincide with breaking a commandment or one of God’s laws. Obviously, murder is the absolute worst because it’s taking something that cannot be given back or repaired.
However, the Bible doesn’t ever distinguish sins the way we do crimes. Don’t believe me? Look at the Corinthians quotation again. Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, [the effeminate, the abusers of mankind] (that’s transsexuals/cross dressers and homosexuals), thieves, the coveters, the drunkards, the revilers, the extortionists; NONE OF THESE PEOPLE INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD!
If any of these preachers are sleeping around on their wife, they are just as bad. In fact, if you want, you can use the inane and irrational logic that since adulterers are mentioned before homosexuals, that’s a bigger sin. I’m not advocating that. What I want is for people to realize that this campaign is built on falsehood. A gay man can go up to God the same way a career thief goes and both can be sent. The same goes for sanctimonious hypocrites too.
People want sins to be differentiated because the ones who are thieves don’t want to feel as bad as the ones who worship idols. Readers please, don’t delude yourself. God has disdain for all sin, not just the ones that humans may think are important.
Where the idea that homosexuality is a more severe sin came from is a mystery to me. The best guess (one I believe) is that preachers took the natural negative reaction to the thought of homosexual sex (I still find it repulsive personally and I do not mean to offend the LGBT community with that statement. I prefer tall leggy blondes myself).
Then came the sinners who wanted to feel better about their sins so they picked one that was odious to them and then hatred mixed in along with the other natural human instinct of competition or picking teams (like oh he’s gay so he’s against me etc.). From there came this movement, this higher calling (that didn’t actually happen) and now we have bigots who are willing to cheer the deaths of 49 people who committed no crime and yes, they were sinners. So are we. All of us need to look in the mirror.
Raise your hand if you’ve had premarital sex? Ever stolen something?
Come on…you know you took some candy when you were 9. Anyone ever had an affair with a married person? Cheated on one’s spouse? Drank too much? Watched a porno? Desired that hunky guy in the mall holding that other woman’s hand or maybe that hot bikini model that has a boyfriend?
Ever lied to get a day off from work or get away from a problem?
If the answer is yes to any of them, you’re a sinner too and that’s where we tie in the second problem that’s caused sanctimonious hypocritical pains like Roger Jimenez to flourish. Where do any of us get off thinking we have the right to judge according to the Bible? Sure we can read it and know the rules, but that sounds more like we’re the bratty school kid who is a tattletale on purpose AKA Randall from Recess. Who are we to judge? Facades like Jimenez forget that we are just as low on the food chain as the so-called “sodomites” that he condemns.
Don’t believe me? Ok, I’ve got my Bible with me unlike Jimenez. Look up John 8 and read it with the next passage. See the truth.
John 8:1-11 as it is written: “Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst. They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her: Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”
Jesus is the judge. He is the jury. He is the prosecutor. He is every part of his own criminal justice system even the executioner. It is supremely arrogant for any one of use to stand up and chant to any group or individual: “You are a sinner and you will see punishment.”
No!
NO! NO! NO! SHUT UP! This is why Christianity has become hated.
This is why more people are becoming atheist and call God a tyrant. Because people are too wound up trying to alleviate their own guilt and get on high horses than they are about spreading God’s word and love. If we see someone sinning, our job is not to condemn them (newsflash, you can’t even if you try), but it is to try to steer them back on the path towards God. That’s what too many people have forgotten.
They’ve forgotten that Jesus ate and drank with the sinners so that his divine self could inspire them to change their ways. He healed the sick, the lame, the leprous; the outcasts because he wanted to take them into his fold. It’s hard for people to grasp this, but we are not in a beauty pageant where God picks the winners on who is the most innocent. God wants us all to enter his kingdom.
Jimenez is either a complete fool or he’s a man trying to push a homophobic agenda because the psychology of us vs. them gives him power and he uses that power to get money to fund a nice lifestyle for himself. I’m betting he’s the second. He’s not a true messenger of God. His tactics work to create hatred and pain, but God doesn’t want that. He wants us to not sin. I’d pay to see any of the LGBT community who have responded to such scare-based tactics in a positive manner. Because they don’t work.
Look at missionaries from the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Have you ever met any of them who have used fear or hatred or the idea of us vs. them to gain followers?
Absolutely not. They don’t even subscribe to the idea of hell.
The idea of Christianity is to know that God’s love is absolute and all-powerful. That Jesus died on the cross for OUR SINS so that we can be forgiven as long as we seek it. Those 49 people, if they seek forgiveness and God finds them worthy, they will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
That’s the power of God’s love.
Jimenez* claims to represent that by the mere fact that he’s a “preacher.” And he’s applauding the horrific deaths. No matter which way you cut it, that’s fraud and that’s not the Christian religion.
A note to “preacher” Jimenez. Sir, you compare these victims to pedophiles. Sir, it may surprise you that while pedophilia is among the darkest of crimes, it doesn’t change the fact that even they are people. A real preacher prays for the abolishment of pedophilia inside the sinner’s soul.
Comparing them to pedophiles is wrong also because there is no consent with a child and these people at the club were there willingly. Regardless, a real preacher embraces the sinner and prays that they change their ways and that their soul atones. It’s easy to hate them (pedophiles). I hate them myself. But, I’m not a preacher. You are. You should be better. You should know to suppress your personal disgust and anger that’s so easy because humanity is naturally flawed.
It is your job is to use your knowledge of the written word to keep the common people together in a world of forgiveness, love, and positive reinforcement. To make them avoid embracing the flaw of hatred. When it comes to these 49 people, you’re supposed to say, “While I am glad that the gunman will not kill anyone else or that the pedophile is now in jail, I weep and hurt for the dead. I hope that their lives of sin can be balanced out by any good in their soul. I wish that I had known of the gunman’s intense rage and anger.”
I wish I could’ve helped steer him away from the dark and heinous path he went on. I want all of you to know that while these people are blatant sinners, what happened last night was a tragedy because 49 candles were snuffed out before they had a chance to burn for the Lord. 49 people left this beautiful earth before they truly got to know God. Before they had a chance to maybe change their ways!
A tragedy has occurred and 49 people that we could’ve guided toward the Lord are gone. I ask that we pray for them. We do not condone their sins, but we humble ourselves to the Lord and pray for mercy on these 49 souls for there is no greater tragedy than a person having a chance to enter the eternal kingdom of our Lord, and not being allowed because they ran out of time to find him.”
Remember this when your soul comes before God and all you’ve done is spread the philosophies of Lucifer under the guise of God’s name and holy sacraments.