Questions for Shane

Continuing my series on Shane Claiborne...

In comparing conservatives to Pharisees, Shane says in his book the Irresistible Revolution, "Conservatives stand up and thank God that they are not like the homosexuals, the Muslims, the liberals."  He goes on to say, "Rather than separating ourselves from everyone we consider impure, maybe we are better off just beating our chests and praying that God would be merciful enough to save us from this present ugliness and to make our lives so beautiful that people cannot resist that mercy."

Here Shane is putting up a straw man that sounds stiking similar to arguments put forth by gay activists.  I am a conservative Christian and hang out with a lot of conservative Christians.  We don't oppose the political agenda of gay activists because we think we are better than them.  We oppose them because their agenda is bad for the future of Indiana and the nation.   

I think Shane and I hold the same presupposition that giving in to homosexual desires is a sin.  If you start from that idea and you believe every life is precious and made in the image of God, then how can you not oppose what the homosexual activists want to do?

There are teenagers, young adults and adults out there who are sexually confused and unsure how to identify themselves sexually (many times through no fault of their own, but because of some form of abuse, broken relationships, etc.).  If the government starts handing out marriage licenses to homosexual identified couples, will that not send the message to these victims (many of whom were abused by someone of the same gender) that the government embraces homosexuality? That doesn't seem to represent the type of love towards all people that Shane promotes, yet if we listened to him and let the gay activists have their way, that is what we will get.

If the gay activists get their way, and government silences people of faith from speaking the truth in love regarding homosexuality, that will leave these victims of sexual abuse no alternative message to the gay activist montra of "You feel different so you must be homosexual."  Shane, do we really want that?  But for conservative Christians opposing gay activists in the public arena, the Church will not be able to address the needs of these vicitims. 

If the government run schools teach that homosexual relationships are just as valid a choice as heterosexual relationships will that likely result in more or fewer young people experimenting with homosexuality?  More of course...is that what you want Shane?

Shane, if you believe people's lives will be helped by resisting sin and hurt by embracing it, how can you not support what folks like me are doing?

Comments

[J.D.]

Instead of dealing with the real biblical arguments that these "crazy" conservatives are putting out there, Shane and others attack other aspects of the conservative character.

Why is it so weird to him that Christian conservatives hang out with Christian conservatives? I have noticed that most gay men hang out with other gay men. Under Shane's theory, it would follow that they must be Christian haters.

The only point that we can take from Shane is to love our neighbor whether gay, straight, and of every color. I would submit that the best way to love our neighbor in every circumstance is to advocate biblical principles, even the unpopular ones.

[Micah]

I don't think that Shane shares your views on homosexuality. In his new book, 'Jesus For President,' the Litany appendix was written together with Brian Walsh and peace activist Jim Loney (see page 347). Don't know who Jim Loney is? Check out his entry on wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Loney_(peace_activist)

Compare that with Shane's views here ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkWk1AT ) and it makes you wonder, if he really does hold an orthodox view on homosexuality, why he would write a litany with an openly homosexual man in a homosexual relationship when we're told in 1 Corinthians that we're not allowed to even eat with a brother who is an adulterer?

[Micah]

And just so we're clear, I'm not saying that I'm holy and perfect and am not a sinner - because I'm screwed up, believe me.