Last night, I invited my oldest lesbian daughter and her girlfriend to attend the showing of the 2007 film, "For the Bible Tells Me So" by Keith Lewis.
The screening of the documentary took place at Emmanuel-Friedens Church in Schenectady, New York, the church Keith Lewis grew up in. Lewis was the co-creator and co-producer for the documentary about the issue of homosexuality and how it has been perceived by the community, families and churches. But the question is why now that "same-sex" marriage is the law of the land?
The film depicted the dark side of hate crimes against homosexuals by religious fanatics in the past and WRONGLY associated all Evangelical Christians as having hatred towards LGBTQ persons.
Many times in the film, Rev. Irene Monroe of Harvard Divinity School was featured expressing reverse discrimination views towards biblical literalists, because of her struggles as an African-American, a lesbian and a woman. Bishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu (born 7 October 1931) is a South African social rights activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid. In "For the Bible Tells Me So" Tutu gives his opinion over and over that God does not fault people for being LGBTQ—to that train of thought, Bishop Tutu may wish to suggest to people to read Romans 7:15-25.
Many times in the film, Rev. Irene Monroe of Harvard Divinity School was featured expressing reverse discrimination views towards biblical literalists, because of her struggles as an African-American, a lesbian and a woman. Bishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu (born 7 October 1931) is a South African social rights activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid. In "For the Bible Tells Me So" Tutu gives his opinion over and over that God does not fault people for being LGBTQ—to that train of thought, Bishop Tutu may wish to suggest to people to read Romans 7:15-25.
Jake Reitan, an actor and homosexual activist, whose other credits include; Sole Journey (2009) and Wild Card (2014), is featured in “For the Bible Tells Me So.” Reitan stages a campaign in the film against "Focus on the Family" ministries, after his parents finally embrace his sexual identity.
In the film, then 19-year old, Jake Reitan's anger, confusion, frustration and hostility as a homosexual activist is clearly exhibited towards churches that teach the Bible's words on homosexuality as an abomination to God. "For the Bible tells me so" focuses too much on religion than the message of the New Testament regarding homosexuality (Romans 1:16-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11). The film's makers want to replace the Holy Spirit and interpret the Bible for Christians.
"For the Bible Tells Me So" skews psychology studies and claims that homosexuality was never deemed a mental disorder in the fields of psychology and psychiatry in America. Psychology was one of the first disciplines to study homosexuality as a discrete phenomenon. Prior to and throughout most of the 20th century, common standard psychology viewed homosexuality in terms of pathological models as a mental illness. That classification began to be tested in research, which hasn't produced strong empirical evidence regarding homosexuality as a disorder. A large number of professionals in medicine, mental health, and the behavioral and social sciences, "sit on the fence" regarding the classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder in the DSM.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), offers a common language and standard criteria for the classification of mental disorders. It is used, or relied upon, by clinicians, researchers, psychiatric drug regulation agencies, health insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, the legal system, and policy makers together with alternatives such as the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD), produced by the World Health Organization (WHO). The DSM is now in its fifth edition, DSM-5, published on May 18, 2013.
 |
| From left, Lesbian couple Amy Loder and Chrissy Gephardt in 2003, Kate, Richard, Jane and Matt Gephardt, with Tricia, his wife. |
"For the Bible Tells Me So" co-creator and co-producer, Keith Lewis, gave an introduction before the screening of the film to explain why he made the 2007 film—which is now dated material given the United States Supreme Court decision this past June 2015. However Lewis’ passion to educate families to love their children unconditionally—no matter their sexual orientation is heartfelt and valid, and after meeting him, you can't help but feel sympathy towards him and his lifelong struggle…My other lesbian daughter and middle child, who lives with her mother, was not able to join us for the screening of "For the Bible Tells Me So." Nevertheless, "For the Bible Tells Me So" takes scripture out of context, adds its own interpretation of the intent of the Bible's authors, and discredits the story of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Jesus Christ told His disciples this:
Jesus Christ told His disciples this:
Matthew 10:14-15 • New Living Translation (NLT)
14 If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave. 15 I tell you the truth, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day.
The film is approximately two-hours long and exhaustive to drive home the point that even atheist and agnostics should practice, and that is that we should practice agape love towards all people—and especially unconditional love towards our children.
Where the film "For the Bible Tells Me So" goes astray is in not promoting unconditional love, tolerance and recognition of the rights of evangelical Christians to have their own belief system, and allow them to believe that the Bible is the literal word of God.
"For the Bible Tells Me So" spends most of the film citing old testament scriptures and Jewish laws that are no longer applicable to Christians (as found in Leviticus)—while minimizing the New Testament teachings of; Romans 1:17-32 to two (2) out of fifteen (15) verses.
However, Romans 1:17-32 clearly states God's feelings on LGBTQ. Moreover, the film never makes any mention of Matthew 19:3-6 or the scriptures of 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 for people to consider, because "For the Bible Tells Me So" declares that the Bible is outdated, especially in regards to LGBTQ.
However, Romans 1:17-32 clearly states God's feelings on LGBTQ. Moreover, the film never makes any mention of Matthew 19:3-6 or the scriptures of 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 for people to consider, because "For the Bible Tells Me So" declares that the Bible is outdated, especially in regards to LGBTQ.
The approximately forty-plus number of people that showed up for the screening of the film were kind to one another and met a half-hour before the film for pizza, veggies, fruit, coffee and tea in the congregation room before going into another room for the film.
'The film, "For the Bible tells me so," takes the liberty to compare the Bible to Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf (1925-1926 plan for Germany)..."
My oldest daughter and her girlfriend enjoyed the film and social time with the crowd—that was mixed between Roman Catholics, Baptists, Episcopalians—those who practice Judaism and other denominational faiths. A few LGBTQ people expressed during the question and answer period after the screening that they have never experienced discrimination for being gay in their Christian or Hebrew congregations. My daughter later told me that she believes God's Word and thinks that she is simply going through a phase in her life, and wants to be married and have children one day.
The film, "For the Bible tells me so," takes the liberty to compare the Bible to Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf (1925-1926 plan for Germany), and deems the Bible (especially the New Testament and the Apostles' teachings in Acts to abstain from sexual immorality...) to be a book of oppression that was supposedly only written by outdated authors.
The documentary film contradicts the Bible on every point with regards to the teaching of Scripture in Genesis 1 and John chapter 1 that; Jesus was with God in the beginning, when Adam and Eve were made.
The film seeks to discredit the Bible and the fact that Jesus is the Living Word of God (Matthew 19:3-6; John 1:1; John 1:14; John 8:31-32 ; 1 John 5:7 KJV; Revelation 19:13). Jesus said in the New Testament In Matthew 24:35, "Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear."
The above fundamental Truth for evangelical Christians that the Holy Bible is the divine Word of God is what the film "For the Bible tells me so" seeks to destroy.
Vicky Gene Robinson (born May 29, 1947 in Fayette County, Kentucky) is an American retired bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire in the Episcopal Church in the United States. Robinson is widely known for being the first priest in an openly gay relationship to be consecrated a bishop. His sexual orientation was privately acknowledged in the 1970s, when he studied in seminary, was ordained, married, and started a family.
Robinson went public with his sexual identity and divorced his wife in 1986. Robinson entered a formal relationship with his second spouse, Mark Andrew, in 1988. After his election, many theologically conservative Episcopalians in the United States abandoned the Episcopal Church, formed the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) and aligned themselves with bishops outside the Episcopal Church in the United States, a process called the Anglican realignment. Robinson is featured in the 2007 film, "For the Bible tells me so," over and over.
The LGBTQ community has won its long secular battle to change the law of the land to allow same-sex marriage. However, listening to Keith Lewis at the screening of his 2007 film, "For the Bible tells me so," I did not sense that he is satisfied. Lewis' cause now seems to be more about seeking to contradict the Bible's teachings and to practice "reverse therapy" on evangelical Christians. If Keith Lewis' cause was just sectarian to teach parents to practice unconditional love towards their gay and lesbian children, then it would be noteworthy. Nevertheless, the continued showing of the 2007 film mostly only promotes division now and reverse discrimination by some LGBTQ.
As a 48 year old straight man, who experimented with homosexual sex in my teens, I realize that my carnal nature will always seek to satisfy the desires of the flesh. However to imitate Christ and walk by the Spirit as opposed to the desires of the flesh, is the essence of living a sanctified Christian life. I knew when I was 13 that homosexuality was wrong for me, after allowing another male to kiss me and sodomize me...
Decades later, my LGBTQ male friends still try to convince me that I supposedly did not have "the right technique" done on me, when I let this older guy sodomize me, which I find offensive—and sometimes downright predatory. Jesus Christ's overall teaching was love and a call to repentance! Jesus taught that marriage is between a man and a woman (Matthew 19:3-6). Furthermore, Christ did not condemn the "Woman at the Well" to hell for living with a man who was not her husband, instead Jesus inspired her to think about what she was doing (John 4). In regards to marriage, Christ taught the religious leaders of His time and still says today; "For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven (Matthew 22:30).
The film, "For the Bible tells me so," takes the liberty to compare the Bible to Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf (1925-1926 plan for Germany), and deems the Bible (especially the New Testament and the Apostles' teachings in Acts to abstain from sexual immorality...) to be a book of oppression that was supposedly only written by outdated authors.
2 Peter 1:20-21 • New Living Translation (NLT)
20 Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding,[a] 21 or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.
Footnotes:
1:20 Or is a matter of one’s own interpretation.
The documentary film contradicts the Bible on every point with regards to the teaching of Scripture in Genesis 1 and John chapter 1 that; Jesus was with God in the beginning, when Adam and Eve were made.
The film seeks to discredit the Bible and the fact that Jesus is the Living Word of God (Matthew 19:3-6; John 1:1; John 1:14; John 8:31-32 ; 1 John 5:7 KJV; Revelation 19:13). Jesus said in the New Testament In Matthew 24:35, "Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear."
The above fundamental Truth for evangelical Christians that the Holy Bible is the divine Word of God is what the film "For the Bible tells me so" seeks to destroy.
 |
| L-R: Mark Andrews, Dan Karslake, Bishop V. Gene Robinson at the For the Bible Party hosted by Queer Lounge and underwritten by the Bastian Foundation |
Robinson went public with his sexual identity and divorced his wife in 1986. Robinson entered a formal relationship with his second spouse, Mark Andrew, in 1988. After his election, many theologically conservative Episcopalians in the United States abandoned the Episcopal Church, formed the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) and aligned themselves with bishops outside the Episcopal Church in the United States, a process called the Anglican realignment. Robinson is featured in the 2007 film, "For the Bible tells me so," over and over.
The LGBTQ community has won its long secular battle to change the law of the land to allow same-sex marriage. However, listening to Keith Lewis at the screening of his 2007 film, "For the Bible tells me so," I did not sense that he is satisfied. Lewis' cause now seems to be more about seeking to contradict the Bible's teachings and to practice "reverse therapy" on evangelical Christians. If Keith Lewis' cause was just sectarian to teach parents to practice unconditional love towards their gay and lesbian children, then it would be noteworthy. Nevertheless, the continued showing of the 2007 film mostly only promotes division now and reverse discrimination by some LGBTQ.
As a 48 year old straight man, who experimented with homosexual sex in my teens, I realize that my carnal nature will always seek to satisfy the desires of the flesh. However to imitate Christ and walk by the Spirit as opposed to the desires of the flesh, is the essence of living a sanctified Christian life. I knew when I was 13 that homosexuality was wrong for me, after allowing another male to kiss me and sodomize me...
Decades later, my LGBTQ male friends still try to convince me that I supposedly did not have "the right technique" done on me, when I let this older guy sodomize me, which I find offensive—and sometimes downright predatory. Jesus Christ's overall teaching was love and a call to repentance! Jesus taught that marriage is between a man and a woman (Matthew 19:3-6). Furthermore, Christ did not condemn the "Woman at the Well" to hell for living with a man who was not her husband, instead Jesus inspired her to think about what she was doing (John 4). In regards to marriage, Christ taught the religious leaders of His time and still says today; "For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven (Matthew 22:30).
Galatians 5:16-18 • New Living Translation (NLT)
Living by the Holy Spirit’s Power
16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. The struggle with homosexuality in society for some people means denying their carnal nature and taking up their cross to live sanctified by inhibition to homosexuality rather than exhibition of self will. For me, it was not until I surrendered my life to Christ fully that I found freedom from what I truly believe was depravity.
Galatians 5:16-22 • New Living Translation (NLT)
19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
I hope that this film review was written objectively enough to allow you to do your own research for the Truth. After all, my job as a Christian evangelist and father to my two lesbian daughters is to love them unconditionally without trying to indoctrinate them…My God does not want robots; He wants people to seek Him and to worship Him in Spirit and Truth. The lesson of the “Woman at the Well” in the Gospel of John chapter 4 recently helped me make a decision to no longer co-habitate with my girlfriend—especially now that I no longer have any desire to marry her.
Lewis invited the crowd to come back Sunday to learn how to make lots of money from making a documentary film. If I were to follow the teaching of "For the Bible Tells Me So" and Keith Lewis, I would then have to believe that God's Word is not everlasting and His Living Word. God says, "So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11). "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8).
Lewis invited the crowd to come back Sunday to learn how to make lots of money from making a documentary film. If I were to follow the teaching of "For the Bible Tells Me So" and Keith Lewis, I would then have to believe that God's Word is not everlasting and His Living Word. God says, "So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11). "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8).
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
John 8:31-32 (NLT)
31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:31-32 (NLT)
31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
PLEASE GET IN TO A BIBLE-BASED
NON-DENOMINATIONAL CHURCH
NON-DENOMINATIONAL CHURCH
If you have not formally accepted Jesus Christ, please accept the Gift of Salvation by saying this short prayer: "Dear Jesus, I repent of my sins and the original sin of mankind, please come into my heart and change me to trust in you and build my personal relationship with you by studying your word and applying it to my life to the best of my ability. Thank you for dying on the cross for the remission of sin. Thank you for conquering death with your resurrection. I accept you Jesus as my Lord and Savior, please lead me and guide me. Amen!"
If you have said that short prayer, I welcome you to the True Body of Christ (not a sect, Protestant or Catholic denomination or Eastern religion).
No comments:
Post a Comment