We recently showed our Youth Fellowship Group a DVD by Rob Bell from his Nooma series called “Bullhorn”. And in the DVD Bell relates the story of how he was waiting in a queue to go into a rock concert, and the queue was being berated by a man with a bullhorn (a megaphone as we’d say in the UK.)
Bell says:
“As I get closer, I hear the words ‘sin’ and ‘burn’ and ‘hell’ and ‘repent.’ And then I hear the word ‘Jesus.’ And he’s got all these pamphlets, and he’s quoting these Bible verses about the anger and wrath of God,
and how if I don’t repent, I’m going to pay for it for eternity, and how I might die, I might die tonight! This might be my only chance!”
Bell goes on to say:
“Bullhorn guy, I don’t think it’s working. All the yelling and the judgment and the condemnation, I don’t think it’s working. I actually think it’s making things worse. I don’t think it’s what Jesus had in mind.”
I agree. There is too much use of the Bullhorn by some Christians.
We first watched the DVD on Holocaust memorial day (Sunday 27th January) and on that day I was reminded that the Nazis not only murdered 6 million Jews, but systematically oppressed and murdered others too – Gypsies, Communists, Jehovah’s Witnesses and over 90,000 homosexuals.
No doubt the likes of Bullhorn Guy would be highly critical of gay people. As sadly, Christians of Bullhorn Guy’s type, seem to find gay people sinful.
70 years on from the Holocaust homosexuals are not oppressed in most countries as they once were. Though that is not true everywhere. In many African countries for example homosexuality can lead to being murdered or executed. And as a Christian I am ashamed that the parts of the Church in Uganda are supporting a law that seeks to gaol and execute gay people. In this country, although there is a much greater tolerance of homosexuality than there once was, homophobia is still present amongst some.
I think I have mentioned before a group on the Internet I belong to called “Red Letter Christians”. The phrase was first used by a radio journalist interviewing American theologian Jim Wallis. The interviewer was trying to pigeonhole Wallis as a certain type of Christian – Evangelical, Liberal or Charismatic. Having failed to do so, the journalist said to Wallis “So you’re one of those Red Letter Christians – you know – the ones who are really into the verses of the Bible that are in red letters.” Wallis agreed he was.
In some versions of the Bible, the words spoken by Jesus are printed in red. So Red Letter Christians seek to follow the teachings of Jesus and are committed to living out the things that Jesus taught. Sounds good to me!
One of the main voices in the Red Letter Christian movement is Tony Campolo. His most recent book is called “Red Letter Christians – living the words of Jesus no matter what the cost”. (A book he has jointly written with Shane Claiborne.)
In one section of the book Campolo sets out what he considers to be Red Letter Living. In other words, how we should engage with some of the topics we face today using the Red Letters as our way of approach. The topics he covers include Families, Racism, Women and Environmentalism. And in this section he has a chapter on Homosexuality.
In the chapter on Homosexuality he discusses the topic with his co-author Shane Claiborne. And in particular they discuss whether homosexuality is a sin. Campolo says a helpful way of thinking about what is sinful is whether something dehumanises. And by dehumanise I believe he means something that goes away from what God would like humans beings to be or to do. To me first and foremost God wants people to love one another and care for one another just as he loves us. So for example lying is sinful as it dehumanises. Adultery dehumanises. Sin, Campolo says, is not about the violation of this law or that law. It is about whether an act dehumanises.
He points out that a marriage can be sinful if say the husband dehumanises the wife by beating her.
Using his definition of sin, Campolo concludes that he does not regard being homosexual as sinful. Or being in a homosexual relationship as sinful. Provided that relationship does not dehumanise those involved. In other words if no one is harmed or exploited. If the relationship is caring and loving.
“Regardless of what differences Christians may have on the subject of homosexuality, there should be agreement that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people are neighbours who, according to the red letters of the Bible, we are to love as we love ourselves.”
I have carefully avoided speaking from the pulpit on the topic of gay marriage. Partly because it can be a difficult issue for congregations and, if truth be told, also because I really do not know what God is saying to me on the topic.
It is a topic I wrestle with. On the one hand we have Bible teaching and 2,000 years of Church tradition that suggest it would be wrong to allow gay marriage as Christian teaching says that marriage is between a man and a woman.
But then on the other hand we have Bible teaching and Church tradition that makes it clear we are to “Love our neighbour” and “Set the oppressed free.” Now whether that means allowing gay marriage is open for debate.
As it stands I feel my own conscience is telling me to oppose gay marriage - IN CHURCH. However, to quote American Christian writer Frank Schaeffer “This is what I believe to be true. But I may be wrong.”
However, personally I do not have a problem with the state marrying gay couples; far from it. And I think I am at a stage where I would feel comfortable blessing a gay couple were I allowed to do so. Though under current Methodist discipline this is not possible. And who knows, given time, my overall view might change.
But I want to go back to Bullhorn guy. The subject of gay marriage is sensitive for many Christians and it is natural that we want to share our opinion. (Though let’s not forget there is no Christian unity of the subject and some Christians are in favour of same sex marriage in church.) Whilst Christians have been right to express views on gay marriage, I have felt very uncomfortable with the way this has been done by many – especially by some in the Church of England and Catholic churches. There has been too much Bullhorn guy and not enough love.
Pastor Martin Niemoeller was a Protestant pastor imprisoned in Germany during the Second World War for speaking out against the injustices of the Nazi regime. After the war he expressed regret over how he had not done more to oppose the Nazis. In fact for a while he’d been welcomed the Nazis as he was opposed to Communism. Though he soon changed his views. After the Second World War he wrote these words:
“First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionists, but I was neither, so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out. And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me.”
It is clear that as Christians we are called to use a bullhorn to give a voice for those without a voice; to speak out against injustice of all kinds and to show love to all our neighbours. That’s why I am concerned about those Christian voices so opposed to gay marriage. For in picking up the bullhorn they forget love and forget love for the oppressed. And they forget that using the bullhorn to oppose gay marriage suggests it is OK to be prejudiced to gay people. IT IS NOT!
Love is the central task of the Christian. And if we use a bullhorn for anything it should be to proclaim love at the top of our voices. For this is how people will know that we are followers of Jesus. So isn’t this what we should be doing every hour, of every day; showing love to others of God’s children?
So to those Christians who like to use the bullhorn, I’ll quote Rob Bell once more “Put the bullhorn down!” And to all those Bullhorn Guys (and Gals) out there - If you are not committed to a life of love, you’ve missed the whole message of the gospel.
Christian song writer Stuart Townsend has written a wonderful song called “Never failing love” which sums up what I'm trying to say.
If I sang the songs the angels sing,
If I grasped the depths of everything,
Though the mysteries of this world were mine -
I’m nothing without love.
I could give to every child in need,
I could save the planet from our greed,
I could stand for justice till I bleed -
And never know His love
Love is patient, love is kind,
Not envious or boastful;
Humble, pure and undefiled,
Rejoicing in the truth.
I could give my money to the poor,
I could preach the gospel door to door,
Even save a thousand souls or more -
And still not know His love
Love is trusting, quick to mend,
Protecting and forgiving,
Persevering to the end -
This love will never fail.
When the finest words have passed away,
And the best we have is yesterday,
There is one thing that is here to stay -
His never-failing love,
His never-failing love.
Stuart Townend & Mark Edwards Copyright © 2011 Thankyou Music
(This blog draws on some of the same material I used in an earlier blog about setting the oppressed free. I make no apology for that. This blog perhaps just adds to the earlier blog.)
