In the field of communication, words do have meaning. The greatest piece of English literature was put together in the early 1600's. Sorry, it was not Shakespeare's works. It was the King James Version of God's Word. These Scriptures, in their original autographs were, and still are, considered by Believers to be given or inspired of God (2 Tim 3:16). Those that were weaned on the KJV make numerous adjustments in reading and studying this beloved but elderly (1611) classic. Charity, from agape, becomes love (1 Cor 13 etc.). Conversation often becomes behavior or manner of life. English is a living language and assumes additional meanings as well as connotations as time goes on.
In today's world "homophob" seems to be a coupling (forgive the pun) of homosexual and phobia or fear. Few, if any, are afraid of homosexuals per se. However many or most normal people, and all Bible believers should, abhor their practices. Sodom (and Gomorrah) became a byword for this unnatural practice and sin in the sight of God (Gen 19). Too, the homosexual community seems to have taken out a patent on "gay." "Gay" used to be a perfect name or nickname for a light-hearted and carefree girl.
The older term, by the great generation, for homosexuals was queer. To be sure, gay has a nicer connotation than "queer." However, queer denotes strange or odd. Queer is often considered by homosexuals as derogatory. The current in your face policy wants everyone, especially the children, to think homosexual acts are perfectly normal acts by perfectly normal people. However, there seems to be currant effort by some homosexuals to embrace queer and thus deprive it of its negative connotation. God told Moses, "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination" (Lev 18:22). And it is!
Sodomy carries with it God's displeasure of this sexual perversion, both anal and oral. As Paul expressed it, "the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly" (Romans 1:27). God expressed His view when He commanded Israel, "Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth amoung you: (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you. For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people. Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the Lord your God" (Lev 18:26-30).
America faces a choice. It is at a cultural crossroad. America can continue down the broad way that leads to destruction on the amoral road of Nihilism - or America can make the right turn, take the narrow gate and take the Gospel road that leads to life in harmony with our Creator (Matt 7:13-14). Remember, the bottom line is that God so loved the world (mankind, made in His image) that He gave his only begotten son to atone for the sins of those that believe (John 3:16).
Dale I. Royal, Elk City OK
