With eight Oscar nominations, more than any other movie this year, Brokeback Mountain continues to gain momentum. And with the momentum comes increasing interest by evangelicals to see it.
-
(Photo: AcclaimImages.com)
I will avoid the movie like a slug avoids an overturned saltshaker and for the life of me, cannot understand why any evangelical would see it-though there appear to be many. But what is more disturbing to me is that many men and women I know with unwanted homosexual attractions are seeing the movie.
A reporter from The Christian Post asked my thoughts about the movie and I obliged. My comments as a former homosexual were made from the reviews I had read–comments which generated numerous emails to me from individuals arguing that I could not make an intelligent comment on a movie I had not seen.
They suggested that my viewing the movie would be beneficial in responding to the reporter’s questions. I told them and the reporter that my going to see Brokeback Mountain would be similar to asking a former alcoholic to go to a liquor store to buy his neighbor a toddy for the body.
Opponents of ex-gay ministries will immediately shout "Aha– so you are still tempted with same-sex attractions!" I do not deny it! Martin Luther said it this way, "if your head is made of butter, stay away from the fire."
These opponents will also argue that ex-gay ministries "only teach avoidance techniques." Indeed, avoiding anything which may cause temptation is appropriate and biblical.
"Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way." (Proverbs 4:14-15)
"You are to abstain . . . from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things." (Acts 15:29)
"Avoid every kind of evil." (1Thessalonians 5:22)
"Flee from sexual immorality." (1 Cor 6:18)
"It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality." (1Thes 4:3)
I am aware that an ultra-literalist might argue that viewing the movie does not constitute sexual immorality, but let’s remember that sexual immorality can be a thought as much as it can be an act.
On a more simplistic level, I urge people who are allergic to bee stings to avoid bees–fair skinned women to void the sun–lactose intolerant men to avoid dairy products–asthmatics to avoid perfumes–and hay fever suffers to avoid pollen.
When Dr. R. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary appeared as a recent guest on Larry King Live he said, "I’m going to say something that is about as counter-cultural as I can imagine, and that is I’m actually convinced that as a Christian, there are certain things I don’t need to see. And that’s the reason why, as a matter of principle, I have not gone to see the movie. I wouldn’t encourage anyone to go see the movie. I’m unembarrassed to say that."
A self-avowed unhappy homosexual man emailed me to say he saw the movie and "cried for three days after seeing it." Why am I not surprised?
Another wrote "As a man who has struggled with homosexuality all my life, I decided I would face it head on when I first saw the previews." (Those previews did their work-didn’t they?) Indeed another wrote "I would rather face challenges than run from them." These reasons may sound heroic and one can imagine a man charging into the theater refusing to avoid this issue which has caused him so much hurt. Continue >>
RSS
