A Month of Shame

Obama recently signed a proclamation designating the month of June as "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month, 2009."

Which begs the question, can you find pride in something that is inherently immoral? 

In short, no.

There is no question that people arrive at moral judgements from differing viewpoints. One has to ask what is the basis for moral valuations. Some think that if something is legal, it must be moral. However, in a system designed to restrain government from having too much power (as ours was supposed to have been), individual freedom is expanded to the point that many things that are legal are not necessarily moral. Others have no moral compass at all, and simply live by the credo "if it feels good, do it."

Morality must have underpinnings. Without a basis upon which to make judgements, morality is meaningless. For the Christian, and by extension, ideally for a Christian society, moral judgements must have a basis in the Bible. The reality is that morality boils down to what's right and what's wrong, and the arbiter of right and wrong will be the One we stand before on the day of judgement.

Having said that, the Bible is emphatic and clear. Homosexual behavior is morally repugnant to God, and by extension, His true followers.

In issuing an order, Obama asks the nation and all of its inhabitants to take pride in something that inherently sinful. Can we do that?

As Christians we cannot.  No more than we can take pride in the murder of an abortionist. No more than we can take pride in children starving around the world. No more than we can take pride in crimes that occur within our borders. 

Even criminals know shame. Someone who commits armed robbery is never "proud" of the fact that they've committed such an act, even though they may act boastful around their "homies". 

Those who believe that morality is merely a social construct will go along with this proclamation. Those who believe that homosexuality is moral will champion the call. Most Americans will probably be passive, if they are even aware of what's going on. But Christians committed to the authority of the Bible as the Word of God cannot find pride in this sin. To do so is not only to confuse sin, but to undermine the sovereignty of God, Himself.

Morally serious persons must take Obama's proclamation as a morally serious act. As such it demands a response. While it would be wrong to respond with a claim of moral superiority, neither can we see this, or any sin, as a matter of pride.