Christians condemning homosexuality and not heterosexual immorality reveals hypocrisy, notes the head of a pro-family ministry.
"There is no doubt that homosexuality is immoral before God; we see that in the scriptures. But the very same scriptures hate the immorality of unbiblical divorces and cohabitations," reminds Phil Magnan, director of Biblical Family Advocates. "God does not wink at sin just because it's a heterosexual committing it."
An August 2001 Barna Group study revealed that co-habitation was becoming increasingly common, even among born-again Christians. Twenty-five percent of born again Christians 30 percent of Protestants had co-habited.
Moreover, born-again Christians are just as likely to get divorced as are non-born again adults. The study found 33 percent of all born-again individuals who have been married have gone through a divorce which is similar to the 34 percent statistic among non-born again adults.
"Apparently heterosexuals are setting the example for the homosexual community thinking that if you are 'loving and monogamous,' it must be acceptable before God," Magnan states.
"How can we as Christians have any moral credibility before God and man when we are practicing the very thing we condemn in the form of immoral marital practices?"
In March, an article on homosexuality and babies by the Rev. R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, had sparked furor from both gay rights activists and Christians who sent hate mail to the evangelical leader.
Some mail from those who identified themselves as Christians "spoke of homosexuality and homosexuals with hate-filled language that literally made me shudder," recalled Mohler in his weblog.
Christine Sneeringer, an ex-lesbian and born-again Christian, knows the rejection and condemnation of homosexuals coming from the Christian community all too well. She has heard Christians talk about having no compassion toward homosexuals and saying AIDS is God's judgment against them.
While homosexuality is seen as sin among Christians, Magnan draws attention to the immoral acts among heterosexuals and the need to "show as much hatred for our own sin" such as co-habitation and divorce or even second and third marriages.
Biblical Family Advocates believes easy divorce to pursue a second or third marriage is adultery in a camouflaged form.
"We have not been a very good example of morality or godliness before God and man," says Magnan as he calls Christians to repentance and reflection.
"Until we show as much hatred for our own sin in our churches and demand repentance we will continue to destroy the sanctity of marriage, even more than same-sex marriage proponents."
