by p!nkp4nt3r from www.sxc.hu

A Story

A group of college students were hanging out in the student center at a Christian school.  They were laughing and having a good time.  Talking as boys often do about girls.  A comment was made about one of the boys being good looking, which is why he gets the girls.  To which one boy jokingly said, “I know he is hot stuff, he is just not my type” while making a feminine hand gesture.  Another one said, “Don’t be trying to take my roomie!”  The one they were speaking of said, “Oh guys, shut-up” laughing and smiling all the time.

A Point

This story, though not actual, has happened in various ways.  There has been a disturbing trend and practice that dates back at least to when I was in school some 15 years ago of acting and joking about homosexuality.  In some cases this even involves physical actions like gestures, high-pitched voices, and hip movements.  It has even gone too far in some instances and gets into harassment and bullying.

Adults can fall victim to the same idea when it comes to making fun of the practice of homosexuality and joking about certain stereotypical tendencies of the sin.

This is thought to be harmless and in good fun, but it is not appropriate and should not be practiced by Christians or tolerated by youth leaders.

Why?

1. It is not something that should be joked about by Christians.  Why should Christian men and women want to be pretending, even in a joking and harmless way, to be gay?  Paul told the Ephesians, “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving” (Eph. 5:4).  Later he wrote that it is “shameful to speak of the things they do in secret” (Eph. 5:12).  Parents and youth leaders need to intervene and discuss with teens and college students when this behavior is taking place.  
2. It is offensive and harmful to one who is homosexual.  I believe that these types of joking actions often prevents a sincere Christian who is struggling with the homosexual attraction and temptation from sharing this with a peer or youth leader.  They may view this as making light of their real struggle and issue.  It also is inappropriate as it presents the behavior as normal and acceptable.  It is simply making a joke out of a serious sin and issue.  It alienates them from Christians rather than drawing them to Christians for the gospel.  Christians should practice the golden rule (Mat. 7:12) and this type of joking does not.

I hope this post has caused you to consider this issue.  I have seen it far too often in the church over my years.  In my opinion it is inappropriate for both of these reasons and is not becoming of a Child of God.  

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Thanks for reading the three posts this week dealing with the theme of homosexuality.  I do want to refer you to another post very well done by Steve Higginbotham on the theme called, “A Phone Call from the President.” 

I would like to thank our youth minister Ryan Scherer for helping me on this post.

What are your thoughts?