http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=7&article=1540
The Moral Majority is Shrinking
| by | Dave Miller, Ph.D. |
The University of New Hampshire recently released a poll which indicates that 50% of Americans disapprove of gay and lesbian marriages. While 11% refuse to commit on the subject, 37% approve of same-sex marriage (“Poll...,” 2005). Assuming this survey is accurate, its results are mind-boggling—when one considers the historic stance of Americans from 1776 to the 1960s. For most of American history, same-sex relations have been viewed by 99.9% of Americans as immoral and illegal. Yet, the liberal forces of “political correctness” have been chipping away at America’s moral sensibilities. The gradual but persistent erosion of Christian morals has reduced national opposition to homosexuality from near 100% to 50% in less than fifty years. Who would have ever imagined such was even possible—let alone that it could actually happen?
This decline in commitment to foundational moral principles is simply a reflection of the concomitant loss of loyalty to the Bible as God’s inspired Word. That Word speaks very directly to our failing national conscience:
But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust (1 Timothy 1:8-11, emp. added).
Similarly, Paul declared very firmly to the Christians who lived in the very sexually promiscuous city of Corinth: “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites... will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, emp. added).
Interestingly, the poll demonstrated the massive disparity that has come to exist in America with regard to age, political affiliation, and commitment to attending Christian worship services. Americans older than age 65, Republicans, Protestants, regular churchgoers, and Southerners were more likely to oppose gay marriage. On the other hand, Americans under age 35, Democrats, and people who do not attend worship services (or attend sporadically) were more likely to support gay marriages (“Poll...,” 2005).
How tragic that so many are willing to throw away their very souls for all of eternity in exchange for temporary, momentary, inordinate desires that mar the body and soul. How unfortunate that so many are willing to approve of those who do so (cf. Romans 1:32). In the process, these defenders of sexual perversion will share considerable responsibility for contributing to the downfall of an entire nation—when the righteous God eventually reacts (cf. Genesis 19).
REFERENCES
“Poll: U.S. Divided on Same-sex Marriage” (2005), Associated Press, MSNBC News, May 15, [On-line], URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7860056/.