An Open Letter to the LGBTQ Community: Christians Have Rights Too

In June 1969, police raided a popular New York City gay club, as they had done before. There were several laws on the books against the LGBTQ community.

It was illegal to dress in drag or display outward affection to the same sex, so they sought refuge in bars and clubs. On that night in June, the Stonewall Inn would be the catalyst to spark a movement for years to come.

In honor of what happened at Stonewall Inn, during the month of June, the LGBTQ march for their rights, encouraging the world to join them.

Riots obviously bring out the worst in some people. The incident at the Stonewall Inn was quite unfortunate, along with all of the brutal beatings and unwarranted attacks launched by police. It is sad that we resort to violence as a means of communicating our likes, dislikes or biases.

We still have to wonder if over 50 years later, the LGBT community is still using the month of June to honor this event of the past, or if the community has some other agenda. The original intent seems to be lost in their quest to gain recognition and push the normalcy of an alternate sexual lifestyle. Their movement is a prideful way of letting everyone know they will silence anyone who tries to stand against them.

If the police were too aggressive in their actions on that night in June 1969, we certainly should be a voice against police brutality. If people were hurt due to violence, we stand with anyone to stop abusive behavior. What Christians should not agree with is any action or behavior that goes against God’s Word.

As we have seen in recent years, the laws have changed. What was once considered illegal decades ago is now widely accepted. The gay community achieved its goal almost across the board and has been afforded almost all rights. Their movement brought change, and the laws changed to accommodate them.

Let each of us remember that while laws changed, God and His Word have never changed.

Each person is born with rights to live by the choices they make. We have the right to be whatever we desire to be. Laws protect our rights to operate as we wish within guidelines that keep us safe and do not put others in harm’s way or deny them their rights.

If a person chooses to be gay, they are entitled to make that choice. God put the tree in the midst of the garden to give Adam and Eve a choice. It was a seemingly insignificant tree amongst so many others. God said to them that the tree was off-limits, and severe consequences would be the result of a bad choice.

The serpent (Satan) appealed to Eve to forget God’s Word and just do what made her feel good. Eve looked at the fruit, saw what she wanted and went for it.

Eve could have said no. God could have dropped a fireball from heaven to stop her. But He allowed her to make her own decision for her life with consequences for her choice.

As homosexuals celebrate their right to be gay and the right to push this alternate lifestyle upon children and schools, as well as openly display it in media, books and in the streets, please remember that Christians have rights too. We have the right to stand against any entity or community that goes against our right to exercise our faith in God. We have the right to be free to uphold what we believe is God’s truth, and we have the right to honor God’s word in our actions, decisions for business and lifestyle.

We have a responsibility to God to obey Him over man. We cannot celebrate the LGBT agenda. We cannot celebrate their sexuality. We do not celebrate sin on any level.

While we cannot stand with them in celebration, we will certainly not repeat Stonewall Inn. We must operate in love, knowing that love is of God.

We are not judges. We are servants of God with a message of hope, love and forgiveness. During this month of June, let’s make it our business to be carriers of love to the gay community. Find ways to reach out with kindness and love so the love of Christ is more prevalent than the biases of the past. {eoa}

Janet Boynes founded Janet Boynes Ministries in Maple Grove, Minnesota, in 2006. She has authored three books and challenges individuals and the church to reach out with a message of hope and restoration to the homosexual community. Her articles have been featured on the front cover of Charisma magazine, Called magazine, Power for Living, Bound magazine and many more publications. Called out of the lesbian lifestyle, her life is proof that the love of God has the power to heal and restore the brokenness in our lives. Janet travels the U.S. and overseas and shares her story of redemption. Her desire is to bring hope through the power of Jesus Christ.

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