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Get High On Life

By Harold Keller / L’Observateur / July 6, 1998

Sin or sickness? the debate continues

Having an opinion is a personal right of every human being. I, personally,like my opinion, and that’s all it is, an opinion. I’ve matured enough totolerate other people’s opinions, but I also have the right to disagree on any issue.

Last year, Reggie White was a hero as a member of the Green Bay Packers professional football championship team. In the post-game interviews,Reggie gave thanks to God and acknowledged Jesus as the Lord of his life.

Of course, this has been Reggie’s testimony for many years.

A month ago, as Reggie (an ordained Baptist minister) addressed the Wisconsin Legislature, he called homosexuality a sin. The gay-rightscommunity criticized Reggie and condemned him for his remark.

CBS had considered Reggie for a very prestigious position as a football analyst. They withdrew their offer after his remark. Reggie reaction tothe gay community and CBS was that he would stand under God’s Word and His principles.

As for the offer from CBS that was withdrawn, Reggie had this to say: “I didn’t ask for that job at CBS, they asked me.”The U.S. Senate Majority Leader, Trent Lott, also took a beating from thesame news media. The headline read: Lott’s Comments Reckless. I agreesomewhat with that.

On a national talk show, Sen. Lott compared homosexuality to alcoholism,sex addiction and kleptomania, which he referred to as mental disorders.

The difference between Reggie and Sen. Lott is that Reggie seeshomosexuality as sin, just as God does.

Sen. Lott sees it as a sickness. Having a sickness seems to be moreacceptable than calling it a sin. I believe it is a sickness – a spiritualsickness.

The Webster’s dictionary defines sin as a transgression of the law of God.

Now that’s simple enough. Yes, God is love, but He hates sin. It’s the sin Hehates, not the sinner. (That’s where many people get confused.)Reggie was plain in his statement on homosexuality. Sen. Lott reallydoesn’t like the lifestyle and sees it as a threat to the family, but he has a hard time calling it sin.

Do people have a right to consider it a normal lifestyle? Even God gives us that choice as in Deuteronomy 30:19, which says, “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.” Sin brings spiritual death, regardless of the sin.My drunkenness, lust, anger, envy, greed, slothfulness, pride and gluttony were all sins of choice. At one time in my life they were acceptable to me,but never to God. Now I realize that all of those weaknesses are sins.It seems like there are three issues that will never go away, namely, the abortion issue, the controversy of prayer in school and the question about homosexuality.

Remember, this is an opinion column. If you have an opinion on this, or anyother article, I invite you to write. I will publish any reply.

Harold Keller is a regular columnist for L’Observateur.

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