Is Jennifer Knapp the Brave Christian Lesbian We’ve Been Waiting For? (Larry King VIDEO)

JENNIFER KNAPP:
Christian singer Jennifer Knapp came out as a lesbian last week, after eight years out of the spotlight. Friday night Larry King had Jennifer Knapp on his show, along with Pastor Bob Buford and Ted Haggard. We were told Clay Aiken would be there, but perhaps someone was yanking our chain.

Thankss to Krrru who alerted us to the full video of Jennifer Knapp’s appearance on Larry King Live being available on the internet (yeah, we tried to tape what we thought was the re-run of it last night for y’all and it turned out to be Willie Nelson talking about weed) on Truth Wins Out, which is one of our favorite websites.

Part One: Jennifer answers some basic questions about her relationship with her “mate” (Larry King’s word), discovering her homosexuality, and the genre of ‘Christian music.’ She also touches on how although evangelicals aren’t a fan of the Yes Homo, many other denominations are totally down with it.

At around the 7:50 mark, we’re inexplicably subjected to Katy Perry‘s “I Kissed a Girl,” but then it turns out that its inclusion isn’t ’cause it’s the only “lesbian song” CNN producers have heard, but ’cause Jennifer & Katy were friends! And seeing Katy, a former Christian singer, be successful and be out there touring, helped Jennifer get back on her feet and back into the industry.

Jennifer was in Sydney, Australia when Katy came through on tour: “I was just sitting there at home getting fat and lazy, and I had the fire burning in my belly, and I was so jealous just seeing that… and then Pink came through and was doing her tour, it was really hard to see something that I really loved and I was sitting in the background thinking it’s too hard, people won’t like me…”

Part Two: Larry King & Jennifer Knapp discuss topics including, “is sexuality a choice?” and “Is Jennifer Happy?” Then Larry brings out Pastor Bob Botsford to tell everyone how much Jennifer Knapp’s sexuality breaks his heart. Clearly he’s a little bit oversensitive. Anyhow, someone remind him about poverty and world hunger, yeah?

Pastor Bob describes Jennifer as being “caught in a sinful situation,” which is an amazing band name, someone take it. The Sinful Situations? How hot is that! Pastor Bob thinks sexuality is a choice and that “we shouldn’t make decisions based on feelings, we should make decisions based on facts.” Right! FACTS! Like that “G-d invented marriage.” Like Thomas Edison! Also, that’s the opposite of the Autostraddle mission to “make all decisions based on feelings.” Facts are all lies from the patriarchy anyhow.

Jennifer wants to know why her sin is worse than other sins. Why can’t she be the one condemning HIM on national television, she asks.

Jennifer acts so sweet and diplomatic and peaceful even when Bob is giving me anti-gay panic rage. Jennifer Knapp is almost like, oh, I dunno, a perfect example of G-d’s love on earth!

In addition to the eight years he spent privately praying for Jennifer, Pastor Bob has also spent time praying for Katy Perry, but ’cause he doesn’t know her personally he hasn’t had a chance to go on teevee and talk about it. UNTIL NOW!

Part Three: Bob says he’s here because he loves Jennifer. Jennifer suggests he get her phone number and they can talk about this in private instead of on his blog and in his YouTube videos.

Jennifer Knapp: I have spiritual leadership in my life. The Pastoral council of those who are dear to me, who understand the scripture as sacred text —
Pastor Bob: I don’t think they do Jen–
Jennifer: Do not interrupt me. You are not that man in my life. [BAM!]
Pastor Bob: I agree — I am not saying that I am your spiritual authority–
Jennifer Knapp: But you do not know me, and you don’t have the right to speak to me in the manner in which you have publicly.
Pastor Bob: I do have a role to stand up for the truth–
Jennifer Knapp: In your congregation and for your community. But I ask you to not do that and not to say that you are doing that on my behalf.
Pastor Bob: I am here as a representative of Jesus Christ.
Jennifer Knapp: That’s fantastic.

Then Larry King brings out Ted Haggard via split-screen, gives us a little recap of Ted’s shocking sex scandal (more on that in our article Evangelicals, Rapists, Tramps & Thieves: Why Anti-Gay Leaders Love to Sin, Are the Sinners) and asks Ted for his perspective. Ted sort of plays the middle, saying they both have good points and that he “appreciates what Jennifer is saying and what she’s going through, and she’s on a spiritual journey like all of us are… the important overall message is that we emphasize personal relationship with G-d… ” and says that homosexuality is a sin but everyone sins so you know, what can we do? Let’s go to Long John Silvers!

Part Four: TED FUCKING HAGGARD, who has “survived scandal” and “no longer has homosexual thoughts” is still all up on our motherf*cking split screen! He’s so good at the fancy dancing around the issues, but unlike per ushe, he doesn’t make me want to throw stones at him.

Ted Haggard: I believe that the bible is the word of G-d and it’s inspired and inherent and I believe Jesus was very clear and the Scriptures were very clear when they say that the command — the command that covers ’em all — is to love the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind ans strength. love your neighbor as yourself. So love is the predominate thing, G-d is love, the scripture says, Jesus displays how to do this and Jesus warns religious leaders strongly that we must not use the scriptures to point our figners at other people without letting the fingers point at us as well.
Larry King: Is that true in your opinion Bob?
Pastor Bob: Absolutely. I agree with that completely, Larry.
Larry King: Then why are you pointing a finger at Jennifer?
Pastor Bob: Well Jennifer is in a position of great influence and a lot of people look to her life and I don’t want her example or lifestyle —
Jennifer Knapp: You don’t want young children in the church the young teenage girl that’s sitting in your congregation who says gosh i think i might have to choose between my sexuality and my faith. You want her to choose faith.
Bob: I do. I want you to choose faith.
Jennifer: You want her to deny any part of her process to go through the process of shame without truly discovering — let’s say that she doesn’t wanna choose to be homosexual? At what point does that become an honest decision because you’ve guilted her into it — “don’t be like Jen.”
Bob: Well, I’m just coming back to the Bible. And clearly G-d has an opinion on this issue. And I’m just wanting to stand up for the truth —
Jennifer Knapp: And I’ll repeat to you what i said to you backstage, that the next time you want to talk about an example of what you actually mean to teach to your followers, please use the words, “This is the way that our congregation and how we’re going to talk about homosexuality within our church. And don’t use my name as a substitute for the word “homosexuality.”
Bob: As Ted said, I want to be a light in a dark place, and there’s a lot of justification now and let’s just open up our arms of grace and welcome Jen back into our community–
Jennifer: When was I gone? Where did I go?
Bob: Well for eight years in Australia —
Jennifer: Because I wasn’t in YOUR church?
Larry King: It can’t be a sin unless it’s chosen.

Jennifer Knapp’s new album, Letting Go, comes out May 10th. You can catch up on her her earlier work here.

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GLAAD, Rosie vs. Huckabee, Gabourey on SNL, Archie’s gay friends and more!

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Riese

Riese is the 43-year-old Co-Founder of Autostraddle.com as well as an award-winning writer, video-maker, LGBTQ+ Marketing consultant and aspiring cyber-performance artist who grew up in Michigan, lost her mind in New York and now lives in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared in nine books, magazines including Marie Claire and Curve, and all over the web including Nylon, Queerty, Nerve, Bitch, Emily Books and Jezebel. She had a very popular personal blog once upon a time, and then she recapped The L Word, and then she had the idea to make this place, and now here we all are! In 2016, she was nominated for a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Digital Journalism. She's Jewish and has a cute dog named Carol. Follow her on twitter and instagram.

Riese has written 3266 articles for us.

72 Comments

  1. Personally, I give Jennifer huge kudos for not punching Bob in the face. In my eyes, Bob is no different than a reality TV star trying to find a niche in the public eye and then stretching that 15 minutes of fame as far as it will possibly go. He might claim to walk the path of the Lord, but he conveniently forgets to embody Christ-like qualities such as humility, compassion, and selflessness. I don’t ever recall reading about Jesus starting a personal witch hunt of anyone by calling them out by name and speaking publicly of their “sin”, and if he ever did, he’s the only one that has the right to do so.

  2. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DEAR CHILD OF GOD JENNIFER KNAPP>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>IGNORE IGNORE THE MEAN SPIRITED ‘CHRISTIANS???????) SLANDER!! I have NEVER written on one of these sites but I HAD to respond to SUPPORT YOU!!!Please don’t give it a minute of your precious talented time…JUST SING DEAR and LOVE it! Bob Botsford!!!!!!!!!who Appointed you the judge…oh my gawd…discusting….don’t you hope your past is never brought out in the public!!!!!
    Jennifer dear…these obnoxious judgmental people….SO COOL YOU ARE NOT ONE OF THEM….YOU WERE GREAT ON LARRY KING! YOU YOU YOU were the OBVIOUS ONE FULL OF GOD’S LOVE!!!
    Keep singing hon…please ignore ‘their hurtful “christian’ (laugh) ‘opinion’….it is a waste of your precious time!…”Bob Botsford’ said hewill PRAY for you!! Oh how demeaning can one be….deliver me from people like him, who live in ‘box’.
    Love you Hon…keep up the good work and the Love in your heart and music!! I really was not familiar with you before this show…now I WILL go buy your beautiful cd’s!!!
    REMEMBER…DON’T LET ANYONE’S CRITICAL JUDGEMENT AFFECT YOU…THEIR JUDGEMENT IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS…LEAVE IT WIT THEM..WHERE IT BELONGS….TONS OF LOVE! YOU ARE AMAZING!! LOVE how Larry stood up for YOU and ‘being Christian’…. Don’t thing Bob Botsford even caught what was going on though!YOU were the one that showed the CLASS and LOVE!!!not bob.

    • Whenever someone like that says something about praying for me, I always tell them that I’ll be praying for them, too.

      It tends to shut them up.

      • “Whenever someone like that says something about praying for me, I always tell them that I’ll be praying for them, too.

        It tends to shut them up.”
        I tell them “I shall pray for you too. Maybe even sacrifice a goat”

  4. All I kept wanting to do the other night was scream or throw the remote at the TV. I was SO angry at that sorry excuse of a pastor. I do NOT know how Jennifer Knapp did not strangle him, but maybe she just didn’t want to get any closer to him than she had to. I get so mad when I think of the HATE he is spewing I can barely stand it! Ok, enough on him.

    I bought Jennifer’s album “Lay It Down” back in 2001 when I was in a CCM phase. I loved it, although never bought any of her other records. Have already pre-ordered “Letting Go”. She has been amazing in all her recent print interviews, and just blew me away on “Larry King Live”. Welcome welcome welcome, Jennifer! #YAYGAY and all that comes with it! :) So very glad she has come back to the music world and am looking forward to her new record and hopefully getting a chance to see her live. And follow her on Twitter: @jennifer_knapp

    • OH you said it soooo well…as I said in my relpy…I have never written on one of these blogs..but could simply not stand back and not support that SWEET TALENTED CHILD OF GOD! Amen to what you said…I too, wanted to throw the remote …..or something, it was quite unbelievable in this day!!!ohhhhh my…..bob botsford……..get a life!!!

  5. Did you know there was a ban on homosexual characters in comics that wasn’t lifted until 1989? I learned this is class last week

    • and YAY lesbian comic character, Batwoman, returns in 2006 for DC comics (after her earlier appearances in 1950s-60s … then phase out..)

  6. That little boy… is the cutest thing.. I have ever seen. He is cuter than that video of the little kitten having its belly tickled. I think you know the one. Oh. My god.

  8. I hate it when people twist and turn the Word of God to fit their life style. God doesn’t hate Jen, no, but He hates the sin she is in (1 Cor 3:16-17) (1 Cor 6:9_11)… She pauses when Larry asks “is this a choice” (Yes it is)and she decided to give into that lust and become a “Lesbian”. She has no Word content to back up her story…

    • Is lesbian not a real word now? Why are we putting quotes around it… That must be how it’s used in the Bible: “Thou shalt not be a ‘lesbian’.”

    • ‘…and she decided to give into that lust and become a “Lesbian”‘

      I love how they make it sound so filthy. Yum. I wanna be even more “Lesbian”-y now.

    • Did you know that 1 Cor 6:9_11 used to be used to condemn “masturbators” for centuries….long before some 20th century conservative translators decided an obscure Greek word “arsenokoitai” meant “homosexuals”. A word that had NEVER been used to describe homosexuals in the secular Greek literature of the time or any time after.

  9. All I have to say is that God still loves Jennifer Knapp. He loves her very much. That’s the reason in his word he clearly defines homosexuality as a sin 1 Cor. 6:9. He tells us this to protect us from the awful consequences this sin can bring about! . Now Jennifer is a christian and that means Jesus has paid for her sins past present and future. I don’t believe she’ll go to hell for the sin she’s in any more than I, as a christian too, will for the ones I commit! They’ve been paid for by the blood of Jesus, remitted. But any sin you commit as a christian or not allows the enemy an inroad into your life! You’re giving him authority and he’ll take it as far as you let him. I’m not angry at this woman. I don’t even know her. But I do believe this could cause major pain in her life. God can give her victory over this and I believe he will! The worst thing for her to do would be to stop believing God loves her. The more she becomes aware of his love and of who she is in Christ those sins will leave her!

    • Haha. What consequences can this ‘sin’ bring about? What ‘major pains’ could being gay really cause?

      Except, you know, being judged by people you don’t know/care about, hated by others, ignored by most. But that’s not really a consequence of the ‘sin’, just a consequence of people teaching other people to hate/judge others.

    • Who is this ‘enemy’ that you don’t want entering your life?

      I’m serious; I’m not Christian and never have been (and likely never will be) so I may not have the clearest understanding. But who is this ‘enemy’ you speak of? The Devil? Someone else?

    • “She has no Word content to back up her story” sounds like some kind of Microsoft Office-based failure. I hate it when that happens.

  10. There is a post at AMERICAblog Gay that details Marsha Stevens-Pino journey that paved the way for Jennifer Knapp and other gay and lesbian Christian musicians. I hope CNN and other media outlets remember Marsha as a knowledgeable source of information rather than invite others, who don’t have a comparable story, to comment on Jennifer Knapp’s journey. Marsha sang at our UCC church and her story is incredible!

    http://gay.americablog.com/2010/04/christian-music-singer-jennifer-knapp.html

    • “I have long since come to believe that people never mean half of what they say, and that it is best to disregard their talk and judge only their actions.” -Dorothy Day

      Don’t commit a cowardly hit and run witness of an internet website. If you want to live a life closest to Christ, you need to leave your bedroom and work in the community. You guys just don’t get it. Do you really think God wants an ally who spends time cutting and pasting Bible verses condemning others, or do you think he’d much rather have an ally similar to Mother Teresa, who condemned no one and witnessed through her actions?

    • 1Corinthians6:9-10 -Male Temple prostitutes,

      Leviticus18 chapter,Leviticus20 – Male temple prostitutes

      Jude3-13 – going after strange flesh meant wanting to have sex with angels

      Romans1:24-31 -the practice of ritual sex worship (both same and opposite sex) in Roman pagan fertility temples – idolatry.

      What do these verses have to do with modern homosexuals? Nothing.

  13. Haha yay my name got mentioned. And I also accidentally taped Willie Nelson talking bout weed. Damn CNN.

  14. OutOfContext,MistranslationOfAncientLanguages,LackOfHistoricalUnderstanding,TechnicallyHearsayFromFallibleHumans

    It just took so much willpower for me not to properly format that. Probably as much willpower as you need to sustain your hatred, Moss.

  15. Just FYI- Jennifer actually managed Katy Perry back when she was still singing Christian music. So its an interesting circle.

  16. so basically, Pastor Bob, it’s ok to make lesbianism look like a little flash in the pan fling with a woman and make every lesbian seem bisexual (Katy Perry) than to say you’re actually gay and want to be loved for who you are (Jennifer Knapp)?

    p.s. did anyone else think it was kinda strange/speaks to the whole christian child brainwashing thing that jen doesn’t even know if her sexuality is or isn’t a choice?

    • Actually Jennifer was brought up without a religion, but decided to become Christian when she was older.

      I think you’re right, though. It’s shocking how many people are still partial to the idea that homosexuality is a choice, even outside of the evangelical or politically-conservative community.

  17. “I don’t think that it’s wise for any of us to base our decisions on feelings…” Wow Pastor Bob, you hit the nail on the head this time! Why would anyone follow their feelings? Sheesh, that’s just absurd. All credibility flew out the window after that statement.

    • Exactly. Like, it’s religion dumbass. You’re literally preaching the opposite. Believing in facts is what makes me an atheist. Good job on confusing me.

  18. I was more excited to hear about the Archie comic having a gay character than the Jennifer Knapp coming out. Finally a gay in Riverdale.

  19. Sexuality has nothing to do with Christianity! Christianity is about LOVE: love for Jesus and love for others (no matter who they are). Pastor Bob has no right to sit there on his high horse and judge Jennifer like that, he doesnt know anything about her or her faith!

    Do you know what being a gay Christian is like? Being a straight one!

    I choose to be a Christian, I did not choose to be gay…

    • YES finally. faith is something people choose individually…who we are attracted to is biologically determined. i have no idea why jennifer side-stepped around that question…maybe because she was so asexual for so long that she never realized how gay she is?

  20. i’m wondering, why bleep out the word “God” when not using it in a vulgar context?

    • There are some faiths (some of the more Orthodox versions of Judaism come to mind) in which it is blasphemy to write out the word.

        • What have Transformers got to do with any of this?!

          Oh, that was Megatron, not Tetragrammaton. Sorry, my mistake.

      • hm, could be the lackadaisical approach i’ve taken to my episcopalian upbringing, but I didn’t think that was the case with Christianity, if you’re talking about God The Concept rather than God The Expletive. The more you know…

        • Yes, but Riese wrote this, and she’s Jewish- so she doesn’t write out the name of God in any context. (from what I understand / remember from a blog post about this over a year ago) I think its something about being written on anything that may be destroyed.

          • Yes, sorry, that’s me. We can’t write out the whole word because even if it’s not in defamation, we never know what could happen to the words later (actually this post might be a good example because of the blasphemous bullshit spewed by homophobes claiming to be representing G-d’s word!).

            In Hebrew, there’s even another Hebrew word that we say/write instead of the actual word for G-d. It varies.

            Honestly because that’s how I was raised, I feel weird writing out the whole word even though I’m not a good Jew most of the time. When I write the whole word out it makes my stomach hurt like I’m doing something wrong?

            For some reason this feels like a weird comment to be writing on this post.

          • ah, maybe I’m the one who asks the silly questions, but it’s just something that stood out as puzzling to me. Even throughout the entire lovely post about J. Knapp coming out and oh FINALLY a guy Veronica can’t bang (but maybe Jughead can,) awesome, and all that other good stuff. I question the little things I s’pose.

            But I had no idea, that about the Jewish faith, so. Word, and thanks.

  22. Wow, Jen’s such a strong person for being able to stand up against such an intolerant person. My tempers would have flared much higher. It’s also interesting how who is right and who is wrong can be so obvious to the world, and yet Pastor Bob still doesn’t have a clue.

  23. Watched the interview the other day and the angry lesbian in me thought she was being too polite when the man that has muppet/golden pancake-skin would interrupt.

    She was about to make an important point and then he cut in, apologized, and then she was like, ‘No, go ahead!’ Gah!

  24. one of these days i’m gonna go to a Christian website and start pasting crazypants excerpts from the Real Lesbian Sex Book. i mean for the fuck of shit.
    –
    speaking of getting a witness, can someone attest to how TERRIBLE mgmt were on SNL? seriously it was like watching a high school battle of the bands runner-up who didn’t soundcheck before playing the cafeteria. awful.

  25. i was all set to come and comment on jknapp’s incredible calm through all the bs with ‘pastor’ bob. (there’s some quotation marks for you) but then i read the comments! cutting and pasting bible verses as a battle weapon is one of the strangest practices to me, i’ll never understand it. I guess i’m lucky to have grown up in such a welcoming and loving church community, where fundamentalist evangelizing was seen as worse than almost anything.

    to quote the dc talk song “the greatest single cause of atheism in the world today
    Is christians who acknowledge jesus with their lips
    Then walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle.
    That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”
    It is my opinion that these hateful evangelists touting their narrow-minded brand of “Christianity” are that quote personified.

    • i agree, the cut & paste is like troll fridge magnet poetry. i also grew up gay around cool christians, and when i see this stuff i honestly just sort of pity the commenters for the way they understand christianity.

  26. Sharp as a tack, yet gentle as a lamb. That’s how Jennifer has lived as long as I’ve known her. I was very proud of her on LKL. More believers should strive to live as kind, honestly and transparently as Jennifer.

  27. “I’m to be a light in a dark place!” …. Really, Pastor Bob?? Really?? What the fuck is so dark about loving another human being, andWhy can’t you believe in Jesus and like girls?? Seriousely?? It’s so fucking illogical and ridiculous to me that a religion supposeddly full of love for everyone scape goats homosexuals as evil sinners. It truly baffles my mind. Jennifer you ROCK to stand up to all the hate-filled christians who go against you!!!!! You inspire me and I’m sure tons of other girls to be true to themselves. The Pastor can only ever hope to be as truthful and sincere and just in his life as you are.

    • Pure hatred, ignorance and homophobia, it boggles the mind. There are a handful of lines in the Bible that mention homosexuality (usually alongside adultery and promiscuity, etc), but DOZENS condemning hatred, hypocrisy and false righteousness. Bob and Ted should take a look at those.

      Besides, it’s accepted among many mainstream churches that the passages on homosexuality are the result of mistranslations and late additions. People didn’t even have a word for homosexuality at the time or think of it in the same way that we do, so all of this bible-quoting business is rediculous. It speaks to the greater divide in Christianity over how to deal with cultural biases in a book that some people think came straight from God…as if the writers of the Gospels weren’t flawed and fallible themselves.

      • I agree!! It’s like these men believe they know what God wants?? If God is love, and god made us, then arn’t we born full of Godly love, and made human to make choices? (This is coming from a raised-Jewish-now-Spiritual chick… so yea, i’m not a scholar on the trinity)

  28. Pingback: Jennifer Knapp habla de su salida del armario en Larry King Live « adolescentes gay

  29. I think Jennifer Knapp is very brave to speak her truth to a bunch of white guys who call themselves “christian.” I think we’re all better off for it!

    Susan Gabriel
    author of Seeking Sara Summers
    (a novel that speaks the truth about coming out later in life)

  30. The word of God does not change because it is 2010. As a born again Christian who has dealt with same sex feelings all my life, I have CHOSEN to reject the sin of homosexuality and have CHOSEN to live for Christ. The sin of homosexuality is the same as the sin of pre-marital sex or the sin of being drunk or the sin of gossip or the sin of using illegal drugs. God’s word is clear, please read it. Do you really want to take a chance on your eternity? Please accept the blood of Jesus as salvation, which is the only way to reconcile ourselves to God the Father and as Jesus himself said to the woman at the well, “Go and sin no more.” I fall into sin daily, but there is a difference in stumbling into sin and choosing to act sinfully. Pastor Bob spoke the truth and he spoke it directly from God’s word. So if anyone has a bone to pick, leave Pastor Bob alone and take it up with God.

    • I hope you realize the error of your ways. I’ll pray for you, jmbtown. “Maybe even sacrifice a goat.”(-Jaymax)

  31. i really liked everything in this entire post…Jennifer Knapp (hero of mine since she came and performed at my church in 1994. i have 5. pretty sure i was in love way back then), SNL, rosie, will phillips, …

    i just wish the BQBQ video would have had an interview or at least SOMETHING from Loren. I met him a a conference in february..he’s fucking awesome speaker and you should ALL check out his work.

    love to autostraddle

  32. Although I still stand on God’s word and still believe what I wrote in my previous post, I do regret my last few words. God doesn’t want to fight or argue with any of us. He loves us beyond our comprehension. He cherishes us, we are His creation. And whether we are gay or straight, it is His heart’s desire to know us. That is why He sent His Son to die for us. So, if I sounded harsh, I’m sorry and do apologize. God has shown me nothing but mercy, love, and forgiveness. How dare I show others anything else. Be blessed.

  33. I believe that part of our inheritance in Christ is freedom (“sin shall not be your master, for you are not under law, but under grace”), so I would never allow a brother or sister struggling with homosexuality to settle for defeat. I’m thinking about it in the context of alcoholism, for example. “Can someone be an alcoholic and be a Christian?” I think the obvious answer is yes. They may be struggling with addiction and longing for freedom, but God doesn’t kick them out of the kingdom temporarily until they find total victory over it. 2 Cor. 5:21 teaches us that His imputed righteousness covers us (ALL of us) while the weaknesses of our sin nature are being exposed and defeated. None of us can claim to have the absence of sin. So how do we harmonize the presence of sin with the promise of salvation when we know that “the wages of sin is death”? We trust in the cross and that grace redeems us from the curse WHILE we are being sanctified.

    To those who can’t seem to rid themselves of homosexual desires, I would remind all of us that God, in His wisdom, sometimes allows “a thorn in the flesh” to teach us His sufficient grace. In the same way that someone who struggles with rage should not give in to the impulse to kill, the one struggling with homosexuality shouldn’t feel permission to practice a gay lifestyle simply because the presence of desire remains. It needs to be seen as a tool to drive us toward trusting God and learning the great lesson of “abiding” (John 15): obeying in the absence of feelings. That one should practice abstinence, let some brothers/sisters know about the struggle, remember that there is no condemnation in Christ, and cease to make their struggle the center of their lives.

    • Thank you, I have so many homosexual desires I can’t seem to get rid of. My homosexual desire to punch people/myself in the brain when I read comments of this variety because I find them disturbing in several levels, for example. But mostly my homosexual desire to be under Grace, in an extremely literal, unrighteous and thorny kind of way. I don’t know why, I’m just sure I’d really like it if she “redeemed” me.

      But seriously though, you seem nice, I just don’t understand your need to bible-clobber. Maybe it’s a behavior pattern similar to my unexplainable need to respond to the thumping? Maybe we’re not so different after all and should try to do more than just abide each other? Maybe your middle name is Grace?

  34. Bob is on point, he has used scripture to back every point he made. Homesexuality is like any sin and must be put under the banner of grace, in saying this Jen has made her standing clear that she is happy to live in denial that being lesbian or gay and proclaiming it as right for christians is okay and not something that God is against. Bob is 1000% correct in defending the faith and he did it with love not only for Jen but for Christ and believers as a whole. Stand firm family, the truth is within the Bible.

  35. This was posted a zillion years ago but I can’t let someone like this have the last word.

    I won’t return to the church until it welcomes me back– all of me, lesbianism and all.

    • Unless someone can guarantee that there is awesome lesbian sex in heaven, I don’t even want to go.

      From what I hear about jesus and god and all those male angels; heaven must be the most boring place for a lesbian.

      Here’s a good use for the bible: toilet paper!

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