By Edwin Crayton/Opinion

This time of year, as America celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King’s birth, it’s easy to forget that Dr. King wasn’t just a great civil rights activist, he was also a minister of the Christian Gospel. Some of his most inspiring writings were sermons and articles that covered moral issues and dealt with the day to day problems people faced then and still face today. In fact, it might surprise and intrigue many people to know that in the late 1950’s King authored an advice column in Ebony Magazine, which is sort of the Time Magazine of Black America—especially so in the 1950s and 1960s. The King Estate has released MLK’s writings which include the Ebony column which was called “Advice for Living”. In one interesting column that ran in January 1958, King addressed the issue of homosexuality. A gay boy who was struggling with his attraction to other boys wrote King for advice. What follows is the complete text showing the boy’s question and Dr. King’s response:

The boy’s question was: My problem is different from the ones most people have. I am a boy, but I feel about boys the way I ought to feel about girls. I don’t want my parents to know about me. What can I do? Is there any place where I can go for help?

King’s answer was: Your problem is not at all an uncommon one. However, it does require careful attention. The type of feeling that you have toward boys is probably not an innate tendency, but something that has been culturally acquired. Your reasons for adopting this habit have now been consciously suppressed or unconsciously repressed. Therefore, it is necessary to deal with this problem by getting back to some of the experiences and circumstances that lead to the habit. In order to do this, I would suggest that you see a good psychiatrist who can assist you in bringing to the forefront of conscience all of those experiences and circumstances that lead to the habit. You are already on the right road toward a solution, since you honestly recognize the problem and have a desire to solve it.

The article is noteworthy for a few reasons. First, it shows how an iconic leader in American religious and social life felt on a topic that is very relevant today. Second, while many people today accept homosexuality and view it as an identity, the article shows that King and many Americans at the time had a much different take on homosexuality. Dr. King felt homosexuality was a habit which needed to be cured. And third, but not least, King seemed to doubt that homosexuality was innate, (natural). This third point is the most compelling of them all, because it is at the center of a debate that is currently going on all over the world. Some people believe homosexuality is innate. They believe it’s an identity and that a person is born gay. A good number of people on that side of the debate even go so far as to say God made people gay. On the other side of the debate, many people believe homosexuality is not natural. And Christians who believe that the Bible is infallible, further believe the Bible’s view that homosexuality is both unnatural and that it is also a sin.

In his gentle and thoughtful response, Dr. King said the boy’s feelings were “probably not innate (natural). That use of the word “probably” implies that maybe Dr. King was not really certain. I am not sure why he said it that way. As mentioned, King felt that homosexuality was a “habit” and he urged the boy to seek help to end that habit. Some will point out that Dr. King’s reaction was typical for pastors of his time. True. Pastors and other Christians in his day, rightly believed in the Bible and held it as their standard for morality. Today, there is debate inside the Christian Church about what is right and what is wrong and unfortunately some churches do not see the Bible as authoritative. They seem to believe the Bible needs to be updated to keep up with the times. Yet, the Scriptures make it clear that God does not change even though the times do change. God does not have to keep up with the times. It is the times that need to keep up with God.

The Bible is still supposed to be the never changing standard for morality that Christians are called to obey now and for every day of the future. Most important of all, the Bible is quite clear about the question of whether or not homosexuality is natural. Romans Chapter 1 teaches God gave people over to sinful affections because, basically they rebelled against him. Verses 24-28 say the following: “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise, also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.”

That Bible passage clearly says that The Bible maintains that homosexuality is both unnatural and a sin that God has commanded people to abandon. The Bible further says, that those who do not repent and turn from the sin of homosexuality cannot get into heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). They can however avoid damnation if they will repent, confess faith in Jesus and abandon the sin (see verse 11). Strong words. But think about it. logically. If God had made people gay why would he have condemned the act of homosexuality as he does in the Bible? This point about damnation is a key biblical message that needs to be taken seriously. Here is why. As homosexuality continues to be promoted and accepted as being normal sexuality, more people will try it, possibly millions. If we believe the Bible, that means millions or more will be at risk of being damned if they cling to that lifestyle and die in it. Millions or more. What if one of those millions is someone you love? Hard to digest? Hard to believe? Yet the Bible says it clearly: those who practice homosexuality will not enter heaven. And We who are Christians believe the only other place a person goes when they die is hell. You cannot enter heaven at all without accepting Jesus as both savior and lord and repenting for your sin. Regardless of what the sin is. And yet, the world today is telling people who are gay, they have nothing to repent for. As mentioned, some people see homosexuality as an identity and view it as a healthy lifestyle that the gay person should be proud of. They even hold events celebrating gay pride. However, by contrast, Christians are called to see it not as identity, but rather as behavior that God has forbidden. Pure and simple. God himself said homosexuality is a sin (Leviticus 18:22). That said, the truth is Christians don’t hate homosexuals. We love them as we love all people. Yes, we realize that we are all sinners saved by grace. But sin must not be endorsed. No sin must get a pass. Yet the trend is to endorse gay lifestyles. Hollywood, the media and corporate America are quite effective at selling it to mainstream America. But they will never sell it to God. God sees things quite a bit differently. Believers are called by him to warn homosexuals about the consequences of the sin so they can turn around and be saved. God calls all those who follow him to warn others about sin in general (Ezekiel 33:8-9). But many who claim to be Christians are intimidated by a society that harshly criticizes and punishes people for not endorsing homosexuality. Despite this, God still calls his people to tell the truth, even when it’s not popular or dangerous. In fact, he expects it especially when those things are the case. Christians are the only ones who will speak out. What matters most? What people think of us or what God thinks of us? Prayer can strengthen us. Love for God and love for other people will make us obey God’s call (Read John 14:21).

Some people have suggested that certain people may be homosexual because they were sexually abused as children by someone of the same sex. Sexual abuse of children is a horrific problem now and in the past. It is cruel and demonic to do such a thing to anyone. A person who has been abused sexually has been forced into a sexual act and is not responsible. The Bible teaches that we are only held responsible for decisions we make freely. However, that also means that if the abused person later chooses to practice homosexuality of their own free will, then this individual is accountable because they made a choice that God has prohibited. But there is hope if this person wants to abandon homosexuality. He or she can pray to God for help, because nothing is impossible for God. I used to believe homosexuals remained gay. Then I met an ex-lesbian. Let me say it again: nothing is impossible for God.

It all comes down to choices. God is a loving being who loved humankind enough that he gave each of us the gift of free will. This means people are free to live as they choose. But there are terrible consequences when we choose to do things God has prohibited.

It’s popular in these times to be critical of people of earlier eras who held to a different standard of morality. And in many cases, it’s true that some of the values of the past were wrong and toxic. But when people of the past agreed with the Holy Bible, it is wise to listen to them and wonder where we went wrong if we are living by different standards and doing what God disapproves of. The people of King’s generation knew the Bible was the standard for believers. It still is and always will be.

In the end, King was right and I believe the Bible supports his position of encouraging the boy to do whatever is necessary to end his homosexual feelings. And yet, today, Dr. King would be criticized for even having a viewpoint that does not endorse homosexuality. Whatever happened to freedom of speech or freedom of religion? In fact, as news of his column has spread, he is indeed being criticized. One man suggested that the gay movement consider ending the holiday honoring Dr. King. One strategy the gay rights movement seems to use is to try to stifle or shut down or shut up anyone who does not buy into the idea that homosexuality is normal, natural and good. Well, you can stop the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. You can stop the words of the rest of us who believe in God’s Holy Word. But how can you stop Almighty God, who wrote the original words that called homosexuality a sin?

Dr. King tried to help that boy. Like King, Christians also try to help unbelievers and those suffering under the power of sin. Our warnings are meant to steer them in the right direction—-to Jesus. It’s sort of like a rescuer tossing a rope down to someone trapped in a deep, dark hole. That rope in this case would be Jesus. Well, Christians can toss it down, but it’s up to those out of God’s will to either grab it, or not.

14 “Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” -Joshua 24:14-15 (NIV)

“The Bible is God’s book of promises. And unlike the books of man, it does not change or get out of date.” -Billy Graham

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” -Romans 8:31