SEXUAL MINORITIES?

- Are there such people and what should we say to them?

Claiming to be part of a minority carries a suggestion of being oppressed, marginalised, rejected and even seriously threatened. The struggles of minority groups (races) in the USA like Afro Americans and Hispanics are continuously kept in our eyesight by the media. (I myself as a white Afrikaner living in Africa am by the way also part of a minority ethnic group!) The serious plight of religious minorities for example in the Middle East is also well known. 

What concerns me is that the term “minority” as in “sexual minority” has become in some circles a preferred way of referring to the LGBT community for obvious reasons. And one might have some sympathy or at least some understanding of that if those speaking in this way do not know our Saviour. Non Christians, ignorant of the Creator’s values and will might be excused for thinking that their ways of living out their sexual desires are justified and is only different in the sense that it is practised by a minority in comparison to the majority heterosexual people. 

Appalling however is the fact that some Christians have recently adopted the concept of "sexual minorities," despite the fact that the benign, given biological condition of race is very different from unnatural sexual desires to do what God clearly forbids in his Word.* One is also tempted to wonder where the boundaries of this broad categorisation would eventually be drawn? Who would qualify being called part of a sexual minority group and thus be entitled to unqualified acceptance and protection? Paedophiles, necrophiles? And what about those who are practising incest or bestiality? Aren’t all “minorities” supposed to be treated equally? 

No, there is not such a category as "sexual minorities" and the Bible has nothing to say about them, there are however sexually broken people (and all of us are in some way or other part of this group, because all of us are born sinners) and for these the Gospel promises forgiveness, redemption and renewal! The duty of the church (and yes she has failed in many ways) is to proclaim the Gospel of deliverance in love and patience (not treating them in harsh ways) to all sinners whether perceived “minority sinners” (such as the LGBT community?) or “majority sinners” (the rest) who are just as broken because of the destroying power of sin and Satan.

*Dr. Robert A. J. Gagnon referring to a former employee of Wheaton College