Tag the Word!

FROM ONE LIZA TO ANOTHER

I do not follow celebrities but my news feed would feature them whether I like it or not and I chanced upon one who voiced her opinion about the SOGIE bill by calling out a sector that sounded like it was of the religious nature and where I belong. Allow me to address her points.

 

“Stop using the bible to define what’s right or not”

God is the standard of what is right and wrong which is why we use the Bible for it is His word (2 Tim. 3:16). And we will continue to use it "to define what's right or not."

For the sake of argument, let's throw the Bible out, what then as she makes no mention of what should take its place. We cannot take something out and not replace it with something else otherwise there's nothing there. The law does not exist in a vacuum.

 

“it is a bill for a reason and not part of the commandments, STOP mixing religion and law it will not work!”

Religion condemns murder, perjury, slander, injustice, exploitation of the poor, larceny, and concubinage---stuff that the law forbids. Should we stop as well?

 

“Religious freedom is not inherently incompatible with the anti-discrimination/SOGIE bill.”

Then why tell us to stop using the Bible if it’s not?

 

“No one must be discriminated for their religious beliefs & practices in the same way that no one must be discriminated for their sexual orientation & gender identity.”

It is not discrimination but it is adherence to one's faith.

 

“The state ought to allow you to believe that gays shouldn’t be allowed in heaven.”

That law is already allowing all of us to believe whatever we want but let me clarify something about our faith. Perhaps she knows of sects that believe that but we don't preach how "gays shouldn't be allowed in heaven." What we declare is that all sinners---straight or gay---must turn from their sin including jealousy, gossiping, lying, envy, rebelling against parents, stealing, etc.

 

“you must not be forced to abandon that religious conviction”

The opening salvo orders us to “stop” using the foundation of our faith. Isn't that telling us to abandon our religious conviction?

 

“but the state ought to disallow you from firing employees just because they’re gay. You have no right to discriminate.”

Again, it is not discrimination but the living out of God's commandments. A straight church worker’s employment will also be at risk if s/he is found to be engaging in conducts outside of God’s perimeters. Besides, more often than not, s/he is encouraged to resign.

 

Everyone is welcome to our faith because we preach how God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever (straight or gay) believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Our doors are open for anyone who thirsts but we all must come on God's terms, not ours. Never ours for He is God and we're not.

Author

Elizabeth Ong

Elizabeth Ong is an author, lecturer, an app creator, and a businesswoman. She has a master's degree in Biblical Studies from Asian Theological Seminary.