His Kingdom

I have been quite troubled and up-to-my-neck lately. Settling some legal matters for my mum and family that now involves several government authorities. Also, I was troubled by the news about the gay teacher in RI who openly declared his sexual orientation and argued that he is "biologically made" that way and society should accept people like him and not hate him, or risk losing these "sons" who are talented and force to seek acceptance elsewhere.

I struggled with whether to let Jonathan exercise his option to choose RI. I really struggled. I rationalise to myself that I don't hate gays, but I cannot condone what they do. I remember an gay ex-neighbour who kept changing gay partners - one period a Thai boy, one period Malay boy... I was really disgusted.

I struggled with MM Lee and Otto Fong's argument, that some people are "biologically-made gay". As a Christian and after what I learned from Dr May Ling at TCA, I adopt a progessive creationist view towards the origin of human beings and creation. Even so, I still struggle with this.

I do acknowledge the confusion of one's sexuality could stem from a physiological reason - I remember a pair of twins I used to teach in a secondary school. 'Jack' (not hi sreal name) was more masculine than brother 'Jill' who was very shy and timid but very talented. 'Jack' was a quiet and rather stern boy. I think he steeled himself that way to prevent being teased about his "effeminate" brother. 'Jill' had a shrill and soft voice and was frequently teased and bullied. But he was very talented in his writing. My encounter with this pair of twins enable me think that 'hormonal imbalance' could be the reason one ends up 'sexually-confused'. In this case, I suspect some uneven distribution of hormones must have taken place at the time of conception and development of the foetuses.

Another reason for one's sexual confusion is more a psychological one. This, I believe, is most difficult to define and prove and is the basis upon which most gays stem their sexual orientation from. The prevalent argument is it runs in the family line. As a progressive creationist, I can only agree it must come from somewhere. Though not a medical doctor, I reason to myself that some kind of "hormone therapy" should be able to help the first category of people. But for the second category, I think it is really a condition of the mind, more than the heart. What's the "cure" for them? I don't know. I suppose MOE and the principal of RI should be counselling Otto Fong now. But I think counselling only helps if the person feels something is not right about himself and wants to be helped.

As an ex-teacher, I just want to add my two-cents worth about the role of education. While Otto Fong may feel education should enable pupils to learn to respect persons' choices and decisions, I think the greater role of education is to educate pupils to respect boundaries and uphold social responsibilities.

I submit that the reason why Otto Fong feels "hated" is he knows he has violated boundaries, the moral boundaries of right and wrong. He seems to have an axe to grind particularly with the Christian faith that condemns homosexuality. But the truth is, the entire society and all religions condemn such acts.

But I do want to come to the point about how my struggle is resolved today. God gave me the song "This Kingdom" this morning in my devotion. I have also just covered Ecclesiology (doctrine of the church) in TCA lately. And the Lord is so kind to speak to me concerning this issue as I read my devotion notes in EDWJ.

Today's reading was on Luke 4:14-30. It talks about Jesus who quoted the ministries of Elijah and Elisha. Elijah was helped in the years of famine not by a Jewish widow but a Gentile one. There were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha but he healed it was Namaan, a Gentile who was healed. The message is clear: "The Gentiles are also loved by God". In the new kingdom that Jesus ushered in, God would extend mercy and liberation, even to the "wicked" Gentiles!

As Christians, we are called to be Kingdom-minded people. God's heartbeat is for reconciliation and as His Church, we are called to be embrasive of people of all race, ethinicity, and even religions. But we are not called to be embrasive to the extent of being permissive. As a follower of Christ I must do is to immitate Christ's gentleness, meekness, love and acceptance of the hungry, poor, deprived, lost, and even the "wicked". God hates sins, but He does not hate the sinner.

As Jesus did not shun or shy away from the "wicked" Gentiles, neither should we. So now I am at peace to let Jonathan go ahead and select RI as his secondary school. For I know too the responsibility of educating my child about moral and biblical rightness and wrongness lies primarily not just with the school, but with us, his parents.