Are You Haters?

“Are you haters? Do you train your students to be haters?” the young millennial asked after having read our Statement of Faith and the Veritas Position on Marriage, Gender and Sexuality. I would have laughed except I realized that this was a very serious question from a person who really liked our school, but needed to get this point resolved.

You might ask yourself, why would a person even think such a thing? But think what our culture is saying, quite strongly and without compromise: 

  1. People determine what is right and wrong based on their own thoughts and feelings. There is no true standard for right and wrong.
  2. When others differ with me on what is right and wrong, I must respect their opinions and accept the lifestyle choices that go with this.
  3. People who are homosexual are born that way. Therefore, we should accept their behavior and all that goes with it, including same sex marriage, etc.
  4. To be less than accepting is hateful, judgmental and bigoted.

Suddenly, someone who is a product of our culture runs into our position on these things. (See below.) It’s a shock, even for believers.

My response to the questions was, “No we are not haters, nor do we train our students to hate others. Rather, we believe that God has expressed in His Word what is best for all humankind, believers or non-believers. He created all of life and, therefore, knows how this life should be lived for the maximum blessing and to avoid serious harm. It is because of our faith that God desires what is best for everyone, we embrace what God has laid out as His plan for experiencing sexuality.”

Further, we train our students in this truth and train them to love others, treat them with respect as persons, even while they strongly disagree with the opinions and positions that others might have that go against God’s design for all people. 

Contrary to what others might think, the Bible is not just for Christians. It is good for everyone. And when non-believers decide to follow the “Good Book,” they experience the positive blessings that flow from obedience to God’s design.

It is a lot like gravity. The Laws governing gravity are true for everyone. I can’t go to the top of a high building and get a good running start, thinking that I will sail safely off the building and fly without any equipment to assist me or break my fall. I can fully believe that I am not bound by the narrow-minded views of others; that I am free to experience the world according to the dictates of my feelings and perceptions. This thinking will put me either in the hospital or the morgue. Those who love me should do their best to persuade me or block my self-destructive efforts.

 Therefore, we are not haters, but lovers. Because of our love we share God’s design with all who might listen with grace and kindness and respect. (1 Peter 3:15-16) And we train our children to do the same as they get old enough to step into these conversations with those whom God puts into their lives.

Have confidence. God’s Word is solid even in these tumultuous times. I like what one person has called it: The B.I.B.L.E. Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.

Standing on the Rock of the Word (Matthew 7:24-25), Christopher

Veritas’ Position on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality

Because Veritas Academy of Tucson believes that the Bible is the inspired, authoritative Word of God, we fully embrace God’s design as the best for all humankind. Since our culture has been actively rejecting His standards over the last 60 years and more, we have seen firsthand multiple woes brought on our society as a result. Therefore, we think that the following Biblical principles are also essential for our school’s well-being:

  1. We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male (man) or female (woman), sexually different but with equal personal dignity, and that these two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. Veritas believes in the dignity of individual persons affirming their biological gender (sex) in the midst of confusing times. God’s design is best and we cannot support attempts to physically change, alter, or disagree with one’s predominant biological gender (sex), including but not limited to sex-reassignment, transvestite or transgender behavior, or gender identity disorder and related conduct. (Genesis 1:26–28; Romans 1:26–32; 1 Cor. 6:9–11).
  2. We believe that God created marriage to be exclusively the covenant union of one man and one woman for the benefit and welfare of humankind, and that intimate sexual activity is to occur exclusively within that union. (Gen. 2:21-24; Matthew 19:4-5; Romans 1:24-27; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4; Leviticus 18:6-22) Therefore, Veritas cannot accept any definition of marriage other than as stated in Scripture, whether such redefinition is issued by any religious, political, judicial, administrative and/or public or private agency.

In addition, we believe that the Bible outlines healthy God-blessed patterns of sexuality & condemns any form of sexual immorality. We believe that Christians must adhere to and practice biblical standards of morality. (Moral misconduct includes, but is not necessarily limited to, promiscuity, adultery, open marriage, homosexuality, bisexuality, polygamy, transgender identity, or any violation of the God-created order of male and female. From all such things God provides forgiveness, cleansing and restoration.) (Exodus 20:14; Leviticus 18:7–23; 20:10–21; Deuteronomy 5:18; Matthew 5:27–28; 15:19; Romans 1:21-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-20).

Christopher

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