Stephen Fry: Out There

I have just been watching the first of Stephen Fry's programmes on homosexuality around the world. Or, rather, his determination to expose what he sees as prejudice and ill treatment of gays around the world.

I feel rather sick after it. I think it is in part a reaction to the exhibitions of physical homosexual affection (nothing graphic fortunately) but more than that it is the sheer perversion of truth that the whole thing involves. One does not agree with the death penalty which is proposed in Uganda, or sympathise with all the arguments of the Ugandan pastor and government minister who argue for it; but Fry's propaganda technique is depressingly reminiscent of Richard Dawkins - assert your case without rational argument, throw in loads of sentiment and talk about love ( even tears at a civil partnership ceremony), make fun of those who oppose you or patronise them, and find a few of the most extreme and objectionable examples of the opponents' argument to knock down. This is what debate by television has come to these days; media power is used unhesitatingly as a propaganda machine. The BBC even advertises a helpline for anyone who has been bullied because they are gay.

The programme raises issues for Christians. Where do we go when we are so much, and rather suddenly it seems, on the back foot? We must hold our nerve; we must teach patiently and persistently the truth; we must examine our hearts to ensure we are not bearing hatred of these people; we must remember that whether straight or gay, sinners need a saviour; and we must realise, too, that we are not going to win this argument on a merely moral basis. The whole thing goes right back to creation. God made us male and female, to have companionship man with woman, to marry and multiply and fill the earth. The battle is really for a Christian theistic worldview and a case for human identity and destiny. The biblical theist cannot see homosexuality as anything other than a perversion, and rebellion against God, but that does not give us the right to stand in personal or self-righteous judgement over, or live in hatred of, them. But Romans 1 is increasingly becoming the most relevant text to describe our society. If that is the case, we can be thankful that Romans 3 is still the solution.