Sexist? Homophobic?

Discussion topic posed by the honorable Mr. Dyck: One of the charges frequently made against followers of Christ is that the church is sexist and homophobic. While there are some who this may be true of, how would you respond to the charge that the Bible teaches this?

Response: The Bible certainly does not teach either of these philosophies. Granted that it calls woman mans helper, but in the Bible it teaches husbands to cherish their wives. The teachings of the Bible also frown uppon abuse of the family, especially of a wife. As for homosexuality, God is very firm in His stating it as a sin. However, that does not make Christians homophobic. Leviticus 19:18 says, "You shall not take vengenance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord."(NKJ) Jesus qoutes this passage in Matthew 22, when he is asked what the greatest commandment. He first lists that we should love the Lord our God. But then he says that we should love our neighbors as ourselves. He didn't say only if their straight. Or only love your neighbor if he's a man. He didn't say, love your neighbor unless he/she is homosexual or chooses to live a sinful lifestyle. He simply says that we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. Who then is my neighbor? A neighbor is someone who has a problem, of which I am aware and have the means to fix. Therefore, homosexuals are our neighbors because they have a need, of which we are aware and we have the means to help them. But what if they scare me? That's good. They should scare you because of their deviation from the norm of human sexuality. However, that does not give you the right to reject them completly. We are called in Matthew 28 to, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you..." Therefore, Christians cannot claim to be so and hold to sexism or homophobia, for it is directly against the words of God.