Rosaria Butterfield rocked the Evangelical world when she shared her self-proclaimed “train wreck conversion.” “As a leftist lesbian professor, I despised Christians,” she said. “Then I somehow became one.”
Butterfield recently spoke at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary about her book, Openness Unhindered: Further Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert. In her talk, she discusses where the term “sexual orientation” came from — and whether we should use that language. Here are the highlights:
Should we use the term ‘sexual orientation’?
“I think [sexual orientation] is a dehumanizing term. Whether you identify as heterosexual or homosexual or the plethora of alphabet soup that lies in between, it is a dehumanizing term.”
Who first defined humans by their sexuality, and what were its effects?
“By defining humanity according to its sexual desires and segregating it according to its gendered object, Freud was, intentionally or not, suppressing the biblical idea and biblical category of being made male or female and in God’s image, and replacing it with the psychoanalytic category of sexual identity.
“In both in tense and language use, Freud took aim at the Bible’s authority to diagnose gender and sexuality dysfunctions and prescribe solutions for them. I do not believe this was an innocent move. Throughout his career, Freud maintained that belief in the God of the Bible was ‘universal, obsessional neurosis.’ The category of sexual orientation carries with it a cosmology of personhood that undervalues image bearers of a holy God.”
How did Romanticism play a role in the development of ‘sexual orientation’?
“Our problems didn’t start with the sexual revolution in the 1960s. We’re talking 18th century here…. Romanticism [declared] personal feelings and personal experiences the most reliable measure and means of discerning truth. Doesn’t that sound a little bit like today?”
What impact did the 19th century have?
“Indeed, while the Christian maintains that image-bearing is what sets apart humans and animals, the 19th century ushered in a new measure of man, one for whom sexuality and sexual pleasure became a defining marker. Thus, the category of sexual orientation is what we in theology call a ‘neologism,’ and it creates fictional identities that rob them of the true one — male and female image bearers.”
On distinguishing between non-sexual affection and sexual action.
“Biblically speaking, sexuality is always teleological. That is, sexual desire implies a desired object, and sexual practice implies a necessary outcome. Because the APA’s definition of sexual orientation includes non-sexual affection, this re-maps personhood in a way that God does not…”
“Put another way, biblically speaking, there is nothing sinful — and nothing ‘gay’ — about nonsexual same-sex deep and abiding friendship. Desiring to bring someone a glass of punch or sacrificially helping a friend who needs you is an expression of our image-bearing of a holy God, not a persistent pattern of sexual desire or temptation.”
Who is impacted by ‘sexual orientation’?
“Everyone loses when we define ourselves using categories that God does not. People who identify as heterosexual and homosexual have much to lose by defining themselves according to the category of sexual orientation.”
When ‘sexuality’ moved from a verb to a noun, what was the result?
“With secular society rendering classical religious beliefs publicly illegitimate, pseudoscience stepped in and replaced religion as the moral foundation for venereal norms. Sexuality moved from a verb (practice) to a noun (people), and with this grammatical move a new concept of humanity was born.”
How quickly was ‘sexual orientation’ adopted?
“Indeed, sexual orientation went from a categorical invention to heralded, immortal truth in 100 years. Let’s think about that. Freud wasn’t exactly ancient; he was pretty modern…. It is now a term embraced uncritically be believers and unbelievers alike.”
Does reparative therapy cure homosexuality?
“Homosexuality is a sin to be mortified, not a behavior to be modified.”
What are two ways we can fail in addressing homosexuality?
“Heterosexual blindness makes a Christian ignorant to the very sins that may destroy him. Homosexual approval makes a person unable to enter into a gay neighbor’s life in a way that God may use to spare him from God’s wrath. Both take Christian witness out of the game.”
Why must we emphasize the gospel?
“Natural revelation exposed my sin, but God understood that there is a difference between the diagnosis and the cure. Natural revelation portrays God’s diagnosis, but only in the gospel did I find the cure.”
I could not disagree more with this statement. I wish that the writers of this sin were as obvious… Then we could all be “Mortified” by them as well. John 8:6-7
Seth, Read on in this passage in john 8:9-11 especially verse 11 where Jesus told the woman that He didn’t accuse her but told her to go and sin no more. Jesus didn’t condemn the woman caught in the act of adultery but neither did ne condone her sin. He told her to leave her life of sin.
Jesus stands ready to forgive any sin in your life, but confession and repentance means a change of heart. With God’s help anyone can accept Christ’s forgiveness and stop doing wrong.
Jim
I totally agree with you. I was about to comment that Seth should read on. God doesn’t hate the sinner and neither should we as Christians, or any one for that matter. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God. We can ask for forgiveness and move on and strive to not make the same mistake again. The same is true with homosexuality. We shouldn’t hate them for what they do, but reach out with God’s love and try to bring them to Christ.
My younger brother is homosexual. His age and health preclude him being able to practice his choice. Even at 3-4 yrs of age he wanted to wear dresses and play with dolls. His life has been a mess because of his choice. Some may disagree that it is a choice but I think it is. We are all born with some inclinations that may go against the will of God. However it is not acceptable to practice these inclinations. Some may be born with an inclination to kill but that does not mean it is okay to go around killing people. But it is so hard to get homosexuals to acknowledge that it is a choice, one that is destructive to them, their families and their relationship with God. Without God there is no true happiness.
In these times of acceptance of everybody and their choice, it is even harder.
Yes Linda Smith, it is a choice to be one. But with God’s help one can choose what is right and perfect will of God. I like your idea as an example about a desire to kill but not to be carried away to become one, yes, it is a choice.
Rosaria is 100 percent correct. We mortify the sin and not the sinner. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. – Romans 8:13
Of the homosexuals I have encountered, very few (not none, I might add) ‘chose’ homosexuality – it seemed like it chose THEM. Maybe this is just the operation of sin, from a Christian viewpoint. All the comments here blithely state the ‘choice factor’ as a non-negotiable detail – a fact, as it were. Yet many people exposed to homesxual conduct do not become homosexual. Why? Luck? Grace? Also, if you are not a Christian, you are (obviously) not bound by biblical law. So,
it is fair for Christians to urge gays to stop the behaviors while completely ignoring biological factors? This is seeing through the filter of faith, not science. I’m not yet sure what makes people homosexual, yet everyone here seems to have everything thoroughly figured out.
James- I appreciate your point. Same sex attraction is a powerful thing to those who are either in the life or considering it. The choice was still theirs though. As with any other sin, it is a rejection of God’s design to pursue after a broken version of the original. This all implies choices made along the way. To say that because there are some who are exposed to homosexuality that don’t become homosexual as proof that it is biological rejects the biblical notion of sin and free will. Sin, when defined as missing the mark, exists across the board for everyone- Christian or otherwise. we are all guilty under the law. God’s design for us stands whether we choose to abide within it or not. Why am I not a homosexual after hanging out with them? The same reason I’m not a thief after hanging out with thieves. Neither one of those are my sin struggle. However, as a recovering addict, I certainly recognize how a specific temptation can hold alot of sway over my day to day life. To say that because my dad was an addict then I am biologically predestined to become an addict devalues my ability to choose otherwise. James I would close by saying that none of us Christians have it all figured out. Truly we only have one thing figured out, and that is the gospel of Jesus Christ sets us free from being slaves to sin.
I guess his point is that setting aside the act of homosexuality, it’s nature. I am a christian who once identified as gay. I pronounce homosexuality, the lifestyle and the practice itself as how God defines it, a sin. I abhor it. Yet I get tempted and stuggles with homosexual desires even at this point, neither do I developed a sexual desire to females to begin to lust after them. Not that i want practice lusting after them. But what i hold on to is that my faith in Christ defines me, my person hood, my value and that I am a work in progress who will be brought into completion for God’s glory.
There are reasons as to why the God of Israel did not give you Europeans the directive to go out and preach the gospel: that was given to the chosen people, even the children of Israel.
The Lord speaks clearly about homosexuality: you all simply have chosen to ignore the truth.
Matthew 19:10-12 KJV
[10] His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. [11] But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given♂️. [12] For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it , let him receive it.
You blind leaders quit preach lies!