United Pentecostal Church International Doctrine: Homosexuality

This next section of the mini-series is on homosexuality.  Recall that I am systematically addressing each of the position papers of the UPCI located at http://www.upci.org/doctrine.asp and today's topic is homosexuality.  The entirety of this paper is one sentence spread out between 4 paragraphs (an homage to the Bible perhaps?) so this post will be shorter than some others may be.

Homosexuality

I may as well include the entire positional statement from the UPCI on homosexuality because of its brevity.

"Inasmuch as some segments of liberal Christianity have expressed a willingness to accept the so-called 'gay rights' movement as a legitimate lifestyle, and

Whereas the inerrant, inspired Word of God emphatically declares, in Romans chapter I, homosexuality to be vile, unclean, unnatural, unseemly, and an abomination in the sight of God, and

Whereas the United Pentecostal Church International is a fundamental Bible-believing organism entrusted with a divine destiny to provide spiritual direction to a wayward world,

Let us therefore resolve that the United Pentecostal Church International go on public record as absolutely opposed to homosexuality and condemn it as a moral decadence and sin, and do hereby encourage prayer for the deliverance of those enslaved by that satanic snare." (http://www.upci.org/doctrine/homosexuality.asp) 

Let us go line by line to dissect this.

"...some segments of liberal Christianity have expressed a willingness to accept the so-called 'gay rights' movement as a legitimate lifestyle..."

Good for them!  I question why the phrase "so called 'gay rights' movement" is used, as if this movement was insignificant or meaningless (which it's not).  Also, who are you to determine what type of lifestyle is "legitimate"?  It is almost like this is implying that being a homosexual is a lifestyle choice that should be condemned and corrected.  Why would, if it is even possible, try to "cure" someone of being a homosexual?  What is so threatening to you if two people of the same sex are attracted to one another?

"Whereas the inerrant, inspired Word of God emphatically declares, in Romans chapter I, homosexuality to be vile, unclean, unnatural, unseemly, and an abomination in the sight of God"

From here to the end of this post you will have to pardon my language.  There is a time and place in which profanities are useful and, although I rarely use them, this type of post makes me extremely passionate for the work I do as a blogger and activist of human rights.  First of all (and I will mention this every time the "Good Book" comes up), please present the evidence that demonstrates that the Bible is the "inspired Word of God".  Until then, don't use it as a means of authority.  However, even though the Bible is just a book, like all other books, I can refer to the God of the Bible as part of literary criticism.  Therefore, your God is a dick.  Plain and simple, your God (speaking towards the UCPI's view of God) is an immoral, vindictive, homophobic prick as described in the Bible.  First of all, according to your beliefs, God made them this way, so unless you want to defy God's will, just leave them alone.  Sure, you could say that God made them homosexuals as a test to overcome the devil and lead them to Christ.  However, for all those homosexuals that stick to that sexual preference, God is all-knowing and would have already have known that they weren't going to change.  If God, sends them to Hell for not changing when He knew they wouldn't, he is still a dick.  Enough with the apologetics for now.  These are the probably the same people who try to legislate against homosexuals (i.e. prevent same-sex marriage, keeping homosexuals outside the military, etc.).  Show me the homosexuals that are attempting to force people to be homosexual.  It is not as if your personal freedoms are being restricted by homosexuals; they aren't running around yelling about how heterosexuals are immoral people.  The attacks on homosexuals by churches show the bigotry and xenophobic views of a not just corrupt, but morally bankrupt organization.  My deity, the Invisible Pink Unicorn, says that all people who enjoy vaginal intercourse are "vile, unclean, unnatural, unseemly, and an abomination in the sight of the Invisible Pink Unicorn."  Therefore, these people deserve less rights (even if they aren't subscribed to my specific religion) and anal and oral sex should be the only type of sexual intercourse permissible under the law!  It's absurd.  Nobody outside your religion gives a rat's ass about what your God thinks.  Unless the homosexuals are voluntarily part of your club, you have no right to legislate laws against them.
As a side note, I fully respect the rights of the members of the UPCI's to hold these views about homosexuals.  However, I think they are immoral for doing so.

"Whereas the United Pentecostal Church International is a fundamental Bible-believing organism entrusted with a divine destiny to provide spiritual direction to a wayward world"

One, your divine destiny is no more important then a divine destiny of Sunni Muslims, of Baptists, of Sikhs, etc.  Two, organism makes very little sense in this context even as a metaphor.  Three, prove that your Bible has any authority whatsoever!!  Four, the world may be "wayward" in some aspects, but you're more wayward when it comes to views about homosexuals.

"Let us therefore resolve that the United Pentecostal Church International go on public record as absolutely opposed to homosexuality and condemn it as a moral decadence and sin, and do hereby encourage prayer for the deliverance of those enslaved by that satanic snare."

You may go ahead and think that homosexuality is "a moral decadence and sin", but you only have the Bible to work from.  Yet again, prove your Bible has any authority when it comes to moral issues.  You can believe as strongly as you want that homosexuals are an abomination in the eyes of the Lord, but it doesn't make it true.  I do encourage prayer in order to cure homosexuals though; as long as this is all you do.  That way, the act of praying will accomplish absolutely nothing in restricting homosexuals' rights and you won't be wasting anyone's time but your own.

Please e-mail me at brbailey@umd.edu, preferably if you would like to have an extended conversation.  If you wish to correct me or to make a quick, substantive point, feel free to leave a comment below!  Have a spectacular day!
I addressed this earlier but I will reiterate.  The only "satanic snare" there is, from a theological/apologetic viewpoint, is either imposed by God Himself, or purposefully ignored by God and left to Satan to do as he pleases.  God is at fault in both instances.