Baptist Press – Did God create Ray Boltz gay? – News with a Christian Perspective.
SOUTHLAKE, Texas (BP)–”If this is the way God made me, then this is the way I’m going to live,” Christian singer Ray Boltz said in a recent article disclosing his decision to divorce his wife and live as a homosexual.
But did God really create Ray Boltz as a homosexual? The media certainly would have us think so.
Time recently ran an article (“What the Gay Brain Looks Like,” Jun. 17, 2008) attempting to demonstrate the “science” supporting a “gay gene.” Interestingly, the article referenced a study done by Simon LeVay in 1991. The study had major gaps in its methodology, and even LeVay, a homosexual neuroscientist, has said that it didn’t prove what he hoped it would.
An article such as this demonstrates the difficulty of speaking truth into our culture today. Studies attempting to normalize homosexual behavior are introduced with much fanfare, and we hear about “important” new discoveries that are accepted as facts. We don’t hear, however, about the scientists who strongly disagree and the studies that reach a different conclusion.
For example, in 2003, the International Human Genome Consortium announced the successful completion of the Human Genome Project, which, among other things, identified each of the approximately 20,000-25,000 genes in human DNA. The press release read: “The human genome is complete and the Human Genome Project is over.”
While this accomplishment was widely reported, almost no one reported the words of Dr. Francis Collins, the head of the project. Collins, arguably the nation’s most influential geneticist, said, “Homosexuality is not hardwired. There is no gay gene. We mapped the human genome. We now know there is no genetic cause for homosexuality.”
Somehow the major media missed that little tidbit. Collins and others acknowledge that genetics can predispose but not predetermine. This supports other studies that clearly document the possibility of change for people who struggle with unwanted homosexual desire.
The need for Christians to be prepared to deal with this issue is shown in another comment by Boltz: “I guess I felt that the church, that they had it wrong about how I felt with being gay all these years, so maybe they had it wrong about a lot of other things.”
Notice the emphasis on “how I felt.” Far too often we allow “feelings” and the validity of each person’s “story” to trump the authority of Scripture. In Boltz’s case, his struggle with homosexuality apparently caused him to doubt other tenets of the faith. Beliefs to which he had held all his life were reconsidered. This is not uncommon among strugglers from Christian backgrounds. When we fail to help them deal with this issue, other fundamental beliefs are questioned.
Another sad byproduct is that his former wife has joined a pro-gay advocacy group. I’ve often thought that many people turn to various pro-gay groups because the church was not there at the time of their crisis. The end result is that not only is the struggler lost, but family members as well. Tragically, they often become very effective instruments in the hands of homosexual activists.
I grieve for the loss of the testimony of Ray Boltz. I grieve for those who will follow his example. I grieve for his family. I pray that one day Ray will realize that God did not create him a homosexual and that there is a way out.
We are in desperate need of children of Issachar, who understand the times and know what to do (1 Chronicles 12:32). Far too many in Southern Baptist churches are struggling with a temptation they neither seek nor understand, but they are terrified to ask for help. Ray Boltz said, “I read every book, I read all the scriptures they use, I did everything to try and change.” Scripture (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) tells us that people can leave homosexuality.
Those with long experience in this ministry will tell you that very few people have left homosexuality without the support and involvement of others. But the fear of being found out keeps many in bondage, and that bondage is intensified when the world continually trumpets, “You’re born that way. Just accept it.”
I pray for the day when all of our churches take seriously the need to train their leadership to redemptively provide the tools needed for the people like Ray Boltz in their midst. I long for the day when every community has Christians who are prepared to present a positive, joy-filled alternative to the lifelong struggle he has endured.
September 25th, 2008 8:54 pm
I was shocked and saddened by this article. I did not know about Ray Boltz. He is a fantastic singer. I don’t really know any facts about homosexuals and did God make them that way. I hold the family unit in very high esteem. I don’t see how a man or woman could hurt their family in such a way. I enjoyed the article and learned from it.
September 25th, 2008 8:56 pm
Doylene, it surprised me about the Human Genome Project. Thanks for the comment.
September 26th, 2008 10:11 am
I wish Ray Boltz would read this message…God created babies, but did He create them to be aborted? Being created by the Creator does not mean the choices we make are because of being created, but a choice. The difference between you Ray and the babies, they have no voice to say no, but you do. Homosexuality is a choice to sin openly and throw it in the face of God saying Jesus what you did was not enough for me. Go and die again and lets see if it is enough. Being someone covered in His blood, fighting hard fights to stay faithful to the One who called me, reading you could not fight anymore tells me where your faith was, in yourself and in your abilities and also angers me as if His sacrifice was enough for me, what makes you so special. Self righteousness prevailed my brother. You lost. Will God send you to hell? It is up to Him, but if I go by His word, (He who takes his hand from the plow is not fit for the kingdom of heaven) and since you choose sin over holiness and pursuing righteousness, you probably should count on it as God does not lie. It is time for some hard looking at what God says and not at what we want to believe.
As far as the Human Genome Project, it just proves again fools say in their heart there is no God…God is about to make the foolish to confound the wise.
September 26th, 2008 12:18 pm
The so-called gays forget the doctrine of sin, and the nature of this fallen world. We are sinners, both genders! And this Text gets little press: “DO NOT BE DECEIVED (make no mistake about it!) neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (effeminate by perversion..this covers transexuals; and I say that sadly), nor homosexuals…etc.,will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Cor.6:9-10)
But then note verse 11, “Such WERE some of you; but you were washed (were washed, or washed yourselves, Greek Aorist, was, did)..” The washing, the sanctification, and the justification, “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and “by/to” Greek preposition, ev/en – In, of time and place; also of the instrument and manner, equipment or qualification: “the Spirit of God.” Here is both our will and the Apostolic will “of us” or “our God.”
This text shows that we are involved in our own changing, but it is both the Apostolic Church and our will, submission!
The Christian Life is a real “change” not perfect fully yet, but toward the perfection in the end…”the Day of Christ.”
Fr. Robert
September 26th, 2008 6:20 pm
What a sad situation with Boltz. I do hope the Christian world will pray for him and also exhort him. Remember that we are called to exhort one another when we see a brother in sin. Here’s a fictional conversation between Ray Boltz and Jesus…
http://shawnbarr.wordpress.com/2008/09/26/ray-boltz-talks-to-jesus/
September 27th, 2008 1:01 pm
I was sad to read about Ray Boltz. Since the debate over the Archbishop of Canterbury’s letters to me I have been learning a lot about the Anglican Communion and also the nature of homosexuality and have been heartened by the testimonies I’ve read of how homosexuals and lesbians have often through much suffering and endurance been healed of deepseated homosexual proclivities. Our God is a powerful and saving God. One of my patients with schizophrenia who had an amazing conversion experience was gradually delivered of her lesbian temptations. I urge all homosexual Christians to strive to know Christ and the Holy Spirit and the loving Father and I believe they will eventually be healed. It may be take years but it is worth the struggle. Praise the Lord! Debbie Pitt
September 27th, 2008 1:57 pm
We know from 1 Cor.6:11, that many of the Corinthian converts had come from lives of sexual sin, fornication, effeminate-perversion (transexual), and homosexual. I state it plain, as the Text does..we must! But there was redemption. This does not mean the full desire always left, (Rom.7:24-25). This depends upon the person, and the work of God..as Rom.8 also declares: “If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Rom.8:10-11) The fulness of life is there, but our own will is also involved, and in Christ we can have surrender and victory. But this does not always negate the warfare!
“A believer is to be known not only by his peace and joy; but by his warfare and distress. His peace is peculiar: it flows from Christ, it is heavenly, it is holy peace. His warfare is as peculiar, it is deep-seated, agonizing, and ceases not till death.” – Robert Murray M’Cheyne
Fr. Robert
PS..this includes all warfare in a fallen world, interior/exterior, etc. The Christian is “will-intellect-emotions” in one person. But the will really comes first, especially in regeneration. And this is the position and life reality of the redeemed person in Romans 8.