A Defiant Jennifer Knapp Defends Homosexuality on Larry King

Posted on April 26, 2010
Viewed 3779 times
(132) comments

A defiant Christian Singer Jennifer Knapp takes on a pastor of last week's Larry King Live... Watch the video, then let's discuss:

First of all, while I do think that homosexuality, biblically, is a sin, I think Jennifer makes a couple of good points:

1. She is correct when she asks why this one sin is chosen to debate. Homosexuality is the big taboo sin in Christian culture these days. I'm not saying that is a bad thing; but it is seen as a much greater sin than any number of other sins combined: lying, cheating, divorce, living together before marriage, guttony, gossip. Many of these are tolerated. We very seldom ask the glutton or the gossip to turn from their sinful ways. We just assign them to a different committee.

2. She does, I think, have a point against the pastor. He is not her pastor. He does not have the power/privelege of speaking into her life; privately or on national television.

That said,

1. Jennifer cannot condone her sin by saying that other people who sin are getting a free pass. It might be true, but it doesn't allow her to play the 'they're sinning so I can sin' card.

2. Unfortunately, Jennifer has (as have many other gay christians) found a spiritual leader that has said that homosexuality is acceptable under scripture.

This is not the first time that a Christian singer has come out of the closet. Ray Boltz came out a few years ago (no one ever say that one coming!). Kirk Talley shocked Southern Gospel fans with a scandal a few years back as well. I'm sure there are others that will happen in the future.

How will/are you responding to Jennifer's announcement? Will you buy her album (if you're a fan?) Will you continue to use her music in your services? Would you attend her concert? Would you have her sing in your church?

And what do you make of her defiant attitude on Larry King? Justified or not?

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Todd

Comments

if you want a Globally Recognized Avatar (the images next to your profile) get them here. Once you sign up, your picture will displayed on any website that supports gravitars.

Tom Marshall on Mon, April 26, 2010

The pastor has guts, she has guts, when it’s all said and done, God will be the judge. Scripture does say, “judge not lest ye be judged”! If we are to judge people first, then where would the good works come in. Jesus comands us to love another! Our Lord knows our hearts and He draws us to Him. Can she still pray and honor God? I believe yes. Does sin separate us from God? Yes. Do I Judge Her?? No!!! Other venues other than national tv probably would be more effective in dealing with conflict of the soul.
kjc on Mon, April 26, 2010

What about the great commision, we can not make that a great omission, the Pastor was only doing his commision as a Christian in my view. If we get to the point where we can not even disscuss the light from the darkness of this world, and bigger yet if we in the Christian community get to where all we can speak or talk to is inside our Church walls, then what do we as Christians do with the “GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOSPLE TO EVERY CREATURE” ??? In my view we are commisoned to confront wrong where we find it. It is really not even a disscussion issue for the Bible states the fact, what is happening to the divine inspiration of the Bibles text. I did notice that how the Pastor never really could answer for they kept cutting him off in mid sentence, that is the pattern that is emerging in our world - the Christian voice and view point is being nulled out of the conversation. I pray that the Lord help the Christians to be bold and speak the truth now matter the outcome, one day we will stand before our Lord and give an account. This is going to be a great battle in the few yrs ahead for the church we better as Moses said say - who is on the Lords side. I pray for this young women that her self will be removed and real repentance will come from and through her life, what a moment that would be of the total awesome power of the Lord Jesus Christ to be magnified and true grace show itself strong. Stand strong my brothers and sisters in the Fiath. I for one came from a dark place and I for one am not going back to the darkness. I thank the pastor for his christian courage to make a line in the spiritual sand, may I be as bold as he was in my tough moment. God Bless.
Craig on Mon, April 26, 2010

Great conversation by the way. I would like to say, comparing lying with homosexuality is jusy trying to say I’m not so bad, there are other bad people who are just as sinful as me, why don’t you have them on here. Jennifer I believe is lying to herself if she believes her behavior is not so bad. As for why is Homosexuality is being brought out and debated in the public arena and not gluttony is not a good example. I don’t see gluttons trying to get married they do. Liars get married too. Homosexuals can’t get married because its against the law. God’s law and Mans’ law. Jennifers music is great! But her relationship with the most important person in her life is suffering. Pray for her, and her leadership in that “church” she is connected with. I will .
Emrery Hurd on Mon, April 26, 2010

I always find these televsion interviews nausiating, quite frankly.

Television as a venue rarely gives any side time to effectivle discuss their position, so it is all reduced to soundbites.

Notice that NOTHING is said about Larry King! It does not take long to appreciate his personal position, and the purpose of his questions..he wants to get somebody angry, so they will say something thoughtless and improve his raitings. His frustration with both people not taking his bait is almost palpable.

I fully agree with all your points. Wouldn;t it have been a better program if Larry had asled anyone EXCEPT Haggard if, in their understading of scripture, which as Christians they see as their foundation of understanding God, if homosexual actiivty is in fact contrary to God’s will. Of course it would have been great if Haggard had actually ANSWERED the question, or if Larry had not let him get away with such a non-answer
Todd Bergman on Mon, April 26, 2010

It may not be the same thing as gay pride parades or cultural saturation of homosexual relationships but I think that the spread of Golden Corral/Ryan’s/Hometown Buffet or the ever present “all you can eat ________ for 9.99” seems to be blatant endorsement of gluttony.

And I hate to pass up a good buffet. Or all you can eat ribs.
Chuck Denton on Mon, April 26, 2010

Well, I finally made it through every comment. I didn’t want to comment until I did that.

First, I watched most of this interview on TV, but went back and watch all four parts of the whole interview on Youtube. I felt Jennifer was being defiant and Pastor Bob was being caring and loving to her. He was not condemning her no matter what she or Larry King might say. He was not promoting violence gainst homosexuals. He went on the show because he was asked to appear and He wanted to appeal to her in love. He kept a lot calmer than I would have, because I would have confronted Ted on some of his statements and answers.

We don;t decide what is sin. God does! We just repeat what He has stated in His word. I wish one of her peers in the Christian music industry would sit down and have this discussion with her on TV, but I hope that many of them are doing it in private. I think the reason she left music and went to Australia was to get away from the scrutiny and pressure of living a lie. She knew it was a sin and that most Christians view it as such. Maybe now she has convinced herself that it is not or that enough people will accept it that she can make a living in music again. I don’t know!

As for the other sins mentioned, they are dealt with publicly when they become public. I know, glutton may be the exception to this rule, but please, when a minister’s sin; adultery, robbing the church, or false teaching becomes public it is dealt with privately and publicly. If he is repentant he may or may not lose his position, but there is damage done to his life and the church. If he is not repentant he has disqualified himself from his position of leadership in the church. Too many Christian music artists need to be reminded that they are ministers of the gospel, not just musicians. If they do not feel they are in ministry, then they need to change their genre.

Todd,

Let me clarify that there is a big difference in the cases of Jennifer & Ray Boltz compared to Kirk Talley. Jennifer is wanting everyone to accept her sin as OK or conince people that it is not a sin. Ray stated like Jennifer that he was going to continue in that life style and left Christian music. While he may try to justify his sin he is not trying to convince all of us that we should support him in it. In the case of Kirk, he came out stating that he had dealt with the temptation of homosexual desires for much of his life and that he battles everyday and has never acted on those feelings. It cost him his marriage and he remains single and celibate still battling the temptations. He came out with it publicly because he was being blackmailed about it by someone who found out about it. He by no means supported it and asked people to pray, as he continues to pray, for God to remove the desires from him. He recognizes it as sin and is depending on God to overcome it in his life. Please don’t lump Kirk into this conversation even though it deals with the same sin.

I have never been a big fan of Jennifer Knapp. I might would use her past music in worship if the message is correct, but I would not use her future music and I feel that she has disqualified herself from being a Christian musician until she repents and turns away from her sin. When was the last time you heard “Thank You” in a church? It was the “I Can Only Imagine” of the 90s! I just hope that Matt Millard, Mac Powell, Mark Hall, Steven Curtis Chapman, & Chris Tomlin never turn homosexual!

I’m praying for her!
Paul on Mon, April 26, 2010

How did Jennifer get to this position? I will answer this question in a moment. Different interpretations of the Bible plagues all of us.

The Roman Catholic Church believes that one function of the church is to be the authorized interpreter of Scripture. They believe that not only do we have an infallible Bible but we also have an infallible interpretation of the Bible.

That somewhat ameliorates the problem, although it doesn�t eliminate it altogether. You still have those of us who have to interpret the infallible interpretations of the Bible.

Sooner or later it gets down to those of us who are not infallible to sort it out. We have this dilemma because there are hosts of differences in interpretations of what the popes say and of what the church councils say, just as there are hosts of different interpretations of what the Bible says.

Some people almost despair, saying that �if the theologians can�t agree on this, how am I, a simple Christian, going to be able to understand who�s telling me the truth?�

We find these same differences of opinion in medicine. One doctor says you need an operation, and the other doctor says you don�t. How will I find out which doctor is telling me the truth? I�m betting my life on which doctor I trust at this point.

It�s troublesome to have experts differ on important matters, and these matters of biblical interpretation are far more important than whether or not I need my appendix out. What do you do when you have a case like that with variant opinions rendered by physicians? You go to a third physician. You try to investigate, try to look at their credentials to see who has the best training, who�s the most reliable doctor; then you listen to the case that the doctor presents for his position and judge which you are persuaded is more cogent.

I�d say the same thing goes with differences of biblical interpretations. The first thing I want to know is, Who�s giving the interpretation? Is he educated? I turn on the internet and in particular the website that Jennifer refers to http://www.gaychurch.org and see all kinds of teaching going on who, quite frankly, simply are not trained in technical theology or biblical studies.

It becomes very obvious when you look closely at what and how they interpret scripture. I was stunned by how the author of this website treated Romans 1:26 and the phrase “natural relations.” So Jennifer and many others simply fall into sin based on pure deception.

These sites and TV programs don’t list, state or have the academic qualifications. I know that people without academic qualifications can have a sound interpretation of the Bible, but they�re not as likely to be as accurate as those who have spent years and years of careful research and disciplined training in order to deal with the difficult matters of biblical interpretation.

The Bible is an open book for everybody, and everybody has a fair shot of coming up with whatever they want to find in it. We�ve got to see the credentials of the teachers.

Not only that, but we don�t want to rely on just one person�s opinion. That�s why when it comes to a biblical interpretation, I often counsel people to check as many sound sources as they can and then not just contemporary sources, but the great minds, the recognized minds of Christian history.

It�s amazing to me the tremendous amount of agreement there is among Augustine, Aquinas, Anselm, Luther, Calvin, and Edwards�the recognized titans of church history. I and others always consult those because they�re the best. If you want to know something, go to the pros and perhaps save yourself going into dark alleys of deception for years.
Oliver on Mon, April 26, 2010

what about all the sin in our churches? I am shocked at how many evangelical christians live in sin, have sex out of marriage, and without blinking go to church. There is little to no discipline in most churches anymore at all. I would point out 2 big institutional problems 1. all christian music industry is profit based for money, period with no accountability in christian disciplieship or discipline. 2. as long as we keep producing christian superstars will have this problem. In the full program they show Katie’s video “I kissed a girl” its an erotic very sexual video; Katie was a christian singer too and this girl managed her career. Watch that video, its amazing to see worldly success, selfish narcacism take over the church and our world.
Chuck Denton on Mon, April 26, 2010

Oliver,

You are correct about sin in the church, but it is not rampant in every church and it should not be accepted as justified by God. Church discipline is not done like it used to be done in most churches and most of the time it is not done in love with repentance & reconciliation as the goal. The difference in the sins is with most that it is hidden from others and people are justifying their sins to themselves while trying to hide it. They know it is sins, but they are hoping they don’t get caught. They are not going public and declaring that their sin is no longer sin! Most of the ones who have had their sin made public do not hold leadership in the churches.
Mike Rowell on Mon, April 26, 2010

A degree of defiance seems to be the attitude du jour for public figures making decisions like this. Perhaps they feel like it’s the only way to stand up for themselves. It’d be more interesting if someone made a decision like this and wasn’t defiant.

I wasn’t a fan of her music, so there’s no loss there on my account. I certainly wish her no ill will.

So…if a pastor provided Ms. Knapp a sermon list that included every known harmful action/attitude, would that person then have moral authority to discuss homosexuality? Sometimes it seems pointless to even wade into these waters, because any time someone does, they are deemed ineligible to speak on the subject from the beginning.

To say that homosexuality is on the same level as other sins is true theologically, but it ignores the last 75 years, at least, of American culture.
j a n on Mon, April 26, 2010

I have to point out that none of us know the position of Jennifer’s heart before God - we have to accept that she is in fact taking these issues before Him. In the words of Dr. Billy Graham, it’s the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, and God’s job to judge. It is our job to love. Accepting her as a person worthy of God’s - and our - love is not the same as “accepting sin.” She’s still a talented musician - talent that God gave her and pleases him. Our position should be that of praying that God will continue to lead and speak to her as she works through this reconciling of her life and faith, and to trust that He will make the way clear.

It doesn’t seem like we trust God quite as much when it comes to gays…
derby on Tue, April 27, 2010

Romans chapter one has told us what God thinks about this vomit stirring sin. Sin is sin. God loves sinners but hates sin. we must stop pampering these perverts. tell them that no sinner can make it with God. i believe that jenniffer will come back to God. Please can people keep their private sex life to their bedrooms and stop telling us.
David on Tue, April 27, 2010

Just because you say you want to be a Christian, it doesn’t make it so. I would prefer people start a new religion that allows you to do anything you want and still be a Christian than try to join the club without paying the dues. You can say you are French. You can speak the language, eat the food, teach a french class, but unless you are born there you are not French. If you want to interpret this “mysterious text”, go to school and learn more about it. Too many people interpret the Bible from their limited knowledge of culture and translation.
And lastly, when Larry King asks a question, why can’t you just answer what he asks? I watched the entire 40 minutes and all three of them came off looking like Christian Politicians, avoiding every question by jumping on a soapbox of divertion and self-righteousness. That was perhaps the biggest crime.
William Mayor on Tue, April 27, 2010

Well I have to give her credit for following the stance of, if you are going to sin, then sin boldly.

As for denouncing her, or any other homosexual, I think I will follow the lead of Jesus and state, let anyone who is without sin lead the charge. If others are like I am, that is sinful, then I feel that the others have the same initial task I do, which is to deal with MY sin, not someone else’s. Until I am done with my initial task I do not have the time nor the righteousness to worry about another’s sin.

Jesus died for all sin, and offers His righteousness to all who will accept it. How can I claim it for myself while questioning if another is fit to claim it?
richardgross on Tue, April 27, 2010

What is the purpose of the argument? What is the purpose of a discussion of homosexuality? If one views homosexuality as a disease, then would we call a cancer patient a sinner? If one views homosexuality as something one is born with (or as), then how are we to “correct” that which is done at birth? If we are to view homosexuality as sin, then why are we singling it out? On this last point, some have said it is the gay community who brings it to the forefront. My response is if that be so, then why perpetuate it by responding to it.

All that said, salvation is open to the sinner. Yep! Unless I misread, “Jesus died while we were yet sinners,” then God knows the situation and has control over it.

Lastly, I want to add, “where were the righteous Christians when I was a younger m,an, and living in LA, and the churches were there, but a small community of homosexuals were there to be my friends, and I was not bothered? Where is the love that appears without accusations of sin? Where is the representation for the Gospel as Good News for all humanity.

I neither condone nor condemn homosexuality as a sin. How do we as “Christians” demonstrate love - by humiliating, attacking, assaulting (physically and verbally) the homosexual?

Allow me one more question. Can someone who sins be part of the fellowship of God? Judas sat and partook of the cup and wine with Jesus. Peter, a leader in the church was there for along time as a bigot, actually an exclusivist. Aaron built a Golden Calf and let the people go astray, and was the first high priest of the nation of Israel. And David’s sins are well recorded, even as king, and he was a man after God’s own heart, and a bloody man also.

I could go on with example after example of sinning holy men (remember Moses murdered someone, and kept that temper a long time) who were not only part of, but prominent in, the fellowship of God’s people. One notable person to finish, Saul the murderer was called on his was to murder more people when God called him.

Can we allow each one their own Damascus experience?