Oral Roberts gay grandson speaks out

Posted on November 08, 2010
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(17) comments

Many people don't know it, but one of Oral Roberts sons was a homosexual and eventually took his own life. Now, his nephew, Oral Robert's grandson, who is also gay, has made a video about his uncle and his current view on life.

Take a look here. [profanity alert]

I've said for a long time that homosexuality will be one of the (if not THE) major social issue the church will deal with in the next decade. Just in the past few weeks, I've heard new allegations of bullying by the church of homosexuals (bullying is the new politically correct buzzword, I guess).

If you watched the video... what do YOU think?

What would you say to Oral Roberts grandson?

And what would you say to Oral Roberts son?

Todd

HT: Jesus Needs New PR

Comments

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Leonard on Mon, November 08, 2010

Hey Todd, thank for posting this today. I also believe one of the most significant issues the church will face is this issue.

What makes facing this issue so difficult is that the parameters have already been shaped. I often feel like I am dealing with an issue by going backwards before I can go forward. I often feel like I owe an apology to many people for the hatred that hurt them before I can speak the grace and truth that heals.

On the other side, the homosexual side, these parameters have also been set. “I will not go to hell for loving someone” “I was born this way” “God made me this way” and many more phrases means that when I enter the relationship or speak the message of life, hope, forgiveness and repentance I am speaking and sharing Christ in a severely slanted world.

We have made issues out of what is not an issue, because the real issue is difficult and painful to deal with. It is not about loving another person, it is about the love of God… It transforms!

The current movement of “anti-bullying” we see taking place is actually making a triumphant victim out of homosexuals. Again, changing the parameters in which this conversation is being had.

I found myself sad as I watched this video. Sad because of the pain, sad because of loss and sad because I know there are many people out there who will watch is and attach their pain to it and become a victim of someone whom they are not victims.

Homosexuals are not the victim of the church. They are not the victim of bible believing people. They are, in one very real sense a victim of their sin and satan. That being said, homosexuals have been harmed by the tactics of some bible believing churches and people. What is wild is that people make heroes out of triumphant victims. Again, this alters the parameters in which we have these conversations.
Peter Hamm on Mon, November 08, 2010

Leonard.

WOW!

Amen.
Danny on Mon, November 08, 2010

Great word Leonard. Thanks for sharing that truth brother!
Barb on Mon, November 08, 2010

You asked after watching the video, what do I think. First, from a video I thought it was boring to watch. The Church has her work cut out for her. We must stand firm on the issue and yet not come across as bullying. However, it seems that bullying is now defined as disagreeing with the lifestyle and teaching the truth. I speak this as a woman who has a close family member who is gay. We are close but I still stand firm in my belief about the eternal consequences of the lifestyle.
Roger Lewis on Mon, November 08, 2010

The problem is that anything we say is bullying if we don’t agree with them. We are not allowed to disagree. Homosexuality is sin pure and simple. The Bible is clear. It can be twisted and shaped to say what they want, but it simply doesn’t change the truth that this is sin just as adultery and murder are sin. If that is bullying, I’m sorry.
Todd Leupold on Mon, November 08, 2010

very well said, Leonard.
Christopher Fontenot on Mon, November 08, 2010

Question: “Will we compromise the Word of God to please man?” This is what will have to happen in order to keep from offending homosexuals.

On a personal level, when I witness to homosexuals, I avoid the issue all together. A homosexual is guilty before God despite his/her lifestyle choice because of the Law. If I dare let the conversation devolve to just being about homosexuality, I will lose them entirely. But if we bring the mirror of God’s Law before them and in the conviction of that sin, they might be broken before God. When God changes the humble, He changes them completely.

As the Body of Christ, however, we must continue to stand on God’s truth and teach what it teaches to the congregation. But our convictions must be tempered with compassion for homosexuality is no greater a sin than lying.
Ronnie on Mon, November 08, 2010

Christians are constantly being challenged even in Malaysia by one gay pastor, being given a platform in a famous online news portal here. More and more, churches and pastors are being discriminated by them as hateful and cold towards them. I think both sides are hurting - and most of all God is hurting! Let us continue to love everyone but stand firm on the Word of God! That would be the best! Let God settle the rest!
Leonard on Tue, November 09, 2010

One issue is that the voice most associated with this issue coming from the church is so shrill. Shouting sinner at someone and then blaming their offense on the conviction of the Holy Spirit is, for lack of a better word, stupid. Their offense is simply and quite often irritation at the shrillness of our voice.

Very often people assume that truth hurts is in the bible. The bible tells us truth frees, truth in love is our approach and that Jesus is truth. Faithful are the wounds of a friend is not intended to justify strangers yelling sinner.

I hear people justify rudeness to others with “I love them enough to hurt them by telling them the truth.” We are many times not loving them but rather just hurting them with the truth. If you love someone enough to hurt them with he truth then doesn’t it make sense that you should love them enough to bless them with the truth?

One more thought - All sins are NOT the same. When we say this we defy scripture and common sense. All sins earn the same wage… death, but the bible teaches that some sins are different. They seem to irritate God more than others. Some sins cut a bigger swath of human destruction and harm. Some sins leave scars on the soul that others do not.

Sexual sins fall into this category.
Ronnie on Tue, November 09, 2010

Leonard said, “I hear people justify rudeness to others with �I love them enough to hurt them by telling them the truth.� We are many times not loving them but rather just hurting them with the truth. If you love someone enough to hurt them with he truth then doesn�t it make sense that you should love them enough to bless them with the truth?”

Brilliantly put!
rbud on Wed, November 10, 2010

The commentary here is curious to me, even the more eloquent statements. “What would you say to Oral Roberts’ grandson?” That voice is curiously silent. “What would you say to Oral Roberts’ son?” That voice is too late, and still silent.

Frankly, my heart goes out to this young man. His pain and frustration seems genuine enough, even if his video is boring, as someone wrote. It seems clear to me that, despite his coming out and realization of himself as a gay man, he still is highly conflicted between the person he feels he must be to please those he must love, and the person he fears he is, the person he has resigned to be without choice, the person he has been taught is condemned because of something not of his making. How unfair to him. He fights a battle he lost before he started. And sadly enough, he fights without the love and support of family and church.

I would say to him, take heart; Christ loves you as you are, as you were, and as you will be, and live a life that follows Christ first. That life may not be in an evangelical church, or the church of his grandfather’s making, and likely is not.

I suppose I get a little frustrated myself when I see Christian folks who are committed to making themselves feel justified by condemning others. That should not be our role as Christians, and there’s no excuse for berating others as a means of standing firm on our own ground. Like the playground bully, many Christians feel compulsed to bully those not like themselves, or those not offering them praise for their wonderful goodnesses. Bully, indeed.

And, where does the Bible say that sexual sin is worse than other sin? Jesus didn’t condemn sexual sin, did He? He didn’t condemn the harlot, in fact, He specifically said that He did not. He did, on the other hand, condemn arrogance, hatred and legalism, so brilliantly displayed by the religious leaders of the day. That ought to give somebody some pause to thought.

And curious, too, that the sin most often mentioned in the Bible as the sin God hates, is not sexual sin, but arrogance. Count them for yourselves.

The fact is, church is institutionalized homophobia. In many churches I’ve seen, they would much more quickly forgive murder or multiple adultery than a homosexual act. I find that troublesome, and inconsistent with both the spirit and the letter of the New Testament. Am I trying to justify homosexualism? No, certainly not, but I will not give credit to bullying, hate-mongering or arrogance, either, whether about gays or anyone else. The rest of you, go preach your love sermons, then ask Mr. Roberts if he feels more loved than before. No point in making the self-righteous feel any better about themselves, they seem to feel righteous enough already.
Ronnie on Wed, November 10, 2010

Dear RBUD, I think your last few words swept too wide and slapped everyone (straight Christians and churches) in the face. I believe it takes both hands to clap! There are many pastors and churches who still genuinely love everyone regardless as how God loves people.The homosexual issue will always be a contentious issue until Jesus comes!

As we fight bullying (which I too hated), we must also look at the broader picture of how the sanctity of God’s Word be proclaimed to this broken world!
Leonard on Wed, November 10, 2010

Rbud, I appreciate the heart of your word but disagree with some of them. The church is not institutionalized homophobia. To believe homosexuality is wrong and to teach this is not homophobia. This is exactly what I mean by changing the parameters. Labeling disagreement or biblical teaching as homophobic is not accurate. If I misunderstood what you meant forgive me.

As for Jesus not condemning sexual sin, this is also a misdirection or changing the parameters. To assume Jesus did not condemn sexual sin based upon his treatment of sinners is not really a sound argument. He did not condemn the person, but the fact that he forgave the person reveals he felt the actions were sinful.

Paul said that all other sins are outside the body but that sexual sins are against the body. He is saying the repercussions of sexual sin are different. The bible includes in several lists sexual sins as severe, the making of the list indicates this severity. When a person sins sexually the ripple effect tends to be much greater externally and internally. The power of sexual sins to ensnare a person is much different that many other sins.

The message I would give him is one of freedom, forgiveness, hope and restoration. Those four words would require repentance. I would not yell this, I would speak this into his life as a friend. If he was open to this, he would find everything Christ offers. If he were not, he would miss what Christ offers.

We have had several people in our church who are homosexual. We have loved, communicated, shared, prayed, laughed, sang and spoken truth lovingly. Each one, sadly walked away without repentance, but each one still has an open relationship with me and the doorway still remains open. We did not fail to speak truth, we did not fail to show love, and we pray to the only one who can transform a sinful heart (I am proof he can) that his kindness would draw these people to repentance.
Gary H on Wed, November 10, 2010

Jesus loves you and your uncle Ronnie just as much as anyone else. Your actions will not send you to hell - only rejecting Jesus will. He loves you. Don’t reject His love - it is beyond anything in this world. He has made a way for you through His own death. His forgiveness can change everything, set you free, and give you eternal hope. Trust Him. He is there for you when everything falls apart, He is there when everything seems together. Give it all to Him, He cares for you. He loves you just the way you are. Surrender all to Him. Don’t be afraid. Embrace His grace. Believe and receive.
GB on Wed, November 10, 2010

The problem for the Christian is when we take a stand on something such as homosexuality using scripture, we are bullying. Are they Christians who are very ugly about it? Yes. Is that sinful? Yes. But, I am tired of being called homophobic or bullying because I dare to say that homosexuality according to the Bible is sin. The reason we are not discussing other sins, which are sin in God’s sight, is because homosexuality is the sin we are asked to comment on. I do feel compassion for the young man. I have a brother who has lived a gay lifestyle for many years. We are VERY close. He knows I love him. He also knows that I believe homosexuality according to scripture is a sinful lifestyle. Do we discuss it everytime we are together? NO! Do I treat him and his partner any different than my other family? Absolutely not. I am neither homophobic nor a bully, but I refuse to compromise what I believe the Bible says.