Ray Boltz: "I don't believe God hates me anymore"

Ray Boltz: “I don’t believe God hates me anymore”

Posted on May 25, 2010
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(92) comments

Remember Ray Boltz? It's been nearly seven years since Ray 'came out of the closet' and took a hiatus from Christian Music...

But now Boltz is back with a new album, and a new belief. And a call for Christians to not discriminate against homosexuals.

Here is one of the lyrics to a song called "Who Would Jesus Love?"

Would He only love the ones
Who looked the same as me
Would He only offer hope
When He saw similarity
Would He leave the others waiting
Like a stranger at the gate
Would He discriminate.

Or, part of the lyrics of his song "Don't Tell Me Who To Love"

Don't tell me who to love,
Don't tell me who to kiss,
Don't tell me that there's something wrong,
Because I feel like this.

Maybe you're in love today and you've been making wedding plans
But there is someone in your way shouting things cause they don't understand
The judge says that's not legal, the preacher calls it a sin
Oh you just remember they were wrong before and they're wrong again

On his transformation, Boltz says: "I don’t believe God hates me anymore...I always thought if people knew the true me, they’d be disgusted, and that included God. But for all the doubts, there’s this new belief that God accepts me and created me, and there’s peace.”

Make no doubt about it... how the church responds to the issue of homosexuality will be one of the major issues in the church over the next decade.

What do you think? You can read more on Boltz in a New York Times article written recently here...

Todd

(PS -- I was never a big Ray Boltz fan. Ever. But take a short listen to the song linked above. Let's just say, the music itself would not make me a fan, ever. Not one of Boltz's best songs, gay or not gay.)

Comments

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Brandon Mouser on Tue, May 25, 2010

I think he’s right. God doesn’t hate him. Not even a little bit. Like Todd, I’ve NEVER been a fan of his music. But I’m thrilled he’s decided to get back into his passion and that he’s been delivered from the bondage of sin.
Daniel Davis on Tue, May 25, 2010

Truth is truth, sin is sin and we can never compromise - no matter who likes us or not. We are not called to be popular, well liked or respected. We are called to proclaim the truth. However, we must always do so in humility and love. God is not OK with sin, no matter how we try to spin it, or convince ourselves otherwise.
Brandon on Tue, May 25, 2010

What sin are you talking about? Ray’s music? I mean, I don’t prefer is, but I wouldn’t go so far as to call it sin.
rick on Tue, May 25, 2010

God doesn’t hate Him is the sense he once thought. At the same time Boltz exemplifies the irrationality and disregard for Truth found in a mind given over to sin.

Rather than Christians cheering his (and others) coming out, we should pray we will one day rejoice in his repentance.
Todd Rhoades on Tue, May 25, 2010

Is it just me, or could Ray Boltz win a Howie Mandell look alike contest?

Todd
Craig on Tue, May 25, 2010

In his lyrics, Ray makes his case stand or fall on the idea that “if I feel this way, it must be OK.” It’s a variation on the “if this is how I have always felt, it must be normal for me” view. If we believe that this world was corrupted by sin, and that sin has corrupted every part of us in some way, then it only makes sense that some of the things people “feel” or “desire” all of their lives may still be wrong, sinful, deadly, or all of these. I am not called to do what comes “naturally” to me, but rather to put on the new self, created in me by God and resembling the righteousness of Christ. It may mean giving up a “natural” desire or longing—it probably will mean that for everyone in some sense. But this is what God offers—not a blessing of our natural, sinful state, but redemption into the image of Chirst.
Brandon on Tue, May 25, 2010

@Todd: OMG! Todd! I didn’t even see that! Great eye!

@rick: I think we are missing something here. Ray has repented of his former ways. He is now living in the truth of who God created him, which is a beautiful thing. I’m not sure any heterosexuals can really grasp the hell of living a life that is a lie, in this manner, as our brother Ray has for most of his. He has quit living the lie of the devil and has fully embraced his created nature. That is ALWAYS to be celebrated.
Rick Garner on Tue, May 25, 2010

This is very telling to the distortion of Ray’s worldview. God cannot hate a person. He hates sin. A person’s sins do not create an entire person and this continually seems to be the stumbling block with the sexuality issue. God hates sin…homosexuality is a sin…so God hates gays and lesbians. If that were true, then God would hate every murderer, thief, adulterer, and divorced person. Those are all sins but God hates the sin…not the sinner. But we all have to reach a maturity to understand that concept.
rick on Tue, May 25, 2010

Brandon - you repeat the deception. All of us know the bondage of sin and some of us know the freedom that comes through Christ. That’s independent of whether the former nature was given to homosexuality, some other sexual sin, or thievery, or mocking, or whatever ... Boltz is only rejoicing in his sinful nature and others are applauding him. As one smart guy recently wrote regarding Jennifer Knapp, “The problem is not that Jennifer Knapp struggles with a sin most of do not struggle with. The problem is that she stopped struggling with it and started defending it.” Boltz is doing the same. Nothing to celebrate there.
Brandon on Tue, May 25, 2010

I understand what you’re saying, Rick. I just disagree that homosexuality is a sin. I used to be a staunch defender of this, IMHO, misinterpretation.

Paul talks about the sin of men and women going against what is natural, for them. It would seem to me that Paul is saying it’s a sin to not be who they are. Why would God create someone, in innocence, to be something he despises?
rick on Tue, May 25, 2010

Ok ... so it’s simply that we understand Scripture regarding homosexuality different and that’s not going to get fixed in this space. But with that as it is, from the perspective of one seeing this as sin, those encouraging Boltz are in a scary place.
bishopdave on Tue, May 25, 2010

God created me as an angry person. My anger is how God made me, no matter what sin it leads me into, anger is a part of me. Anger is my life style. Will you accept my anger as part of me, and excuse the sins of abuse and violence it drags me into? Anger is my lifestyle, accept me as being made this way.
Brandon on Tue, May 25, 2010

Exactly. I do respect your position, as someone who was there for quite a long time. And I agree, for the person holding the position that homosexuality as sin, those encouraging Boltz are in a scary place.
Brandon on Tue, May 25, 2010

@Bishopdave: I do accept you as you are, with no expectation. And if God, in his sovreignity, sees fit to allow you to continue in that, who am I to challenge God?
Rick Garner on Tue, May 25, 2010

Brandon, a great question indeed: “Why would God create someone, in innocence, to be something he despises?”

Does innocence even exist? No one is innocent in the sense f being sinless. According to the Bible, �the heart is wicked and deceitful above all things� (Jeremiah 17:9), and �all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God� (Romans 3:23). For more check out: http://www.gotquestions.org/innocent-suffer.html

Ultimately, and we may also disagree on this, homosexuality is a choice. I don’t buy into the concept that a person is “born gay.” Just like I don’t support the concept of “it happens in nature.” Indeed, animals do lots of things…but we’re not animals. God placed us above animals and desires. One’s environment (home, public, work) will impact their views and choices but ultimately one makes a choice.

But this is where we spent a great deal of time…wrestling with interoperation and semantics when ultimately it boils down to this: I disagree with the homosexual lifestyle…but I can still love and be friends with that person. That’s where we stumble…we don’t know how to express that love…or withhold it all together. This is the one area we as Christians need to improve.