Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer
Accountability is one of those words politicians love to throw around. Voters and politicians alike apply it to their opponents but rarely use it look in the mirror. Accountability means taking responsibility for one’s actions.
Accountability requires weighing cause and effect. Did a certain word or action create or cause a measurable effect?
Conservative politicians love to talk about the degeneration of American culture. They have had great electoral success pointing to the increased acceptance of homosexuality in society. If you listen to self-proclaimed “Christian” radio, you will have no trouble hearing the thousands of problems they blame on homosexuals.
Using homosexuals as a scapegoat falls into the right wing narrative of world history. If you listen long enough, you will hear how homosexuals caused the fall of Rome or the damage from hurricane Katrina.
These so called Christian voices sound more like Pharisees than Jesus. They want to throw stones at the weak but refuse to hold the powerful accountable.
If you don’t believe me, go read the Gospels for yourself. Go read each account from start to finish. Read how often Jesus condemns greed. Read how often he condemns homosexuality. In his strongest condemnation of sexual abuse, he tells his followers in Matthew 5: 27-30
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.
Notice this is not about attacking others. If you have an issue, reform yourself. On the other hand, Jesus has much to say about greed. Greed not only destroys society, it also threatens salvation. The only people Jesus condemns to Hell are greedy.
In Matthew 25 Jesus describes the Last Judgement. He divides the saved from the damned. Let’s look at the damned in Matthew 25: 41-43.
“Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’”
Here is Christian accountability. No scapegoat will save you. Will you feed His sheep or throw the stone?
The author brings up some good points. However, he does gloss over the fact that Biblically speaking, homosexuality is in fact a sin. Yes, we must be accountable unto G-d and Yeshua (Jesus). But even Jesus said, “Go and sin no more.” That means, it is incumbent upon all of us, according to scripture to turn away from evil.