How do we explain to young people the importance of why we are against new cultural norms such as homosexual marriage?
There is not a quick answer to this because the past few generations have been lied to about many of the social issues and the accompanying results of sin. In America, not that long ago, the pro-homosexual movement called a “War Conference” in February of 1988. Two of its leaders, Marshall Kirk and Hunter Madsen, began to address how to change public attitudes toward the homosexual lifestyle. They said they would sell it to Americans through unabashed PROPOGANDA, or outright lies, grounded in psychology and advertising!
The process used was “desensitization” or “structuring the consciousness,” which meant to shape thinking by flooding public media with “continuous gay-related advertising presented in the least offensive manner.” They utilized TV, movies and other forms of media to do three things: 1. Force mainstream acceptance, 2. Silence opposition, which would result in 3. The conversion of American society. I don’t think anyone doubts the source of how this happened. Marco della Cava wrote a 2013 article in USA Today entitled, “Hollywood: Gay Marriage’s Best Man” in which he shows the people pushing homosexual marriage using films and TV to clear a path for its acceptance in pop culture. Media became the “cultural trojan horse” to ultimately “slip into our collective consciousness” the idea that homosexuality is good and homosexual marriage is acceptable. It’s critical to teach young people how this happened.
For young people, they need to be convinced that their Apostolic views are the best way to bless and build a culture. As ministers called to touch their world, they must be able to point out the real consequences of sin. The reality is that, “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people” (Prov. 14:34). God intends blessing. So, a God of life must be against all that destroys life! We can teach this generation to quote Scripture, but then go on to show that the laws of reality demonstrate that the Bible is correct about homosexual marriage.
One example on how to accomplish this is to point out facts from sociology and history. For instance, J. D. Unwin, a British social anthropologist, spent seven years studying the births and deaths of 80 civilizations. He reported from this exhaustive research that every known culture in the world’s history that discarded marriage defined as “one man and one woman” has destroyed its ability to build a strong society. Dr. Unwin proved that if we want a strong society we must be about God’s definition of family, which is incredible because he didn’t want to get these results. So, ignoring this truth destroys society. That means we have the message of blessing, not cursing!
Much like Paul in Acts 17:28 where he quotes their own poets against them, Paul uses the truth disclosed in their own writing to show the Bible is correct. We can show young people that a society can’t IGNORE God and live anyway it wants with impunity and there be no consequences. The way to be blessed is simple: don’t attempt to live like you’re smarter than God. Holiness and God’s definitions are the blessing! Obedience to them will bring the blessing and victory tied to it.