From Descartes to DeGeneres

Rene Descartes and Ellen DeGeneres have almost nothing in common. Descartes was a seventeenth-century mathematician and philosopher; Ellen does comedy, 1997 style. Descartes uttered what many call the most famous sentence in philosophy: "I think, therefore I am." Ellen grabbed headlines recently by proclaiming both in her TV sitcom and in real life, "I'm gay, that's who I am."

How shall Christians respond to this latest effort to legitimize and promote homosexual behavior? The biblical record hasn't changed. God clearly prohibits same-gender sexual relationships, from the Old Testament (Leviticus 18:22) to the New Testament (Romans 1:24–27). At the same time God offers hope that homosexual offenders (as with the rest of us, whatever sins we have committed) can be washed, sanctified, and justified "in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:9–11).

Perhaps the deeper issue in the Ellen episode is how clearly it illustrates the modern mindset. Descartes's "I think, therefore I am" marked a significant shift in the way people viewed the world. Sure of their own thoughts but no longer certain about God, individuals were left to make their own rules. Ellen doesn't claim to be a philosopher, but in recent weeks she has served as spokesperson for the increasingly popular viewpoint that each individual can create his or her own ethical framework and that no one (not even the Lord) has a right to insist on any universal moral standards. Significantly, on Ellen's show the counselor who encouraged her to embrace her homosexuality was played by influential cultural icon and talk-show host, Oprah Winfrey.

What can Christians do? Think deeper about our culture, like the "men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do" (1 Chronicles 12:32). A friend of mine says, "If you want to lead lost sheep to Jesus, it helps if you know what bush the sheep is stuck in."

Dig deeper in the Word. Current confusion over homosexuality is only one indication that our culture has adopted a conceptual framework that rejects biblical authority. More than ever, we must know what we believe and why, lest we be taken "captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ" (Colossians 2:8).

Build deeper relationships. Many people today remain cautious about commitment—the median age for marriage, for example, has increased from 21 to 26 since 1955. People who long for acceptance will search for it in unhealthy sexual relationships if they don't find it in the right places. If Ellen decides to seek a different direction, will she turn to Christians because she sees consistent compassion in them?

Model deeper love. Never underestimate the power of the testimony of Christian couples who exemplify the kind of love, submission, respect, and self-sacrifice the apostle Paul describes in Ephesians 5:33. "Each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." How desperately people need to see the kind of authentic Christian community where real love flourishes—love that is patient, kind, not envious or boastful or proud or rude or self-seeking or easily angered—a love that always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres (1 Corinthians 13:4–6).

When men and women treat each other with that kind of love in our marriages and in our congregations, we will be on the right track. And we will be better equipped to bring God's grace and truth to a world more in tune with the philosophy of Ellen DeGeneres than we would like to admit.