When thinking through today’s social issues, clarity is of utmost importance.  The first step to clear thinking is precise word definitions.  “LGBTQ”:

•     Lesbian – A biological female who is sexually attracted to other biological females.

•     Gay – A biological male who is sexually attracted to other biological males.

•     Bisexual – A biological female or male who is sexually attracted to both biological males & females.

•     Transgender – A person who is biologically male or female, but “feels” like they are the other gender (male feels he is female, female feels she is male).

•     Queer – An intentionally vague term that means a lot of different things to different people.

Even though our society often groups “LGBTQ” together as a monolithic block, it’s clear that it is not.  There is no inherent unity in this grouping.  The first three terms are the sum of possible sexual preferences outside of heterosexual.  The fourth term, “T”, has nothing whatsoever to do with sexual preferences but instead denies irrefutable biological truth, the type of thing even the secular intellectual community would call “anti-science”.  The fifth term, “Q” has been usurped as a politically provocative label to indicate anyone who does not fit into what is considered “sexually normal” by society.  Many in the LGB community have wished to disassociate themselves from these fourth and fifth terms as they are of a different “kind” of identity expression.

In the end, it is important to remember that Christians should not view sexual topics as inherently “bad” or a subject “to be avoided”.  God created the genders (male & female), and natural sex between them in marriage, as a beautiful design and an amazing perpetuating system to be admired and celebrated as both “natural” and “right”.

Link: Sean McDowell: The Church and the LGBTQ Conversation (Podcast with Mark Yarhouse)