Ray Boltz Comes Out of the Closet
September 16th, 2008
The Contemporary Christian music world was shocked and saddened over the recent announcement that famous Christian vocalist, Ray Boltz, is gay. Best known for the song “Thank You” and a host of others, including “Watch the Lamb,” “The Anchor Holds,” and “I Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb,” Boltz granted an exclusive interview with the Washington Blade, a weekly newspaper to the Washington DC gay community. In it he shared his coming out journey. Boltz explains:
I’d denied it ever since I was a kid. I became a Christian, I thought that was the way to deal with this and I prayed hard and tried for 30-some years and then at the end, I was just going, “I’m still gay. I know I am.” And I just got to the place where I couldn’t take it anymore.
A year after retiring from the music industry, he and his wife separated in the summer of 2005. Boltz moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida where he could start fresh, live a low-key life and get to know himself. That Christmas while sitting around the kitchen table at his daughter’s house, he finally found the courage to share with the family what had been bothering him for so many years. From that point on continuing to pretend was no longer an option. Certainly it was difficult for the family, but Boltz explains, “I was offered support and love from each member of my family, including my wife.” Now divorced, He and his wife remain close.
On his website, Boltz explains that during the last few years he’s learned there are many people who feel the same way he did. He acknowledges one church in particular that has helped him in many ways, the Metropolitan Community Church founded forty years ago by Rev. Troy Perry in the Los Angeles area, catering to the LGTB (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community.
This is what it really comes down to. If this is the way God made me, then this is the way I’m going to live. It’s not like God made me this way and he’ll send me to hell if I am who he created me to be … I really feel closer to God because I no longer hate myself.
I feel for Ray Boltz and the turmoil he has endured. I really do. But what’s sad is that instead of finding victory over temptation through the power of Jesus Christ, he has chosen surrender to the enemy in order to gain a false sense of peace. And in these kinds of cases there are always false teachers who are willing to accommodate with their twisted doctrine those looking for answers. The Metropolitan Community Church, for example, provides several biblical reference articles on homosexuality available online. One article in particular by Rev. Dr. Mona West offers a full review of how to approach the subject of homosexuality in the Bible while staying connected to the cultural influences inherent in the text.
The Rev. Dr. offers some colorful misinterpretations of scripture in an attempt to refute the idea that homosexual relations is a sin. For example the story of Sodom in Genesis 19 is not a condemnation of homosexuality, but a story about rape and inhospitality. When God said in Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 that if a man has carnal knowledge with another man “it is an abomination,” these verses are referring to an ancient Mediterranean culture in which sexual acts were a form of expressing or gaining social and political dominance. They “in no way prohibit, nor do they even speak, to loving, caring sexual relationships between people of the same gender.” In the New Testament when Paul listed male prostitutes and sodomites among the list of wrongdoers in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and 1 Timothy 1:9-11, he was referring to abusive relationships where young boys were being exploited, not mutually loving and caring relationships between people of the same sex. And again in Romans 1:26-27 “Paul’s reference to natural and unnatural sexual acts must be taken in light of Mediterranean sexuality. He is not attempting to give an ethical teaching concerning homosexuality.”
Now in case these gross perversions of scripture aren’t convincing enough, the Rev. Dr. has this to say:
When dealing with matters of biblical interpretation one always needs to keep in mind the role of the authority of the Bible in matters of faith and practice. While the Bible is an important witness to the relationship between God and humanity, it is not the ultimate revelation of God—Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, is. We must guard against what some scholars have called bibliolatry—making an idol out of scripture.
Making an idol out of scripture? That’s your argument? So essentially what this means is we shouldn’t take the Bible too seriously. It’s just a book. It’s fallible. It needs philosophical and rational thought to balance it out. Bottom line is this: The Bible can’t be trusted as the authoritative written Word of God.
Well I’m sorry Rev. Dr. Mona, but I beg to differ. Science and philosophy are constantly changing, but God’s Word never changes. When people like Ray Boltz who experience same sex attraction try to say God made me this way, scientifically we now know that this is false. In March of last year, the director of the Human Genome Project, Dr. Francis Collins, definitively announced that there is no gay gene. There is no genetic cause for homosexuality. The cause isn’t biological. The cause is spiritual.
Paul writes in Romans 5:12, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Each of us are born with an attraction to sin. We battle with it our entire lives. Some would say that pointing this out justifies hatred, condemnation and exclusion. You tell me. Is it more loving to justify behavior that ends in destruction or to point out the way of escape?
September 17th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Gandhi said it best: “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ.” I feel so sad that people like you have no clue… absolutely no clue. Such is why so many Christ followers today are choosing not to call themselves “Christians,” for attitudes and actions like yours tarnish the name. I pray that you would open your heart, mind and eyes to see the truth, and that you would refrain from using your interpretation of Scripture to condemn and oppress. Two hundred years ago people like you used their interpretation of Scripture to justify the murder of Native Americans because some people in authority said they were savages. One hundred and fifty years ago, people like you used their interpretation of Scripture to justify slavery. One hundred years ago, people like you used their interpretation of Scripture to deny women the right to vote, and fifty years ago, people like you used their interpretation of Scripture to deny interracial couples the right to marry. Today, you are using your interpretation of Scripture to claim that people like me and Ray Boltz have fallen away from God, are sick, sinful and in need of change and do not deserve equal rights and protections under the law, nor marriage equality. When are people like you going to start learning from history?
I challenge you to study the Scriptures with responsibility. You are obviously not using correct hermeneutics and exegesis. This is not only wrong, it’s blasphemous.
I pray for people like you… and I pity you. May the God of love touch your hearts and give you a heart of compassion and love for all God’s people.
September 17th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Rob, it’s not an interpretation when it is simply what Scripture and Church history plainly teach. Doctrine is important since it identifies the mind of God and the Christ that is in the true Christian. Rob, look in the mirror and say, “You are obviously not using correct hermeneutics and exegesis.” Because that’s the truth you need to hear. Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason (http://www.str.org) has a good article titled “Paul, Romans and Homosexuality” where he demonstrates modern errors in interpreting the simple and clear (and historical) teaching that same-sex relations are an abomination to God. If you think otherwise, you don’t have the mind of Christ and are in desperate need of a Savior. I will pray for your salvation.
September 17th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
Rob,
For the record what I have said is that “all have sinned.” Death has passed upon all men. We are all sinful and in need of a savior. I’ve never said anything about limiting anyone’s rights. I do not condone using scripture to justify slavery, deny women’s rights to vote or deny interracial couples the right to marry.
Interpretation is an interesting thing. How we choose to interpret things is very often determined by our perspective. For example you’ve read my words and from your perspective you’ve concluded certain things about my character, things that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Your perspective has tainted your interpretation.
Rob, you’ve challenge me to study the Scriptures with responsibility, to use correct hermeneutics and exegesis. May I suggest to you that correct hermeneutics is not about seeking biblical interpretations that support our perspective. It’s about a genuine search for God’s truth and a total surrender to whatever that truth may reveal. I do have compassion and love for all people. It is that compassion that compels me to share the message of freedom in Christ Jesus.
September 18th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Don & Steve, thank you for your replies. I appreciate that you took the time to read my post and give your comments.
Don, I’m sure YOU do not condone using scripture to justify slavery, deny women’s rights to vote or deny interracial couples the right to marry, but leaders in the church DID, and that’s what they taught from the pulpit. You DO use your interpretation of Scripture to condemn and oppress gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people though, don’t you? Nothing is different now, except the group of people who are being oppressed by those teachings. Again… learn from history.
As for interpretation… I learned long ago that it’s futile to debate Scripture. All it does is separate people, and my desire in life is to help unite people, not contribute to the divide. You all have your beliefs, convictions, and truths, and I have mine. Obviously there are some differences there. The reality is that there are many theologians and Bible scholars to support your ideas and there are many theologians and Bible scholars who support my ideas. Who is right? Could you really sit down and have a conversation with brilliant Bible scholars who speak and teach Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek and tell them that they are wrong, but YOU know the truth?
To assume that your truth is the one and only truth and all others who do not share in that truth with you are wrong, is not only arrogant but it’s ugly, and serves no one. I apologize if I came across in my first post as indicating that MY ideas are the only right ones. I don’t believe that for a second. The point I’m trying to make here is that we need to look at all the different beliefs and doctrines just within the protestant church, and just because churches differs in their understanding of what Scripture reads, doesn’t mean one is right and the other is wrong.
By the way, it seems that you both take the Bible pretty literally. How do you take the two different creation stories in Genesis? Which one do you believe?
September 18th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Rob, I believe in the one creation account. See
http://www.christiananswers.net/q-aig/aig-c023.html
and
http://www.tektonics.org/jedp/creationtwo.html
and
http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2194
and
http://www.trueorigin.org/tablet.asp (Tablet #2)
and etc., etc., etc.
The “two creation stories” is answered and refuted and has been for many years. There is one creation story only and it is consistent with proper biblical exegesis.
Rob, I suspect you think I take the Scriptures TOO literally. And I do have a certain zeal for Christian apologetics. But, scripturally, we know Jesus said, “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17b) and “the Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35b). We have testimony that “holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). And Peter said Paul’s letters were Scripture (2 Peter 3:15-16), and it is the historical testimony of the early church that the New Testament is Scripture which equates to God’s Holy Word. That means the Scriptures are true and trustworthy. As you can guess, I can make a strong argument for the inerrancy of the Bible.
Were either Jesus or Peter or Paul wrong? If so, how? And, how can you be sure based on your argument above?
By the way, doctrine divides (Romans 16:17-18).
September 19th, 2008 at 6:51 am
Rob,
Again, I have condemned no one. I have oppressed no one. I have merely pointed out that Jesus is the way for all mankind to find freedom from the slavery to sin. In that I include myself.
You asked a question. “The reality is that there are many theologians and Bible scholars to support your ideas and there are many theologians and Bible scholars who support my ideas. Who is right?” I’ll tell you who is right. The one who agrees with God.
I was just reading in 1 Corinthians 1:25 where Paul writes, “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” God says that all our human ideas and understanding, our philosophical and rational thought are foolishness to Him. Isaiah writes that God will “destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent” (Is. 29:14). James writes, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).
Rob, God is not the author of confusion. The way to finding truth is not in human reasoning. The way to find truth is in an honest search for the wisdom of God.
And as for there being two different creation stories in Genesis, you got me there. I’m only aware of one.
September 19th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Don & Steve, how close do you live to Washington State? I’d love to have you over for dinner with my friends who teach Greek, Hebrew & Aramaic, Old Testament, Apologetics and Hermeneutics.
Most Christians aren’t aware of the two different accounts of creation in Genesis 1 and 2. Isn’t THAT interesting.
My bottom line here guys… (I’m assuming you are “guys”… and you may be assuming I am, too. Well, I’m not. I’m a woman… a lesbian… a Bible scholar and a Christ Follower. “Rob” is a nickname.) … so my bottom line is that I want to encourage people of faith to dialogue (not debate) and to lift each other up in the love of Jesus Christ. I also want to encourage people of faith to open their minds and take the blinders off, to consider that there could possibly be truth outside of what they have held onto for so many years.
I know for myself, I am constantly learning and growing, and coming to new understandings of a lot of things in life. People who are not open to change and not open to other ideas, beliefs, interpretations of Scripture, etc., in my mind, are in the group of the “uninformable.” Sadly, there’s nothing short of a tragedy that will touch them.
How about this: Let’s delete everything that has been written here, so we don’t have a written record of it. Then, in a week, let’s get back together and recite word for word what we wrote. Think you could do it? I know I couldn’t. I can hardly remember what I had for lunch yesterday. So consider this: The first writings of Jesus’ ministry were not even recorded until around 40 years AFTER His death. How accurate do you think they were after 40 years?
Literalism is dangerous. Use the brain God gave you.
God bless you.
September 19th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Well I guess literalism would be dangerous if I believed that the writings of Jesus’ ministry were solely dependent on the memory of writers 40 plus years after the fact. But I don’t believe that and this to me is the real crux of the matter.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” The Greek word for “inspiration” (theopneustos) literally means “God-breathed.” Peter further explains that “no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21).
Rob, you’ve hit the nail on the head. The issue is accuracy. You believe the Bible can’t be taken literally, because it was written by fallible human authors. I on the other hand believe that it can, because its writing was inspired by the Holy Spirit of God and is therefore God’s authoritative word.
September 20th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Don and Rob, I just got back on the internet as I had some equipment problems. Rob, I’m interested in your last response and would like to continue this conversation, but I think that would be better via personal emails. I am male and I attend Don’s church here in central Virginia. However, I grew up in the Northwest in Oregon. And, in 1990 and 1991, I attended grad school at the University of Washington in Seattle in a masters program in electrical engineering and went from there to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio where I taught electrical engineering on faculty at the Air Force Institute of Technology (the Air Force Graduate Engineering School) until 1997 when I retired from the Air Force. It was there in 1993 where I met another “Rob” whom I greatly respected and whom I thought foolishly took the Bible seriously and “literally.” While I was trying to “help” him see that the Bible was just an ancient book written by ignorant and simple men, my eyes were opened (I was the one “helped”), and I discovered the remarkable love of Jesus Christ. Since then I have had a passion for knowing God and Jesus Christ through the study of His Word. This includes a considerable number of opportunities to engage in debate with colleagues and study of arguments against the literalness of the Bible; arguments that are supposed to demonstrate biblical errors. Thus, I believe we could both benefit from continuing this discussion via personal emails. Don, please give my email address to Rob. And Rob, know that you are in my prayers.
September 21st, 2008 at 12:17 am
Thanks for your post, Steve. It would be interesting to engage in further dialogue with you via personal emails as time permits. I do, however, have a busy schedule with work and speaking… and of course, spending time with my family. Having said that, however, I’d like to be in conversation with you as time allows.
Neat that you are a “Pacific Northwesterner!”
Thank you for your prayers… I appreciate that. Please understand, however, that you don’t need to pray for my salvation… I’m already saved, and have a commited relationship with Jesus. I feel from the posts, that there seems to be some question as to my salvation because of my opinions and interpretations of Scripture.
As I said before, I’m most interested in engaging hearts & minds, creating authentic connections, and transcending differences that separate us, bringing all of us to a place of love and understanding. That, to me, is the essence of Christ’s ministry, and what I strive for.
Till next time…
-Roby
April 14th, 2010 at 10:22 am
And now … as Jennifer Knapp returns to the Christian Music Scene, she also comes out of the closet.
April 14th, 2010 at 3:27 pm
Not sure she’s actually returning to Christian Music per se. Yesterday in Christianity Today in describing her new album “Letting Go” she explained:
“This isn’t a Christian record, and it’s not going to be marketed to Christian radio.”
Not surprising given the occasional profanity found in some of her lyrics. Like Ray Boltz she chooses to define her relationship with Christ more by how she feels rather then by what God’s Word actually says.
April 16th, 2010 at 9:01 am
Article title in Christian Post just had it as she “Returns to Christian Music Scene,” but then again she is touring with Derek Webb (formerly of Caedmon’s Call) — and on his solo albums he supposedly has some colorful language. Thus why many Christian retailers aren’t carrying his albums.
What, it’s not all about the emotion????