What’s Wrong With Celebrating Pride?

In early July, the city of London held a “pride” celebration that drew a record 1.5 million people. Politicians, celebrities and the community came out into the streets to celebrate lifestyles that, not long in the past, would have been deemed fringe minorities.

In previous years, these “pride” celebrations were focused on the homosexual community, but they now have expanded to celebrate various other identities and orientations. The “pride” celebrations of the past month, which took place in cities around the globe, demonstrate the significant transformation our societies have undergone in just a few short years.

The homosexual community has been fighting for the recognition of their lifestyles since the 1960s. At first, that community was only fighting for recognition and acceptance, but in the last two decades, this has expanded to celebration of alternate lifestyles and a redefinition of traditional marriage. Recently, the major push has been for recognition of multiple alternative gender identities.

Consider the following headlines:

• June 2019: “Teenager Thrown Out of Class for Saying ‘There Are Only Two Genders.’”
• April 2019: “Dad Calling Gender-Confused Daughter a Girl and Not a Boy Constitutes ‘Family Violence,’ B.C. Judge Rules.”
• January 2019: “School Defends LGBT Lessons After Religious Parents Complain.”
• December 2018: “Teacher Fired for Refusing to Use Transgender Student’s Pronouns.”
• December 2017: “Appeals Court Upholds Fine Against Christian Bakers Who Refused to Make Same-Sex Wedding Cake.”
• April 2014: “U.S. Supreme Court Declines Appeal of Photographer Who Refused Gay Couple.”

These headlines show Western societies are more tolerant than ever toward these lifestyles—a level of tolerance that has come at the cost of rising intolerance toward those with moral convictions supporting the traditional view of sexuality and gender. 

Yet few seem to ask (or care to ask), What does God think about it?

The new normal

When we look into God’s Word, it’s hard not to see parallels between our day and the culture the biblical character Lot found himself in. This should be no surprise, since Jesus said the end times would be similar to Lot’s time (Luke 17:28). One of the major sins of the culture Lot lived in was the open practice and celebration of homosexuality (Genesis 19:5).

Lot was deeply troubled by the lifestyle practiced in Sodom and Gomorrah (2 Peter 2:6-8). He knew that homosexuality (and other forms of sexual immorality) went contrary to God’s design for human sexuality. God hasn’t changed—He still has the same view today (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). God calls these lifestyles an abomination (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13). God’s Word also forbids cross-dressing (Deuteronomy 22:5) because it confuses the distinction and roles of the two genders He created.

The Western nations would do well to heed the words the prophet Jeremiah spoke to ancient Judah: “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls” (Jeremiah 6:16, emphasis added).

What old paths should we be seeking today?

Old paths

Since the 1960s, the Western nations have systematically rejected God and the basic principles of morality found in His Word. God’s Word warns that the more affluent we become, the more we tend to forget Him (Hosea 4:6-7). The apostle Paul warned that when people don’t “retain God in their knowledge,” they ultimately will accept many different forms of immorality (Romans 1:28-31).

Since the 1960s, the Western nations have systematically rejected God and the basic principles of morality found in His Word. The result has been exactly what the apostle Paul said would happen in the first chapter of Romans.

The Bible tells us that sinful behavior will increase during the end times (2 Timothy 3:1-5). But what is the cause of the ever-growing gulf between God’s standards and the changing standards of society today? One major factor is pride.

What the Bible says about pride

Despite how the word is used today, pride is not a good quality. A major aspect of pride is rejecting our Creator and relying on ourselves to determine what is right and wrong. When we should be seeking humility and fear toward our Creator, our society instead celebrates the characteristic that has led—and will continue to lead—to mankind’s downfall. 

Instead of celebrating pride, we would do well to embrace humility. The first place to start is by learning about our Creator God, recognizing His supreme power and love, and committing ourselves to humbly live by His laws.

In other words, we should practice God’s words inspired through the prophet Isaiah: “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word” (Isaiah 66:2).

Even in a world characterized by pride and rejection of God, you can take this scripture to heart and act on its admonition to approach God in humility and obey His Word—before it’s too late.

Date Posted: July 24, 2019