Flip-side News: Children's Video "One Man, One Woman" Not 'Homophobic'

Note: the following article does not address the entire homosexual community, as we believe there are many homosexuals who are not so judgmental as the indivduals under discussion here who may or may not be homosexuals themselves, but addresses spcecific so-called fighters for social justice who are proving themselves to be anything but.

Every single day, our obsessive opposers relentlessly scour our websites and publications hoping to find something to lie about and twist until it is unrecognizable. Unfortunately for them, many people, after seeing the organization's video, One Man, One Woman, have come to the conclusion that, far from being the "homophobic propaganda tool" they claim, it takes a refreshing approach to the issue of homosexuality that our children will undoubtedly face in today's world, and teaches children to not only defend their beliefs, but to offer a hope to those looking for hope. (1 Peter 3:15; Romans 15:4)

The short video is a part of the series "Become Jehovah's Friend" featuring Caleb and Sophia and their parents, aimed at teaching children to respect people, to be patient, and not to lie or steal along with other morally upright things. You would think most people would applaud our efforts. However, our opposers prefer to find fault. So we think it necessary to counter the fault-finding by comparing it to actual homophobic rhetoric, highlight the heterophobic rhetoric of our opposers, and demonstrate how the video's message promotes peace with homosexuals and those with whom we have differences of opinions.

Anti-Witness Propaganda

For years, the gay community has largely ignored our publications in regards to our opinion of homosexuality and same sex marriage because there has never been any cause for alarm. But now that we produced a video helping children learn how to deal with the issue, we are suddenly villainized.

Simply put, the term "homophobic" is a pejorative term thrown around to ridicule anyone who disagrees with same-sex relationships and marriage no matter the reason for it. By definition, a "homophobe" is a person with an irrational fear of or aversion to homosexuals, or who discriminates against homosexuals.

Contrary to the reactionary rhetoric bandied about regarding this video, Jehovah's Witnesses preach to and teach homosexuals in their ministry, so they do not loath, fear, discriminate against, or avoid homosexuals. (Acts 10:34,35)

Those who have spoken out against the video on websites and in news reports have claimed that the video teaches children to:

• "Speak out" against same-sex marriage.
• Try to "change" homosexuals.
• Oppose same-sex parents when they come to the school.
• Tell homosexuals that they will not go to heaven.
• Believe that tolerance is wrong.
• Tell LGBTQ people that they are flawed and damaged.
• Hate gay people.
• Convince same-sex parents to change their orientation.
• Tell gay people they are like criminals.
• Be judgmental and bigoted.

...and much, much more.

That is a lot to communicate in just two minutes and twenty seconds. We have itemized this list so that readers can see precisely how our opposers twist and forcefully interpret our publications to the point that the picture is so inaccurate that it is unrecognizable to the actual video and causes people to make up their minds before anyone ever sees the video.

Who Started the Propaganda?

Interestingly, it was not the homosexual community that started the propaganda against the video. The propaganda started with our apostates who saw an opportunity to strike out against their former religion. Then from our apostates, it was picked up by the homosexual community at large and then by public media outlets. And out of all of them, not one gave the video an honest look. This demonstrates how savvy our apostates have become in manipulating public opinion against us since 2002. So now let's take an honest view of the video, not colored by apostate rhetoric.

"Homophobic" or Helpful?

This short video is a good teaching tool because of its positive focus on God and his Kingdom, not on homosexuality and gay marriage. How so? At the beginning, Sophia comes home and tells her mother about a classroom project that involved students drawing pictures of their families. A classmate of hers drew two moms, and said they are married. Sophia's teacher told her that all that matters is that two people love each other and are happy for them to be married. Did Sophia's mother then tell her daughter to go back to school the next day to berate the teacher and condemn her classmate's parents, tell them that they are flawed and damaged and advise that they change their sexual orientation or face the wrath of God?

On the contrary, Sophia's mother immediately puts the focus on Jehovah and how He wants everyone to be happy and live forever. However, she also points out that just like someone attempting to bring banned substances on an airplane, people will be denied entry into God's Kingdom if they bring unscriptural conduct along with them.

Let's consider that more closely. Does anyone condemn their Government for having standards of conduct that potential citizens must abide by if they are to be granted citizenship? Does having such standards mean that your Government hates potential citizens because of their former conduct?

Far from being the negative, homophobic message claimed, it is simply stating what the qualifiers are for being part of God's kingdom. There is nothing in the video that can be pointed at as "hate speech". It is a positive message illustrating that once you remove the banned substances from your luggage, you are welcome on the plane. One is not condemned because of what they once practiced.

Neither is anyone in the world condemned or harassed in the video or by our members, which, by the way, are also banned behaviors, but our apostates won't tell you that. They're happy communicating the image that we are hatemongers. Likewise, once you leave bad conduct behind, any bad conduct, such as fornication, thievery or killing, you are invited to enjoy the fullest extent of the blessing of God's Kingdom.

That being said, did Sophia go back to school the next day and preach a message of hatred and opposition to her classmate and their parents? No. In fact, by her mother encouraging a positive message of hope, even for homosexuals, Sophia said that she would tell her classmate about the Paradise, animals, and the Resurrection! This means that both her classmate and her parents are potential citizens of God's Kingdom!

This message does not alienate people, but encourages love and tolerance, and shows respect for people who live a different lifestyle. As a result, many people, including some homosexuals, have made positive changes specifically because of this message we share.

The Glass House

Contrast this with the homophobic and intolerant message Christendom has preached toward homosexuals for centuries, even down to this day. They have long used the false teaching of eternal torture in hellfire for homosexuals to scare them into obedience, but only succeeded in alienating them. Christendom has passed laws and financially contributed to campaigns specifically intended to eradicate or suppress homosexuals.

Have Jehovah's Witnesses been a part of such campaigns or given verbal support to them? No. Christendom has even incited violence against homosexuals, resulting in lynchings, murders and even serial killing. Nowhere in the history of Jehovah's Witnesses were such heinous actions committed or encouraged.

Jehovah's Witnesses have spoken against the mistreatment of homosexuals and people in general. The December 8th, 1997 Awake! p 13 states:

"Christians do not make homosexuals, or anyone else, the target of ill will, ridicule, or harassment. True Christians view their fellow humans as potential disciples of Christ, treating them in a respectful and dignified manner."

On that same note, Jehovah's Witnesses do not spend their time condemning homosexuals, but are ready to support them. That same article states:

"Christians are ready to offer the needed spiritual support, even to those who are still struggling with homosexual inclinations. This is in harmony with God’s own manifestation of love, for the Bible says: “God recommends his own love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Far from being what our opposers accuse us of, we are happy to assist anyone who wants to reconcile themselves to God, even homosexuals. In regard to homosexuals, the apostle Paul wrote: "that is what some of you were, but you have been washed clean." (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) Thus, in order to be Christian, they, along with fornicators, idolaters, thieves and others, renounced those lifestyles.

Something more revealing than the contempt for our video and message is the mob mentality that has been roused against us for a video that does not say a single hateful thing. Those claiming to promote acceptance, love, tolerance, and freedom, are showing zero acceptance, love, and tolerance toward individuals and groups who have the right to hold views contrary to theirs. These ones who have taken an uninformed, militant stand against the video claim to be advocates for rights and freedoms, but only so long as those rights and freedoms are not in contrast to their own. They have attempted to encroach on Jehovah's Witnesses freedom of speech. They complain that homosexuality is a crime in some countries, yet, tried to make our views a criminal act. They have thus taken the role of the persecutors rather than the persecuted.

These are not mere opinions that they have about our views. They are deliberate attempts at suppressing our message. So who are the ones actually performing judging and bigotry? Is it us, who approach and have friendly dialog with homosexuals without judgment, seeking to help them repent from what we believe to be behavior that would disqualify them from getting into the kingdom? Or is it those who verbally harass us over differing opinions of right and wrong? We believe sex outside of marriage is wrong too, but you don't hear those people rising up against us, do you?

You Decide

What do you think? Are Jehovah's Witnesses what our opposers say we are? Or are we a peaceful people sincerely interested in helping anyone who wants a relationship with God regardless of their former conduct?