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An
open letter to the Irish Examiner which grossly misquoted me.
The
Irish Examiner reporter (Dan Buckley) who
grossly misquoted me was amazingly wrong in the following six statements: #1 I never said I would be
supporting the petition for conscientious objection. I told Dan clearly that
that would only be true if I have to support it, but my focus is on promoting
the No side of the referendum, but I am not for applying for an exemption now.
The point I made was that Marriage should not now be redefined. #2 Dan Buckley stated on
page 4 “Pastor Ledbetter justified the comparison on the grounds that he
believed homosexual practice could never be truly consensual.” I never said that
at all. I told you only that rape is never consensual. I explained it to you
several times. I told you that rape and homosexuality is NOT apples and apples
but they are both sexual sins, and that they, like all sexual sins violate God’s
definition of and use of marriage, which is sex between a man and a woman, for
life. #3 Dan went on quite
confusingly, “We are dealing with at least one party believing he is right in
what he is doing, so it is not really consensual.” THAT was only referring to
when a man is a rapist. WHY would Dan think it was about homosexuals? Dan was
not taking good notes on the night that he rang me. #4 Dan continued, “Two
people can consent to commit adultery or to rob a bank, but that doesn’t make
either of those things right.” Ugh. I was trying to respond to Dan’s statement
that two consenting adults, no matter their gender can be in love and should be
allowed to marry. I was responding that even if they are consenting, and loving
each other, if God says it is wrong, then it is still wrong. Dan’s article
implied that I have a completely distorted view of what homosexuality is. The
fact is, I don’t. #5 Towards the end, Dan
really went crazy saying “Pastor Ledbetter said he was concerned that his
outspoken views might be used to help bring about a yes vote in the referendum
which takes place on May 22.” I never said that. What I said what that I was
concerned that reporters (like Dan Buckley) will only take whatever I say and
twist it in favour of the Yes side, which is exactly what he has done. #6 Dan then misquoted me as
saying, “In a way, I am a bit worried that all I might have done is give more
fodder to the Yes campaign…” Dan needs to change that because my worry was only
with all the misrepresentations that will result no matter what I say. I am not
living in fear that I have helped out the Yes campaign. Dan really made me out
to be weird. But of course, that is the news media’s intention always, as proven
once again! Dan’s Irish Examiner article was
choppy and messy, and obviously would make anyone angry. My words were NEVER
intended to upset anyone – only to express what the Bible said about
homosexuality and Same Sex Marriage. In summary, What I believe and
Preach about homosexuality is this! Firstly, Homosexuality is a
sexual sin. It is wrong, according to the
Bible. Sex is for a married man and a woman. Full stop. Thou shalt not lie with mankind,
as with womankind: it is abomination. Leviticus 18:22 Therefore shall a man leave his
father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one
flesh. Genesis 2:24 Jesus CLEARLY exposed the
judgment of God against the sins of the Sodomites in Luke 17:28-30 when He
said... "Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank,
they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot
went out of SODOM it rained FIRE and BRIMSTONE from heaven, and DESTROYED them
all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed." God DESTROYED THEM ALL???? So,
tell me, WHAT were they destroyed for?????? Just remember that I didn’t write
those words. Jesus said
it. Jesus spoke clearly about all
forms of sexuality, and He condemned all sexual activity outside of marriage
between a man and woman when He said, "For out of the heart proceed evil
thoughts, murders, adulteries, FORNICATIONS... these defile (ruin) a man"
(Matthew 15:19). Fornication is any sexual sin. Anything like what I was talking
to you about! Secondly, Marriage should not be
redefined. It is something that needs to be hyper-protected, not torn apart to
begin to accommodate people it never was designed for. All I am guilty of, is quoting
and believing the Bible. Just know that I hate absolutely
no one. I work hard to help countless people, couples, families, addicts, and
people seeking forgiveness. I point everyone to faith in
Jesus Christ alone. All people, everywhere, are
sinners in some way shape or form. The Bible says, “There is none righteous; no
not one” (Romans 3:10). All of us, no matter the amount
of sin in our lives need a Saviour – someone who can forgive us and break us
free from our sin. Only Jesus can save, and He can save anybody! "But as many as received him
[Jesus], to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that
believe on his name." (John 1:12). That’s what I preach, and that is
what I believe! If anyone asks me my opinion
about Same Sex Marriage, I should be allowed to state it without someone taking
advantage of my words for their own personal and corporate profit. AND, people really need to wake
up and realise just how much hatred there is out there against anyone and
everyone on the No side. And all Dan and other greedy reporters did was enflame
that.
These “reporters” have put my
family at risk, and that hurts me as a husband and a father. I hope at least some people
better understand what I was saying. And I pray some people realise just how
angry they are at God, and that He is not the problem – the problem is in all of
us, in our hearts, and only by humbling ourselves before Him, and crying out to
Him to save us, can we be forgiven and made whole! God bless everyone who reads
this! Sincerely, Craig Ledbetter |