V RaptureChrist Newsletter
November 1, 2003

Jerusalem’s first gay & lesbian parade drew 4,000 homosexuals on June 7, 2003.

There was a strong police presence to protect the marchers from Orthodox Jews that were complaining about the march being held in Zion Square just a few hours before the start of the Jewish Sabbath.

Sporting dyed red hair, nose rings, and rainbow T-shirts the outrageously dressed participants released thousands of black balloons to commemorate the intifada, or Arab uprising against Israel.
 
Brightly dressed revelers and sequin-clad drag queens carried rainbow flags through the holy city.  Then thousands of flamboyant homosexual men and women started dancing in the streets, while waving rainbow flags as they marched one kilometer from Central Jerusalem to Independence Park.

At the park a concert was held featuring Israeli gay singers. The marchers held up rainbow flags and they carried placards; one said "Free condoms, free Palestine." Also banners saying ""Dykes and Fags against all oppression," and "Transgender not transfer" – a reference to Orthodox Jews who want Palestinians to be kicked out of the West Bank. 

Protestors dressed in traditional black garb were also holding up signs. One said "We won't let this become Sodom," another said "Perversion!" 

Police physically removed religious people who were protesting the march in an effort to keep the peace. 

Before the parade, the deputy major of Jerusalem, Rabbi Haim Miller, denounced the marchers saying. "I think they have a problem, they have a perversion, it is a disgrace."  Major Miller added: "Before, you would be ashamed of this. A person who had this problem used to hide in the street. Today they want to go out into the city streets and call it 'pride'." 

The state of Israel made homosexuality legal in 1988; they banned workplace discrimination in 1992, and in 1993 discrimination against gay soldiers.

In July, 1998 Israel had its first "gay pride" parade in Tel Aviv. Then several gay bars and restaurants opened up.

And now they march openly in the holy city. In the words of one resident "Believe me, this country is just going from bad to worse. There are certain norms to a society, and a country that has no norms is committing suicide."

Jerusalem will be the site of the International Gay Parade in 2005. The last parade was in Rome in 2000. It had half a million participants.  

Hagai El-Ad, one of the parade organizers, said the hostile comments against the gay community only showed why the parade was necessary. El-Ad estimated there were 50,000 gays and lesbians among Jerusalem's 600,000 residents, almost 10%.

Many years ago Jesus our Lord prophesied that the Holy City would turn into Sodom. 

Revelation 11:8
And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.

The city where the witnesses are killed is Jerusalem; this is where our Lord Jesus was crucified.  The Bible refers to Jerusalem as a "spiritual Sodom" and a "spiritual Egypt."  

When this event occurs,  Jerusalem will be indulging in the sin of Sodom and the sin of Egypt.  What is the sin of Sodom?  What is the sin of Egypt?  To learn more about this topic read The Two Witnesses.

Sodom's worst sin was homosexuality.  That is where the word "sodomize" comes from.

Genesis 18:20
And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous...

This is the reason God was about to destroy the city.  Abraham argued with God to save the city.  But there were not even 10 righteous people in it.  When the angels arrived at Sodom, Lot did not want the angels to stay in the open at night.

Genesis 19:1
And there came two angels to Sodom at evening; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing [them] rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

Genesis 19:2-3
and he said, "See now, my lords, please turn aside into your servant's house, stay all night, wash your feet, and you will rise up early, and go on your way." They said, "No, but we will stay in the street all night." He urged them greatly, and they came in with him, and entered into his house. He made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. 

Soon thereafter, a crowd of men assembled in front of Lot's house and demanded to have sex with the angels.  Lot offered his daughters but the crowd wanted the men angels.

Genesis 19:4-5
But before they lay down, the men of the city, [even] the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:  They called to Lot, and said to him, "Where are the men who came in to you this night? Bring them out to us, that we may have sex with them." 

Genesis 19:6-8
And Lot went out at the door to them, and shut the door after him, He said, "Please, my brothers, don't act so wickedly. See now, I have two virgin daughters. Please let me bring them out to you, and do you to them as is good in your eyes. Only don't do anything to these men, because they have come under the shadow of my roof." 

Read the story for yourself.  All those homosexual men were destroyed by the angels the next morning.  Lot and his two daughters escaped to the city of Zoar, but  Lot's daughters realized that Zoar was as sinful as Sodom as there were no men that would have sexual relation with them.

Genesis 19:31
The firstborn said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth. 

Homosexuality is condemned in both the Old and New Testament.

Leviticus 20:13  
If a man also lie with mankind, as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

Romans 1:26-27 
God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly"

We now have a situation where what was considered deviant just a few short years ago, is now considered "normal," and perverts who were "hiding" in the closet are now "parading" down the streets.

I think it is important that Christ died for us, and that if we accept His sacrifice and repent, He will forgive us.