This is from the archive from November 11, 2005.
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Sheryl Swoopes the latest celeb to emerge from the ‘closet’
In a recent article on ESPN (click here), WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes outlines her ‘coming out’ story in the latest celebrity/sports star (potato, potatah) to ‘come out’ and tell the world that she is a lesbian. Swoopes’ resume is impressive. She led Texas Tech to the NCAA Title in 1993, led the WNBA’s Houston Comets to four league championships, she has three gold medals.
And now this — she is one of the first, if not the first, athlete (male or female) to ‘come out’ as a member of a team sport. Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, and Greg Louganis are those of individual sports who garnered headlines with their admission — Swoopes is a rarity.
And the responses have already come in:
“This was an important act on her part,” said Kay Cottle, the adviser of Weston High School’s Gay Straight Alliance. “For her to feel comfortable enough to tell the world she’s a lesbian, it makes it much easier for those who admire her to be more accepting of themselves. That’s a real plus.” She goes on: “The pope wants to weed out the homosexuals from the Catholic Church, but we’re moving forward in this culture if someone like (Swoopes) can take such a strong stand. This is a step forward.”
Swoopes herself concedes in the ESPN article noted above:
I’m tired of having to hide my feelings about the person I care about. About the person I love. Some people might say my coming out after just winning the MVP Award is heroic, and I understand that. And I know there are going to be some negative things said, too. But it doesn’t change who I am. I can’t help who I fall in love with. No one can.
Swoopes’ dilemma apparently came shortly after divorcing her husband. Swoopes is also a mother of an eight-year-old boy. The inevitable question to be asked is, “Were you always a lesbian but just trying to hide it?” She would reply (again from the ESPN article): “I didn’t always know I was gay. I honestly didn’t. Do I think I was born this way? No. And that’s probably confusing to some, because I know a lot of people believe that you are.”
Swoopes did not have the advantage of having her father around — in fact, she never met him. This seems to be common for those in this lifestyle — an absent parent. When she told her mother of her decision, her mother responded, “Why? What did I do wrong?” Swoopes replied, “Nothing. This is who I am.”
The last three words of this article ended with a note of freedom “to be me.” This seems to be part and parcel of our society — no restraints or restrictions. Just total freedom to be who you want to be, regardless.
This blog is dedicated to a Christian worldview, and I am unapologetic for that. God created ‘male and female’ (Genesis 1:27, Genesis 2:24-25; Mark 10:1-12; Matthew 19:1-10) to have a special rule and authority over the earth. This family unit was the first institution established by God — before school, government, even the church. Romans 1:18-32 remarks how homosexual behavior is the mark of a soul that is reprobate and given over by God to their own devices.
With that being said, I noticed something Sheryl Swoopes said concerning her faith. She claims to be a Christian: “I’m content with who I am and who I’m with. Whether people think that’s right, whether they think it’s wrong, I don’t care. We shouldn’t and can’t judge each other. I am a Christian, and my biggest dilemma is when people start throwing in the whole religion thing: you’re going to hell for this or that. I think that’s the hardest thing for my mom to deal with, too. She’s into the Bible and church, and I’m concerned about how she’s going to deal with her church friends. What are they going to say? What are they going to do?”
The question is, at the end of the day, how one who can be saved by the blood of Christ and have the indwelling Holy Spirit in them who makes the Word of God quite clear, be ‘content’ in an activity and lifestyle that is away from the path God has set. When she told her brother about her lifestyle, his first question was, “Are you happy?”
It is dangerous to believe that happiness can be found outside of God’s parameters. Jesus tells us in John 10:10, “I have come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly.” Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourselves in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
On the negative, we see 1 Corinthians 6:9-10:
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men (and women) who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
Happiness and joy are only found in Christ. Our rebellious behavior may seem liberating at the time, but the only freedom is found in having Christ as Savior and Lord and thus Him giving you the freedom to obey.
I personally will pray for Sheryl and her companion, Alisa. She fears being castigated for this. But this is the time where Christians must not castigate, but step up and show her the truth of God’s love and God’s will. And we as Christians, in light 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 must see verse 11: “And such were some of you.” All of us were outside of the Kingdom, but for the grace and mercy of our Savior we are now His! So let us pray that that grace would be extended to Sheryl and Alisa.
As leading televangelists rise to virtually celebrity-like status in our society, we watch in amazement as a host of new and ambitious evangelists strive to rise to stardom each time one of the old guard begins to fall into relative obscurity. Benny Hinn is one who has clearly risen to the top in Pentecostal and Charismatic circles. His book Good Morning Holy Spirit sold nearly one million copies, went through numerous printings, and moved Hinn to the top of the Christian Bookseller’s “Best Seller List” for an extended period of time. Hinn’s ministry has also shown phenomenal growth. As the pastor of Orlando Christian Center (OCC), in Orlando Florida, Hinn now boasts of a massive congregation with over 7000 in attendance each Sunday. In addition, his television program is seen daily on the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), and his traveling crusade ministry plays to a packed house in virtually every arena and convention center where he appears. There is no doubt that Benny Hinn is an important figure in the American religious scene. But there is also no doubt that in spite of Benny Hinn’s remarkable success, his ministry is very suspect doctrinally.
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