This is not your normal call for attention founded more in unknown fear than truth. This is a real global problem for Christians, especially Christians involved in ministry to parentless children (orphans.)
Over the past five years I’ve become schooled on this global “do good” “friend” of orphans. And to be sure I’m clearly understood, I do not mean to identify UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) as any real friend of children anywhere.
Let me also state on the front side of my thoughts; I do recognize that there are genuine, sincerely kind, intentions of many who work and give to UNICEF.
But I must remain bold on this matter: UNICEF is no real friend of children. This is complicated, yes.
- Does UNICEF provide food to starving children? yes.
- Do churches and UNICEF work together around the world to feed and educate children? yes.
- Is UNICEF friend or foe to the gospel and real gospel advancing churches? foe!
Let me present exhibit A.
On November 9, 2014 UNICEF released their official position paper entitled “Eliminating Discrimination Against Children and Parent Based on Sexual Orientation and/or Gender Identity.”
This six page position paper helps better identify UNICEF for who they really are. It’s not easy because there is a lot in this position paper that many Christians agree with. But we, Biblical followers of Christ, must better discern and become better defenders of truth.
It takes work and it makes you unpopular.
I’ll leave the overall position paper to your own reading but let me show you first how easy it is to like what UNICEF does. Secondly, I will attempt to expose how crafty their wording is. Finally, I will make a case for why this position paper opposes the gospel and is dangerous.
First:
If you don’t know anything about UNICEF, look them up online some day. You will find information about what they are doing. You will read about volunteers who go overseas to help orphans and distribute food to mothers of children. You will see pictures of smiling children thankful to have food in their bowl. This is the face of UNICEF. It’s one that looks a lot like the pictures of the last mission/ministry trip your church went on last year. It looks familiar.
Second:
Read what they have to say and you may think, “I don’t get it, Paul.”
Be sure you’re reading with the gospel in mind. It will take some time and effort but if you understand the gospel correctly you will see and hear that UNICEF, the organization, hates the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let me show just a few excerpts from the position paper… My intention is only to help shine the light of Scripture on an enemy of the gospel.
from the Position Paper:
“In all regions of the World, children who are lesbians, gay, Bisexual, transgender (LGBT) – or otherwise perceived to have different sexualities or gender identities than the norm – often suffer discrimination, intimidation, harassment and violence.”
Let me just address a few things… “different sexualities or gender identities”, UNICEF is arguing for something that others are attempting today too… but logic has been dropped.
- There are different sexualities, male and female, but not as UNICEF is defining as “different sexualities”; there are, however, different sexual behaviors. Natural and un-natural.
- There is no such thing as “different gender identities”, humans are male and female.
- Part of the wooing of UNICEF is that they are posturing themselves as standing up for human rights. It would be inappropriate for the church of the Lord Jesus Christ to be anything but kind and compassionate to all people.
Don’t be duped by clever ad campaigns designed to work on you like a million dollar :30 second Super Bowl Commercial. Be Smarter than that. You are a child of the King.
Listen, I live next to people of all ethnic backgrounds. When I see a neighbor who is black I don’t warn my family or other neighbors to stay away from them. When a new refugee from Iran moves in down the street I will be the first to defend them against discrimination, intimidation, harassment and violence. I hope that when they look at me and the tone of my skin they would do the same. I wave to the single mom down the street and say hello to the dad walking his children home from the library. I identify them all as male and female, adult and child.
I am an ambassador of the kingdom of heaven. I live my days attempting to herald the gospel of peace to all without privilege to any.
One more quick look at an excerpt from the UNICEF position paper.
Terms and Definitions:
“Sexual Orientation refers to a person’s physical, romantic and or emotional attraction towards other people. Most people have a sexual orientation, which forms an integral part of their identity. Homosexual people are attracted to individuals of the same sex as themselves. Heterosexual people are attracted to individuals of a differnent sex from themselves. Bisexual people may be attracted to individuals of the same or different sex. Sexual orientation is not related to gender identity.”
Gender identity reflects a deeply felt sense of one’s own gender, which is how a person identifies as being masculine or feminine, neither or both, or a combination. A person’s gender identity is typically consistent with the sex assigend to them at birth, usually based on the presenting genitals. Transgender people have an inconsistency between their sense of their own gender and the sex they were assigned at birth. In some cases, their appearance, mannerisms and other outward characteristics may conflict with society’s expectations of gender-normative behavior.”
There is more in the position paper, but this is enough to expose the agenda of UNICEF.
Back to my neighborhood… I can identify my neighbors ethnicity and gender without much difficulty. I can assure my family that they are safe in the neighborhood based on what we see. I can’t give safety to my family from what I can’t see. I don’t let my children enter homes of people I don’t know. Not because I’m discriminating against them, but because I don’t know them or I can’t see what’s going on in their homes.
According to Scripture, I have every reason to speak caution to my children and my community about what can’t be seen or identified without being labeled a bigot.
I will rather endure the shame of the cross and love all of my neighbors and community by warning them of the wrath of God to come upon all unrepentant sinners. I don’t force them to repent, I don’t quit waving to them if they don’t repent, I don’t stop giving them our neighborhood Christmas gifts if they don’t believe as I do. I treat them with compassion, care, interest, I ask about their jobs, their family, I am sincerely interested in their lives.
This position paper seems more of a public relations propaganda to appear to the nations of the world as the caring ones, the compassionate organization that really cares and anyone who doesn’t do what they do are not compassionate. They are discriminating against you.
Finally:
Here I will attempt to shortly give reason I find this kind of position paper opposed to the gospel.
Sexuality matters are not the same as ethnic matters. Gender identity is not equal to equal rights of the sexes. Any attempt to equalize the matters cheapens the truth. Anything that cheapens truth is opposed to the gospel.
If I say to my child “you must not speak to Mr. Steven (black neighbor) because he is black”, I am not expressing the command of the gospel that I must speak the gospel to all people.
If I say to my child “you must not speak to Ms. Sally (lesbian neighbor) because she is a lesbian”. I am not expressing the command of the Lord to take the gospel to all people.
If I say to my child “you must exercise caution about accepting a ride from a stranger because we don’t know what their intentions are”, is not an act of discrimination. I don’t know anything about him/her. I don’t know what kind of deviant sin they are involved with.
If I say to my child “you can not trust your own heart”, is me speaking the gospel. You can’t trust your heart, you can’t trust any heart of one who defends sexual deviant activity as normative.
All of us are sinners. In reality, until Christ calls you unto himself and you repent of your wretched sin, none can do good to another. No, not even one, not even UNICEF.
This is a gospel matter. Do not trust anyone who defends sexual deviant activity as normative. It is not normal. It is a perversion of what God designed it to be. God does love you. It is not unloving of Him to warn us of the dangers of sexual deviance. It is not unfair or unjust of God to judge all who disobey.
It is quite spectacular that He does love you and calls you unto repentance.
While it is still called today, repent. Do not harden your heart to this by embracing ideas and/or those opposed to the gospel.
UNICEF has identified itself as opposed to the gospel. You won’t hear that from them, they are much too clever for that. You should read this and educate yourself on the agenda of UNICEF. Be aware if your church sends missionaries anywhere in the world.
