Theodore / 9B#18

Ms.Maryani Budiman

Bible

22 April 2021

Word Count: 1729

The Danger of Relativism Towards Christianity

Have you ever wondered why LGBTQ+ people are so prevalent in the United States

these days? Why are so many people showing concern for them? Why do people want to be

LGBTQ+ or accept them in the first place? What are their current perspectives on the world that

lead them to LGBTQ+ and homosexuality? Montero Lamar Hill (also known as Lil Nas X), one

of today's most influential artists, came out as gay in 2019. The bad news is that his decision to

come out was supported by a large number of people. Lil Nas released a single called "Montero

(Call Me By Your Name)" a few months ago, and it is currently number one on the Billboard Top

100. However, the song and its accompanying music video have sparked debate among people of

various faiths.

Lil Nas X is a Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter who has hit the charts with

songs like "Old Town Road," "Holiday," and "Montero." As a gay man, he comes from an

unusual background. He was raised in a Christian home, and his father was a gospel singer.

Despite being raised in a Christian home, he chose to come out as gay. His story demonstrates

that humans are born with a sinful nature. Since then, he's been working on a song called

"Montero (Call Me By Your Name)," in which he wanted to share his feelings about his love life

and how religious people make assumptions about gay people going to hell. The song, along

with its controversial music video, has sparked a lot of debate.

 There is no official comment about whether Lil Nas is still a Christian at this time. He,

however, has decided to believe in relativism, which is clearly shown by what he attempted to

portray by coming out as gay and releasing "Montero" and its music video. The principle of

relativism is that truth is relative to each person. It is the conviction that all religions are just

different manifestations of God's love, as shown in “Montero”. It asserts that there is only one

God, with various forms of expressing and worshiping him. This applies not only to religious

people, but to all non-believers as well. It believes that anything we do will ultimately lead to the

truth for each person.

Christians should know that this is not true and the only path to the truth is through Jesus

Christ, who is God alone. Relativism has a negative effect on today's culture because it deviates

from the facts and normalizes sins according to the Christian worldview. The following are the

reasons for this.

People who believe that reality is subjective to each person are more likely to believe that

LGBTQ+ and homosexuality are not sins and are more likely to support the idea of LGBTQ+

and homosexuality, since they think that what might be wrong for them does not mean it is

wrong for others.. There's a line in the song "Montero" that says, "Cocaine and drinking and

drinking with your friends / you live in the dark boy, I can not pretend” (Hill, 0:29). This is a

reference to a time when Lil Nas met a man who was not gay and fell in love with him. This

person, according to Lil Nas, is living in the dark because he is unhappy being "in the closet.” He

knows that being a homosexual is wrong, yet he keeps being a homosexual because it makes him

happy, and that is why he can not pretend to not be himself again because he is a homosexual

now.
 Lil Nas X says that people who come out of the closet are satisfied, as shown by this.

From a Christian viewpoint, this is incorrect because homosexuality is a sin. Being a homosexual

does not happen naturally, instead it is more of a decision. It is not scientifically proven that

being a homosexual or transgender is caused by nature. The thing that makes it sinful is the

decision whether to actually do the sin involved in it. It is said in the Bible in Leviticus 20:13,

“If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done

what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads” (NIV

Bible, Lev. 20.13). Another text in the Bible where homosexuality is condemned is in 1 Timothy

1:10-11 when Timothy opposed false teachers. It was written, “for the sexually immoral, for

those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else

is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed

God, which he entrusted to me” (NIV Bible, 1 Tim. 1.10-11). However, humans have a sinful

nature that we might not realize we do it for our own happiness. Since sin is natural and people

can find the truth in relative ways according to each person, this mentality leads to people

normalizing sin and believing that the truth is relative to each individual.

As a Christian, the truth is found in the Bible, and the Bible never instructs us to sin. It is

written in Romans 6:12-14, “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey

its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather

offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part

of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master,

because you are not under the law, but under grace” (NIV Bible, Rom. 6.12-14). The only way to

be saved is to trust in Jesus Christ and believe in Him. This is why, in the Christian worldview,

relativism is not a right worldview.

 The song “Montero" was written by Lil Nas in order to shift people's perceptions of the

LGBTQ+ community and homosexuality. He needs people to understand that coming out of the

closet is a positive experience that makes people happy (Mendez). This is what having a sinful

soul entails. One of the reasons relativism persists is because of a sinful existence. They assume

reality is subjective, so they are unconcerned about sin. This is very dangerous because

normalizing sin would make the world more chaotic. However, there is a person named Becket

Cook, who was a homosexual but now he left homosexuality and turned to Christ. He was happy

at first being a homosexual. However, after some time he felt like he has nothing else to do and

he was not feeling happy. Then, he finally believed in Jesus and left homosexuality

(“Transformed by Grace: Leaving Homosexuality to Follow Christ - Becket Cook”

03:15–05:21).

Some individuals change the actual meaning of the scriptures because they believe truth

is subjective to each person, as shown in the song “Montero”. People will alter the interpretation

of the real truth and make it have a contentious meaning so they can see the truth of what they

believe is right. Unfortunately, it has occurred all over the world.An example of that is the music

video of the song “Montero”. The video is telling a scene of how Lil Nas is in the Garden of

Eden. Then, he gets tempted by a male figured satan who he ends up kissing. Next, he finds

himself on trial where he gets stoned to death. Later, he rides a stripper pole that leads to hell

where he gives the devil a lap dance. Then, he twisted the devil’s neck and he took the devil’s

horns and put them on his head (Morgan).

The Bible teaches us a lot about the Garden of Eden and Satan, but this video contradicts

it. Lil Nas' main goal in making that video was to show him overcoming his fears of punishment

and being judged for accepting his true self. It was shown in the scene when he gets stoned to
death and kills the devil even though he is afraid of those things. Religious people, on the other

hand, may see it as a mockery of their faith because he alters the story from the bible to tell us all

about his experience overcoming his fear of coming out. This is where the worldview of

relativism's risk lies. People may make a difference simply to share their point of view, making

the world a worse place.

Finally, relativism can trigger controversies that lead to conflicts between religious

people and those who stand for what they believe is right. As a result of the controversial subject,

the song "Montero" and its music video have received a lot of criticism and opposing statements

from a wide range of people from various backgrounds and religions. Many religious people who

are enraged and say that LGBTQ+ people will go to hell are also mistaken, because being a part

of the LGBTQ+ community does not determine salvation. However, it produces an awkward

situation in which people can simply start arguments that aren’t necessary because it will spark

debate with other people.

In conclusion, relativism has a negative effect on today's culture because it deviates from

the facts and normalizes sin. It leads people to believe that such actions are permissible, even

though they are not. Relativism gives people the impression that they can alter any meaning in

the Bible or other religious texts, which would lead to more global conflicts. As Christians, we

believe it is false and unbiblical to say that LGBTQ+ people will go to hell. God is the only one

who can judge whether people would go to hell or not. Christians are saved when they believe

and embrace Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you

have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by

works, so that no one can boast” (NIV Bible, Eph. 2.8-9) .They should realize and understand

that homosexuality is a sin since when they believe in Jesus, they will follow what He told us to
do. With that in mind, Christians should love people of all backgrounds, and pray for those who

haven't been saved and those who believe in relativism.

Work Cited:

1. Mendez, Moises. “Lil Nas X Revealed the Meaning behind ‘Montero (Call Me By Your

Name)’ in a New YouTube Video.” Insider, 31 Mar. 2021,

www.insider.com/lil-nas-x-montero-call-me-by-your-name-meaning-2021-3.

2. Whaddo You Meme?? “Evaluating WHY Lil Nas X Made SATAN Video.” YouTube,

uploaded by Whaddo You Meme??, 30 Mar. 2021,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fnwLF2XXxs.

3. Karomo, Chege. “Is Lil Nas X a Christian? A Closer Look at Lil Nas’ Religious Beliefs.”

TheNetline, 13 Apr. 2021, thenetline.com/the-truth-about-lil-nas-x-religious-beliefs.

4. Genius. “Lil Nas X ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name)’ Official Lyrics & Meaning |

Verified.” YouTube, uploaded by Genius, 29 Mar. 2021,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRAxY-fu4lU.

5. LilNasXVEVO. “Lil Nas X - MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) (Official Video).”

YouTube, uploaded by LilNasXVEVO, 26 Mar. 2021,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6swmTBVI83k.

6. “Leviticus 20 (NIV).” Bible Gateway,

www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+20&version=NIV. Accessed 11 May

2021.

7. “1 Timothy 1 (NIV).” Bible Gateway,

www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Timothy+1&version=NIV. Accessed 11

May 2021.

8. “10 Key Bible Verses on Sin.” Crossway, 28 Feb. 2020,

www.crossway.org/articles/10-key-bible-verses-on-sin.
9. Wheeler, André. “Lil Nas X: ‘I 100% Want to Represent the LGBT Community.’” The

Guardian, 7 Apr. 2020,

www.theguardian.com/music/2020/apr/04/lil-nas-x-i-100-want-to-represent-the-lgbt-com

munity.

10. “Transformed by Grace: Leaving Homosexuality to Follow Christ - Becket Cook.”

YouTube, uploaded by Focus on the Family, 9 Mar. 2020,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckrxPyFrPdo.

11. Morgan, Richard. “Lil Nas X Showed the Difference between Tolerating and Embracing

Queer People.” Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2021,

www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/03/30/lil-nas-montero-queer.