Joshua Harris falling away from faith: 'I am not a Christian'

I suspect there’s a whole more to Harris’ change of beliefs than is publicly known. Wouldn’t surprise me if eventually claims to be homosexual.

There’s just never any need for this type of speculation.

“Wouldn’t surprise me if eventually claims to be homosexual.”

[WallyMorris]

I suspect there’s a whole more to Harris’ change of beliefs than is publicly known. Wouldn’t surprise me if eventually claims to be homosexual.

Hmmm: https://sharperiron.org/filings/072619/36418

[JBL]

There’s just never any need for this type of speculation.

“Wouldn’t surprise me if eventually claims to be homosexual.”

It would be pretty easy for some to infer this from the fact that he complains about the Christian view on sexuality, especially as it pertains to the alphabet soup types, and the fact that he separated from his wife. Doesn’t make it true though, and I agree that it’s at best uncharitable to speculate on this until information comes out. If he claims to not be a Christian, his soul is in danger regardless of what sins he wants to hold on to.

Whatever it is, we’re likely to learn at least some of it soon, as he appears to be planning to have/continue a podcast about these matters. I admit I took a look at their social media feeds, and concluded it’s been building for a while (at least a year for the immediate stuff, they’ve been leading semi-separate lives), they appear to be supporting each other in this, and they’re both reporting being “ex-vangelical”. It’s not the classic divorce case with acrimony; the main thing that looks familiar is a gradual withdrawal from church/seminary activities as whatever it was happened.

We might do well to listen to or read what he has to say, as it might show us better how to recognize signs that something is going seriously wrong—and figure out ways of lovingly intervening to possibly reduce the damage that occurs.

What has Harris been doing since he resigned from his church 4-5 years ago?

Does he work? Where does he live, et cetera?

He’d been in seminary until about a year back—Regent around Vancouver. Now he appears to write advertising/marketing copy. You can check out his Instagram link in the linked article.

Considering what has been happening in modern Christianity, I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes an announcement about his sexual orientation. Call my comments whatever you like, it’s very possible. I guarantee you it’s what a lot of you are thinking.

Wally,

Why do you feel compelled to say that?

I never thought that at all.

Three Lessons to Learn from the Josh Harris Recantation

In Wally’s defense… it’s not an observation I would have made, but now that he’s mentioned it, there’s something about the current cultural narrative that seems to beg for that turn of events. It just feels like how the story should go next. Pretty much everything nowadays has to be about LGBTQ, women’s rights, or race.

(My son and I have a little game we play where we’re watching movies I’ve never seen before and I tell him what’s about to happen… or even what a character is about to say. Sometimes I’m completely wrong but it’s hilarious how often I’m right. The stories are just that predictable. It kind of has that feel to it. “Here it comes, wait for it… boom!”)

[Aaron Blumer]

Three Lessons to Learn from the Josh Harris Recantation

Good article. This was well-said:

Of course, there is nothing wrong with Christian purity, but glorifying purity leads to taking pride in purity which leads to a form of self-righteousness that is in itself sin. The idea of Christian sexual purity is shocking to the world around us, but it should be normal for us.

Heb. 6:4-6 “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, ⁵And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, ⁶If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”

Forget the debate about his morality. The real question is has Josh Harris put himself in the position of one of the unredeemable lost? This passage means something, and if the article is accurately describing his position he certainly appears to have the characteristics of what is being described here.

Thoughts?

I thought the same thing Wally did for the reasons Dave mentioned. I’d add to that that, given that both parties are walking away from faith to some extent, it’s not like there’s a religious difference that we can tell, and then why do you separate/divorce if you still love one another?

Not a gimme, not a proof, by any means, and it is my prayer that this hunch of mine is dead wrong. One other thing that seems to suggest this; it is almost a proverb in some circles, per “the lady protesteth too much, methinks”, that a fair number of people who argue most vociferously against homosexuality are actually hiding something.

Again, praying I’m wrong, and I’d bet a shiny new nickel Wally is too.

When I heard about this, I felt like I’d died and gone to high school—“It’s what all the cool kids are doing”. There’s a bandwagon out there that just drives around to see who will hop on.

I agree with the earlier post that mentioned 1 Tim. 3:6 “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.” Many talented young people experience too much success too quickly, and it’s not exactly news when a young celebrity crashes and burns at some point. Josh Harris may not be young now, but I imagine the weight of the success and fame he gained at a very young age is quite burdensome.