I had this entire blog post planned out, some of it has already been written and saved in draft form when God came and uprooted EVERYTHING. I would normally shy away from topics such as this one because it is a touchy subject and I know more than a few people who are a part of this unique community, LGBTQ. But I feel that I needed to make a stance on this for the future. Why? I don't know. Only God knows and He's not letting me in on it yet.
So this is how it's going to be. I'm going to tell you EXACTLY what I think of the LGBT community. I will share what I feel in my heart...and you can either take it or leave it.
So much has been said about equality for ALL people, no matter who they are. I believe that. So much has also been said AGAINST this very issue simply because of what it says in the Bible...and I believe that as well.
So here's what I believe: I don't support same-sex marriages and I don't really care for that lifestyle. Actually, to be perfectly honest, I'm kind of ambivalent on this.
BUT
I will never, EVER, condemn another person for having that kind of lifestyle. I will never, EVER, go out of my way to make that particular person feel less than human for having that kind of lifestyle. I will never, EVER, 'preach' to that particular person about what the Bible says. I will never, EVER, browbeat them with all kinds of Scripture. I will ALWAYS love on that person. I will ALWAYS encourage that person, I will ALWAYS hang out with them if I'm so inclined to, I will ALWAYS show the love of the Father to them. I will ALWAYS speak life into them. I will ALWAYS speak truth into them WITH love and NOT condemnation.
Trust me. They are WELL aware of what the Bible says...because they have heard it enough times. They got the message loud and clear. Those Scriptures that people yell at them are like white noise to them at this point. Because from what I can see and gather, those Scriptures people throw at them are not done with love.
I know that the Supreme Court in the U.S. has ruled that same-sex couples have the right to marry in all 50 states. I know that there are more than a few people who are unhappy about that as it goes directly against what God has intended.
Here's my advice to those who are unhappy about the SCOTUS ruling: LET THEM.
That's right. You heard me. Let them. Let them get married. Let them be in love. Let them adopt kids. Let them be one with us [and by 'us' I mean those who are NOT part of the LGBTQ community]. Just let them BE.
By holding tightly to the lovely Scriptures about how homosexuality is a sin and whatever else, you are, and this is my opinion, demoralizing them as an INDIVIDUAL. An individual, mind you, that God had created in their mamas' wombs. There is no need to browbeat them. There is no need to cast judgement on them. There is no need to gather petitions to appeal what the Supreme Court has ruled [and if you send me those kinds of petitions, I shall place them in the trash].
All they want is to be LOVED. And isn't that what we all want? To love and be loved? Isn't that what we all NEED? Love is not a privilege, it's a basic human right/need.
I have this friend who is questioning their sexuality [actually they pretty much know what they are]. We have gotten into many conversations about it through text messaging. MANY conversations. I won't go into detail about them as they are pretty private but I just felt honoured that they chose me to confide in. The thing about our many conversations is that they want to do right by God. That's the one thread that's been crystal clear. They love God and they want to do right by Him. The only thing that is keeping them from pursuing God wholeheartedly is the 'Christian society' placing THEIR condemnation on them. And it's so heartbreaking when we talk about this. SO HEARTBREAKING. Because I don't know what to tell them, and then I feel helpless. It doesn't help when they tell me that others have said this to them: "Repent or suffer the consequences."
WOW. I really feel the love in THAT statement. NOT. To use one of the expressions used by one of my fellow intercessors at my church, it made me want to put on my boots for THAT one.
It really sucks because no amount of encouragement I give my friend, no matter how accepting I am of them, and no matter how much I love on them, none of that will ever be louder than the condemning words used by many Christians with regards to homosexuality.
Where's the love, people? Okay. You don't believe in gay marriage or the homosexual lifestyle. That's completely okay. Just love those who do/are. Don't be judgemental of them; LOVE them. Don't say horrible things like the statement above. That helps NOBODY...and it only serves to drive them away from the Lover of all lovers.
I think it's good that SCOTUS has allowed gay marriage in all fifty states. I don't agree with their ruling, but I think it's good. Everybody deserves to get married, and if we took away that from a select group of people, what else would we take away from them? Their adopting of children? Their right to an education? The right to VOTE? No, that would be so wrong, especially since ISIS is doing exactly that over in the Middle East [killing people left, right, and center, simply because they don't like the colour of their shoes...well, you get my drift].
As somebody is consumed by God's love right now, I don't think that that's right. God's love is MIGHTY. His love is the best thing in the world. We love because He first loved us. He is the relentless Lover.
And as a Lover, I don't think He wants us to shame and condemn people for their lifestyle. I'd rather love on them and find out their stories than heap condemnation upon their heads. I'd rather love on them with abandon. I'd rather love on them and speak life into their spirits and souls.
The hashtag on Twitter for the SCOTUS ruling is #LoveWins.
Love HASN'T won. Not by a long shot. We are still too preoccupied on how WE - Christians - want others to act. I think that's where we went wrong. We don't love them. Not completely. Not wholeheartedly. I think we are so hung up on homosexuality that we tend to forget that it's not about WHAT they are...but rather it's about WHO they are. Who does GOD see them as? What does HE think of them, not as a homosexual, but as an INDIVIDUAL?
You don't support gay marriage/relationships? Okay. That's fine. But I'm going to love people where they are at and NOT where *I* want them to be at. It's not about me, after all. It's about love and it's about the Lover of all lovers.
I follow a bunch of LGBTQ campaigns on Twitter: the NOH8 Campaign, the It Gets Better Project, and The Trevor Project. I do. Because I can definitely get behind people who are empowering other people to be who they are. I have no qualms about supporting these campaigns/organizations.
I'm going to let you all in on a not-so-secret secret: Homosexuality is not on my radar of things to worry about, I'm not losing sleep over it, and the fact that there are same-sex couples everywhere doesn't faze me in the least.
To those in the LGBTQ community who happen to stumble onto this post:
As somebody in the Christian faith, I am so sorry for pushing you down and for making you feel as if you were worthless. I'm so sorry for passing judgement instead of extending love. I'm so sorry for pushing you back instead of enveloping you with love. I'm sorry for what others in my faith have put you through. You are beautiful. You are lovable. You are loved. You have so much to give.
No comments:
Post a Comment