Thursday, December 30, 2010

Homosexuality: Testing Christ's commandments

Even the Department of
Transportation recognizes it!
Matthew 22:34-40


"34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

I attend school in Laramie, Wyoming. We hold records for bars per capita, highest sustained wind speeds, and (allegedly) gay persecution. Laramie has become infamous as the location for the torturing and killing of Matthew Shepard in 1998. Whenever residents of other states inquire as to where I attend school, the mention of Laramie is oftentimes met with the simple phrase, "Oh, isn't that where they tied that gay kid to a fence?" How's that for a reputation?

"God hates fags." Welcome, my friends, to the opinion of far too many American church congregants. The example set by Westboro Baptist Church is decried by many within the Christian faith. Unfortunately, a large majority of the same mouths who utter disdain upon WBC also openly mock and ridicule homosexual society. In what way is this honestly any different? Does it take a picket sign emblazoned with a repulsive symbolic moniker like "fags" to truly articulate the general hatred within the modern Evangelistic community?

I would like to clarify that I do not hold the American Church in general as being intolerant of homosexuality. There are, however, daily reminders of the all too venomous judgments in my own everyday encounters. When the only social justice issues that exist (according to conservative Evangelical America) are abortion and anti-capitalism, something is wrong.

A homosexual makes one different choice than I do. What separates me from a gay person? ONE SINGLE DECISION. I believe homosexual practice is not the way that God intended for human relationship. That being said, do I treat a gay man as an animal!?! NO! I believe it is wrong, yes. But so is lust! And so is selfishness! AND I AM GUILTY OF BOTH OF THOSE!

I am no different than a homosexual. I am a human being. They are human beings. Jesus says to love your neighbors as yourself. We are to love all with the same sacrificial love that Christ showed us when he gave up his own glory to die for us!

I am calling out the American Church, right here and right now. It is time to show the love of Christ to ALL peoples, be they gay, straight, transexual, alcoholic, poor, destitute, angry, mentally handicapped, physically handicapped, old, young, male, female, black, white, Native American, or of any other defining characteristic! Love all without distinction! In making the lives of all of our friends, enemies, and future acquaintances better, we slowly make the world better!

Please, show the love of Christ to all!
Troy

2 comments:

  1. Challenging words my friend, and an extremely good point made..I pray your words do not fall on deaf ears, and that we all step it up to live the example Jesus has set for us

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