March 4, 2003

• God and Homos… again.

  
  

  Recently I read one my high school friend’s blog who had read mine and talked about the issue of Homosexuality and God. Don’t bother to look for his blog since I didn’t post it up at all. Only with his permission. But he does go to UCLA. BOOO… just kidding B. Anyway, it’s always good to get other peoples interpretation on things. It makes us think yeah?

  
  

  His Blog

  
  

  I read my friend’s Xanga and he’s gay and so he talks about that….being Christian and gay.  Its pretty interesting reading his thoughts…I’m kinda curious as to what you all think about that.  My views on it is that it is sin.  Just as all of us are sinners, they are sinful as well.  Not anymore sinful than any of us.  But I think there’s an issue when someone is proud to be gay.  Instead of hating the sin and praying to be healed of the sin, its instead accepted as something that cannot be changed.  Those of us that fightwith sin (I believe everyone) know that its not easy and sometimes may seem like this is just how we are and we cannot change.  But God’s Word says otherwise… we have been set free from the chains of sin…and so there is a way.  Yet I don’t judge him or condemn him because I cannot, since I cannot say that I am without sin…yet I do… not intentionally… but maybe thats the problem…since gay people are now proud to be gay, everyone is conveniently clumped into the same group of people…essentially being proud to be sinful.  That is where I think there’s a difference… I am very ashamed of myself and the sins that are in my life.  Again, not that it makes me any better, but I do believe that is at least a better understanding of how horrible sin is.  And so as a Christian, we shouldn’t be proud of our sin…but hate it enough to seek to overcome…those are mythoughts, I have many more pertaining to the subject, but that kinda covers it…Don’t bother trying to find him on the sites I read, I didn’t add it, I would only do so with his permission…

  
  

  His Blog Responses

  
  

  1. as for your friend, that’s hard.  But, i think you’ve hit it on the nail.  We can’t be proud of sin, though we know we all sin.  We ought to be ashamed of our sins.  I think i realized what this meant…when God gave me the opportunity to confess some of my darker sins to some brothers at small group…in order to receive accountability.  I’d been ashamed of the deed…but not nearly as ashamed as i was confessing it to my brothers.  This shame [proper shame...b/c i ought to be ashamed of it] is helping lead me to repentence.  Not neccessarily that i fear men…but that this shame i feel gives me a taste of what shame of sin before God must be like. 

  
  

  remaining in our sins – you hit it on the nose.  We’re not to be happy or proud of it…but ashamed and repentful, just as we would of any sin.  Not that we blow it off like every sin…but that we feel genuinely ashamed of every sin.  The Law was made for homosexuals…condemning them in God’s sight, just as it was made for me and you.  It’s God’s holy Law which we must refer to and stand upon.  We condemn no one:  we simply make known the condemnation which is already in place.

  
  

  thoughts?
  Posted 2/28/2003 at 12:38 pm by …

  
  

  2. As for the second thing…yeah, I’m pretty certain in my beliefs on that, thanks for your thoughts…I guess something that I found interesting reading about was that He went to a homosexual church…first of all, I didn’t know that existed…but he basically described how everyone was clearly homosexual yet praising God…Yet I do know that it is those that have been forgiven much that praise God all the more…yet forgiveness comes after repentance??  So showing pride in being gay isn’t exactly repentance is it?  I dunno, just a thought…

  
  

  posted by B

  
  

  My Response 

  
  

  Hey B- I just read your blog and I respect yours and others views toward the tricky subject of homosexuality in the church.

  
  

  Most of you will never truly realize the pain, the frustration, and the guilt of what it means to be a homosexual Christian. Nor will you know the humiliation, the confusion, and being scared in a society where people strap other humans to a wooden fence, beating them senseless and leaving them for dead. I’m not trying to change your views toward homosexuality in the church, but at least let me try to explain what many gays have to face in this society that not only denies them constiutional rights, but passes judgement as sex fiend deviants.

  
  

  I was on the verge of suicide because of the pain, the frustration, and the guilt. I would take an X-acto knife and run it along my veins to feel the sensation of the blade. All of this because I felt like I could never be accepted by the majority of society and ultimately by God. I did soon realized afterwards that Gods loves everyone, and will always have open arms for those who ask for forgiveness. But during that year of depression, I felt that being a homosexual, people shouting on TV that they will all burn in the firey pits of hell, that I could never amount to anything… that I would always have to live a life of fear and guilt for loving another human being.

  
  

  But then I realized that God was not the only one that loved me, but that I had to love myself. This would be accepting my faults and to work hard to overcome them, as well as my own humanity, or my essence… And being gay is a part of who I am.

  
  

  I think people find it difficult to separate sex from love. A pastor told me that sex between a man and a woman was not only for procreation and recreation, but a way for two people to glorify God together. I cannot see the difference between two Christian heterosexual couples, who may or may not be infertile, and two Christian men making Love. Love, not lust, but love.

  
  

  I can truly understand why sins are considered sins. From adultery, to murder, to lying… It hurts another person emotionally and physically; it affects a third party member. But can you honestly see the horrible nature of two Christian men loving each other with every fiber of their being? It just doesn’t make sense to me, nor do I want to feel guilty for existing… for wanting to be happy… to ne able to fall in love.

  
  

  Everything is based on interpretation. Some churches believe that women should not be pastors or should be given the same rights as men. Others believe that you cannot even hug people of the opposite sex if you’re dating. Some churches believe that every gay person in the world will burn in the fiery pits of hell, while others believe that if you do believe in Jesus Christ, gay or straight, then you’ll be dancing and celebrating in Heaven for eternity. Churches during the Civil War even interpreted slavery as an acceptable practice. What I’m trying to press is that everything is interpreted differently by different people at different times. Who is to say that you are wrong and you are right?

  
  

  That’s why I respect your views. I know for me, being a Gay Christian, I cannot deny who I am and what’s embedded in me. For my own sanity, I cannot be ashamed of something I cannot change.

  
  

  Do you honestly believe us Gay Christians wanted to be gay? Could you change your sexual preference if you wanted to? What does love mean to you?

  
  

  God Bless,
  Jason

  
  

  Further Thoughts

  
  

  Let me make clear that I am not proud to be gay, but I am proud of who I am… which includes being gay; accepting the macro-me. I am proud that I have been able to overcome my depression. I am proud of being able to fight the stereotypes of what a “typical” gay person is like, being a double minority, and maintaining a sense of self worth. I am proud that I know I will be an advocate for equal rights in America. I am proud of me being me… the entire me… not just the gay me… and I have to thank God and my friends for making me realize that.

  
  

  Hmm… that was a bit dramatic, wasn’t it?

  
  

  It can be debatable whether being an actual homosexual is a sin or the actual act of same sex intercourse is the real sin. Even multiple pastors I’ve talked with said that it isn’t a sin to be gay, but it’s how you handle yourself. And some… some think that living a monogomous life with one other person, straight or gay, while maintaining a “Christian” life, is not sin at all.

  
  

  Whatever floats your boat, I suppose.

  
  

  I’m cool with an open forum for you religious and non-religious viewpoints on the matter. Perhaps we can find a common ground eventually. I’m not holding my breath though. Psha

  • 4:13 am
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