obviously, the issue of gay marriage has been big in the media lately, so there's been a flood of commentary. most people that know me understand that while i am heterosexual, i absolutely adore just about every gay person i've ever met and want for them the same rights they want for themselves. that said, i've been watching the news and it's gotten me thinking. i have some questions i'm thinking about that i'd like to put into writing and open up to discussion.
disclaimer: i'm writing this from a Christian perspective, to create discourse about the issue of homosexuality as being a negative aspect to a person in the Christian community. because it's from a Christian perspective, i'm going to say things that won't be widely agreed with by people who don't associate themselves with Christianity. i'm not making these assumptions to be Christocentric, but instead, just to be clear about my thoughts on this issue in the Christian community.
so, God is love. i believe that with my whole being. and, if God is love, that means that God would be the author of love. God would write into all of creation the need for love and the desire to have and give love; God would breathe into the cosmos the breath of life and love. if this is true, and that God is love, wouldn't God be the sole authority on what love is? and if that's the case, and only God can define love because God is the source from which love comes, why do humans like myself quickly decide that we know how to define what love is, or what love isn't?
i heard a man on larry king tonight say this and i think it sums up my thoughts on the matter -- "You can't limit God; You can't limit Love."
naturally, this doesn't have to be completely about prop 8, but it was the prop 8 issue that got this on my mind. thoughts are welcomed :)
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4 comments:
i think part of the problem is that all Christians simply don't believe that God is love. Many believe that God loves some people based on either their behavior or other random criteria, but at the end of the day God is only part love. I think a literal interpretation of the Bible (particularly the Old Testament) leads many to believe that God is as much wrath as love. Therefore everything is dependent on how well someone conforms or appears to conform to someone's interpretation of God's law. These individuals believe that homosexuality is against the law. So to the obedient, in this case heterosexuals, God is love, but using this same logic, it makes sense that God is wrathful toward homosexuals, aka the disobedient.
I say all that simply to say this: its very easy to assume the "God is love" idea to be at the center of all Christian thinking. However, i've been noticing lately that this is not the case. Granted, most people in the Christian community would claim to believe this, and they probably think they do, yet they ultimately reserve God's love for those who fit the mold they are comfortable with.
I might post another comment later b/c i have more to say, but its late and i'm tired. Good post!
Honestly I don't know where I fall on this issue as a Christian.
As an American I think it's ridiculous that these propositions are not getting passed, equal rights, enough said. I think it's more a financial issue wrapped in the "moral-blanket" for convenience sake (Partner Health Care isn't cheap).
As a Christian my entire experience of God speaks much more to an end result than a particular rule or "law." I'm not sure how comfortable I real resting my position on one or two verses that "address" this but seem to be quite hazy in application...
Regardless I will love and not mistake God's thoughts for my comfort level ;-)
We are to love the sinner, not the sin. And it is a sin. Also, the Bible teaches that when Christians aren't repentant of their sin we, as their brothers and sisters in Christ, are to "cast the brother out." We cannot love someone who is so deep in a sin and not willing to repent; if we do, it seems we are loving the sin.
God is love but He is also just. Let's look at all sides of this.
The Bible also teaches that if we know something is right and we don't do it WE are in sin. Tolerating sinful behavior is sin on our part.
Love you all.
i appreciate everyone's thoughts :) i think a lot and like to hear what others are thinking, too.
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