This may be one of the hardest blogs I write. This may be one of the easiest blogs I write. This may piss you off, or make you cheer, I don’t really care… I’m just saying what I believe on my platform that I made. I probably won’t allow any comments or ask for your opinion on this subject, because I’ve made up my mind on this one, and won’t care if you completely disagree or agree with me.
I was raised in a loving Christian home. (Independent, Fundamental Baptist, to be exact.) I was raised on high morals, and at the age of four became a Christian. (Asked Jesus into my heart, sipped the Christian Kool Aid, believed that Christ died for my sins, and if I accept his blood payment for the wrong I’ve done, I’ll be forgiven of those sins.) I was raised on high standards, morals, and followed the rules pretty well. (If I had to do it again… chances are I’d be an INCREDIBLY disobedient kid….)
I went to an independent and strict Bible College where I studied the Bible for a year. Learning about it from some of the greatest teachers and preachers in the United States. We went through the Bible three times in one year and I came out pretty normal. I then attended another college that had chapels three days a week and received a minor in Bible (Biblical Studies). I worked at Christian College, a Christian High School, and as a Worship Leader, Pastor, Volunteer, and my entire life is centered upon my faith.
For those of you who are still reading, I wanted you to know my background before I make this next statement. If you are surrounded by the church, and they are telling you to “boycott companies that support marriage equality”, hate those who are supporting gay rights, treat others with disrespect because you disagree with them, gossip about them, think evil thoughts towards them, drop them as friends, family, or in any way look down on them, you are not being surrounded by the right people. You are not listening to the Holy Spirit. You are not being “Filled with the Love of Christ.” You are basically taking on the same roll as the Westboro Baptist congregation that you LOVE to hate on because they boycott at soldier’s funerals. You are wrong and honestly, that hatred, disdain, dislike, are not of Christ, but of the devil. (Yeah. The Devil. Yes. It sounds very 1960′s of me… But I know you still use that terminology regularly…)
I believe that love and marriage is a beautiful thing. One day, I hope that I am lucky enough to find someone who I love enough to wake up with every morning, and kiss their stinky breath. I hope that I find someone who makes me feel strong, believes in me, supports me, has my back in a fight, even if I’m WAYYY off, will hold my hand during the scary parts of a movie, laugh at me because I started crying during a love song, but then kisses me cause she thinks it’s cute. I hope to have all of this, but it is not a privilege that I get because I’m a Christian? I thought the whole point of being a Christian was to give up things in this world…
Should I get this privilege because I’m straight? Because I prefer a ladies body to a man’s? Come on. Stop thinking from some crazy spot, and really think about it. Should marriage REALLY only be for one Christian man and one Christian woman, and the rest of the world be excluded from the marriage club and forced to live out their lives in a sad and lonely world filled with nothing but rejection from everyone except a Christian person of the opposite sex? REALLY????
I believe that my job as a Christian, is to love others like Christ loved me, treat others the way that He would treat them, and follow the rules for personal growth that He has chosen for me. What anyone else does is NONE OF MY BUSINESS.
Does that mean I shouldn’t vote? No. I’m privileged enough to be born into a country where my opinion is allowed to be heard. But does it mean that I should support laws that take away the HOPE that I have to fall in love, get married and have a family with someone, from someone else? Support a law that basically makes Christians a more “Elite” member of society? No.
So listen. CALM DOWN with the HATE on people that are different than you. GROW UP from the bubble that you live in, and understand that there is a REAL WORLD out there with REAL PEOPLE who are hurting, and need love. (And need “Christ’s Love”.)
You want to be like Christ? Love others, unconditionally. You want to be a good person? Love others, unconditionally. Love doesn’t need a religion to make it so. If you choose to be a Christian, and believe that love originates from God, and want people to believe like you do, then you must accept that not everyone will think like you. The same ACCEPTANCE that you want from them, is the same ACCEPTANCE that they want from you. They are not asking you to marry them. (You’re not their type…Trust me…) They are just asking to be allowed the same rights that you are.
So love them like He loved you.
I love you. No conditions.
-j
P.S. Please don’t pick and choose Bible verses that “support” your side and e-mail them to me or comment them on here. That’s not how the Bible was intended to be followed. Love.
I’m guessing you’re gonna like it!!!!
