Gay and Christian: A Very Good Question...

This is a public posting of a private letter sent to a Dear friend in response to a very good question:

"What is your opinion about being Gay and Christian; and how do you respond when some are convinced that the bible is clear about homosexuality being a very serious sin?"

This is a very difficult discussion because there is no definitive argument in any direction. People can throw scriptures at each other all day. However, how receptive they are to a "new interpretation" arguing the validity of Gay Christians just depends on what they believe about the bible.

I believe that the bible is progressive (or in biblical terms "Living"); it continues to evolve and change through the ages based on what is needed by those who read it (so I being gay, black, diseased, poor, and raised an only child, means I resonate very differently with it than someone who is not those things, but other things). I believe that is the beauty of the bible.

I believe that the New Testament is More important that the Old (which is why Christians are called Christian). Jesus very clearly says that the OLD laws are fulfilled through him, and no longer necessary for us. The only two "new" laws are: love God, and Love others as yourself (So that gets rid of most, if not all of the anti- "homosexual" references in Leviticus and all other Old Testament scriptures). And if you Love Others as you love yourself, this conversation would be over (because we would be all trying to help each OTHER win the same rights WE have, and always trying to include, rather than exclude). And since Jesus Himself never spoke about homosexuality at all, but spoke heavily about judgment, and lying, and gossip, and hypocrisy, and pride, and money, and old outdated traditions, and throwing stones. . . I would imagine that "if" it is a sin, it could not be more of a sin than any of those things that he spent far more energy on; and that we are ALL guilty of.

So since we may never agree on who's interpretation is "right", or if it's a "sin" or not, this is what I rely on personally. Jesus came to save us from our sin, and since we are all sinners, we can all be saved. I am a sinner. Jesus came to save me. I believe, so I am saved. No one is perfect, and God does not require us to be.

Jesus WELCOMED everyone . . . Even at a time when it was unacceptable to do so, when it was against the laws of the Old Testament. (Which are God's Laws…) He welcomed women, Slaves, prostitutes (both male and female), he grew to welcome even non believers (non Jews and pagans), he welcomed the outcast and the discarded (everyone except the rich), and I think that through time as more groups became known, he would have welcomed them (us) too.

It comes down to this: John 3:16 "God so Loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that WHOSOEVER believes in him shall not perish but have ever lasting life". Either you believe THAT or you don't... Either you believe that GOD can LOVE that much or you don't.

Psychologically I just think its hard for people to accept the graciousness of God, and they think that we have to somehow "Earn" our way into salvation by being "good" (God says there is no one Good but him... and that there is not one that is worthy) so we try to measure ourselves against each other, in hopes that if we can somehow be better than those horrible people, then we will be saved ... when in truth, those "horrible people" are saved too (because they are saying the same thing about you).