If many Christians and churches truly believe gay people are “lost” – shouldn’t they do everything they can to keep them close, instead of doing things that clearly push them away, and even into tragic, life-threatening situations?
Shouldn’t they simply share the unconditional perfect love of God — A love they so freely accept for themselves, but selfishly withhold from those with whom they disagree?
Instead of condemning, rejecting, shaming, shunning, and kicking them out of their homes and churches… shouldn’t they be affirming, accepting, welcoming, loving, forgiving, and grace-filled?
One of my readers is frustrated and confused about that – and her feelings likely represent many of you.
I write Dear Susan posts every Friday. Sometimes they will be poignant, sometimes thought-provoking, sometimes tender, sometimes funny… but hopefully always worth the read.
Dear Susan,
You know I am affirming and an ally, but one thing that constantly frustrates and confuses me is this… EVEN IF a Christian person TRULY believes someone is living in sin, IF a Christian person TRULY believes someone is going to ‘hell,’ IF a Christian person TRULY believes someone is misinformed, misguided or just flat out wrong… Is it not a God-ordained responsibility to LOVE that “sinning, hell-bound, misinformed person” — to BE Jesus to that person, to BE a beacon of light to that person? And not a thinly veiled shame, condemnation and rejection they call ‘tough love.’
Should they not WELCOME these people into their churches, their homes and their small groups – as they have been welcomed? So many Christians are NOT doing this with the gay community – even when it is their own child, their neighbor, or family member.
EVEN if you disagree with a person, is it not God’s purpose for us to LOVE as we have been loved – perfectly and unconditionally??
Instead of conveying God’s love that welcomes us, it is almost as if they are saying ‘we don’t want you in our family, our church, our community and we certainly do not want you in our heaven.’ And not only do they imply that, they take the extreme measures of pushing people away to make sure it happens!
The hypocrisy, selfishness and arrogance is nauseating. I have pity for those Christians and churches who are that insecure in God, and my heart absolutely breaks for gay individuals, and entire families, who are being sacrificed at their alters of fear.
Dear Friend,
You ask a lot of questions.
I will keep my answer as brief as I can…
YES! 🙂
You said it all, and you said it well! Thank you.
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