How is that not casting stones?

I woke up on Wednesday to several of my Facebook friends vocally celebrating “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day” and it made me furious. So, I decided I was going to be as vocal about my condemnation of the actions of these Christians as these Christians seemed to be about the actions (and beings) of LGBT people.

I don’t really want to spend any more time talking about why I don’t like Chick-fil-A Day. If you want to know my opinion, just check out my Twitter feed or Facebook page.

What I do want to talk about is one reaction I’ve gotten over and over and over again from Christians. Let me paraphrase:

“It’s a sin to act on homosexual desires, but just because I’m not afraid to admit that doesn’t mean I hate homosexuals. I sin too. I’m not perfect, so I have grace. However, it’s not loving to let people continue sinning and hurting themselves because we’re too afraid to speak out about their sin.”

Now Christians who said these things, I’m going to be as gentle as I can with you about this. You’ve been taught this stuff your whole life and many of you are afraid to think about it too deeply. You’re afraid your faith might fall apart if you do so you keep repeating the same tired phrases–“I sin too. I’m not perfect. I don’t hate homosexuals but I hate their sin.”

I get it. I was there.

But can you do be a favor, straight Christians? If you really love LGBT people, can you open your mind for a few minutes? Can you look at this from another perspective? Please?

Your faith probably won’t be destroyed. But parts of it that you thought were necessary might fall off, and you might realize that you can see Jesus a lot better without those parts anyway.

Let’s start with this idea that “homosexuality is a sin.” When I first left fundamentalism, it came as a shock for me to realize that this is not a universal belief. Even within Christianity, many people do not believe that it is wrong to love someone of the same gender.

Now, put your Bibles away for a second. I know what they say. But I urge anyone who truly loves LGBT people to ask an LGBT Christian how he/she interprets the Bible. I urge you to listen to them, and even if you continue to believe that homosexuality is a sin, I urge you to think about the fact that some people interpret the Bible differently than you.

And you interpret the Bible differently than some people.

I know people who believe that the Bible was clear that rock music, women praying without a headcovering, and using birth control (even as a married couple) is a grave sin. You can jump in and say, “Well if you’re interpreting the Bible THIS way…” You interpret the Bible differently than someone else, and you do so with the best intentions.

Why you refuse to consider LGBT Christians and allies who do the same thing?

Also, let’s talk about “I sin too.” Remember when Jesus said, “let he who is without sin cast the first stone?” You may be saying to yourself, “I’d never wish to throw stones at an LGBT person!” But when you cast your vote against marriage equality, how are you not doing the exact same thing?

Are you voting to make YOUR “sin” illegal? What if you could be denied marriage to a person you love just because you once had premarital sex with a different person? What if you could be fired from your job because your employer found out that sometimes you masturbate in the privacy of your own home? (note: I don’t believe these things are necessarily wrong, but they seem to be the staple “straight sins,” hence my using them as examples)

Would you vote for a bill that made it illegal to get a divorce? Get drunk? Argue with your siblings? Swear?

Then why vote to keep LGBT people from marrying? Why vote against bills that would keep them from losing their jobs just for being gay?

How is that not casting stones?

Someone, please tell me.