4.10.2003

kel, you rock! "I feel like i am deviating far from the norm i see in the church, and that always sends up flags for me. What do you guys think? Am i missing something? " the only thing you're missing, IMO, is a community to support your efforts to reach out. it's way cliche now, but it's true that homosexuality is "just like any other sin"...only not. it's much more like alcoholism, it seems--good comparison, kel. it is a life style change, not something that is integrated into an otherwise "normal" life the way lying or racism or gossip or even shoplifting is. In other words, if you're gay, mostly you're going to be different than those non-gays around you. if you're prideful or dishonest or greedy, you're probably going to look much the same as everyone else. and that's why i think the church has trouble dealing with homosexuality--it separates you from a typical community and puts you in a different one very decisively, it seems to me. all that being said, i think the best thing that christians can do is love their enemies as they want to be loved themselves. once you become friends they may want to know jesus. once they know jesus, he'll be sure to point out their homosexuality--maybe through you. but the first and foremost issue is one of their salvation and their journey toward becoming more authentically a whole, redeemed person. that does mean giving up their sins--afterall, "repent" means to do an about-face, like in the millitary. so should you be worried about doing the abnormal? sometimes...but in this case, as long as you feel you can remain in a healthy relationship (i.e., a relationship that doesn't cause you to also take steps toward becoming homosexual), then love her with all the love in you. But that's just my opinion. Anyone else have an opinion? By the way, brooke and i feel like there might be light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to our struggle with big, quantity-focused, non-participatory church...i'm not sure what that means, i just thought i'd throw it out there. BTW, pray for Roger, Patty, B and me as we are talking about Christianity (and hopefully about Christ himself) with a non-believer who is intentionally coming over to talk about stuff.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home