To The Christian Who Hates The LGBTQ Community, Homosexuality Is Just One Sin

To The Christian Who Hates The LGBTQ Community, Homosexuality Is Just One Sin

While I stand with you in my disagreement against the sin that is being committed by the LGBTQ community, I stand against those who utilize their disagreements to fuel a malicious mindset.
Sam Williams
Sam Williams Apr 22, 2018
1122
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Prior to reading this article, I would like to make it as clear as possible to you, the reader, that my goal in writing this is not to support or promote homosexuality, bisexuality, or gender reassignment. I am writing this to bring forward a flaw within the Church in regards to how we address the LGBTQ community. Thank you for taking the time to read. - Sam

On June 26, 2015, the US Supreme Court ruled that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples by both the Due Process Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. This ruling polarized the nation, sending any and all into a political, religious, and moral battle.

Those within the Christian community did not hold back from speaking out against the new law that directly contradicted their beliefs. For some, this landmark case served as an opportunity to voice not only opinions but hatred. Hatred towards not only homosexuals but all within the LGBTQ community.

As I stated at the beginning of this article, I do not support homosexuality, bisexuality, or gender reassignment. However, I will stand firmly in my belief that it is our job as the Church to love the LGBTQ community to the best of our ability, regardless of our disagreement with their sexual orientation or identification.

Homosexuality is a sin. But guess what, so is pornography addiction, fornication, adultery, and a multitude of other sexual temptations that Christians face on a daily basis. While I stand with you in my disagreement against the sin that is being committed by the LGBTQ community, I stand against those who utilize their disagreements to fuel a malicious mindset towards the people within this community.

When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” - John 8:7

We were all born sinners. There’s a wide variety of sin that plagues mankind today. All of humanity struggles with lying, cheating, stealing, cursing, idolatry, and many more sins. Homosexuality is one sin. In the same way that I struggle with idolizing my education or sports, a gay man or woman struggles with feeling inevitably attracted to the same sex.

The issue within the Church comes from the fact that we, as the Body of Christ, have made it our own moral duty to rank or classify sins as better or worse than others. Typically, we consider sins that are more rare to be inherently worse such as murder, pedophilia, adultery, and yes, homosexuality.

However, the narrative we ought to follow is given to us in the word of God.

Matthew 6:14-15 says “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Beloved, who are we to judge and condemn? For we are called to forgive and love as Christ did.

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” -Romans 5:8

We are all children of God, and whether you like it or not, that makes the lesbian, gay, bi, transgender, or queer people in your midst. Not only your peers but your brothers and sisters.

1 John 4:20 proclaims that “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.”

Many Christians claim to know and practice this, yet they continue to slander, berate, and condemn those within the LGBTQ community simply because their sin is different.

I cannot stand with a man who is homophobic but remains content to lust after other women in his own relationship. I cannot stand with a woman who despises transgenders, yet complacent in her battle with pornography. We must put an end to holding others to a standard greater than what we hold ourselves to.

I challenge you to be the Christian who actually seeks these people out. Not simply to save them or shove bible knowledge down their throats, but to love and care for them. Not to belittle them, but to speak life and encouragement over them.

Your words either hurt or they heal. Whether you like it or not, your words carry weight and have the power to evoke a multitude of emotions.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 12:37 that “for by your words you will be justified, and by your words, you will be condemned.”

Let’s be justified by our words, beloved.

Let’s choose to be the hands and feet of Jesus that love these people for exactly who they are, in the same that Christ chose to love you.

Cover Image Credit: Cole Hutson
Sam Williams
Sam Williams Apr 22, 2018
At Texas A&M University

Popular Right Now

'As A Woman,' I Don't Need To Fit Your Preconceived Political Assumptions About Women

I refuse to be categorized and I refuse to be defined by others. Yes, I am a woman, but I am so much more.

Audrey Dimitrew
Audrey Dimitrew Oct 9, 2018
68392
views

It is quite possible to say that the United States has never seen such a time of divisiveness, partisanship, and extreme animosity of those on different sides of the political spectrum. Social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are saturated with posts of political opinions and are matched with comments that express not only disagreement but too often, words of hatred. Many who cannot understand others' political beliefs rarely even respect them.

As a female, Republican, college student, I feel I receive the most confusion from others regarding my political opinions. Whenever I post or write something supporting a conservative or expressing my right-leaning beliefs and I see a comment has been left, I almost always know what words their comment will begin with. Or in conversation, if I make my beliefs known and someone begins to respond, I can practically hear the words before they leave their mouth.

"As a woman…"

This initial phrase is often followed by a question, generally surrounding how I could publicly support a Republican candidate or maintain conservative beliefs. "As a woman, how can you support Donald Trump?" or "As a woman, how can you support pro-life policies?" and, my personal favorite, "As a woman, how did you not want Hillary for president?"

Although I understand their sentiment, I cannot respect it. Yes, being a woman is a part of who I am, but it in no way determines who I am. My sex has not and will not adjudicate my goals, my passions, or my work. It will not influence the way in which I think or the way in which I express those thoughts. Further, your mention of my sex as the primary logic for condemning such expressions will not change my adherence to defending what I share. Nor should it.

To conduct your questioning of my politics by inferring that my sex should influence my ideology is not only offensive, it's sexist.

It disregards my other qualifications and renders them worthless. It disregards my work as a student of political science. It disregards my hours of research dedicated to writing about politics. It disregards my creativity as an author and my knowledge of the subjects I choose to discuss. It disregards the fundamental human right I possess to form my own opinion and my Constitutional right to express that opinion freely with others. And most notably, it disregards that I am an individual. An individual capable of forming my own opinions and being brave enough to share those with the world at the risk of receiving backlash and criticism. All I ask is for respect of that bravery and respect for my qualifications.

Words are powerful. They can be used to inspire, unite, and revolutionize. Yet, they can be abused, and too comfortably are. Opening a dialogue of political debate by confining me to my gender restricts the productivity of that debate from the start. Those simple but potent words overlook my identity and label me as a stereotype destined to fit into a mold. They indicate that in our debate, you cannot look past my sex. That you will not be receptive to what I have to say if it doesn't fit into what I should be saying, "as a woman."

That is the issue with politics today. The media and our politicians, those who are meant to encourage and protect democracy, divide us into these stereotypes. We are too often told that because we are female, because we are young adults, because we are a minority, because we are middle-aged males without college degrees, that we are meant to vote and to feel one way, and any other way is misguided. Before a conversation has begun, we are divided against our will. Too many of us fail to inform ourselves of the issues and construct opinions that are entirely our own, unencumbered by what the mainstream tells us we are meant to believe.

We, as a people, have become limited to these classifications. Are we not more than a demographic?

As a student of political science, seeking to enter a workforce dominated by men, yes, I am a woman, but foremost I am a scholar, I am a leader, and I am autonomous. I refuse to be categorized and I refuse to be defined by others. Yes, I am a woman, but I am so much more.

Audrey Dimitrew
Audrey Dimitrew Oct 9, 2018
At James Madison

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Educate Yourself And Spread Facts, Not Bias

Do you know the truth? Or are you allowing rumors to cloud your judgement of the political arena?

Claudia Lanes
Claudia Lanes Oct 16, 2018
463
views

In our society, the government has grown to be a capitalistic effort. Payout, backroom deals, we are unaware of many actions those that represent us take behind closed doors. The transparency we think we see is unrealistic and just not the way that politics actually work. In the entire world, governance has become essential to the survival and future of society. No two governments are the same, and they are essentially ever changing as many people of power change constantly.

This being said influence from these individuals rule the political sphere. Whether it be a local councilperson, senator, governor, or even the president.IN the U.S. our daily lives and wellbeing rest in the hands of the few. Some of these politicians are honest and work genuinely for the people. However, agenda frequently takes over the arena and leaves the decisions of our livelihood to the gains of politicians.

Our generation has the lowest voter turnout, leaving the decisions that we do have to older generations. Some of those hold ideologies that are not relevant nor acceptable to the climate we live in today. This is not a call to action but more of a thought. As someone who was incredibly uninvolved in politics, I wanted to look at why I lacked the care that other people my age held so passionately. I believe it starts with my distaste of conflict, which many people my age also agree with. Politics can lead to confrontation and negative conversation.

Therefore, who would want to make friendships and interactions awkward with an avoidable subject. I found myself straying from these conversations and becoming uncomfortable when friends assert opinions that I do not agree with. However, in taking classes where this environment hinges the change in industries I study. I was forced to form some type of opinion in the matter.

From here I decided to change the lens on how I looked at politics. Instead of shying away, I really listened to what my professors felt about it and their assertions. I then did my own research, looking into the history of matters that my peers and professors talked about. Educating myself on what the facts were, versus believing in rumors that I heard through the grapevine.

I started engaging friends in a positive manner, as opposing opinions are valuable in a holistic situational viewpoint. I became comfortable in the discomfort of politics and worked to learn what may be in store for our world. My point for this is to educate yourself on genuine fact. Do not assert opinions based on information that your friend or even a professor gives you, keep your knowledge on the subject relevant.

You never know when legislation may come out that seriously effects your way of life. Most importantly, knowledge is power and power is what those that leave us in ignorance have over us.

Claudia Lanes
Claudia Lanes Oct 16, 2018
At University of Massachusetts, Amherst

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