It has been two weeks since the Supreme Court passed the law stating that homosexuals have the same right to marry in all 50 states as any heterosexual couple. I refrained from commenting on the issue since a hate storm was inevitably on the horizon, but now that the dust has settled, it's time for some clarity.
First, let's face it -- biblically speaking, homosexuality is a sin. There are no loop holes, no excuses, and no way to prove otherwise. As stated here in both Romans 1:26-28, "For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper," and Leviticus 18:2, "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination." But what's perplexing to me is that in the long list of sins, divorce is also counted upon as a sin (permissible only if the spouse is an adulterer), as stated in Matthew 5:32, "But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery." Why is Christianity okay with divorce, but not homosexuality? I mean, it's not that there is a greater sin or a lesser sin--both are equal in God's eyes. Then how come we are more accepting towards one and condemning towards another?
Secondly, you don't have to agree with their practices or beliefs for you to treat them as a fellow human being. Yes, you CAN actually disagree with them and still treat them with love and humility! Amazing how that works, right? John 13:34-35 says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” If I recall correctly, Jesus was kind and loving towards the sinners, and as Christians, it's our calling to imitate Christ as best as we can. Remember how he didn't stone the prostitute, but rather saved her from those that were trying to kill her? His unequivocal display of sincere love towards her transformed into a change in her life, and what better way to mirror Christ than to love the people you disagree with? The world already has enough hatred. Those intended to bring love don't need to generate more than what's been done in the past (a.k.a. The Crusades, for example).
And lastly, I want to address the LGBTQIA community: your right to marry might have been legalized, but just as others don't have the right to bash you, you don't have the right to bash someone or their religion, either. Just because they don't believe/understand what you stand for, insulting and humiliating them only creates a wider gap of misunderstanding, prejudice, and hatred. You cannot go around forcing your beliefs down other people's throats (mind you, this goes both ways). This attitude will not only set you back in your cause, but you will lose respect among others around you. Live and let live.
To conclude: be religious, be atheist, be homosexual, be heterosexual, be transgender, be whatever you want to be, but beyond all, be an individual with love and compassion towards each other, because that's the true essence of humanity.
Let us know what you think in the comments below!
