On Sunday, June 26th, the Pope released a statement: "Christians owe apologies to gays and others who have been offended or exploited by the church, remarks that some Catholics hailed as a breakthrough in the church's tone toward homosexuality" (CNN). Many times when homosexual people enter a church, they are slammed with hate and criticized for who they are and who they want to be with simply isn't OK. And for that, they will go to hell. This topic is one I have put on the back burner in my brain for quite some time. I tried to avoid the controversial topic with every fiber of my being, due to the emotions and anger it is prone to stir. For the Pope, a very religious icon to have to offer an apology to a group of people is just absurd. That threw me over the edge and put me in a position craving to express the sinful behavior many Christians don't realize they are committing.

I've always wondered why a lot of people go around saying that the reason they aren't OK with people being gay is because the bible says it isn't OK. I have never understood why this is a valid reason to judge a group of people, or tell them that who they are isn't okay. Let me give you some facts.

First, the Bible does say that man is supposed to lay with a woman, but it also says every sin is forgivable. Some may argue that in order to be forgiven of a sin one must repent. My only response to that is, let me know how never eating pork again works out for the majority of you. This brings me to my next fact.

Secondly, for Christians to come and say that being gay isn't okay simply because the bible says so, is very ignorant. By choosing to obey and listen to small specifics in the bible, you should also know the bible sets many different rules that I guarantee at least one of you has broken or chose not to listen to. For example, "Other animals have hooves that are split into two parts, but they don’t chew the cud. Don’t eat these animals. Pigs are like that, so they are unclean for you. Don’t eat the meat from these animals. Don’t even touch their dead bodies! They are unclean for you." Leviticus 11:7-8. This is saying that we are not allowed to eat pork because it is unclean. Luke stated in chapter 16 verse 18 that “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery." Maybe, one or more of you church goers have gotten a divorce, that too is a major sin and not allowed. The list of such small rules goes on and on, yet so does the number of people breaking them.

Lastly and above all, Jesus says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34. The way we judge others so harshly is sickening. We all are choosing to disobey one major thing God has told us to do. You are breaking just as much of a rule judging, as Gays are when they continuously loving the same gender.

We as Christians are here to make others feel welcome, make them feel like anyone is welcome because God says he loves all his children, sinners or not. What makes it okay to have such hatred for a group of people that they feel unwelcome in the house of God? Even the Pope said, "Who am I to judge?" (CNN). I spoke with two people, one gay, and one lesbian, whom I will not name in order to respect privacy, to get a deeper insight to how they feel in church.

"I choose to find my religion on my own and not through a church," said one young man. While the woman said, "I left many churches because I felt so excluded and unwanted." I'm sure many others have similar stories and I encourage you to speak up. We all love God and have a common goal of going to heaven. If we are choosing to live our life, making others feel unwelcome in a place where all is supposed to be sacred, aren't we just as bad as those committing the sin of loving the same gender? You are no different than them, all sins are equal. Yes, you rib eaters, divorcees, judges, and gay people are all on the same playing field according to God.

So before you go judging men for loving men, or women for loving women, think of the last time you ate a piece of bacon or committed in the biblical terms 'adultery.' I believe we all need to follow the Pope's advice and ask for forgiveness from those we have judged or wronged. I promise God will forgive you and those whom you have wronged will accept an apology with open arms.

Here's to universal loving,

Em.