Welcome to the year of 2016! Temperatures are rising, the Seahawks are winning, and organic food is all the rage. Everyone is accepted and considered equal, everyone, that is, except for Christians.
Woah. Yeah I said it. The long-time prejudice of all Christians being hypocritical and judgmental has been ironically reversed as people holding signs that say ALL LIVES MATTER are also so quickly able to scoff at the LIVES of Christians. The same movement to allow all beliefs to enter into the world and "coexist" is also the one that can be quick to eliminate allowing Christians to have their own beliefs. It's perfectly acceptable for someone to stand publicly for the killing of an unborn child (or fetus or egg or whatever you would like to call it depending on your point of view, since those two make it sound 'better'), but the second someone stands against abortion, they are just trying to infringe on a woman's rights and their opinion is so benign that it assuredly needs to be eliminated. Gay marriage is now a huge thing that this country has fought for and won. And Christians are simply not marrying the same sex. Big deal. Yet an intense hatred has formed towards Christians only because they believe in something different. What happened to love wins? Christians aren't saying they don't also love the LGBTQ community; they're just choosing the straight path. Two different beliefs. One very much more accepted than another. Equality, am I right?
I'm not asking for the entire world to magically change every political and religious view that they currently hold. I'd just like to bring to the table that if you want it equal, make it equal. Some can be so ready to fight against a Christian for their relationship with Jesus. I don't get it. It's one thing if what I believe is so detrimentally unfair to everyone that you must take a stand for it, like slavery or the Holocaust. But last time I checked, the Bible says to love everyone like Jesus, unconditionally and equally. But yeah, all Christians are a bunch of bigots.
Bigot. Let's look at that word.
/ˈbiɡət/
noun
- a person who is intolerant toward those holding different opinions.
Romans 15:7 // Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
Matthew 7:1 // Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in you brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
John 6:37 // All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
People!!!! The book we get our good Word out of literally says to love everyone and welcome them no matter what with no judgment. Yeah, we aren't going to agree with each other on every belief. But let's get this very clear : THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TOLERANCE AND CONFORMATION.
Me not completely falling head over heels and changing to a different belief just because you said it was the right way of life does not make me a bigot. It makes me strong in my own beliefs, like you yours. If you can't accept that I also have a different pair of opinions, I'd like to refer you back to the definition of bigot.
I'm done being the pacifist Christian that gets beat up for every single one of my beliefs unless I hide them in every waking moment. I love Jesus first, and I believe in Him. And I love you, even with your different beliefs. So stop pretending that I'm the bigot here.
