I have found myself humbled over the past few weeks. The Christian in a Changing World, by Hans Rookmaaker opened my eyes to a few things. I think we, as Christians, get wrapped up in our own beliefs and sort of forget that out there is an entire world of people. We go to church, and read our Bibles, and judge everyone else. That's probably a harsh statement, but in so many ways it is true. I have had homosexual friends throughout the past few years. When one of my friends first told me he was gay I was shocked to the point where I nearly ruined our friendship. I stopped talking to him completely for several months. After growing up in the church my entire life all I was told was that homosexuality is a sin, it is bad, you will go to hell; why wasn't anyone teaching me to love the sinner? Instead of loving my friend I stepped away and felt the need to distance myself from him. We're always taught to love the sinner, and not the sin... but this theology seems to pick and choose to who it applies.
In class we discussed the mosque being built by the world trade center. I had my own opinions on this. I was ready to defend my beliefs with ten different points. Professor Leeper talked about if Christians stood with the ones wanting to build the mosque, and to be honest I was sort of shocked, but I began to think. I still don't have my own views on this completely figured out, because what was said in class made me step back and reexamine the situation, but I am thinking differently now. My whole life this one theology was thrown my way, believe these things, don't do those things; maybe they're right and maybe they're wrong but I'm thinking for myself now. I listen to professor Leeper talk about this building of the mosque and I think to myself that maybe I need to stop being caught up in my own Christian world and realize I'm living in a world that is post-Christian. I will love my friends who make life decisions I may not think is moral instead of walking away because I feel uncomfortable. Like Rookmaaker says, We cannot expect people follow our rules.
A recent guest speaker, Andrew Marin, spoke on the topic of loving everyone. He quoted Billy graham saying, “It is the Holy Spirit's job to convict, God's job to judge, and it's my job to love." I think this might be the most profound, yet easily simple message I have heard from anyone in the church. This quote should be thrown up on every wall of every church across America, so that every time we are faced with a situation in which we are faced with post-christian world views, we remember our place; we remember we are here to serve God, and we are here to love.
Well said Kevin! Mr. Marin's statement has been running around in my head still! And it is such a freeing statement!
ReplyDeleteI grew up with a church family, and in the fairly traditional church, with the stereotypical views/feelings on homosexuality. But one of my uncles came out about when I was 8 I think? I'm not sure how old I was. It feels like it's been forever. Now, he's my favorite uncle, even though I never see him. So for me, whenever I think about hypothetical gay people, or when people talk about gay people, I think of the uncle who always supported me. Who told my mum when she got frustrated with me to let me be. So, I don't feel like it's hard to love them. Because someone I love is one. (And I like to like everyone. I feel guilty if I don't like someone. Most of the time) I think we make such a big deal about it, that it becomes this huge monolith that we have to overcome, and society just draws a line, and says pick your side. I feel a little closed in by that, since both the Christians as a society, and the other societies are yelling at me to choose...
ReplyDeleteThank you Rachel. It's really a wonderful statement. I am going to put it on my wall so I can see it every day.
ReplyDeleteAbi,
I agree that we make a big deal out of it, and other things as well. We were taught that way. As believers in Christ I think there may be some times in our life where we must pick sides, but like Marin said, we need to be the bridge between the two sides. It's not an easy job, but how are we going to reach anyone if there is a large, large gap between the two sides? I'm not questioning you, I'm just throwing this out on the blog. I agree with what you are saying.
I agree, I was just saying that, for me at least, it's not hard to love them. But both sides are wanting us to pick sides, and to choose theirs. I was actually going to write longer, but then I lost my train of thought and got distracted and ended it there.
ReplyDelete