The 'Right' Christian

From time to time, I’ll get an email from someone wanting to challenge me on religious views due to my homosexual lifestyle. They’ll ask the same thing every other Christian has asked me: “How can you be a lesbian and a Christian at the same time?” Once, I had sent someone a link to an article I had written so it would better explain that, but the person who emailed me pointed out how impersonal it was. Other mail comes from hateful Christians telling me that I'm going to hell and that I live a sinful life. I also have emails such as older women who have been married for over somewhat years, has kids, grandkids and their life has been made “comfortable”, ask me, “I always knew I was gay and can’t keep it in any longer. What should I do?” For me, I can’t answer that. The entire concept of possibly having your family, which you’ve created, you loved for all these years can come toppling down like an unstable building in an earthquake. I can’t say, “Come out and be YOU!” It’s not my place. This morning, I received an email from a twenty-one year old Christian lesbian telling me “thank you”. She explained it was especially hard since her parents are first generation immigrants who had conservative and traditional Christian values. She even mentioned the fact that contemporary times have progressed in terms of human rights and tolerance - which is a whole other thing many conservative Christians will point out as an opposing view. Part of her email says, "Your writing is just as equally elegant, as your ability to pierce through life's veils and in place, speak words of love, truth, and wisdom, penetrating through the human soul. I've been devouring every entry relative to my own personal experiences and each time, it has been both insightful and healing. I am writing you this in my wholehearted appreciation, for just as your words have encouraged me, so too do I want to send you a little note of full-fledged support. I'm looking forward to ordering your book within the next week." So I thank this reader for taking the time to send me a positive email. Although I appreciate opposing ones, this one was refreshing to know that in some small way, I've helped someone.

On Facebook, I am ‘friends’ with many Christian people - some to which preach an entire blog’s worth onto their status message. One Christian happens to be a good friend, who dabbles in every area and feels that homosexuality is not a sin, as another friend of mine writes his heart out of how much of a grave sin it is to be gay or lesbian. He also writes how women should submit to their husbands and never divorce them unless it’s in terms of infidelity. So if she’s being constantly beaten up every single night, she should stay with him, right? Great logic. The Bible confuses many people, or vice/versa; that people often get confused by the Bible. Does it make a difference? What makes one belief truth and the other not? If the Bible was so “black and white”, then why are people fighting over it? Can it be from the ton of translations, interpretations, various understandings of it? Can it be that many Christians feel that the Bible is written by a man and not inspired by God Himself? It’s great to see all my Christian friends writing about their faith, giving encouragement for a difficult day or sharing some inspiring words, however, I do see many of them trying to be provocative, stirring the pot if you will with judgmental remarks and condemnation on many people who read them. What’s more important: your relationship with God, or going by the teachings or beliefs of another person? What makes that person’s belief “right” and what makes another person’s belief “wrong”? Why can’t we respect one another’s lives, as the Bible is ‘clearly’ not clear itself? Why fight over it? Nobody wins. It's a never-ending holy war among Christians.

In this Scripture found in Romans 14:1-4, it says this:

"Accept Christians who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. For instance, one person believes it is all right to eat anything. But another believer who has a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. Those who think it is all right to eat anything must not look down on those who won’t. And those who won’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. Who are you to condemn God’s servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him tell them whether they are right or wrong. The Lord’s power will help them do as they should."

As Christians, we’re not to tell others what’s “right or wrong”. It says so clearly in their own Bible. It’s telling us not to look down on those who don’t go by your beliefs.

Then Jesus says this:

The Most Important Commandment--
“One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the discussion. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, ‘Of all the commandments, which is the most important?’ Jesus replied, ‘The most important commandment is this: Here, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important. Love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.’" ~Matthew 22:34-40

So which Christian is "right" and which Christian is "wrong"?

For more of Deb's articles, please visit: www.debrapasquella.com