be prepared crew, we're going deep!
Ok, just as an overall warning to all...it's 3am and Kelsey is in one of her pensive moods...so we're going deep!
Right away, Matthew 7 jumps out at me because it addresses the very issue which had kept me away from Christianity for so long: judgment and hypocrisy.
Now, I want to say first and foremost that this post is in no way meant to attack or offend any of you who read it, because I love you all dearly. This post will simply be a reflection of my past, and some present, frustrations with the politics of the Christian church.
When I look into the current realm of politics in the United States, I am continually and utterly shocked and disappointed. There are so many issues today, like gay marriage/civil unions, which have been pushed to the forefront of the political arena by the Christian church; and I must say that in most cases I find myself completely confused and betrayed by their political stance. Jesus, as noted in Matthew 7, continually preached about acceptance and love for your brothers - no matter who they are. In the very beginning of Matthew 7 we are warned about passing judgment on others - it's simply not our place. Who are we to tell another that what they're doing is wrong? This is God's job, and in many times I feel like we are trying to step into shoes which are far too large for us to fill. Not only is it not our place because we are not God, but it is not our place because not one of us is perfect or without sin and to my understanding no sin is greater than another. God does not "rank" our sins. For example, homosexuality is no greater of a sin than adultry or even dishonoring your mother or father. I refuse to believe that one of us has no sawdust in our eyes. So why is it that we feel justified in our attempts to control and pass judgment on other's lives? Are forgiveness and acceptance not two of Jesus's greatest lessons? I simply can not understand how it is that we justify this disregardance of Jesus's teachings.
Matthew 7 encompasses many of life's lessons which we should all remind ourselves of daily. "Do to others what you would have them do to you." "Do not judge, or you too will be judged." "Enter through the narrow gate." I personally believe that these are some of Christianity's most important lessons, but I feel as though they are so often forgotten for the sake of politics as well as an attempt to take the easy route. Accusing others of sin and attempting to control their lives based on this judgment is NOT what should make us feel like good Christians; acceptance, forgiveness, self-improvement and living in God's light is what we should focus and strive for -- if we can do this, the kingdom of heaven would certainly be our reward.
I'd like to mention that this post has also been fueled by a recent string of hate crimes across GVSU's campus targeting students of racial minorities, religious minorities, as well as sexual orientation. These events have sparked a lot of talk and debate regarding not only what the University's response should be, but has also re-ignited the homosexuality debate among many students. Maybe I'm way off base, and if you feel that's the case please let me know...but all of this has caused me to ask the question "if Jesus were here, what would he do? What would he say?"
Right away, Matthew 7 jumps out at me because it addresses the very issue which had kept me away from Christianity for so long: judgment and hypocrisy.
Now, I want to say first and foremost that this post is in no way meant to attack or offend any of you who read it, because I love you all dearly. This post will simply be a reflection of my past, and some present, frustrations with the politics of the Christian church.
When I look into the current realm of politics in the United States, I am continually and utterly shocked and disappointed. There are so many issues today, like gay marriage/civil unions, which have been pushed to the forefront of the political arena by the Christian church; and I must say that in most cases I find myself completely confused and betrayed by their political stance. Jesus, as noted in Matthew 7, continually preached about acceptance and love for your brothers - no matter who they are. In the very beginning of Matthew 7 we are warned about passing judgment on others - it's simply not our place. Who are we to tell another that what they're doing is wrong? This is God's job, and in many times I feel like we are trying to step into shoes which are far too large for us to fill. Not only is it not our place because we are not God, but it is not our place because not one of us is perfect or without sin and to my understanding no sin is greater than another. God does not "rank" our sins. For example, homosexuality is no greater of a sin than adultry or even dishonoring your mother or father. I refuse to believe that one of us has no sawdust in our eyes. So why is it that we feel justified in our attempts to control and pass judgment on other's lives? Are forgiveness and acceptance not two of Jesus's greatest lessons? I simply can not understand how it is that we justify this disregardance of Jesus's teachings.
Matthew 7 encompasses many of life's lessons which we should all remind ourselves of daily. "Do to others what you would have them do to you." "Do not judge, or you too will be judged." "Enter through the narrow gate." I personally believe that these are some of Christianity's most important lessons, but I feel as though they are so often forgotten for the sake of politics as well as an attempt to take the easy route. Accusing others of sin and attempting to control their lives based on this judgment is NOT what should make us feel like good Christians; acceptance, forgiveness, self-improvement and living in God's light is what we should focus and strive for -- if we can do this, the kingdom of heaven would certainly be our reward.
I'd like to mention that this post has also been fueled by a recent string of hate crimes across GVSU's campus targeting students of racial minorities, religious minorities, as well as sexual orientation. These events have sparked a lot of talk and debate regarding not only what the University's response should be, but has also re-ignited the homosexuality debate among many students. Maybe I'm way off base, and if you feel that's the case please let me know...but all of this has caused me to ask the question "if Jesus were here, what would he do? What would he say?"
posted by Kelsey N. at 12:10 AM
3 Comments:
Kelsey,
You hit the nail on the head when you said that God doesn't rank our sins. In fact, if we look back at previous chapters, Jesus just got done telling us that if you even look at a woman you've lusted for her or that if you've verbally insulted someone then you are a murderer. Any of us who have been in a car collision of some type are thus condemned murders in God's eyes. ;)
So, why does the church have such a tradition of being so judgemental. You have to understand that religion is rooted in culture. The american church is rooted in american culture which is derived from european roots. Elsewhere in the world, christianity (depending on the flavor) is probably half foriegn influenced and half locally influenced.
The other side of it is that institutionalized religion is designed to carry forward teachings and scriptures without change over many many years. Because of this the church is very resistant to change.
So, in answer to your questions about the church response to homosexuality --
1. Homosexuality is a sin, defined in Deuteronomy. So, the church can not embrace or condone homosexual behavior. Just like it can't embrace or condone stealing, murder or any other sin.
2. The political debate is one of institutional and societal structure. The church is designed to resist change. It needs to be constant over time to preserve ancient teachings.
3. In a lot of these debates, individuals become pawns to bigger issues. The gay movement and lobby has a lot more to do with money than anything else. Gays are in the richer sector of society -- because they don't have families mostly. They don't have tax breaks and are trying to find loopholes.
Because the institutions of marraige and family are already weak in American society and because they have financial implications they are a battleground for politics.
Our American values place individual rights over society's right, over family rights. Niether here or there is defined in the bible. Because perfect love transends individuals and groups. Perfect love penetrates.
So, that's the debate
What would Jesus do?
I would imagine that he would invite a guy man to dinner and invite him into a relationship with God.
He would probably also tell him that he needed to stop having homosexual relations and instead follow ministry. Jesus never minced words and has always called us towards perfection.
He would send the holy spirit to help with the battle against the flesh.
Personally, I don't understand homosexuality very well. I've known some gay people but haven't gotten into deep conversations with them about gayness to really understand it.
From viewing societal trends, I would have to imagine that gayness goes along with consumerism. It seems to be rooted in individualism and wealth.
From a psychological pespective, I imagine that it is a similar attitiude to when you get into shopping and suddenly you need like everything cause its cute. You don't stop to think what it's for or in the long run why would purchasing it benefit other people other than to admire it and know that it's yours. I'm guessing that Jesus, in a modern sermon on the mound would point at Christians saying that they've sinned every time they've shopped like this. And a lot of pointing fingers would turn to solemn faced.
Other societies that had a lot of homosexuality were the romans and the greeks.
Adam and I just recently had a very long debate about homosexuality. I think that perhaps the most important question to answer in regards to the debate on homosexuality is "is homosexuality a choice, or are you born gay?" I say that this is the most important question to answer because many of the arguments against homosexuality, which you pointed out in your comment, are founded on the assumption that homosexualtiy is a choice. If someone is born gay - which there is currently some scientific research for both sides - how should we then treat homosexuals? If this is the case, how can we treat homosexuality as other sins in the sense that our best course of action is to try to stop the sin. Should all homosexuals then be expected to remain celibate? Also, I don't think the gay movement is at all simply based on issues surrounding money - yes, some of the issues discussed are things like tax breaks, but other issues are things like being able to make medical decisions for their life partners. Why should we keep them from making these kind of decisions?
Think back to the Terry Schiavo case, if she had been homosexual her partner would have had absolutely no legal ground to make a decision (even though in the end the autopsy showed that Terry's frontal lobe has completely disintegrated and the Schiavo's claims that she was improving were in no way possible.)
It's issues like these, making medical decisions, which are truly at the forefront of the gay movement. These are the things that they really want, who are we to deny them those rights? If homosexuality is a sin, but (for the sake of our little debate) homosexuality is predetermined by scientific factors at birth, how should we treat homosexuality? If God designs us each individually, why would he create people in such a way that they are a contradiction to themselves -- why would he create someone who is doomed to live a life of sin?
In response Kelsey, why are people prone to drinking, Petaphilia, gluttony, pride, greed, you name it and people can have a bent in that direction. Some people have a very strong bend to homosexuality. Others could go either way.
I look at my own life and my up bringing and the sins of my fathers and try hard to examine my own bends toward sin.
This is what we are all called to do.
The body fo Christ or the church is there to keep balance. We strive to turn away from sin.
In the body a spade is still called a spade. In society satin wants to run things and the best way to do that is make things that are sin look harmless. That is his mode of operation. Homesexuality is a sin just like my sinful pride is a sin.
Lusting for things is a sin. The best way for satin to interfere with our walk with God is to color things
with worldly glasses. To make things unbalanced. Take compassion and love of thy neighbor and twist it to say if we love them we accept them and therefore accept the sin as not sin. I can love the drunk down the street. I can give him a sandwich and a blanket. I don't give him money so he can buy booze. Love the sinner hate the sin. I can worked towards helping poeple with aids.But fight to keep marriage between and man and woman because that is how God designed things.
The old testament spoke of living under the law. God spoke then of what was clean and unclean. In the new testatment allows us not to live under the law but to have compassion for everyone. That is why Jesus eat
with tax collectors and hookers and I bet there were gay guy as well and he'd eat with me sinner that I am and I could look into his eyes and know he knew all my sins and loved me anyway.
He had the most contempt for the people of the church because they put themselves above the rest. Our churches today have the same sin. Because the body of christ is made up of sinners. So the body of Christ isn't perfect but its the best thing going. I find fellow christians who are in the same boat I am trying to live a "godly life"
trying to serve God here. But they are all reading the same instruction book that I am and trying to keep away from their sinful bends.
Lately
I have pulled away from many church activities because I was being all social about it. With the sin of pride that I am working on I must not get caught up in the look at me I'm a church goer. It's not my church's fault that I have this bend on this sin. It's mine I have to respond to the church and serve the body as best I can and not sin in the process. That is the trick to living for God and not letting anyone or anything become your God.
(including the church itself)
I sorry I'm going on but your questions are exactly the type people we need in the church body.
Our pastor said being christian was never going to be easy. No where in the bible does Jesus say I came to make you comfortable. Our church today needs shaking up. We must learn to serve this generation and understand the hold satins has on this world.
I am loving the dialogue. I pray for all of you daily and your personal walk. There is a warm affection for you all because we are all walking the same path as best we can.
God Bless
Joan
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