This is in response to another blog: http://www.danoah.com/2011/11/im-christian-unless-youre-gay.html
Quotes from the article are in "" and my comments *.
The first half of the article I agree with. The outcast should not be shunned but loved. Jesus ate with sinners and loved them dearly.
The greatest spiritual leaders in history have all preached love for others as the basis for all happiness.
*False Christianity teaches true happiness is found in Jesus Christ.
“So if this is the founding directive of all the major religions… why is it that sometimes the most “Christlike” people are they who have no religion at all?”
Don’t get me wrong. I know a lot of incredible Christians, too. I know some incredible Buddhists and Muslims and Hindus and Jews. I know a lot of amazing people, devout in their various religions, who truly love the people around them.
*The basis for life is not solely love everyone for the sake of themselves. What then is our definition? Is love then only to accept someone as they are? Then leave them where they are?
In truth, having a religion doesn’t make a person love or not love others. It doesn’t make a person accept or not accept others. It doesn’t make a person befriend or not befriend others.
*true, a religion. But not all who claim Christ are his.
I’m not here to say homosexuality is a sin or isn’t a sin. To be honest, I don’t give a rip. I don’t care. I’m not here to debate whether or not it’s natural or genetic. Again, I… don’t… care. Those debates hold no encumbrance for me.
*I get this, but as a Christian God wants to set us free from sin. Thus we love others that they might find life with Jesus.
There are things we all do or believe that other people consider “sinful.” There are things we all do or believe that other people consider “wrong.” There are things we all do or believe that other people would be disgusted or angered by.
*True others consider some things sin. And the scripture claims we are all sinner, But the Christians must repent for sin breaks our fellowship with God. There is a right and wrong. Christ came to set us free from sin. And yes this lack of love and hate is sin.
I promise you it doesn’t matter what you believe, how strongly you live your beliefs, or how true your beliefs are. Somebody else, somewhere, thinks you are in the wrong
Yet, we expect and want love anyway. We expect and want understanding. We expect and want tolerance. We expect and want humanity. We expect and want respect for our beliefs, even from those who don’t believe the same things we do. Even from those who think we’re wrong, unwise, or incorrect.
We expect all of that from the people who disagree with us and who disagree with our lifestyles and beliefs because, let’s be honest, nothing we do is actually bad enough to be worthy of disgust, anger, hatred, or cold-shouldering. Right? None of the ways in which we live our lives would warrant such behavior. Right? None of our beliefs are worthy of ugly disdain from others
*what is tolerance or acceptance? I will love someone yet have to tell him or her the truth because Jesus desires for us to be freed from sin and truly live. Truth is not relative. This argument seems to be based upon the belief that there is not absolute truth. Yet this claim is an absolute claim, which is contradictory. We can’t all be right. Yet I want to score all of this with the fact that we should love one another. Yet it seems you believe we must define love with tolerance. Yet love is not tolerance. And what is tolerance
We shouldn’t choose who we will love and who we won’t.
True. I agree that we should love all.
Just some thought I had. I agree with the hate that is shown by many religious people. Any person who claims to follow Jesus yet does not love is Not a Christian, This is found in the book of 1 John. Many people who claim it are not of God. But my question is, how do you define love? Because I have friends whom I love yet I still must tell the truth to. For Jesus came in the form of man to die for our sins and be raise again. That if we believe in Him we might have life in God, not just eternal life but true life now which is not bound to sin.
With love
Joshua
