Gay pride prompts sad, embarrassing animosity
May I offer a compromise to the sad and shameful animosity between those celebrating June as “Gay Pride Month” and those who believe that homosexuality is a moral “abomination.”
First, for the LGBTQIA+ community, please know for every person with a “God Hates Gays” sign, there are hundreds of Christians who believe they are to love and treat every God-created person on earth with dignity—even if they strong disagree and oppose a groups beliefs and actions. Keep in mind, Christ taught the most important commandments are to love God and to love one’s neighbor as one’s self. And the apostle John writes:
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love (1 John 4:7-8).
So, LGBTQA+ community, please treat your opponents with the same kind of love.
Second, for the Christian community, the verse above should form our reactions to any one who identifies as LGBTQIA+. And for those who believe members of this group are moral enemies, remember Christ’s teaching:
“Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:44-45).
So, here are some of my favorite posts that attempt to shed some light—not heat— on both sides reactions to one another:
• It’s about obedience, not orientation
In my humble opinion, most conservative churches have it wrong in their response to LGBTQIA+ issues.
• LGBTQIA+ and B-I-B-L-E
Both sides of the issue have manipulated Scripture and need to know what—and not what—the Bible teaches about this issues.
• My gender-identity crisis
One-third of young males and many females go through a gender identity crisis during puberty, but most eventually choose their biological sex.
• Why be bent out of shape by LGBTQIA+?
God’s very image is expressed in the marriage relationship between a man and woman and God’s very image is distorted in a union between the same sexes.
• Posting with love, truth, and grace
No matter where you stand on this issue, I think we can all agree that social media has put the coarse in discourse! The politically-correct media “cancels” opposing views, Internet trolls attack with anonymity, and the public square is now isolated enclaves of like-minded people shouting at those with whom the disappear.
Copyright © 2023 James N. Watkins
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