I watched a great documentary on the Sundance channel: Our House: A Very Real Documentary About Kids of Gay and Lesbian Parents.
I know homosexuality is a very controversial issue for many people. I know some people have some very strong beliefs against homosexuality. It's always interesting to me that it's oftentimes Christians who make the snide and rude comments about and to people who are gay or lesbian. Regardless of what how we believe the Bible addresses homosexuality, I do not believe Jesus walked around making snide and rude comments to or about anyone of any sexual orientation, ethnicity, economic level, etc. That was not in his character.
For some reason, people feel it's their right to openly condemn people's decisions. I can't imagine that people who do that consider the feelings of the person they are talking about. I have heard some thoughtless...and hurtful...comments ("That's gay!" or "He's queer." or maybe more direct comments). I know you hear them just like I do.
This documentary was powerful to me because the interviewers talked to the children. They asked the kids how they felt about having homosexual parents. Though there were several different perspectives from several different states, every kid said they loved their parents. Not surprising, huh? They didn't choose their parents any more than I did. We love the people who nurture us and take care of us. It is no different for a family with two moms or two dads.
Whether we feel that homosexuality is right, wrong, or somewhere in between...and whether we say or hear a negative comment made about or to a homosexual, I think it's important to consider the message we send. Is it beneficial to anyone? The Jesus I know would not have openly disparaged and would not have listened to anyone else openly disparage someone.
Maybe we should try to be more like Him.
3 comments:
I am not sure that I agree that Jesus did not make disparaging remarks. He did reproach believers, the Pharisees, Sadducees and even the woman at the well. As Christians we have been blessed with a truth and knowledge, not known or understood by non-christians. I think what we often forget is that “the law” is there for self-examination and to make Christians accountable to each other. So that by our lives we can be “a light to the world”.
This particular topic is close to my heart. I do not understand the whole Homosexual/Christianity issue. I pray that someday I will. But for now, I do know that I have very dear friends who are Gay that are in the process of adoption. I am in awe of their courage. I am a 36 yr old bi-racial woman who has been the recipient of many a disparaging word because of my ethnicity, of which (like these children) I had no control over. My black/white parents were married in 1968 when it was still illegal in some states for them to be (gay marriage is illegal). They were pioneers, people like these Gay and Lesbian couples, who took the “road less traveled”. I believe people like my parents have played a major role in race relations in this country. Their courage and example has bridge many gaps of myths and misunderstanding. I want to believe that the same will be true for these Gay and Lesbian families.
How wonderful that these children love their parents. How wonderful that they have even experienced love at all. How sad it is that they may never know the greatest love of all because of misguided Christian contempt and thoughtless disparaging remarks.
Thanks for the dialogue.
Friend (R)
Thanks, anonymous. I do agree that Jesus reproached believers...often very boldly and bluntly. I guess maybe "condescending" would've been a better word than "disparaging" (or your word, "contempt" was good as well). I believe Jesus spoke the truth and held people accountable. But I don't believe he talked down to anyone or talked to them in a way that assumed that they were "less than" anyone else. Thanks for helping me clarify that.
In my Bible, it doesn't say anything about "being gay" as being wrong. I have recently come out as a bisexual woman, whose children both love her very much. My son is less accepting of any partner other than his dad, woman or man.
My daughter doesn't know to be "biased." She has a disability and she is nonverbal. She does however, look at my partner Julie and smile at times. I guess in her way she is giving her seal of approval to Julie.
I have had many things about me that make me different. My parents were considered outcasts in our community-my dad being a Vietnam veteran who had never married, and my mom was outcase because she had done a stint in Terrell. Lucky for me, they love each other very much.
It is in much the same way that I love Julie. I had an open marriage with a fellow male student, who accepted my bisexuality as part of who I am. He told me later, "Bisexuality isn't like in the porn movies--it is a state of mind."
Jesus preached a doctrine of acceptance. The "Way" as it was called in the Holy Roman Empire was adopted as the main religion, but they allowed many religions to still practice to keep peace in the Empire.
In one part of the Bible, it says "Render unto Cesear what is Cesear's and what is God's unto God..." MK 8:16...
I don't think that anyone should be allowed to choose whether or not I have relgious or moral freedom. Let's put it this way: I say nothing when hetersexual couples kiss in front of my children in the store. I don't begrudge them their choice; I just wish they would leave me to mine....
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