Stop Repeating Everyone Else--And Stop Lying
It really alarms me that I hear the same arguments all the time. It's like a cult. I hear the same exact things, from different mouths. Do you really think I've never heard these things before? I hear your arguments all the time. And frankly, it makes me a little worried about all of you.
That's part of why I started this blog: To show people that they're not saying anything new or original, because I already wrote an article about all of their points months ago. Maybe that will show them that they need to rethink their mentality on LGBT issues.
And it's not like you really care about the argument you're throwing at me like so many fiery darts. Most anti-gay arguments are not even in the Bible. (I don't even believe anti-gay sentiments are biblical at all, but that's another issue.)
You don't care about your own arguments, that you're asking me to care about. You don't really care about the possible detrimental effects of anal sex. You don't care how HIV is spread. You don't care about gay or lesbian couples being infertile. You don't care about any of that. If we never had anal sex (which most of us don't, most of the time), if there was no HIV, and if we could have biological children, you would still have a problem with us. So why are you wasting our time?
You don't like the fact that we're LGBT. Say that! Don't lie about what you really have a problem with. You believe the Bible condemns us--say that. That's really where your feelings come from--or at least, that's where everyone claims their feelings come from. The fact that you're just throwing ideas at us that aren't even important to you, and are not in the Bible at all, shows me that your feelings are more subconscious. You just have a problem with us. You're seeing us, not as just another sinner, but as worse sinners than you, just because we're gay. You are homophobic. And you don't even realize you feel that way about us.
And I know you're just throwing whatever arguments you can think of, at us, just to wear us down. You want to tire us out arguing with you, so that you can win. It is a low, dirty tactic, and you should not use it on someone you claim to love. But then, you think anything is justified--even trying to hurt us into the Kingdom. But when was the last time you listened to someone who had just hurt you, especially on purpose?
Before you make an argument, ask yourself, "Is there a Bible verse about this? Does the Bible directly address this?"
Where in the Bible does it mention AIDS? (Which is usually not deadly, anymore, so you may be accidentally implying that human science can overcome God's wrath. Don't do that. God may not like that.)
Where in the Bible does it mention the health effects of anal sex? (There are many things we can do other than anal sex, so you may not want to hang your argument on an ignorant view of us you didn't get from actual gay people.)
Where in the Bible does it say that barrenness is a sign of God's displeasure? Tell that to Abram and Sarai, Manoah and his unnamed wife, and Zachariah and Elizabeth. (If you don't remember all of these people, I encourage you to read the whole Bible--not just the New Testament and Psalms. Especially if you think you're a better Christian than me.) Perhaps you're going to say that God "can't" give gay couples children, as if Christians weren't literally adopted by Him. But did God disapprove of these biblical couples' marriages, before He gave them children? Was their barrenness a sign of His displeasure? What did these saints do wrong?
And I know you don't really care about any of these arguments, because when I debunk them, you're still arguing. It's only after the mundane, physical stuff that you take out the Bible verses. So why didn't you say the important things, first? Why are you more worried about our bodies than our souls?
I am so sorry that you are in the position where you have to worry about people going to hell, just for falling in love or wanting to be happy. I am so sorry you feel forced to believe that about God. And then you're afraid to question it, for fear that you'll be questioning God. I used to be you--which I know probably terrifies you, because you think I'm lost. So you're probably thinking, "NO! You were never a real Christian!" to make yourself feel better. But I know I was. I got saved, and meant it. And later finding out I wasn't straight, doesn't change the past. I'm not a character in a Christian novel. I didn't have shallow faith--it would have been a lot easier on me if I had. I gave being a good, straight, evangelical my best shot. And I was Protestant, if that makes a difference. Like it or not, I was just like you.
I've been on both sides of this, and I can tell you it's worse for the people you're affecting. You are hurting someone, or you will when you open your mouth or type on your keyboard. There's no "nice" way to call someone's love a sin--that's not a nice sentiment. You would never "disagree" with a straight person's relationship and expect them not to be hurt by that.
But I also know that unless you're an absolute jerk, it's not exactly easy for you. And I'm sorry for what you're going through. I hope you find real peace. I get angry because I'm hurting for those who are unnecessarily hurt in His name. For those who are alienated from God, because they are told they can't be gay and Christian, and have tried to be straight and failed. Those for whom it was not a choice. I hurt for people like me, people who might be more vulnerable than me--and the fact that it is the Christians who take their lives for being gay, when no one should feel they have to. I get angry because you're perpetuating all of this without even meaning to. It is so frustrating. But I still wish you well. I wish that whoever secretly wanted to be affirming, knew that they could.
Here's a collection of links about gay-affirming Christianity, if you have the courage to check it out:
The List
That's part of why I started this blog: To show people that they're not saying anything new or original, because I already wrote an article about all of their points months ago. Maybe that will show them that they need to rethink their mentality on LGBT issues.
And it's not like you really care about the argument you're throwing at me like so many fiery darts. Most anti-gay arguments are not even in the Bible. (I don't even believe anti-gay sentiments are biblical at all, but that's another issue.)
You don't care about your own arguments, that you're asking me to care about. You don't really care about the possible detrimental effects of anal sex. You don't care how HIV is spread. You don't care about gay or lesbian couples being infertile. You don't care about any of that. If we never had anal sex (which most of us don't, most of the time), if there was no HIV, and if we could have biological children, you would still have a problem with us. So why are you wasting our time?
You don't like the fact that we're LGBT. Say that! Don't lie about what you really have a problem with. You believe the Bible condemns us--say that. That's really where your feelings come from--or at least, that's where everyone claims their feelings come from. The fact that you're just throwing ideas at us that aren't even important to you, and are not in the Bible at all, shows me that your feelings are more subconscious. You just have a problem with us. You're seeing us, not as just another sinner, but as worse sinners than you, just because we're gay. You are homophobic. And you don't even realize you feel that way about us.
And I know you're just throwing whatever arguments you can think of, at us, just to wear us down. You want to tire us out arguing with you, so that you can win. It is a low, dirty tactic, and you should not use it on someone you claim to love. But then, you think anything is justified--even trying to hurt us into the Kingdom. But when was the last time you listened to someone who had just hurt you, especially on purpose?
Before you make an argument, ask yourself, "Is there a Bible verse about this? Does the Bible directly address this?"
Where in the Bible does it mention AIDS? (Which is usually not deadly, anymore, so you may be accidentally implying that human science can overcome God's wrath. Don't do that. God may not like that.)
Where in the Bible does it mention the health effects of anal sex? (There are many things we can do other than anal sex, so you may not want to hang your argument on an ignorant view of us you didn't get from actual gay people.)
Where in the Bible does it say that barrenness is a sign of God's displeasure? Tell that to Abram and Sarai, Manoah and his unnamed wife, and Zachariah and Elizabeth. (If you don't remember all of these people, I encourage you to read the whole Bible--not just the New Testament and Psalms. Especially if you think you're a better Christian than me.) Perhaps you're going to say that God "can't" give gay couples children, as if Christians weren't literally adopted by Him. But did God disapprove of these biblical couples' marriages, before He gave them children? Was their barrenness a sign of His displeasure? What did these saints do wrong?
And I know you don't really care about any of these arguments, because when I debunk them, you're still arguing. It's only after the mundane, physical stuff that you take out the Bible verses. So why didn't you say the important things, first? Why are you more worried about our bodies than our souls?
I am so sorry that you are in the position where you have to worry about people going to hell, just for falling in love or wanting to be happy. I am so sorry you feel forced to believe that about God. And then you're afraid to question it, for fear that you'll be questioning God. I used to be you--which I know probably terrifies you, because you think I'm lost. So you're probably thinking, "NO! You were never a real Christian!" to make yourself feel better. But I know I was. I got saved, and meant it. And later finding out I wasn't straight, doesn't change the past. I'm not a character in a Christian novel. I didn't have shallow faith--it would have been a lot easier on me if I had. I gave being a good, straight, evangelical my best shot. And I was Protestant, if that makes a difference. Like it or not, I was just like you.
I've been on both sides of this, and I can tell you it's worse for the people you're affecting. You are hurting someone, or you will when you open your mouth or type on your keyboard. There's no "nice" way to call someone's love a sin--that's not a nice sentiment. You would never "disagree" with a straight person's relationship and expect them not to be hurt by that.
But I also know that unless you're an absolute jerk, it's not exactly easy for you. And I'm sorry for what you're going through. I hope you find real peace. I get angry because I'm hurting for those who are unnecessarily hurt in His name. For those who are alienated from God, because they are told they can't be gay and Christian, and have tried to be straight and failed. Those for whom it was not a choice. I hurt for people like me, people who might be more vulnerable than me--and the fact that it is the Christians who take their lives for being gay, when no one should feel they have to. I get angry because you're perpetuating all of this without even meaning to. It is so frustrating. But I still wish you well. I wish that whoever secretly wanted to be affirming, knew that they could.
Here's a collection of links about gay-affirming Christianity, if you have the courage to check it out:
The List
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