On Homosexuality

Thought to myself, why not?  Why not throw my opinions to the wind and dive head long into a controversial topic for the church in today's world?  I mean, of course I'll be the first to humbly accept the honor that I will be the one to end the debate.  That's what most of us are trying to do with each tweet, Facebook post, or conversation.  Thirty seconds of my ranting (mostly plagiarized by some loud-mouthed talking head on TV) and you're opinion will be firmly planted in my camp.  Boom.  Done.  ...and yes I wrote this on Friday afternoon and not Monday morning because research shows you'll be less likely to read it and I'll be less likely to get in trouble for it by somebody. 

 

In my office there is a stack of papers I had written in college.  In a folder there are a few writings all the way back to high school.  Every few years or so I peruse through them and the old writings that are saved on my computer.  It is always fascinating to see how my opinions wonder from here to there, sometimes non-existant, and come back around to another place.  Its really the primary reason I blog these days.  Its simply a place to throw out some thoughts and allow others to enjoy them if they so please.

Another reason is I somehow became involved in church leadership long ago.  Having officiated weddings, funerals, baptisms, and communion while seeing the title "pastor" put by my name with some other qualifier (youth, associate, student, etc.) I am not an idiot that for us pastor types, and teachers, and parents, and managers, and others, people do care about our thoughts.  Generally that's because we keep them to ourselves.  Otherwise we wouldn't be in one of those positions because we'd had been canned.

I don't think most of us change our opinions because of what one of the aforementioned folks or others said about the topic but I think that in great part if they say what you're thinking but afraid to admit to others, they make it okay and give you peace for feeling the way you do.  President Obama may not have shifted an opinion one way or the other but he did make it easier for those who feel as he does to speak openly.  Of course he also made others so angry they would just as well stomp on bunnies as hear his opinion.

It was several years ago that I had one of those moments.  A group of us youth workers were sitting at dinner after some weekend or week-long event.  We were in the philosophically safe confines of being all white, heterosexual, males, wearing cargo shirts, tight shirts for optimal pudgy appeal, with goatees.  As we have the tendency to do when its just us youth workers in a safe place we were throwing around ideas about controversial topics.  Being the one who is generally too moderate for everyone I was customarily quiet, just asking questions.

Then one of the guys says the obvious, "you can be Christian and be gay."  Nobody hit him with the bun of their burger so it felt safe for me to agree.  Naturally because we were a church going crew, and studied theology at that, the Bible came into the discussion.  All the texts most church folk are familiar with, Levitical Laws from the Old Testament, Romans chapter 1, yada yada yada.  Of course nobody would be surprised that I would be the one bringing up Luke 17 (just to be funny), Matthew 5 while also comparing it all to Paul and Peter's seeming acceptance of slavery.  It just seemed like the thing to do.

Do we take the whole Bible literally or none of it?  Its always seemed like that is the question that needs to be asked.  I've never understood how we pick and choose which ones to be literal about and which ones we don't.  And of course the Bible matters to me on this subject and even what I should have as a mid-day snack.  It is a holy text that informs who I am.

To be continued tomorrow...

Anniversary Tip #1: Find someone great (Jenn) to go somewhere great (Yosemite)

Random Thought on North Korea: I just really hope there 

are legitimate plans on what to do if they were to actually launch a missile.

Smacking Cheesecake #2: They are planning on opening 12 new locations

 in Latin America.  Just say no South America!  Cling to your 

cebiches and pork offerings!  Just say no to nonfresh C level 

food at A level prices!