Don't Tell Me How Much You Love Jesus
Show me how you treat others and how you live the faith that you claim informs your life
Dear Phobic Christian,
I’m not sure how you ended up here.
I don’t know how you ended up deciding that anyone else’s body, their gender identity, or their sexual orientation were any of your business.
I don’t know who told you that you had any right to tell another human being who they could be attracted to or find contentment with, or what pronouns they should use for themselves or how they should dress, or who they could marry or what restroom they had to use or if they deserved to adopt children or not.
It certainly wasn’t Jesus.
It never ceases to amaze me how the teachings of Jesus Christ seem to dovetail perfectly with the fear, hatred, and prejudice of homophobic Christians who think they can tell others whom and how they should love. For reasons I’m clearly too dense to understand, these faux Christians believe it’s their right- nay, responsibility- to pass judgment upon the LGBTQ community.
For how else are these poor sinners to know that they’ve got the pedal to the metal in the express lane to Hell?
Instead of focusing on getting their own houses in order, these uber-righteous Christians have decided that they’re going to focus on telling the LGBTQ community where they’ve gone wrong. Not that anyone in the LGBTQ community poses a threat to anyone’s morality for any reason, mind you. Still, there are those intrepid moral/theological policemen who want to ensure that those who identify as LGBTQ can still have a shot at making it to Heaven.
As if they’re going to be on the selection committee.
I know you like to pass the buck to Jesus in your treatment of LGBTQ people, but I also know that he never asked you to do any of it. You weren’t given the authority to judge their moral worth, you weren’t given permission to trespass into their bedrooms, and you weren’t authorized to police their physicality.
On matters of sexuality, Jesus was largely silent, and so how you found yourself being so loud about it, is probably something you should pray on. That may be a you problem.
What I do know about Jesus, is that he told you to love people as yourself; with that kind of regard and respect and gentleness.
I know he told you not to cast stones or insults or condemnation at anyone until you’re fully sinless yourself.
I know he told you that as you treat the marginalized and the forgotten and those already suffering—you treat him.
And I also know that he never once criticized or condemned anyone for their identity or orientation—and he never said you should or could.
Christianity was never intended as a means to bolster hatred, prejudice, and homophobia. If you believe that your faith bestows upon you the right to invade the bedroom of another and to cast judgment upon their sexuality, YER DOON IT RONG!!!
Part of the problem with this world- Christianity included- is that far too many folks believe they have the right and the power to pass judgment on how others live their lives. But, no matter who you are or what religion you profess, there’s nothing that provides you with the right to judge anyone. About anything.
Your sole responsibility in this world is to get your own house in order. Do that, and you’re going to be ahead of 98.5% of humanity. But, trust me on this when I tell you that getting your house in order is a tall order- and there is no finish line. It’s a constant process that ends only when they finally come to drag you out your front door feet-first.
Part of getting your house in order is coming to grips with the realization that you being you is a significant challenge in and of itself. Trying to persuade others into conforming to your narrow worldview is a recipe for frustration and anger.
You’re certainly free to you’re opinion about the LGBTQ community, but that freedom ends when you try to enforce that opinion upon others who don’t share it OR your religion.
Don’t TELL me how much you love Jesus and how committed you are to His teaching. Instead, SHOW me how you treat others. Demonstrate to me that you’re able to live the teachings of the Gospel and not just the ones you find convenient.
This would be an excellent time to remind the studio audience that Jesus Christ isn’t a Republican. Or a Democrat. Those are human constructs, and any Divine approval of specific ideologies is woven from whole cloth.
I’m an atheist. I don’t believe in Christianity in part because of the hypocrisy I’ve observed among so many who call themselves “Christians” today. That said, I’m not anti-Christianity, and I know (and admire) many Christians who legitimately endeavor to live their faith. Their attempt to live a Christ-like life is what the practice of Christianity should be.
From where I sit, I don’t need an artificial set of rules to govern my simple philosophy of life:
DON’T BE A DICK.
Be kind to everyone you see because you never know the challenges with which they’re wrestling. And believe me when I say that “be kind” may sound simple, but it seldom is. One must be in tune with oneself- and be kind with oneself- before it’s possible to practice genuine kindness with others.
In the end, though, it’s a pretty simple proposition- Love wins. Love ALWAYS wins. And the sooner we can get Mankind back to that simple truth, the better off all of us will be. If all of us could make it a point to practice (at least) one simple act of kindness a day, this world would be a much kinder and more compassionate place.
Remember:
Don’t tell me how much you love Jesus.
Show me how you treat others, especially those who live in a manner you find disagreeable/offensive.
Don’t be a dick.
Love wins. Love ALWAYS wins.
Always be kind, and know that no matter how bad things might seem, it’s always possible to be kind. Indeed, that might be the one thing that could help you salvage a situation.
Kindness is never a bad option.
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