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I may be many different things: unique, emotional, impulsive, tender, assertive. But I am no sinner.
I know that may strike some readers, those that are not accustomed to visiting here, as offensive and against God. If so, and if you don’t care to look at it a bit differently, then you probably should not read past this sentence. If you have any notion of opening up your thinking a bit, or know where I am going with this, by all means, read on.
I believe in God, I believe in Jesus and his teachings, and that the Universe is powerful, but good. I also believe that people are inherently good, and that life often creates scenarios where they take bad turns. I don’t believe in evil, and I don’t believe that people are born, bad.
I also don’t believe, no wait, let me rephrase: I KNOW that I am not a sinner, especially not one because I am gay. NO WAY. I am not real knowledgable in the concept of sin through organized religion, but even if I were, I don’t know that I would believe that it was anything except a creation of manmade religion in order to keep people in line. However, if I DID believe in it, I would not believe that homosexuality in and of itself was sinful.
Why? Because, a person being who it is they are born as does not make one a sinner. I was born gay, I am pretty sure of that. I would not actively choose this, I am just about certain, because the road is really difficult and challenging. However, I was born good, and part of my identity that came with my delivery was my sexual orientation. Therefore, it is not sinful.
Now, if I did believe in sin, there may be some level of debate I would be willing to participate in regarding sexual activity outside of a committed relationship. However, I don’t believe in sin. What I DO believe in, is that we all make poor choices in our lives. I don’t think that anyone around can say that they have never made a poor choice of one kind or another; a choice that hurt themselves, or someone else. However, we all have the capacity for growth and change. So, if I do something that hurts another person, I can always make amends and change my behavior for the future.
And, being gay for me is not a behavior, or a choice, or a lifestyle. I am being who I was born to be. I am being who God created me to be. Again, God created me in His image. Gayness and all.
I don’t want to argue with those who are of religious minds and feel that what I say about this is totally wrong and against God and the Bible. Sure, I am willing to listen, but I will not tolerate being ridiculed or condemned. I will listen as long as I am also listened to. I mean, respect has to be mutual, or it isn’t true respect.
I am hungry for dialogue. I have come to feel a calm resolve in the fact that the difficult conversations are only difficult if we don’t allow both sides to participate. Sure, they are uncomfortable, but we all can survive them. People disagree, but in the end, we can still have respect and admiration for one another. At least in my world they can.
And, in my mind, Jesus would have his arms wrapped lovingly around me, just for being who I am.
