what an incredible movie! wow wow and then even some more wow. it was encouraging and depressing all at the same time. i cried and laughed. i was uplifted and discouraged. but mostly, i was excited about what the future holds! there are people and churches out there that are "getting it." people are embracing the truth about homosexuality. churches and true Christ-followers are finally digging into scripture and realizing that it doesn't condemns homosexuality. i already knew this (though only recently) but this movie helped drive the point home.
if you haven't seen it, i absolutely encourage you to. it's called "for the bible tells me so" and it is a remarkable movie and one of the most important movies of our time. especially since the issue of homosexuality is splitting churches all over the world. this issue must be resolved for the body of Christ to reunite.
some highlights of the movie:
knowing that there are 100s, if not 1000s of people out there just like me. christians who have been gay their whole lives but who tried to change it or hide it or deny it. but it doesn't work! since God made us this way, we must embrace it and start really living! the only thing holding me back was because i thought it was a sin. my whole life i'd heard "abomination... sin" from the pulpit and sunday school teachers, and yes, my parents. but now that i have a mind of my own, i have gone deep into the Word to see what the Bible really says about homosexuality. guess what Jesus says about it? nothing. yep, that's right. nothing. so it was beautiful to hear testimonies from people just like me, who came out of hiding. i just pray that my family will respond in similar ways that these families did. i just keep praying. i fell asleep last night again praying and praying for my family and friends. pleading even through tears that God would reveal His truth to christianity.
i was heart broken by how combative some people in the church are against homosexuals. the movie showed a clip from jimmy swaggart where he yells with bigotry something like: homosexuals are an abomination and if some guy hits on me, i'll kill him and tell God he died.
really? has this what it's come to? "Godly" men preaching about hatred and violence from the pulpit. guys like james dobson fooling millions of people spreading his rhetoric of misinformation and lies. at one point he said there are hundreds of thousands of homosexuals being cured with help from God. um... show me those people james. where are they? because guess what? you can't change someone sexual orientation. did God make a mistake when He made gays? was He like, "woops, i messed up on that one, i guess He'll just have to change." uh, no. far from it. we are gay. it is at the core of who we are. it is not something that can be changed. maybe that's why ALL the major professional organizations agree that it is harmful to try and change someone's sexuality.
facts are a stubborn thing, it's been said. and that is true. the facts are true and it proves that being gay isn't a choice. ignorance is a choice though, and i wish these "godly" men shown in the film would try and educate themselves to the truth about sexual orientation. choose to be enlightened. but no, some people think that's just too hard. we humans like our boxes. but God is ready to bust out of the box we've put Him and His Word in. no human has the corner market on the knowledge of God. only God does. therefore, how about trying to just get to know Him instead of passing judgement on a group of people you really know nothing about?
i digress :)
so the movie was amazing. yes, its heart breaking that there are so many people who call themselves christians who are waging war against homosexuals. but it was so encouraging to know there are true Christ-followers out there who are fighting for our cause. there are GODLY, truly GODLY men and women in ministry who are changing the world, who also happen to be gay.
sorry, this is such a long blog, but the movie truly was amazing! but you'll just have to watch it for yourself!
let me tell you something about me... God started using me THE MOST when i finally embraced my gay identity as a Christ-follower. yes, He busted out of the box i put Him in and His Spirit unleashed over everyone i sing for. i am worshipping like never before. and so are the people around me. it has been amazing to witness. when i finally accepted who God made me, that is when He has really turned up the heat on my ministry! i'm just trying to ride the wave and hang on for dear life! because He is moving and it is a beautiful thing to witness and be a part of. how awesome a privilege is it to get to be included in what God is doing to bring glory to His name in this world.
make much of Yourself Jesus! reveal Your truth about how You feel about homosexuals. quiet the mouths of people who are ignorant and hateful! and raise the voice of the people who are fighting for Love and Equality! prepare our hearts for truth and unify Your body!
i'm ready. are you?
8 comments:
I watched that film last week with my Education for Ministry group, and found it powerfully moving as well. I was particularly shocked by the Jimmy Swaggart piece---this is a man who has been caught with prostitutes and he DARES to condemn people in faithful covenants?!?!? There are none so blind as those who will not see...
One resource I would point you to is Louie Crew. Louie and his husband, Ernest, have been married for 34 years now. Louie is the kindest, most forgiving--but determined--soul in the world. I think you would enjoy reading his "blog."
It's really more a collection of his writings for the last 20 years, rather than a regular blog---and a lot of it after 2003 is very focused on the specific politics of the Episcopal church (of which I am a member). But I highly encourage you to go back to the very beginning and read through. He is a real role model for me---an openly gay man, in a committed, lifelong, relationship, who loves God and holds no grudges against his persecutors.
Louie founded Integrity, which is the Episcopalian group for GLBTs in the church. Given your question about living with integrity, I think Louie's writings will help you.
And one more thing---he answers e-mail. If you ever want to contact him, I know he will answer you back...and you will be delighted when he does.
Pax,
Doxy
This was such a wonderful film, wasn't it? I absolutely loved it. Even Beloved was riveted (and she's not so much with the religion stuff).
Blessings upon your continuing journey.
Pax, C.
I have this on reserve at my library...I'm anxious to watch it.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
((when i finally accepted who God made me))
Yes, yes! I have accepted who God made me, too --- A SINNER, who needs to recognize my sin, confess it, and repent of it.
Being born a certain way doesn't make it right, honey. You're trying to put the usual gay spin on it: "I was born this way, so it must be good, and it must be from God." I've heard child molesters, adulterers, and incesters use the same argument, not to mention those who say they were born with angry dispositions.
Of course, they've been deceived, as have you. God clearly says that incest, adultery, anger, and molestation are sins which must not be practiced. Just because we're born with those dispositions does not make them right -- we are born SINFUL, which expresses itself in all these different ways.
The same is true of homosexuality. You may be born with an inclination toward it, but IT IS SIN, because God has declared it to be sin, and like the adulterer, you must confess it as sin, repent of it, and ask for God's strength and grace to resist your fleshly impulses toward it until you finally have real victory in Christ.
You're being deceived, kiddo. God doesn't ramp up your ministry when you embrace your sin as a blessing from Him. Satan has fooled you!
Hidden in Christ, I too have received comments from an anonymous poster who felt the need to correct me about what they believed was the sinful nature of same-sex love. (I responded to him in two posts, March 23 and March 25). I will tell you something I believe with all my heart: same sex-love, as in love between two consenting adults of the same sex, is not addressed in scripture. Anywhere. Period. The passage in Leviticus that is always mentioned is damned by its context (regulations about "unnaturalness"; when it is clear that same sex orientation is a "natural" disposition for many. The American Psychological Association stopped calling homosexuality an illness more than 30 years ago; it was recognized as one version of normal.)
The passage usually cited from Romans names a number of activities which, in the Greek original, all have to do with exploitative relationships that are a result of idol worship. Your commenter would do well to study the beginning of Romans 2: "Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things."
I will say it again: Same sex relationships of equality and mutuality are not discussed in scripture. Period. On the other hand, what we do with our money is discussed by Jesus at length-- more than any other topic in the gospels. Also, the inadvisability of judging others.
That "anonymous" chooses not to sign says volumes. That he or she also is filled with self-hate and regards his/ her same sex attraction as sinful is tragic. We should pray for him/ her, that God can enable this hurting child to know the fullness of God's love and grace.
Pax, C.
Cecilia,
That I choose not to put my name in print speaks little. Even if I did identify myself, I could be lying about my name, and you'd never know. Would that somehow make it more credible to you? And even if I did use my real name, none of you would know who I am anyway, so what's the point? You're reading far too much into it while your knees are jerking.
And as a rebuttal to your post, let me simply refer you to the Anglican discussion paper found here: http://www.augustinecollege.org/papers/EH_00_3.htm
And, Anonymous, I refer you to "Jesus, the Bible and Homosexuality" by Jack Rogers. And I challenge you to show me, as NancyP does, where Jesus or God speaks against it. We have in scripture the words of human beings mediated by time and culture (which the author of your article dismisses as if irrelevant... to the weakness of her argument). And the fact that she begins by speaking about "dark behaviors"... am I really to take seriously the work of someone so stuck in the "ick" factor that she uses such loaded language?
I continue to pray for you. Please, stop hating yourself, and know that God made you perfect, the way you are and the people you love.
Pax, C.
I refuse to post anonymous comments. The reason is that you don't know where they come from. Even if someone uses a fake name, at least that name comes up again, so the person has a history of commenting. They have to log in with some kind of ID as a minimum.
The wisdom I have learned is, "Don't feed the trolls."
I am really enjoying your blog. I want to hold a screening of that film at my church. It is in the works.
Blessings!
john
Post a Comment