To Dear Justadude,
I have never heard Christianity defined in the way you have defined it... Old White Conservative Christian. I am old... white ( brown when I sit in the sun after a brief time of being red ). I just joined this site this morning and one of the things I stated was that I dislike labels. I have read several of your postings, as well as some of the answers you have received.
I think the answer that stuck out for me was Rita's... She honestly stated that she does not know how to handle the LGTBQ issues. Forgive me for not knowing how to properly use the QUOTE function. but below are her words to you.
I don’t tend to get involved with the threads on homosexuality , purely and simply because I honestly don’t know how to handle the issue as a Christian. I have to deal with the issue within my own family, and at work , and I love and care about my colleagues and family members.
It doesn't get more real and raw than admitting that many if not most Christians do NOT know how to handle this issue that has EXPLODED into a huge battle. AT one time Christians quietly lived their lives, and kept their business to themselves. They went to church, they raised their family according to their beliefs and everything was simple. The world has changed so dramatically and so quickly that I know for myself, these issues of gender and sexual orientation have taken on a life of their own. What once used to be a private matter, is NOW a public one, and the church has not had a chance or opportunity to catch up. Thus the anger and lashing out about this topic.
The problem with the modern world, the very quickly evolving modern world is that it would state that the bible is an OUTDATED book, and that Christianity is in need of an overhaul, it is in need of "getting with the program". It is in need of being more INCLUSIVE to embrace and respect all lifestyles. That is indeed the problem with the modern world, where everything is instant and about SELF. Everything in this world is based on emotions, and ensuring that those emotions have the RIGHT to be met.
The bible is a living book... it is as EFFECTIVE and TRUE today, as it was when it was written, and therefore it is NOT something that needs to or even can be changed or altered. Christianity has played the game of bending the rules, even changing the rules. You can find a church that will cater to any orientation out there, on the grounds of being INCLUSIVE.
The problem with this is that it then washes down the truth, until which point it totally dissolves and perverts the truth, which is what you have today for much of Christianity. Watered down and perverted truths. You can find these churches on any television station. They usually have the name mega church as a title.
The real answer a Christian should be giving you about the topic of SEXUALITY is this.
God created Adam and Eve. They were created as man and woman to pro-create. This is the natural order of God. It is how the world was created to be, and it is what is pleasing to God. It is the reason you
@Justadude are even here writing. Plants and animals were created in the same way. Male and female to pro-create. Marriage is an institution created for one man and one woman.
It is the world that has changed, NOT God and demanding that Christians need to get with the program is not something that a TRUE CHRISTIAN is able to do.
I do not tell anyone how to live their lives. I have a transgender landlord who actually transgendered a year after I moved here. I had to face a huge learning curve. I studied, I prayed, I talked with her, I prayed some more, and I kept working until I figured out how to respect her. I had to learn how to shift from him to her, and because I was honest, gentle, patient, kind, and respectful, I was able to develop a real and beautiful friendship with this person. They are like family to me, and I love them. I am a CHRISTIAN who does not believe that God made a mistake in creating this person a male, but I have learned that my opinion is not what matters. It is my ability to learn to LOVE others that matters. I don't have to spew forth my beliefs on others. I don't have to get into debates about my rights. As a Christian, I have given up my rights. This however, does not change the truth.
People condemn the Christians for standing against the alternative lifestyle choices, however, they do not seem to understand that it is us as Christians that have lost our rights. By law, here in Canada, I must be willing to address someone according to their preferred personal pronoun.
This means I can be fined if I refuse to comply with someone who desires to be addressed as something that I do not agree with.
I am not able to accept that there are more than two genders. Male and female. I am not able to accept the over 70 different pronouns that people can choose to use to identify themselves. I cannot do it, because it goes against everything I know and believe. I am able to accept HE, SHE. If someone transgenders, I am able to grant RESPECT and COMMON COURTESY to their transition. However, if one human being desires to be referred to as "they" or any other pronoun, I am sorry, but it won't happen. I am NOT angry, not one bit. I am not afraid of this issue, and I am not even afraid to AGREE with Rita's answer to you. I do not know how to deal with this issue, and still remain true to myself and my beliefs.
I do not know why God has certain rules in place. So many things are a mystery, and I am ok with NOT knowing, and I am absolutely ok with admitting when I don't know. The same rules apply to me also, which is another thing people don't seem to understand. I am a single woman, and according to the bible, I am told I must remain celibate. I don't have a problem with this. It is something I accept as part of being a Christian.
Christians are getting a real bad rap at this time, for simply believing that the bible does not change. I am sorry
@Justadude that you are seeing so many different kinds of responses. I have taken an hour to write these words to you, and I have done so with absolute tenderness, and with no judgement. Are you willing to do the same for me?
I have spent much time working with the street people. The prostitutes, the drug addicts, the homeless. They are actually my preferred type of people because they KNOW that they are broken. There is no pretence when dealing with them. I find them so easy to love. In the world of Christianity, you will find all kinds of opinions, personalities, and short-comings. I just left a forum site yesterday because I could not take the arrogance and prideful attitudes of a select few. I have no idea if I will even be able to survive here, as I know I will run into the know-it-all.
I bless you Justadude. Consider this a love letter from a momma's heart to yours. I have a daughter who is 27, and she thinks I am one of those old dinosaurs who needs to change with the times. I am learning to work around this and simply LOVE her as she is, and she gives me the same
