So, this is the thing. Christians are always talking about how since He was God, Jesus was the only person who ever walked the Earth without sinning. They say Jesus was sinless, perfect.
Okay, BUT. That’s our perspective today. That is a post-resurrection perspective.
When Jesus was living out His life on Earth, most folks thought of Him as Sinny McSinnerton.
Jesus – although He was a devout synagogue-going Jew- appeared to be walking around purposely breaking the laws in the Torah. This was nothing short of scandalous at the time. Scandalous enough to get a guy crucified. Because the Torah is the book that the Jews in that day (and today) view as The Sacred, Inerrant Word of God. A faithful Jew did NOT stray from the rules in that book. Especially the religious leaders of that time, the Sadducees and the Pharisees. They PRIDED themselves on how closely they clung to these laws. Understandably.
Then along came Jesus. Jesus healed people on holy days, interacted with unclean women, hung with folks from the wrong side of the tracks, and told the world that some of the most religious folks were actually the most wicked folks around.* The religious leaders of the day were absolutely scandalized. Here was a RABBI, openly defying the rules CLEARLY WRITTEN IN THE TORAH. The WORD OF GOD. Jesus appeared to be demonstrating a blatant disregard for what appeared to be the rules.
The Pharisees confronted Him with this apparent treachery time and time again. They continuously tried to catch him breaking the rules, then demanded He explain himself. Once, when Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath (BIG NO, NO. NO – working on the Sabbath- as clearly stated in the Torah) the Pharisees said AHA! How can you justify doing that? It’s clearly stated as wrong! Right here- in black and white! In the Torah, the Sacred Jewish script- and you call yourself a Jew!
And Jesus said, “If one of your lambs was stuck in a hole on the Sabbath . . . wouldn’t it be the right thing to get him out? Wouldn’t you do that for your lamb? And aren’t people much more important than lambs?” **
In other words: Isn’t there a law of love in our hearts that overrides the individual laws in our books? Is there not? Jesus knew there was, because He created their hearts. He was asking them to trust their conscience. To trust the Love He put in their heart. To use not only their scripture, but common sense.
This sort of talk made the religious leaders nervous. What would happen if everyone just started walking around, following the laws of Love?? For one thing- they might’ve been out of a job. They were terrified. That happens – you know – when common folk start to question established rules; start to raise their hands and ask permission to look at things differently. Questioners get SQUASHED. Or crucified, or humiliated, or hushed, because people in power get nervous. But in response to the religious leaders fear and anger about the “rule changing” – Jesus says something interesting. He says, “I have not come to abolish the law, I have come to fulfill every letter.” But he promises this WHILE He’s clearly breaking the little laws. So what did He mean by that? Could He have meant that there is an Ultimate Law, a law that starts to rise at the first page of every sacred script and falls on the last page like rainbow? A law that’s stamped into our hearts and weaved into all of creation? Could that law be LOVE? Could Love be the law we are to follow, when in doubt? Even when if it means breaking a smaller law? Just like Jesus did, again and again and again???
And so I just wonder…what form would Jesus take if he came back to Earth again? If the form He chose last time is any indicator, He’d appear as someone whom religious leaders and we common people would least expect. Last time, they were sure He’d come as a powerful king and He arrived as an homeless infant. I wonder what He’d say, who He’d befriend, how He’d live, WHO He’d be this time around? Again, if past behavior is indicative of future behavior- His way of being and friends and every word He said would scandalize and challenge the religious folks of today, and He’d walk around breaking THE WORD OF GOD for Love. He would challenge and change all of our perceptions about who is in and who is out and He would ask us to fulfill the law, not by nitpicking isolated scriptures that have been translated by humans for centuries but by soaking in and understanding His entire message. The whole rainbow. LOVE.
LOVE GOD and LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR. AND PS. EVERYONE IS YOUR NEIGHBOR.
How would He hammer His LOVE GOD AND YOUR NEIGHBOR message into our heads today, in this time, in this culture, in this country? Who are God’s children in this day and age that might be considered the least of these, the oppressed, the disenfranchised, the people religious leaders are least likely to embrace? How would He turn the religious world upside down once again?
I think Jesus would come back as a poor, black, gay teenage girl.
I’ve been reading scripture and observing the world around me for a decade and this is the ONLY prediction makes sense to me.
So I think all you folks waiting for the second coming should leave your pews and start hanging out on Skid Row or the high school LGBT meetings. Because often Love looks nothing like what we expect.
God, I love my counter culture, subversive, scandalous Jesus.
I love you, every single one of you. Even the ones who are frantically trying to find the UNFOLLOW button.
Love forever.
G
Post script…
I sent this to a friend who is also a speaker/writer/author…she sent the following, which i love-
When Jesus taught that all the laws and the teachings of the prophets hang on two commands – love God, love your neighbor – he was giving us a rubric through which to judge the validity/necessity of all our other rules and regulations. So, for example, “thou shalt not bear false witness” usually sticks because, it’s hard to love God or love your neighbor when you’re lying to them. Same goes for “thou shalt not covet.” It’s hard to love your neighbor when you’re jealous of his stuff. But “thou shalt not wear a material mixed of wool and linen”? Whatever purpose that law once held no longer serves to help us love God and our neighbor today. Similarly, “remember the Sabbath and keep it holy,” indeed helps us love God and our neighbor, until we elevate that law above God and our neighbor themselves (hence, the lamb in the pit story).
I think this is what John meant when he wrote that “everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
* Luke 11: 39-46 Matthew 23: 2-36
**Matthew: 12: 9-14
***Matthew 23: 37-40
I am disappointed ONLY because I thought I was the only one who’d ever thought that Jesus would come back as an African-American Lesbian. I said that to an agnostic /athiest friend once and for a split second I thought I’d made her a believer.
Acts 28:26 – 27
26 ‘Go to this people, and say,
“You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
27 For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed;
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’
What we hear again and again in the gospel is the importance of “Turning” to receive grace and escape God’s wrath. I am not hateful. I am very loving. And yes, I love everyone. But that doesn’t mean that repentance isn’t a KEY part of the message.
There is so much wrong with the words in this article. Way to put just enough truth in there to make it believable to most people! This is disgusting. Jesus did not sin. Ever. Period.
Reread the post with an open heart. I didn’t read that Jesus sinned. I read that the leaders of that period believed Jesus sinned because of their literal/earthly interpretation of the written commands. Jesus knew the laws of pure love.
Just read this – definitely one of my favorite posts.
Well said! One of my biggest pet peeves are the people who think that because they go to church every week they are better than those who don’t…even worse people of one religion knocking on people of another religion for believing in a different set of rules, from the same higher power.
Trust me, I am no better than you, probably worse apart from Christ, but there really can be only one God, and He doesn’t write different rules for different people. There is no problem on issues where different “religions” agree, but where they contradict each other, only one can be right. God is not the author of confusion… hope that makes sense Chrissy, and I hope you know I only challenge your comment because I care, about you and the others that can be mislead by this article. See my comment (21 before yours) if you’d like a better description.
Divorce is also considered a sin in the Bible. As is eating shellfish. And maybe we should start stoning women that aren’t virgins when they marry. The fact is there is SO MUCH scripture that is completely outdated. I want ONE person to explain to me why the “church” is not DILIGENT in persecuting divorcees. I guess that’s because it would cost them MORE THAN HALF OF THEIR CONGREGATIONS. (insert A VERY SARCASTIC TONE) But, those damn gay people. Reeking havoc, tearing marriages apart and taking the world down with them. Yep, it’s gay people ruining the sanctity of marriage. Not the 60% of heterosexuals that choose to divorce. Now, I’m not judging people who are divorced. I just can’t help but wonder why so many pastors use their valuable time to condemn the “sin” of homosexuality, when (I’m willing to bet my life) most of their adult congregation is on their second marriage. Food for thought. And Glennon, you rock. A lot. Keep on…
If you really want someone to shed light on that problem, it’s because many people are comfortable condemning a sin that they feel will never be something they struggle with. It’s easy to condemn an alcoholic if you’ve never felt the grip of that disease on you or someone you love, and it’s easy to look at all homeless people as those who made “bad choices” and therefore are on the streets through their own fault until you’ve been without a job and one bill away from losing everything you own. So where I agree with you is that the ones who judge the PEOPLE who struggle with homosexuality are not only likely guilty of pride and self righteousness, but are clearly operating against Scripture in regards to not judging others (Mat 7:1, Luk 6:37) and loving others (John 13:34+35, 1 John3:23 and MANY others).
The only other thing that I want to bring up is that as a Body we need to be extremely careful to examine the Word as a whole and to “rightly divide” It. The reason I bring this up is because although I don’t doubt Glennon’s sincerity and heart for the hurting, there are serious problems with what has been written here. If you actually want to know what I mean, I wrote a response long ago in detail that is now #22 in the list (approx 20 comments before yours). I also addressed the ideas of “outdated” Laws there, which is another serious issue, and not always as easy to understand. Every Law has a purpose, but is also necessary to take in context as something intended to bring blessing, or something actually considered to be a sin (dietary Laws are a good example of this). As Christ said, He came not to “do away with” the Law, but to fulfill it (walk it out and then pay our price) ending our need for animal sacrifice, and in some cases even gave a new Commandment.
I hope this makes some sense and as I said, there is much more clarity given in my other comment(s). I just hope you see (as well as Glennon) that we are in very tricky times indeed where false doctrine that sounds loving is everywhere, but when ingested will do us great harm.
Maybe someone has already said it, but I have to point out that: Jesus didn’t come the first time as a tax collector who moonlighted as a prostitute; he came and reached out to them first, since he knew they would be the most needing and receptive of him. He loved the most broken first, but did not join them in their broken-ness.
Amen Jenn, great way to put it!
Love the way you presented Truth.
[...] called Don’t Carpe Diem. Keep an open mind and check out my other favorite entry of hers here. Next up is Anna on Inch of Gray. She’s a beautiful writer with a beautiful soul. She lost [...]
Amen. Thank you, Sister. Blessings.
Remember you also need to love those who you feel are hating.
Amen. I couldn’t agree more and I think you have found the true essence of Christianity.
I commend you for being brave enough to write it and put it out there to an often judgmental/narrow minded group.
Not judgmental, but there a lot of problems with this article. The true essence of Christianity is following Christ, the Word he embodies, and rightly dividing that Truth. See comment #22 (at this point, but 14 comments before yours) if you want to understand what I mean. I love ALL people through their struggles and mine, but let’s be careful not to re-write His perfect Word.
Isn’t it possible that someone could be gay but not sin? Meaning, someone be born gay and be attracted to someone of the same sex, but not act on it or have lustful thoughts towards anyone of the same sex?
Just curious…
Only if you think a child born straight will never have feelings toward someone of the opposite sex. Think logically (not religiously) about what you’re saying. You’re talking biology here. I guess the elephant is the room religiously though, is the fact that you think acting on gay impulses is a sin. Why would God create someone gay, with the intention of him/her never acting upon their feelings according to the way he/she was created? Doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me.
I think you’re right Steve, it doesn’t make sense at all that God would create someone one way and then ask them to act another. I think the real question then is does God “create” people gay, and judging by his WHOLE Truth in the Word, I would have to say no. And yes, I know that opens the whole can of worms about “are you saying people ‘choose’ to be gay when it’s much ‘easier’ to be straight?”… well, let me give an example from my own life. I have a “genetic tendency” to drink alcohol in an unhealthy manner, but I don’t believe God “made me” this way. At one point in my life, I gave into this desire, and it nearly destroyed me. Upon coming to Christ, it was NOT an overnight change, it was a slow working of the Holy Spirit to break me down and change my nature from within. Are there times I still want to, absolutely… but I don’t define myself by my desire. In other words, I am not an “alcoholic”, I am a new creation in Christ, and I have found that it is healthiest for me not to drink alcohol.
The point of saying all this is that we often have a tendency to make God the culprit instead of our own choices, as hard as some of them may be to make. And this only leads to a farther separation from the only One who can save us. And the answer is not willpower either, it is simply to one day at a time draw near to the One who created us in line with His Word, and allow Him to restore us to who we were always made to be. Until then, thank God for grace and mercy along the way, but let us never exchange the Truth for a lie.
i don’t typically comment on these but i just wanted to point out that God did create us one way and He does ask us to choose another…all of us. God created Adam and Eve perfect and they choose sin. everyone after that is born into a sinful fallen world. and God asks us to choose His way. he doesn’t ask us to do it on our on strength but on the strength and power of the holy spirit in us, that is when we are strongest. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens Philippians 4;13. the bottom line of sin is when we seek to do anything for self and only by our self. without acknowledgement of Our creator the one who gave us life..God! if we only look at what we consider the “big” sins then we never see all the little stuff that put us on the same sinful level with each other. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.Romans 8:28 it says nothing of what the sin is just that all have. then you go to Love God! and love your neighbor as yourself. cant think of that scripture address right now. but if you love God fully first…then your neighbor as yourself without selfish motives or intent then your moving in the right direction but who does that all the time every day? so yes God made us one way and asks us to choose another daily moment by moment until Christ returns and we (Christians ) live in heaven. oh and only God knows who the true Christians are. He has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy on. We are saved not by works but by faith so that no man can boast.
I appreciate the feedback Laura, but I have to disagree in one important way. What you say about all falling short, being born into sin because of the choice of Adam and Eve, etc is all very true, but none of these things mean that God “created” us in one way and then asks us to act another. He created us for perfect fellowship with Him, we rebelled, and then He made a way for us to be reunited with Him through the substitute sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It is true that the Law is impossible to follow perfectly (at least at the level Christ raised the bar to), but God Himself did not create us in a way that we were originally incapable of obedience. In His mercy however, now that we are born into sin, He has still made a way for us to be in harmony with Him, and also to recognize sin through His Word, and ultimately be set free from anything we are in bondage too, including homosexuality, alcoholism, pride, lust, hatred, fear, etc…
As someone who has also turned away from alcohol, I really appreciate your analogy. Quite apt.
Glennon, I was raised without religion and have questioned all my life why so many people who are religious are also filled with hate. How could Jesus exist if he was about love and so many religions seem focused on what not to do, how not to act, and who to hate? I wished I understood for so long. Your posts make so much sense to me and really make me believe in and love Jesus. Some people seem to delight in a God of fear and hatred who will smite down their enemies and prove them right. You’re focused on a God of love and acceptance who works through Jesus and believers to make the world a more beautiful place. I believe in that now too. Thank you.
Erin, this may be the post I write the most carefully as I would NEVER, and I mean never want to negatively affect your love for the only One really deserving of your complete love, Jesus Christ. I just want to make sure that we don’t focus so much on the Lamb that we forget He is also a Lion. Like a good Father, He would NEVER hurt His beloved, and those that love Him, but He does have to judge the world at some point according to His perfect justice and Truth. So please know that the most loving thing we can do is to be honest with others and ourselves about what He says in His Word… that is what He will use to judge by, and those who teach another doctrine are spoken against pretty harshly. I hope this makes sense, and you can read more in my post about 12 before yours (#22 at the moment), but I am so thankful to hear of your love affair with your Savior, it’s really a beautiful thing…
[...] Here’s someone who knows much more about the Bible who shares my opinion on God’s love: I think Jesus’d Be Gay – Momastry [...]
I LOVE you so much! This was the first time I EVER shared a blog on facebook. You are so wonderful and I hope to be as brave as you are when it comes to being honest about my thoughts someday. I hope this helps to combat any haters out there. I so wish we could be friends!
Sending you love (and the haters because they NEED some love),
Janice
Oh, my! While I agree that love is very important, God’s holiness and glory and honor is MORE important. And He calls us to follow Him in that in Rom 12:2 (Do not be conformed to this world…). I do NOT think that Jesus would come back as a gay person, because He can’t sin. And acting out a gay lifestyle is sin, as difficult as that is to say today – even to my gay friends. Jesus may come back as someone who is disadvantaged. And I think he would certainly LOVE gay people if He were on earth today – just as we should! But just as he told the rich man he had to sell everything in order to follow Him, He tells gay people they must forsake a gay lifestyle in order to follow Him today. Jesus knew the rich man loved his lifestyle more than Jesus – that’s why he said this to him. When we love our lifestyle more than Jesus and the Holiness He calls us to, then it gets in the way of our following Him, too. It doesn’t matter what the sin is.
So, yes, loving God and our neighbors is crucially important! But we can’t love God, if we are choosing to disobey His law. And as for our neighbors, we can love them without agreeing with everything they do. While love is kind, gentle, patient, humble, unselfish – it is not permissive. To quote I Cor 13:6, “it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.” Rom 12:9 says “let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” Let’s learn to truly love God and our neighbors, while forsaking the sin in our own lives – and loving those around us enough to tell them God’s truth, His whole truth – in love.
Well said, Angela.
Beautifully put Angela, thanks!
We were all made perfect by God. We have all been made in His image. People are born gay; it is not a choice; therefore, it is not a sin. We can all learn to follow Jesus’ example and accept others as they are, despite their differences.
well said Angela! I was hoping that someone would have said it so that I didn’t have to, its such a hard issue to approach. Love God, Love people, right? but considering gay/lesbians as being sinful is sooooo taboo…you just don’t say it or someone will try to stone you to death, but you took the words right out of my mouth “do not conform to this world”…its definitely much easier to be more open with your opinion when you get to hide behind a screen though.
“He tells gay people they must forsake a gay lifestyle to follow him” where does Jesus say that?
Love as He loves us.
Hate sin, like He hates sin.
Absolutely!
Love Wins.
I’ve been on vacation for a while and away from my computer, which I did not miss except for Momastery. Anxious to catch up today, I started reading what I had missed. I read the whack-a-mole piece right after a particularly hard bedtime with my 5-year-old and was grateful for the laughs. But reading this post made me even more grateful. I love your writing and was very pleased with your eloquence and wisdom. Thank you.
CAST
E’Manwella Arrivé A non-Caucasian woman of indeterminate age
Baruch Levi A blind rabbi
Pietro Potenzia A Catholic bishop
Ross Stallwell A lame evangelical preacher
The play takes place near a bus kiosk at the edge of a major urban campus. On a nearby façade is a banner reading “Welcome to the American Congregation of Heterogeneous Ecumenicals.”
Afternoon
AT RISE: E’MANWELLA shuffles on stage pushing some kind of small wheeled monstrosity piled high with an odd assortment of items, a lamp, boxes of food, a beach ball, cans and bottles, heaps of clothing. She is clad, head to foot in a shaggy husk of a garment and sports a garish indescribable hat. She growls and mumbles and sidles like a crab, making a niche for herself in the corner of the kiosk. E’MANWELLA speaks in accents both erudite and street, with tastes of Haitian, Spanish, French, Jamaican, Georgia islands, and whatever else suits her fancy.
E’MANWELLA
Not here, not now. Gotta be going about the business of business and not this foolishness.
She peers sideways into the sky.
Momidadi, what do you do me this way? Mon Dieu, not a bunch of these again. These ones never learn it. Damn! I know they saysay what, but nothing in it, nothing in it, don’t make me do this. What? OK, I shut up some, tho why not you do the talking straight out some time. Hush!
E’MANWELLA huddles down in the corner of the kiosk as the three ecumenicals slowly emerge from the building with the banner. The PRIEST PIETRO, guides the RABBI, BARUCH down the steps with his left hand while the PREACHER, ROSS holds onto his left elbow. All are in high spirits.
ROSS
Gentlemen, I love these gatherings. I simply love them. Here we are with the strongest religious minds…
BARUCH
…and hearts…
ROSS
…and hearts…
PIETRO
…and souls…
ROSS
…right, and souls in our fair land gathered under a single roof to seek, to speak, to share the good news, and it is powerful. I’m telling you powerful. You can feel the spirit of the Lord just movin’ right down here among us. He makes you rise up, you know what I’m saying? He urges you to be what you can be. I’m sorry, I just have to let loose with a Hallylooyer. It’s that powerful.
E’MANWELLA
Oh Momidadi, that’s such bullshit. What? What? Oh sorry Oh shee, oh shhh, O…K I know my job.
ROSS
Where was that Quaker fella supposed to meet us?
BARUCH
Here, here, right here…is what he said…though I, for one would be happy to walk to the restaurant. That young man is so…so solicitous.
PIETRO
Those people, those Quakers, they don’t have any preachers, do they? How do they get anything done? Maybe they think the world is kindergarten and you Rabbi are some poor child who has lost his glasses. Here, we are approaching the bench. You can sit.
BARUCH
I don’t want to sit. Oh, what is that foul stench? No, I would rather stand. There is nothing wrong with my legs. What is that?
ROSS
What are you…? (Sniffs.) Oh. Nev’mind. Some old someone has left a pile of trash and such stuffed up here in the public bus stop. Folks are crude and rude these days, crude and rude.
E’MANWELLA
Ain’t that the truth.
ROSS
So. Rabbi, Bishop, what do you think of Reverend Jackson’s little talk today? Could he be right? Are there signs that the Second Coming is at hand?
BARUCH
Or the first coming.
ROSS
Alright, alright, Rabbi, I will bow, although none too low mind you, for the sake of argument, to your argument that Jesus was not the Messiah….
BARUCH
Not our Messiah anyway.
ROSS
Alright, alright. But. Whether he came already or not, the question here is…is He coming to earth in a blaze of glory to separate the wheat from the chaff, the true sheep from the goats, to choose his select, and so on, like Reverend Jackson was making such an eloquent case for.
E’MANWELLA
Clueless, Momidadi, clueless. Can I do it now? Let’s get this over. Please, I got the itch. What? Awww, you.
BARUCH
What is that?
ROSS
What?
BARUCH
The voice, the person talking…
ROSS
What? Who? Nobody. Just me and Pietro here. That Quaker fella has not yet showed.
E’MANWELLA
Let those who have ears. Can I pull that one’s ears, Momidadi? I just so want to. Before I kick his ass. (pause)Oh, you’re such a spoiler.
BARUCH
That!
ROSS
What? Oh, wait. I did hear something. Just a second.
(ROSS goes and peeks over the cart, sees E’Manwella.)
Just some old bag lady talking to herself. Don’t let her bother you, she’s nothing to fret about.
E’MANWELLA
Nothin’. Oh no! That’s harsh. You Momidadi, making me wait. I need to show them. (Pause)OK, you say when.
ROSS
Where were we? Oh, yes, Jackson’s talk. What do you think?
BARUCH
I think this president is pretty sure he is the gatekeeper to some kind of Apocalypse. Doesn’t have any problem causing it, if it doesn’t happen on its own.
PIETRO
Now, Baruch, please, let us not discuss the politics. It is dangerous enough that we all discuss the religion.
BARUCH
But our tradition says that there are two, two who come in the name of the lord, first the priest, then the king. Maybe this president fancies he is the king and your Messiah was the priest.
PIETRO
Personally…and officially I hold to the idea that he came and has already returned and is with us now, right now in this place. Perhaps we cannot see him, or the virgin, except for those fortunate few.
E’MANWELLA
You could turn around.
PIETRO
But he will speak to those who listen to him devoutly in prayer.
E’MANWELLA
Hail, hail, hail, holy, holy, holy, hell, hell, hell, hell, money, money, money.
BARUCH
Can we make that go away?
ROSS
I don’t know. She was here first and seems pretty well planted.
E’MANWELLA
Ain’t that the truth.
ROSS
She could get mean…
E’MANWELLA
Ain’t that the truth.
PIETRO
I think, perhaps she would appreciate a small contribution. I assume this is why she comes to this very public place.
ROSS
Look at their shoes, my daddy always said. If they are wearing sturdy footwear it means they are in the charity business, if you know what I mean. I’ll give her some coins.
(ROSS digs in his pocket and comes up with some change. He sidles over to E’Manwella.)
Ma’am? Ma’am?
E’MANWELLA
Render! Render, moneylender!
((E’MANWELLA bats the change out of his hand. ROSS scoots back to the others.)
ROSS
Well that one’s flat crazy. Waste of good money.
E’MANWELLA
Are we there yet? Are we there yet, Momidadi?
BARUCH
Sometimes I think the laws closing the asylums were a mistake. Propped up by promises of the drug companies. But these people don’t take their drugs, not the legal kind anyway.
ROSS
You’re saying lock ‘em up.
BARUCH
Not exactly, but provide the care, the attention…
PIETRO
Perhaps we have not been generous enough, gentlemen. Remember that camel and that needle, and the Samaritan. I, for one can put my lunch on a credit card paid for by the church. Surely, we could be more generous, enough for this unfortunate to take herself off to a cheap hotel, get a decent meal. Open your wallets, gentlemen. Show your faith.
ROSS
Oh, alright. You have virtue on your side, Pietro, although after all the money I give to the soup kitchen and shelter and still these people…will thirty dollars do it…oh, alright, here’s fifty.
BARUCH
I think I have the same.
(Takes out his wallet and hands it to PIETRO)
I believe my daughter put fifty in there this morning. Sometimes she fools me, and then blames me for losing it.
PIETRO
And I can contribute the same. This is good. This is fair. Now, shall we present it as a delegation? Good. This way, rabbi.
BARUCH
Oh, that smell!
E’MANWELLA
And I don’t like your cheap-ass cologne.
BARUCH
Excuse me?
PIETRO
Excuse me, ma’am, or miss. We have perceived that you are in unfortunate circumstances, perhaps having no domicile and little good nourishment. We, as men of the cloth, would like to offer this small token in hopes that you may find more comfortable quarters, a warm bath, good food…
E’MANWELLA
What’s? This? What’s this?
(She rises up until she is of impressive stature. Her rags hang like wings.)
You. You and you. Are offering me your charity. Because. I. Stink. Right?
PIETRO
No…
E’MANWELLA
Yes.
(She plucks the money from PIETRO’s hand.)
No, you want me to go. So your noses won’t be offended while you wait for your friend. Preachers. All of you. A blind man. A lame man. And you.
Well, let me tell you. And you. And you. That I am just fine. I’m more than fine, thank you Momidadi. So, here. To this blind man I will offer, hmm, how about…fifty dollars? Perhaps you can get yourself some more fashionable dark glasses. And to this lame gentleman, hmm, how about fifty dollars? Maybe you get a classy new cane. And you, the one with the invisible problem, hmm, how about I give you fifty dollars? You can…. No, that’s the breaker. Doesn’t work. (pause)Momidadi? Momidadi? OK, tell you what. Give me the money back. All of it. Good boys. That’s right. Now what do you really want? Well, let’s start with you.
(E’MANWELLA faces BARUCH.)
What might change your point of view in a big way. I know! Momidadi, you ready? Good.
(She snatches the sunglasses from BARUCH and spins him around, beating him on the back with the glasses until he falls to the ground.)
Baruch Atah Adonai, Rofei ha-holim! Baruch Atah Adonai, Rofei ha-holim!
(BARUCH gropes for his fallen glasses, realizes he can see them.)
E’MANWELLA
Who’s next? Let’s go, Momidadi.
(She stalks ROSS, snatches his cane and begins beating him with it. If it can be done, the cane should be switched with a large rubber snake. She speaks in tongues.)
Gitchy, gitchy, mama dada. Gitchy, gitchy mama geeya. Poco chocolata yaya. Heel!
BARUCH
I can see! I can see!
E’MANWELLA
You’re welcome. Next!
(ROSS scrambles out of her way and realizes he can walk perfectly. E’MANWELLA stalks PIETRO. Stops. Looks him up and down. Shakes her head in disgust. )
Aw Momidadi, do I really have to do this one? You know no good’s gonna come of it. I can? You promise? OK then.
ROSS
I can walk! I can run!
E’MANWELLA
Think nothing of it, speedy
(E’MANWELLA snatches off PIETRO’s white collar and then steps back. Grabbing her rags she pops them open in front revealing red satin lingerie and high heels.)
E’MANWELLA
DOMINUS VOBISCUM!
(At first there is no reaction from PIETRO and then gradually his eyes go wide. His hands drop to cover his crotch.)
PIETRO
Holy virgin!
E’MANWELLA
Close. Now, you got to take special care of that. If it don’t go down in four hours, see a doctor, or your priest. OK, is everybody happy? Good. Well, gentlemen, I think I’m done here. So I’ll be going. Y’all have a pleasant lunch.
(She crumples down into the form of a bag lady again, gets behind her cart and wheels off.)
Oh, and thank you for the money, you are more than generous.
(The three men stand bewildered for a few moments.)
ROSS
What…just…happened? I feel like I could run a marathon.
BARUCH
I was blind, and now I see.
PIETRO
I don’t know, Barry. But I am very happy.
ROSS
How did we get here?
BARUCH
Must have taken the bus, Bubba. You mean your leg doesn’t even hurt?
ROSS
Sound as a dollar. Sound as ten dollars.
BARUCH
Who did this? You don’t suppose… Impossible. She smelled bad.
PIETRO
She took our money. But I’m very happy.
ROSS
No! No, that isn’t it. Look over there. Isn’t that a gathering of powerful preachers? They must have brought the healing power right down and it shot out the door and hit us.
BARUCH
Holy…
PIETRO
Holy, holy. Well, I’ve got an appetite. What say we celebrate our good fortune? There’s a Hooters only ten or so blocks from here…I understand.
BARUCH
I can see going there.
PIETRO
I understand that you can get a great Carolina oyster roast with drawn butter, and a nice cold draft beer, served to you by a babe in little shorts.
ROSS
Sounds like a plan to me. Then shall we take in a ball game?
BARUCH
I can see that.
PIETRO
Do babes go to ball games?
ROSS
Some do. Some do.
(They exit arm in arm) CURTAIN
That was……different.
Glennon, Just got back from vacation myself and was catching up, reading this post and the one to Jared that follows. I’m a mormon. One of the few who are pro-gay. Just wanted to say that I AGREE. I AGREE! I loved the Mountain I’m Willing To Die On post as well; made my husband read it, sent it to some gay, post-mormon friends and would love to share it everywhere. You go on using your well-written, well-earned blog as a way to broadcast your beliefs and opinions because they are things that need to be said, and especially from a Christian. You’re a most excellent human being and you should scroll on by anyone who doesn’t think so.
[...] of which, I just loved the ending to a post Glennon Melton wrote at Momastery. It’s a response from a friend of hers, and it’s not about mutuality, but it works [...]
Glennon, thank you… This is such a wonderful and beautiful way to put things into perspective. Not at all a lie to me, but absolutely the greater truth is spoken here. It is interesting to me how we all see things so differently – like in politics – the passion and drive for what we percieve as truth is uncanny.. These divided feelings are what destroys the human race and how we treat and deal with one another in such ugly and divisive ways. I do know this, love is the key – it is the only key and it is how I will get to heaven. I need to say that for me, Jesus doesn’t at all need to be viewed as “gay” – no one does for that matter. Genesis tells us that God created man and woman in his image – in his likeness he created them. We are all children of God – not gay, not straight, not transgender, not black, not white etc – but male and female… Its very simple really. God loves and created everyone. I don’t know why we feel such a need to spend our lives correcting others of what we percieve is sin, when we should be looking only to ourselves to try and live sinless lives. Let God do his job and ONLY God, and then, and only then can love prevail here on earth. It’s what God’s wants of us. truly..
Great comment!
Glennon, maybe you’re tired of hearing these comments, and maybe you don’t even read them, but so often I feel misunderstood on this issue that I thought I’d add my voice. While I don’t agree with everything you’ve said in your post, I certainly don’t agree with what your pastor said in church (that you described in your following post). I wonder if the reason that I’ve been so misunderstood on issues relating to homosexuality is because there are church-goers out there who really do believe in gay-bashing and saying gays are going to hell, etc. I really do believe homosexual acts are a sin. But I know that I can believe that and not advocate that people be starved to death for that particular sin. I believe that marriage is reserved for one man and one woman and that children are best off in families that not only have a mother and a father, but a mother and father who love each other, treat each other with respect, and are faithful to one another. But believing in that definition of marriage doesn’t mean that I would taunt, bash, or hurt someone who believed differently than me. I guess I just don’t see why things have to be so polarized. I believe that Christ taught both absolute truth and absolute love. I believe that because He loves us He taught the truths that He knows bring the greatest happiness to people. And I believe that ultimate happiness comes from living absolute truth. But it’s oh so hard. It’s so hard to go against our natures and change. I believe Christ’s message is all about change–and we all need change just as much as the next person. It saddens me that there are so many fingers flying and so much name-calling on both sides of the “aisle” when it comes to homosexuality. I’m grateful that my church teaches both the doctrines of truth and love, and I am likewise grateful that you have had the courage to calmly and respectfully provide your view. I don’t agree with it, but I respect it. And I want people to know that it is possible to disagree with someone and respect them at the same time. It’s a lost virtue in our society and one that we desperately need.
Megan
Megan this is so articulate and beautifully written. If I could have written a comment that perfectly describes what I was thinking and feeling when I read this article, yours would be it. You took the words right out of my heart and put them on the screen. Thanks for that.
Ditto
Agree with Megan.
Beautiful!
Megan, that respect is NOT “a lost virtue in our society”-you have it, so it’s still here. And you aren’t alone, just as none of us is alone in our thoughts, feelings, opinions, etc. We repeatedly see, whenever we express a thought that feels unique to ourselves, that there are many others who feel just as we do.
So be comforted in knowing that your thoughts are ‘right’ thoughts, and that you do share them.
This resonated the most with me, Megan. It’s frustrating to me too how we are shamed for having certain beliefs.
I write this very carefully as I take matters of Truth very seriously, and Jesus’ warning about “leading little ones astray” and what you’d be better off doing I think sums up God’s feelings on the issue. A professional writer I am not, but I assure you this comes from Love and Truth.
In regards to this article, I doubt it was written with the intent to mislead or hurt people, in fact I believe that it was likely written in love… it is however, very, very, wrong. There is a tremendous difference between saying Jesus may have been perceived as a sinner (by sinners themselves), and that Jesus WAS a sinner. One is human error, the other is blasphemy.
The “laws” Jesus broke were nothing more than the man made “laws around the Law” that they wrote (see Talmud). They indeed also probably started off trying to “keep themselves from sin”, but what started as good (I’m speculating) became what we define as “legalism” today. Not working on the Sabbath, commanded. Not healing someone, interpreted. Not eating a full olive because you have to to remove the pit and therefore “work”, or don’t spit on the ground on the Sabbath because it might mix with the dirt, make mud, and therefore be “work”, written by legalistic men but NOT the Word of God we call the Bible, OR the Torah.
What I’m driving at is that to say that Jesus could have been called a sinner by the standards of the very Word He embodied is absurd, and more importantly, very dangerous. To say that He would be “walking around today BREAKING THE WORD OF GOD in the name of Love” is something I would fall on my knees and ask forgiveness for saying. False doctrine is promised (not a maybe) by Jesus Himself to work it’s way through the Church as leaven works through dough, and so properly understanding the Truth of scripture is the only way not to become part of it’s propagation. Bringing up compartmentalized Scriptures in Leviticus talking about “wearing garments of wool and linen” and not explaining that this section of Scripture was talking about what to look for in a leper’s garments to know if you should burn them (the garments) or if they were clean, is twisted and deceitful. And then using them to justify “breaking the Law”, and THEN saying this is what Jesus did is a line I would be terrified to cross.
I write this not in condemnation, but in hope that it will keep some from misunderstanding who Jesus Christ, Savior, Messiah, and Lord, was and is still today. I am as far from perfect as they come, but what I have found to be most important is to acknowledge Truth for what it is, and then live my life humbly seeking His correction, and thankful beyond words for His grace and mercy along the way. He would absolutely be with the sinners, he came to set them free! And He would be misunderstood by many, but He will not be misunderstood at His return… every knee will bow, and every tongue confess. On that day my friends, I hope you clearly understand His Truth, and INDEED HIS LOVE, but never justify and “exchange the Truth for a lie”… it’s been done, and it is a costly road to walk as Scripture clearly explains.
-humbly saved by grace
I am so encouraged by the the people on here that have been able to articulate God’s truth so humbly, also pointing to God’s mercy and grace.
Thank you for your words, Jon. Your light shines!
Thanks for the encouragement TC! I feel like as a Body we have done a very poor job of equating all our sins while never wavering on Truth… sadly it seems that most are on the extreme side of condemnation or justification, and both are so detrimental to the ONE Body we are called to be. Thanks again so much, I hope everyone sees His Love, and His desire to change us for freedom’s sake!
@Jon, good job speaking the truth in love.
@Glenna, your heart is in the right place by not being judgemental. Keep on lovng folks, but love God more because it’s HIM we need to please, not people.
His Word is Truth and Truth doesn’t change. It’s consistent whether we think it’s unfair or behind the times. But stay in the Word for Him to reveal that truth to you!
Sorry, Glennon…not Glenna! My bad.
Amen Kat, thanks!
wow. well said.
Very nicely stated. My pastor spends a lot of time talking about Talmud when teaching in the Gospels – he wants people to understand the very real oppression that religious leaders had placed on the people that had nothing to do with the original Law.
Regarding the post, I don’t particularly have a problem with the concept of Jesus as a poor, black, gay female. But this incarnation of Jesus would have to be sinless as well, and would not encourage others to sin. She would LOVE, but never promote ungodliness.
Thanks Shevrae, I’m glad your pastor spends time discussing where the “letter of the law” gets in the way of the “Spirit of the Law”. The important thing to understand is that it is in fact impossible for Jesus Christ to be all of these things. Someone who struggles with homosexuality is no “greater” of a sinner than the prideful people that look down on them, but engaging in homosexual relations is still a sin. It would be impossible therefore for the very incarnation of the Word (see John 1:1) to contradict Himself. In other words, if Christ was the Word in the flesh that dwelt among us (John 1:14), He could not “be” anything but the perfect embodiment of that Word.
The danger is that we (not you, but people in general) want to take parts of the Bible and dismiss others as “irrelevant” or “outdated”, but the moment we do that we become the judges of right and wrong, and the source of our own personal “truth”. The fact is, there is no way out of this becoming a cancer that destroys all Truth, since we have now decided to create our own. At that point no one has the right to tell me that my “truth” that says the Bible is indeed correct except for smoking pot or drinking since I don’t “hurt anyone” in the process, is no more “wrong” that someone else’s “truth” that says they can have sex outside of marriage regardless of the sexual orientation of the relationship. As soon as you dismiss any part of Absolute Truth ordained by the Creator of it, you have indeed destroyed the foundation of it all.
There will always be a war between the flesh and the Spirit as long as we are here on Earth, as the apostle Paul spoke in depth about, but to justify the flesh by our longings is to “exchange the Truth for a lie” (Rom 1:25) as I stated before, and that leads to a separation from God that none of us would ever want if we truly understood it.
Jon,
I’ve stayed away from these comments for days now, but I just have to respond to yet another man correcting Glennon, with great warning and loving admonishment. Does no one know the difference between a personal essay and a theological treatise? How much time have you spent on Momastery, reading her essays and understanding her point of view before commenting so freely? Glennon is not a minister. This is not a pulpit. She never said Jesus sinned. She said that he appeared to, based on the interpretation of the Law in Jesus’ time. That’s her point: a Christian today who loves her gay neighbor as she loves herself (not condescendingly, expecting them to be celibate all their lives) has refused to get mired in interpretations that are already being challenged by theologians in many denominations. This post is built upon an earlier post that pretty much rules out seeing homosexuality as a sin. Within mainstream Christianity, Glennon is actually is good company with that belief. She portrays Jesus as “the least among us” to remind us how to see him today in everyone, not to debate some literal interpretation of the book of Revelations. Her post was not meant as a Christological exegesis, but a personal reflection on life and love, as are ALL of her posts.
With all due respect Christine, this is not about perspective, this is about Truth. I am not a pastor, I am a sinner saved by grace, and what more “warning and loving admonishment” can there be than to make it clear that there are certain things that are very, very strongly warned against in the Word of God, and one of them is leading other “little ones” astray. You can argue all day long about free speech and poetic interpretation, but the fact is that I would challenge you to read through the comments posted here and tell me that not one of the people who read her post, who are also not “Christological exegetical” experts, are not being effectively led to believe that homosexual acts are not a sin. If you think this is not a big deal, please read what JESUS said about it in Mat 18:6, I don’t know how He could be any more drastically clear.
Let me give you a few other concise problems directly from the article:
“Here was a RABBI, openly defying the rules CLEARLY WRITTEN IN THE TORAH. The WORD OF GOD.”
–Give me one example where Jesus openly defied the rules of the Torah (Old Testament).
“Once, when Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath (BIG NO, NO. NO – working on the Sabbath- as clearly stated in the Torah)”
–Please show me where this is clearly stated as a “no, no” on the Sabbath in the Torah.
“Isn’t there a law of love in our hearts that overrides the individual laws in our books? Is there not? Jesus knew there was, because He created their hearts. He was asking them to trust their conscience. To trust the Love He put in their heart. To use not only their scripture, but common sense.”
–There are numerous examples in Scripture that will point out that this is actually our exact problem. One of the simplest and most direct: “There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end it leads to death.” Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25
“Jesus says something interesting. He says, “I have not come to abolish the law, I have come to fulfill every letter.” But he promises this WHILE He’s clearly breaking the little laws.”
and
“He’d walk around breaking THE WORD OF GOD for Love.”
and
“…breaking a smaller law? Just like Jesus did, again and again and again???”
–And here is finally the root problem… there are no “little laws”, and to suggest that Jesus broke them is exceptionally misleading and problematic to say the least. There absolutely are Laws in the Word that have different reasons for being and need to be taken into context. A great example were the purification and cleansing laws as well as the dietary ones. These were actually tremendous blessings to the Jews who followed them to keep them from sickness and disease as well as some of the major historical plagues before anyone actually had a clue about microbiology. God wrote these laws to help them, not unnecessarily constrain them. And if you wash your hands and stay away from eating bacon today, you’re still being blessed by an “out of date” Law.
The deadly problem is when we start “weighing” the Laws on our scales and saying that Jesus broke some little ones and we can too. Does the Word not say that if a man is guilty of breaking any of the Law that he is essentially guilty of breaking all of it? (James 2:10) Is this not the definition of a sinner? You said that “she never said that Jesus sinned”. Didn’t she?
Now I hope at this point that you are seeing the problem, but in case you are wondering, I have friends that struggle with homosexuality. I have never once told them that they are wrong, and I am no less of a sinner than they are. I believe that the pride and/or hatred of “believers” that look down on them in judgement is just as much of a stench in God’s nostrils as the sin they claim to be condemning. Now, on the other hand, I have a friend that professed to be a Christian who also professes to engage in homosexual acts. It is my absolute duty, IN LOVE, to make sure he knows that his homosexual lifestyle is not in line with the Truth he professes. When I was on a road to destruction, I thank God that He put people in my life to point me towards the Light. The major issue is that to take on my sin as my identity starts to make it a problem of God “creating me wrong” and not that I was living in a way that was not in line with my original intended purpose. To embrace our sin is turning our back on the One that can save us from it.
So the real problem is Christine, that a “personal essay” that may lead some to believe that Jesus was a “little law” breaker, which equates Him to a sinner by any logical thought process, is an extremely big deal. “loving admonishment” brings about correction in a wise person which is my hope, but I’m not in control of your decisions or Glennon’s so that is up to you two. Christ did not follow the Talmud to the letter (written by man), but He was never commanded to in the Torah (written by God), and that is the major difference… there is no book to put on the same level as the Bible, and if you want to argue that there is, I’ll keep my pearls in my hand.
-still saved by grace alone
So, Jon, your answer is no, you don’t know the difference between a personal essay and a theological treatise…
Clearly I do Christine, but clearly you disregard the reasons that I wrote what I did regardless of the “intent” of the author. See Mat 12:36. I hope you understand how big of a deal this is some day.
I agree with you John. I’m a professional writer, and I write about God, Christ and the Holy Spirit. It’s a beautiful thing to take the word of God and expand on it, especially when the Holy Spirit opens that door. It’s quite another to take the word of God and dismantle it into an untruth, which is the case here. The Bible says we are to use our testimony (personal story/essay) to overcome the world, not to justify it. Jesus said to go and sin no more. We are called to love- not condone. We all must be very careful in these days.
Thanks Nicole, I just hope the people here understand that it’s only IN Love that I write what I do… I think the most loving people in my life have been the ones that have helped me understand Truth, especially if it brings about correction that can save me from a lot of future pain.
God nor Jesus wrote about being gay. Matthew wrote that. He was inspired to write that. I will live my life by the Ten Commandments and the one commandment that Jesus gave us, “Love your neighbor as yourself”.
There is nothing in the Ten Commandments about being gay.
I think Glennon’s point was not that Jesus WAS a sinner, as clearly his word says that he never sinned, but that he was viewed as a sinner by the religious people because he broke rules.
Please see my response to Christine’s question above. The problem is that Glennon really does essentially call Christ a sinner throughout her essay by saying not that He was just a rule breaker, but that He broke the rules in the Word of God. Hope that makes sense Lorie.
I really enjoyed this post. Your perspective on things is audacious but convicting. I totally agree that Love trumphs all other rules or laws. We are all sinners in need of grace and if homosexuals are disqualified from receiving it, then so am I. It sorrows me to hear about “religious” or “Christian” people treating others that way because that is NOT the message of love and acceptance that Jesus preached when He was here.
every reader you lose for being brave and honest, you shall gain double- my favorite post ever….
LOVE WINS. ALWAYS.
Glennon, your message is so true, passionate, and filled with love. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Glennon. This was beautifully, thoughtfully written, and resonates as a good reminder to approach everyone with love, even those I don’t agree with. So much easier said than done!
But…what if you’re a Christ-following woman, married to a wonderful man with three amazing children, who did not admit until AFTER said husband and children, that she is gay. How is the law of Love fulfilled then? By divorcing her husband and breaking his heart? By “leaving” her children (not necessarily a reality but a perceived reality by heartbroken children)? Just so she can be who supposedly God said He/She/They created her to be?
I know someone in this very situation. The decision was hard for her, however, her husband was very understanding in his response to her admission. He said, “Wow. This explains a lot. You must have been miserable all these years. I want for your happiness. Let’s make this right.” To me, that says it all. If your husband loves you, and you love your husband, their is no law of love being broken, because within the law of love comes the desire for your loved ones to be happy. Yes, there undoubtedly will be initial hurt, but in time that will be healed in favor of understanding, I’m sure. And I wish you all the best, Monkee-sister
But the law of Love is what hung Christ on the cross. I doubt that made Him or His Father happy. We, too, must die to self to fulfill that Law.
Agreed. The Law of Love is what hung Christ on the cross. Knowing what you know now, if you were in that crowd of mockers 2000 yrs ago, there’s only 1 thing you would have to say: “Crucify Him.” You’d have to; if you didn’t, you wouldn’t be saved. As unhappy as that made Him and His Father, it’s the truth. Christ had to die to fulfill the Law.
So we don’t have to. It’s not our job to fulfill any Law — it’s our job to live it out because we’re thankful to Christ for saving us. If aforementioned woman felt that leaving was “living out Love” then that’s that. It’s between her and the Holy Spirit.
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23
Actually, we are called to die to ourselves.
I read a book to my children just the other day where two children are in the jungle and save a tiger. The blind man they meet in that jungle thanks them for doing so. The children are confused. After all, they were frightened by the tiger who prowled around and even chased them. The blind man says to them,” when you saved the tiger, you saved all of him and because you did he is still just as fierce.” my point being that god created that tiger knowing what he was capable of. He made you too. Did he make you as a gay woman?? Only you know the answer to that. Be he made you and expects you to come as you are. Jesus didn’t come to save good people. He came to save ALL people. Beating yourself up for leaving a lifestyle that makes you unhappy is a step forward. Don’t ever leave the presence of god. Ask him to help you through whatever is going on and he will. His love is unfailing for us all.
You are amazing and brave, and good job for being true to Jesus. This is exactly what he want us all to hear. People need to be shocked into realizing that their current mentality is just RIDICULOUS and ex-clusive. Everyone deserves love. So well written.
[...] Favorites from around the interwebz: I Think Jesus’d Be Gay or…No She DIDN’T [...]
I think one of the biggest tests of mortality is to learn to love. To learn to love REGARDLESS of life circumstances. TACT is the gift that comes with unconditional love. Thanks for your thoughts.
This was really great. Such a heart-felt, compassionate perspective, one that unfortunately often gets overlooked in this world where judging somehow has become more valued than loving. Thank you.
Bless you Glennon for speaking your truth. You are changing the world.
This week I followed a Huffpost link to a video of a 6 year old child singing “Aint no Homo Going to Make it to Heaven” and getting a standing ovation and I cried. And, the passage that came to my heart was “Jesus wept.” I believe that Jesus is looking down on such acts and weeps to see what we have made of his word.
There are a total of 6 passages in the entire bible that could possibly reference homosexuality. Why is it such an issue for us? There are many more passages singing the praises of slavery, there are many more that speak of women as unclean, why do we not harp on these the way we do the ones on homosexuality. To hear christians speak you’d think God was preoccupied with homosexuality. He wasn’t. We are. Whatever you may think about what God thought about there is no dispute that he didn’t elevate it to the status we do.
Glennon is right that his focus was on love. There’s no disputing that!
Amen sister.
Thank you for this heartfelt writing. I am not religious, but I am spiritual. I believe in practicing love and kindness as Jesus did. Religion and literal-Bible-interpretation aside, I believe Jesus would smile at your writing and say, “ah, someone is using their heart and mind and soul to try to find a way to love.” How wonderful! Whether we are right or wrong on this issue, God will surely understand the conflicted, yearning feelings in our hearts and recognize our attempts to be our best, most loving reflection of him. He is surely big enough and powerful enough to do that.
From Romans 1–
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
Yes Jesus shook the foundations of the culture – yet He sinned not. Jesus came to atone for our sins. Not to sin Himself. No immorality, deception, hate filled attitude nor sin. He is radiant truth & wisdom. We have choices to make and these choices bring consequences for all of us.
Glennon,
I could not disagree with you more. I visit your blog every once in a while. For some reason I am drawn back time and time again. My heart is so torn over what you are doing. I see the good in your intentions and where you’ve been and what you’ve come through and I am so happy for you, but you are so far off the deep end and it literally makes me feel sick to my stomach for you. I mean no harm by saying that either. I know we aren’t friends, but if we were, I would love you enough to be honest with you. That’s what love does, right? It sticks it’s neck out for the sake of helping another and I am telling you, you are way off base. You seem to love the shock factor. Your profanity alone is shocking enough. What is the purpose of that? I just don’t get it at all. My heart goes out to you. Truly it does.
-Rebecca
shock factor? really? Glennon has poured her heart out about something she FEELS (you can’t tell someone that how they “feel” is wrong) so strongly and deeply about,and you say it’s just for “shock factor”…i find this statement shallow. i would guess that there are MANY gay/lesbian people out here who aren’t shocked, hurt, or bothered by this essay, but they are loved. simply that..they feel love. we all need it and we all definitely deserve it…
I think your heart is in the right place, and you truly desire to help, but Glennon has already come to a place of peace with her position, after spending lots of time reading and praying and reflecting on this issue. Who are we to say that she’s so far off base? We are all charged with working out our own faith with fear and trembling. We aren’t called to work out anyone else’s salvation. That’s between them and God.
And profanity is a tricky topic, but I know Glennon doesn’t do it to shock people. She’s a writer, and she uses the words that best express herself. Some people appreciate it and relate to it, some are offended. I’m sorry if you are in the latter group.
The goal of this community is to foster love, gentle communication, encouragement, introspection and growth. I hope you can see that.
.love.
I agree with you Rebecca. Im a sap and I know it. But Touched By An Angel is one of my favorite shows. Time and again Monica says God is TRUTH and LOVE. Not just love. For many people, homosexuality is not truth, it is bondage- a bondage Satan puts them in because of past trauma. This isnt true for everyone I know, but my point in stating it here is that everyone is all lovey-dovey over Glennon’s words- but true love seeks out the truth. If we “accept” homosexuality without question we can actually deny the work of the cross which is healing and redemption. Love and truth must walk hand in hand.
Yes!
You and I disagree on some pretty fundamental things. But I truly appreciate your ‘law of love’ and that even if we disagree, it is important to us, and to Jesus, that we love each other. Speak the truth in love. This is what He asks us to do. Sometimes that truth is hard to hear, and it is telling someone that what they are doing is wrong. I do not believe that Jesus will/would come back as a poor, black, gay teenage girl. But I do think He would be her best friend.
So very well said.
Why do you not think? “Jesus will/would come back as a poor, black, gay teenage girl.”
Several reasons. Mostly because I believe He will come back as who He was the first time–but as He left not as He came–that is to say, in His glorified risen body–not as a baby in a barn.
I also disagree with Glennon–she seems to be saying that Jesus was a law-breaker, and in my heart I hear–sinner. I do not believe He was a sinner, but the friend of sinners (like me.)
Well Said….He would be her best friend!! I do not agree with this blog…we all have our own opinions~This one I cannot agree with at all.
“Sometimes that truth is hard to hear, and it is telling someone that what they are doing is wrong. I do not believe that Jesus will/would come back as a poor, black, gay teenage girl. But I do think He would be her best friend.”
Karla, I think you hit the nail right on the head.