However, the passionate "equality" posts and comics were not the only thing that struck a nerve with me…. I was just as disappointed with how Christianity, the church, and God were being represented by those on the other side of the issue. The majority of the Christians who debated the homosexuality/marriage topic on Facebook spoke with harsh tones and cold words sprinkled with a few supporting bible verses here and there. Often my brothers and sisters in Christ sounded judgmental and unloving.
Unless someone has an open and changeable heart for Jesus, a condemning bible verse is not going to radically change their view on an issue they are passionately supporting. After observing formal and informal debates in high school, I have noticed that the person being debated often focuses more on the tone of delivery and body language than the content of the argument. For example, in my senior english class, I was debating the topic of whether or not high schools should provide daycares for their students' children. In my opinion, my argument was solid, but because of my stubborn attitude and cocky delivery, my partner ignored every word I said. After class, he confessed to me that my arrogance was a "turn-off" and made him feel threatened and unwilling to hear what I had to say….. OUCH.
My partner's brutal honesty opened my eyes to how people in support of homosexual marriage may feel when Christians point their fingers. When our [Christians] actions and words lack love, we come off as arrogant and judgmental. We give others the impression that God hates homosexual people. So when a person feels threatened like this, what would make him or her want to learn more about God and His true meaning and design for marriage? I know that if I felt that Jesus and His followers hated me because I was homosexual, I would want nothing to do with Christianity.
Also, the easiest thing in the world is to condemn the sins we personally are not tempted to commit. For example, .a sexually active woman who has genuine feelings for her boyfriend may look down upon girls who engage in meaningless hookups. Since she has no desire to settle for one-night stands, she convinces herself that she's superior to those who do settle for them. But by doing this, she is diverting her attention away from her own behavior which is equally sinful.
In other words, we have a tendency to put "degrees of wrongness" on sins. The sins that we aren't tempted to commit become "big" sins or "the worst kind". Naturally, we feel elite. I mean hello, we aren't thieves, adulteresses, or murderers, so we must be better off than those who are, right? Wrong
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 6:23
As I read that verse, I noticed that Paul wasn't very specific about which sin would end in death. But then I remembered that to God all sin is the same. All sin breaks His heart. Promiscuity (both heterosexual and homosexual), gossip, stealing, lying, cheating…. it's all the same. Without Jesus Christ, all sin leads to death.
That being said, it is my prayer that we [Christians] would be able to notice the log in our own eye before we point out the splinter in another's. It is my prayer that our hearts would hate all sin, not just the sins we aren't tempted to commit. Every time you see a red equal sign, use it as a reminder to ask God to make the sin that taints your heart more clear to you.
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