Homosexuality and the Christian Community

        There is a significant and divisive debate in the Christian community over whether or not homosexuality is sinful. Many people believe that all Christians are "anti-gay," but there is really no consensus on homosexuality among Christians. Some conservative Christians are vehemently opposed to homosexuality and gay rights, believing that homosexuals should "become straight." However, some liberal Christians fully support homosexuality and gay rights, emphasizing God's love and forgiveness. Many Christians find a middle ground, believing that being attracted to the same sex is okay, but that the Bible prohibits sexual behaviour between people of the same gender. This wide range of beliefs is reflected in the differing positions of Christian churches and organizations. The United Church of Canada welcomes homosexuals into its congregations and allows its clergy to perform same-sex marriages. The official catechism of the Roman Catholic church states that homosexuals can be Catholics, but that they are called to chastity. The New York Times reported about a conservative evangelical Baptist church in Ausbury Park, New Jersey that attended the city's annual gay pride celebration, giving out water bottles. The church believes that homosexuality is a sin, but went "to show God's love" to the people there.

        The debate over homosexuality in the Christian community largely centers around particular Bible verses relevant to the issue (e.g. Leviticus 18:22 and 1 Corinthians 6:9). Scholarly, contemporary translations of the Bible (such as the New International Version) support the view that homosexual behaviour is sinful, though not necessarly same-sex attraction (an important distinction). However, some Christians believe that the Bible has been misunderstood and mistranslated, arguing that the Bible means to condemn other practices such as child abuse and rape instead. This is likely a debate that will divide Christians for many years to come, with implications for the relationship between the Christian and LGBT communities. However, Christians from every standpoint should be able to agree on the importance of treating homosexuals with love and respect, as the Bible commands (Mark 12:31 and Proverbs 10:12). It is also helpful to consider that too much of an emphasis on sexuality can detract from the Bible's main message, that of the forgiveness found in Jesus Christ.

In writing this post, I have done my best to put aside my own beliefs on the subect and remain unbiased, in order to present an impartial summary of the differing standpoints Christians have on homosexuality. You can read my personal standpoint here.

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LRA Violence and Joseph Kony

Did you know that over 30,000 children have been abducted by Joseph Kony, the leader of the "Lord's Resistance Army" in Africa?

These children are being brainwashed and forced to become soldiers or sex slaves. Kony has been on the run for years, as he is considered one of the world's worst war criminals. Now is the time to arrest him and put an end to this wickedness.

Kony 2012 Video

Kony 2012: Part 2

LRA Crisis Tracker

Invisible Children - Response to Critics

Please spread the word!

In Defence of Mourning

      Faith in Christ brings hope and joy. Often music is the best reflection of a worldview (i.e. culture, mindset, and/or religion) so take a look at the Christian music out there. Most of the well known Christian songs are joyful – "just be happy and everything's going to be fine! Don't be sad, praise God!"
     But life isn't always like that. There is hatred, mourning, loneliness, shame, and despair, all enhanced by deep divisions between people. These things can even be found in the best of churches. Sin's consequences are ugly. There are times for mourning and sadness. But where does Christ fit into these times?
     Christians love to celebrate the joyful parts of the Bible - for example, we love our big Christmas festivities. But not everything's all fine and dandy in the Bible. The book of Job is about a man in the depths of despair, who lost everything he had and even began to think that God had deserted him. Ever read the book of Jeremiah? It predicts many calamities and can be depressing at times.
     God knows all about suffering. Jesus spent 40 days in a desert with no food and the devil for company. He sweated blood in anticipation of his crucifixion, which is known to be one of the most brutal ways to die. And It wasn't just any ordinary crucifixion - He also took upon himself the weight of the world's sin, with God's wrath attached.
     Most people celebrate Christmas, but not nearly as many people commemorate Good Friday, the anniversary of Jesus's brutal death. I also fall into the trap of concerning myself only with happy things – I often try to ignore sadness. Sometimes it's like I'm trying to deny the fact that there even is sorrow, though in my own life I hit rock bottom all too often, writhing in the grip of dark depression. I've said to myself, "I'll just publish the happy half of my writing and keep the bitter parts to myself."
     And perhaps that's one of the reasons people dislike Christianity – we come across as do-gooders with our heads in the clouds, showing off our shiny hope and joy, without the simplest acknowledgment that we're still broken sinners who still feel pain.
     Love, hope, and joy is great of course. But sometimes we don't leave any room for Christian mourning and Christian sorrow. Sometimes we present to the world an image that seems to trivialize the bad times of life. At least I do.
     So what should we do? We can't throw away our love, hope, and joy. But I think we could acknowledge sadness more – recognize that there is a time and place for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:4). For example, the well-known Christian song Tears of the Saints by Leeland expresses sadness for the lost, and the lesser-known Lament by the Christian band NewWorldSon is downright mournful. Why? Because sometimes hope seems bleak and instead of joy there is misery.
     We should also get involved in ministries that reach out to people who are broken and in misery. Some good organizations that do this are Love is Louder, Gospel For Asia, and the International Justice Mission.
     Of course, there needs to be a balance. Most of the sad Psalms in the Bible end with a reminder that God is in control and He will redeem us. The book of Job ends with the protagonist getting back twice of what he lost, and also shows us how his suffering was part of a much bigger picture. God will always pull through (Isaiah 40:28-31). We may not understand, may not see any hope in our future, and may not even be delivered until after death. But still God will never fail. He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. - Matthew 5:4

     We live in a broken world. Mourning is a fact of life. Don't ignore it, gloss over it, or trivialize it. Feel free to be sad without thinking that you're putting God aside. But always keep in mind that one day there won't be any mourning - in heaven. God is in control, and God is good.

Reflecting God

This beautiful picture of a mirror I got from ikea.com!

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. - 2 Corinthians 3:18  NIV

    As a son of God, there are two main things I should do - reflect the Lord's glory, and be transformed into his likeness. I'm like a mirror... sadly, an imperfect mirror. But I'm always striving to be able to reflect God better, by getting rid of the sin and imperfection in my life that gets in the way of God's reflection. Reflecting God (which includes witnessing and missions) and becoming more like God are my two main jobs, which I can only accomplish through God and with his grace and power working in my life.
    But I always forget. I'm always am putting myself first, both consciously, when I blatantly sin, and unconsciously, when I pretend to be doing things for God but my motives are more self-centred. Of course, I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13, my baptism verse), but I also cannot "bear good fruit" without Him (John 15:4). This reminds me of a great quote: "Don't try harder, trust God more!" I usually just try harder and try harder, and then get frustrated at myself when I don't achieve all my goals and don't live up to all my expectations. From now on I'll try to just trust God, and let Him transform me, because I know I can't transform myself.
    Which brings me to my final point - humility is very important. It's important because without God I'm nothing, and without humbleness I won't be able to reflect God well. I know that, but often live like it's not true - I often live like I'm number one, not God. Humbleness is not my strong point, but while I merely try to reflect God and become more like Him, hopefully I will improve in my personal humility.