This is something that has been on my mind lately. A large reason why I'm writing this is that there are still many people who know and love me who still don't really understand why exactly I'm LGBT+ affirming and still somehow call myself a Christian.
I want to acknowledge that what I'm going through right now is a very tiny small fraction of what actual LGBT+ Christians go through.
Still, here we go. Here are some of the things people have said to me or I've had to deal with since being open about my LGBT+ affirming position.
1) People saying that my LGBT+ affirming stance is something that will lead me to hell if I do not repent.
I've had people tell me this, saying that since I'm "denying Scripture", I, like "the homosexuals and those who embrace transgenderism", will not inherit the kingdom of God.
I'm going to allow the reader to determine how they feel about that. I meditate on the gospel, on the saving work of Christ, on my identity in him, as well as on my assurance of salvation as one whom God has called irresistibly to himself when people make such comments.
2) People assuming that I believe this because it's new and exciting to me whilst ignoring some decades of traditional non-affirming scholarship.
Truthfully, I've been LGBT+ affirming for quite a number of years now, and I've read many things, both traditional and affirming, for even longer. So no, this is not a belief I've developed overnight or because I read just one book that tugged at my heartstrings. This is a topic I've given much thought since middle school onwards. I suspect this is the case for many LGBT+ affirming Christians like myself.
The only reason it seems sudden is that I'm suddenly open about it.
3) People assuming I believe this because it's fashionable and that I'm putting cultural moral standards above God - essentially erasing God as having any authority or place in my life.
So, for those who do think this of me, there's not much I can say. So much has already been assumed of my motives and my heart, and I quite simply have nothing that could convince that person otherwise. I cannot help but think such assumptions about my heart and my faith are both unwise and uncharitable.
Do you truly want to understand why I think what I think, or do you already think you know why and so want to jump to point out my error?
4) People saying it is not unity but conformity that I advocate for in the church.
I very much long for the church to be unified in Christ. Unity and conformity are not the same things. Conformity would be making it so one party must assimilate to the other. Unity, though, entails both parties being joined together despite differences.
In the church, what unifies us is Christ - not our stances on women's ordination, paedobaptism, divorce, or being LGBT+ affirming. Those things can certainly mean we might inhabit different denominations, but we as those who profess Christ should still be able to be unified in Christ, come together, and acknowledge each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. We should submit to one another out of reverence of Christ. We should pray with and for one another. We should sing psalms and spiritual songs together. At the very least, we should be able to do these things.
I think it would be great and beneficial to the church if my other brothers and sisters would come to believe as I do on this subject. But I do not expect people to conform to what I think, nor would I doubt the faith of those who think differently than me on the matter.
5) People assuming I would be better off in one of those "liberal"/"universalist" churches that don't really take Scripture seriously.
First of all, I may have different views on Scripture than someone who goes to, for example, a PCUSA church, but I still wouldn't automatically assume that God was not working in their lives or that their faith is somehow less genuine than mine.
Secondly, there is no "liberal gay/trans hermeneutic" I've adopted, nor is there any loosening of Scripture - unless taking historical context into account is somehow wrong. Nowhere do I say Scripture is wrong or in error, or that any of the divinely inspired authors, such as Paul, are wrong or in error or merely "influenced by the culture". No, I think they are speaking to their culture by preaching the gospel and trying to get everyone to see all through the lens of Christ.
I feel like this is something that people assume and say because they just can't buy that, yes, you can have an extremely conservative view of Scripture and have true faith in Christ and still be LGBT+ affirming.
6) Feeling like I've lost my home.
I think one of the most awful and painful things I've had to deal with since being open about my views is how I'm treated differently now by people who have known me my entire life. Mentor figures. People who I think still love me, but view me as some stray or fallen black sheep. I have gone from a beloved child to just another one of those young foolish kids who went off to college, became an adult, and just fell off the wagon. This more than anything else might be the hardest most painful thing out of everything.
So there you have it. Thoughts, comments, questions, and concerns are all welcome and appreciated.