recent events have me thinking about the topic of homosexuality. Recently an active NBA player, Jason Collins, came out and told the world that he is gay. This is the first time an active player in any of the major American sports (NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB) has done this, so it has caused a significant amount of discussion. An analyst at ESPN, Chris Broussard, stated the following:

I’m a Christian. I don’t agree with homosexuality. I think it’s a sin, as I think all sex outside of marriage between a man and a woman is. If you’re openly living in unrepentant sin … that’s walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ.

This is what got me thinking about this subject. I have, for the most part, not had to nail down my opinions on the subject of homosexuality because I’m not gay and I don’t have any close friends who are gay, so it hasn’t really mattered to me. I did vote in favor of same sex marriage here in Maine, but that had more to do with me being a Libertarian than it did with my views of the moral issue of homosexuality, but now, with all the discussion going around and taking up sports radio airwaves, I have been somewhat forced into thinking about it.

What I walk away with is confusion. Honestly, this is something that is difficult for my faith, because, as I will explain, I come to two contradictory conclusions on the topic.

First of all, I think the Bible, even in the New Testament, makes it pretty clear that homosexuality is sinful. When Romans 1 talks about how we, as the human race, have generally walked away from the truth, it includes a somewhat substantial section on homosexuality exemplifying this. So, do I think homosexuality is a sin? Yes, I guess I have to, since I believe the Bible.

Second of all, I’ve kind of had this impression that the “Law” of the New Testament is based on love. Like Jesus explains, if you love God and love others more than yourself, you will fulfill the Law. That seems very consistent with Jesus’ life and ministry. He saves his most aggressive criticisms for those who use God for their own gain, and for those who oppress others. Additionally if you look at any other action or feeling that is considered a sin, it has a victim of sorts. Theft, murder, slander all have victims, all have the sinner putting himself before others. There are other sins where God is the “victim” so to speak. Fear represents a lack of trust in God, worshiping idols and false gods takes credit from the true Creator. I know that this is all kind of half-baked, but I hope you get the idea of what I’m saying.

So, where I can fit all “sin” into this framework, I cannot fit homosexuality into it, and that bothers me. I know, it doesn’t matter if it makes sense to me, and so on and so forth, but it does matter to me, so anyone who wants to say that I have no right to question, can stick a sock in it. I don’t really care about that.

Say that two men or women were to enter into a monogamous committed relationship. We won’t call it marriage because that’ll just open a whole can of worms, but basically that is what I’m talking about. Can those two people love each other? Put each other ahead of themselves? Be selfless with one another? I think they can. I see homosexuality as victimless. I guess you could make the case that God is the victim because it contradicts the way he created us, but he also created us to pair up, and we know that he allows some people to be single, according to Paul. Most other arguments that I can come up with are circular: God is the victim because he said not to do it. See, this doesn’t answer the question of why. Don’t do it, because don’t do it? Seems a little silly.

So, do I think homosexuality is a sin? Yes. Do I think that it makes sense that it is a sin? No. Should this matter to me? I don’t know, but it does.

I would be interested to hear if anyone has anything worthwhile to say on the subject.

So, I was directed to an interesting article by Jimmy Carter that covers a topic that I will fully admit I have very little knowledge on: biblical gender roles. The person who pointed it out to me mentioned that she would be interested in hearing my opinion, that is why I am giving it here. I will admit that it is an ignorant and not fully developed opinion, but that has never stopped me from sharing any of my other opinions on this blog, so screw it, here goes!

First of all, Jimmy (am I allowed to call him that?) explains that he left the SBC because of their views regarding women. The views that he takes issue with are “that Eve was created second to Adam and was responsible for original sin, ordained that women must be “subservient” to their husbands and prohibited from serving as deacons, pastors or chaplains in the military service.”

He goes on to explain that these views are not specific to the SBC, or  even to Christianity, but that they are present across many religions throughout history.

Let me state a few things before going into my thoughts on all that. First, I am a Christian. I believe the Bible is true. Second, there are many many things in which I disagree with the mainstream of modern Christianity (feel free to peruse the blog a bit for an extended set of examples). Third, and as I previously stated, gender roles are not something that I have spent a significant amount of time studying or thinking about.

Having said all that, I think that there are some great points to what the article states. I think that many terrible things have been, and currently are being done, to women in the name of religion. I think that there are many underlying prejudices that drive the way modern American men and women interact, many of which can be tied to traditional Christian and religious views. I also think that it is tragic that Christians are not at the forefront of promoting equality for all people.

A couple things that I would point out that are particularly important are that religion is used to push the agenda of certain people and groups, and that interpretation of ancient documents, such as the Christian Scriptures, can easily be manipulated, both intentionally and unintentionally, to promote the views of the person doing the interpreting. I think the article hits on a lot of that, but I also worry that at points the roles are flipped around, implying that men mistreat and subjugate women because of their religious views, rather than stating that men build religious views to justify their mistreatment of women.

This has happened for all of human history. People have used various methods to force others to do what they want them to do. A big army helps make people do what you want, but if you don’t have that, the keys to Heaven and Hell can come in pretty handy as well. If you can get both, well, now you’re in a good spot. Fortunately this isn’t the Dark Ages. People know how to read. The Bible is translated into many languages and accessible to anybody who is interested in picking it up. For this reason, there is little reason to live under the thumb of religious leaders anymore. They try to cling to their last few shreds of authority by misusing Scripture to imply that they have some superiority over other believers, but more and more people are figuring out that this is a bunch of bullshit.

As far as women pastors and elders and deacons and all that. I don’t think women should hold these offices. I don’t think men should hold these offices. I don’t think these offices should exist, at least not in the way that we understand them today. God uses people to teach each other, I see no reason that women can’t do that teaching. See, we want to think that teaching is all about sermons and Bible studies and seminary and whatever. Teaching is about life, the lessons learned through observing one another. Teachers are those who demonstrate what they believe. So, if we say women are not to teach, are we to say that women should not demonstrate what they believe? That is nonsense. God also uses people to serve each other. Women should certainly serve men. And, men should serve women. Women should serve women, and men should serve men. Serving each other is the demonstration of love toward each other. We should all be serving others.

I don’t want to get into the details of the role of men and women in marriage or any of that silly Original Sin debate. The bottom line, as I see it, is that any time Christianity, the Bible, or any other religion or holy book, is used to suppress, manipulate, subjugate, or oppress others in any way is not only an offense to those being oppressed, but an offense to the book, religion, or god which is being distorted to promote the oppressor’s agenda.

Particularly as this relates to Christianity, it is in complete contradiction to the most important part of interacting with each other: to love and to serve the other above yourself. Instead you are using Christianity to force them to serve and obey you. When God commanded that we not take his name in vain, I believe this is what he meant. Do not use God’s name to promote your agenda. Do not attach God’s name to your hate and selfish ambitions. See, God is pretty big on people glorifying him. When his supposed “followers” use him to oppress others, they put a big skid mark on his name. If you do this kind of stuff, it may just piss him off, and I don’t think that’s a great idea.

Hey stupid Christians, the more you fight the government’s desire to legalize same sex marriage the more you are destroying what you like to call the sanctity of marriage. I won’t even get into what terrible people you make yourselves out to be on Facebook and in picket lines and whatever. It is embarrassing as someone who tries to follow  Christ, but more generally as a fellow human being. Inequality signs? “Screw equality”? These are things I am seeing on Facebook. Terrible. But, like I said, I’m not going to get into that. The simple point I want to make is that, as Christians, you should know that the government has no say in marriage, that, if in fact, marriage is an institution created by God, that only God says what a legitimate marriage is. When you fight on Capitol Hill to preserve “traditional marriage” you are saying that the government  says what marriage is. You, not the homos or the stupid lefty Obama jock-sniffing politicians, are the one who is detroying the sanctity of marriage. Uncle Sam has no say in marriage, don’t give him the impression that he does. That is like arguing with a two-year-old about whether or not there is only one moon orbiting the earth and thinking that if the two-year-old wins the argument, somehow there will be multiple moons shaped like donuts and candy.

Recently I read some pretty sad stuff on a friend’s Facebook wall (or I guess they call it a timeline now, either way…). This guy is part of a union and the union went on strike and he decided that he couldn’t afford to go on strike, and felt is was more important to feed his family. You would have thought this guy had said that he was best friends with Hitler or that he was going on a puppy killing spree. Fellow union members were repeatedly calling him a worthless scab, criticizing his artwork (?), telling him to rip up his union card, and informing him that he was no longer considered as a part of their brotherhood. In my opinion he is probably better off. Clearly those people are very mature and loving brothers.

It reminded me of what I have seen on those gang shows on cable. These guys bullying and beating other guys and girls I guess for abandoning their “brotherhood.” What kind of brotherhood is that? A pretty shitty one if you ask me.

Unfortunately it is also very similar to another “brotherhood,” the Church. I have been called divisive and cynical so many times that I am thinking of getting those terms tattooed on my forearms. Why have I been called those things? Because I call into question the things that other people believe and teach. Here’s a news flash: it is not divisive to question other people’s views! Divisive is when you make your relationship contingent on those views, and when another person disagrees with what you think, you no longer want to be friends or whatever with that person. That is divisive. That is what Christians look like today, a bunch of dicks walking around telling other people that the only way to be part of their “brotherhood” is to agree with everything that they say, and for those of us who don’t? We are the ones that are causing the division. We are the ones causing the disunity.

If unity can only be built on agreement, we’re all screwed.

“stuff that happens in church”

“take care of each other”

Those (along with some variants) are the two most common search terms that land people here. I think this tells me that:

1) People are frustrated with the crap that is being shoveled out week in and week out as “church.”

2) and, more importantly, that people have a desire or feel a need to care for each other.

I find this to be pretty encouraging.

1. Take a great speech.
2. Mention Jesus at the beginning.
3. Add an altar call at the end.
4. Call it a sermon.

That is how to make The Spirit move.

 

If you get on Facebook today, and have many Christian friends you would think that the world was coming to an end because Obama has won a second term in office. A friend of mine asked the question if the way one votes demonstrates their hearts. The responses were pretty insane. People, real life people in the 21st century, believe that God will condemn America for voting in Obama over Romney. Here are some great quotes from the responses:

It breaks my heart to see how far away from the Lord our nation has gone.

Choosing him [Obama] shows that so many people don’t understand economics, history, or God.

The elections indicate how far we’ve gotten from a consciousness of God

Why is today a disappointing day in America? It has nothing to do with who is in office. It has everything to do with how seriously backwards and screwed up American “Christians” are. I mean, I guess they were all screwed up way before that, but we’re seeing it in full color today.

Since Constantine “endorsed” his brand of Christianity, governments have been using Christians for political gain, and somehow STILL many Christians let them do that. Christianity has nothing to do with government. Your ability to follow Christ, in no way, hinges on who is in power of the country you live in.

Government is an entity of violence. Violence is the very root of government. Basically what government says is, “do what we say, or face imprisonment or death.” Often it doesn’t have to get to that, but at the very core of it’s existence, government is an entity of power of some people over other people through the threat of violence. How can you think that has anything to do with your Christianity?

A government social program is not the same thing as charity. Having your money taken from you by force to fund some government program, no matter how good of a program, is not the giving that Christians are called to do.

Government legislation on moral issues is not the same as obeying and following Christ. If gay people can’t get married, that does not mean they are following Christ. We are called to share the good news of Christ, not force others to obey what we understand to be the Christian moral standard.

So much of the rhetoric by both parties would have you believe that no good Christian would vote for the other guy. Obama is obviously going to destroy our country, God’s country, and let the Muslims take over. Romney is just a rich fat cat who doesn’t care about those in need.

Don’t let your faith be used for the political gain of others. Don’t minimize who you are in Christ to which circle you fill in on a piece of paper. It is so disappointing that today, in the year 2012, people are still being manipulated, using Christianity, to follow certain political leaders.

Hi, this is God. I am guest posting on Some Church Stuff today, because I have an important message to give all of my followers, and I know you all read this blog, as it is my favorite and therefore your favorite too, I’m sure.

Tomorrow you will vote. I know there are lots of opinions out there as to who (or is it whom? I always get those mixed up, I never should have done that whole Tower of Babel thing, anyway…) you should vote for. I am here to tell you my final word on it, so that you know. Obama wants to kill babies and spread Islamic hate through America. Romney is basically like the son I never had. I mean, yeah I have Jesus, but he is like the son I do have, not like the son I never had, because, well, I have him (it’s easy to get sidetracked when you have existed for all eternity). So Romney is my man. I want him in office. He will do great things for me, like, improve the American economy, because that is the kinda stuff that makes me really happy. He will also help America gain energy independence. That is one of my top priorities because I hate the Middle East, obviously, which is why it is so hot and awful there, just like I hate Georgia and Mississippi and have cursed them with disgusting humidity and lots of hurricanes.

I know that I said all this stuff in the Bible about setting up a heavenly kingdom, and I know that Jesus didn’t seem to care at all about what the government was doing when he was living among you, but that was before I created America. America is awesome. Guns and Freedom and mostly white people, just the way I like it. Lets keep it that way. I may never need to set up my Heavenly Kingdom at all, now that I have America. Forget the love your neighbor and turn the other cheek stuff, I am more interested in traditional marriage and corporate bailouts.

So, if you love me, God, you will vote with me this Tuesday to get my man, Romney into office.

Also, as a side note, I am now good with Mormonism.