At one time in my life I would have thought by the time I was 35 years old I'd be a Harding Alumni. You see I grew up in the Church of Christ in the midwest, and was in a church where everyone graduated high school and went to Harding. In fact, I had one of my senior pictures taken in full Hardng University attire. Yet, I have a fairly strong rebellious streak in me so I bucked the tide of following like another lemming off the HU cliff and chose to attend York College, the "liberal" school.
My own experiences at York College are one reason I take the issue of the HUQueerPress so seriously. My best friend my freshman year at York was gay. Even at the "liberal" COC college I went to, I wittnessed first hand this was not Ok. He did not return after that first year, it seemed to him to embrace "coming out" meant leaving YC. You see counselors, professors, and students claimed to love him, yet it is hard to feel love from a person who thinks you need to be fixed.
As I followed the @HUQueerPress feed today I could not help but see ruminations of a debate very similar a generation before at Harding. "If you don't like how Harding treats Black students you are free to go elsewhere." I know the black eye and continuing consequences that racial segregation has wrought on the Churches of Christ. I could not help but be proud of these new voices who stand against such sexual biogtry, and challenge the university to do better than it has.
My hope is that a surge of student allies will rise up and shape a better response than the response of Harding University president David Burks did in chapel today. My hope is that there are Harding students ready to follow the Jesus path, to be persecuted for loving and supporting those the "purity police" deem unclean. My hope is that the love embodied by Jesus will break down EVERY barrier of segregation and opression at Harding, in the Churches of Christ, in Christianity at large, and in all the world.
Showing posts with label Homosexuality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Homosexuality. Show all posts
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Friday, February 12, 2010
God Is Love: Thoughts On Gay Marriage
“God is Love!” I join with the apostle John in remembering this truth. “Everything you do should be done in love.” I join with the apostle Paul in striving to live this truth. “Every minute build in more generous love to others.” I join with the apostle Peter in developing this truth. “As you are loved, Love!” I join with our Lord Jesus the Christ in being shaped by this truth.
Love is not a means to an end. Love is the means and the end. Love is the practice that will identify those who are the Kingdom of God. Love is a citizenship, that must pervade every element of praxis in a reborn life.
It is because of this I have stood at odds for a very long time with many people I love dearly in conservative Christianity over the issue of 'Gay Marriage.' I do not take anyone to task on their reading of and understanding of the Bible. However, I can not understand how reading a book, that calls it's followers to be a people defined by love one could ever use it as a source to demonize any class of people.
If YHWH God is love, and his are people who are known by their love; then Christianity's politicized campaign against gay marriage has cost her very identity. It is as impossible to tell a person they are “Love by God” and campaign to deny them of any civil rights, as it would be to tell a hungry man, “be warm and well fed” and leave him to starve.
I am reminded of the words of Jesus who said, “Be compassionate, as the Lord your God is compassionate.” This call to compassion must be as enveloping as the very compassion of God.
I am aware that many people who have heard countless Christian leaders press how 'Gay Marriage' is the most pressing issue to the church today may be very offended by this post. I accept that a post like this is not a perfect forum for such discussion. I ask two things if this offends you; first check out this website (http://kbow.us/Y3pN) and read the words of the actual people affected by this. Secondly, feel free to think you need to correct me, that's right if you would like to discuss this in an actual human context please let me know, and I will listen to your reasons why love is not the issue and I will dialouge back with why the issue is love.
I close by going back to the beginning.
Love is not a means to an end. Love is the means and the end. Love is the practice that will identify those who are the Kingdom of God. Love is a citizenship, that must pervade every element of praxis in a reborn life.
It is because of this I have stood at odds for a very long time with many people I love dearly in conservative Christianity over the issue of 'Gay Marriage.' I do not take anyone to task on their reading of and understanding of the Bible. However, I can not understand how reading a book, that calls it's followers to be a people defined by love one could ever use it as a source to demonize any class of people.
If YHWH God is love, and his are people who are known by their love; then Christianity's politicized campaign against gay marriage has cost her very identity. It is as impossible to tell a person they are “Love by God” and campaign to deny them of any civil rights, as it would be to tell a hungry man, “be warm and well fed” and leave him to starve.
I am reminded of the words of Jesus who said, “Be compassionate, as the Lord your God is compassionate.” This call to compassion must be as enveloping as the very compassion of God.
I am aware that many people who have heard countless Christian leaders press how 'Gay Marriage' is the most pressing issue to the church today may be very offended by this post. I accept that a post like this is not a perfect forum for such discussion. I ask two things if this offends you; first check out this website (http://kbow.us/Y3pN) and read the words of the actual people affected by this. Secondly, feel free to think you need to correct me, that's right if you would like to discuss this in an actual human context please let me know, and I will listen to your reasons why love is not the issue and I will dialouge back with why the issue is love.
I close by going back to the beginning.
Love is not a means to an end. Love is the means and the end. Love is the practice that will identify those who are the Kingdom of God. Love is a citizenship, that must pervade every element of praxis in a reborn life.“God is Love”
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