Controversy

Well, one conversation lead to another tonight and I found myself with some interesting conclusions. That, mixed in with some other thoughts that I had today, left me with this. In a way it's not much, in other ways it's too much. This post is going to jump all over the place, just like the conversation that I had with my mom before I started writing it. Hopefully some sense will come from it.

My first question, to myself and everyone else, is: How do you witness?

This question came up in a conversation about what you have to do to be saved. There will be more about this conversation later (I can tell already that this is going to be a long post - get ready). My mom and I discussed, that among other things, witnessing is one of the things that we must do in order to go to Heaven. I think that this is pretty universally accepted in all denominations of Christianity. The true question is, how do you do it?

Some people take the obvious route, they tell others about God at every possible opportunity. Simply talking about God can work...sometimes. But if you're talking to a strong Atheist, someone who was brought up to believe that religion and God are all fake, what do you do? You can't just automatically start talking to them about God, they aren't going to listen most of the time. How are you supposed to show them what being a Christian is about?

I believe that witnessing doesn't have to be about just talking about God. You can show people the love of Christ just by being nice. Being kind, compassionate and putting yourself in someone else's shoes can be enough. If you are kind to everyone they will notice that there is something different about you, they'll wonder why. Eventually these people will come to you and ask the questions that you wanted to give them the answer to in the first place.

You don't have to go out and knock on doors or shove your beliefs down peoples' throats when they don't want to hear it. It doesn't work. Sometimes you have to let them see you example and come to you first. Maybe they won't come to you, maybe they won't ask you about God and your faith. Maybe they'll emulate your behaviour and become Christ-like without even knowing it. Maybe a subtle approach and a laid-back attitude can bring people closer to God that preaching.

Ok, question number two...I'm not really sure how these two conversations relate. My mom and I were talking about sins and, of course, what you have to do to get into Heaven. This also relates back to a conversation that I had with Andrea a few months back after I wrote my blog about sex.

The conversation that Andrea and I had revolved around what God would think if I had sex with the man that I loved before I married him. From what I remember of that conversation (I'm sorry if I took it the wrong way) Andrea basically told me that God wouldn't condemn me to Hell for deciding to have sex before I'm married. God loves me and wants me to wait, but he isn't going to punish me for all eternity. This is because he loves me. This is something that I needed and was glad to hear at the time.

It also ties in with question number two: Is homosexuality a sin?

Of course, the Bible says it is. The Bible says that we should love the sinner and hate the sin. I agree with that. I just do not believe that homosexuality is a sin. Yeah, I know, it goes against everything that I've been brought up to believe and what a lot of other Christians believe.

Yes, God created men and women to be together, they fit together, so of course that's how they should be. Right? In my opinion, maybe God would rather men and women be together, rather then two men or two women, that doesn't mean it is a sin. I cannot see how a God who preaches love and wants us to love one another can deny two people that love just because they are of the same sex.

I am not gay, but I know people who are. I know people who are in love and happy, just the way they are. Why should we "accept them and hate their sin"? Why can't we accept them and their "sin"? Love is love whether it is for a man or a woman, there is only one love. There are different kinds of love yes, you can love someone and not be in love. But what if the person that you are in love with happens to be of the same sex? Are you supposed to fall out of love with that person? Are you supposed to not act on it? Does not acting upon it really change anything? You still love that person and why would a God who tells you to love not want you to have that?

What if you are a man who is in love with another man, but are not sexually attracted to that man? Is it still a "sin" to be in a relationship with that man if there is no sex, kissing or any other sexual acts? I mean really, gay marriage is legal in Canada, if we're saying that it is wrong to have sex before marriage, what's to stop them once they are married? If they are in love with each other, why not act on it? I don't mean that they should have sex with each other just like that, but if they are married (just like any other couple) and are sexually attracted to each other (just like any other couple) why shouldn't they?

If God isn't going to condemn me to Hell for having sex before marriage, why would He condemn a gay couple who is waiting until marriage to have sex? Why is it wrong for two men or two women to be in love? Are they not both human beings? Do they not both have personalities, feelings and thoughts that another person with the same could love? If a man can fall in love with a certain woman, why can't another woman fall in love with that same woman? And if that isn't wrong, why should they then not act on that love?

I know, controversial topic. This post was supposed to be slightly more thought out and there was actually supposed to be a question number three...It's three in the morning and I honestly can't remember what it was. Maybe I'll remember tomorrow...