Part II
Jesus loves people....
I'm fairly certain that there isn't a single person in the LGBTQ community that doesn't know EXACTLY how a Christian feels about their lifestyle. That said, as a Christian, am I supposed to choose between loving them unconditionally or judge them for the way they choose to live their lives?
At the heart of every Christian is the deep desire to see others go to heaven. But sometimes the road we choose to send others down to reach the conclusions we did is mired in judgement and condescension. For instance everybody has heard the saying, "Love the sinner, hate the sin", but to a non-Christian they may liken it to "Love the imperfect human, hate all the stuff I don't like".
I understand the whole conviction thing as a believer, but I had to believe first, the conviction came later. I can tell you that conviction through the Holy Spirit is much more powerful than anything another person can do, and when we try to hammer conviction into a person you're liable to do some damage. But if you love someone truly, as a person, not just a means to an end, you remove a layer of judgement that would otherwise create a barrier for breakthrough. You see there is no defense for true love, because a message delivered on the tip of a sword that was crafted out of the fire of love can pierce through the hardest of hearts.
It's unfortunate to see very sensitive topics such as LGBTQ+ rights become an issue that places a bigger wedge between that community and the Christian community, of which I belong. Biblically, Jesus wasn't afraid to rock the boat when necessary, but every time He sought to win hearts, He was a silky smooth gangsta.
I recognize and understand the plight of the LGBTQ+ community. Whether you were marked with a pink triangle, or scarred from the Stonewall Riots, there has always been a system of oppression that has kept you from being someone you knew yourself to be, and even more tragically, has arrested, beaten and killed you for those beliefs. As a straight Jesus loving man, I'll never pretend to know what it's like to walk a day in your shoes, but know that I recognize you have a need to walk, and your journey is and has been a long one.
So with that, I'll end by saying that I have a mixed array of Facebook friends from all walks of life, and would like to remind my friends in the LGBTQ+ community and those who are nonbelievers, that you are loved. Nobody has a monopoly on Christianity, only Jesus does. And if you haven't received unconditional love from a Christian yet, don't believe for a second that it isn't out there waiting for you. Whether it's from another Christian or Jesus himself....