I expect seminary classes to discuss homosexuality, and I'm not surprised when my professors take the traditional evangelical position. But what I hate is when students in class turn to smile at each other when the professor defends his conservative view or snicker at the outrageous claims of gay Christians.
I guarantee you there is someone else in class who is either gay or who loves someone who is gay. Let's discuss things, of course. But let's do so in kindness, yeah?
EDITED TO ADD: I overheard this conversation in class.
Woman: Do you know *this show*? There are lesbians! In your face! It's not a joke anymore, or something hidden. I just can't believe it.
Girl: Yeah, and she's just so pretty. It's too bad.
I just can't. I honestly don't know where to begin with all the unthinking ideas exhibited in that conversation. I'm not saying all Christians need to accept gay relationships. I know that won't happen. But I'd like to think people can understand and be respectful of people regardless. Or else why don't we say, "Did you see that show with a divorced couple!? Can you believe it? And in one episode, the whole plot hung on a LIE. The shock!"
Think of something as sin, sure, but it's not necessary to be rude. And also, people aren't lesbians because they're so ugly they can't snag a man. How is that even? I can't.
Okay, I can't let it go. What is the point of media but to display stories, true people and true situations. Media at its best doesn't pass judgment, it just shows. Sometimes it does pass judgment, but the simple fact of having lesbians in a show does not automatically pass judgment. It just says, "lesbians exist. we're honoring that by letting them have adventures and drama too." I see absolutely nothing wrong with that. If all media only included perfect people, it would be Jesus sitting by Himself. That is not the point of media.
"If all media only included perfect people, it would be Jesus sitting by Himself. That is not the point of media."
ReplyDeleteTricia, you have once again pointed out the blinders that so many Christians have on when they see the world. All kinds of people exist, and we are told to love them all. I sit in a fairly conservative Sunday School class of older folks, and sometimes I am driven to despair by the pleasure that so many of them get from bad-mouthing the sinners. The unspoken message is "I am so much better than they are". What you should hear but don't is that "that could be me just as well because I too am a sinner and weak."
You may be angering some conservative Christians, but you are being true to Christ. The only folks He bad-mouthed were the hypocrites. There sure seem to be a lot of them still.
Not to mention the privilege conservative Christians (especially straight white conservative Christians) don't seem to realize they have. Everyone sins, and everyone needs Jesus, YES. But some people's life circumstances make it way easier to have "less" sin or less socially unacceptable sin.
DeleteI guess I just wish we could stop being shocked at sin. It's been around for thousands of years. It's not new. And frankly, I think our culture of out-of-the-closet (concerning many topics, not just the gay community) is WONDERFUL. Yes! Now we can have conversations! Now we can interact with people and love on people and stop it with the shame and hiding. No good can come from hiding sin (except the comfort of people in their cozy homes).
I'm ranting. I'll stop. But yes, Tommy, it also drives me crazy to hear Christians bashing sinners. That is the exact opposite of our point.