If you're LGBTI, here's what one pastor really hopes you know
By John Pavlovitz
http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/lgbti-pastor-john-pavlovitz-hopes-know/#gs.zgPCsI4
"You are not broken.
Your gender identity and sexual orientation are not flaws or moral defects. They are not signs that you are damaged and to be repaired. Your intelligence and character, your humor and capacity to love, your gifts and passions, your goodness and humanity all comprise the sum total of who you are and it is a thing of beauty."
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I can dream that one day his voice will not be the minority voice within the Church.
Oh my, I could not agree with your more Deborah. A beam of light among the darkness of so many
This article has been making me think this morning (always a dangerous thing LOL). It brings to mind this verse I read a couple of mornings ago.
1 John 2:9-11. He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the darkness still. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and in it there is no cause for stumbling. But he who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. (RSV2CE)
There is certainly room for differences of opinion on being transsexual, or any other flavor of LGBTI. But often these differences of opinion quickly turn to disparagement, threats of hell, ridicule, and the like. In fact, when these things are spoken they reveal the heart and if the heart is full of such darkness then I think the verse above speaks to their spirit.
From a Christian spiritual point of view we should simply disregard these people as they are walking outside the faith. More importantly, we should not allow ourselves to fall into that same sad state. We cannot control what fills the hearts of others beyond wishing them the best. We can however control the darkness that we allow to enter our own hearts.
This is really quite remarkable. Reading the full article is interesting, as there is an engagement between this pastor and a more 'traditional Christian' that is illuminating as well.
Thanks for posting this.
I would love for the churches to move in this pastor's direction. Many atheists like me would be far less anti-religion if we had less to complain about from that side.