It Turns Out God Made Them After All

There are many divisive issues confronting us today. They range from race relations to religion to matters of law and even sexuality. For a person who grew up with very precise definitions of sex and sexuality I am a Johnny-come-lately to the discussion. There was a time I held a stance and was quite dogmatic about it. I wasn't willing to hear anything which didn't agree with what I had already decided.

But my decision was not based on my own knowledge, experience, or investigation.

The question of gay rights has been around for several decades now, and it seems to be heating up. Not seems to be. It is heating up. There was a march of some kind in Washington yesterday or today in which gay activists and supporters of gay rights are calling out a reminder to President Obama that he promised to bring positive resolution in at least some areas.

I am not a model Christian, and for many that immediately excludes my opinion from counting for anything. For others, the fact that I now stand against them on certain points is the reason to no longer listen to anything I have to say. But I am a Christian. I believe Jesus Christ is God himself, known to us as The Son of God (which is a confusing term to us in this society - but probably not to those in an older society which no longer exists). I believe he died on the cross in order that God could forgive us our sins and accept us back to himself. I believe he rose from the dead and ascended to heaven, where he poured his blood on the alter as payment.

Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Hebrews 9:22 Revised Standard Version

I believe this faith I own makes me a Christian. Not my lifestyle. Lifestyle cannot make anyone a Christian. Only forgiveness.

Now, that being said, I want also to say that I believe the answers to the sex and sexuality questions can be found in the Bible: but only for those who are willing to have faith in it.

Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 6:7-12 Revised Standard Version

So, I have been gaining knowledge and experience through my own investigation. Others have done a much better job, and with that thought in mind I would like to direct you to the blog of one Sarah L. Specifically, this post here. In it, Sarah discusses scientific fact about the number of people born as a-typical males and females. In some cases they are both. Even the chromosomes do not distinguish, as the combinations are just too diverse to say certain people are male or female.

So where does that leave us with regard to God?

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 Revised Standard Version

Do you see it? It's there, although I confess I'm nervous about interpreting it. God created man - as male and female.

How does that relate to the questions of gay rights which confront us today? I must confess I am not sure. But I do believe we must be careful. The Bible is not just one verse, and God's will and purpose is found in the entire Bible. What is the constant message?

Today, while searching for answers in scripture about hermaphrodites, I came across someone else's scripture reference. I will surround the verse they referenced so that it shows more in context. But I find it most interesting.

Now before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, though faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. Galatians 3:23-29 Revised Standard Version

Again, I hesitate to make an explicit interpretation of this reference, but it does raise a question in my mind. Why are we concerning ourselves so much over this question?

That people are born without being solely male or solely female is a documented fact, and has been for hundreds of years. According to the information Sarah L found, it isn't nearly so rare an occurrance as some wish to believe. Do you realize that there are more people in the United States alone with this condition than live in Wyoming, Vermont, North Dakota, Alaska, and Vermont - COMBINED?

But even if it WAS only one person. Did not God make that person? Everyone who is born is born according to God's will. People cannot exist unless God creates them. Only God can create a spirit.

So did God make more than three million mistakes in the United States? I don't think so. God doesn't make mistakes. These people were created according to God's will. So did God create people just to hate them? No. God loves these people. They were created exactly according to his plan. Why do we feel this insane need to oppress them?

I think we in the Christian Community are in great danger of becoming the servant who lost the grace given to him by the king.

Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imporing him, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servatns who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, 'Pay what you owe.' So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, 'Have patience wit hme, and I will pay you.' He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed ,and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you; if you do not forgive you brother from your heart. Matthew 18:23-35 Revised Standard Version

People, we need to be careful with how we view other people.

Render Unto Caesar

Lawyers and judges always seem to be talking in double-talk. Perhaps that's why so many of them enter into politics. Politicians are always trying to say opposite things.

An historic ruling has just been made in California. Sarah Laurenson posted about it on her blog, Short Stuff. I don't even pretend to understand the legalese with which the California Supreme Court declared its ruling, but according to what Sarah says, the English translation is that gay and lesbian couples can be legally married in California. They just can't call it marriage.

While my reaction to the court is that it didn't have the guts to stand up for what it believed in, it is also possible the court doesn't believe in anything and so had nothing to stand up for.

But the GOOD news is that Sarah is still legally married. Well, no, that's not true. Sarah is still legally "wedded". She can't be married. Even though she is.

Like I said, I have trouble with legal double-talk. It's like listening to religious fanatics talk. They can take any sentence from anywhere and make it mean whatever they want. That's my opinion of lawyers, too. I don't have much faith in our judicial system anymore. But there's no other system which works better, so what do you do?

As long as people like Sarah and her spouse (we can still say that, can't we) are left alone to live their lives as they wish. They aren't out to hurt or defraud anybody. Leave them alone. I think that's what this ruling is saying. Stop harassing the innocent.

Those of you who are religiously conservative, I note that you spend a lot of time b*tching and moaning about gays and lesbians, but you haven't had a word to say about Wall Street Tycoons destroying the country with greed and avarice. You b*tch and moan because some Democrat politician supports some legislation which will take money from your pockets, descrying them as immoral and evil. But you never have anything to say about torture, civil rights, or any sins of the Republican Party.

You who seek to be ultra conservative live your lives in fear. That's what you're all about now. God told us about you. Predicted it thousands of years ago.

And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Luke 21:25-26 New King James Version

Fear is the big motivator, isn't it? We're afraid of everyone and everything. Yet we claim to trust God. The truth is, if we really trusted God we wouldn't be nearly so afraid.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. but he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18 New King James Version

When it comes to our faith, we need not fight. Jesus told us this.

Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here." John 18:36 New King James Version

Why do you wish to fight in the world over our faith? Jesus says the kingdom of our faith is not of the world, so the battle is not here. Stop fighting flesh and blood over your faith.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 New King James Version

Our battle is not with gay and lesbian people here on earth. They are just like us: human. They need God just like we need God. We need God just like they need God. But the only God we ever tell them about, show them through our behavior, is a God of hatred and intolerance. No wonder they want nothing to do with the God we talk about and demonstrate. I don't want anything to do with that thing either. Give me the real God. The God of love and forgiveness and acceptance.

It is said that one of the chief motivations for Judas Iscariot was impatience with Jesus for not bringing about the kingdom as Judas expected. Are we not guilty of the same sin when we attack gays and lesbians? Are we not the true sinners when we attack people for being in love? How anti-God can you get?

Partly I think we attack those who demonstrate our own sins. Look how often those who seek the demise of this person or that is secretly engaged in the same behavior?

Let us quit hating people and start living the lives that Christ told us to live. That he made possible for us to live by putting God's spirit into our hearts. Who did Jesus ever blast when he walked this earth? Religious hypocrites, that's who. He didn't even blast the Roman Empire. His word on that was, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." (Matthew 22:21 New King James Version)

Caesar has said it is all right for Gays and Lesbians to be wedded. Let's put this foolishness of harrassing these people away now. We have much bigger and far more important battles to fight anyway. The real war rages in our hearts. With our own sinful natures. Let's not worry about what other people are doing. They're better people than us anyway. They at least love.

It's Easy to Say Anything

What is prayer but talking to God? But do you admit that sometimes it is easier to talk about talking with God than it is to actually talk to him? It is easier to tell others to talk with God than to talk with him ourselves? How easy it is to be a hypocrite.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners complete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Well, I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air; but I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Revised Standard Version

Preaching to others but failing to practice what one preaches. I suppose at times we are all guilty of it. And in today's modern world of fast communication it becomes nigh impossible for public figures to hide any of their hypocrisy. I confess mine, sometimes, because I need the reminders of my imperfections. I need the reminder that I am not a lesbian, so that when I speak (write) with my lesbian friends I am aware that seemingly nothing phrases to me may stir feelings of condescension, resentment, abandonment, judgment, or something else. The same is true when I speak with any woman, or Muslims, or Jews, or some other group to which I have not ever belonged.

I struggle with myself. Where I am in my life, and what I am before God. Where am I going, and why? Who am I really? Why is it that I, a man, should find myself so identifying with women who call themselves lesbians? Why do I ache more for their heartaches, their rejections, their obstacles, than those of others who are "more like me"? I don't understand it, but my caring is real. They are real.

And no two are the same. I think that can be the beautify of meeting new people, be they lesbian, Christian, Mormon, Muslim, Athiest, black, white, Australian, Egyptian, Iranian, or whatever. There are so many things which are common to all of us. We share a lot of the same fears and hurts, no matter where in this world we live, or what we look like, or how we make our way. And yet despite all of this commonality, no two of us are the same. When you think of all of the billions of people on this plant that's quite impressive. Far more than the snowflake theory. Even the hairs on our heads are numbered.

I don't read my Bible everyday. Sometimes I forget. Sometimes I forget and then remember later, but still choose not to read it. Sometimes I do. Did read it this morning. Read in Luke about "rendering to Caesar the things that are Caesar, and to God the things that are God's". Read about hypocrisy, too. Christ made frequent warnings about hypocrisy. Probably because it is so easy to fall into. It's almost like walking down an old country road. You really can't do it without getting dust on your feet.

When I was young and first walking life as a Christian I marved at the Apostle Paul. He he such a wonderful relationship with God. He knew so many things. But in growing older I think I have learned something about "praying without ceasing". What it means.

There is formal prayer, often done on the knees or in some other position demonstrating humility before God's majesty. Then there is desperate prayer, when time is of the essence and the heart is crying out for help. There is casual prayer, when the conversation with God is about everyday things. And then there is communal prayer. This is difficult to describe, but sometimes I feel it is what I have with God. It's just the awareness that he is there. There is no need to bow in reverence, or cry out for deliverance, or request this or that, or even talk at all. Just an awareness that he is there. Sometimes I don't talk to my spouse or son, but am comforted by the fact I know they are here. And when they speak to me I hear right off. (Usually.) I think that's praying without ceasing. Keeping God conscious in our thoughts.

Perhaps if we were to all work on doing that we would be less concerned with criticizing women who wish to marry a woman, or hating someone for raising taxes, cutting benefits, or calling God by a name we do not use. Perhaps, if we were to keep God's presence in our lives, we would find ourselves loving more people than we have ever loved before. We might not understand why we love these people, but we would most definitely be happier for it.

There are so many wonderful people to get to know. It's going to take an eternity just to make our introductions.