Please feel free to post a comment about the sermon. For this week's blog entry, however, I wanted to hear from some of you about the sign displayed directly across from the Bethany booth at the Red Lion street fair on Saturday.
I post this with two assumptions:
1) That we all realize the practice of homosexuality, just like the practice of sexual promiscuity and greed and grudge-holding and gossip, is sinful.
2) That this sign is NOT a good way to engage people on this issue. (In his defense, the guy who put up the sign said he didn't agree with it either, but was only using it to start conversations--bad judgment in my view)
So, what exactly is wrong with this sign and its approach to the issue? In what ways could this be counter productive to our interests as Christians?
Any other thoughts?
MM
8 comments:
I once saw a Rob Belle DVD called "Bullhorn Guy." It showed a guy calling (or one could say bullying) people into repentence on a street corner while yelling in a bullhorn and passing out flyers. Instead of attracting people, he drove them away - who would want to talk to or be like that guy? What purpose is a sign stating "God Hates Fags" going to serve other than to share an opinion? What was the purpose of reiterating the gay communities' mockery of the rainbow - one of God's covenant to us? A gay person will not read that sign and fall to their knees on the spot and ask forgiveness - it may make them angry and more steadfast in their ways instead of lifting the veil, so to speak. Even if the sign would attract anyone, they would be too emotional and offended to listen to what you had to say. This approach seems as if you, the bearer of the sign, have already judged the homosexual community - that is for God to do, not us. The bearer of the sign does not have the authority to declare God's feelings without it coming directly from God. But would a non-Christian know that - instead it make take them further away from anything that has to do with God, if they would believe that sign.
God does not hate His children - EVER. We may choose to reject Him, but He will never reject us. We are all sinful, but certain sins seem to us to be unacceptable and unspeakable to some in our church, including homosexuality.
Yes, we are to love the person and not their sin. We should welcome anyone into our church no matter what their sins...but there MUST BE repentence by that sinner. They must change their ways. We may not allow our congregation to stumble because we have compromised and said it is okay to allow this sin to continue. When someone enters our church doors - they are searching and are thirsty for something that maybe they cannot define. We need to recognize that and show them the way - it is their choice to say yes or no. If they say no this time, the seed was planted and perhaps there will be a yes further down the road...
We are all God's children and His love for ALL OF US is unlimited. So, how do we communicate this to the homosexuality community, which would appear the sign bearer does not understand? Perhaps this is for the Christian whose former life included homesexuality - perhaps the seed should be planted by someone who has walked in the shoes. But would anyone have the courage to stand up and say that was their former life in a church that may unknowingly by their actions judge sin?
We also picked up another flyer from a church booth across from subway restaurant. It also was a bit harsh with a bloody Jesus and damnation to your soul. In your face evangelism is never effective in our opinion, just scary.
How can we as Christians practice the concept of loving the sinner and not loving the sin if our God would hate anythng that is considered taboo nature?! What God hates is luke warmness or having your stance in a gray area, not the sinners, otherwise we'd all be on our way to Hell. Embrace the hurt and searching and let God judge the sin.
Maybe if it had a big "not" it wouldn't have been so offensive. I figured they were just trying to start a dialog but I can also see people walking by seeing it and saying, yep that's right and going on their ignorant merry way without dialogs. A negative is not a great way to start a relationship or discussion often. But, yea for their effort!
I think John 3:16 says it best. Though homosexuality may be a sin. God still loves us.
Ah, I finally found the blog. I'm M.joshua. I'm the guy in the picture. I was told this blog was out there somewhere. Okay.
So in my pseudo-defense (because in many ways, you're clearly right), I was attempting to dispell the religious dialogue in a similar way to how Donald Miller set up a confession booth at a wild romp of immorality to confess the sins of Christians to the world (have you read Blue Like Jazz?). But of course, he saw better results than I did.
For the five to ten groups of kids that I really did get to talk to, they walked away less offended and more open to talking about Jesus. But you're right that there wasn't a real positive turn out.
And while I could say that at least I didn't say what Jesus said, that you have to eat me and drink my blood to associate with me, I was hoping to be at least a little offensive.
Anyway, you can see a better round-up of how I felt at my blog:
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=82051601&blogID=423567701&Mytoken=C436C3E3-FA9D-4F13-BF415185498467176725414
Joshua,
Thank you for this note of clarification. It's good for us to know your thoughts on all this.
Sure, sure.
I guess my context of the sign just above the frame of the shot causes the disconnect. I should have made sure that the first thing people saw was "WHICH JESUS" (the white paper sign above the focus area of the photo) and not let the secondary signage be seen first...
Thanks. I hope you don't mind that I subscribe to your blogs and keep up with you?
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