|
| Silent Protest? |
|
| |
Mikey from Think Christian wrote an awesome post today. He poses the suggestion that Christian kids vow to stand with gay students in protesting the bullying and harrassment on the Day of Silence in 2008. He's taking some heat for it. It seems that more are ready to tell the gay community where they're wrong in their sins than to hear Mikey out. No one deserves to be bullied or harrassed. That's the point here. Who has the better chance of being seen as Christ-like: the Christian standing by his/her fellow student silently protesting the mistreatment of humanity or the Christian making his case with flyers, graphic t-shirts, etc? Read Mikey's blog for the full story. |
|
| To add a comment to "Silent Protest?" |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| April 28, 2007 |
 |
|
|
I agree with the writer when he says the way the American church has treated homosexuals is "a black eye." It seems we have made homosexuality the unpardonable sin, probably because it does not happen to be the log that is obscuring our own vision. It seems in practice we rank legalism above love. |
|
|
| April 28, 2007 |
|
|
|
Gary McPherson (comment #8): "The gospel is being mocked because “Christians” appear to be self-righteous hypocrits who codemn homosexuality while on their second marriage, or while allowing singles to sleep together before marriage and still be active members. The list can go on of course." This is why media caricatures against us are so effective IMHO. Also, I do not see the our treatment of gays as the biggest black eye on the American church, but rather just another of many inconsistencies between what we say and what we do. ~mike |
|
|
| April 28, 2007 |
|
|
|
| Man's inhumanity against man should stop at the Church...unfortunately it doesn't...shame on us. I am with Mikey all the way... |
|
|
| April 29, 2007 |
|
|
|
Robert, Thanks for shedding more light on this. It makes more sense to me now to understand that this is part of the "agenda" so often spoken. Exodus International (I assume they are still around) has done an excellent job reaching out to the homosexual community. As a church, we don't know how. We take a stand on the principles we know are right and that is all we can do. If a sinner is sinning, the truth will hurt them regardless of the sin. The church doesn't need to water down the truth such that it doesn't hurt. That would be very wrong. On the other hand, we need to learn how to reach those who are lost and dying in this world. The balance is needed and I don't have the answer. |
|
|
| April 29, 2007 |
|
|
|
I believe the issue in your comment, Robert, takes away from the original intent of Mikey's blog as did many others who commented on his post. His blog was not about supporting homosexuality, but protesting bullying and harrassment. Homosexuality is a sin. Treating someone as less than human by bullying and harrassing is sinful. Do we pick our sins, or do we strive to live a life pleasing to God? I'll sign this as I sign all my letters: Grace and Peace |
|
|
| April 29, 2007 |
|
|
|
Well now, here's a hot topic! Right now, other than children I can't really think of any other group in America that enjoys more sympathetic portrayal in the media than the homosexual community. So the way the Church treats them comes under a microscope, and the Church already does not get particularly sympathetic coverage. Yes, the sin should repel us, but the people should not. It won't be easy, but we need to find ways to communicate a love for the people without conveying an acceptance of their lifestyle (which leads to division inside the Church). I'm not sure that observing a day of silence does that, simply because our silent participation easily leaves our actions open to (mis)interpretation. But there are certainly other ways. Thoughts? (and thank you Bunny for bringing this tough topic to the forefront) ~mike |
|
|
| April 29, 2007 |
|
|
|
Mike, the first thing I thought of after reading your post was, Jesus ate with sinners. I don't think He was afraid of His actions being misinterpreted. God knows our hearts intimately. |
|
|
| April 29, 2007 |
|
|
|
| Yes Bunny, but my point was that since the action Mikey spoke of was a silent protest, there would be no opportunity to address why we Christians were standing with them. The "silent" part of it bothered me, not the "standing with". Jesus never stood silently with anyone, sinner or otherwise. While I still appreciate Mikey's heart, I think there may be better ways to "love the sinner" yet approach them in gentleness. ~standing with you, mike :-) |
|
|
| April 29, 2007 |
|
|
|
| "No one deserves to be bullied or harrassed. That's the point here."
Exactly. That's why Mikey suggested Christians stand with their homosexual friends - not to promote the destructive lifestyle, but to end undeserved and sinful treatment.
If I had to give a title to many of the comments I read on discussion forums it would be "Adventures In Missing the Point." This thread's not much different than the norm.
In the blog post that was referred to, John Fisher writes this:
"The normal human reaction is to hate what we don't understand. This is the stuff of prejudice and the cause of hate crimes and escalating social evil. It is much more Christ-like to identify with those we don't understand—to discover why people do what they do, because we care about them, even if they are our ideological enemies.
Jesus asked us to love our enemies. Part of loving is learning to understand. Too few Christians today seek to understand why their enemies think in ways that we find abhorrent. Too many of us are too busy bashing feminists, secular humanists, gay activists, and political liberals to consider why they believe what they do. It's difficult to sympathize with people we see as threats to our children and our neighborhoods. It's hard to weep over those whom we have declared enemies.
Perhaps a good beginning would be to more fully grasp the depravity of our own souls and the depth to which God's grace had to go to reach us. I doubt we can cry over the world if we've never cried over ourselves."
Read the last paragraph there a few times. And if you agree that homosexuality is a sin, and are devoted to "defending the faith" and "Opposing the gay agenda", then answer a simple question for me.
When's the last time you cried for those trapped in that sin?
Personally, I think that's why sinners were drawn to Jesus, and why the religious were repelled by Him. They knew He cared. I recall someone saying to me as I entered the ministry, "They won't care what you know, until they know that you care."
If my friend was trapped in that lifestyle, and as a result of that choice was bullied and harrassed, if an opportunity came to stand up for him or her and say to those who did it, "enough." I would. I just cannot see Jesus saying something like "well, they brought it on themselves."
Loving your neighbor as yourself is readily agreed to in theory, but hardly ever practiced if your neighbor isn't exactly like you. And don't dare ask "Who is my neighbor?" or you'll get posterized by Jesus just as the religious expert did in Luke 10.
When the silence ended, when people asked why I was there, I'd explain. If I was misunderstood, I'd gladly pay that price to continue to reach out in loving ministry to people trapped in sin.
|
|
|
| April 29, 2007 |
|
|
|
YAY Bunny!!! Love wins!!! 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. I like it better from the New American Standard Bible: and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. |
|
|
| May 02, 2007 |
|
|
|
i've participated in the last day of silence. i posted a blog on here, but was being bullied by a bunch of ppl, so i deleted my blog. i agree that christians should stand by the homosexuals. even if we think homosexuality is wrong. i believe that we should love the sinner and not the sin. participating in the day of silence isn't standing up for homosexuality. it's defending the homosexuals from the persecution they're facing from society... including that from christians. |
|
|
| May 02, 2007 |
|
|
|
Wow. Now this is a controversy. Bunny, you are a brave soul! I agree that bullying is wrong and I sincerely believe we need to approach those caught up in the homosexual lifestyle with love. I even blogged about the subject myself! I have a question, though. If it is a silent protest against bullying, why wouldn't we be standing beside any and all victims of bullying, not just homosexuals? My child has been bullied and harassed because she chooses to wear a purity ring. I was harassed and bullied because I chose not to drink as a teenager. I have been harassed because I am a Christian. Don't those lifestyle choices deserve to be protected? I am just trying to see the bigger picture here. Why is the harassment of homosexuals somehow worthy of a protest when other forms of bullying aren't? To be clear, no form of harassment is acceptable. As Christians, we are called to be reflections of Christ. He ate with people who were considered the lowest form of humanity. We are called to do that as well. We are called to reach out to those who are considered "the least of these." I believe that with all of my heart. I could see someone with pure motives making the choice to support this protest and I could see someone with pure motives making the choice not to support this protest. There's just something about singling out one group of many groups being discriminated against that does not sit right with me. Well, it is certainly something to think about. |
|
|
| May 02, 2007 |
|
|
|
I thought you would like it, Soozane. :)
|
|
|
| May 03, 2007 |
|
|
|
Soozane, I guess my answer to your very thoughtful question would be: 1 - Because that's what the original blog writer was addressing :o) - okay - not exactly what you were going for, I know, but I was simply posting that I agreed with the no bullying/harrassing issue. 2 - We should start somewhere. |
|
|
| May 03, 2007 |
|
|
|
Yeah, gotcha on both counts, Bunny. I would SO participate in a no bullying/harrassing protest that didn't single out one group to be protected! That would make very clear the issue I am protesting against. Again, thank you for your bravery! |
|
|
| May 03, 2007 |
|
|
|
i did the silent protest for 3 years now. my christian friends did not approve in the least. but like you said, the point it to stop the harrassment of human beings. no matter what their sexual preference is. |
|
|
| May 03, 2007 |
|
|
|
I share Soozanne's viewpoint completely. I think she summed it up better than I was able to in a previous post. ~mike |
|
|
| May 03, 2007 |
|
|
|
Mike: As iron sharpens iron... I think your posts helped clarify my thinking before I posted. Thanks! Cj: I sense you are going to get me into trouble one day! ;-) |
|
|
| May 03, 2007 |
|
|
|
Me? Never.... :) I knew what you would comment here though, because you and I have the same view on this topic but I knew you would put it into the right words.
|
|
|
| May 05, 2007 |
|
|
|
This showed up in my inbox, another example of how hard it is to keep the discussion of this subject on track. Since this is the only site that I post on, I'm assuming this is the thread in question. Subject: Clarification???
On May 5, 2007 at 8:36am, <<<user name snipped>>> wrote :
Hey Dan,
We wrote this to another member and remember you writing something also on the "day of silence" blog (by Mikey and another by Itchychristian); so we are asking you for some clarification.
Since my wife and I are both scratching our heads as to your lengthy reply, let us re-state our main question to you; "do you condone that kids (who claim to be believers), should take part in handing out the homosexual agenda's literture, on thier "day of silence?"
Yes or no?
We are not interested in long investigations about homosexuality; we have our local Pastor <<<name snipped>>> for that (<<<radio station website snipped>>>); and what we want to know from you is; do you think it's OK for kids in your Church to do so?
Thanks,
<<<signature snipped>>> Here's my reply:
Subject: re: Clarification???
I can't find a "lengthy reply" from me on the blogs on this subject but, no, I wouldn't want our kids handing out literature advocating homosexuality. I'm not sure where your confusion comes in as I can't find where anyone was advocating that on these blogs either. |
|
|
| May 05, 2007 |
|
|
|
| I went and scoured Mikey's blog (see Bunny's initial post) and the only reference I can find to pamphleting is a quote about Christian students choosing the "Day of Silence" to "distribute literature which peacefully highlighted the dangers of homosexuality." I have to admit that I hadn't really considered a counter-protest as an outreach strategy. |
|
|
Follow this blog
