Dan Savage Speaks Truth

This morning, over my coffee and toast I stopped by “Slog” to read Dan Savages blog and stumbled on this little gem.

“A lot of letters explaining that Jesus is laying in wait, ready to pounce, and change me from gay to straight came in after I threatened in a recent column to bitch-slap the next fundie douche who sent me a note about Jesus flipping my switch. Jesus is ready to work a miracle in my life, they tell me, even if he can’t be bothered to work on in Haggard’s. (Having seen my boyfriend in Speedo, I’d say Jesus already worked a miracle in my life.) The arrival of these letters can only mean one thing: there are a lot fundies out there who want to be slapped around by fags…” http://www.thestranger.com/blog/2006/11/re_dobson_predicts_f.php

I’m sure many of you would love to be outraged, but the reality is the dude is right. In fact I’m ready to slap the next Christian who makes the same mistake as these boneheads have. I’ve said it a million times and I hope sooner or later someone will listen. The world doesn’t hate God they hate his followers. They hate us because we still think the world gives a sh#t about our faith.

WAKE UP!!! We live in a post-Christian, post-western world folks and the reality is, so much damage has been done in the name of Jesus that the world has a very hard time disassociating Jesus from Christianity. When we throw around the name of Jesus in this manner we do nothing but create resentment and animosity.

We’ve all heard it said, “People don’t care how much you know till they know how much you care.” It’s cliché, but true. The Christian faith was built on a revolutionary named Jesus who changed the world through his commitment and focus on love, hope, and faith. People were drawn to Jesus because he loved unconditionally, and understood that an unbelieving world did not share his passion for the kingdom of God.

I have homosexual friends who I cherish. I love them and they love me. Why? The answer is simple, people can disagree, passionately at times, but if there is love in the mix it ends with a hug and a smile.
They know that I don’t condone homosexuality (probably not for the reasons you expect), but they also know I do condone people. People of every shape, size and lifestyle. Why? Because Jesus did. If you want to have the opportunity to share your faith you have got to earn the right to be heard, and once you’ve been heard you have to accept the fact that many won’t agree. If they don’t agree, so what. Read your bible, It’s not your job to convert the people, you’re job is to love people, pray for people and share your faith when the opportunity arises. If God wants a conversion out of the mix nothings going to stop Him.

Writing letters to people you don’t agree with and throwing the name of Jesus around is both stupid and ineffective. God doesn’t judge homosexuality any differently than he judges your self righteous judgment. God is after our hearts. That includes your heart, my heart and Mr. Savage’s heart, and when he finds that heart I don’t think he could care less if it’s in a homosexual, or a heterosexual.

Your convictions are rooted in your faith. Stop expecting that those who don’t share your faith to share your convictions. Live your faith, and if your faith is rooted in something real (and I believe it is) people will be drawn to it. Just like Jesus.