#LOVEWINS
A rainbow has appeared on the horizon, in that rainbow are people who have fought long and hard for acceptance by society and have encountered resistance, condemnation and knock-backs.
On Friday the LGBT community around the world rejoiced as they celebrated with loved ones a new chapter in history and same-sex couples are now legal in America.
I saw the rainbow on Facebook, it has united not only those who have longed to be able to participate in a legally binding ceremony where they are able to say 'I do' to that one person they want to spend the rest of their lives with, but also people who have stood for this motion to pass from all different walks of life. The hash-tag of the moment is #lovewins.
Love is a human emotion, given to us by God and so is the gift of life itself.
I was speaking to a friend of mine on Monday morning, I hadn't seen her in four years.
Lyndsey is one of the most beautiful people you can ever meet, she is kind and compassionate and is one of those friends you can go to lunch with out of the blue and you can still get each other the way you did yesteryear. Lyndsey grew up in a Christian household with two parents as Pastors and a few years ago, she summoned the courage to tell her family and loved ones that she is bisexual.
As a Christian this would have been very difficult for her to do, growing up knowing God and feeling guilt. Like all loving parents, Lyndsey's parents had great hopes for her future; being secure in the Lord's love, having a loving and doting husband and children.
This is Lyndsey's hope too - except she does not know whether her special someone is a man or a woman. Whoever she ends up with, I can say in all earnestness that they would be lucky to have someone like Lyndsey to love.
I was going to do an interview with Lyndsey and upload it to this blog, but alas the friend of mine who was going to film the interview was sick that day and when I look back now, I am grateful that I was able to spend time with Lyndsey. The purpose of that interview was to achieve two outcomes.
The first outcome was to show the LGBT community that Christians like myself would respect, accept and love them just as they are. In the media we are portrayed as Bible-Bashers who chant, pray and say 'Praise the Lord!' incessantly who also happen to be self-righteous and superficial.
I also wanted to encourage the Christian community as a whole to welcome the LGBT community if they have a genuine need to know God.
Love is the only way that people would believe there is a God who loves them and until they see Him in your eyes, they will doubt.
As a Christian I had a few questions for Lyndsey in regards to how her sexual orientation affected her relationships with family, friends and God. There was one question which drew me very strongly to ask. One of the things I told Lyndsey before our interview took place I said that she would be welcome to say pass to any questions she felt uncomfortable with answering.
I asked her 'Is it a choice?'
"No!" She said empathetically, shaking her head vigorously.
I had my answer and now feel rather stupid for asking it, but the reason why I asked her is because I was once speaking with a man about homosexuality. He expressed a relief that Tony Abbot had prevented a motion to pass a bill of Marriage Equality back in 2013.
"They chose this life-style for themselves. They have no reason to want marriage or children, they turned their backs on that." He had said bluntly.
That statement alone had me wondering if it was really as simple as that and last Monday, I was given an honest answer. As we were walking around the shops, Lyndsey said to me.
"If people could choose their sexuality, they would choose to be straight because life would be easier."
Later that night as I was reflecting on Lyndsey's and my discussions, I turned that question back on myself.
Did I choose to have Auditory Processing?
No. Absolutely not. My life would be so much easier if I didn't but this little quirk is apart of me.
Lyndsey told me she had inwardly struggled to come to terms with her sexuality and so were other Christian kids she had grown up with.
People choose to shop at Target.
People choose to get tattoos and piercings.
People choose to be mathematicians, astronauts, vets, teachers and writers.
People don't choose their quirks or sexual orientation.
Funnily enough, this is not the first time I have heard of #lovewins.
Back in 2008 when I was on 'the path to enlightenment' and was dressing like a renaissance gypsy, I met a girl called Heather through my work. I learnt that Heather was a Christian and even though I had my reservations about Christians, as a person I loved how Heather treated everyone.
One day she wore a shirt to work which said 'Love Wins' and I asked her what it was about.
Beaming, she told me how she and her youth group went to the city and handed out these shirts to anyone who would take them. "Why?" I asked her.
"So that they will know God loves them. Love wins." She explained to me.
Looking back, I remember how everyone liked being around Heather - she was kind to everyone and made people feel welcome in her presence. To me, that is the Christian example of love winning despite everything else that is going on in the world today.
I hope that Christians everywhere will embrace this philosophy and remember that no matter what laws come into effect, that we can conquer prejudice, bias and beliefs with two words:
LOVE WINS.
Romans 8:39
No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is revealed in Jesus our Lord.
John 13:34
A new command I give you. Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
Proverbs 10:12
Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers all wrongs.
My fellow Christians, if you cannot agree to same-sex marriage - that's your choice.
I'm not saying get out on the streets and buy a rainbow wardrobe, let's just show people the love that Christ gave us - because when we get up on our high horse, they won't believe that God is good.
While I have you here, Lyndsey has courageously agreed to share her story with you.
First of all I'd like to thank Sarah for her kind words about me and her willingness to delve into an important issue many Christians tend to either sweep under the rug or violently oppose.
On Friday the LGBT community around the world rejoiced as they celebrated with loved ones a new chapter in history and same-sex couples are now legal in America.
I saw the rainbow on Facebook, it has united not only those who have longed to be able to participate in a legally binding ceremony where they are able to say 'I do' to that one person they want to spend the rest of their lives with, but also people who have stood for this motion to pass from all different walks of life. The hash-tag of the moment is #lovewins.
Love is a human emotion, given to us by God and so is the gift of life itself.
I was speaking to a friend of mine on Monday morning, I hadn't seen her in four years.
Lyndsey is one of the most beautiful people you can ever meet, she is kind and compassionate and is one of those friends you can go to lunch with out of the blue and you can still get each other the way you did yesteryear. Lyndsey grew up in a Christian household with two parents as Pastors and a few years ago, she summoned the courage to tell her family and loved ones that she is bisexual.
As a Christian this would have been very difficult for her to do, growing up knowing God and feeling guilt. Like all loving parents, Lyndsey's parents had great hopes for her future; being secure in the Lord's love, having a loving and doting husband and children.
This is Lyndsey's hope too - except she does not know whether her special someone is a man or a woman. Whoever she ends up with, I can say in all earnestness that they would be lucky to have someone like Lyndsey to love.
I was going to do an interview with Lyndsey and upload it to this blog, but alas the friend of mine who was going to film the interview was sick that day and when I look back now, I am grateful that I was able to spend time with Lyndsey. The purpose of that interview was to achieve two outcomes.
The first outcome was to show the LGBT community that Christians like myself would respect, accept and love them just as they are. In the media we are portrayed as Bible-Bashers who chant, pray and say 'Praise the Lord!' incessantly who also happen to be self-righteous and superficial.
I also wanted to encourage the Christian community as a whole to welcome the LGBT community if they have a genuine need to know God.
Love is the only way that people would believe there is a God who loves them and until they see Him in your eyes, they will doubt.
As a Christian I had a few questions for Lyndsey in regards to how her sexual orientation affected her relationships with family, friends and God. There was one question which drew me very strongly to ask. One of the things I told Lyndsey before our interview took place I said that she would be welcome to say pass to any questions she felt uncomfortable with answering.
I asked her 'Is it a choice?'
"No!" She said empathetically, shaking her head vigorously.
I had my answer and now feel rather stupid for asking it, but the reason why I asked her is because I was once speaking with a man about homosexuality. He expressed a relief that Tony Abbot had prevented a motion to pass a bill of Marriage Equality back in 2013.
"They chose this life-style for themselves. They have no reason to want marriage or children, they turned their backs on that." He had said bluntly.
That statement alone had me wondering if it was really as simple as that and last Monday, I was given an honest answer. As we were walking around the shops, Lyndsey said to me.
"If people could choose their sexuality, they would choose to be straight because life would be easier."
Later that night as I was reflecting on Lyndsey's and my discussions, I turned that question back on myself.
Did I choose to have Auditory Processing?
No. Absolutely not. My life would be so much easier if I didn't but this little quirk is apart of me.
Lyndsey told me she had inwardly struggled to come to terms with her sexuality and so were other Christian kids she had grown up with.
People choose to shop at Target.
People choose to get tattoos and piercings.
People choose to be mathematicians, astronauts, vets, teachers and writers.
People don't choose their quirks or sexual orientation.
Funnily enough, this is not the first time I have heard of #lovewins.
Back in 2008 when I was on 'the path to enlightenment' and was dressing like a renaissance gypsy, I met a girl called Heather through my work. I learnt that Heather was a Christian and even though I had my reservations about Christians, as a person I loved how Heather treated everyone.
One day she wore a shirt to work which said 'Love Wins' and I asked her what it was about.
Beaming, she told me how she and her youth group went to the city and handed out these shirts to anyone who would take them. "Why?" I asked her.
"So that they will know God loves them. Love wins." She explained to me.
Looking back, I remember how everyone liked being around Heather - she was kind to everyone and made people feel welcome in her presence. To me, that is the Christian example of love winning despite everything else that is going on in the world today.
I hope that Christians everywhere will embrace this philosophy and remember that no matter what laws come into effect, that we can conquer prejudice, bias and beliefs with two words:
LOVE WINS.
Romans 8:39
No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is revealed in Jesus our Lord.
John 13:34
A new command I give you. Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
Proverbs 10:12
Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers all wrongs.
My fellow Christians, if you cannot agree to same-sex marriage - that's your choice.
I'm not saying get out on the streets and buy a rainbow wardrobe, let's just show people the love that Christ gave us - because when we get up on our high horse, they won't believe that God is good.
While I have you here, Lyndsey has courageously agreed to share her story with you.
First of all I'd like to thank Sarah for her kind words about me and her willingness to delve into an important issue many Christians tend to either sweep under the rug or violently oppose.
Growing up in the church there seemed to be the attitude that good Christian families can't produce queer children or if they have then there is something wrong with their parenting or even something wrong with the child themselves.
That constant reaffirmation that something about you that you can't change is abominable, sinful and against God himself chips away at your self worth. Unfortunately for many lgbt youth this leads to depression and a higher rate of teen suicide.
That was something I struggled with for many years. Why would God make me the way I am if he also condemned people like me? These days I refuse to believe this life is against God as it's as much a part of me as my eye colour or my love for lasagne. Aren't I also fearfully and wonderfully made? I can't change how I am, seriously, I've tried.
I believe it's not only important for the lgbt community to work with straight allies but together with Christian allies as well to bridge the gap fear and ignorance has created between us so that the church is not a place of judgement but a place of acceptance.
If any of you are questioning your own orientation or are living with the fear of rejection from your church or family I'd like to say there is nothing wrong with you, nothing to "fix".You are just as worthy of love and acceptance as anyone else and as you learn to love and accept yourself it does get better. You have so much to live for.
Lyndsey.
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