Where do I stand?

Is this the image that Christ had in mind for Christianity? Where do you stand in the fight for Same Sex Marriage?



A topic that has been on everyone's minds lately is that of same sex marriage. I have realized that there is a great divide in the Christian church on this topic, and as a Christian I have found it very hard to take a side-- until now.
Before, this would be a topic I would not dare touch with a ten foot pole. It is perhaps the most sensitive issue at the present moment. But as I have thought long and hard about this, there are many different thoughts and opinions that I cannot help but share. To start off, let me clarify; I am a supporter of Same Sex Marriage.
It has taken me a long time to arrive at this conclusion, but when it comes down to it, I do not see how I can call myself a follower of Christ and support a law that strips my brothers and sisters of their rights to marry one another. Now before you call me a heretic, let me share with you the reasons for my supporting homosexual marriage.
I constantly hear from both conservatives and liberals that in order to resolve this issue, we must first define what love is. If that is the case, then there are plenty of straight couples who should not be allowed to marry. And this is a dangerous route to take anyways. Who can define love? Is it an emotion? A state of mind? No one knows. This is not an issue of love. It is an issue of discrimination.
I am a huge fan of films, and one of the most tragic time periods in American history that has paved the way for countless movies is the Civil Rights Movement.
Most of these films are very similar in structure. You have the persecuted black person who is being denied some sort of dream of theirs. After a multitude of trials they come out on top. Now, what is always interesting to me about these films are the white people. Most of them are portrayed as racist chauvinists. But there is always the one white character in every movie who befriends the black character and helps them make a stand for their civil rights.
The movie producers do this for a reason; so that us white folks don't feel shitty when we are watching these movies. So that there is a character for us to relate with. So that we can watch this white character and say to ourselves, "If I was alive back then, this is exactly how I would treat black people."
Sometimes I even want another civil rights movement to occur so that I can prove that I would stand up for the rights of the oppressed. And that is when it hit me.
We watch these movies thinking that we are the one white guy that makes a difference in that black guy's life. But in reality we are just like the rest of the racist scumbags. Racism and Sexism are still alive, though they are not as strong as they once were. No, nowadays the real battle does not exist based on what color your skin is or what genitalia you have. It is based on who you choose to love.
I myself am ashamed of the careless jokes I have made in the past about this topic. And from what I have seen, most of the Christians I know have taken on the role of the ignorant, racist bastard who spits on the oppressed 'in the name of the lord'. As artist Macklemore puts it, "We paraphrase a book written two thousand years ago" just to prove our point.
Don't you see that if Jesus were alive today, he wouldn't hate gay people any more than he hates any of his other children. If Jesus really loves Porn Stars, then he definitely loves homosexuals.
You might say, "Adam, we are not claiming that Jesus hates homosexuals, we are saying that he doesn't support what they are doing."
Then I have two things to say in response; Firstly, you may not be saying that Jesus hates homosexuals, but it sure as hell sounds like it. When you refuse to allow them to take part in one of the most sacred vows spoken under the love of our God, it sounds like you hate them. And as representatives of Jesus Christ, when you hate homosexuals, they have every right to assume that Jesus hates them too.
Secondly, how dare anyone judge another human being for their sins. Whether or not Homosexuality is a sin, all of God's children are equal in His eyes. Would you treat a man addicted to pornography with the same harsh bitterness?
When we strip away the rights of homosexuals, we are forgetting the second greatest commandment of Christ; "Love your neighbor as yourself."
I don't care how many Bible verses you throw at me which support the ban on Gay Marriage, this is the verse I will keep closest to my heart.

Preemptive Faith

Sin. A touchy subject, yes? But perhaps the easiest thing to talk about. One of the many paradoxes that bewilder the human race. What is right, and what is wrong? This question has plagued philosopher's minds for the past thousands of years. The answers will vary depending upon the background of the individual. As most of you know, I am a Christian. The things I write on this blog will primarily edify Christians, however any non-christian who stumbles upon my website might find it equally as intriguing.
Sin is the separation of our very beings from God. When we choose to fulfill our Earthly desires over the desires of our Father in Heaven, we are sinning. But it is so confusing sometimes. Often times, it is hard to distinguish between what is sin and what isn't. For any person who finds themselves in such a situation, the best advice I can give is that they delve into scripture, as well as communicate with the Father as often as possible. If you do not do these things, I would expect the only way to discover if something is sinful in nature is to experience it. Become separated from Christ.
Becoming separated from Christ is perhaps the hardest thing than anyone can experience. And I would definitely advise that one would take whatever measures necessary to refrain from becoming separated from Him.
But what I wish to talk about in this Blog is not the difference between right and wrong, but what to do once you have made that distinction. If you know that something is wrong, is it okay to just experience it anyway? That way we can learn from the experience and embrace our youth at the same time.
Recently I have encountered a situation in which a young teenager, who wishes to expand their faith and strengthen their walk with God, found themselves desiring certain aspects of the World over their Heavenly Father. As I talked with this student, they brought up several questions that I would like to address.

1. In my discussion with this student, they stated that they wanted to postpone their spiritual growth until later in order to have more fun over summer. They thought that going to parties and consuming alcohol just over summer would be okay, because they will not continue to live this way after summer ends. I told the student that it is not okay to drink, especially at such a young age. They responded by saying, "It's not that bad."

Now, in rebuttal to the student's claim, I would like to break down their response. When they say it is not that bad, what am I to make of that? This would first of all show that the student understands that what they are doing is wrong, and sinful by nature. Now, if what they are doing is sinful by nature, then it is safe to say that it is a sin, yes?
Yes. Okay, in James 2:10 it says, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."
What I see in this verse is that it doesn't matter how small the sin may seem, it is equally as evil as all other sins. No sin is greater than another. They all separate you from God. Do not make the mistake of assuming that your sin is special, or that it is better than any other.
Now, if all sins are equal, then there is nothing for this student to compare their sin to. So, it would be permissible for us to remove the "that" from the sentence. What do we get? "It is not bad."
In Romans 13:1-2 it says, "Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves"
Right here it tells us that obeying the laws of the land is a command from God. Now, what is the legal age to drink alcohol in America? That's right, 21. Not 16. Wait 5 more years, then knock yourself out. It is bad to drink before you are 21, because it is illegal.

2. As I continued to talk with this student, they asked me the question, "Why do you want me to change who I am?"
All things were created BY God, FOR God, which means, He desperately wants us to live lives that seek His face, and bring Honor and Glory to His name. Our identity should be found in Christ alone, and nothing else. Then Christ would become Who we are. If anyone finds their identity in anything other than Christ, that is Idolatry, which is also a sin. Look it up, it's in the Ten Commandments. So to answer your question, why do I want you to change who you are; Because a life devoid of Christ is a life that is not worth living.

I wrote a small metaphor or parable... Whatever you want to call it, which I believe fits right in to this particular subject.
There were once two flowers who lived in the woods. They were planted firmly in soil. The soil was fertile, and the flowers were pure. But one flower grew envious as it watched the tall trees reach up to the sky. It too wanted to reach such heights, but the flower thought it impossible for as long as it was planted in the ground, it was stuck. So the flower uprooted itself and the wind blew it away. The wind carried it high above the trees, and it soared above the entirety of the woods. But the wind died down, and the flower came crashing to the ground. Since the flower was no longer planted in the soil, its petals withered, and its color faded to grey. Meanwhile, the other flower which remained firmly planted in the ground, watched the sky day and night, and was determined to one day reach those heights. But it waited patiently. The rain brought water and fed the flower, and the soil allowed the flower to grow taller and taller until eventually it reached higher than the highest tree in the woods. Its petals flourished in the Sun, and its color shone bright for all to see. And the flower was filled with Joy.

God does not hold us back. He is here for us to help us grow. He wants us to reach those heights, He just wants us to do it His way. And as far as I am concerned, He deserves our obedience. Because the last time I checked, He died on the cross for our sins.

He loves us so much, and He wants us to seek Him. If we put Him first in our lives, and if we make Him the foundation of all that we hold dear, then we will succeed in all our endeavors.

Is it okay for us to partake in a sin that we know is wrong just to gain experience? No. It is not okay to partake in any sin under any circumstance.
If you are about to touch a hot stove and your Mother tells you not to touch it, and that it is too hot, you'd have to be an idiot to touch the stove.
Experience may be the greatest teacher, but it is the most brutal one also.

Man of God

I once had walked in your holy shoes.
I tried so hard to represent you
I was filled with joy and glee
Because I was Innocent and Free.

But when when the dark one wanted in
It felt so hard to resist the sin
And as it clawed my life to shreds
My heart was broken, my soul was dead

But even when he tore me apart
You still possessed my Heart
My mind was strong and my motives right
But my willpower lost me the fight

After the sin had taken its tole
I sought your love to mend my soul
My life was cleansed and I was walking with you
And now it's clear what I'm to do.

The sin has returned and tried to come in
But when with you I shall always win
As the struggles had fled along with the strife
I could focus on how to live my life

My mind is pure and my motives, true
Now I live to glorify you
I discover my passions, and my talents too
I know that these are gifts from you.

I am now prepared for the enemy's attack
For the Holy Spirit I no longer lack
If my sin presents itself again
I will try my best to refrain

My Shield is thick and my Sword is broad
For I am now a Man of God