Prayer Warriors

Recently, the discussion of homosexuality has been very prevalent in the conversation I've been having, articles I've been reading, blogs I've read, podcasts I listened to, etc. All of a sudden I have realized I don't know what I believe and why I believe it. The two major issues that the churches of my past have shoved down my throat is that of homosexuality being a sin and abortion being wrong. (Relax, this post is not about abortion... I don't even want to go there!) Anyway, I decided I should make my own mind up about what I believe and be knowledgeable enough to tell others about what I believe and why. I'm usually not very strongly opinionated, but I feel that I should have a strong, solid, educated opinion on the issue of homosexuality.
Coming from a Christian, yet open-minded, family, I have heard both sides of the issue. I have heard what my churches had to say and what my parents had to say. We had long discussions over dinner and in the car about homosexuality. I know what my stance is, but I want to be more educated when I state what it is! I want to be able to engage people in a discussion about it and be able to give them answers and possibly a different perspective on the issue.
Anyway, on the start of my knowledge-journey, I went to the library to look at what books they had in stock to read about Christianity and homosexuality. You'd actually be surprised how many books there are! So I checked out a bunch and here's a little blurb on what I just finished reading:

I just finished reading a book today called, Prayer Warriors: The true story of a gay son, his fundamentalist Christian family, and their battle for his soul. I was really excited to read it because, for one, I enjoy stories and novel-like books as compared to textbook, history-like books (I have two sitting on my shelf waiting to be opened...), and two, I was really interested in what I would learn from this book, through one man's life and struggle with acceptance from his family.
Anyway, the hate and disappointment that came from the parents made me want to scream and yell and punch them in the face. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized that that is how Christians and the church tend to treat homosexuals. When Stuart (the author) came out to his parents, they got angry and told him to never come back home because he was no longer welcome. What kind of parent does that to their kid? How could love and acceptance ride on only one issue? How can people say, "I love you...what? you're gay? Never mind!"? Isn't love supposed to be unconditional? When we treat people like that, not just homosexuals, it's no wonder that people don't like Christians. How can people treat others, like one of my pastors says, like issues, not people? How can people not see beyond the issue and embrace the person behind it? My mom informed me of a woman she knows who went through this exact same thing and it took the siblings of the woman had to go against what the parents thought and said to embrace her and love her despite what they believed or thought. That's what we're supposed to do-- put aside our own agendas and love people for who they are and not focus on the baggage they're bringing along. We all have baggage and issues and sin, so no one has the right to look down on others, no matter what they believe. No one is better than another. That's what Jesus did-- he loved everyone and didn't focus on their issues or problems-- he loved them for their hearts and who they were as people.
That's when I am so excited that I am in a church where one of the pastors and one of the worship guys went to the GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender) office on campus to establish a relationship with them and apologise to them for how the church and Christians treat them. What a relief!
I am still researching (I'm going to crack open the history books... it'll be a long process) and becoming solidified in my viewpoints. It's only been a few weeks in this journey of knowledge, and I've learned so much! Who knows what else I'm going to learn!!! I'll end with a quote from my pastors: "Love God and love people. That's all you have to do."