I get asked frequently questions about how I can "be a Christian and support gay marriage" or "be a Christian and be pro-choice." I've previously written a post about Christians criticizing Christians so I won't go into that much. You are free to go back and read that post if you're concerned with my stance on the topic. In short, the definition of Christian is believing that Christ was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins and rose again 3 days later before ascending into Heaven. My belief is quite clear on that topic. In terms of other topics, here is how I can support these movements and still be Christian:
I won't argue the point that it says very clearly in the Bible that homosexuality is a sin. There are many clearly defined sins in the Bible and the Bible also very clearly states that no one sin is worse than another. I'm not going to argue the Bible's perspective. What I'm going to say is that God clearly defined to us in the New Testament that our two most important commands were to love others as Christ loved the church and love God. I'll repeat that....love others as Christ loved the church and love God. You see, as a Christian, my call is to love others. Is homosexuality for me? No. Do I dearly love some very special people in my life that are homosexuals? Yes and I don't do so in spite of their choice; I do so because I love them for who they are. I love them as Christ loved the church. Christ loved us exactly as we are. He didn't tell us to change this, this, this, this, and this and THEN He'd love us. If we are called to be like Christ, my perspective is that my first job is to love God unconditionally. My job is to not to preach the gospel and I don't believe God wants us to Bible beat. I believe God wants us to live the kind of life that people see God's goodness through us and ask how we achieved that. If they, then, accept God in their heart, their choices in life are between them and God. I'll say that again, they're between them and God. It's not our lot in life to walk around preaching unless we've been called to be pastors, etc. What I'm saying, quite simply, is that a whole lot of Christians seem to take it upon themselves to walk around preaching to everyone on what they should and shouldn't be doing and it chases everyone away. Instead, just love people and live your life with God shining through. He has a way of working through you that you will never understand. What people do is between God and them. Just love them as you're called to do.
Abortion is a very different topic but same concept. Here's my opinion: abortion is murder. I feel like life begins at conception and that killing that life intentionally is, by definition, murder. I have suffered miscarriages and cringed at the term "spontaneous abortion", though it is a very clear medical definition. I, personally, would have a very difficult time choosing abortion as an option (though it doesn't apply to me currently as I have no uterus anymore). My particular beef is with late term abortions. My feelings on Planned Parenthood harvesting and "selling" (I don't think their verdict was even CLOSE to correct) fetal tissue is that it is monstrous. I feel like late term abortions that occur once a baby has the ability to breathe in the outside world (even if it requires a bit of assistance), in particular, are absolute acts of murder. If your baby could be born and let out a cry to let you know he's there, I can't see how you wouldn't think that he was alive. With that said, I repeat what I said before: what people do is between God and them. If asked, of course I will share my opinion on abortion. I will gladly listen to yours, as well. I couldn't make that choice for myself but what you do is between you and God. Period.
So how can I blatantly say that I'm pro gay marriage and pro life? The answer is simple. I believe in our country celebrating freedom. Just because I don't own a gun doesn't mean I can't support other people's rights to. Just because I don't choose to have a relationship with a woman doesn't mean I can't support other people's right to. Just because I couldn't choose abortion for myself doesn't mean I can't support other people's right to have one. I support gay marriage because I believe that everyone has a right to feel true happiness. I support a woman's right to choose because I believe she should have the freedom to do so (though I think that abortions should be limited to the first trimester). So what you're saying is that you support everything so you're okay with someone going out to murder someone else because it's freedom. No, of course not. So what's the difference? A first term abortion is done before a baby would be viable outside of the womb. Do I still consider it murder? Yes. Would that life be viable if it were born at the second it was aborted? No. That's the difference for me. What you do with yourself and your body is your choice but I believe that we should have the freedom to decide.
My closing thought on this would be legislation on these topics..... Gay marriage should be legal. Homosexual couples should be allowed the same benefits that straight couples are allowed. In terms of abortion, I feel that it should be limited to first term abortions and that it should not be funded in any way, shape or form by the government. I believe that birth control should be readily available in order to prevent the need for an abortion and I do believe that all abortion participants (unless it is a product of rape or incest) should be required to undergo counseling, an ultrasound/fetal Doppler, and a full discussion of options. (There are plenty of people that would be happy to pay your medical bills and adopt your baby if you don't want it). Being a Christian doesn't mean that I have to agree with everything that someone does or that I can't support their choice to do so. Period.
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