I recently revisited one of the churches I used to attend. The sermon was about Christians and the world, and was given by one of the pastors who I have known for many years and who I respect. He spoke about the troubles facing the world in general, but especially about the problems facing Western society, such as drug addiction, family abuse, alcohol dependency, and marriage equality. I was in shock!
Many Christians, such as my ex-pastor, do amazing work with the oppressed, the downtrodden, and the destitute. But sadly, they also treat homosexual people with contempt, fear, and disgust. Why? In 100 years, will our descendants look back at the church of today and wonder what all the fuss was about? The church is a living, evolving, and welcoming thing—isn’t it?
The Church versus the Secular World
I wasn’t a Christian until I was in my adulthood. So where did a young person, me, learn how to treat people? First, through my parents, who taught me about respect and kindness. Second, at a young age I found that I had a love for acting and the arts (and I still do). What I discovered in amateur theater was that people of different backgrounds, social standings, and beliefs were all welcomed. Specifically, gay people were—and still are—welcome in the theater community. The first gay people I met were through theater. I now have many gay friends and, quite frankly, their sexual orientation is of little interest to me. In theater we all work together for a common… [Read more…] about Are Gay People Welcome?