This post has been a long time coming. I have experienced being on both sides of this very polarizing issue. a bit of background on me, for those who find it relevant:
I was raised in a religious home, and grew up believing what I was told. What I was told was “Homosexuality is a sin.” I didn’t know the implications of that statement, and I didn’t really care. It wasn’t an issue close to home for me until my brother came out in high school.
After my parent’s divorce and our ostracism from the church, I swung to the other end of the spectrum. Gay marriage was a beautiful blessing, and deserved full acceptance. anyone who thought otherwise was bigoted and hateful, in the same camp as the men who compared my precious younger brother to a homicidal maniac.
I met Jesus when I was 18, and He has been decimating my worldviews ever since. I have learned to hold just about every belief I have with an open hand, including this one. The longer I’ve walked with Him in my adult years, the more “balanced” my view has become. a couple of years ago, I inched back towards what some people call “Side B,” or “Non-affirming.” A couple of months ago, I started questioning all over again.
I’ve had hurtful things said to me by loved ones on both sides of the spectrum. I’ve had people on one side accuse me of being a false teacher and leading people to hell, and I’ve had others tell me I can’t be an ally if I don’t embrace full inclusion.
I’ve decided people are going to judge and malign me no matter where I end up, so I’m going to try to stop caring what you think.
Everything is at stake for me here. I hope, whoever you are, you can respect that. I have a very full and very busy life, but this means enough to me that I’m committing a large chunk of my time and resources to seeking out answers and sharing them with you. I hope you’ll come along with me. I encourage your pushback and your challenges. I don’t want to leave a single question un-asked or a single stone unturned.
If you’ve made up your mind, awesome. I want to know what you know. if you’re on the fence, wonderful. Tell me what you want to know.
Without further ado…
Mismatched Miss 