Dear Anti-Gay, Trump Supporting, Bible Quoting Christian—Help Me Understand

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I want to understand, I really do.

Yet, with nearly every headline and activity that involves President Trump, conservative Christianity, and the modern American church, I’m finding it increasingly difficult.

It’s all too apparent, you vehemently stand against the LGBTQ community, believing their sexualities in gender and orientation are willful evil choices in rebellion to your holy God and way of living. With methods like “Conversion Therapy,” you are convinced these human beings require serious repair, and their hope of returning to the sexual design you believe God has authored for all creation is simply a few prayer sessions and some spiritual intervention away. Condemning them to hell, insisting theirs is a life of sin, boycotting companies, bullying them with bathrooms, restricting and rejecting them in church, discriminating against them in society, and pursuing their overall eradication are tactics highly intrinsic to your faith understanding. Even a drastic suicide rate among transgender people largely at the hands of conservative Christianity, hardly, if ever, gives you pause—for some, even bringing delight.

With all due respect, help me understand. How could you possibly feel good, justified, and supported by Jesus in any of this?

With countless translations and different interpretations of the Bible—from Calvinism to Arminianism, from Universalism to Penal Substitution. With over 30,000 different denominations holding drastically different, biblical conclusions on basic issues like “salvation.” With the simple fact that the Greek words now biblically translated to mean “homosexual” were not translated as such until 1945. With a sure history of countless Christians convinced they held the scriptural truth while committing terrible atrocities in the name of God and biblical faithfulness. How on earth can you not be stricken, humbled, and entirely dismantled at the thought that you, with all your seemingly biblically-authored homophobic and transphobic attitudes and actions, could very likely be wrong—and not just wrong, but participating in evil?

The apostle Paul initially concluded that the Gospel excluded the Gentiles—wrong. John Calvin, the founder of Calvinism, believed his theology was so pure and true that it justified the murder of his disagreers—wrong. Early conservative Christian American settlers believed God endorsed the pillaging and murdering of the American Indian—wrong. Conservative American Christians of the 19th and 20th centuries believed that according to the Bible, blacks were inferior humans who deserved discrimination and a life of brutal slavery, and marriage between a white and black person was an abomination—wrong. Many modern, conservative Christians still believe that women are a lesser vessel and should be restricted from certain roles in the church—you guessed it, wrong again.

How many times do we have to be so drastically and demonically wrong until we finally listen to the counsel of the biblical writer who admonished, “lean not on your own understanding?”

If it’s the sole job of the Holy Spirit to convict and convert, then with all due respect, what the hell are you doing and why isn’t all your barking, condemning, praying, and conversion therapies working? Wouldn’t it seem that perhaps your time would be better spent fixing your own fifty-percent divorce rate and gross levels of chosen obesity among conservative Christians, instead of brutally and arrogantly using the God-imaged LGBTQ community as your spiritual guinea pigs, while hoping to convince us you’re doing so to be “biblical” and faithful to Jesus?

Please, help me understand.

Isn’t it, at the very least, pure barbarianism to harbor a default position of condemnation when the “clear teachings of the bible” are clearly not so clear at all? If we can’t get something as simple as “salvation” settled and certain, how could you ever become so sure in your bigotry towards something so complicated as human sexuality?

Of course, I could be wrong, that’s a no brainer—which is why I choose to be purely loving, trusting God to go around me if need be. His grace is more than sufficient.

Help me understand, why isn’t that the sum of what you are doing?

It’s also all too apparent, you still support Donald Trump and rejoice that he is our president, praising his name and leadership.

Evidently, pussy-grabbing, sexism, xenophobia, adultery, racism, vulgarity, imperialism, lying, greed, and childish immaturity have suddenly become biblical traits for Godly leadership—of course, as long as your conservative faith-understanding and ideology is being nationalized as the American dream, right? That’s not hypocrisy, that’s spiritual creativity for the cause of Jesus in our country—excuse me as I vomit in disagreement.

Help me understand.

You say you want a Godly Christian country, yet it seems that every step you take towards the fruition of this ideal finds you completely ignoring and re-imaging Jesus. Has Christ been drop-kicked to the back seat and replaced with conservative, Evangelical Christianity? Help me understand.

You say you want one nation under God, yet you enthusiastically support a president who acts, leads, and carries himself in ways that are blatantly nothing like Jesus. He couldn’t even qualify to be the elder of your church, serve in the children’s ministry, or be trusted with the girl’s softball team, yet you adore him as the leader of our nation, which you say was founded on Christianity. Help me understand.

You say every person has the preexisting condition of a sinful, sin nature and therefore is in desperate need of Christian, spiritual healing. You say it’s your mission to bring the cure of Jesus to every person—fostering life, peace, joy and eternity for all. You say the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and God does not take delight in evil nor suffering. You say you worship the same Jesus who used the story of a Samaritan giving a strange foreigner free healthcare as an example of what it looks like to be truly living as a Christian. Yet, you support a president who has led the way in reducing and removing affordable healthcare for thousands of God-imaged people and tax-paying citizens, denying them coverage for preexisting conditions—sentencing them to a hopeless existence of pain, illness, and suffering. Help me understand.

You say “all lives matter” and that your faith-understanding is filled with compassion. Yet, you eagerly support a president whose values, desires, and policies are bent towards systematically displacing, deporting, and preventing foreigners and refugees from the safety, resources, and freedoms of our country.

You say that sacrifice, generosity, humility, and serving are hallmarks of your conservative faith, and that seeking the betterment of another even to the detriment of self is an important tenet of Christian living. Yet, you applaud a president who aggressively positions and extends our country into the world in some of the most arrogant, self-serving, power-seeking, and greedy ways—many of which calculate a loss for another at the expense of a win for us. Help me understand.

You say “it’s not the government’s job” when it comes to living out so many of the values of Jesus—human care, compassion, rights, and provision. Yet, ironically, so many of the things that support the nationalism and imperialism of your conservative faith-understanding suddenly have become critical, urgent, and needed governmentally-controlled responsibilities. Help me understand.

In a world that so desperately needs hope, peace, love, grace, and compassion, how is it that you can take such a person as Jesus who manifests it all so purely, and turn Him into a faith that is so blatantly obnoxious?

Dear anti-gay, Trump supporting, bible quoting Christian—help me understand.

Please, help me understand.

Grace is brave. Be brave.

 

photo: alyssa l. miller

56 Comments

  1. David Bible

    I think that it is a matter of desire of power over others by conservatives, conservatives of any religion or politics. Christian conservatives have wrongly been claiming that America is a Christian nation since the beginning. Even in colonial America the different denominations battled for superiority. The treachings of Jesus never entered into the matter. Today’s conservative Christians are again leaving Jesus out of it and claiming that their religious freedoms, rather than the freedom to worship as one choses, gives them the right to not only descriminate, but to block the use of birth control (see Hobby Lobby Supreme Court decision), through vouchers send state money to religious schools, etc. Conservative Christians are using the power of legislation and the courts to force a world view onto America which they hope will end in an American Theocracy. The people you are adressing in this article may pay lip service to Jesus, but his teachings have no relevance to their lives.

    • sara

      So true, so true. thanks for the article. I am not sure I want to understand or to hear their words of understanding because it might be worse than their actions of hate and cruelty, judgmental arrogance and self importance. But then Focus On The Family and others has never been my yard stick for anything but arrogance and judgment.

      • ckratzer

        Sara, I agree. Every time I write, I do so with knees shaking. In the hours and days ahead, it will sure be interesting to read this comment section. 🙂 Thanks for reading and commenting!

      • Emily

        Sara, I think your comment is rather unfair. I myself did not vote for Donald Trump, but live in a rural area where the Trump vote doninated, but also where federal over-regulation runs rampant, where some towns would nearly literally crumble without a coal industry, and where some folks’ insurance costs have increased by 600% (!!) under the ACA. Most who made the decision did not do so out of “hate and cruelty, judgmental arrogance and self-importance.” Tossing aside legitimate concerns and claiming folks voted for Trump simply because they’re racist or hateful does absolutely nothing to solve the problem. And making the remark that you don’t want to hear their reasoning doesn’t just leave us at a standstill, but moves us further backwards. This is almost the exact reason that came from the mouths of my neighbors for why they chose to vote for Trump: they were tired of feeling like nobody was listening to them, like they were being left in the dust. And refusing to open our ears and hearts to their honest concerns only widens the divide.

        I so often struggle to listen with a loving ear, even (especially) now. But I did not want to sit by and let decent, caring, and yes, compassionate, humans be labeled as simply judgmental and self-serving. I would strive to stand up for you the same way.

    • ckratzer

      Well said David, astute and important observations! Thanks for reading and commenting, I sure appreciate you and your viewpoints.

    • Christine Csernica-Haas

      Wonderful article. Thank you so much. One typo though I believe…it was Peter….not Paul, who wrongly thought Jesus’message didn’t extend to Gentiles.

      • ckratzer

        Thanks Christine, I’ll take a look into the “Peter or Paul” issue. Appreciate you!

    • Bill

      Ironic, considering how many people were vocal in their fears that John F Kennedy would place our country’s leadership in the hands of the Pope

  2. Kirt

    Help me understand: Of all the “Dis-qualifications” you give to President Trump … Why in the name of God would you not have complained and exposed our former president Obama who most of us seriously doubt he was even born in america! He is best described as our “Lying-Kenya born-Muslim- Sly fox- Turncoat- Trader” president. seriously..where is your head?

    Or is it all about Homosexuality which you apparently are out to prove is totally acceptable even to God?

    • ckratzer

      Kirt, I understand your call for equal treatment, and I am sure former President Obama is not without his faults. I am not in any one camp, but rather an individual calling attention to the Gospel of Grace, Jesus, and the plight of the religiously oppressed. I don’t feel a responsibility to “prove” anything in regards to homosexuality, only to point to the Scriptures and our sure history of abusing them to justify our own hate and prejudices.

      • Kirt

        Your point is well made… I have seen a lot of legalism and pride in the church over the years. As a minister and Ghost writer for many International Christian organizations I have “Seen it all!” And it is not a pretty sight.

        The phony fronts that exists for reasons of personal gain… exclusiveness…and control takes a pretty mature believer to sort it all out. In fact I have had to put a lot of things that are taught on my “Spiritual shelf” and just leave it there. So I stayed and it actually helped me to see more clearly the actuality in ministry that is missed by most..else I would have run to get out of there! But when God confirms that I was to be there… it has alway been a learning situation and one that demonstrated the tremendous GRACE of God that is not always shown in many churches and christians!

        • Gretchen Pritchard

          By the way, Chris, you didn’t address this part of Kirt’s comment: ” … our former president Obama who most of us seriously doubt he was even born in america! He is best described as our “Lying-Kenya born-Muslim- Sly fox- Turncoat- Trader” president. seriously..where is your head?”

          Kirt, the “birther” slander is just that — invented by guess who, Donald Trump, and eventually, though reluctantly, disavowed by him when he wrapped up the Republican nomination in 2016. There was never anything to it; it was pure fabrication. There is plenty of documentation that President Obama was born in Hawaii, and even had he actually been born abroad, he was born into American citizenship because his mother was an American citizen, born and raised in Kansas. I am sorry you have been hoodwinked by dishonest media and talk-radio shock jocks who, when confronted with their lies, insist they are “entertainers” and shouldn’t be taken seriously.

          Nor was President Obama ever a Muslim, though he spent part of his childhood in Indonesia and acquired an affection for the culture of that Muslim-majority nation. You can fact-check all this, as well as his record of truth-telling (especially in comparison with that of the current occupant of the White House) at any decent source of real news or historical fact. Again, I’m sorry you’ve been taken for a ride by media whose purpose is to make money by riling people up with sensational falsehoods. They have done a lot of damage to our democracy.

          Also I think you meant to say “traitor,” not “trader,” though as you would expect, I would vehemently dispute anybody’s accusation that President Obama was any such thing.

          • ckratzer

            Gretchen, I was waiting for someone like you to address the comment. 🙂 Well said! Thanks!

          • James W.

            Gretchen- While Trump didn’t invent the rumor, (he’s just not that creative), he did exploit it and shouted the whisper from the rooftops. The fact that so many were gullible enough to get it tattooed on their psyche is worrying.

            We asked questions of Obama, his drone program was a study in the dispassionate economics of security and we as a people will likely pay a heavy price for making war and death so effortless. Not that a single conservative christian ever raised a single finger except to request that the program be turned up a notch. President Obama lead like a strong, bold christian who genuinely didn’t want to leave anyone behind. He could have done better, but he lead like an executive, never a king. The guy who thinks himself a king is currently seated at the desk (or kicking it on the golf course) – I for one am proud of his attempts, his achievements and most of his legacy and I’ll fight to protect it.

    • Shannon Ahern

      You prove your ignorance by saying President Obama wasn’t born in America and that he is a Muslim. Where do people like you get your information???

    • Erik Zellers

      ” He is best described as our “Lying-Kenya born-Muslim- Sly fox- Turncoat- Trader” president. seriously..where is your head?”

      None of that is accurate, so you are condemned as a slanderer. St. Paul wrote that slanderers do not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.

      Homosexuality is not a sin, God does not play favorites, and does not, cannot, favor heterosexuals over homosexuals. Remember, it was a heterosexual couple who brought sin into the world.

  3. Lisa R

    I can help you understand. When you are brainwashed, and controlled with fear of a man, you will say anything the person you follow says. Even if its wrong. I was in a cult for 19 years, brainwashed, and was full of hate. I was judgemental, and didn’t hide any of it.
    If you don’t understand what its like to be brainwashed watch the new show hosted by Leah Rimini about Scientology. It’s explained in perfect detail.

    • ckratzer

      Lisa, thanks for reading and commenting! Your comment is so powerful and it leaves me wanting to hear more of your story. I hope somehow we can stay connected. I want to learn more about your experience. If we aren’t already, I hope we can connect on fb.

  4. John Draper

    Chris, it’s easy to understand how conservative Christians conclude what they conclude about homosexuality. If you think about it, it’s clear why they think God is against homosexuality. Without an understanding of evolution, it sure looks like men and women were designed—meant—for each other. Their position makes sense in that context. To them, God is involved. Look at sexual complementarianism. It’s obvious it was designed by God. Insert Flange A into Slot B. Their rejection of evolution dovetails with their belief in the Bible as God’s word. God has spoken.

    So . . . case closed.

    They can’t even hear your arguments.

    For example, gay evangelicals, like Matthew Vines, say that what Christians are essentially saying is gays can’t have love in their lives.

    That makes absolutely no sense to evangelicals. When you say that to them, all they hear is that trombone sound the grown-ups make on the old Peanuts TV specials: bwup-bwup-bwup.

    Evangelicals reject outright the idea that Jesus came to facilitate the self-actualization of humans—to help us be the best people we can be, the most fulfilled. We all have to make sacrifices, large and small. Everything for the Kingdom of God. Crucify the flesh and live for Christ. Following Christ is about sacrifice.

    To their way of thinking, gays should feel ashamed of their inclinations. In fact, society’s loss of the whole concept of shame is just one of the evidences that everything’s going to hell in a handbasket.

    • ckratzer

      John, you have some very discerning observations, and I tend to agree. Yet, I don’t actually think it’s evolution that debunks evangelical belief, but actually the Scriptures. I am an affirming Christian and pastor, not in spite of my faith or the Bible, but because of them.

      • John Draper

        Chris, after 35 years of reading the Bible, studying the Bible, memorizing the Bible, I’ve come to the conclusion that the Bible is not the word of God. It’s the word of man. The men who wrote the Bible, Old and New testaments, hated homosexuals. Think about it. Isn’t much more likely that Paul thought about homosexuality what he had been taught to think growing up in a conservative Jewish household—that it should be punishable by death?

  5. Perry Mullis

    Replier, John Draper, made some excellent points re: the Holy Bible as the “Word of God”….or not. Thank you, Mr. Draper. Just to add to your reply, I was recently reading a statement made by Jewish Theologian, Harrell Becker, in that the Holy Bible is not the “Word of God;” but, the “Word of God” is in the Holy Bible. Being a “Progressive Christian,” who finds my faith from the writings of Episcopalian Bishop, John Shelby Spong, and Biblical Scholar, Marcus Borg’s, writings on the thematics and ‘metaphorical truths’ found in the Holy Bible, I am compelled to pause and do my own hermeneutics. THAT is so often weak amongst “Conservative Evangelical Christians.” It’s so much easier for them to take & accept the thwarted hermeneutics of such as Franklin Graham and the like.

    Aside from that, I am a “Gay Christian,” in a committed monogamous relationship, with an Episcopalian foundation doing my best to operate within the “Gospel of Grace.” Chris’ valuable points in this current post are certainly not ‘NEWS’ to those of is who are “Gay Christians.” Recently, a Gay friend in another state mentioned their “Gay Pride” preparations and getting prepared to face the “God Hates Fags” groups. In my mind, I thought of one group on one side of the road shouting hate at those on the other side of the road. Hate against hate never works! I said that my partner & I prefer to be the ones wearing our “Gay Christian” t-shirts, breaking away from the groups with our outstretched hands, gripping our olive branches, seeking to shake the hands of those who oppose us in a spirit of coming together in even the smallest of ways.

    In the spirit of “Let There Be Peace on Earth”…and “let it begin with me…” someone HAS TO take the next step beyond hurt & hate to achieve the spirit of Jesus’ teachings. When will we stop pointing fingers, pointing out resistances, & begin the work.of reconciliation…to bring about PEACE? How do we start? What do we do? It’s time to move beyond hate.

    Thank You, Perry

  6. Ashley

    What about a married person who starts to have same sex thoughts. God had me help a person fitting this description a few months ago. It’s just a thought from the enemy like any other thought. It’s easy to get set free or cast down.
    Here is the answer to most of your questions,
    The explanations of the stronghold: Beth Moore “Strong Holds”

    • ckratzer

      Ashley, thanks for reading and commenting. Being gay, in my view, is not a stronghold nor a manifestation of the enemy. I would suggest reading past Beth Moore and expose your mind and heart to authors who love Jesus, the Bible, and truth just as much as you, and have come to entirely different conclusions.

  7. Michelle

    Also let me life speak over you. You are called to help gay people feel loved by God. This does not mean that you are called to openly bash Christians. You may be called to intercede and create a movement to help Christians love gays more. You need to get healed of your own hurts first so I declare that God is healing you now from your head to your heart and soul. I pray that you receive this healing in your heart fully in Jesus name. You are currently accusing the brethren and I break that off of you now in Jesus name. (This is the same thing that people did to you, I assume, since you don’t think it’s a sin to be gay from your writing at this point, but – don’t turn around and do it back at them.) You’ve got to stand strong and turn the other cheek. Yes we need a movement to love gay people but you have to understand the stronghold first so you can allow God to love people where they are at and then also help them get set free. You need this truth down in your soul. You are not hating gays to tell them that they can get set free. You are loving them. As a pastor you will have to understand the stronghold before you can minister to gays. God bless you and I pray the very best for you.

    • ckratzer

      Michelle, thanks for reading and commenting, I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. In my opinion, whether I am bashing other Christians or not is a matter of perspective and projection. To the privileged and religious, truth, grace, and equality always feels like war. In this article, I am simply being descriptive of factual actions, beliefs, history, and attitudes among most conservative Christians while asking important questions regarding such. If in doing so, some are met with a sense of conviction and/or “bashing,” I suspect it is not me bringing upon them that weight, but their own conservative faith understanding. Additionally, if you would like to gain influence and respect from me (or most anyone else for that matter) I would suggest seeking to speak “with” and “alongside” of me, not “over” me. There is only One who is over me (and all others), and you are not He. I know you are trying to declare spiritual authority etc. and demonic release into my life. I appreciate that, but I’m good, thanks.

  8. Martha

    Conservative Christianity has sadly become a man made religion. They also hate being challenged.

    In my own walk with God, what i have been taught to believe was challenged and have learned to welcome those challenges. First, it brings me to
    do my own bible study with desiring to know Truth even if i have to change what i think. Scarey?? YES for sure. At the end i find peace, love and compassion.

    • Perry Mullis

      Martha, I believe it’s ‘fear’ that fuels the dissonance between groups. But, don’t Conservative Christians remember, “Fear not…”? I believe we’ll ALL have to trust & believe in that message, before we’re able to reach beyond ignorant biblical literalism to push for greater truths & real “Grace.” I APPLAUD your willingness to face the challengers and use the Holy Bible, Commentaries, and all other resources to achieve the previous gift of Peace. Thank you, Martha. Thank you for setting the good example and being a light in our midst. Perry

      • Perry Mullis

        Sorry; autocorrect & my big fingers get me every time! Your “precious” gift of Peace.

      • Martha

        Thank you Perry.
        I have expressed this at other Christian sites and was told i am playing with fire concerning my faith.

        • Perry Mullis

          I vehemently disagree! While many hard-line conservative “Christians” abhor his work, take a look at Biblical Scholar, Marcus Borg. He is deceased, now; his book, “The Heart of Christianity,” actually restored my faith by giving me a different platform from which to expand my Christian beliefs. His other books are good, too; but, this is the one that have me “a different set of glasses.”

          Have a great day!

  9. Mike

    I read your post and was a little surprised. I consider myself a conservative Christian and I don’t do or believe most of what you indicate. Nor do the other conservative Christians I know. Of the ones that voted for Donald Trump most voted for him as the lesser of two evils not with enthusiastic support. We don’t hate gays or want to send them to some sort of conversion therapy. We do not want to be forced to participate in their sinful activity much like I would not want to force anyone to participate in my own sinful activity. I have full faith that there are some folks out there like you describe but I think it is incorrect to paint with such a broad brush as claiming all or even a majority of conservative or evangelical Christians think and behave as you indicate. It’s simply not true.

    • ckratzer

      Mike, I am so glad to have you read and comment and I’m deeply thankful for your unwillingness to hate the LGBTQ community.

    • MarthaB

      Mike, when and where have gays EVER demanded that you participate in their “sinful” activity? Your very mention of such an absurdity is all the proof anyone needs that you do not “love” them.

      You conservative “Christians” are the ones forcing laws on every American citizen that dictate to them whom they are permitted to love. You are the ones forcing the US, once the refuge of freedom of and from religion, into being a theocracy, by your efforts to criminalize gay sexuality. It is ONLY conservative “Christians” who are pushing for laws criminalizing gay sex and prohibiting gay marriage. So, yeah, sorry but it is you and your ilk who are showing your “love” by demanding that gays have fewer civil rights than you.

      God made gay people gay. Homosexuality is not a “lifestyle.” It’s not a “sin.” It’s not a choice to prefer sex with others of the same sex. It’s who someone IS. When did you “choose” to be straight?

  10. Colton Chapin

    I have to ask a question to all of the people who say that they have read the word. Where is your thoughts on the opposition? Where are your words of warning about the Deceiver? Where are all warnings about how Satan and his army can twist the word of God to fit whatever agenda wants it to in the minds of un armoured? Where is the wisdom that shows us the sinful nature of man? That selfish, self serving and destructive nature that was the whole reason for the Lambs sacrifice? Where is the accountability to one’s own choices to say “yes I did do that” and I am alone responsible for that choice. See it was through choice the sin entered this universe. And it is only through a choice that you can avoid the destruction of it. To many people want to blame God for everything. But when it comes right down to it. Our damnation is our fault and our fault alone. Own up to your own life and follow me. Is what the savior said. Until that is done the bible will not make any kind of sense. Until you own that the way you “think” you where born is false and see it for what it is, the deceptions of the serpent. You will never understand God or his word.

    • ckratzer

      Colton, thanks so much for commenting. It’s obvious we see the Scriptures from two very different vantage points. I understand your perspective as I used to share it years ago. My invitation to you is to learn of my perspective. Be happy to point you to resources of your are interested. Thanks!

  11. Christine Hansen

    The sad thing is nobody that needs to read this will ever open it. You are so right. The right will continue to support the bigots, but in the end we will win.keep it up. God bless you

    • ckratzer

      Christine, thanks for reading and commenting, appreciate that. I hope some people will read it. 🙂

  12. Randy Allen

    I am a Christian and Independent politically, which is the first point. Christians are diverse, as you know. Some celebrate Roe vs Wade and have gay clergy. We’re diverse, even though easily stereotyped these days. As to the heart of most of your questions, I would say propaganda is a powerful mind-bending force. The fake marriage between Christians and Right Wing politics starting with the moral majority and Jerry Falwell was a marriage made in hell as far as I’m concerned. I know a GREAT MANY Christians who get their world view more from Rush Limbaugh and FOX News than they do in Church. They spend MUCH more time in Right Wing media. And why not, Left Wing media like Bill Maher regularly insults and ridicules us, so we really have no place to belong politically. But then again, Jesus and the Apostles didn’t spend much if any time on politics either. The second thing is the false gospel, that suggests that people have to somehow clean up their lives BEFORE they come to faith. That’s SO wrong. The real gospel only has one condition, faith in Jesus. Secondarily, there’s a real legalism that has survived, a great many New Covenant Pharisees, and false Shepherds. So, one of the results is many judgmental and critical spirits are on the loose. Isn’t it enough that Christ said, I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. And yet, look at all the judgment Christians put out there. How about we lead people to Christ and let HIM change them from the inside out, instead of condemning them up front, and standing in the way of the narrow gate. So the real answer is, folk Christianity is a back-slidden form of religion, it has been twisted by right-wing propaganda, and by leaders who are legalistic and self-serving. So little things like “Judge Not” just gets lost in the shuffle.

    • ckratzer

      Randy, thanks for reading and commenting! A lot of astute observations in your comment, thanks for adding value to the conversation.

    • Perry Mullis

      AMEN!

  13. Alex

    Do you really want to understand? Because it doesn’t sound like it. It sounds like you’ve made your mind up already.

    • ckratzer

      Alex, thanks for your comment. Yes, I have my own views on the issues of which I wrote. Yet, I do want to gain further understanding as to how one might answer the kinds of questions I posed. As one who was a conservative Christian in the past, I have a close sense to the reasoning behind their beliefs, but would also like to hear further views. What say you?

  14. Donna Jones

    What I think is, now I think it, is that there is a higher power than us we will die and our souls will be lifted when my mother died on Christmas night, her spirit her soul was a golden light that lifted from the body and went up to the ceiling amazing! When David Bowie was born his midwife said that he had been on this Earth before another thing is I believe that we our souls have to go somewhere maybe we will be reborn again maybe we just fly around spirits who knows who really can tell but believe in a higher power how else do you think we got here? I hope this helps a little

  15. Kyle

    Could have done without the ‘chosen obesity’ Can be more complicated than merely chosen but otherwise on point and in full agreement.

  16. Nathan

    As a former conservative Christian, I can say that at the time, it wasn’t anything hateful that was driving me, it was just that those things: conservatism, anti-homosexuality, and others, were the fundamentals taught from my birth. Rather than question them, my reasoning drove me to find logical reasons to support them. Conservative policies worked because economics would always find a way and private charities would pick up the slack for helping the needy. Homosexuality was wrong because the Bible declared so, and I was taught no other interpretation.

    But I didn’t think I was being bigoted. I didn’t hate gays, though I did think liberals were economically illiterate. I was simply standing up for what I believed in, the beliefs I personally had puzzled through and found evidence for. I think that’s the way for most people with controversial belief systems: on the inside they’re still thinking, they’re still questioning, but they’re locked into that one mindset and since they can’t manage to break out, they do their best to find workarounds, to find logical lines of reasoning that give them the confidence that what they currently believe is right, even if it’s hurtful to others.

    I guess it just takes time to deconstruct these kind of worldviews.

    • ckratzer

      I enjoyed reading your comment Nathan, thanks for reading the article and adding to the conversation.

  17. Shirley

    Why does one side choose to speak for the other? It makes it easy to label and lump all people that are Christian into one big mass. It makes it easy to lump all liberals into one big mass. We are individuals. We live in a free America where you are free to speak your opinion. Conservatives have that same right. There were so many statements in your article that misrepresent the Bible, Christ, & the church. You assume that because I may not agree with your gender identity that I am filled with hate for you. You don’t know me and you cannot speak for me. Should I assume that since you are LGBTQ that you are filled with hate for all conservative Christians. Are you? Could we be friends? Or have we become enemies because someone slaps a label on us? You have claimed the high road. Yet, you spew out your hate-filled message against anyone who does not agree with you. Do you know what the Bible says? Have YOU read it? Have you gone to church & sat through a service in peace? My message is: Stop screaming at each other & listen. We each have deeply-held reasons why we believe as we do. But, if we never listen to each other we will never know what those are. We will only “assume” we do. Peace has to begin in each of us and for me, it began with faith in the one I worship as my Lord & Savior.

    • ckratzer

      Thanks Shirley for reading and commenting. I would like some clarification so I can better understand your comments. A) Where have I “lumped all people that are Christians into a big mess?” B) Where do conservative Christians have the “right” to discriminate and harm people? C) Which statements in my article misrepresent the “Bible, Christ, and the church?” D) I am not LGBTQ, I am a straight, married male who has been a pastor for 22 years and has studied the Bible extensively. E) Where am I “spewing out a hate filled message?” F) How is my article that articulates historical facts and asks pointed questions “screaming” at you? I look forward to your response.

    • Perry Mullis

      Girrrl!!! You’re makin’ my head spin! And, I don’t think I need an Exorcist quite yet…soon, maybe

      I can’t speak for Chris; but, I & my partner ARE Gay Christians. Yes, absolutely we can be friends. Please see my previous comments on this post. Peace CAN begin with me/us. We’re willing. Not ALL Gay people share the exact same perspectives. But, as you might imagine, many of us: Gay, Straight, People of Color, Disabled, Aged, Socioeconomically Disadvantaged (have I left anybody out?) have felt the rawness & hurt of discrimination from time to time. Chris, DOES highlight the disproportionate amount of discrimination against the LGBTQ Community by the Conservative Christian Church. Maybe not in YOUR church; but, it’s definitely out there.

      Let me say this, tho…THERE ARE SOME IDIOTIC GAY FOLK OUT THERE who make some of the rest of us look bad! So, it can go both ways. I, too, believe we need to reach beyond groups to find peace.

      Wanna’ go out to dinner & talk? I’m bettin” we’d get along GREAT

  18. iL Conservatore Media

    Easy to explain, to those who don’t refuse to listen.

    Religion has only one purpose. Get people to heaven instead of hell. There is no other reason for religion. That means having an awareness of sin, you know…. the things that send you to hell, that awareness is critically important.

    Any so called religion that doesn’t emphasize avoiding sin is useless.

    What is the point of religion if it’s purpose is not to keep you out of hell?

    People can join a glee club to feel good, or to participate in social interaction.

    People do religion to avoid hell and get to heaven.

    That is its sole purpose.

    Everything else people want to do, they don’t need religion for. There are other associations and groups for all those things.

    You make a lot of accusations against Christians when you talk about how Christians voted form Donald Tump. That’s a totally different topic but you can read about it here –

    Talking about Christians as if we are running around preventing people from seeking medical care, or claiming that we approve of sinful actions Trump may have committed is down right lying.

    You can never deal with reality and move forward if your normal penchant is to lie.

    With that in mind, let’s look at sin.

    #Sin exists. Sin is the rejection of God’s design and choosing to do what you want instead of what God wants.

    Sin is what gets you a first class ticket to hell. It’s scary stuff. And yes we should be scared almost to death of it. If that keeps us safe from hell, the fear is useful and helpful.

    Sin is action that is oriented against God directly or by proxy by going against His creation.

    It is always ACTION.

    So if we are in a coma, or asleep, it is impossible to commit sin because we are not committing any actions using our free will in that state.

    ACTIONS such as (but not limited to):

    Adultery, Heterosexual Sex Outside of Sacramental Marriage, Homosexual Sex (it’s always outside of Sacramental marriage), Masturbation, Pornography, Orgies, Murder, Theft, etc. it is all sin.

    Now, we all commit sin at some point or another when we fall short, BUT #Christians don’t promote sin, we don’t celebrate it.

    Consider the following declarative statements:

    “I lusted after a woman! I am proud of myself.”

    “I practice homosexuality! Yes I am #proud!”

    “I had an affair! So proud of my evil!”

    “I just had sex with a friend! So proud of my evil!”

    “I killed and unborn child and I am so proud!”

    “I stole something that wasn’t mine and am so proud of myself.”

    See that? That’s the problem we have with any group of people who celebrate and promote sin. This has nothing to do with #LGBT and everything to do with sin.

    Stop making it about you or LGBT. Your sin is no different then any other. Sin is evil, it’s wrong, and it’s nothing to ever be proud of.

    And LGBT People, please stop accusing the Christian Right of hating you. You sound like a broken record making an irrelevant screeching sound.

    We don’t hate you. We hate sin and since we don’t #discriminate against how we hate sin, we hate the sin you commit, the sin we commit, and the sin everyone commits.

    Please explain to us why you don’t hate sin too.

    Why are you so proud of your sin?

    Why do you #celebrate it?

    I am not at all proud of my sin.

    Normal people aren’t.

    #Normal people don’t run around celebrating acts of sin.

    I may experience a feeling of attraction for someone, but the moment I engage in a sex act with them outside of Sacramental #Marriage I sin too.

    Why do you want to sin so badly that you have take steps and put forth effort to convince yourself that people who acknowledge the reality of sin are bigots and your sin is really not sin?

    Please explain that to us. Help us understand.

    Why do you believe it is holy and righteous to engage in homosexual sexual intercourse, that you are proud of it?

    It’s actually a pretty grotesque and disgusting act from which disease can easily be spread. The department of health and human services released many documents and studies highlighting the dangers and health risks of anal intercourse, such as this one

    It is a very dangerous act. Yet you celebrate it and regard it as holy? Who are you kidding?

    Why do you sit on such a “holier than thou” high horse that you believe your feelings cannot lead you to sin because you were “born that way”?

    Why is disordered anger that leads to murder, or disordered jealously that leads to theft any worse than disordered sexual desire that leads to homosexual intercourse, or adultery, or fornication, or incest?

    We could argue that we are all “born that way” too. That we all were born with all the potential for disordered feelings.

    If we apply your logic to other disordered feelings, then murderers should be proud of their murders because they were born with the penchant to develop a disordered feeling of anger, which they acted on by committing murder.

    Or, if we apply your logic to thieves, they developed a disordered feeling of jealously and chose to act on it by participating in acts of theft. They should be proud right? Why is theft wrong then? They should be proud because they are simply being their authentic self right?

    Why not acknowledge reality for what it is, take ownership of your disordered feelings and sinfulness, and repent for acting on them in the commission on sin?

    What is so wrong about that?

    Why accuse people who hate sin and desire repentance as being intolerant hateful bigots?

    Could you, by refusing to acknowledge your disorder and stubbornly refusing to yield to God because you just want to sin in peace, be the intolerant bigot?

    Could you be the bigot of which you always speak, purely intolerant of anything and everything that reminds you of the reality that you are choosing to blatantly reject God by raising your middle finger and placing it directly in His face?

    To conclude, we have but one question to ask you:

    Dear proud and celebratory person who loves to promote sin, please explain to us, please help us understand…. why. Why is your sin so important to you that you refuse to stop it, and attack anyone and everyone who extends their hand out of love and concern to try and make it difficult for you to sin in peace.

    • Austin

      Hey! Gay guy here.

      You ask why do we say we’re proud of it, or celebrate it. I can answer that.

      Major medical and psychiatric associations in the US have stated that homosexuality is not a choice, and can’t be changed, so when LGBT say they are born that way, it’s because we are. I never chose to be gay, as you never chose to be straight.

      Just for the record: I used to Christian. Baptist actually, and was very involved in my faith.

      During that time, I fought tooth and nail, every day, with thoughts and feelings that I was told was sinful and wrong. I tried to like women, I did, but I couldn’t, and still can’t. It’s just not who I am. Throughout these years of fighting myself I only fell deeper and deeper into depression. I didn’t go out and do anything, I hated being around people sometimes. I envied my friends who were all getting girlfriends. On top of that, rumors spread that I was gay, so I was picked on for it, because being gay is deemed “weird”. All of this piled on, and one day I almost killed myself. Luckily my brother caught me just before, but the depression continued on.

      Finally college rolls around. I get out and start learning about the world outside of my tiny bubble that I grew up in. I learned that being gay wasn’t all that bad, and that it wasn’t inherently wrong, and that there were a lot of gay people out there. Years later, being 22, I was just so tired of fighting. I put myself to the test, to finally figure it out, and told myself to accept the outcome. I realized I was gay, and let myself experience these sensations that I had denied from myself for so long. It finally felt right, like the thing that I had been missing for a long time.

      My story is a lot like other people, but a lot of those people’s stories are cut short. Cut short when the majority of the world tells them that what they are and what they can’t control is wrong, sick, disgusting, a sin. There’s a reason why suicide attempts among adolescents are 4 times higher.

      We say to be proud of that, because there’s nothing wrong with us. I want to help people, not put them down for something they can’t control. Your hand is not extended out of love. It’s extended out of hate that you pawn off on the Bible as sin. Let me ask you a question, and be as honest as you possibly can: If the Bible didn’t say that homosexuality is a sin (Which btw, it doesn’t. The Bible says that laying with a man as one lays with a woman is a sin. The act of homosexuality itself is considered a sin, not just being gay), would you still have misgivings about it? You say you don’t hate us, but yet you’re willing to send us to ‘conversion therapy’ which has been proven beyond of a shadow of a doubt to not change sexual orientation, and is prone to mental scarring and to be extremely damaging in general.

      You want to refuse service to us based on who we love.

      You want to dictate what bathrooms we can use.

      You talk about how bad anal sex is for your health. Yes, it can be bad, but there are many easy ways to prevent all of that.

      Who are you to say that my feelings are ‘disordered’? The fact that you are comparing homosexuality to murder and theft is what is disgusting here.

      Finally: I become intolerant of your religion, once you start using it to force legislation and rules against me because of my sexuality. I don’t harm you by being gay, yet you wish to harm me by saying who I am is wrong and condemning me for it.

      Please stop disguising your hatred and intolerance as ‘love’. If you really believed what you read from the Bible, you’ll follow the teachings of Jesus and love us as you love yourself. Let God do the judging here.

      • ckratzer

        It’s going, going, gone! Austin hits one out of the park!

      • Cynthia

        Yes Austin, thank you for a wonderful response!!

  19. Christine Marie

    I am sitting here, shaking, trying not to cry as I read someone finally articulate the things I wish I could say to my family. My own grandmother has made me feel terrible about “condoning my friends’ actions and lifestyles,” not knowing because I cannot tell her that I myself am bisexual as well, and that my vehement defense of the LGBTQ community comes from participation, not just support. Thank you for this article. Thank you for this ministry. I have been begging God to give me a way to love him without betraying myself and my friends and I think you are what I have needed. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for giving me back my God.

    • ckratzer

      Christine, thanks so much for sharing this beautiful comment. I am truly blessed to receive it! You are not alone! Continue in your bravery knowing God is with you and for you!

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