An Open Letter to the Church About Love & Acceptance

A humorously serious look at life’s trials & tribulations,
American politics, religion, and other social madnesses by Beth Isbell.

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An Open Letter to the Church About Love & Acceptance

Post by roxybeast » May 1st, 2009, 4:35 pm

My friend Eric, a pastoral student, posted this message: "I'm looking forward to being on this panel next week. As I understand it, my role will be to represent a "mainline" denomination perspective, in a time when many GLBT person are simply choosing to turn their back on such places of worship (mainline denominations). Why would someone want to stay and be a part? Is it possible to change things from the "inside?" If so, what are the spiritual challenges/implications?"
I am no gospel writer, I am a sinner, I am not a saint, I have not read and do not claim to understand every word in the Bible, although I have read and tried to understand every word actually attributed to Jesus in the Bible. I do feel a little like St. Martin nailing this letter to the door of the American Christian Church. I speak only with love ...

"Eric, you certainly have chosen to step in it ... if you force GLBT to say our lifestyle is a sin you have lost. If I said, you must admit that since you're name is Eric you are living in sin and you must change and reject your name your skin before God or I will ever love you, would you just be super-anxious to come in? You show love by showing love, only love, as Jesus would, not by challenge or criticism or confrontation. I happen to think God made me as I am, as she wants, in her image, which includes me as well as you ... and she and I are fine with each other. If you're not fine with me or my relationship with God, then it seems that you should first develop a longstanding friendship, mutual respect and trusting bond with me and discuss & define our agreement on millions of other issues, before you approach me with your concerns over this one & before ever making it a "litmus" test - perhaps if you know me, you wouldn't ... and you would trust that your example would suffice!

Churches must accept and welcome sinners ... otherwise there would be no members, for we all are sinners in the eyes of God ... even after we accept Christ as our savior, ... you still sin, I still sin, we all do, ... if we only choose to let in particular types of sinners, then who are we to make that decision for God, ... God has provided only one litmus test for entry to heaven & it can be found at John 3:16 ... it is just not your or my place to require any other ... one may continue to sin but not realize that they are and thus, not seek forgiveness, but I would not deny them entry to heaven even if I saw their sin for I am not God and that is only her decision to make - I trust that by my light she will have provided you the right example and understand that God may choose to forgive your sins just because she loves you and you love her even if I don't understand how or why or would not choose to do so myself, and even if she has said she does not approve at least to my reading.

Let me conclude with this ... We are ambassadors of God's love. God expects us to find a way to always act consistently with her ever open arms. God wants the doors of his churches open to all sinners & it is not for you, nor I, to ever stand in the way of God's love."

There are wider implications to this letter, let all who read it so understand. May you choose to love God as God always loves you. No matter what you have done or others may think, let no human ever cause you to doubt that you are truly special and worthy of God's love.

/s/ Sarah E. Isbell
May, 1, 2009
Oklahoma City, OK, USA

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Post by roxybeast » May 1st, 2009, 5:50 pm

An attempt by some in the Church to reach out to the GLBT community?
Consider this recent study:

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?s ... WMh&ref=nf

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Post by roxybeast » June 3rd, 2009, 3:18 am

Here's a frickin' hilarious examination of the Bible's concept of marriage!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFkeKKszXTw

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