Judgment

Now, typically I don't get religious in my posts because I don't feel it is necessary to advertise my beliefs. I believe in tolerance. I let you believe what you will and try to respect you for that. In turn I hope to learn more about what you believe so I may confirm or add to my own beliefs. I don't want to be shut out to ideas because I may have been told to. On that note, it happened again. It happened at Thanksgiving and one holiday later it happened one more time. On Christmas, I'm not sure how, but my family went off on homosexuals again. It's very disconcerting to hear their hateful and un-Christian remarks. It drives me nuts when people claim Christianity but listen to very little of it. I must admit, I said nothing to them, partially because of my voice, but mainly because I didn't want to make an issue. My mom, though, seems to share my mentality which helped restore my views of the obedient Christian.

First of all, we are to reserve our judgment. Matthew 7:1-2 NIV says: "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." I love the Message Remix which translates the Scripture into contemporary English. Matthew 7:1-5 in it says: "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticise their faults--unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing the holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor."

They would argue how they must be sinners. I would counter that all of us are no different. Romans 3:23 NIV says: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." More importantly, I was always taught to love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 18:19, Mark 12:31). How is loving your neighbor the same as condemning them for something they have no control over and how God made them? In fact, we, as Christians, are not to lash out, but to turn the other cheek when we are attacked (Matthew 5:39 NIV) or as the Message Remix puts it: "'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it." Ah, the fundamentals of tolerance. Similar to love the sinner, hate the sin. You don't have to like what other people do but that shouldn't stop you from loving and supporting them in whatever they choose to do. I just hope my family realizes this before their private opinions may turn into public, and life-damaging remarks.

Do I hate them for this? No, As much as it disturbs me, I must try to help them see the truth. No matter how I feel, one strong Christian value is that of forgiveness. We are to "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32 NIV). Sorry to get all spiritual on everyone, but, as I said, it bothers me when Christians, the people who should be the most loving people you will meet, can act with such hatred.