To all members of the GLBTQ community:
I want to apologize and make you a promise. Although some people will say it is silly for one person to apologize for an entire community, I disagree. I think if you are a part of a community that is doing hateful, discriminatory actions if you don’t say anything, then you are being hateful, discriminatory, and compliant by your silence.
As a Christian, I admit that the Church has treated the GLBTQ terribly: historically and presently. For that, as a Christian, I apologize. The Church and Christians are representatives of God and we have a long history of doing a crappy job of representing God as it pertains to the gay community: from kicking people out of the church, “gay conversion” therapy, firing church leaders for being gay, fighting against equal rights for gays under the law, to the terrible misuse of the term “abomination”, to using the Bible as a tool of hate instead of love, and all other actions that treat as less than full members of the Christian community.
But I want you to know this: The Christian Church and Christians ARE NOT GOD. Please understand that Christians are not God, and Christians don’t have the authority to judge you or tell you that you are going to hell or that you are a sinner. No matter how loudly or authoritative Christians sound when they are preface things with “God says,” trust me, they are NOT God and don’t have any authority from God to judge you.
God is love. God loves you. God loves you just as you are. You are don’t have to change a single thing about who are you to get God’s love. I love you and I am so sorry if any Christian, used God or the Bible, to make you feel bad about who you are.
My promise to you is that I will refuse to be silent when I hear my fellow Christians lying on God. I promise you that I will speak up for you and against hate and discrimination by Christians in rooms that you are not in. I promise that I will do my best to fight for your rights to be treated equally under the law. And I promise you that I love you and never ask you to change any part of you are.
For those of you who still haven’t come out of the closet, for fear of how people will respond, know that there is one person who is with you and loves you whether you are in the closet and will be with you when you come out: God.
– To the 40% of the homeless youth are GLBTQ who are leaving from homophobic families, know that God loves you.
-Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people ages 10-24 and GLBTQ are 4 times more likely to commit suicide than their peers. Please know that God loves you as you are and we need you here.
– To GLBTQ who questions whether or not they are going to hell because of who they are, I beg of you to pray and ask God. Anyone who tells you that God’s love is conditional on you changing a core part of who you are is not speaking for love. The cool thing about God is unconditional, unmerited love. You, nor me, or anyone, has to do ANYTHING to “earn” God’s love. God just loves you.
I love you and I hope that you have the strength and courage to live your life honestly and openly. Know that you have millions of people who love you, just as you are, and a big magnificent God who loves you too!
Happy Coming Out of the Closet Day!
I love you exactly as you are and so does God.
Hugs and love,
ShaRhonda (Rondi)