Common Myths about Gay Christians

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by bbyrd009

Ya, I keep hearing this defense, and I keep not buying it? The phrase "Gay Christian" legitimizes gays, or (further, if that is possible) demeans Christians. Ha, and I take five, come back, and see the hypocrisy, sort of, maybe, in a sense. My best friend is gay, and I'm pretty sure he would claim to be a Christian. I see him as a Christian, and his orientation as none of my business, except when it is tacked on, in all innocence, to "Christian." I accept it like I accept I am a "Cigarette-smoking Christian," which I must immediately deny, as my image of myself does not support this. This is not the way it will always be, and dang sooner rather than later. I think attaching _______ to Christian denies this in an essential way that is either not intended in uttering "I am a _____ Christian," or is intended, and that may be the question.

Most of the "gay Christians" that I know only call themselves "Christians", unless the context of a discussion is about subjects that would make being of homosexual orientation relevant. I am relatively certain there are such Christians reading our conversation.

Context.

In the church I attend everyone simply calls themselves a Christian. However, in a youth group service three or four kids stood up and addressed the crowd as "Cutter Christians". Their message? "Jesus was cut for the cutters." These are kids that cut themselves to release emotional pain through bleeding. And they have found peace in Christ. Sometimes they still feel like cutting... but now they are not alone and they turn to Jesus. The context of their message was proper for them to call themselves, "Cutter Christians". In the case of an internet article about the subject at hand, I don't think using the term "gay Christian" is altogether inappropriate.

Of course... if one word you disagree with can send you into a tail spin with regards to seriously acknowledging brothers and sisters in Christ who happen to struggle with homosexuality... I think there's a more serious issue than the word "gay".