'Hate the Sin, Love the Sinner' Not Enough

The above statement has been used by many faiths in describing their position on homosexuality, yet affirming unconditional love for all.

The recent suicide of Tyler Clementi, a gifted teen with untapped potential, displays in center stage the close mindedness and harm caused by religious teachings' bias and intimidation toward gay, lesbian bisexual and transgender individuals, especially youth and families. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, stated before some 4,000 delegates at last year's Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting that he believes homosexuality is one of the worst sins imaginable. Can you imagine how a young man or woman may feel in discovering their sexuality have certain churches condemn same-sex sexual orientation? So many kids fear they will be separated from their parents' love if they divulge a same-sex sexual orientation because they know what their parents have been taught in church. Worse, consider the emotional and spiritual trauma of being made to feel your sexual orientation also will separate you from God-knowing as a young person that your relationship with God means to your parents. Of course the social stigma and hostility that is promoted toward gay and lesbian individuals is not confined to Southern Baptist churches and other evangelical churches. While their numbers are decreasing, there sadly are Methodist, Presbyterian and Lutheran ministers who continue to teach that homosexuality in and itself places the gay and lesbian person beyond God's love.

I am delighted to know a colleague and mentor, Pastor Heidi Neumark, who serves at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Manhattan. Her church is considered a Reconciling in Christ congregation, meaning they welcome all people, including gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals and couples as fully participating members to the ministry. Under her leadership, she has developed a shelter called Trinity Place to help homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ)for youth and young adults in New York City. This program's purpose is for these youth and young adults to safely transition out of the shelter system and grow into independent positive and productive adults. In the world's wealthiest city, there are 8,000 LGBTQ youth/young adults currently living homeless in New York City and only 250 beds or fewer that are specifically available for this population. It is time for the church to step up and be the incarnate body of Christ in giving hope to those who many have deemed the modern day lepers as dirty, unclean and something for which they should be ashamed.

I am very disappointed in the church particularly that has used in Christian circles around the country "hate the sin, love the sinner" perspective as a 'Christian approach to homosexuality. We must share God's grace at work in our spiritual lives and in our communities of faith. When can the doors fling open for the entrance of God's grace, the spirit revealed in the richness of God's gift to us all who have all fallen short of this great gift.

Consider Jesus' loving response to the woman taken in adultery and the crowd poised to stone her. Instead of judging her, Jesus responds with love and compassion. Jesus' first instinct is to be compassionate. His heart reaches out to the woman. She is the one facing the death threats. The crowd wants Jesus to come over to their side. They want his endorsement so they can apply the letter of the law. Jesus says "no" to legalism. His compassion compels him to stand with the woman. He is more concerned about giving the woman a fresh start and God's grace than he is about staining his own reputation by associating with her.

I wonder are we extending a hand slap of indignation or a handshake to others in need? Are we responding to them in love and compassion or in judgment and condescension? Are we always looking for ways to inject Christ's love for others into our community?

The recent suicide of Tyler Clementi is what Jesus says "what we have done to the lest of these, we have done unto him." We can no longer, just hate the sin and love the sinner but deliberately through action dismantle the bullying, the stigma, the prejudice and the discrimination.

Immunity can no longer be given to misguided church teaching's bias and intimidation toward gay and lesbian youth and families. If we do, there will be more stories about a precious life being senselessly ended because of legalism instead of what Christ requires of all of us: justice, mercy, compassion and love.

 

Follow Reverend William E. Flippin, Jr. on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@pastorbilljr

Comments

[kevvone]

03:20 PM on 03/30/2012

Religious people don't care. They're just going to continue using words they alone put in a book and use as doctrine and as an excuse to hate other people. What I find interesting is that that's the only thing they follow from the book. They ignore the rest. They follow each other like cattle and see another one of their peers using it as an excuse, so they do the same. They can't be changed. They have limited brain capacity and that's just the way it is. They simply don't know any better.

[LeftyHeinz]

07:06 PM on 03/29/2012

God's benevolence is unconditional, but His love is not. God does not want anyone to perish, but unless one repents and accepts the one true God, all is lost. However, regardless of how much evidence unbelievers are confronted with, most refuse to believe the word of our Lord because believing requires sinners to forsake their sins. The last thing the sinner wants to do is give up his sins because he loves sin and hates righteousness. If we are going to be successful in taking back our country, we must do just the opposite. We must love righteousness and hate sinners. This generation knows not the fear of the Lord. Hence there is little concern for the souls of the lost. God is love.

[Knitterman]

08:32 AM on 03/30/2012

"Take back our country"...?? From whom? Nobody is trying to take "your" country away. This is OUR country, too. And not all churches/religions accept the lie that sexual orientation is "sin". Believe what you will, but don't expect everyone else to accept your holy book and do not expect ANYone else to live by your interpretations of that book.

[Reverend William E. Flippin, Jr.]

09:40 AM on 03/30/2012

Amen.

[Reverend William E. Flippin, Jr.]

09:40 AM on 03/30/2012

I will never tell one to forsake their sins. I believe in my theology that we are so in bondage to our will that we are not in control of our transgressions. I negate that we are possesors of free will. Paul says when I try to do good evil is always there. Tell me a baby you know that compromises its feeding time for the sake of its parents. We are born selfish yet shaped in iniquity. Homosexuality is a sin but so are many other transgressions that the Bible considers abominable acts toward God such as touching a pig. I have played football many times so I have violated God's law continuously. I am in need of a Savior that saves me thus I affirm that no human person can fulfill the law only through Christ. Nitpicking sins just shows to me one's prejudice. We must be consistent in all things and sins such as adultery defined if one marries and then remarried another has committed adultery. God is love plain and simple, I believe that includes even those who deal with same sex attraction and homosexual acts.

[Brightening]

06:12 PM on 03/29/2012

When you commit a negative action, there are negative consequences. Obviously in some cases there are instances where forgiveness and redemption should be given, but this should be sincere and earned, not something given very easily.

[Lacy Razor]

01:58 PM on 03/29/2012

One can only hope that this message of grace will spread through the Christian nation (and beyond) like a brushfire.