Christianity & Homosexuality: Christians Do (Should) Care

Jason Collins: First active pro sports athlete to come out as gay.

In the wake of Jason Collins' coming out as gay and the prevailing issues on same-sex marriage, I admire the courage of ESPN NBA analyst, writer and Christian Chris Broussard. He did the unthinkable by expressing his Christian beliefs publicly regarding homosexuality. However, in a time when we all talk and preach acceptance and  tolerance, I wonder if there is such left for Christians and for Chris, who politely and explained clearly his position. Chris cared enough to be real about his faith, and be real even to a friend who is a homosexual. 

So for Chris to be real about his faith, I'm going to be real with mine as well. Christian principles and beliefs may be old fashioned, but that does not mean we all have a pitchfork, noose and fire ready for every sinner we see doomed for the eternal fires of hell. Please, it's not like that at all. 

So let’s get down to it. What do we really believe and feel about this issue? Where are we coming from?

The Bible & Sin

Old school as it may seem, what does the bible say about the issue? For Christians, the bible is clear about sin, and there are plenty of references to go to: 

"The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." -Galatians 5:19-21 (NIV)

“So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.  Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.” - Colossians 3:5-6 (NIV)

To be more precise, the bible also mentions homosexual sin along with other sins:

"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality" -1 Corinthians 6:9 (NIV)

"For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done." -Romans 1:26-28 (NIV)

So that's getting it straight. We are not sugar coating this. The bible stands firm: All people who practice these sins, are sinners. No, its not just the LBGTs. Practically everyone and anyone who commits these acts are all sinners. Period. Just as adulterers, liars, sexually active unmarried men and women... all of them are sinners. So, in the same way, homosexuals are also sinners, just like everybody else. This is where Chris Broussard is coming from, and this is where I am coming from as a Christian. We're not singling people out, we're saying we're all in the same boat of messed up people in need of Christ!

  

But that does not give a complete picture does it? Because the reality is that so-called spiritually mature and enlightened men and women of faith (whether Christian or not) do have pitchforks ready against the LGBTs! Just scroll down the comments sections on any Jason Collins article, and you will see what I mean. People do hate. Christians hate. But again, that's not the entire story. 

Faith ≠ Hate

Back in college, one of my closest friends was a bisexual. She knew about my faith, and I knew hers, but our beliefs never became an issue with regard to our friendship. We went to classes together, had lunch and dinner during breaks, rode to and from school together, visited each other's houses, and hung-out even outside of school! We knew we were genuine friends regardless of our personal beliefs. Even for  Chris Broussard, Faith was never an issue in terms of how he related to his friends: "I'm a Christian. I don't agree with homosexuality. I think it's a sin, as I think all sex outside of marriage between a man and a woman is. [ESPN's] L.Z. [Granderson] knows that. He and I have played on basketball teams together for several years. We've gone out, had lunch together, we've had good conversations, good laughs together. He knows where I stand and I know where he stands. I don't criticize him, he doesn't criticize me, and call me a bigot, call me ignorant, call me intolerant."

I'd like to believe a lot of Christians feel the same way. We're just getting bad rep. 

Our principles and convictions may be different than what is now widely accepted, but it's never an issue with regard to how we genuinely see and treat people. Does that change who I am as a Christian? Of course not. Does that change how I view sin and homosexuality? No. But that doesn't change how I am genuinely fond of my bisexual friend. It never was and will never be an issue with regard to our friendship.

The “Perfect Christian”

I myself admit to struggling with sexual temptation day by day. Any Pastor, Priest or Rabbi who says he has not had any sexual struggle, whether they're married or not, surely is not being honest about their faith. I've talked to many Pastor-colleagues who have expressed that even marriage does not solve their problems with lust and sexual temptation. So the struggles they experienced in puberty? It still haunts them even in their married life today. But does that make us lesser humans? No. I’d like to believe it only proves that even Pastors too do struggle like everyone else. 

So then should two men who struggle with pornography but have differing sexual preferences be viewed and treated differently? The bible is clear that God sees both as sinners, so why should we, specially Christians, treat them differently? Shouldn't we care for them both like how Jesus would care for the both?

The real problem lies when “Perfect Christians” believe that homosexuality is more disgusting, inhumane, revolting, and more sinful than their lesser sinful lives, only committing "lesser" sins. They're perfectly better off than gays. For them, they're the normal ones. To those guys who feel this way? To those who feel disgusted about homosexuals? To those who doesn't want to do anything with homosexuals because they're surely 100% bound for hell? Check and re-read your bibles please: Psalm 86:15; Job 34:19; John 13:34-35; 1 John 4:7-8. Realize that we are all just as much sinful because of our sins against God. 

I repeat however, not all Christians feel they're so much better of. In the same way that not all Muslims are Terrorists, not all Christians preach and breed hatred toward LGBTs. A lot of us do care. There are those who genuinely provide support and a helping hand at a time when the world, including Christians unfortunately, choose not to. Heard of the Gay Christian Network? They minister to LGBTs! They even have healthy dialogue and discussion about homosexuality despite members having differing views on homosexuality. In the end they're still all committed to love, care and understand better LGBTs.

How Jesus Dealt with Sinners

Jesus and the adulterous woman: "Neither do I condemn you."

So how did Christ himself deal with this issue? How did he relate with people deemed "outcasts" of society? For that, we look at an example from scripture: 

"At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus,“Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”" -John 8:2-11 (NIV)

This did not happen just once. This was how he showed he truly loved all people regardless of their background. Time and again, Jesus spent time talking to tax collectors, to adulterers and prostitutes, spent time conversing with them, eating with them and being with them (Luke 15:1-2; Luke 19:7; Matthew 9:10-11). He chose to love the seemingly unlovable, those rejected by society in order to give us all a picture of the type of patience, understanding, mercy and love he expects from his true followers. That's what being a Christian is. Being just like him. But are we really being like him? 

Jesus came for all sinners, that every sinner would have life through him, by people understanding that we all can only live life through a savior who would bridge the gap between the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man. He came that all of us may have a sure hope and a have a real committed loving relationship with God (John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:4-5; 1 John 4:9-11). That's what Jesus did. If Jesus had only chosen the perfect ones, then we all would never make the final cut, ever. 

Sadly however, a lot of Christians do shove their faith down people's throats to a point that it suffocates, that it bleeds and that it hurts others. A lot of Christians just simply can't get over the fact that they are just as fallen as the guys they are trying to "minister" to. Christians have lost friends and have lost favor from people because of what some brothers and sisters are doing, and I apologize for them. If only we can all be in the same page as Christians. We have portrayed hate and we are sorry. Admittedly, even I myself am guilty of this. We are sorry for our ignorance, for not caring enough, and for not caring at all. We're sorry for hating, for not understanding, and for not loving like how Jesus loved. 

Hear Us Out
I can only hope people can give Chris Broussard and the rest of the Christian community the kind of tolerance, understanding and patience they would give others. We're still a work in progress, but a lot of us are trying and we are doing what we can. Not all Christians are morons, ignorant, insensitive and hateful. So help us out then:

1) Get to Know us! Get to know us first. Have coffee with us, play basketball with us, have dinner with us! Don't judge us right away, please. My church, Greenhills Christian Fellowship - Ortigas, has regular basketball pick-up games every Tuesday night after work, open to everyone and anyone. Even GCF members and PBA players Bitoy Omolon (Air 21) and Jireh Ibanez (Rain or Shine) played with us one time. It's part of our project and ministry called The Shed. So go ahead and attend, we want to hangout with you! For more info about The Shed, please visit: facebook.com/TheShedAtGCFOrtigas.

2) Partner with us! Let's work together to help out those who need help (homosexuals, poor, marginalized, orphans, etc). We understand you don't need pity but simply just want to belong like everyone else. So let's work together then? Check out your local churches and Christian organizations. Have you heard of Liberty Street Clothing? They're helping out survivors from challenging backgrounds through a sustainable business. Ask them how you can help them out! Check out their facebok: facebook.com/LibertyStreetClothing.

3) Pray with us! Christianity is not a faith by and for good people only. It's made up of messed up, sinful people in need of Christ. We're all in the same boat here. So let's all pray for each other: Struggles, concerns, joys, triumphs, everything! In GCF, we have a prayer chapel and a Prayer Hour every Saturday, 4PM led by volunteers and leaders of the Youth and Young Adults Ministry of GCF. Join us!

Final Thoughts
I know this isn't comprehensive enough and still comes of subjective even on a Christian standpoint, but I feel it serves its purpose to establish that we all have common ground. I can only hope for a time when people can just simply play basketball without looking at the color of people's skin, looking at their social status, looking at their physical appearances, looking at people's sexual preference. But as we wait for that day, may we all find the patience and love toward each other as imperfect people, still being chiselled into the masterpieces that we are intended to be.

*Any thoughts on the matter? Suggestions? Likes? Dislikes? Let me know how you feel about the matter by commenting below. Be polite and kind with your comments though please. Thanks!

LaSallian meets Ignatius of Loyola

Ignatius of Loyola

Having grown up and having been reared by La Salle through high school and college, it became second nature for me and my co-LaSallistas to simply dislike the boys from the hills of the Katipunan. Now that I'm years removed from college, and having been able to develop friendships with Ateneans (which thankfully enabled me to change my perspective on the so-called "rivalry"), my curiosity regarding 'The Ateneo' has led me to one of the current ironies of my life: spending much time studying the life and works of the founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit) himself, Ignatius of Loyola.

How Ignatius met the Lord

Ignatius did not experience a typical, normal childhood. At an early age, he was orphaned due to the tragic death of his parents, and was subsequently taken in by family friends. His encounter as well with God was unlike that of typical church-goers, finding God in probably the most painful and most trying time of his early life. Ignatius, in the middle of battle as a soldier, suffered a very severe leg injury that rendered him immobile and incapacitated. He needed time to recuperate and heal, and it was a toilsome and difficult time in his life. However, in the process of physical recovery, he also found spiritual healing. His isolation from the outside world became the opportune moment for him and the Lord to finally meet intimately. In isolation, he read through writings and accounts of noble saints and their faithful service and devotion to God. He read how they lived and how they served God. He met the Lord in pain through the stories of noble men of faith, and had become the comfort for both his physical and spiritual struggle. However, despite the spiritual awakening, Ignatius’ life experienced further hardship (http://bin.jesuits-chgdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Partners_WI03-4_pp16-17.pdf, accessed October 8, 2012).

Struggles and Difficulties
Having decided to equip himself for God, Ignatius studied in Spain and still went through many difficulties. He was abandoned by friends, ridiculed, faced inquiries about his beliefs, and even suffered physical beatings from his detractors (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07639c.htm, accessed October 8, 2012). But through it all, it was his stern spiritual walk with God and the early trials in his life that contributed and inspired the recording, writing, practice and teaching of arguably his major contribution to Christianity, his Spiritual Exercises.

Ramon Ma. Bautista, S.J. records in his book “Hearts Burning: The Consciousness Examen as an Authentic Ignatian Formation in Discerning Love” that Ignatius was a truly passionate man of God. He deeply loved the Lord and gave himself deeply to service of God and for God’s people. Service was his primary goal and priority in life, and it was also what he preached and taught to his followers.

19^th century Karshuni manuscript of the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola

Spiritual Exercises
According to Bautista, Ignatius wrote about the following: 1) How God’s servant should give the highest possible glory to God all the time, and 2) highlighted the importance of the centrality of God in one’s life. He wrote about 3) Jesus Christ, about his passion, death and his resurrection, and 4) man's ensuing natural response to his own sinfulness in view of Christ. He also wrote about 5) the joy man would receive and find through the grace of God and by the triumph of Jesus Christ from death.

Ignatius' impact to the Church

The book would be evaluated by Papal censors and was officially approved and commended by Pope Paul III for legitimate ministerial use (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07639c.htm, accessed October 8, 2012). As described by the Pope himself, Ignatius’ work was “...full of piety and holiness and that they are and will be extremely useful and salutary for the spiritual profit of the faithful.” (http://www.jesuit.org/ignatian-spirituality/spiritual-exercises/, accessed October 9, 2012).

Ignatius’ work in the Spiritual Exercises left a great blue print and manual for teachers, missionaries and ministers on how to properly treat their calling as God’s representatives, and leaving believers a very useful guide and reminder on living up to their identity in Christ as workers of the church. Ma. Christina A. Astorga, in her dissertation about Ignatius records that, “In relation to this fundamental engagement of persons in decision making, Ignatian discernment is the distinctive contribution of Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises to humanity and to Christian spirituality.” Indeed, despite a seemingly outdated material, it is amazing to see how the exercises can still be used today by believers, reflecting what it means to truly be a believer and follower of Christ.

As revealed by his work and his life, it seems that even St. La Salle himself, the man of God who championed education and social service to the poor and needy, would benefit much from the teachings and the lifestyle of Ignatius. Maybe, it doesn't always have to be black and white, left or right, or even Green or Blue.

Questions for further discussion

·         Are trials, difficulties and hardships (abandonment by friends and also physical beatings like what Ignatius experienced) essential and a “must have” for church leaders, workers and volunteers?

·         Should church leaders, workers and volunteers follow and submit entirely to his/ her organization’s policies, rules and guidelines in ministry and in personal life, or should they plainly follow scripture? 

·    God desires that his servants simply love him in everything they do, so is love for people even fully essential and necessary in gauging effective ministries? Why/ why not? 

Sources

Astorga, Ma. Christina. Ignatian Discernment: A Critical Contemporary Reading for Christian

Decision Making. ATLA Religion Database EBSCOhost. http://www.search.ebscohost.com (accessed

October 16, 2012).

Bautista, Ramon Ma. Hearts Burning: The Consciousness Examen as an Authentic Ignatian Formation

in Discerning Love. Makati City, Philippines: Bookmark, Inc, 1990.

Link, Mark S.J. “The Life of St. Ignatius Loyola: A Prayerful Introduction.” jesuits-chgdet.org. 

http://bin.jesuits-chgdet.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Partners_WI03-4_pp16-17.pdf (accessed 

October 8, 2012).

Loyola Press. “St. Ignatius Loyola”. http://www.ignatianspirituality.com. 

http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-voices/st-ignatius-loyola/ (accessed October 8, 2012).

Pollen, J.H. “St. Ignatius Loyola”. http://www.newadvent.org. 

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07639c.htm (accessed October 8, 2012).

The Society of Jesus in the United States. “The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola”. http://www.jesuit.org/. http://www.jesuit.org/jesuits/wp-content/uploads/The-Spiritual-Exercises-.pdf (accessed October 9, 2012).

The Society of Jesus in the United States. “Frequently Asked Questions.” http://www.jesuit.org/. http://www.jesuit.org/jesuits/wp-content/uploads/The-Spiritual-Exercises-.pdf (accessed October 9, 2012).

http://www.hmml.org/preservation10/OLM.htm (accesed November 26, 2012).

http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/seil/index.htm (accessed November 26, 2012).

Savior

Lake Okanagen, British Colombia, September 2007

How each storm has come and gone, 

You stilled the waves of the ocean deep within my heart. 

How the waters crashed and pulled me toward the ocean floor,

but a Savior came and lifted me toward the shore.

Now under the sun and over the mountains I dance with you,

For this life I owe you have rescued and renewed.

You are the savior, my Lord, my everything,

Raising me up a victor from the depths of shame, from the depths of sin.

The Comfortable Church: Breaking the Comfort

The problem remains for the church today: We are just too comfortable. The "problems" we see are but a speck compared to the reality of the world we live in today, a world beyond the confines of our comfortable "problem filled" lives, a world that desperately desires a hope... a world that needs Jesus Christ. 

So the questions is: "What can I do? How do I get out of my comfort zone?"

The bible did not complicate things when it recorded how Jesus commanded us to take part in sharing God's blessing of salvation (Matt. 28:18-20). The misconception is that a Christian has to follow one ideal formula in sharing the love of God through Christ. It doesn't have to be that way. We can do it in many different ways. How? In our case today as a comfortable church, breaking the barriers of sharing the love of Christ and breaking the comfort can be done in two ways:

1) PRAYER

Have you been proactive in praying for the concerns of other people? Or have your prayers been focused on only yourself? Do you remember your country men during their time of need, ceased on helping when relief operations have slowed down, or have you been helping out still?

What we can do is simply pray. We should continue to pray for our country men still affected by the recent floods, who have lost loved ones and have lost their homes. Relief operations may have stopped but our prayers continue, our prayers should remain.

We can also pray also for the unreached people groups remaining in the Philippines and in other parts of the world! Get to know them through The Joshua Project, a website dedicated to research about ethnic groups who have yet to know Jesus Christ. Pray for these groups together with church members through the upcoming 1Gospel Conference, a conference encouraging young people aware about the power of prayer in missions!

We do not have to leave our country to be involved in cross cultural missions. We do not need disasters and relief operations to remember the needs of the less fortunate. We bring the love of Christ to other people through the power of our faith in the Lord, and it is proven in earnest, honest prayer.


2) PARTNERSHIP

Like prayer, partnership is not a one-time thing. It is being able to connect to people who need a more definite, clear, and real gospel message. 

Join an NGO, look for an orphanage, school, children's hospital or community and help the needy on a more concerted, intentional and consistent basis. Show love to them not by just simply reading to them the story about Jesus' sermons, but by sitting beside them, talking to them, asking them about their dreams, aspirations, having lunch together with them, interacting with them side by side. You can even support and partner by simply buying a shirt from Liberty Street Clothing and help survivors of human trafficking, child sexual abuse, or extreme poverty.

Pray and Partner for the Armed Forces of the Philippines
(IGSL - PMA Ministry Week, Sept 2012)

So this is how we roll up our sleeves, how we can be less comfortable, be less concerned about ourselves. This is how we can be thankful, how we can be exposed, how we can pray. This is how we can break church norm and obey God's command to "Go and make disciples", how we can share God's blessing of salvation today. 

People need the gospel message personally applied, not impersonally preached. 

The Comfortable Church

My kids in Kaunlaran High School in Navotas (through the partnership of International Graduate School of Leadership-Asia and Breakthrough Community Church-Navotas) wrote the following down when I asked them about their dreams and aspirations: 

"Know Christ"

"Change"

"Be Helpful and responsible"

"Expect more knowledge (Know) about God"

"Help my parents"

"Help my family"

"I want to help others to be God's followers"

These are what these kids hope for, what they desire in life. They desire a life out of poverty, out of daily financial hardship, out of broken down communities, and they desire Christ. They desire God. 

A couple of months back I asked the Lord why he wanted me to serve in this community. God's answer? The kids themselves. He wanted to expose me to his heart... a heart that longs to be connected and reunited to his people from all cultures, nations, from every tongue, every tribe and from every land. 

A recent study shows that most churches today do not share the Gospel. This is what is happening in churches nowadays.

In light of the study, one of the problems today is that as a church, we look inward, instead of outward. We fret about poorly air-conditioned worship auditoriums, frown upon bad sound systems, and complain about the poorly seasoned lunch offered in our monthly ministry meeting. These kids? They have their algebra class during midday, under the shade of the quadrangle stage due to the lack of classrooms. The Track and Field team practices on 40 feet of parking space on worn out training shoes. No grass, no track oval. They miss out on school 1-2 times a week during the rainy season due to constant and regular flooding in the city. That is their reality. 

We are simply just too comfortable. The "problems" we see are but a speck compared to the reality of the world we live in today, a world beyond the confines of our comfortable "problem filled" lives, a world that desperately desires a hope... a world that needs Jesus Christ. 

The bible says:

"Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace"  (Acts 18:9b)

"I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ"  (Romans 1:16)

"(Pray)...that I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak"  (Ephesians 6:18-20)

"Be not thou ashamed of the testimony of our Lord" (2 Timothy 1:8a)

"We were bold...to speak the gospel of God"  (1 Thessalonians 2:2)

God wants us to reach out to all people, and we achieve this by not just simply sitting comfortably, sipping freshly brewed coffee in the posh cafes where we hold weekly bible studies. God wants us to get out of our comfort zones, roll up our sleeves, and to confidently go. 

Are you too comfortable? Be thankful. Be exposed. Pray for divine appointments outside your comfort zone. Share God's blessing of salvation today.

Psalm 46:10

Be Still and know I am God.

1 John 4:10

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us 

and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Psalm 37:4

Delight yourself in the LORD 

and he will give you the desires of your heart.