The Fallout From Amendment One
As I continue to peruse my newsfeed and read articles regarding the passage of Amendment One here in North Carolina, I am disheartened. The name calling, mudslinging, and outrageous generalizations and stereotypes coming from both sides of the issue are appalling. The most disheartening thing about it for me though is that is often Christians who have been doing the insulting.
I made it no secret that I personally opposed Amendment One. At the prompting of several members of my church with questions regarding Amendment One and homosexuality in general, I did my best to promote an unbiased conversation regarding the church, homosexuality, and amendment one. In writing, I presented an objective analysis of Christian viewpoints on all these matters, along at the end, with the conclusions I had drawn from the information I had compiled. I never expected anyone to latch on and take my beliefs simply because I am a pastor. That is simply not what I am called to do. My calling is to shepherd, to teach, and to love. In order to do that, I must equip those believers I am blessed to serve the best I can so that they may seek to understand God in the context of their own lives. Amendment One provided an excellent opportunity to do this, and I was encouraged by the good amount of thoughtful, loving dialogue which took place, even among those who came down in different places. I was saddened by a small minority who refused to even hear thoughts differing from their own, but again, a small majority. That being said, I feel we have grown as a local church through this.
However, I am afraid the same thing cannot be said about the church universal or our state. The debate regarding Amendment One turned into a "I'm a good Christian, you're not" argument. I was reminded of Christ's disciples arguing about who would be the greatest in His Kingdom. Just as it was then, the determining factor is who is loving and welcoming.
In this debate, there has not been much loving or welcoming. Christians whose convictions led them to vote "for" have been labeled bigoted, intolerant and the like. Christians whose convictions led them to vote "against" have been labeled false prophets, pseudo Christians and the like. There is no room for such division and name calling in the Kingdom of God.
The true fallout from this Amendment, at least in the context of Christianity, goes much deeper than it's legal ramifications. It has hurt the church. The church once again has been viewed by those outside the faith as a people who rather than love and are filled with hate. The fact that Christians failed to dialogue and be loving, and move forward regardless of the outcome has been the real detriment to the faith. I understand convictions and emotions ran and continue to run deep on the issue. I have the belief we are all entitled to our beliefs and to live them out as we believe we should. But there is no room for allowing our pride to make us think we are worth more or are greater in God's eyes because of those convictions. Such a mentality will only bring shame upon ourselves and the name of God.
So Christians, in these coming times, I urge you to do this. Be respectful of all whether they agree with you or not. Learn to understand and appreciate those who are different than yourselves. This does not mean you have to be persuaded or change your own convictions, but really knowing and understanding takes the fear and hate out of an issue and allows for mutual respect. Pray for each other, especially those on the opposite side from you. Christians should be, above all else, a people who can love our neighbor, even when we don't agree. And that isn't simply the JP Perspective, that is the Jesus Perspective.
Love God with everything you've got. And each other, love the same way. (Paraphrase of Jesus Great Commandment Matthew 22:36-40)
