Queer events and the Bible
Humanity tends to shun actions that don't fit acceptable social behavior, rebels are either alienated or ridiculed to cause them shame and steer the said individuals back on track. Their actions are repulsive and intriguing, we shun them but at the same time, we are curious to know what drives them. We judge them. We assume their faces will take on a different form. We peer into their eyes with the hope that shame will stare right back, that we will spot the darkness in their souls. To our disappointment, they look just like us.
And with that, I will dive into the source of these philosophical ideas.
I was invited to watch a documentary filmed in Uganda - "Call me Kuchu". I couldn't for the life of me decipher what kuchu meant. I had not heard the word used in any of the local languages but the bio of the key note speaker hinted to the subject of discussion.
My stomach knotted like the sisal ropes in Kumi.
As I secured a dark corner in the large auditorium, I was physically present but my spirit struggled to make for the exit. I crossed and uncrossed my legs, I wrote the date on a piece of paper. I closed the book. I opened the book. "Start and end already" I wished. Invitees scanned the room to see who else had responded. Subtle smiles peeped through the black, white, orange and yellow faces "Are you one of us?" and "Are you accepting of us?". Like a journalist in a war zone, I was there on duty, strictly for the information and the love of country.
The streets of Kampala flashed across the screen and for awhile I was absorbed in a world of nostalgic reminiscence;The Post Office, taxis, Newspaper and street vendors...
I recalled sitting at Mama mia restaurant in the Speke Hotel with the buzz of vehicles and people interacting under a translucent blanket of dust.
David, a short, slim, dark man in his late 30's was at the center of this documentary. He had a pleasant personality but his dark secret sent violent shivers through the community. He was a man on mission to improve life for gays and lesbians in Uganda. His days were preoccupied with conferences, phone calls and court sessions. I saw a troubled man, a man seeking acceptance from a society that despised people like him. David was murdered under mysterious circumstances, leaving his friends suspicious about the reasons for his death.
Under my lens, David's image was murky, the lens was adulterated by my emotions, my self righteousness and a loathing of his involvement in unnatural acts.
But "What would Jesus do?"
Stone him to death? - Jesus told the woman caught in adultery, "neither do I condemn you, go now and sin no more" John 8
Ostracise him? - Jesus approached the woman at the well, he engaged in conversation with her and even offered her living water. John 4:10
He offered the woman at the well, life giving water. He asked the woman caught in adultery to go and sin no more. He didn't condemn, he forgave but demanded a change in behavior.
We are all sinners only saved by grace. Who am I to point fingers?: Roman 3:22 - 24
22 This righteousness is given through faith in[a] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
6 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
When truth is suppressed, sin abounds: Romans 1:24
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
And with that, I will dive into the source of these philosophical ideas.
I was invited to watch a documentary filmed in Uganda - "Call me Kuchu". I couldn't for the life of me decipher what kuchu meant. I had not heard the word used in any of the local languages but the bio of the key note speaker hinted to the subject of discussion.
My stomach knotted like the sisal ropes in Kumi.
As I secured a dark corner in the large auditorium, I was physically present but my spirit struggled to make for the exit. I crossed and uncrossed my legs, I wrote the date on a piece of paper. I closed the book. I opened the book. "Start and end already" I wished. Invitees scanned the room to see who else had responded. Subtle smiles peeped through the black, white, orange and yellow faces "Are you one of us?" and "Are you accepting of us?". Like a journalist in a war zone, I was there on duty, strictly for the information and the love of country.
I recalled sitting at Mama mia restaurant in the Speke Hotel with the buzz of vehicles and people interacting under a translucent blanket of dust.
David, a short, slim, dark man in his late 30's was at the center of this documentary. He had a pleasant personality but his dark secret sent violent shivers through the community. He was a man on mission to improve life for gays and lesbians in Uganda. His days were preoccupied with conferences, phone calls and court sessions. I saw a troubled man, a man seeking acceptance from a society that despised people like him. David was murdered under mysterious circumstances, leaving his friends suspicious about the reasons for his death.
Under my lens, David's image was murky, the lens was adulterated by my emotions, my self righteousness and a loathing of his involvement in unnatural acts.
But "What would Jesus do?"
Stone him to death? - Jesus told the woman caught in adultery, "neither do I condemn you, go now and sin no more" John 8
Ostracise him? - Jesus approached the woman at the well, he engaged in conversation with her and even offered her living water. John 4:10
He offered the woman at the well, life giving water. He asked the woman caught in adultery to go and sin no more. He didn't condemn, he forgave but demanded a change in behavior.
We are all sinners only saved by grace. Who am I to point fingers?: Roman 3:22 - 24
22 This righteousness is given through faith in[a] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
6 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
When truth is suppressed, sin abounds: Romans 1:24
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
When we truly reflect on what Jesus went through even though He was spotless, it will actually soften our heart's to be less judgmental, and we will realize that the best way to bring people salvation is by genuinely loving them.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jennifer, I couldn't agree more. If we keep our gaze focused on Jesus, we will know how to react to life's events.
ReplyDelete