feedback, response and where to from here :)

Hi all,

I've had some responses re: my 'gay in the life of a minister' post with some people feeling I was too generous in my support of homosexuality and the need for greater love to this community. Here's some of my replies:

1. thanks for clearing up but yes I'm not gay :)
2. My suggestion around 'support' is because I believe it's time we understood just how alienated and abusive we have been in our treatment of the GLBT (gay/lesbian/bi-sexual/transgender) community.. they are our neighbours and are loved by God. If we tilt the ledger too much the other way a little maybe things will balance up.
3. I believe we need to adopt a new paradigm for this as a movement. The old "love the sinner hate the sin" just doesn't cut it...after all that applies to all of us... we're all sinners now and always... just saved by the grace of God and his sacrifice.
4. I am aware of at least two people who have suicided because they found their own struggle with this and the non-loving support from the church too hard to bear. This is a tragedy and I believe we share the blame.
5. Not all of the scars of sin can be cured here on earth... yes some healing often takes place but it's not 100% eg: intersexed people... look them up if you;re not aware that 1 in 5000 are born neither male or female.
6. This is a little personal for me as I have friends who love God, are gay and Christian yet will never set foot in another church because of what they've experienced.
7. Why do we get so hung up on this 'sin'? (or possibly result of centuries of sin) and yet we seem to not care about consumerism, materialsm etc. which is far more rife within our churches.
8. I confess i do not believe homosexuality to be directly sinful... I don't believe it is as God designed it but I believe most of creation is wearing the scars of thousands of years of sin... it is a terrible cross for people to bear and all we do is make it harder for them to know God. When you hear some of these peoples stories it will make you weep. Gods love and grace is for all.

I pray you will find a way to connect with the pain of this comunity and at least think beyond what appears to be black and white on the surface.

OK - so what's next for the blog. Given the feedback I plan a post on "Love the sinner, hate the sin: plea for a new paradigm"... but the blog will be about more than just a treatise on the issue of homosexuality.... and there's more of my story to tell yet... watch this space and tell your friends:)

See ya in heaven if not here on earth :)