James, you know how much I love your writing and I eagerly look forward to anything you post. You are one of my go to sources regarding the hatred occurring around the country directed towards the LGBTQ community. You have brought to my attention many worthwhile organizations, such as GLSEN, of which I was previously unaware and which I now support monetarily. You also know that I am a trans woman and a fierce advocate not for just my community, but all who are included under the broader umbrella of the LGBTQIA+.
I do not know the person who made the comment to which you so strenuously object, but in this instance, I think I understand where he is coming from. And I think you may be misinterpreting what he is trying to say.
I have been Christian my whole life. I no longer attend any organized church because of exactly the kinds of problems that Dan identified in his article. I have a big problem with hypocrisy and strict bigoted legalism masquerading under the color of God’s authority. The true message of authentic Christianity is simply one of love. As a dear friend, who was a Catholic priest, once told me, “You can summarize the Bible in three words. Love. No buts…” No condemnation. No judgmentalism. No hatred. No rejection. No smug sense of superiority or self righteousness. Just unqualified acceptance of everyone.
For over 30 years, I worked with prisoners in medium and maximum security prisons. I served as a volunteer as part of a Christian-based program called Kairos. It was non-denominational, and many of the participants were exactly the same kinds of evangelical Christians with their holier than thou attitude that any thinking person finds abhorrent today. During the course of the four day weekends we put on, we set our differences aside to teach the authentic message that each inmate was special and loved by God no matter what he had done. We told them that God had always been with them, and always would be. We told them that He wanted to be their friend and we did too. It was quite frankly transforming for many. We also taught them that the Church was not a building or organization, but a group of people dedicated to emulating the life of Christ.
On Sunday morning we presented a talk called Obstacles to Accepting God’s Grace. One of the observations contained within it is that there’s a difference between being a Christian and being Christian. Being a Christian is merely a label with no significant meaning other than to be a member of some kind of religious organization. Being Christian, on the other hand, is a lifestyle. There are people who follow the Christian faith who live as loving Christians and do not hold it out as some proud label of superiority. It is these kinds of Christians that I think Ric Vaughn is referring to. I would count myself among their number. I left organized religion precisely because of the kinds of problems that Dan identified among many others. But I am still Christian.
As I have become more involved with the LGBTQIA+ community, I have found a group that more closely emulate the life of Christ and His call to all humans to live like him. They are the most accepting, diverse and supportive group that I have ever been involved in. While they may not consider themselves such, they display in their words and actions an authentic kind of Christianity which has made the Bible so durable for 2000 years. At the end of the day being Christian merely means to believe in Christ and hold the same values dear that He exhibited in his life and ministry. Compassion, forgiveness, understanding, empathy, love, peace, joy, and all the other human attributes we all treasure, admire and long for ourselves.
Lest you misinterpret what I am saying, I do not believe the Bible to be the inerrant word of God, dictated by Him and written down by the hand of men. It is an often archaic contradictory book full of intolerance, superstition, and a variety of other things reflecting a very flawed attempt by a number of different men over thousands of years to describe man’s relationship with God. Much, if not most of it, they got wrong. It needs to be read in context. But when I look at the example of the life of Christ, I see a human being that I admire, and sincerely hope was in fact the son of God. That is what makes me Christian. But it does not make me a Christian. I reject the current organized church. It does not exemplify my beliefs. Nor does it resemble in the slightest my understanding of Christianity and the kind of life I want to lead and that which I wish for others as well.
Love. No, buts… Now that is a Christianity I can embrace and celebrate. I can do it living a Christian life, but not in the organized church. I suspect that Ric Vaughn feels the same way and that that was the point of his original response
