Below is my response to an article published on the Comcast Website Wednesday, January 21, 2009 at 7:08 EST. Tim Cocks of Reuters wrote the article titled, “Some troops unhappy about Obama’s pledge on Gays.” The article summarized some evangelical Christian troop response to President Obama's statement, and I'm paraphrasing, that "Don't Ask Don't Tell" should be canceled as official military practice. In the article one of the troops says, “I'm Christian, so I really don't believe it's a good thing. But if it happens, there's not much we can do,"
First, let me say that I’m Christian too.
Second, it is not a Christian value to believe that Gays are not OK. Instead, it is a prejudice.
Third, Jesus Christ himself was inclusive. The good news of the Gospel is that the apparent prejudices contained in the Old Testament are no longer valid.* Jesus Christ proclaimed his heavenly Father to be a God of love. Not hate. His teaching is very clear about love v. hate. There are to be no exceptions. It is not OK to be prejudiced against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered people! Just as it is not OK to be prejuced against Jews, Muslims, other types of Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, or non believers.
Fourth, you have been taught values by your specific institutionalized church that are prejudiced and not actual Christian values.
Finally, if Jesus Christ returned today, he personally would give us each the opportunity to accept all the people of this earth regardless of their color, race, ethnicity, religion, and / or sexuality. I pray that we would each be able do so.
* Biblical scholars still debate the translation and cultural meaning of many of the statements evangelical Christians interpret as being anti-LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered).
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