A Response “To My Friends Who Identify Themselves As Homosexual”

December 22, 2013June 7, 2019 / Gina Marie / 2 Comments

This blog post is a direct reply to this post, which I came across when a friend of mine posted it on their FB page. The friend was upset by this post, and truth be told, I was too. My first reaction was to come out fighting, but due to the late hour and the importance of the message, I put it off until today. I am glad I did.

Helpful hint if you so choose: you may want to read Mr. Howell’s blog before proceeding so that you can have a reference. Or bring it up so that you can refer to it as I post.

Before I begin, I welcome your comments and viewpoints. I offer this perspective not only as part of my own freedom of religion and freedom of speech, but as one who is not afraid of varying views. Further, I am NOT interested in dictating how you should think or believe. I just offer this as my own view on the subject.

First, the person who wrote it is an American. As such, I affirm he has every right to write the post, express his personal convictions, and believe what he wants. I am GLAD that he has this freedom and applaud the time that he took to write it. He should not be censored. That is the American Way.

Having said that, I must also say that too many people feel that, in America, everyone must follow the Christian faith to BE American. Even as a Christian, I must emphasize that this is NOT the American Way. Everyone in this country has a right to believe whatever they want, or nothing at all. To impose, at the national or state level, the idea that the Judeo Christian Bible dictates the parameters in which all citizens must adhere is inherently wrong. Further, it defies our very constitution, which states very clearly that religion is allowed but does NOT define the laws of this land nor subjugates the law to it. This is well documented and has been ruled on in our country in great detail, an example of which is noted here (with links to the mentioned decisions if you’re interested) Note, emphasis was done by me:

“Freedom of religion means freedom to hold an opinion or belief, but not to take action in violation of social duties or subversive to good order,” Chief Justice Waite wrote in Reynolds v. United States (1878). The U.S. Court found that while laws cannot interfere with religious belief and opinions, laws can be made to regulate some religious practices, e.g., human sacrifices, and the Hindu practice of suttee. The Court stated that to rule otherwise, “would be to make the professed doctrines of religious belief superior to the law of the land, and in effect permit every citizen to become a law unto himself. Government would exist only in name under such circumstances.”[1] In Cantwell v. State of Connecticut the Court held that the free exercise of religion is one of the “liberties” protected by the due process clause of the 14th Amendment and thus applied it to the states. The freedom to believe is absolute, but the freedom to act is not absolute.[2]”

So, my first point is that Mr. Howell has every right to believe and post about his beliefs, but that in no way means he can legally impose those beliefs on ANYONE in this country, even if he believes he holds the right to do so.

But here’s the deal, I AM a Christian and hold very strong convictions based on the Bible, just as Mr. Howell does. And I personally am brought almost to the brink of tears when the Bible is used in such a way as to condemn others, especially when the condemner appears to be doing so in what they claim is love. And HEAR ME, I don’t know Mr. Howell and therefore I put “appears” because I honestly do not know his heart. I don’t know ANYTHING about him. So, in large part if he says he wrote that blog in love, we should try to accept that. However, there are very specific things he says about the Bible I would like to talk about today, as a Christian and as an American. This may take a while because I feel like I have to respond point to point (as my 2.78 readers know is my modus operandi).

Mr. Howell’s assertions are in bold, my responses follow each point he makes.

First, I believe that the God of heaven, the God we read about in the Bible, created the universe and all that is in it, through His son Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:15-18).

As a Christian, I affirm this view of creation (though I do adhere to the scientific idea of evolution and such) and I look to God the Father and His Son Jesus as the supreme rulers over my life. However, I personally think it is wrong as Christians to stand like a toddler stomping his or her feet demanding that everyone else bow to the same God or belief system. “GOD IS IN CHARGE AND YOU BETTER RECOGNIZE.” I mean, don’t you hate it when a vegan sits in a restaurant and verbally decries how gross all of us carnivores are? I mean, dude, why you wanna be all up in my lunch? If you don’t eat any animal products, high five, now let me eat my steak in peace! I think it’s taints the awesome testament of my belief system when I push my very personal and very intimate and very wonderful feelings of Christ especially to the point of making others feel wrong or guilty for not seeing things the way I see it. And I believe that Christ never operated in that way. If He did, he would have called His legions of angels to knock the Pharisees and the Roman Leaders down when He was being tried and ultimately crucified. Instead, He was quiet. He was humble. He spoke only love to those who condemned Him.

And I contend that, if Muslim stood up and demanded that we follow his beliefs because the Quran stated this or that, many people such as Mr. Howell would have a heart attack. Well, my friends, many in this country react the same way when we pull out the Bible and say “listen up, you gotta follow this”.

Second, I believe that the Bible is God’s inerrant communication to mankind. It tells us of his power, love, and grace, but also of his judgment. It tells us of what he wants from his creation, but also what he does not want. It is by the words of that book that the entire world will be judged in the end of material existence—even those who rejected those words (John 12:48).

First, the Bible will not be used to judge us. Based on the Bible, CHRIST will judge us. Now, let’s not split hairs, the Bible is clear that the Word is Jesus. But to suggest that the laws will be used and what not for CHRISTIANS is not Biblical. The Bible is clear that, for those in Christ, the blood of Christ will be sufficient and no other “words” of the Bible will be manifest in the judgment.

Second, the scripture shared above is clear that Jesus was saying if you reject ME, judgment will be upon you. Again, Mr. Howell and I may believe that, but we need to accept that others may not, and often times do not. It’s like saying I believe aliens are real, and to prove it read this book my dad wrote about aliens being real. To insist a truth based on something that others don’t even accept is kind of silly. Basically, you’re saying “you better believe the Bible, which I know you don’t, because it says you’re toast if you don’t!”

But, again, I DO believe the Bible, and I DO believe I am no longer “toast” because I have accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. But Mr Howell’s comment about “God’s inerrant communication” ticks me off, to be blunt. Too many Christians spout off this statement even though it is bogus. Hey, chill your heels, I am not saying the Bible is WRONG. It may have been pristinely communicated by God, but unfortunately it had to go through humans, which has been proven for all time are errant! Furthermore, we stupid humans have either bastardized the message over time, or may have maliciously changed it to meet our agenda.

What?

’Tis true. My first offering of evidence is Jesus Himself, spoken thousands of years ago. After beginning His sermon on the mount in Matthew 5 to teach His thousands of followers “The Way”, He began to RE-educate them on things that had been documented IN THE BIBLE, but which THE PEOPLE HAD COMPLETELY MISUNDERSTOOD.

Verse 38 starts with “you have heard it said”, and all the verses around that are clear corrections to misinformation or misinterpretation. Jesus straight out says, “BUT I SAY” and I will paraphrase “you got it wrong people, let me set you straight!”

Jesus quotes SCRIPTURE that had been followed in a certain way for THOUSANDS of years, and says, “I am telling you, what was REALLY meant was…….”

Example 1 (Matt 5:38-42): And eye for an eye, meaning you mess with me, I will mess with you (taken from Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy). This had been practiced by the Jewish nation for thousands of years and they used scripture to justify it. Jesus clearly says in Matthew it doesn’t matter WHAT someone does to you, you turn the other cheek and leave any retribution to God. And Jesus takes it further……they steal something from you? GIVE THEM MORE! Because the REAL way to being my follower is to LOVE. When you’re good with THAT, then you can go ahead and start playing God.

Example 2 (Matt 5:43-48): Love your neighbor, but hate your enemy. This was how the Israelites followed the Bible and felt justified in doing so because “the Word was inerrant”. But Jesus CLEARLY goes on to say “you have it all wrong”. The human interpretation of the Word had been flawed, and Jesus had to correct that incorrect belief system. Jesus is clear you love EVERYONE, even your ENEMIES. And He doesn’t qualify that by saying “as long as they don’t sin, then love them.” There is NO qualification. We need to love, period.

But it doesn’t stop there. The fact remains that the Bible was not written in English, and even after it was translated to English it has been translated many times and on too many “platforms” that often had nothing to do with God.

Example 1: the word “homosexual” does not exist in the King James Bible, the most famous of the first English translations offered in 1611; the term homosexual was first added to Bible translations in 1946. Some argue that the term “homosexual” didn’t even exist until the late 1800’s, so where it didn’t exist it could not be used and that the Bible is clear that the “action” was what we now call homosexuality. However, those who are honest with themselves admit that some of the original Greek terms used, especially by the Apostle Paul, have no definitive English translation and that we – with agendas or perhaps limited understanding of God and His Omnipotence – have said “meh, Paul must have meant homosexual”. Completely ignored is the fact that Greeks had forced homosexuality practice in place during Paul’s life (men forcing young boys to be their sex slaves) as well as non-Christian, pagan temple homosexual activities to pagan gods. Words that were used by Paul – such as arsenokoitai – didn’t really exist in his culture’s vernacular and if we’re truthful we’d admit we know not much more of its meaning today. And really, if Paul REALLY wanted to say “homosexual” he could have used a word clearly understood in his culture such as paiderasste. There are TONS who understand Greek and the etymology of this, so I encourage you to do a bit of research.

But ever further, within the last few years conservatives have decided that there needs to be a CONSERVATIVE Bible published! They said that there is “too much liberalism” in the Bible and that the “true intent of the Word” needs to be shown. Basically, they want to make the Bible say what they believe to be the truth. THAT IS DANGEROUS MY FRIENDS and just one example of error being added to the Word of God in print (not even talking about the errors added at pulpits day in and out! Can anybody say “Westboro Baptist Church”?) So exclusively quoting scripture and saying it is the truth because it is in the Bible is not the best platform to have.

As to the judgment piece…..um, holy cow! MY belief system states that every person will be judged, but NOT BY ME! The Bible is clear when we focus on the words of Jesus that we SHOULD not judge and if we DO judge, we are toast!

Matthew 6 is clear that if you don’t forgive others, you will not be forgiven.

Matthew 7 is clear that Jesus views us as hypocrites if we judge others while ignoring the fact that WE are sinners, too.

And let’s be real, Romans 3 is VERY clear that ALL have sinned and fall short of God. You. Me. People who are heterosexuals. People who are homosexuals.

So, TO ME, calling out ONE type of group in our society and implying they have fallen short, while NOT acknowledging that truly everyone else is in the same boat, is short sided, hypocritical, and a gross misrepresentation of the Lord that I have chosen to follow.

But that’s just me.

For everyone, what the sovereign God of the universe has said are the words of (absolute) “truth and reason” (Acts 26:25; John 17:17)—even if you choose to reject them.

This means that if I am going to be consistent in what I believe, I have to speak out against sin. Just because you don’t believe in God’s existence or that the Bible is his word doesn’t mean that it does not apply to you.

If I know that God will judge the deeds of every man and woman at the end of time, then I am compelled to speak about the matter. I have to persuade people to stop doing the things that are against God’s will, and that will ultimately harm them physically and spiritually (2 Corinthians 5:10-11; Ephesians 5:11).

First, see my previous comments about using the Bible to make your point to people who don’t accept the Bible. Remember, Americans have rights in this country, and for me or anyone to say “yeah, you have rights but anyway, my beliefs trump them” is not cool.

Second, the Apostle Paul is clear that we should not judge those who are not believers and we should NOT tell them they are sinning. How can we hold them to a belief they don’t even acknowledge? This is clearly stated in 1 Cor 5:12, that those who do not believe can’t be held to it. It’s like saying we Americans have to live by and accept Sharia law that is prevalent in Iran! It does not apply to us as Americans, and it is not Biblical to demand non believers follow the Bible.

However, although 1 Corinthians is clear that believers in the church CAN be judged based on the Bible, I believe the context of this scripture are those that are causing strife and darkness in the church. And, I truly believe those who are in Christ no longer have their sin held against them as it is covered by the blood of Christ.

You are my neighbor. If I knew that you were about to step into danger, but instead of warning you I just stood back and let you be harmed, what kind of neighbor would you think I am?

Really, do you believe that getting in people’s faces change hearts? I have written about this before, but if a personal trainer came up to me in a restaurant and said “I noticed you’re overweight, you really need to eat less and I can show you how to get off your butt and exercise more” they would be telling the truth but I would still kick them in the face. IN FACT, if someone came up to me and said, “The Bible says gluttony is sinful” THEY would be right. Or that Jesus Himself said if you divorce and remarry, you are committing adultery……and oops adultery is right next to the more recent translation of homosexuals and is part of “the group” that cannot inherit the kingdom of God. But do you think, when people come up and share in this way, it would change anyone’s heart?

I contend that changing hearts is what we should be doing, and in doing so, actions follow. But then that exposes the fact that OUR actions pretty much suck, too. And that is not as easy to acknowledge, it is MUCH easier to point out the failures of others.

Further, why is homosexuality almost always the platform for this action when divorce is WAY more prevalent and “dangerous” to our faith community, based on many factors including the percentages that exist today in Every…….Single…..Church…….in comparison to homosexuality?

I would rather you be the neighbor, as a Christian, that Christ has called you to be. For He called you to love me, as noted in Matt 22:39, like you love yourself. And I am pretty sure you don’t start each day standing in front of the mirror reciting all the reasons you’re going to hell. I would hope that you loved me as Christ loves me, as He called us to do in John 15:12. And how DID Jesus love us?

He did not come to condemn. John 3:17

He died for EVERYONE, even those who are the filthiest there is. Even those that do not deserve it, and He did it with no strings attached, in that He’d do it even if no one accepted Him as savior. 1 John 2:2

Even as He lay hanging on the cross, beaten for something He was not guilty of, falsely accused and abused, even though they did not repent of their actions and certainly not because they deserved it……He said “Father, forgive them”. Luke 23:34

And I would like some example where Jesus called out the sins of anyone that didn’t have a platform of claiming they knew the heart of God, such as the Pharisees. It just didn’t happen. So, as a follower of Christ, I will focus on love and not judging because the Lord I claim to follow did not call out the sins of others.

So in order to be consistent with what I believe, I must speak out against homosexuality.

Wow. What about the other sins? You must be hugely busy because there are LOTS of things you must speak against. Like I don’t know…..not honoring the sabbath? I mean, that comes STRAIGHT from the 10 commandments! Homosexuality doesn’t even hit that level, and yet unless you start at sundown on Friday and follow the BIBLE through sunset on Saturday, you are sinning. And since your own blog put it this way if you follow the Bible, and the ten commandments, I am sure this is something you also talk about quite often and try to share with your Christian friends especially since we probably all meet predominantly on Sundays.

Certainly, I imagine you warn people how to handle black people (aka slaves) as that is clearly in the Bible, right? Further, I am sure you make sure all women follow scripture and advise them to leave their homes when they have their period. I am CERTAIN you encourage fathers to stone their daughters to death if they find out they have been sexually active before marriage, as the Bible demands.

I am sure that’s what you meant on your blog when you said your truth is absolute and unwavering and that you must speak out against sin.

Jesus is clear throughout scripture that He died to save us. He provided GOOD NEWS, and yet most of the time all I hear out of the mouths of Christians is condemnation and judgment. You think homosexuality is a sin? DO NOT DO IT! But I think the Bible has many more scriptures about not judging other’s “sin” while we all have pretty full time jobs working on our OWN sins. And again, let’s be honest here…….we all do sin every single day. As Christians though, we need to shut up about hell because we believe in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. And because of that belief, we need to acknowledge those sins are COVERED ONCE AND FOR ALL. Homosexual or not.

I believe it is far more Biblical and important to not waste time, energy, and lives talking about our views of sin, other’s sin especially, and focus on loving each other. We should edify, encourage, and lift up those around us – NOT condemn them and focus on penalties and hell. Romans 14:1-13 is clear that we should not argue over things; let one believe this and another believe that, but we are called to LOVE each other and exist with each other. In fact, I will share verses 10-13 as they sum up this entirely:

You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written:

“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me;every tongue will acknowledge God.’” So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.

Mr. Howell’s blog says, in essence, that he MUST be intolerant because his faith demands it, and that we need to tolerate his intolerance or else we’d be hypocrites. I am just saying, to me the Bible is clear that we need to focus on our OWN lives and sin and stop dictating or pointing out the sins of others, perceived or otherwise. And I truly believe, in doing so, we do more for spreading the Good News and representing the God we claim to follow.

Psalm 1:1 (which, to be clear, are DIRECTIONS to help Jews and ultimately Gentiles, not LAWS) says we should not stand in the way of sinners nor be scornful, and I will paraphrase by saying this “Dude, walk in righteousness and follow God, but don’t worry about those sinners around you.”

I’m not going to stop telling the truth.

Again, “the truth” of the Bible has already been proven to be potentially questionable, as part of understanding or malicious tampering. But even within the Protestant faith, WHOSE truth are we talking about? Lutheran? Assembly of God? United Methodist? Should we speak in tongues or not? Is baptism required for salvation? Should be abstain from all wine, or is it okay as long as we don’t get drunk? What about women in pants?

I bet there are dozens of truths just on the subjects I’ve listed above.

So, in sort of the same vein as Mr. Howell, I will share the platform of MY truth, based on two areas of the Bible and fully acknowledge others who believe the Bible may not interpret these scriptures as I do.

Matt 22:34-40 (emphasis mine):

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Gina: basically, if you can’t love God and others where they are, then the rest of the laws should not be our focus and, in fact, do not exist.

1 Cor 13 (emphasis mine):

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Gina: Basically, we need to love……our neighbors, our enemies. We need to act in ways that don’t make sense like giving those who steal from us more or letting someone who smacked us in the face hit the other side. Because, when we’re real about it as Christians, we deserve NOTHING Jesus did for us and yet He did it, anyway. And when we can collectively do that without focusing on sin so much, or our perception of sin and needing to “correct” those sins in others, ONLY THEN will our beliefs begin to spread into the hearts of others around us. Love wins. So stop using the Bible as a weapon to push others away from the very thing you want others to accept.

A Response to “A Friend in Christ”

September 13, 2013June 7, 2019 / Gina Marie / 14 Comments

On Friday, September 13th I received a packaging in the mail.

There was no postal “canceling” stamp to indicate where it was sent from, though it looked beat up.
There was the proper amount of stamps on it, but was it really mailed?
There was no return address.
Inside was an envelope with my name, inside of it a letter written on lined paper.
(UPDATED 9/17) Also inside was a DVD, enclosed in a case, with the name GINA written on it. This dvd includes two sermons from Mark Driscoll preaching about the proper roles for women and the sin of homosexuality.
I have attached a picture of the letter below for reference.

First, I am the first to acknowledge that, “sharing tough love” is not easy. I have been approached by people who have addressed aspects of my life in the name of Christ, and I respect them for it. I can admit that often people who come to me to address my life have the best in mind, but often I can comfortably respond to them and affirm that I am good with where I am in Christ, my life, etc. But my point HERE is that I respect that they came to me, in love or otherwise, and had a face-to-face conversation with me from their heart – even if it was hard. And those people remain my friends today.

However, an anonymous, no name, no return address, no NOTHING letter communicates cowardice to me. It communicates not love, but judgment and condemnation. It communicates that you are fearful, and if you are reaching out in love (even if the message is hard), why is there fear? So if you sent the letter to me, please reach out to me as a real person with a real identity. Those of my friends who have done so in person, in the past can attest that I am not belligerent, I am not unkind, nor will I attack. They will also tell you that the love of God comes into the LIGHT and does not hide behind curtains or anonymous letters. If you do decide to come forward and address me openly and personally, I will not reveal your name publicly or otherwise chastise you. If you approve me sharing your name, I will, but that is the only means to which I will share it.

So, on to the activities today. Because I don’t have your name; because you’re hiding behind the fear or judgment or whatever, I have to respond publicly to you. I am sorry that it has come to it, but you’ve given me no alternative. I often fail in approaching things logically and with the least amount of emotion when I have been made to feel attacked, but know that I have prayed hard and know that I write this from my heart. Forgive me, but this will be long because I must address almost every line of the letter you sent.

But know, beyond a shadow of doubt, that your letter has violated me and my family. Love does not do that.

You wrote, “Dear Gina, I am writing to you because I wanted you to know that Jesus loves you Gina.”

My response: Thank you, though I have full knowledge of and an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, who is not only my Friend, but my Savior. I spend time with Him, I talk to Him, I think of Him, I read His Word, and above all I rest securely in the center of His Finished Work. His Love is so powerful that I cannot separate myself from it even if I tried. It is eternal and I am saved, period. IT IS FINISHED. This is affirmed in John 1, John 10, Acts 20, Romans 3:20-24, Romans 4:15-17, Romans 5:1-2, Eph 2, and many, many more. You may think, from where you sit in your “perfect life” that YOU know Jesus and I need to know Him like you do. Rest assured, I already know Him and He loves me.

You wrote, “We as Christians must humble ourselves before God when we pray. If you ask God for a good and godly husband, who will love you and cherish you, God will give you the desire of your heart.”

My response: Okay, know that I am humbling myself right now and praying to God, sincerely, because the offense to me and my family with these words is huge. I am confident that my Lord can keep me from responding in the flesh, though He is encouraging me to be real and truthful. First, I AM MARRIED – both legally (though only recognized in 13 states and by the Federal Government currently) and spiritually. My marriage, whether or not you acknowledge it, is Biblically, spiritually, legally, and physically binding. It is monogamous, prosperous, harmonious, and has been so for over ten years. I am exceedingly cherished and treated far more lovingly than I could ever imagine. And to that, which is a direct answer to prayer, I can affirm and Praise Jesus that HE DID give me the desire of my heart! I have a beautiful and loving wife, five beautiful children, and His everlasting peace! For you to suggest that, 1) this was not really, truly the desire of my heart and 2) to REALLY be fulfilled, I need to desire and marry a man is OFFENSIVE to me! And, for what it is worth, I would never EVER suggest that you marry a WOMAN (assuming you’re a woman, which I base on the writing of the letter) if that is not how you were born. Further, I certainly would not write to a person I knew was married and say they needed to pray for a DIFFERENT person to marry. It is an affront and there is no love in these comments!

You wrote, “Philippines 4:6 (you didn’t note it, but this is the NASB version) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

My response: I happen to love this verse, and just like the Bible teaches elsewhere, the Word does not return void. I do thank you for this verse, but not in the context you meant it. You see, I trust that the Lord, in His perfectness, knows that I come to Him as a broken vessel which is only made whole through His Life. And I will confess to you in this letter that I went to Him specifically about your letter and to help me not cry from it – to not spiral from the pain it caused me and my family. To not allow the yoke of condemnation in your words to suppress the love of God. And then, I asked that my building anger would not boil over like a storm. And THEN I went on to pray that He rebuke you as a person sitting in judgment, throwing stones from the dark at me and my family. I confess that I called you a hypocrite and accused you of lacking love for others (especially me), while you claimed the name of Christ under the guise of “love”. I shared with the Lord that you wrote to me for no other reason but to condemn me and to insinuate that I am somehow incomplete because I don’t have a husband. And as I spewed out all these things to my Lord, Jesus showed me that I was acting just like you – the very thing I was ranting against – in my anger and condemnation, and that made me cry all over again.

You see, Jesus does want us to follow Him, to not sin. But we often forget that He covers our sin and only wants us to FOLLOW Him, and in doing so His spirit works its way and soon enough we sin less. We become more like Him not by OUR power, but by HIS. And He made it clear that the Royal Law is to love God and love others as ourselves (Matthew, James, John – tons of scriptures support this). He even said to love our enemies! And I will tell you here, your letter did NOT do that. It did not show love, for love would never have sent it. And my reaction was not loving, for love does not think of the weaknesses or failures of others as a means to justify punishment. So yes, this verse is good to remember this ideal established by Christ, and to remind me specifically to always pray with supplication for Jesus to lead me in HIS ways, which is to love. Period. Especially for those who maybe don’t deserve that love. He said in Matthew 5 that all the laws and the prophets hang on LOVE. And I hope that when YOU truly approach Him in supplication, you hear His leadings about letters such as the one you sent me. Maybe He will direct you to not send them, or to sign your name, or maybe to just pray for the people He leads you to. That is between you and Him. But I will say again, nothing about your letter spoke love to me.

You wrote, “It is hard for a man to find a good-hearted woman, such as yourself. You have always been a beautiful woman inside and outside.”

My response: Again, since I am married already, this comment is inappropriate. I don’t think it is Biblically sound to encourage a married person to seek out another person other than their spouse. Even still, if I were “on the market” I think it is a misfortune to tell me (or any woman) that I need to “help a guy out” because it’s hard for a man to find a good-hearted woman. It is just as hard for a woman to find a good-hearted man, and yet I would not think to write to my single male friends and tell them they better get with God right away because of it! Women and men don’t necessarily need the other to be complete or fulfilled. It is an affront to singles today to say so. And affront to God’s plan for their lives. Paul wrote that some are called to be single, others to marriage. Who are WE to say what is “normal” or “right”? We need to stop acting for God and saying what others need to do or pray for.

So I am ASSUMING the real concern here is that I am married to a woman, which is clearly a sin in your eyes. To that, I would like to say with all sincerity that I am not called to convince you to think otherwise and I appreciate that is the view you may hold. However, I will not bow to your view that I am somehow not a full woman or a full Christian. I am actually quite complete and fulfilled and again, rest in my place as a Child of God and accept the full inheritance His has given me. I will also refrain from thinking you’re less of a Christian for your letter, though I am still working on that and am concerned that your stance damages the testimony of Christ to non believers and those who are jaded by Christians such as your letter presents. Thank you for your comments about me being beautiful, however. I wonder, truly, if you even know me though.

You wrote, “I hope these words find there (sic) way into your heart and encourage you to seek the Lord. Let the Holy Spirit guide you in all that you say and do.”

My response: Your words broke my heart. They offended my heart, for I approach my marriage seriously and with my entire heart. They did NOT draw me closer to God in any way, shape, or form. It was the Holy Spirit in me that drew me to Him. And I praise Jesus for His encouragement despite your letter.

And yet, it is obvious that you believe, to be a REAL woman and a REAL Christian, I am in need of a man as a husband. And by your words, I need to “seek the Lord”. I can only assume you mean I need to understand that I am in sin because I am in a same sex marriage. Again, it is not my calling to convince you to believe otherwise. But I WOULD like to ask you this – let’s say you once were a heroine addict, took part in orgies, were married and divorced and remarried, even took heroine during your first pregnancy that resulted in altering your child’s life when born. If I sent you a letter saying “you need to seek the Lord and marry a different man”, do you think that would make you run to Jesus? How about if you were fat and I walked up to you and said, “you need to seek the Lord because your gluttony is a sin, and for heck sake take that food out of your mouth” would that make you want to hug me and say “Praise Jesus?” Show me an example in the Bible where Jesus condemned anyone but the ones that thought they understood God such as the Pharisees or those selling goods in His name in the Temple? The woman caught in adultery He forgave and said “go and sin no more” and then gave her the means to stop sinning by dying on the cross! The woman at the well He told her she was living with a man, and yet He never said “but you need to change your ways.” We can both learn from this my anonymous friend. ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. You. Me. Everyone. We are NOT called to point out the sins we both commit or see each other doing, but to LOVE. Period. And if you honestly think your letter encouraged me to CHANGE, you are seriously mistaken. Instead, it has made me more aware of the pain caused by people who profess faith with their mouths (or pens, as it were) yet lack its power in their deeds. For Jesus said His yoke is easy, and His LOVE endures forever. Show me the LOVE. It doesn’t reside in your letter.

You wrote, “Sincerely, A Friend in Christ.”

My response: If you were really my friend, you would have signed your name. If you were really my friend, you would not tell me to leave my wife, break up my family, and become whole by marrying a man. You would not cause me to turn my heart from the person I committed my LIFE to, for richer or for poorer, through sickness or in health. I assume you hold marriage in high regard, and yet your letter tears marriage to shreds. You have no respect for the sanctity of marriage or all it stands for.

So here are some Biblical scriptures.

Luke 6:31 NIV “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

Luke 6:37-42 NIV “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

James 4:12 ESV “There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?”

Romans 14:1-10 NIV “Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.

1 Cor 13 NIV (emphasis mine) “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

THE DVD You Sent

Mark Driscoll is not my pastor. I personally find his view of the Bible as slanted and misogynistic. In the future, if you want me to “get” what you’re saying, you probably should not send me something that Mark is speaking on. I affirm your right to esteem his views and words, and I know that God works out all things for those that love Him. I know Mark claims to love Jesus, so that is enough for me. However, I choose not to follow Mark’s teachings. Thanks.

Again, I encourage you to reach out and tell me who you are so that you can be removed from the darkness and come into the light as followers of Christ are called to do.

A Change of Pace – Not About Chick-Fil-A

August 2, 2012June 7, 2019 / Gina Marie / 3 Comments

I tell you, it’s been a crazy week for me! LOTS of roller coaster rides emotionally, but I can say as I sit and write this, I know and feel the love of Christ envelop me. And am reminded to walk in HIS love, and love others as He has taught, and then the rest will fall into place. But I digress.

Today I would like to share my beliefs about something, and especially this week I learned that everyone has a right to have and share their beliefs. The spirit of this sharing is not in order to convince you to think the way I do, to point out how wrong it is for you to believe what you do, or anything like that. It is to share WHY I believe what I do and I hope for one goal – that you can understand MY position. If any reader feels they need to share THEIR opinion, via public comment or private message to me, that’s fine. Just please use the same spirit of not telling me or anyone else why MY feelings are “wrong” or yours are “right”. Focus on why you believe it, period.

Topic of the Day: Marriage vs Civil Union

During the course of this week, I have heard several sub-topics pop-up as either reference points or proving points within the bigger Chick-Fil-A/Free Speech/Freedom of Religion debate chain. Some honestly made me roll my eyes (I’ve posted here before how the whole “Adam and Eve vs Adam and Steve has always made me react), though many were shared intelligently and without as much perceived venom. One such topic was Marriage vs Civil Unions. And that got me to thinking.

The premise presented (and it was presented in a friendly way) that the issue this person had is that her religion does not accept or approve of same-sex marriage, so to have the government FORCE it or elevate it above her religious beliefs was offensive to her. However, if Civil Unions were legalized and offered the exact same legal rights and benefits as marriage to same-sex couples, which in her mind also meant it didn’t include her religion or beliefs, she was cool with that. That way, both groups could be treated equally without the infringement on religious beliefs.

At first, I have to admit this sounded cool to me. I mean, some of my biggest concerns as a lesbian is that my wife (and remember, we were legally married in New York, so I can say that) will not receive social security benefits, may be excluded from me if I were in the hospital, would have to potentially pay inheritance taxes on the house we purchased together as we are not seen as relatives, and really……the State of Texas (and bunches of others) don’t even recognize my marriage at all. So, my first response was,”Yeah, give me a Civil Union and make sure the legality is recognized at the State and Federal level, and I’d be cool with it.” Because really, MY God approves of my relationship so I already have that piece and this would add the missing pieces.

But then I started to think more deeply about this and realized, TO ME, this is only a partial solution. And admittedly, I’d take it in a heartbeat today, but I would not stop supporting the efforts for full marriage equality until it comes to fruition or I die. Why? Let me explain.

I contend such a structure does not promote Equality OR Freedom of Religion!

Marriage is absolutely a religious covenant – I don’t dispute it. But there are members of religions who do not see same-sex marriage as outside their belief system. While I am not promoting forcing ANY church to perform marriages to same-sex couples if it is against their beliefs (and really, would YOU want to get married in such a church?), to not allow churches who have no problem to perform a marriage in their church to same-sex marriage is not equality. Both should have a RIGHT to do so, or not do so, as they see fit based on their religious beliefs. That allows Freedom of Religion.
Marriage, whether some view it as a religious right, is not EXCLUSIVELY a religious right. I was married in the state of California (and you must accept this marriage, for it was to a wonderful man) and it became a legally binding document within the county in which I was married, as well as the State of California. That legal documents proved to the Federal Government my status, and that of my husband, and allowed us to file taxes together, own property together as family members, share insurance policies, gave us breaks, social security benefits, etc. In fact, THAT side comes whether we would have married in the church, on the beach, or at the county court via “civic ceremony” with a judge marrying us. In fact, as the laws stand now, ATHEISTS can get married, get a marriage license, and there is no limitation to their access. Marriage is a legal definition of a status, not just a religious profession of love, already in our country. So implying that this “religion only” policy needs to be protected is not valid and, to me, means it is being requested to exclude a specific group of people. That is not equality.
But you may say, okay Gina, I don’t dispute most of the above at all. But bend a little – Civil Unions will be the same under the law. But I contend, why the need for “segregation” of groups of people if the law has the same rights? What if I got a job and my new boss didn’t know I was a lesbian and his personal beliefs were that gays go to hell (and he has a right to believe that)? Let’s say when I turned in my documents for insurance, he sees that I have a Civil Union instead of a Marriage certificate? Whether or not he acts on this knowledge is not the point – I have been put in a place of “being different” than my coworker for no other reason than to “protect religion/marriage”. I contend that is not equality. Just as if a religion, who requires boys to be circumcised as a religious right, demand birth certificates for those who choose to NOT circumcise a “Civil Certificate” instead of a “Birth Certificate”. Whether or not you agree, at the very core we are segregating based on religious beliefs and that is not equality under our Constitution.
I do not accept that my legal marriage destroys your marriage, if I am allowed legally to have one – any more than a drug addict causes you to take drugs. It still allows you to believe that same-sex marriage is wrong and you have the right to never, ever do it yourself. Further, your status of a legally married person does not get limited, watered down. When I got married legally in the State of New York, there was not a line of straight married couples whose marriages became less meaningful, real, or legal. In fact, my very same-sex RELATIONSHIP has not changed anything about yours. But, you might argue the “idea and traditions will be shattered”. Again, what about all those atheists getting married? What about multiple marriages after multiple divorces? What aren’t you seeking to block THOSE hinderances to “traditional marriage”. What is YOUR traditional marriage definition? I have two co-workers who can’t agree on this; one says it means never getting divorced and staying married until you die. The other says it means marriage between a man and a woman. When I asked why both believe that, they say, “it’s always been that way”. (I won’t argue that divorce has been around since Moses’ time – that is another conversation all together!). You get the drift – why does ONE view get escalated above others? What makes it truly right? Do we, as Americans, demand that every law tie directly back to OUR version of the Bible? That is not upholding the Constitution to me, because my view is that all Americans have a right to Religious Freedom, which includes NOT believing what I believe or anything else. So using Biblical Principles (for which I follow closely, by the way) to define marriage as between one man and one woman “as God intended” is in direct contrast with Freedom of Religion.
This whole premise just really categorizes Americans, which is really a duplication of something I’ve already said. But WHY do we as Americans fight so hard to keep everyone in boxes, either to elevate or demonize? Why can’t EVERYONE sit at the counter for lunch? Why, instead, or we suggesting that we build TWO counters – one for straights, one for gays – and then everyone will be happy? Because that right away creates TWO lines to get into the restaurant (or some point of “weeding out” straights and gays). And that makes it clear, the MAJORITY of straight people want me to stay away from them. And that is not equality.
To sum it up, Civil Unions (to ME) says “your union is not moral enough/sacred enough/accepted enough/mainstream enough/whatever enough to be called a marriage”. And that is not equality. And that is not American.

So, now I need to go to work, where I pay my taxes each paycheck like any good American. And this American is looking forward to the day that I can get married, like my co-worker that sits next to me, looks like me, works like me, and maybe even votes like me. But the laws today say they have something I don’t, even as I pay taxes, avoid breaking the law, etc. I can appreciate ANY American not liking my sexual orientation and agree it’s not cool when LGBT shove it in people’s faces. But I don’t like a lot of things about Americans around me (and I am not talking about “illegal activity”) but is it okay for me to create law after law to control things I don’t like? No smoking, no more fast food and fat Americans, no more broccoli because it’s just gross, my parents never ate sushi so why should Americans? You get it. America is not one to dictate our beliefs, but this whole “traditional marriage” thing smells of dictatorship to me – not the belief part, but the forcing those beliefs on all Americans.

Again, I am curious as to WHY you believe what you do. But please remember to be kind! And thanks for honoring my right to freedom of speech.

Chick-Fil-A – The Right to An Opinion

July 30, 2012June 7, 2019 / Gina Marie / Leave a comment

I have no issue with Mr. Cathy or anyone else sharing their opinion. Lord knows, I’ve spent a week or so reading how I am repugnant, an abomination, want to kill Christians or at least persecute their faith, and a whole lot of other claims that are, in a word, ridiculous. And in another word, hurtful. But even still, that’s Mr. Cathy’s right as an American to believe what he wants, spend what he has on whatever law or platform, share it with a religious publication, etc……

But I cannot ignore this anymore. And instead of trying to explain MY beliefs or insist that me SHARING them is not trying to shut up the Christian Platform……I will instead share this post. Please read it with an open mind, at least as my friend.

Bible Study: Actions Speak Louder Than Words

September 26, 2011June 7, 2019 / Gina Marie / 2 Comments

Actions Speak Louder than Words (Aka Rocking your Identity)

As presented at CCC 9/25/11

How many times have you heard that phrase? How many times have you USED that phrase? I know I can answer both “A LOT!”. And yet, I feel that God has been showing me this phrase in action, and in different ways, in recent days.

On the one hand, He has taught me in my new “Jesus plus nothing” – grace filled life that I don’t have to PRESENT anything to be His……I don’t need to act or be or look a certain way in order to be a “good Christian”. All things are permissible……and yet, I am the first to share that leading a hypocritical life does nothing to encourage me or others. I Is this where “…..but not all things are beneficial” comes in? Is this where “the fruits of the Spirit” comes in?

Some other ideas about “being a Christian” exist in my life, too. Like the prevailing idea that, as a Christian, my first and biggest focus needs to be on converting others to my faith. On the surface, this is important because – REALLY – we have such freedom in Christ, don’t we? And being saved from eternal damnation is kind of important, too. Even John the Baptist went out on a limb to get the attention of the Jews back in the day – wearing camel cloths and screaming out to anyone who would listen, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” So, often I hear the nagging thoughts that bounce around the back of my head that I am not doing enough to witness to those around me about the Saving Grace found in Jesus Christ Alone.

But THINGS have been shaking up this view of mine lately. First, let me be clear – I am NOT saying we shouldn’t share the love of Christ. But I think I’ve looked at this wrong my entire Christian life!

First of all, I will tell you I weigh too much – if you could see me now, you’d realize this truth without any words coming out of my mouth. I have been this way for a while. So, imagine my reaction if I was sitting having a fabulous lunch and a personal trainer that I didn’t know came up to me and said, “Hey, I noticed from across the room that you are entirely too fat. I am a personal trainer and I would like to help you overcome your gluttony….get you off of your couch, and get you back to living a healthy life!” While his comments would be – let’s be real – 100% accurate, I could tell you will full honesty that after I punched him in the face, I’d tell him off without hesitation! THE NERVE of the man! I mean, he didn’t even KNOW me, and yet you are rude enough to come talk to me that way?!?!? I mean, WE AREN’T EVEN FRIENDS!

Yet, so many of us Christians think it is okay to walk up to people and either say straight out or imply they are going to hell or that their belief system is totally inaccurate! These statements are very accurate, just as my example of me needing a personal trainer was, but are they a good approach? I’m not so sure.

Let me put it this way – imagine a group of Hindus are out and their goal is to teach us “poor Christians” that we are doomed if we don’t convert to their real religion. You and I both know that WE have the truth and their efforts would be wasted. Why do we American Christians expect a different reaction from Hindus (or others – religious or not) when we approach people without any introduction and straight-out say “you’re lost man, you need what I got!”?

“BUT”, I say to myself, “I DO have what they need!”

So, using the tools that have brought me through the steps of The Naked Gospel, I decided to STUDY the life of Jesus and really absorb how He interacted with those around Him. The difference being, of course, that Jesus COULD condemn, COULD judge, COULD direct, etc – while I cannot. You get the drift.

Jesus with the Immoral – the Adulteress (John 8:3-11)

I need to start by saying first that I was always taught and really focused on the end of this story, “Go, and sin no more!” I used to absorb it as Jesus saying, “Hey, I am God and I have given you this chance to clean up your ways, now go do it – you might not be this lucky next time!” Or, when I’d look at the failures and bad decisions of my OWN life, I’d look to this interaction as one to make myself feel better – I don’t deserve to be stoned by others who are just as messed up as me, and now I need to shape up. I have even reminded myself of this story to not judge others who really kind of deserved what they should get……but I would “do what Jesus did” and forgive them. Maybe you can relate to what I am saying, but now I am going to ask you to focus on Jesus and how He was in this story – not the accusers, not even the woman who had committed adultery. Jesus. Period.

Now first, let’s consider some truths about this situation – the Mosaic Law established that this woman who was “caught red handed” should be stoned. Jesus never said this law was wrong, nor did he say He was changing the law. Instead, Jesus asks the accusers to go right ahead, “as long as they were free from sin as well”. They all could say no such thing, and so they left. Agreed?
But let’s get back to our focus – Jesus. He was without sin. He was God and was the only human on the face of the earth who could have applied HIS law to this woman, for His lack of sin provided the right to throw a stone based on His new feedback to those that accused this woman. He also could have turned to the accusers and screamed, “You hypocrites! You bring this woman to me and yet you are lying, cheating, horrible men inside! Further, you are bringing this woman to me not because you love the law, but because you hate me and want to trick me into making a fool out of myself!” Jesus had EVERY right to react that way to all involved. And yet, what did He do?

Verses 6-11 say this:
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

He did not debate, he did not yell, he didn’t even take the stance of power, really. Jesus could have set them straight with who He was! He could have yelled for all to hear the secret and also easily seen sins each of them held in their lives. Yet, in almost a “whatever” way, he stood and spoke the truth. There was NOT anger in His voice towards the accusers, and there certainly was not any hint of condemnation in His voice towards the accused. In fact, His very WORDS removed any condemnation from her!

Jesus with the Hated – Zacchaeus the Tax collector (Luke 19:1-10)

Both Pastor and Shaw have shared this story recently, and shared how society hated the tax collector Zaccheus, and yet Jesus honored him and loved him. Jesus truly came to save the lost, and that is where our hearts should be, too.

Jesus with the Rejected in Society – Foreign, female, Samarian (John 4:5-29)

Again, Christ could have condemned this woman just by the mere fact that she WAS a woman, never mind that she was a Samaritan AND a sinner. And yet their interactions not only shared salvation with the woman, but those she spoke to also believed in Christ. Jesus did NOT denigrate her, did not condemn her!

Jesus with the Political Leader – Roman Governor, Pilate (John 18:33-40)

Jesus spoke truth to Pilate, but He didn’t disrespect him. Instead, he acknowledged Pilate’s position on the earth and noted that His own position was not of the world but of heaven. Even in doing so, Jesus didn’t fight with Pilate or tell him he had no authority over him. After the interaction Pilate found no fault in Jesus.

Jesus with The Condemned – Criminal on the cross (Luke 23:39-43)

Here was a criminal, found guilty by the laws of the land, and yet Jesus clearly shows He was saved when he said “today you will be with me in paradise!” Jesus didn’t preach to this man, He didn’t point out the man’s sins, He didn’t even say ANYTHING to this man before faith was received by him!

So what do we do with this????

I know I am under GRACE and have accepted that I am who I am only because of who Christ is. As such, I need to extend this grace to others, too! Yet I also think I need to be different from the world, heck I even need to be SEPERATED from the world to be a really, really GOOD Christian! The Bible says it man!

2 Cor 6:17 Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”

For years I’ve used this verse and similar ones to justify why I should not associate with sinners, to not attend parties where alcohol is being served, to not go to clubs – you get the idea. I even would ask if what I was doing would please my Lord. And when I would succeed, I would feel pretty good about myself, because after all I am an Ambassador for Christ! But through the months and year I’ve been at Crossroads, I have been compelled to dig deeper into this attitude.

First, I quickly found out that I am not alone in this attitude – today or in the Bible itself! You do a search on Google about “being set apart from the world” and you will quickly see a grocery list of things Christians should not do:
•   Do not associate with or be around sinners, relatives or not
•   Do not go to parties
•   Do not go to movies where the story line is immoral
•   Do not be excited about doing worldly things, because you will be an enemy of God
•   Being around sinners approves of their sin

When I read this, I kept hearing “what about LOVE?” And you know I love this verse because I reference it almost every time I stand here:

Mark 12:30-31 Amplified
And you shall love the Lord your God out of and with your whole heart and out of and with all your soul (your life) and out of and with all your mind (with your faculty of thought and your moral understanding) and out of and with all your strength. This is the first and principal commandment. The second is like it and is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.

So I began to pray about those around me – everyone – whether or not they LOOKED like a sinner or not. That man in the nice clothes? Probably not a sinner. That thug with the baggy pants, questionable.

Do you believe me? Okay, you know I am making a point! But I do admit that when we were at Gay Pride last week I did think with some sadness, “A lot of this is not how I want the world to think of the LGBT community, it seems so sinful. I mean there is a man with only underwear on. Over there that woman is completely drunk. Some were dancing very suggestively. Maybe I shouldn’t even be here.” And that was wrong of me.

You see, in the Bible we hear a lot about the Pharisees, and they were very “holy”, at least in appearances! The word Pharisees comes from the Hebrew perushim from parush, meaning “set apart”. Did I want to think and act like the Pharisees, being set apart from anyone? When I started thinking about the Pharisees, I couldn’t ignore the following from Matthew, where Jesus is teaching the crowd about the Pharisees:

Matt 23:1-12 NIV
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others. “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Then Jesus begins to speak TO the Pharisees in verse 13:
13-15
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.

Jump down to Verse 23-26, where Jesus doesn’t hold back!

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

And then he ends in verse 33:
“You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?
Well I will tell you, that kind of shook up my attitude about those around me whom I felt I needed to separate myself from. I did NOT want to be like the Pharisees!

But what about 2 Cor 6:17?

I stand before you now and contend we DO need to be separated from the world! But it’s not how I’ve been taught my entire life! Instead, I challenge you to consider this:

First, let’s define some worldly attitudes:

First, we have to acknowledge that this world is a kingdom in its own right, and it is influenced by Satan.
• Luke 4:5-6, John 14:30-31, and 1 John 5:19 speak to this.

The dominant values of the world include wealth, power, pleasure, revenge, fame, vanity and status. These things are most important to people who perceive no power or purpose beyond themselves. Worldly values promote jealousies, resentments and conflicts among people in accordance with the purposes of Satan.

Now, I think it’s pretty clear that we, as Christians, should NOT act like what is described here. We should be SEPARATED from these types of behaviors. Does it say to separate from the PEOPLE who do these things? NO!

So, as Christians, how SHOULD we act?

The kingdom of God (also known as the kingdom of heaven) is not a geographic location but rather it exists IN US. It exists within the world among those people who put their faith, trust and loyalty in God.
• Luke 17:20-21 and many other verses speak to this.

The values of the kingdom of God are often the opposite of worldly values: kindness and respect for all people instead of power; humility instead of status, fame and vanity; honesty and generosity instead of wealth; self-control instead of pleasure; forgiveness instead of revenge. Christian values promote peace and good will among ALL people in accordance with the purposes of God.

So how do we accomplish this????

1.   Follow the biggest and baddest commandments as noted by Jesus in Mark 12, which we read earlier, and Love God. And if you love God first, it’s hard to act selfishly or focus on silly things that in the end mean nothing to define our identity as Pastor has been teaching us.
•   Excessive attention to material things such as houses, cars, clothes, jewelry, physical appearance, entertainment, etc.
•   Pursuit of wealth, power, fame, pleasure or status
•   Excessive devotion to self, job, hobbies, country, ideologies, heroes, leaders, even family

Not only do these object not define me, but they take my devotion and focus from God and others.

2.   Love and respect ALL people.
•   The English word “love” has many different meanings, but the Greek word, agape, used in the New Testament, is commonly known as “Christian love.” It means respect, affection, benevolence, good-will and concern for the welfare of the one loved.
•   We know from the Parable of the Good Samaritan that Jesus meant EVERYONE regardless of race, religion, nationality or any other artificial distinction. We must even practice that Christian love even toward our enemies as taught in Matthew 5!

Now don’t you agree if more Christians acted THIS way, we truly would be separated from the world? I mean, what does the world expect from Christians anyway? Condemnation, arrogance, religiousity?

So having reviewed this I first replayed our interactions with those we met at the Gay Pride Parade last weekend.

As you know, we had a crew out there handing out stickers using the word GAY to explain God Accepts You. Many have shared on Crossroads Facebook page that people would hunt us down, RUN to us to get those stickers! And there was something amazingly freeing to say to someone “God accepts you right where you are!” and seeing the shock on their face!

I had an interesting conversation with one girl, and it went like this:

“God accepts you right where you are!”

“Do you promise?” she said, and I sensed she really wanted to believe me.

I responded, “Well of course, it’s in the Bible!”

At the word Bible her face fell. “Oh, I have been told my whole life that the Bible says I am going to hell.”

And moved by mercy, because we all have had that feeling before, I said, “The Bible is clear that you are not going to hell if you love Jesus. And He loves you no matter if you’re gay, straight, a cusser…….He loves you right where you are. I promise that.”

I was moved in this interaction, because there is something SO AMAZING about sharing the LOVE and TRUTH that is the grace we have TODAY in Jesus Christ!

And yet, moments later I was seeing what I deemed immoral behavior and questioning my presence at Pride! It should not be so!

So God reminded me of how HE interacted with those that were the biggest sinners when He was on the earth.
•   When Jesus called Matthew to be a disciple, he followed him home to have dinner with Matthew, a tax collector, and other “sinners”. When the Pharisees saw this, they could not believe Jesus would stoop so low as to associate with such horrible people, who were otherwise looked down upon. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, rebuked the Pharisees, showing us how we should act with people even today (Matt 9:9-13). Jesus mixed with those deemed “in the world”.
•   You know that he hang out with prostitutes, gentiles, and so many others.
•   In all cases, Jesus shows us that it is more important to humble ourselves and show kindness, compassion, and love to those our contemporaries might classify as “untouchable”. We must show respect to those that some would deem off limits or beneath us.
So I took these truths a bit further, in conjunction with the Bible Studies on Crazy Love and this journey about witnessing. And God, He is so faithful!

First, at my new job I work with two Indian women; one has interestingly been raised as a born again Christian while the other is Hindu. I had already decided that I would show love to my coworkers, whether I really liked them or not, and not push any agenda on my part (which, really, is not my M.O.). One day Hema, the Hindu, mentioned she was fasting for the day. This is when I was deep in the Jesus Plus Nothing review when I was finding areas of my life where law really did rule me – be it Biblical law or the laws I created in my life to define what a “good Christian” was. I commiserated with her a bit and asked her why she was fasting. She shared that it was for religious reasons as it was supposed to bring her to a stronger spiritual focus, but all she really was thinking about was food! I shared that I had done similar things in my own faith and that often what turned out to be arrogant works drew my focus from where it should be. It was a casual conversation – there was really no condemnation, just sharing of feelings.

Suddenly she said to me, “I really can’t believe you’re a Christian!”

That statement shocked me, and honestly kind of hurt, and I replied, “Why would you say that?”

She answered, “Well, you’re the first Christian who hasn’t told me I am going to hell.”

That broke my heart! And she also shared she had never spoken to a Christian so long about religion without being shut down and pretty much wanted to leave! To this day, she has sought me out at least 3 times a week to speak about my religion in a very casual way and I have been blessed beyond measure!

So I ask you – is my choice to not condemn Hema wrong as a Christian? I don’t think so!

So going back to the Pride Parade and those who I resented in my heart for being immoral; being there does not condone activities that I am uncomfortable with. And I have been reminded by Paul that it is not fair to put the yolk of laws on these people!

So let’s discuss this 2 Cor 6:17 in context.

A misunderstanding of this command, “Come out from them and be separate,” has spawned (6:17a) a kind of holier-than-thou brand of separatism in certain sectors of the Christian church. Let me clarify what this command does not mean and what it does mean.
First, our passage isn’t talking about separation from believers, but about separation from the idolatry and sexual immorality of the pagans in Corinth. There is a time, of course, to separate from believers. In an earlier letter to the Corinthian church, Paul clarified his teaching as recorded in 1 Cor 5:9-11:

“I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people – not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.”

In the 1 Corinthians 5 passage, Paul says clearly that we aren’t to associate with believers who continue to practice immorality. Elsewhere, the New Testament teaches to separate ourselves from divisive people (Romans 16:17), idle brothers (2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14), and false teachers (2 John 10).

Some Christians are so separatist that they refuse to associate with Billy Graham because he cooperated with liberal Christian churches. This is known as “second-degree separation” – that is, separation from anyone who will not separate from the things we believe are wrong. Dear friends, this kind of militant separatism breaks the primary law of “love one another.” It is judgmental and exactly the kind of separatism practiced by the Pharisees in Jesus’ day.

Again, our passage in 2 Corinthians does not teach separation from believers (though there’s a time for that). Separation from believers is not the point or the purpose of this passage.

Notice in the passage quoted above from 1 Corinthians, Paul does not require separation from unbelievers. Indeed, we should retain friendships with unbelievers! Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to influence them for Christ. And we’ve already discussed how Jesus associated with sinners of His day!

But it does command us to separate ourselves from people and associations that will lead us into sin. Paul’s concern was that the Corinthian Christians still participated in the pagan feasts and their attendant sexual immorality. That is a very different thing from me attending the Gay Pride Parade, because I was able to refrain from public intoxication and some of the other activities I saw. Yet, had we not had a presence at the parade, so many in the LGBT community would still believe that God hates them!

And I have also been taught over the last few weeks that you NEED To love each person where they are! There is NO set list of how to react to people or how to act “holy” with people apart from loving them.

A person who seems to do this well I’ve witnessed through my friendship with Tori. Now, you might not know Tori really well, but she runs pretty deep – the wheels are often turning! Here are some of the things I’ve noticed and learned from Tori:

•   She’s not afraid to laugh. Even maybe at a secular joke! Even at MY jokes!
•   She’s not afraid to cry, especially if her friend is crying.
•   She’s not afraid to listen, even when what she hears is someone’s failure.
•   When she listens, she doesn’t judge. She loves.
•   She is very humble, but I tell you what she is so powerful in that humility!
•   It’s amazing, no matter what the conversation, Tori represents love and grace to me – and she often SINCERELY/AUTHENTICALLY brings Christ to the center.
•   I am blessed to call her my TFF.

So I pray that you can laugh, love, and grow in Christ. To see and love others where they are instead of where they should be. To allow the Holy Spirit inside of you to do His works. To love like Jesus. And rock your identity in Christ!

My Identity in Christ

September 19, 2011June 7, 2019 / Gina Marie / Leave a comment

So, I am for equality. To me, that means if an honest, tax paying American wants to marry, they should be able to regardless of their sexual orientation. But hey, I know I am biased because I am a lesbian and of course I want to marry my love. So, I don’t completely (“completely”) despise someone who doesn’t see it the way I do. I figure they have a right to their view, they can cast their vote, and I hope someday equality will prevail.

But when people begin to speak about me, and to me – telling me what I am or am not – I take it a bit more personally. And here is one such example; it started when a straight friend of mine posted this link. If you don’t want to read it, it’s about Linda Harvey’s comments regarding the non-existence of the LGBT community. As taken from her Mission America broadcast this weekend, she said the following:

“There’s one big fact that’s not backed up. There is no proof that there’s ever anything like a gay, lesbian or bisexual or transgendered child, or teen or human. One of the other things you’re gonna see as I mentioned is a big campaign GLSEN’s gonna roll out this year calling for ‘respect,’ respect! Not just for people, but for homosexual lifestyle. The PR campaign to hold up gay as a good thing: the lifestyle, not the person, because there are no such humans.”

I would like to point out she did NOT say verbatim “they do not exist”, but “there is no such humans” pretty much gets us to that point, right?

So, be it these allergies or what I fear is really a cold hunkering down on me, I thought I would address Linda Harvey directly…..reach out and share that hey, I DO exist! So I wrote the following email to her site:

“I respect your right as an American to disagree with homosexuality. I respect your right as an American to vote against, and encourage others to vote against equality for homosexuals. However, to read that any member of your organization claim the LGBT community to not exist is……ignorant. Stand up for your beliefs, but don’t muddy your message with silly statements such as these. I am a lesbian – the L in LGBT – and also a professional, someone who holds an advanced college degree, a mother, a voter, a Christian, and an American. I exist.”

To which I received the following response (emphasis added by Gina):

“I am completely blown away by the number of people who take things out of context, don’t really listen to my program, and are then easy to manipulate by evil bloggers.

My entire thought, if accurately communicated, was that this is not inborn, that there is no separate human “type” of person who is genetically homosexual, or born in the wrong body. No evidence for this.

This is actually a hopeful idea for those who feel trapped and feel they have no choice. There is choice here. No one is born this way.

I hope God opens your eyes.

Linda Harvey”

So, upon reading the above I was kind of irritated. But three thoughts immediately came to my mind:

1) No amount of words written from me will open HER eyes to any sort of truth. I need to give this to the Lord.

2) This is a great opportunity to extend grace, because I could use this lesson for my own growth don’t you think? (Now, believe me, to truly FEEL this sentiment took about an hour!)

3) Wow Lord, Pastor was JUST speaking on our identity in Christ, and here You provide a real example of how this woman’s words are hurtful, but in the scheme of things don’t define me!

BUT, I also believe it’s fair to share her position and – at least on this blog – share a bit of mine. So maybe that waters down the grace a little? Not sure. Just for reference, this is what I replied to her:

“Thank you for responding. I see that we don’t agree, but nonetheless I wish you well. And I will sincerely pray for your well being.”

Now, to apply the truth……

1) I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

2) Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, wehave peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And weboast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:1-11

3) 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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. John 3:16-18

I have not been manipulated by “evil bloggers”. I may not have medical or scientific proof that I was born this way – and I gather there is no medical or scientific proof saying I WASN’T born this way – but I KNOW I was born this way and – more importantly – I have the assurance in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that I am His. Thank you Pastor, for reminding us of that! Enough said.

Gina OUT.

Being a Good Daughter

November 13, 2010June 7, 2019 / Gina Marie / 1 Comment

I will start this by saying, while overall I have always been a perfectionist, I have usually failed miserably. I have gotten B’s on papers, disappointed people, made bad decisions, and otherwise “failed” at the whole perfection thing. My view about myself changed dramatically when I accepted Christ at the age of 16, but the psychological drive to be perfect is much harder to let go. But one area where I’ve always known I’ve done a pretty good job for most of my life is being a daughter.

I always followed the rules – I was a “good girl” who honored my parents. I was respectful. I was not promiscuous, I didn’t drink, and I certainly didn’t do drugs. I did what they said and I didn’t ask WHY (at least not vocally) and believed the fact that they were my bosses. I trusted their views in religion, politics, how family dynamics worked, and that their way of raising children was the norm. And, truth be known, much of my childhood I look back on with fondness. But it also is true that I was very much, by birth or otherwise, a child that wanted very much to please her parents. I did whatever I could to make them proud of me, of the fact that I was their child and that they could know that I would do whatever I could to make THEM look good, as my parents. And that worked for me well – I often heard they were proud of me, I was given what I perceived as more freedom and responsibility than my younger brother because of it. And it made me want to work harder at conforming to the “image” that fed that acceptance and pride.

To be completely candid, I lived much of my life feeling as if I was the “favored child” in my family.

I also believed that my parents, especially my Dad, were the only people in the entire world that would love me NO MATTER WHAT. I remember when I became a Christian and a few women shared that they had a hard time viewing Jesus as a loving God because they felt no love from their physical fathers, this thought was so foreign to me. I mean, MY Dad loved me so so so much and so so so well that reaching out and accepting the love of Christ was very easy for me. My Dad was the model for the love of Jesus in so many ways.

I don’t want to diminish that at all. It was true and real and I am very thankful for the life I’ve been given. And often these memories sustain me when all else looks bleak.

However, life is funny. I am a grown woman now, and there are aspects of my life that are very different from that of my parents. After years of being a diehard Republican, I am leaning (oh who am I kidding? I’ve plunged in many ways) to a more liberal political agenda. I am no longer living to please others with my life as much as I am being honest about my desires, views, feelings………not at the expense of others per se, but I am no longer a mirror to those around me as I agree with whatever so I can be “approved” or “accepted” by them. I am honest about my sexuality and proclaim (or at least not deny) that I am in love with Deana and we are making a life together with our kids and our God and we are good people. I am more honest now than I’ve ever been, even though that honesty has caused many around me to cut me out of their lives.

And yet, over the last two years especially, I’ve dealt with what I perceive to be the loss of a huge part of the love that has sustained me. It was painful at first. Oh, who am I kidding? It’s still painful in many ways. There are times when I say I understand and tell myself to just let it go, that it would be wrong for me to force key people in my life to love me – that my honesty about myself and my choices should not mean they have to accept them, although I had hoped they would continue to accept ME. Then there are other times when I am angry – when I want to point out that I am the same person I’ve been for 43 years, the same honorable daughter, but that I happen to be a lesbian, and an honest one at that. And then there are times when I want to say, like a little girl who used to be held in those arms that made me feel I was in the safest place in the world – I resent that you’ve taken this love from me and shattered my world. I resent that you’ve broken this fairy tale for me in this way, and you haven’t even given me the opportunity of knowing WHY but instead cut me out of your life to the point where I no longer want to call and where even sending emails and texts are painful as I know you won’t return them. But usually, I end up being angry at myself, because I let you control me even now, as a grown woman, and all really (as I perceive it) because I am the same person I have always been, but I no longer conform to what you expected of me. Maybe I am wrong, but I have nothing else to base it on.

So, after analyzing this concept on and off for 24 or so months, I have come to the following conclusion – being a “good daughter” is not doing everything to please your parents, although there are times when you DO have to conform to household rules. Being a good daughter is loving your parents, even when they do things you don’t agree with. Being a good daughter is sharing memories with your own kids, and raising them with the qualities you appreciate and which you learned from your parents. Being a good daughter is standing with pride knowing the heritage that is running through your veins, and which continues in your children as well. Being a good daughter is loving your parents even when they have rejected you for whatever reason, and you don’t hold it against them anymore. But it ALSO means letting go of the perceived guilt and no longer being held hostage to it. I am the same daughter I have always been, and I am proud of the person I am……..except I won’t let you treat me like I am 10 and no longer following your unspoken rules.

So, today I will feel the loss of you from my life – as I have pretty much everyday since this separation has happened – but I am no longer HELD by it. Because today I will smile at the good times, be a little sad that you’ve chosen not to be involved in my life going forward, and will rest in the fact that I am loved AND accepted even now – by my wife, by my FIVE children, by my friends, and by my Jesus – NO MATTER WHAT. And I am cool with that. But I will always miss you. And, if by chance someday you change your mind and want to interact with your daughter again, I will be here for you.

It Gets Better

October 13, 2010June 7, 2019 / Gina Marie / Leave a comment

Ft. Worth Council Member Joel Burns weighs in on the recent teenage suicides related to bullying. Very moving, I recommend you invest the time to watch.

Wax Philosophical……

August 14, 2010June 7, 2019 / Gina Marie / Leave a comment

Not really, at least I am prefacing this that I may NOT be very philosophical in this post. Perhaps the INTENTIONS are there, but it’s been a while since I’ve written here and I’ve been known to ramble. Plus, I did something to my left thumb and it hurts to type, so we shall see!

First Waxing – the whole Prop 8 thing in California. Now, I know MANY (if not most) of my friends (especially those who have incorporated faith into their lives) were for Prop 8. I can understand that, and it is not my intention to debate your stance or mine. I just wanted to share some points that I have pondered this week.

First of all, I read this amazing article and it brought up some thoughts I haven’t – for example, it doesn’t surprise me that the Catholic Church is for Prop 8 and that they were disappointed that it was found as unconstitutional. However, this article points out that the Catholic Church also does not acknowledge marriages outside of the church (something which was affirmed in my OWN life when my parents sought to be married in the church after getting married in Vegas), yet they don’t demand that these unrecognized marriages stop receiving social security benefits, etc. Yet, that’s what they are demanding for gays and lesbians. Hear me – I am a Christian and my faith is in Christ, but when I pay taxes to my government, that is a secular law and one which Jesus said I should do……but it is not related to Jesus. I feel the same about marriage; if I have to pay taxes and my neighbor can marry wife #4 and get all this and that through the government, but I can’t…..how is that right? And this ruling WAS right based on the constitution. If the Catholic Church chooses to not recognize gay marriage, that is their right. But they have no control over the constitution. And if you find gay marriage morally wrong, don’t do it! Just like I have a friend that finds it morally wrong to re-marry after a divorce and therefore has remained single, but doesn’t force her friends to do the same even though her friends share the same faith.

ANYHOW……….

Deana started her job this past week and she LOVES it. She is working in HR for the City of Dallas – her department has 4 employees and they support over 13,000! I am very proud of her and she is gonna rock! This job is a direct – I said DIRECT – answer to prayer! Our prayer lives have really grown since joining Crossroads and it has taken on a life beyond anything Deana and I have experienced before. In this case, we asked for a positive email the next day and BAM!, Deana received one stating she had made the first review in the application process. Then, we prayed that she would get a call by the next week and BAM!, she did! Now the interview process was intimidating; she had to have a 15 minute, Power Point presentation covering four topics, including HR Benefits. She freaked out a little, especially since I had to leave for a business trip and she felt I could help her. But she did it on her own and did a great job. Prayers from all over Dallas were being raised, she did a GREAT job during the interview, and received an offer THE NEXT DAY! THAT is unheard of when dealing with municipal agencies! Now, let me be clear – this is NOT a story of how great we are at praying……this is about the Faithfulness of Jesus! HE made this work out PERFECTLY! To hear Deana’s take on this miracle, check out her post here.

I, for one, have been struggling a bit with my own job. I swing between being loyal to being beat up and unmotivated. I feel as though the Lord is telling me to be faithful to Him and He will lead me. So I am trying to do that and not focus on all the things I could complain about – here on this blog or otherwise! I WOULD like to travel less, that’s for dang sure!

On that note, I have expended the full amount of non-pain movement for my thumb, so this post will have to end. I hope all of my 2.78 readers have a fantastic weekend!

Gina OUT

Okay, had to post these…..

October 31, 2008June 7, 2019 / Gina Marie / 4 Comments

You may be wondering why I am defending the right of AMERICAN CITIZENS, CONSENTING ADULTS, to choose to formalize their love in the legal and societal structure known as marriage. While I know many people have already covered much ground in the argument, using the Bible, traditions, moral codes, and what not, here are the main reasons why I am voting NO on Tuesday:

Discrimination under the guise of anything is not cool. Not that long ago in our country, as noted in the first video, interracial marriage was illegal. Unfortunately, many Christians and their churches used the Bible to propagate this opinion. It wasn’t cool then and it’s not cool now. Whether you aree with the homosexual lifestyle or not is not relevant. I don’t want to argue whether homosexuals are committing sin or not, but even if they ARE, they join all of the rest of humanity who are tainted by their own sin.
In my opinion, the following have a bigger impact on ending “tradition marriage”, much more than homosexuals marrying. Divorce, adultery, spousal abuse, common law situation, and the like. Yet many of these do not cause people to stand on the corners and fight so vehemently.
I have seen lots of Pro 8 people on corners as well as heard from my daughter about those storming around her college campus. Signs like, “you are children of satan” and “gays go to hell” are not cool. Nice form of using your rights to free speech to spew out hate. Not cool. Funny, I can’t say I saw any of the Con 8 protesters show so much discontent but promoted love.
I am a lesbian. This fact might cause some of my readers to be so angry that they will leave and maybe despise me. Believe me, I have already lost many, many “friends” who heard RUMORS that I was a lesbian. In fact, if I run into people I used to work with I often am shunned or down right treated badly. So whatever. I am done playing the game of not being honest. If you need to go, I respect that and I am cool with it even – I am all for people doing what they need to in order to be true to themselves. And I am not about to get married and I yet would have voted against 8 even if I wasn’t a lesbian, because it is not my job to judge others. Someday, however, if God blesses me with love, I hope to be able to marry.
And for those who are “in the know”, I did not lose my job at ECCU because I am a lesbian.
I want to add, Rona is not a lesbian so the rumor about that can end here. Not that anyone who reads my blog are the people who perpetuate this.

Just Rambling

A place where writing and thinking are known as rambling.

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