I read of Simon...
Imagine walking down the street, going about your business, disturbing no one. That´s not too hard is it, it´s a sunny day and all is well? Now imagine a gang of skinheads singling you out for a good kicking, chasing you across town, and man, they get hold of you, they will put a boot in your face...
Why? Because you, a young teenage boy, likes other boys. This is the life of Simon in a small town not very far from where I grew up once, not very long ago. Could have been me, chased down street by street and being swallowed up by panic, or suffering from depression of being an outcast, thinking about ending it all in front of some train. It could have, but it´s not. Or maybe it could have been me doing the chasing, but then again it´s not. It´s Simon who walks around with a bodyguard and I just can´t understand what his life must be like. I can´t put myself in his position even if I´d like too.
Reading of Simon and his kind of stories, there are many such stories in the little towns where the Pride festival train never stopped, I can´t help but wonder. Why is there such hate? And is there a connection between the skinheads chasing Simon and the (self-appointed or anointed?) godly persons saying same-sex relations are not in accordance with the will of God? I don´t want to be the voice of a boot in the face. Because does God and devil have mutual enemies? No! But the devil is enemy to all...
It´s true what a local priest said, we can´t talk naturally about sex, we put on our fig leaves and hide our true faces when it comes to sex. To begin with Simon, we must first state the obvious, what will Christ do? Stand between him and his persecutors...
There´s little else of loving kindness to do for Simon, but stand between him and his persecutors and say that this is not right. God will bleed when one of his children are hurt. And He weeps for the suffering and evil of His humanity.
The reason to talk about homosexuality isn´t condemnation of Simon, it´s because it´s a contested topic within the church, whether or not it´s a sin. The Bible name it as such (and yes, that´s including the new testament).
I once thought the solution was to say it´s all choice, you choose gay-ness or not, you choose to do as the Bible says or not. But it´s simply not that simple... If gay people say it´s how they are and they always been such, then that´s the way it is, they should know, I don´t. So being what I am must be OK, doesn´t it? Well, that´s the buzz-word of contemporary kind thinking, it´s what you say, isn´t it? Be who you are! It sounds nice, it´s tolerant, it´s a god-awful cliché! I for one can´t remember reading it in the Bible...
No, what Jesus says, repeatedly and to many different kinds of people, is Be with me! Follow me! Do as I! This he said to everyone. Because he was with the people unwanted, he sought out those who everyone thought was lost to the godly cause, the contempted and out-of-place. And he shared everything unto death...
There´s this passage of the Bible that hit me recently, a leper comes to Christ, kneels, begs of Him, Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean. And Jesus says, very bluntly, I am willing, be clean! And the leper is healed immediately and told to be silent about it. And this is to be his testimony! (Matthew 8)
How difficult it is for us to simply fall back on that voice! We soooo like to give reasons, explain, paint the picture with all the nuances. We don´t like to sound like American hillbillys who wave around the Bible to justify hating fags, supporting the death penalty and war in Iraq. We don´t like to say, God says so, and then be silent...
To know Him is to love Him. To love Him is to be transformed into His likeness. If you want to stay what you are, stay away! But to be with Him is the Truth of what you are, it´s the Way to God, and it´s Life.
PS. Tomorrow we celebrate Judgement day in our church, not because we particularly like Judgement. Because we await Jesus, and He said he return a Judge. A just and loving judge, therefore bringing both condemnation and redemption. It´s what Jesus says, and I trust Him. So it´s for Him to judge, not us...
PPS. I speak to much. I find it very hard to just let my thoughts wander godly and holy paths, I am too often a law unto myself. I understand the key to walking with Christ is walking; thinking, considering, talking will get me nowhere! So this is the last post in this blog, in time I´ll take it away. Not because talking is bad in itself, but my tounge has gotten ahead of me, I´ve read too much and too many good spiritual teachers, I´ve become unsure what is parrot talk and what is true witness. I hope and pray it did some good to someone out there. If not, disregard it and peace be with you!
posted by Emil @ 9:07 PM
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