These words at the United Methodist Church website banner ring hollow to me. I resigned a life-long membership in the United Methodist Church in May because of the closed hearts, closed minds, and closed doors when it comes to the LGBTQ community.
The United Methodist "rule book" added this statement in 1972 and despite repeated efforts to remove it, this is the stance of the church to this day.
"The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching."
One of the things I loved about the Methodist church is they don't cram a particular theological ideology down your throat or demand that you live in a certain way.
Unless you're gay. That's incompatible with Christian teaching.
Scholars have argued the intent & meaning of scripture with regards to homosexuality for decades. I personally have spent many years studying scripture, prayerfully considering what it says, and letting it speak to my heart.
I spent a lot of time considering the common belief that homosexuality is a sin. I believed it for many years because it's the stance of the Methodist church.
Thank God study & prayer opened my heart and my mind. I'll leave the theology behind that decision for another time - there's a lot to unpack - but let's just say I am confident what I believe is scripturally sound.
Instead of laying out a theological case, I'll ask you to open your heart and mind and ask yourself the core question I came to ask myself during this journey.
Is love is incompatible with Christian teaching?
The answer to that question is obvious. When I look at loving relationships among my friends & family in the LGBTQ community and see the love they have for their friends, family, and community I see people living Godly lives. I see people worthy of God's love and the salvation of Jesus. I see love. I see mercy. I see grace. Not sin.
Here's what I learned over many years studying Jesus in scripture. His grace and mercy showered down on the poor, the unclean, the marginalized, and the downtrodden.
Jesus accepted women. He cast out a demon from one he called a "daughter of Abraham" (Luke 13:16). This statement essentially elevated her to a spiritual status equal to a male, something some denominations in the modern church have yet to recognize.
Jesus accepted those who oppressed the Jews. Christ did not show any kind of contempt at a Centurion's request to heal a servant. Christ responds by healing the servant and telling others "I have not found such great faith, even in Israel" (Matt 8:5-13)
Jesus accepted those who opposed the Jews. When Jesus told a teacher of the law that loving his neighbor as himself was an important part of fulfilling the law, he asked Jesus who was his neighbor. Christ’s response was a completely startling parable with a Samaritan as the hero (Luke 10:25–37). Then there's a story of a Samaritan woman at a well.
All of these acts of love brought thousands of people to know, love, and follow Christ.
Jesus accepted those who were oppressed yet most people who call themselves Christians call individuals who are LGBTQ+ sinners and won't accept them into their church families with open arms and no strings attached. The Methodist church uses the excuse that it's "incompatible with Christian teaching", the Baptists from the Westboro cult isn't as nice but if you're gay what's the difference?
No wonder so many in the LGBTQ community wants nothing to do with Christ or the church. Can you blame them?
I don't wonder what Christ would say about people in the LGBTQ community. He already showed me how He feels about them. It's right there in the scriptures Christians use to oppress the people Christ loves.
You know what else I learned about Jesus? The only people He reprimanded were the leaders of His church, in large part because they used scripture to elevate themselves while making followers feel inadequate and unworthy.
Sound familiar?
Sincerely ask yourself if love is incompatible with Christian living. If the answer is yes, ask yourself if two men or two women can love one another as deeply as you love your spouse or significant other. If the answer is yes, ask yourself if that love is a sin.
Open your Heart. Open your Mind. Open your Doors
TO EVERYONE.
Live like Christ.
