In the LGBT community we consistently face the proposal that we have “chosen a life of sin” by those in conservative church communities.
But what if by the example of satire I could show you how untenable the conservative dogmatic position has become in the debate?
I will make this argument using some of the same chapters and books of the Bible one uses to critique LGBT people. As a former pastor I will phrase this in terms of how to have an “evangelizing” conversation. That is a conversation meant to make one reconsider their life, and seek immediate changes, or repentance. The verses I am focusing on are found in the Book of Leviticus.
First, we must not focus on the sinner, we must see a person, not a seafood lover. Yes we know that sin can be good, and it can feel right to us. We can even enjoy sin. Think about lobster, or crab, the taste, the texture. It is consuming to our senses, it can be addictive. But not everything we see is holy. As we meet these seafood lovers we must realize they are people, not just seafood sinners. We must remind them that the Bible clearly says in Leviticus 10-12
10 But all creatures in the seas or streams that do not have fins and scales—whether among all the swarming things or among all the other living creatures in the water—you are to regard as unclean. 11 And since you are to regard them as unclean, you must not eat their meat; you must regard their carcasses as unclean. 12 Anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales is to be regarded as unclean by you.
Now as we see them as people we can remind them that because of this sin, they are unclean. And since they are unclean they can not enter the worship service. God loves them, but in their sinful way of enjoying the flesh of a crustacean they can not be welcomed among our people until they denounce this sin. We must remind them that the apostle Paul said in Romans 1: 32
32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
God loves them, but in his love, he declares that the unclean deserve death. So as long as they enjoy going to sinful places like Red Lobster, and approving of crab feasts they face the wrath of God. Thankfully we know the cross has provided forgiveness. And if they simply turn to Jesus, and pray hard enough this lust of crab and lobster, and shrimp scampi that consumes them will be wiped away and they will be healed. Then they can come and worship among us. So remember, talk to them like another person, but remind them that this sin will cause them to face eternal damnation if they do not change. Give them the cross, and remind them Jesus died so they wouldn’t eat crab anymore.
Now, back to reality.
That was ridiculous, am I right? None of us that are queer Christians approach others like that. This the same book used to constantly ridicule the LGBT community. But in simply emphasizing a different set of verses we find the argument untenable. We find the straw man falls apart. Churches today hold large crab feasts, they sponsor seafood festivals, and many Catholics will eat shrimp on a Friday in Lent to avoid meat. Though the Bible clearly states that eating these foods is a sin, and that those who do so can not enter the Temple, today’s believers have no issue at all with these verses, in fact they celebrate that Peter changed the interpretation. The same thing is true for other parts of the Bible, like women speaking in church, wearing jeans and cotton, and men not having to keep beards, and curled sideburns. The modern church has changed how we read the Bible. The Bible has become to many a means of defining a tribe, not a book that teaches one how to love, and care for others.
We should realize in 2017 that queer Christians are just as Christian as the shrimp loving Christian, the rare steak Christian, and the tattooed Christian. God is a God of love is what is emphasized. When we dissect an argument at it’s base and find it so weak we must realize the exclusion and oppression of LGBT believers is not faithful to the spirit of Christianity, but is a fearful attempt to control a tribe. No one has been so doggedly debated as the LGBT Christian, but to think just a few verses away we could do the same to a seafood lover is ludicrous! If your argument picks and chooses what sins to emphasize it is not coherent, and it must be discarded.
If we can change what the nature of a sin is in the same book, we must look to our world, science and the lived human experience to welcome and embrace our LGBT Christian brothers and sisters. If we found out that we won’t die from eating shellfish, and being blind isn’t a sin, why can’t we understand the truth of the LGBT soul?
As a transwoman I beg you to actually meet me, and hear my story. Additionally, I beg you to understand how biblical interpretation works. God has gifted us with faith, hope, love, and reason to understand each other, and the texts that have been passed down. When we use all four we will find ourselves less willing to fall for bad arguments, and tribalism, and more open to acceptance and inclusion along the way. That’s how we actually look like Jesus who really said in John 6:37
Whoever comes to me I will never drive away.