Radical 2.0

Just over a year ago, I came out as Bisexual to those who know and love me and then on social media. For the sake of Christian connection, I put myself back in the closet so to speak in order to avoid hard conversations, criticism, isolation and potential loss of relationship. In doing so, I became judgemental, defensive, angry and isolated. I ended up perpetrating all of the things I was afraid of happening to me to others.

Friends and family tried to reach out and be close with me. They called, texted and emailed regularly. I shut them out. I kept telling myself "they won't understand" which really meant "they won't accept me". What I was forgetting is that many of these people already love and accept me...what's more, is many of them suspected I was struggling with something that was bigger than my anxiety.

I've been a part of The Gay Christian Network for almost three years now, to learn more about them click here. At GCN, I've found people on all sides of "The Great Debate" as they call it. There's a spectrum from allies and parents of LGBTQ+ believers to married and committed same gender couples. There's opposite gender couples in mixed orientation marriages trying to make it work. There's celibate Christians who take a literal approach to scripture. And there's dating LGBTQ+ Christians who take a more liberal approach to scripture.

Here's what isn't there....judgement. There's no inquisition. No need to defend one's existence or choices.

There's room to ask questions, find answers from all sides and chew on the heady stuff with Jesus. There's many resources for scriptural analysis for both Side A (Same Gender Marriage) and Side B (Celibacy). There's resources on how to have the conversations that are hard. Theres a community full of love and support.

What does that leave me with? Hope. Hope for reconciliation between the marginalized and the church at large. Hope for me, that I have a place to fit without feeling like a leper or having to have it all figured out. Hope for the kids that are holding back from relationship with Jesus because "Christians hate gays".

I would love to have a discussion about how to support people who are marginalized rather than how to support that my existence (as someone who is Bisexual and a Christian) is okay with God.

I've chosen to remain silent for the last year because I've not wanted to argue. I don't want to defend myself when people say "it's not who you are", "God didn't create you this way" and so many things that are meant to be encouraging but really aren't.

If you'd like to know more, I can hook you up with some resources:

The Great Debate-Side A and Side B
 Kevin Garcia, LBGTQ Speaker and Writer, Lover of Jesus
My Personal Hero, Vicky Beeching +Vicky Beeching
Believe Out Loud, and movement removing the stigma for LGBTQ+ Believers +Believe Out Loud
Matthew Vines and I are not on the same page, but here it is anyway. I take more of a Side B approach. +Matthew Vines

Feel free to share and comment. If comments are hateful, they will be deleted. Let's move forward in love and respect.