Day of Silence, Day of Truth

Today is the observance of a Day of Silence on high school and college campuses across the country. It is a demonstration to protest the bullying of homosexual, bisexual and transgender students.

Christian activists have their Day of Truth to counter the promotion of the lifestyle of those that they see as sexual deviants. These activist see the Day of Silence as a promotion of the homosexual lifestyle and perceive an agenda that goes beyond putting an end to bullying. They see it as a part of a conspiracy to force all of society to accept homosexuality as a legitimate alternative lifestyle.

At the risk of critism from my conservative Southern Baptist friends and followers, I have decided to weigh in on this issue.

I have no issues that would cause me to oppose the premise behind the Day of Silence. As a follower of Jesus, I cannot support the bullying of another for any reason. An outsider might perceive the opposition to the Day of Silence as approval of the behavior that it seeks to expose and bring to an end. This isn't necessarily the case.

In the same way, my approval of the Day of Silence doesn't mean that I approve of homosexuality...it means that I disapprove of bullying. It doesn't cause me to be concerned that my daughter will participate in this Day of Silence at her school today. I don't think that it means that she is a lesbian and I don't think that it will make her feel that homosexuality is a lifestyle that is approved by God. I do think that she is already mature enough to leave that judgment to God rather than act as if she is the judge over others.

As for the Day of Truth...

The Bible speaks clearly against homosexuality. But I don't think that telling people that they are leading a sinful life (or that their behavior is wrong) is enough to change their behavior. If they are not believers of a religion that says that their behavior is wrong, they are not going to change because of what I believe. The Truth that they need to hear is not that homosexuality is a sin. The Truth that they need to hear is that we are all sinners and we all fall short of the glory of God. The Truth that they need to hear is that God loves them and has provided them with the gift of eternal life through His Son, Jesus. The Truth that they need to hear is that it is only through a personal relationship with Jesus and through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us that any of us is able to overcome sin, follow Jesus and be acceptable to God.

Why do we have to preach a message that they won't hear (personal judgment) when we have the message that they need to hear (God's grace)? I think that we need to let God be God. I think that the job of conviction of our sin belongs to the Holy Spirit of God and not to the people of God. When will we do the job that God has given to us (be a witness of what Jesus has done for us) rather than to sit in judgment of others?

I have my ideas about homosexuality and where gays and lesbians fit into the Kingdom. (Yes, I do believe thay have a place in the Kingdom.) I'm not sure that it's necessary to go into them here. Let me just say that their sin is no greater than my own and that I believe that the sacrifice that Jesus made is great enough to cover them with God's grace and forgiveness...

And that is the Truth that we need to share.

John <><