I tried to fit you in the walls inside my mind.
I try to keep you safely in between the lines.
I try to put you in the box that I've designed.
I try to pull you down so we are eye to eye.
When did I forget that you've always been the king of the world?
~King of the World by Natalie Grant
I try to keep you safely in between the lines.
I try to put you in the box that I've designed.
I try to pull you down so we are eye to eye.
When did I forget that you've always been the king of the world?
~King of the World by Natalie Grant
Two days ago I allowed the Princess to watch Stranger Things on Netflix, which is a sci-fi based thriller and drama series filmed here in Georgia. The Atlanta area has been becoming the southern Hollywood for filming many popular films and series. The second, third, and forth movie of the Hunger Games was done here at least in part, but we are most known for The Walking Dead, which I tried not to like at all but I confess I do, although some parts are far too realistic with the gory violence and, as almost all shows these days, there is at least the suggestion of homosexuality, although there have not been explicit sex scenes thankfully. I particularly like Hershel and his family, who tried to keep their Christian faith throughout the conflict of his family dealing with walking dead and other people.
Typically, zombies and vampires and werewolves and homosexuality are the kinds of things that hold no appeal for me at all. The many facets of imaginings for post apocalyptic worlds though...the worst conditions bringing out the truest human nature, exposing the heart and soul, usually without God or faith involved and the creation of a new normal in created societies of the survivors holds a strange fascination for me. I always remind myself that this is likely how it would be if there was no God or at least if people did not recognize God at all and it seems that mankind has been going in that direction.
I wonder if Christianity is going to be at all recognizable in the next hundred years, actually. Although Christians probably always have done this, it is far more openly practiced today: Christians seem to fit God around them, like a warm blanket to shield them from the cold and cruelty of the world, but not try really fit into Him so they are warm and strong from within Him.
Anyway, while watching the show the Princess immediately recognized a former classmate, Shannon Purser, from the Living Science Homeschool Learning Center. My husband remembered talking with her father on the senior retreat and how her parents had taken her to acting workshops and classes and auditions for years. Stranger Things was the first role she had landed in 2016. Her character was supportive and short lived, literally! She has had two other roles in other shows since then. Shannon has also been honored with a nomination for Best Drama Guest Actress in the 2017 Emmy Awards for her role in Stranger Things.
All sounds great for Shannon, who still identifies herself as a Christian. However, when I read a bit more I found that in April of this year Shannon announced that she is bi-sexual. Her reasoning and probably how she comes "to terms with it and my faith" is found in another quote: “As a person, I’ve always been really passionate about being really inclusive and letting people know that they are loved.”
How do Christians get twisted into thinking loving people inclusively equates to homosexuality being just another form of love is what churns in my spirit! It is written that God is Love, but it is NOT written that love is God. Not all forms of "love" come from God and Christianity spoke out against homosexuality so much that people, even Christians today, could be convinced it was hate speech! But the sin is the sin. God hates the sin...period. God hates all sin, but I think that the sins He hates the most are the ones done in the name of Christianity. If homosexuality is sinful, how can that be reconciled with God (other than confession and repentance, of course)? Just believe it is not sinful even if God says it is? Coming to terms to accept homosexuality is just compromising one's faith to make an allowance for the sin.
The Princess and I had quite a discussion about all this after I looked up what Shannon has openly shared, because she has had a few Christian friends, who are struggling with gender confusion, so she felt the need to defend Shannon. She knew Shannon as a mentor in the Servant Leader program, as was the practice for the school. The Princess felt that we are supposed to love people no matter what...and that is the hook. That is exactly what is used against us. That is why Christians are the bad guys when we point out a sin like this.
I reminded my daughter that I went out of the way to be sure she could have some time with one of her gender confused friends that I had gotten to know and liked from that same school for a few years before I knew about his struggle. I really hated what he was into, what he was thinking he was, and talking about such issues with my daughter, but then I realized he needed her friendship as she would say she did not agree with him and give him good advice about talking with his parents, but did not respond with judgement. The boy was also sensitive for being small for his age, probably from undernourishment. He had been adopted from an orphanage oversees and the children are treated so badly there, but particularly he was because he had a cleft palate and did not get fed enough. I have a friend who knows several parents who have adopted from Russia and she tells me that all the children seem to have seriously identity issues. The horrors of how a godless society treats human beings, even babies, is a reality rather than a make them believe TV show.
However, my point is that here is a young woman, who was raised in a Christian environment, now she is actively encouraging LGBT Christians to speak out. I do not hate her, but feel very sorry for her. She wants to support and be supportive to other Christians in ongoing sexual sin. However, I think this will only compound her sin to add causing a fellow Christian to stumble. The world says if they are consenting adults then it is okay...but is that what God says? People can read the same words in the Bible and twist them to say what they want, but when the Holy Spirit lives in a person, He is not silent when we are going against God. Even as the world is embracing LGBT's more and more, they still have more emotional struggles and a high suicide rate. Yet, who do they blame for those problems? Mostly the Christians who believe in morals. They are promoting a religious communism as if everyone everywhere should compromise their morals to accept homosexuality so then they will no longer have emotional problems.
But the other side of that is if everyone heard and listened to God then we would not have this problem either. The struggle with the flesh is only the physical manifestation of the struggle within the spiritual realms and the soul.
Shannon Purser, I am so sorry that the world has diminished the vastness of God's love to the point that you are trying to fulfill your need to love and be loved with homosexuality, but it is not for you to come "to terms with it and your faith." You already know that they oppose each other unless you change your faith, unless you try to fit God in the walls inside your mind, try to keep God safely in between the lines, try to put God in the box that you've designed, try to pull God down so you are eye to eye, forget that God has always been the King of the world, and that He loves you more than whatever homosexuality could possibly give you.
Typically, zombies and vampires and werewolves and homosexuality are the kinds of things that hold no appeal for me at all. The many facets of imaginings for post apocalyptic worlds though...the worst conditions bringing out the truest human nature, exposing the heart and soul, usually without God or faith involved and the creation of a new normal in created societies of the survivors holds a strange fascination for me. I always remind myself that this is likely how it would be if there was no God or at least if people did not recognize God at all and it seems that mankind has been going in that direction.
I wonder if Christianity is going to be at all recognizable in the next hundred years, actually. Although Christians probably always have done this, it is far more openly practiced today: Christians seem to fit God around them, like a warm blanket to shield them from the cold and cruelty of the world, but not try really fit into Him so they are warm and strong from within Him.
All sounds great for Shannon, who still identifies herself as a Christian. However, when I read a bit more I found that in April of this year Shannon announced that she is bi-sexual. Her reasoning and probably how she comes "to terms with it and my faith" is found in another quote: “As a person, I’ve always been really passionate about being really inclusive and letting people know that they are loved.”
How do Christians get twisted into thinking loving people inclusively equates to homosexuality being just another form of love is what churns in my spirit! It is written that God is Love, but it is NOT written that love is God. Not all forms of "love" come from God and Christianity spoke out against homosexuality so much that people, even Christians today, could be convinced it was hate speech! But the sin is the sin. God hates the sin...period. God hates all sin, but I think that the sins He hates the most are the ones done in the name of Christianity. If homosexuality is sinful, how can that be reconciled with God (other than confession and repentance, of course)? Just believe it is not sinful even if God says it is? Coming to terms to accept homosexuality is just compromising one's faith to make an allowance for the sin.
The Princess and I had quite a discussion about all this after I looked up what Shannon has openly shared, because she has had a few Christian friends, who are struggling with gender confusion, so she felt the need to defend Shannon. She knew Shannon as a mentor in the Servant Leader program, as was the practice for the school. The Princess felt that we are supposed to love people no matter what...and that is the hook. That is exactly what is used against us. That is why Christians are the bad guys when we point out a sin like this.
I reminded my daughter that I went out of the way to be sure she could have some time with one of her gender confused friends that I had gotten to know and liked from that same school for a few years before I knew about his struggle. I really hated what he was into, what he was thinking he was, and talking about such issues with my daughter, but then I realized he needed her friendship as she would say she did not agree with him and give him good advice about talking with his parents, but did not respond with judgement. The boy was also sensitive for being small for his age, probably from undernourishment. He had been adopted from an orphanage oversees and the children are treated so badly there, but particularly he was because he had a cleft palate and did not get fed enough. I have a friend who knows several parents who have adopted from Russia and she tells me that all the children seem to have seriously identity issues. The horrors of how a godless society treats human beings, even babies, is a reality rather than a make them believe TV show.
However, my point is that here is a young woman, who was raised in a Christian environment, now she is actively encouraging LGBT Christians to speak out. I do not hate her, but feel very sorry for her. She wants to support and be supportive to other Christians in ongoing sexual sin. However, I think this will only compound her sin to add causing a fellow Christian to stumble. The world says if they are consenting adults then it is okay...but is that what God says? People can read the same words in the Bible and twist them to say what they want, but when the Holy Spirit lives in a person, He is not silent when we are going against God. Even as the world is embracing LGBT's more and more, they still have more emotional struggles and a high suicide rate. Yet, who do they blame for those problems? Mostly the Christians who believe in morals. They are promoting a religious communism as if everyone everywhere should compromise their morals to accept homosexuality so then they will no longer have emotional problems.
But the other side of that is if everyone heard and listened to God then we would not have this problem either. The struggle with the flesh is only the physical manifestation of the struggle within the spiritual realms and the soul.
Shannon Purser, I am so sorry that the world has diminished the vastness of God's love to the point that you are trying to fulfill your need to love and be loved with homosexuality, but it is not for you to come "to terms with it and your faith." You already know that they oppose each other unless you change your faith, unless you try to fit God in the walls inside your mind, try to keep God safely in between the lines, try to put God in the box that you've designed, try to pull God down so you are eye to eye, forget that God has always been the King of the world, and that He loves you more than whatever homosexuality could possibly give you.
My Lord, when did we make You so small?
