Judgment Story

The following is a 'fable' created to tell a point. A friend never actually said this but the experience is real.

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A friend of mine told me about an experience they had at their small group/home church.

A middle aged couple were the hosts (40-45).

The first couple to come in had been married 3-5 years. When they came in the hosts welcomed them with open arms.

"So glad to have you welcome."

The 2nd couple to come in had been monogamous for 5 years and were living together but they had no immediate plans for marriage. The hosts welcomed them.

"Glad you're here, you guys are always a blessing.

A single lady walks in. She has 3 kids and has never been married. The hosts welcome her.

"Hey beautiful, glad you could make it. My how the kids are growing!"

3rd couple comes in. The male in the relationship is main church goer. He has a different girl with him every other week and sometimes he carries the faint odor of stale cigarettes and weed smoke and on more than one occasion the hosts have smelled alcohol on his breath. But he's functioning and a devout attendee. He's nice, respectful (to most people most of the time), and puts on a great face. The hosts welcome him.

"Thanks for coming, glad you're back. Who's this lovely lady?"

The 4th couple walks in. A monogamous gay couple. They were each other's first and have never been with anyone else. They are full of the spirit and love their church. The hosts take them aside.

"Hi, we're glad you came but this is a family event and well....we don't want you to leave, but we'll have to ask you not to act like a couple. Or perhaps you'll just want to stick with the weekend services."

How is this Gods love? Why not ban the single male from bringing in new girls? Why not ban the unmarried couple living in sin? Why not ban the single mother with bastard children out of wedlock? Why not shove the married couples shortcomings in everyone's face and make them feel lesser than?
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More than half of my closest friends are gay and up until Crossroads message about Good Sex   I was on the fence about what God thinks of homosexuality.

I still struggle with the idea that active homosexuals can't go to heaven because they actively live in sin. So long as they accept Jesus they go like the rest of us, correct? Being gay isn't the same as taking your own life (who some believe is an unforgivable sin because you've no time to repent before you die).

But, I would be a coward not to admit that I now see my view of it as a sexual immorality. I won't go into detail right now today but one thing has not and never will change:
I believe in human rights and think everyone, regardless of their beliefs deserve the RIGHT to make their own decisions, including marriage. I also believe homosexuality is a sin as much as my own sexual immorality of sex before marriage is.

There, I said it. I'm afraid. Afraid that my gay friends may come across this one day and feel I am alienating them. I'm afraid that they won't give me a chance to show my continued and unfaltering love for them. I'm scared. But I'm being honest and that's important to me, for me.