Howdy forum! It's been a while but I'm back! I thought I'd share something a professor at one of the Law Schools I've been visiting said in class. He was trying to show the importance of not just hearing the opposing side's views, but UNDERSTANDING THEM from that person's point of view:
"...I'm a Catholic Black man, who happens to actively support gay rights. Now when I was talking to a priest, who for obvious reasons does NOT support gay rights, it was clear that the usual arguments as to whether or not "homosexuality" is a choice or not, were not going to work. Neither was a discussion on if being gay was condemned by God--I already knew what he thought and he already knew what I thought. So some new element had to be entered into the discussion here.
I proceeded to pose the following questions to him: Now you believe that accepting Jesus is one of the greatest choices one can make, right? In fact if one were to not choose Jesus, he/she would be eternally damned, and well that sounds like a pretty big choice to me. Anyway, history has taught us that using violence to force one to choose Jesus is the most ineffective, if not the most ridiculous method to use in evangelising. Instead you know show love to thy neighbor, and help your fellow-man, in a hope that by loving your neighbor as yourself, you will win them to Christ, right? Well now when you, as a man who chooses to love your neighbor as yourself, make a decision to support gays in their fight against discrimination, aren't you in fact continuing to love your neighbor as yourself? And if you don't support them, aren't you acting contrary to the wisdom of Jesus?"
Saying all of that to say this: I am a Christian woman. And BECAUSE of that, I don't care who you are or what you do, I will show you love, not because God loves YOU just as much as He loves ME, but because God loves ME just as much as He loves YOU.
Do I think the act of homosexuality is a sin? Yes. And that may be something that I and someone who does not, may never reconcile--I'm ok w/ that. But, I will not stand for anyone being discriminated against. Just some (long-winded
) thoughts on the matter.