The church is on a journey and it has been a more difficult journey for some than for others. For some church people, homosexuality has been the unforgivable sin. “The Bible says...” has been their weapon of choice. Somehow the love your neighbor part got bypassed.
No one said it is easy to love people who are different or who we don’t understand. And the truth is that in order to love people we must first understand them. We must take a little bit of time to try and hear their point of view and listen to why they do what they do or why they think the way they think.
The same can be said for nations. When nations give up negotiating and listening they resort to violence and war. War-minded people justify their support of violence in various ways just like those who persecute and oppress people who are different justify their hatred with rhetoric or resorting to verses from holy books.
If we really want to be followers of the carpenter’s son then we have to give up our prejudices and personal bias and learn tolerance. If we really want peace on earth then we have to give up our war-mindedness and heed the words of the Prince of Peace.
Christianity tends to over emphasize and focus on sin. Joshua son of Joseph focused on spiritual growth. All his parables were about living, growing things: Harvesting, sowing, reaping… Seeds planted in the ground. He emphasized the spiritual growth and maturity of the individual. He came to save not to condemn. Peace on Earth goodwill to All. 🍷❤️
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