2008 Woodie Awards
Letter to the editor: We should love despite sin
Issue date: 4/12/07 Section: Opinion
In reading the Printz as of lately, I've been somewhat inspired to write something in a hopeful and positive rhetoric. I would hope to come across and express thoughts in a way that's not self-righteous or pompous, but purely with the intent of writing in a form of conviction.
The issues I've been reading lately on homosexuality have caught my attention, and apparently several other involved thinkers on this campus. After talking with some friends on the subject, I felt convicted to write something.
Reading people's ways of tossing around scripture and hoping that one verse will be the answer to all of our problems sometimes just creates more questions.
One of my favorite authors writes a lot about being consumed with this thought of asking questions. All those things we wonder about in the midst of looking at a sunset, or staring up at our ceilings as we try to go to sleep, wondering what the meaning of it all is. Sometimes, it's okay to say, "Hmm, I don't know…" and to be honest, I can sleep on that. Maybe that's been God's plan all along.
There are some of us who try to humbly follow a Christ who taught His disciples to love each other as they loved themselves (Leviticus 19:18, Mark 12:31&33, Luke 10:27, just a few of the times we are told). Just because we follow a God that is all knowing, doesn't mean we know it all. After all, He inspired the book; the rest is annotation.
In recent discussions on where the Church is supposed to stand on homosexuality, I often walk away with the statement, "Well, okay…" It's drilled into our minds and there's no getting around the fact that it is sinful, but then again, so is overeating. So, where do we go from there? We seem to place certain sins higher than others, but we are all sinful beings (Romans 3:23-24). Unfortunately, sin is this nasty secret we keep hidden away only letting it hinder us from all this great potential we have to be free, to be love, and to have love.
Our hearts are burdened by this inevitable question that starts so many arguments and ends just as many relationships. By no means am I saying that I have this figured out, but I'm hoping that maybe we'll come to some consideration to leave it at building better relationships with people. We should be quick to listen, and slow to talk. These are also things I have to work on.
I'm sure that people may read this and come to the conclusion that I haven't proved anything, but maybe it's okay to leave it at this. Try to consider that maybe this whole subject is one big gray area. With that being said, ask all the questions you want. Dig deeper and find what gives you peace.
I encourage you to take a look at scripture. Sometimes I walk away limping from certain words and ideas, so maybe it's okay for it to have that effect. I frequently find myself in this beautiful mess.
I hope we can learn to love each other as a brother or sister, and to realize we all have soft spots for the uncertain and unanswered aspects of life. After all, I believe that love is the movement and that we have to keep moving. Whether it's a song, a dance, or a realization, we have to keep moving.
Josh Casper
The issues I've been reading lately on homosexuality have caught my attention, and apparently several other involved thinkers on this campus. After talking with some friends on the subject, I felt convicted to write something.
Reading people's ways of tossing around scripture and hoping that one verse will be the answer to all of our problems sometimes just creates more questions.
One of my favorite authors writes a lot about being consumed with this thought of asking questions. All those things we wonder about in the midst of looking at a sunset, or staring up at our ceilings as we try to go to sleep, wondering what the meaning of it all is. Sometimes, it's okay to say, "Hmm, I don't know…" and to be honest, I can sleep on that. Maybe that's been God's plan all along.
There are some of us who try to humbly follow a Christ who taught His disciples to love each other as they loved themselves (Leviticus 19:18, Mark 12:31&33, Luke 10:27, just a few of the times we are told). Just because we follow a God that is all knowing, doesn't mean we know it all. After all, He inspired the book; the rest is annotation.
In recent discussions on where the Church is supposed to stand on homosexuality, I often walk away with the statement, "Well, okay…" It's drilled into our minds and there's no getting around the fact that it is sinful, but then again, so is overeating. So, where do we go from there? We seem to place certain sins higher than others, but we are all sinful beings (Romans 3:23-24). Unfortunately, sin is this nasty secret we keep hidden away only letting it hinder us from all this great potential we have to be free, to be love, and to have love.
Our hearts are burdened by this inevitable question that starts so many arguments and ends just as many relationships. By no means am I saying that I have this figured out, but I'm hoping that maybe we'll come to some consideration to leave it at building better relationships with people. We should be quick to listen, and slow to talk. These are also things I have to work on.
I'm sure that people may read this and come to the conclusion that I haven't proved anything, but maybe it's okay to leave it at this. Try to consider that maybe this whole subject is one big gray area. With that being said, ask all the questions you want. Dig deeper and find what gives you peace.
I encourage you to take a look at scripture. Sometimes I walk away limping from certain words and ideas, so maybe it's okay for it to have that effect. I frequently find myself in this beautiful mess.
I hope we can learn to love each other as a brother or sister, and to realize we all have soft spots for the uncertain and unanswered aspects of life. After all, I believe that love is the movement and that we have to keep moving. Whether it's a song, a dance, or a realization, we have to keep moving.
Josh Casper
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