Sticky Notes for Human Rights

Christianity is one of the main religions that as a whole opposes same-sex marriage. This has led to a lot of problems since the legalization of same-sex marriage by the Supreme Court last year. While not all Christians feel the same way, many believe in a traditional marriage, or one that’s between a man and a woman. Religious freedom bills have been popping up all throughout the country in an attempt to protect people’s religious freedom. This has caused an even larger clash between those who want their religious rights protected and those who support the LGBT community. Things are even tougher for those who are LGBT but also religious. They may want to attend church services, but may be too afraid to. They might be feeling worried they will be judged, shunned, or condemned for their lifestyle. Thankfully, things have gotten slightly better overall on this front. Many churches have begun welcoming same-sex couples into their congregation, even when they don’t agree that same-sex marriage is okay.

If you are a Christian who has struggled with the same-sex marriage decision, you aren’t alone. There are many people who feel the same way. However, just because you disagree with something does not mean you should judge a person who does not have the same beliefs as you. From a Christian perspective, you do not want to do anything that sends people away or gives them a negative association with God. Do you think that judging people and telling them they are going to hell for the way they live is going to draw them in? It’s almost guaranteed to have the opposite effect. This is why Christians should welcome same-sex couples into their church, whether they agree with same-sex marriage or not.

We All Sin

Only God can decide whether or not homosexuality is a sin. It’s not for us to decide. There are many things people do today that isn’t considered a sin, even though it is listed as one in the Bible. For example, did you know that a divorced man or woman is not supposed to get married again? In addition, the only Biblical grounds for you to file for divorce are in cases of infidelity. We all know many people get divorced for a wide range of reasons, and a cheating spouse is only one of them. Just like we don’t judge these people, we shouldn’t judge those who are gay. Even if you believe same-sex marriage is a sin, we all sin or one way or another. Not a single person on this earth is perfect. Whether it’s because you lie, because you cheat on your taxes, or because you use God’s name in vain, you are just as guilty as every other person on this planet. From a Christian perspective, this is why Jesus came down to die for your sins. No one can get into heaven on their own. Let God judge whether or not someone is sinning and whether or not they are repentant of it. Your job is to love others.

Ways to Welcome

When you see a same-sex couple show up to your church for the first time, there are several ways you can help them feel welcome:

• Walk up to them and introduce yourself
• Invite them to sit with you
• Inform them of ways they can get involved

These are all easy ways to help make a same-sex couple feel at ease in your church.

Whether you agree with it or not, same-sex marriage is here to stay. There are many same-sex couples who want to go church, but are afraid to. If everyone welcomed people regardless of their living situation, these fears would go away on their own.