Hi Jay. I went to the last gathering, when you were the speaker and you were ah-mazing by the way. You really put things into perspective. A different look that I normally don't see. But there are still things that I don't quite understand. It seems that there are many contradictions that people face when believing in God, and I guess one of my main concerns is the fact that I'm gay. And many people say to me that God doesn't accept that or I'm going to hell. And I don't understand how that could be true if I believe in him and have him in my heart. If he is a loving God then why would he cast away homosexuals but not murderers or rapists etc. Doesn't everyone deserve forgiveness? Or at least acception by God? Or am I mistaken. I never could really understand this part of it.

Jay says.... you are exactly right.  I think it is a greivous and abject sin and depravity the way we have demonized Homosexual people in the church.  It is downright evil.  I just cannot imagine how we have gotten to this place!  It is evil!  How do we hate with such vehemence!?!

I think a part of it comes from the idea that no one would be OK with calling a rapist or murderer OK and that God approves, but this is the battle over homosexuality.  People want to say it is OK and ordained by God and this is the sticking point.  It is just soemthing I am not sure about.  Personally, I think God is holy and God takes broken things and makes them holy.  I think God can do this with anything.  I think God can do this with homosexuality to.  I don't believe God intended homosexuality, BUT I do think God can shape Homosexuality into agape love and holiness.  I think God can make beauty wherever God wants to and this includes gay and lesbian relationships.

Seek the higher things.  Don't focus on being Gay but on loving with an unconditional love.  if this kind of relationship comes out of a gay relationship, go and sin boldly and pray fervently that God can make this Holy  I believe God can.  Be a WONDERFUL Christian, loving Jesus for who Jesus is, not who people say Jesus is.  Love the Jesus who lvoes the outcasts, the oppressed, the poor, and marginalized, in this country I believe this to be the gay and lesbian men and women.  I believe Jesus would reach out with amazing love to you and to all you know with a great and loving forgiveness and would never ever send you to hell for anything pertaining to this.  I would honor that perhaps being Gay may be not what God intended for creation- this doesn't make you any better or worse than ALL the things I DO that are not intended for creation: hate, lust, jealousy, etc. etc. but how these can come from a holy place and create a holy thing.  Embrace the Jesus who transforms sin into forgiveness, messes into beauty.  Love someone the way God has loved you, with self-denying, self-sacrificial love and see how God can transform others into believers through your witness.  Go boldy, SIN boldly, and pray fervently that God can do anything.