On July 3rd of this year, I posted A plea to Christians: Shut up about gay marriage and abortion. It quickly went somewhat viral, and not unexpectedly produced intense emotion from readers – emotion that was communicated in Facebook shares and comments expressing reactions on all ends of the spectrum. Mostly, the response was very thoughtful, and positive, for which I am thankful.
This morning, a friend of mine posted on his Facebook wall a link to some blogs he had written about the gay rights conversation, and the “Christian” response. In the post, he alluded back to my original blog, and left a link.
And boy did that kinda kick up the ole ant bed.
The next several hours of my day I found myself engaged in a fascinating back and forth dialogue. It seemed to drag the tail end of the conversations from July right on into October, almost right where they left off. Several more Facebook shares later and this original post has had almost as many eyeballs on it now as it did then. And the conversations are going round and round as we speak.
This is a very good thing.
No matter where you find yourself on this issue, it is to be true one that needs to be discussed.
Oh yeah, I forgot… I was the one who said we should all “Shut up!” though right?
Yeah, about that.
Of the negative reactions and responses I have seen and been engaged with in regards to my post – it is clear to me that the overwhelming angst is centered on my use of that term, “Shut up.”
A sample:
Jesus would not ‘shut up’ about these or any other sins. Quit compromising the word of God.”
It makes no Christian sense to tell followers of Jesus to “shut up” about two of the most sacred gifts of God: human life and marriage. In fact, it is rather inconsiderate and unkind, let along unbiblical. Remember, we are following a man who spoke out so boldly and bravely on sacred and moral matters that they killed him. This author says “shut up” to Christians. I say “brave up!””
The by-line pretty much sets the tone….just one more division in this country….speechless and disheartened.”
…why doesn’t he tell the abortionists and gay marriage proponents to shut up and go away? The answer is likely because the cultural momentum and the Tide of Political Correctness is against the church at this time. It’s okay to bash and falsely label Christians in this climate, but to stand for traditional families and the protection of the unborn translates to you are homophobic and hate women, neither of which is true. I refuse to be silent.”
(You can read this full comment in my Comments section of the post – as well as my full reply).
This guy even posted his own blog making a plea for me to just “Shut up.”
Turns out, some people really don’t like being told to “shut up.” And hey, I get it. It’s not something I encourage my kids to say, and it’s not something I practice saying anymore. So, I understand.
But my gracious, are we ever missing the forest for the trees?…
“Shut up” was intentionally used to get your attention (mission accomplished). Most caught on that I wasn’t speaking literally. For any who read it otherwise, the heart of that phrase, and the message behind it was this:
- The overwhelming majority of the responses to issues like homosexuality and gay marriage from “Christians” is something far from the nature of Jesus Christ.
- “Christians” love to weigh sin on some ridiculous scale – and being gay is often treated like some kind of line that has been crossed, and can never be returned from.
- This perpetuates a judgmental, oftentimes hateful response and message from “Christians” toward gays.
- Which has made very real an invisible chasm of divide of “us” and “them.”
- To the point where the gay community largely feels like “Christians” are against them.
- What “we’ve” been doing isn’t working, and it isn’t Jesus.
- We need a new response.
I wanted to call attention to a problem in Christendom that treats certain “sin” differently. I could have written a post about pride or lust or greed or gluttony or lying or gossip… all “sin” – and I would have had maybe 10 eyeballs look at it.
The truth is we just don’t think those are really that big a deal. But lookout if you’re a man and have sex with another man. That’s instant-Hell kinda stuff.
I’m not trying to be cute here. Can we be honest? Church?
The more I walk in Grace with Jesus – the less I care to chunk a rock toward anyone, for anything. In fact, the less I wanna even carry a stone around. Without Jesus I am a murdering, adulterous, deceitful mess. But He told the angry crowd to put down their rocks on my behalf (and yours) – who am I to pick one back up?
He Loves me. He Loves all of us. And He calls us to Live out of a response to that Love. He knows we are all red, hot messes – and He doesn’t care what “name” our particular mess is called. He just says,
I love you. I have chosen you. Come to me. I will clean up your mess. Be at Peace and Rest. Sin no more.”
If we, Christians, followers of Christ, carriers of His name, mission and Life – respond to any person, or any sin with anything other than that same Love that indwells us, we are wrong. And yes, we should “shut up.”
Or, how ’bout this – if you can’t stand “shut up,” be LOUD, be very loud. Just reveal Jesus.
You see, “Shut up” isn’t a call to be silent or apathetic or to never speak out on issues. My primary argument is to display Christ. This takes first a belief that we can do that and that He wants to be displayed in us. We then must let Love be our nature, as it is His. And we pray. We surrender to Christ and let His Life of Love speak.
If anything I am saying followers of Christ should be MORE seen and heard – but in an entirely different way than we usually are on these things. My contention is that if the Body of Christ took seriously Jesus’ commands to believe and pray and love – then we are surrendered to His Life and His Sovereignty and His plan. If, however we continue to “fight” in our own strength, and “attack” issues via the tired old methods – we can do nothing – as I stated in the post.
We are wise to remember it is never us who truly change hearts and minds. Only He can do that. He may choose to involve us – but it will be out of a response to His Love of us, and as a refection of It into the world.
I too want the Church to be heard. But for that to happen, we have to “speak” in a different way. My admonishment to “shut up” here is not a call to go silent – but a call to redirect our voice – to Him – and have His love redirected through us to a hurting and confused society.
{Image credit: “Shut up” by MeredyxD on deviantArt}
