Letters To The Editor

Readers are an integral part of Whosoever. We appreciate hearing from our readers, whether they have praise or hot coals to heap on our heads. With the new year, we're beginning this new feature of a reader forum. Here's some of the things our readers are saying.

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Editor:
Thanks for your organization. I just found you. I am a straight man, 52 years old. Ever since I can remember I have had a particular love and concern for GLBT people, particularly from the Christian viewpoint. 15 years ago I was a member of the Metropolitan Community Church for about 2 years. I always wondered why I had these particular concerns and then, about 6 months ago our daughter came out to us. I am so grateful that she has been able to be comfortable with her sexual orientation from the beginning. Perhaps this is one of the reasons God steered me in this direction, so that my daughter could be spared the trouble so many GLBT young people go through. She is now living in a committed relationship and we are very proud of her.

I believe that the reconciliation of the Christian Church with its GLBT brothers and sisters is one of the most important issues facing us today. I know your work must be difficult and sometimes frustrating, and you receive alot of hate mail. Keep it up. I spend alot of my time in a Christian discussion forum with Christians who basically believe that one cannot be GLBT and Christian. I keep discussing the issue, hopefully making a little progress, or at the least pushing people to think about their positions. Thanks again.

David

Editor:
I stumbled upon your site this morning and I just wanted to say thank you for the work you're doing. This is the sort of Christianity that honors God, and it is a great encouragement to me to see that it actually does exist. I believe (as you seem to) that it was God who freed up your time and gave you the idea and the ability to create this web ministry, and I thank you, as a "questioning" Christian, for following His call. Your site is truly a blessing.

Briana

Editor:
How eloquently you have written to your critics. I wish I could take this letter with me and repeat it to all those who challenge me on being a child of God and a lesbian. I need eloquent words. It is one thing to know in your heart that God loves you, but it is another thing to try to live like it in the face of critics who are "unconditional," but not accepting. I get this from so many Christians I knew when I was in the closet. They just can't accept that I was hiding something. I never hid from God only from other Christians. God has always accepted me, blessed me, and loved me unconditionally the way that God created me.

I pray for you and the magazine. It provides a place for me to go and read something positive.

Love in Christ,

Joyce

Editor:

As an agnostic Anglo-Catholic verging on atheism, I'd like to say that I very much like what I've read of your web pages.

The FAQ, in particular, was both persuasive and moving. While I don't (and can't) agree with or endorse your faith I am very impressed with the openness and tolerance that is implicit in the information presented [here].

Thank you for showing me that there are Christian Christians out there.

Mr Q. Z. D.

Editor:
You're response seems to say that all Jesus asks of us is to believe in Him. Jesus also said that "If you love me, you will follow my commandments." To have Jesus in your heart you must first admit that you are a sinner, (all are sinners who fall short of the Glory of God) Then you must believe that Jesus is God incarnate who died and rose again to cleanse you of your sins. Last you must commit your life to God. You must trust God with your life and not lean on your own understanding. How do we trust God with our life? We must follow his commandments as written in the Bible. How do we do that? Pray every day for his guidance and leading!

Scripture is very clear that homosexuality is a sin. It goes against God's plan for us. God loves people who label themselves as homosexual, but He did not create them to be homosexuals. He calls us to repent of our sins and follow Him. He is now the Lord of our lives. We no longer hold headship of our lives, Jesus does. We are no longer our own, we belong to Juses Christ!

If you do not TRUST JESUS with your life, then I question if you really BELIEVE in what HE did for you on the cross. We can't pick and choose which scriptures we want to believe. God's word is His plan for our lives. In His love,

Diane

Editor Candace Chellew responds:

Hmmm ... well, Diane, let's look at what Jesus' "commandments" were:

And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?" Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Mark 12:28-31

These are the commandments of Jesus. I love Jesus, therefore I try to follow these commandments.

I find it astounding that folks like you write to me and presume to know anything about the life I live. Simply because I am a lesbian you assume that means I am "immoral" or something else. How can you be so presumptious without even knowing me? Just because I am a lesbian you presume so much about my life including:

  • I think simple belief in Jesus is enough;
  • I don't follow "the commandments of Jesus";
  • I don't pray every day for God's guidance;
  • I have not admitted I am a sinner and repented for my sins;
  • I do not trust Jesus with my life;
  • I pick and choose which scriptures to believe;

I can assure you Diane, you're wrong on all counts. Except maybe the last one, since we all pick and choose from the scriptures. Who really follows any of the Levitical law these days, save that one admonition folks like you are so fond of keeping around?

I can assure you I live my life as simply as you probaby do. [Unlike you, I can't presume to know, however.] I try to love God, and my neighbor as myself with all my mind, soul and strength.

Jesus said, "whosoever believes" ... and I believe. Yes, I agree it's about more than mere belief, it's about living our lives as Jesus leads. Jesus clearly commands us to love God and others. I try everyday to live that commandment. Nothing else matters. In God there are no distinctions, be it black or white, male or female and yes, gay or straight. I know what you believe the Bible says about homosexuality. I believe differently ... but in my heart, I follow the commandments of Jesus. I fail often ... but don't we all?

I don't think our differing beliefs about homosexuality should be a barrier to us sharing with one another as fellow Christians. Our common ground is our belief in Jesus. I'm content to let God work out the details. If either of us is wrong on the question of homosexuality, then God's grace covers us both. Let us both strive to follow Jesus' commandments to love God, and neighbor as self. Once we dedicate our hearts, minds, and souls to doing that we won't have time to bicker over differing interpretations of scripture. We'll be too busy loving one another with the love of Christ.

Blessings,

Candace Chellew
Editor

Editor:
I stumbled upon your site just a couple of minutes ago, and must admit, I broke out into tears. Tears of joy that is! I am a 19 year old college male going to a Christian University. Last month, I realized that I had been living a lie. No matter how hard I tried not to, I found myself attracted to men. This was tearing me apart, I never admitted to myself that I was gay for fear that I would be punished by God. After reading your website, I realized that I am not a pervert, but one of God's children who loves me no matter what. I also realized that my biggest sin was being ashamed of the person God created. God bless you and whosoever.com for the wonderful work you do. Your website changed my life for the better.

Sincerely,

Andrew S.

Editor:
I absolutely loved the format that you chose for your article Seven things I Wish Anti-Gay People Would Admit. As a ongoing college student and a published writer myself (limited, to be honest.) I found it ingenious and an absolutely clever parody.

I did want to make a few comments though on some of what Bob Davies stated. I myself am a spirit-filled gay Christian man. I am young, and was taught that homosexuality is wrong. I myself am of course still working through a few of these issues. I do know however, that I would not trade my upbringing for anything, because I had a strong foundation, (my original scholarship was for seminary). Understanding a little about me, my comment is on point two (though I must admit it is hard not to touch the others also). Mr. Davies stated that he wishes Pro-Gay's would admit that "homosexuals and lesbians can experience significant changes in their sexual feelings and desires, EVEN THOUGH they may never be TOTALLY heterosexual in their sexual thoughts and feelings." Pardon my crudeness, but duh! If a heterosexual man (or woman for that matter) awoke every morning and spoke to the reflection in the mirror and said, "God wants me to be gay, I can learn to be gay, I can stay away from women (men) today because that is what God wants." Eventually that man (woman) would be desensitized to the opposite sex and force themselves to fulfill their desire for: companionship, wholeness, the sharing of a life with another, and yes, even, dare I say, yes I will, their need for in the same sex. Of course that stray thought will come, and the self hate will beat it down, but what they really want will be oppressed for the love of a God through the interpretation of common theological thought. Which, for the record, changes every 50 to 60 years.

My point in all this is to say -- if Mr. Davies cannot offer what Christ offered, a new and complete life in him by taking who God made us, and refining it through Salvation and Christ centered teachings, then I don't want it. Why would I settle for being partly heterosexual when God made me homosexual. Every gift Jesus ever gave on earth was whole and complete. Did the man with leprosy walk away not "totally healed?" Did the woman with the issue of blood continue to bleed on occasion? Did the paralytic return to his mat after the service? Did the centurion's servant remain sick? If I come across sarcastic, I only mean to be matter-of-fact. Mr. Davies, with all due respect (because you do deserve it serving God so faithfully as you do, the life of a minister is not easy) I am sorry but the Jesus I know healed in wholeness. The holy spirit that I have within me, the same one I have watched touch a blind man and cause him to see, heals completely. When God performs such a thing as to take a heterosexual and make him gay or vise versa, it is with a purpose, to Glorify Him and show who is God and who is man. Therefore, I say unto you, I wish you would stop asking anyone to settle for less than being joint-heir with the Prince of Peace. The kingdom belongs to all of us who are willing to take it, Mr. Davies, and I hate to be the one to tell you, but the one thing I am sure about in heaven is there are no second class citizens or those who make it in by the skin of their teeth. Grace bought my ticket and yours just the same, because no deed could pay that price but the blood of God's son. Welcome to heaven Mr. Davies, where their is no wrong side of the tracks.

C. Lindquist

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