Saturday, September 19, 2009

Bipolar, Gay and Christian

I've made the acquaintance of another blogger who writes about her struggles with BP and with reconciling being gay with her Christianity.  My heart hurts for her; she's recently had to go off her medication because she can't afford it any longer.  Now she's back on that terrible mood rollercoaster.  
  

But what frightens me is her despair over being a gay Christian.  She has said that the Bible says she is irredeemable, doomed to hell forever, despite her choice to remain celibate.  I would like to point out that the Bible is full of contradictions and that one can find justification for almost anything in the Holy Writ.  And I wonder how much of her despair is related to being BP.  Deep depression makes us see things in black and white when in fact there are always shades of gray. 

And I would like to say this to her, and to all the others out there who are going through the same thing:

God is the Creator.  I would ask if being gay is truly a conscious choice, or is it how you were made?  I don't believe it was a choice.  I believe it's how God created you.  And God doesn't punish his creations just for being the way He made them.  Homosexuality wasn't created by Satan - Satan has no power to create anything.  I refuse to believe that simply being gay equals eternal damnation.

I would ask you to open your mind a bit and consider visiting a different church, one that is friendly to gays.  Perhaps the different perspective offered there would give you hope.  Maybe you will find that your other church had a very narrow view of God and the Bible.  Maybe you'll find Scripture that doesn't condemn you for being who you are. 

And no matter what, I would ask you to remember God's infinite forgiveness.  There is no sin that can't be forgiven - you have only to ask.  

2 comments:

  1. AnonymousSeptember 19, 2009 at 2:36 PM

    Well, I was doomed to reply to this one wasn't I! Everything you wrote goes to the very heart of my struggle. And it isn't because I am surrounded by right-winged Christian fundamentalists who crucify who I am. And you are right, this is not a choice. And you are so right about the fact that satan can't create...a concept that I hadn't grasped in this struggle. I am who I am because of how I was created. And there is only one Creator, isn't there? I think the BP has bound this struggle to the point where I can't clearly see the truth that I need to see. I was so touched by this entry, Lisa. Never thought in a million years I would read about myself in someone else's blog! I've enjoyed our continuing discussions and watching how you meander through your own quagmire. I look forward to the times when we can arise above this subjugation. You are in my prayers.

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  2. Patrick O'Ryan (P3)September 27, 2009 at 3:25 PM

    Your comments are right on the mark. Being gay and Christian is an acceptable choice nowadays. It is so hard when churches condemn the homosexual community the ways that it does; I belong to the Mormon Church, but have fallen away after reading the stories of deprogramming, excommunications, suicides - all attributed to the "if you're gay, you'll go to hell." I don't believe that if Jesus returned today that he would turn his back on a homosexual, just like he didn't back away from lepers or adulterers.

    There are gay-friendly churches, and I have been reading a lot lately on both sides of the issue, trying to come to terms with the topic myself.

    Can I be a Christian? Can I retain my ordaination? If I admit to my own homosexuality?

    Right now, you are doing the one thing that is needed most: You are a friend to her.

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