I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.

—Revelation 3:15

Often, we know why some people are evil, but do you wonder why people do good? For some, it is to make others (or themselves) feel good. Often, it is to try to become a better person. And, of course, some do so to try to make the world a better place. What happens when we step back and do nothing? We are being passive and leaving the world to its own evils. Desmond Tutu said, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse, and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”

Jesus told his followers that they have only one reason to do good: to mirror the character of his Father into the world. In order to understand Jesus’ approach to doing good, we need to see that there are two huge differences between the way the world looks at good and evil and how God does. Most people have strong opinions about what are good actions and what are evil actions, but most will remain neutral. They may recognize good and evil, but they do nothing to stop the evil, and often do nothing to elevate the good. Most of the time people are just living their life, doing neutral things, and then every so often a situation comes up where they have to choose whether to do something good or something evil; both of which require about the same amount of effort.  Think most people believe it’s hard to be evil unless you really mean to be.  Most of the time we are basically average people, neither good nor evil, but we are capable of doing good when the right situation comes up.

I’ve told this story before, but it was the first day of school, and I was in seventh grade. A group of guys were calling me names and bullying me. There were several new students that year, and everyone seemed to be trying to show that they were cool or whatever and were doing this by picking on me: the quiet, shy one. As I was being taunted, one of the new guys spoke up and told the other guys to leave me alone. He stuck his neck out and risked losing his “cool factor” by not being neutral or joining in on the bullying, but by telling the bullies to stop. I’ve always thought that took real courage, but this guy also had a lot of charisma, and unlike me and many others at that age, he seemed to be so confident. He never lost his “cool factor.” In fact, he was always one of the most popular guys in school. I never once remember him allowing anyone to bully me if he was around. He was a genuinely good guy, and though I’m friends with him on Facebook, I really don’t know what kind of person he is these days, but I hope he’s still a good guy.

The Bible does not recognize there being three categories of being: good, neutral, and evil.  Instead, it recognizes only two: good and evil. If one is not doing good, then one must be doing evil. Psalm 34:14 says, “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” In Mark 3:4, Jesus asked the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do harm, to save a life or to kill?” The question is: what is one’s orientation toward others—good or evil? He didn’t give them the option of being neutral, even though the world says that’s what most of us are. What the world calls neutral the Bible calls evil. Why?  Because doing the neutral thing of living as if you and your concerns are the central reality of your existence necessarily makes God second.

The word the Bible uses for that is “evil.” In Matthew 12:30, Jesus talked about the unpardonable sin, “The one who is not with Me is against Me; and the one who does not gather with Me scatters.” If we do not actively seek to choose good and combat evil, then we are not being neutral, we are, in fact, doing evil. LGBTQ+ people are facing attacks from from people across America. It may not be a new thing, but that doesn’t diminish the evil that it is. For nearly the last decade, since Donald Trump came to dominate the Republican Party, bullying and selfishness have become the rallying cris of Republicans.

During the 1920s and 1930s, Martin Niemöller, a once prominent Lutheran pastor in Germany, sympathized with many Nazi ideas and supported radically right-wing political movements. However, after Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933, Niemöller became an outspoken critic of Hitler’s interference in the Protestant Church. He spent the last eight years of Nazi rule, from 1937 to 1945, in Nazi prisons and concentration camps. Niemöller is perhaps best remembered for his postwar statement, which begins “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.” However we identify ourselves,, we can’t sit on the sidelines and do nothing. We have to actively work to better this world for everyone. While it’s never a time to declare neutrality, there are times when neutrality can do so much more harm than good. We are in one of those times.speak up, vote, do anything you can to help make this world a better place for all. We don’t have the luxury of being neutral and watching the world from a distance, because the evil that is building steam may not be directly affecting you right now, but it will. Right now, it’s probably only harming people you do not know. Eventually though, it will harm the ones you love, and it will harm you as well. Don’t declare neutrality and sit back and watch until it’s too late. Do something now!

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

— Ephesians 1:2

I saw a meme on Facebook the other day that said, “If Paul saw the church in America today, we would be getting a letter.” The letters, or epistles, that Paul wrote provide an insight into the beliefs and controversies of early Christianity. The Pauline Epistles are the thirteen books of the New Testament attributed to Paul the Apostle, although most scholars believe that Paul only wrote seven of the thirteen epistles attributed to him. Paul wrote to the Christian communities in Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae, and Thessalonica. Paul also wrote to three of his followers: Timothy in Ephesus, Titus in Crete, and Philemon in Colossae. 

I think Paul would be appalled if he saw Christianity in America today. He would probably be appalled at most Christians in the world who have taken so much of his words in the epistles and twisted them to suit their own desires to condemn others and subjugate them to conform to their version of Christianity. He would be dismayed at the hatefulness that emanates from churches in America. He would be disappointed in how fractured Christianity is in America with its seemingly endless variety of Protestant denominations. The early churches that Paul wrote to were not uniformly following the teachings of Christ. They had adapted to local prejudices and practices in opposition to the universality of love and acceptance that Jesus had preached.

Paul wanted uniformity and universality in the church. He sought to encourage Christians to follow the teachings of Jesus, not of men who found various ways to exclude others. Each of the early churches had their own problems. The best example of this is in the two epistles to Corinth, in which he addresses the various problems with the local church, who were following the desires of men instead of those of Jesus. In the name of Christ, they were actually turning their backs on the teachings of Christ for their own gain, much like Christians in America today.

Paul stressed unity and acceptance by Christians. Specifically, in 1 Corinthians 13, often known as the love chapter, Paul describes the characteristics of true love. He says that love is not selfish or self-centered; it is kind, humble, forgiving, courteous, not easily angered, respectful, trusting, positive and hopeful. Love also gives us spiritual resilience and patience so that it willingly “endures all things” to obey and serve God. Paul points out that envy and competition create division, as was the case in the Corinthian church. Love is the great unifier. If Paul were to see the state of Christianity in America today, instead of being a great unifier, he would see an uncharitable, greedy, power-hungry, hateful, and discriminatory group of people who work more to exclude than to include others.

The importance of Paul’s writings should be invaluable to Christianity. Paul also took the Gospel message to the Gentile (non-Jewish) world, leaving instructions and inspiration that continue to change lives today. Paul wanted Christianity to be open to all people and to advocate for peace and loving relationships with one another. Some of Paul’s letters are controversial because they are taken out of context and are used by many Christians in America to exclude, not include, people from Christianity. For example when Paul discusses the harmful practice of pederasty (in 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy) or pagan orgies (Romans), teachings that are used to condemn LGBTQ+ people when they do not even address LGBTQ+ communities. 

So, yes, I do believe if Paul saw the church in America today, evangelical leaders in America would be getting a letter. Too much of Christianity has strayed from the teachings of Christ and is being used as a bludgeon to oppress the less fortunate and those perceived as different instead of uplifting them. It is used to divide people instead of unite them. Since I moved to New England, the heart of Puritan beliefs that are used to oppress others, I’ve always found it interesting that those same denominations (Puritans, Pilgrims, etc.) that were once used to exclude and punish those who were not conforming to the desires of religious leaders are the most welcoming of modern Christian denominations, and those who were more open and accepting (Baptists) have become the most exclusionary and repressive of the denominations in America.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

—1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

The Thanksgiving holiday in the United States is on a Thursday. A lot of people see the holiday in terms of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, turkey and all the good food that comes with it, or football. However, even if that’s the case, remember that it is a holiday to give thanks. When is it easiest to be thankful? The answer is usually when things are going well. While it might be easier to praise and thank God when you are most happy and comfortable, it is just as important, if not more important, to thank Him in the midst of trials.

In 1 Thessalonians, Paul tells the church at Thessalonica to rejoice always and give thanks in all circumstances. This can be hard to do, especially when things aren’t going well. So why do we have to give thanks? Why can’t we give in to cynicism and thanklessness? Because God calls us to a life of continual thankfulness. It is God’s will that we give thanks. This is not to say we need to be always smiling. Sometimes things in life are bad, and we should mourn or be upset, but it is in these moments that God asks us to thank Him anyway. Philippians 4:6 tells us, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” The trials in our lives are not pointless. God has a purpose for everything, even the bad. We might not be able to see the good, but God can see the whole picture, and we can gain hope in knowing that our suffering is not in vain, but rather, part of God’s greater purpose.

Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” No matter how we feel at any given moment, we are still in control of what we say and do, and we should use this opportunity to point our lives back to God. A defining characteristic of a Christian is how he or she responds to trials. By finding the good in the bad and giving thanks despite the negative circumstances, Christians set themselves apart from the rest of the world while simultaneously lifting their own spirits by fixing their eyes on God instead of on the world.

So, this Thanksgiving, whether you see the blessing abounding in your life or you are struggling to find anything to be thankful for, look to God. He blesses us with grace and salvation and wants us to praise be thankful for being a child of God and trusting Him and His purpose for our lives now and forever.

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for

  “God resists the proud,
  But gives grace to the humble.”

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

— 1 Peter 5:5-11

Often times, those who hate the LGBTQ+ community are the loudest and most vocal in their hatred. Sadly, because of the centuries of Christian persecution of LGBTQ+ people, it is acceptable to far too many people. Yet, other forms of discrimination, such as racism, are almost universally condemned. There is nothing humble about homophobia. Those who hate LGBTQ+ are hateful and loud about their hatred. As 1 Peter 5:8 says, our “adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion,” and tells us to “be sober, be vigilant” because he is “seeking whom he may devour.”

Quite frankly, most of the homophobes of the world want us dead and are often not ashamed to say so. They want to ruin the lives of LGBTQ+ people. This week, the small-town mayor of Smith Station, Alabama, who was also a Baptist minister in Phenix City, committed suicide after a Christofascist hate group calling itself “1819 News” (1819 refers to the year Alabama became a state), published pictures of him wearing women’s clothes and makeup. The Phenix City School Superintendent Dr. Larry DiChiara wrote in a Facebook post, “I am so angry right now and heartbroken. I witnessed a good man be publicly ridiculed and crucified over the last few days to the point that he just took his own life today. I just want to ask you people who thought it humorous to publicly ridicule him, ‘Are you happy now?’ What crime did he commit?” Sadly, I have no doubt that those who publicly ridiculed him are happy.

The Alabama Baptist State Convention put out a statement that said, “We have become aware of the alleged unbiblical behavior related to the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Phenix City. We are praying for the leaders of the church family as they seek to determine the truth concerning these accusations.” The Baptist Convention referred to this man “wearing women’s clothes and makeup” as “alleged unbiblical behavior.” Yet, they were careful not to condemn 1819 News, the ones who made the pictures public, as committing what should be obvious to all Christians as “unbiblical behavior.”

Some might think this man, who was a Baptist minister, is not worthy of our pity because he lived a secret life, but that secret life made him happy. I know how conflicting and confusing it can be for someone to believe they are being forced to live a secret life. He probably felt he had no other choice. If someone had outed me while I worked at a small private school in Alabama, I’d have been devastated and humiliated. I’m not sure what I would have done. The internal pressures this man felt were there because of centuries of hatred for who he really was. I’m sure he had enough self-hatred without the help of 1819 News. I don’t know what kind of preacher this man was, but I hope that he was the kind who preached about love and kindness and that “sufferings are experienced by [our] brotherhood in the world.”

On the Wednesday night (southern churches often have Wednesday night services), the minister took to the pulpit at First Baptist Church to denounce the post about him, claiming he was a “victim of an internet attack.” He then read from the 23rd Psalm as he delivered a short sermon. “God will always protect you, take care of you,” he said. “He will see you through anything, absolutely anything.”

Our adversaries who walk about like a roaring lion, seeking whom they may devour are not humble people. Christ taught over and over that we should be humble. Jesus was clear in the Beatitudes:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.” (Matthew 5:3-11)

Homophobic Christofascists hate us to the point that they want us dead and are more than happy to drive us to kill ourselves. They ruined this man’s life through their hatred, and while they should be prosecuted for what they did and charged with no less than accessory to murder, I know nothing will come of it. Yet, this man died because he was doing something that made him happy and did not harm anyone else. Sadly, the Speaker of the House of Representatives is a homophobic Christofascists. Like so many Republicans, especially those who are ardent supporters of the orange traitor, they walk about like roaring lions, seeking whom they may devour.

Remember, God “gives grace to the humble.”

For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established—that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

—Romans 1:11-12

The other day, I came across the following clip in which Dolly talks about her spirituality on Person to Person with Norah O’Donnell:

Dolly may look flashy, and she once said that “It takes a lot of money to look this trashy,” but she has always lived a beautiful life. She may be one of the richest woman in America, but she also donates to many charities. Her Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free books to children from birth until they begin school. She’s not calling for books to be banned or that libraries be defunded because they contain books that ignorant people find offensive. No, she is sending out books to children for free. She’s never claimed to be the “best Christian” or told others how they should behave. She has famously refrained from entering the political fray. “I don’t do politics,” Dolly once said. “I have too many fans on both sides of the fence. Of course, I have my opinion, but I learned years ago to keep my mouth shut about things.” Staying out of politics is more than just being a shrewd businesswoman, but she is following Christ’s teachings of not judging others. Some people believe she should be more vocal about politics, especially the way LGBTQ+ people are treated in the South, but she has always shown support in other ways.

In the clip above, Dolly talks about spirituality and living by example. I don’t think you have to be the most vocal person in opposing evil and hateful politics, because some people can do more by living in a way that is an example to others. I think that what Dolly does so well. She’s never pretended to be something she’s not. She was raised dirt poor and through hard work and incredible talent, she has prospered and has made sure she takes care of others along the way.

For true Christians, God lives within our hearts. We don’t have to go to church, sit in the front pew, sing or say AMEN the loudest, or nod along with every word the preacher says. However, what we do need to do is to live our lives in a way that honors God. By following the teachings of Christ we can do that. Dolly lives the life that James advocated in his Epistle. I want to leave you with a passage from the Epistle of James in which he talks about the best way to practice our faith:

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

—James 2:14-20, 26

Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

—Matthew 7:20

Only two of the sermons Jesus gave were ever recorded in the gospels. Matthew wrote down the more well-known of the sermons, the Sermon on the Mount, and Luke wrote down the lesser-known Sermon on the Plain. The two sermons are very similar, though the order and location of what was said are different. While Matthew groups Jesus’ teachings into sets of similar material, the same material is more scattered when found in Luke. The Sermon on the Mount and the shorter Sermon on the Plain occur at the same moment in both Matthew’s and Luke’s narratives. However, both feature Jesus heading up a mountain, except in Matthew he gave the sermon on his way up the mountain, and Luke says he gave the sermon on the way down at a level spot. Some scholars believe that they are the same sermon, while others hold that Jesus frequently preached similar themes in different places. Whichever it is, the two sermons present the core of Christ’s ministry.

I want to focus on two similar passages from both sermons in which Jesus describes two types of people. Both talk about how you can know a good person from an evil person. Matthew 7:16-20 says:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”

In Luke 6:43-45, Jesus says:

“For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

Often we are asked to turn inward and reflect spiritually on ourselves. Any thoughtful and faithful person should look inwardly at our own spirituality. For me, my faith is a deeply personal experience. I believe that if we are true believers, the Bible speaks to us in a way that comforts us. It doesn’t speak to everyone in the same way. Some look for the negatives and fill their hearts with hate, and others look for the positives and fill their hearts with love. 

Even with that said, we do not take our personal journey alone. We are influenced by outside forces and the Christian faith as a whole. If we look at Christianity as an orchard of trees, some of them will bear good fruit and some bad fruit, and Jesus says that we cannot expect good fruit from a tree that has gone bad. If we do not take care of our roots, and our core beliefs, our tree will wither and die. If we do not water our soil, we will perish from malnourishment of our spirit. James 7:15-17 says, “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” If our branches are withering, we cannot bear good fruit, and if we follow the withering branches, those who preach hate, we will also bear bad fruit.

Currently, I believe that the orchard of Christianity is filled with trees bearing bad fruit. The healthy trees are being pushed aside and poisoned by the bad trees. Look at many of the people who loudly profess their faith, and you will see them bearing only bad fruit. They build great churches, have huge congregations, and pay their ministers huge salaries, but are they feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, or providing shelter to the homeless in these great churches? For the most part, the answer is no, and if they are doing those things, they come with certain expectations. You have to believe the way they do. For a long time, the Salvation Army would only feed, clothe, and shelter the homeless as long as they were not LGBTQ+ and fit their idea of a Christian. They still require those who come to them for help to listen to a sermon instead of giving freely.

The Christian community does not look at itself as a whole in order to see the problems with our religion today. Many instead only look outward to see the problems with the world around them, but they do not look at themselves. In the ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism, they believe in a duality of the universe. They believe that there is a universal war between good (Ahura Mazda) and evil (Angra Mainyu). Zoroastrians believe that when the war is won, Ahura Mazda will be the victor for good always will win out over evil. However, as with any war, one side or the other wins the battles along the way. We know the great evil characters in history, and they seemed to win for a time, but in the end, they were defeated by good.  Likewise, those who preach hatefulness seem to be overpowering Christianity, but I believe that one day, the good that is Christianity will win out. We just have to be diligent. 

In war, if you become complacent or become overconfident, you will be defeated. You must conscientiously build and nourish your army. Napoleon Bonaparte is an example of this. When Tsar Alexander I of Russia refused to abide by Napoleon’s policy forbidding trade with Britain, Napoleon began an ill-fated invasion of Russia. He reached Moscow only to find the city abandoned, and a huge fire broke out that same day, destroying the greater part of the town. Since it is impossible to winter in the ruined city, Napoleon begins a retreat in October across the snow-covered plains. The retreat from Moscow is one of the great disasters of military history. Of some 600,000 troops who had set out with Napoleon’s Grand Army in June, fewer than 10,000 men fit for combat remained with his main force by November. A year later, Napoleon’s withered army was defeated at the Battle of Leipzig followed by the loss of Paris and the abdication and imprisonment of Napoleon. Because Napoleon could not provide for his troops, he lost.

The same will be true of those in Christianity who preach hate. Eventually, at least I hope, their congregations will realize that their needs have been ignored by the church. The churches I speak of are bad trees and eventually, people will realize that they are only producing bad fruit. They will realize that their trees have not been nourished and will look for ways to heal themselves. It is at this point that the good trees can nourish the bad trees back to health. With the strength of the good trees, they can help the bad trees once again be healthy and bear good fruit, but it will take time. We have to make sure that we care for not just the fruit or the branches of the trees, but the whole tree and ultimately, the whole orchard.

I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; you have been very pleasant to me; your love to me was wonderful,surpassing the love of women.

— 2 Samuel 1:26

When people talk about the Bible being against LGBTQ+ individuals, one of the things I think about is the verse above. In gay theology, many people claim that David and Jonathan were lovers and gay. If they were, it would certainly not be the only incidence of two male lovers who were in public positions. Plato believed that the love between Achilles and Patroclus in The Iliad had the purest kind of love, that between two men. Alexander the Great had his great love Hephaestion. The Roman Emperor Hadrian was madly in love with Antinous to the point that when Antinous died, Hadrian declared him a god. The list could go on, but those are the most prominent and the list goes on from ancient times forward. 

Whether any of these men were gay lovers or not has been a debate for centuries. We will never know for sure because we cannot ask them. In the passage above though one thing is clear: Jonathan and David were two men who deeply loved each other, whether romantic or not. Often, we are taught that a deep love is not a masculine virtue, especially if those two men are both very masculine individuals. The exception is the Greek scholars who followed Plato’s belief that true love can only come from two equals, which in Plato’s time meant two men, not a man and a women because women were inherently inferior to the Ancient Greeks.

Gay or straight, people often look disparagingly on men who are more feminine than masculine. You often see “Masc 4 Masc” on gay dating profiles. However, the wider world, i.e, the straight world, doesn’t believe that two masculine men belong together, although they often have no issue with two “less manly” gay men or they think most masculine gay men belong with more feminine gay men. The problem is that we are taught at a young age that gender roles are very rigid. Yet, they obviously are not. Not all gay men are fully feminine and flamboyant or stoic and masculine. Those gender roles mean that men are supposed to be masculine and not show emotion, while women should be feminine and more emotional. Yet, there are sweet and tender masculine men and mean and unemotional queens out there. 

There is nothing wrong with being masculine or feminine, no matter what your primary sexual characteristics are. Being masculine does not mean that you can’t love and show emotion. There is nothing wrong with masculinity. It’s toxic masculinity that is the issue. I’ve always called toxic masculinity testosterone poisoning. The problem with masculinity is the belief that masculine individuals cannot show gentleness, affection, or love. This belief creates fear and hatred. It’s why some deeply closeted gay men are rabidly homophobic. If we were not taught strict binary attitudes about male and female, and encouraged people to be who they are, we would likely not have self-hating gays or as many young suicides by LGBTQ+ people. 

We need to be who we are, not what is expected of us. Sort of a gentler version of “let your freak flag fly.” The Bible shows us that two strong, decisive, masculine men are capable of loving one another. But more than that, it shows us that love can come in many forms and dynamics. If we are able to be ourselves and express our sexuality and not be tied to strict gender roles, we will be happier individuals.