Dear Christian Who Claims To “Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin”,

Before I begin, I admit I’m making 2 assumptions:

1. You believe homosexuality is a sin.

2. When you claim, “Love the sinner, hate the sin”, you are actually speaking about those acting on Same Sex Attraction, rather than your overweight, alcoholic pastor (gluttony, drunkardness), the investment broker who ran off with your savings (lying, swindling), or your spouse who has been cheating on you before the ink on the marriage license was dry (adultery).

If the above do not apply to you, please go about your day.

Otherwise…read on.There is something I need to say to you, and I say it in love. 

Please stop saying this. 

When you say it, you say it in judgement. I’ve never heard it truly said in love.

Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. John 5:22,23

I know Jesus loves my LGBTQ friends. Some love him back. Some don’t. The reason they don’t is because people who profess Christ’s name are mean to them. Why would anyone trust and believe anything from those who hate their very origin and being?
love trumps fear
Shirt design: Micah Murray http://teespring.com/LoveTrumpsFear
I was born into the Great American Melting Pot. Our country is based on freedoms to believe whatever we want to believe, thank God. This, with the gift of God’s free will, puts Rob Bell’s quote into play for me,

“God says, ‘You can live how you want, or you can live how I created you to live.’ It’s almost as if God says, ‘It’s your choice.’”

I’m making the free-will choice to live how God created me to live. I have to respect others’ decision to live they way they need to live.
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What if, instead of making blanket statements about people we don’t know, we concentrate on the sin in our own hearts? Can you imagine how much more loving we will appear to those who don’t know Jesus? 

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eyeMatthew 7:1-5

If you have a relationship with someone and feel the need to quietly discuss views with that person – go to it. Keep it between the two of you. There is no need to bring in Facebook and the Twitterverse. 
Imagine what the world may be if we prioritized Scripture by using Jesus’ own words, 

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

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Listen to the Rose City Podcast interview with Dr. Brad Harper and his son, Drew, discussing how to love your gay neighbor. Or in Dr. Harper’s case – your gay son.

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