I recently watched the movie, "Boy Erased" and it occurred to me that the values and the methods of the so-called Christians in that film may be the only conception of Christianity offered to some folks in the LGBT community.
The movie "Boy Erased" starring Lucas Hedges and Russel Crowe, is based on the memoir by Garrad Conley. It is the true story of the teenage son of a pastor who was subjected to gay conversion therapy. He had to endure cult-like tactics and shaming procedures such as public confessions, robotic chants, and witnessing demons being beaten out of his struggling friend, Cameron.
Cameron, played by Britton Sear, was having trouble complying with the program. He was torn by his same-sex attraction and his desire to be saved. He also grappled with the rejection of his family. In order to scare him into following the program, he was made to attend a fake funeral for himself complete with a casket.
Later in the movie, Cameron kills himself.
Data collected from 35 studies show that sexual minority youth are more than 3 times likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers. Click here for full article.
As of this writing, gay conversion therapy is legal in 36 states. Many of these programs are affiliated with self-proclaimed Christian organizations.
Research has revealed that 698,000 LGBT adults have undergone conversion therapy and more than half of them said they received the treatment when they were adolescents.
Many of these programs tell the attendees that if they do not change they are going to hell.
No wonder the gay community has become distrustful.
I found the film shocking and thought-provoking, and I'd like to present 4 important points for Christians to consider.
1. MANY IN THE LGBT COMMUNITY HAVE A FALSE IMPRESSION OF CHRISTIANITY
Let me start off by saying that Conversion therapy is a perversion of true Christian love. Jesus says in Matthew 22:34-40 that the greatest commandment of all is to love God, and the second greatest is to love one another.
Telling gay adolescents that God does not love them is wrong. It is also putting conditions on their salvation.
The bible clearly states the only way to be saved.
Romans 10:9 Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Period
There are no prerequisites about sexual orientation, criminal background checks, character references, or church attendance.
2. WE MUST ACT IN LOVE
How many LBGT's really know the true promise? For that matter, there's plenty of heterosexuals out there who don't really understand the gospel.
We have to meet people where they are. When Jesus met the woman at the well he didn't tell her to stop sleeping around before He would chat with her.
The idea is to love on them and allow God to work in them.
What are we, as Christians, going to do when movies like "Boy Erased" reveal some of the awful things being done in the name of Christianity?
We can't allow the media and politics to define us. We have to show everyone who we really are.
We need to nurture our relationships with our LGBT friends and family. It's impossible to share the good news if we are estranged from them.
Also, it's probably not a good idea to tell them stories of folks leaving the gay lifestyle unless they ask.
We are not responsible for judging them or changing them.
Our so-called "Great Commission" is to spread the gospel, not to decide whether or not someone is worthy enough to hear it.
We should be trying to introduce them to the saving grace of Jesus. Instead of pushing them away from us on earth, we should be inviting them to join us in heaven!
We will probably face rejection. Our gay family members may balk at accepting Jesus when His word condemns same-sex relations. But remember the Bible also condemns lying, cheating, and a multitude of other sins.
Jesus paid for all of it, not just the heterosexual sins.
One of my closest friends has a gay son. He has denounced the church despite his Christian upbringing. I believe his decision was strongly influenced by a culture that paints Christians as the enemy.
She is doing her part to change that. She has told him many times that no matter what she loves him, and also that God loves him.
Are we telling our gay friends that, or are we avoiding "G" word?
Are we letting politics scare us away from intimate friendships?
Are we missing chances to plant seeds of hope?
Robert Loius Stevenson said, "Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant."
3. WE DON'T HAVE TO COMPROMISE OUR BELIEFS
On the other hand, I don't believe in compromising my beliefs in order to be politically correct.
Because I believe the Bible is God-breathed, as a Christian, I can't treat it like a buffet where I only take what I want. Therefore I adhere to the traditional view of marriage, which could certainly make me some enemies.
Well, that puts me in good company then, doesn't it? Jesus had a few enemies I believe.
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
Sticking to our beliefs does not mean going around confronting those in the LGBT community. It means speaking the truth in love. Ephesians 4:15
Instead of getting stuck arguing about sexual sin or the definition of marriage ( There is no marriage in heaven anyway (Matthew 22:30) we need to focus on the bigger plan. God does not want anyone to perish.
The point is that in the end there is only one judge who matters.
4. ONLY GOD CAN JUDGE
I don't believe that the great commission (spreading the gospel) contains an "Only people like you" clause.
As a heterosexual, I cannot even imagine what it must be like growing up feeling sexually different or being told to deny my feelings.
I can't imagine what it is like to be shunned by my family.
I can't imagine what it is like to be scared of the church.
My life has been blessed by gay friends and relatives in my life, and I can't imagine not having relationships with them.
Below are two links to helpful articles from The Christian Post on sharing the gospel with the LGBT community: How to Share Part 1; How to Share Part
I would love to hear from you! What is your experience? Please post below.
