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| photo credit: Gizmodo Shoes |
I tossed and turned for a while in bed last night, thinking
about what a misfit I am. How I don’t seem to fit neatly into any cultural
corner: I’m eyed with suspicion by my gay friends when I profess to be a born
again Christian. I’m eyed with suspicion by Christian friends when I
confess to enjoying the company of my gay and very nonchristian friends. And sometimes I'm painfully aware that I do not belong in groups or events involving certain brands of people in pretty
packaging with plasticky smiles and platitudes dabbed on saintly lips and—that
is a good thing, actually. But it makes for a lonely existence at times.
These days I crave Jesus’ companionship more than ever—the company
of the world’s greatest misfit. His presence in my life means the difference
between staying under the blankets until late morning and getting up to go make
a change wherever I can.
I’m leaving in a couple hours to visit a "safe house" where
girls are rescued from the sex trafficking industry. There is nothing neat and
pretty about that world. Getting ready, an article in the bathroom basket catches my eye. I read the first few paragraphs and my heart skips as though
an angel has appeared with a timely message of hope and comfort. I hug the
magazine and fly down the stairs and sit in my La-Z-Boy and, as I continue
reading, break into heavy sobs—thank you, I needed this sobs. I want to go visit
the author immediately and hug her gratefully, except she is too far away. Nighttime
gloom gives way to a bright-shining sun in my soul, matched by rays of light
streaming through the window.
Below is the link to the article: My Train Wreck Conversion (“As a leftist lesbian professor, I
despised Christians. Then somehow I became one”). I am asking (begging) both my
Christian and nonchristian friends to read it thoughtfully and be willing to
grow a little more in the way of understanding. If nothing else, read it
because some of you know how refreshing it is to come across people on any side
who think, and think daringly deep
and bravely broad.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2013/january-february/my-train-wreck-conversion.html?start=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ_YI6INTQU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ_YI6INTQU
6 comments:
I can only read a part of the article online :( p.s. I'm grateful for you my misfit friend!
cant read whole thing cause cant afford subscription...and you have to have one to ct to read whole article. A
Oops! I didn't realize you need to be a subscriber. I will see if I can scan and post the article on Facebook sometime in the next 24 hours.
Bravo for being willing to be bold in this---how many times I cringe when I hear CHristians around me bash gays , etc.....lumping everyone in together, when they see some headline featuring a law that might pass affecting them, etc... they have no personal experience with this group nor do I think want to. We as Christians need to engage in discussion, overlook our judgements and becoming friends with people is part of the first step. Thank you for being one of the few people I know who shares openly about this!(Do you follow any of Tony Campolo's podcasts--he has some good stuff on reaching out)
OK, I have posted her YouTube video. Excellent.
I do appreciate how Dr. Butterfield shares her story, and gives solid instruction on how to view those in the LGBT community... just like us, because we were all born "that" way. It's true...
I think if more of us understood the reality of ALL our sin, not just the scariness of SOME sins, we'd be much more open to accepting those whose struggle is so different from our own. And at the same time, like she says in the interview, we must stop hiding all our own sin and struggle. We need to show the world around us what we gave up to follow Jesus... but that it was still worth it.
I couldn't read the whole article as I can't afford a subscription. The book might be a good read, although I'm not sure how much of the book would be more detail of her story or how much would be more theological in nature.
I did feel a little, and this could be better explained in the book, confused on what her current perspective of a gay lifestyle is. She never actually mentioned that it was sin, but that she had to give it up. I felt that much of her language was tempered so I couldn't get a good feel of it.
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