So, the other day I was listening to an author podcast on YouTube. I listen to this author quite a bit, and something she said really smacked me in the face with a revelation.
Before I go on, I am sure this might offend peeps on both sides of this subject, but please read the whole post before judging me… as I know this whole subject is extremely controversial and a volatile subject in many circles. Thanks!
I realized why so many non-Christians are so antagonistic, to say the least, to us believers because of my own attitude of being irritated at something this author said.
Now, to her defense, after thinking about the comment and the situation, I know she wasn’t trying to shove any ideology down my throat as so many mainstream media outlets (movies, TV, etc.) do. She was just describing what her book was about, but I took it the wrong way. I took it…at least for a few moments… like she was shoving her own beliefs into my face.
I realized then that that is probably how many non-Christians view us believers as we engage in conversations with them. To us it might be just casual conversation, but to them, they might be thinking that we are trying to preach to them. Now, I am sure some of “us” are indeed trying to preach to them, just like some of “them” are trying to preach to us.
I don’t mean to use “us” and “them” as if it is some kind of battle or that we are all enemies. I surely don’t view anyone as an enemy. I try to love everybody…no matter how much of a jerk they might be to me. Sometimes it is hard…but I digress…to clarify “us” and “them” are simply easy ways to describe the difference of belief structures or ideology and the such. It isn’t my intention to be divisive in any form. It is just that this subject matter is kind of divisive in itself.
Anywho, so here is what went down. This particular author mentioned that her book is a non-binary LGBTQ+ book, and boy did I at first think that she was another person trying to shove this stuff down everyone’s throat, then I took a moment to really think about what I know about her.
I thought about how many times I have actually heard her say anything about the LGBTQ+ in her videos. I can remember only one other mention other than her describing her books, and that was simply stating that she is bi-sexual. The weird thing is, with that statement, I never once thought she was trying to shove anti-traditional marriage ideology into my face anything. All she was doing was stating that she can identify with the LGBTQ+ community because she is bisexual. I have never heard her push any sort of LGBTQ+ agenda.
This author seems to be like all my friends that I have known over the years who identify as something other than strictly heterosexual. Just someone who goes about life doing their own thing. Most of the people I know who would identify as LGBTQ+ do not go about trying to proselytize everyone else into thinking their way. They understand that some agree with them, and some don’t. They don’t make it a big deal. I would imagine that this is how this particular author is.
Anywho, the whole thing got me thinking on how those who might be LGBTQ+, atheists, non-religious, or even other not so mainstream religions might react similarly to the Christian themes so intertwined into our society. Now, it is obvious that I believe Jesus as the only way to heaven and the triune God to be the only one true God, and as a Christian there are certain moral issues that I would believe differently than a lot of the non-Christian community. However, that doesn’t mean that we Christians should be hateful, disrespectful, or rude to ANYONE with ANY belief structure that differs from our own. It is scriptural that we are SUPPOSED to LOVE them…everyone. This would include Hitler as hard as that might be. It would include the racist, the abusive spouse or parent, the jerk down the street. We Christians are to always strive to love even the unlovable. That is what Jesus did and what he asks us to do.
Again…I digress…. anywhoo, I started thinking of all the times that non-Christians might see commercials on television of a church, or a social media post, or a billboard on the side of the road and start to get irritated that that stuff is “being shoved down their throat” because it is merely there.
Now, in my opinion, this is different than the movies and TV shows including trans people in every single show and movie these days just to be woke. To be honest, there are a few shows that I enjoy when the writers have LGBTQ+ characterization BECAUSE IT ADDS TO THE SHOW. Viewers can tell when writers are trying to be woke and include some aspect of LGBTQ+ just to do so because when they do it has nothing to do with the storyline, and it often weakens the story or show in general.
I posted a few months ago about Star Trek Discovery including a homosexual relationship in the show, and I thought it was well written. The gay relationship arc (in my opinion) served to add to the story rather than to weaken it. There was a whole mini-arc in season two that evolved around their relationship and their struggles. I won’t tell you anymore as it would be a big spoiler. Anywhoo, I really enjoyed the dynamics within the overall story.
With that said, it seems Star Trek Discovery added more characters that fall in the LGBTQ+ sphere, and in doing so many viewers have said that Discovery has “gone woke”, meaning that they are basically virtue signaling to the LGBTQ+ community with no regards for the quality of the story. To be fair, I have not actually seen the episodes that so many social media commentators are referring to, but I will eventually. I just haven’t been in the mood to watch Discovery in a while…but I’ll get back into it when I get on a sci-fi kick.
So, many commentators are complaining that the way the writers wrote the character was an obvious virtue signal because the character, it seems, is non-binary, and it is kind of a bombshell that is just dropped into the dialogue. They complain that it didn’t “feel real” like all the other Star Trek episodes (across all the Star Trek shows) where the idea of non-binary, same-sex attraction, inter-racial relationships, and so much more are written to ease the viewer into contemplation about the subject.
Except for the original and Enterprise (and Discovery), I have watched every episode across the Star Trek universe, and I would agree. Star Trek has always been at the forefront of cultural change and has always written these episodes designed to make us think, question, etc. our bias. After all, the original series had the first interracial kiss on television. It was okay, even during a highly racist era because it was science fiction and in the future. Now look at our society. I am in an interracial relationship…soon to be marriage. This IS the future!
Anywho, we digress again. I will need to watch these episodes that peeps are so upset about and make my own judgment if the show has become woke or not, but now back to what I was talking about earlier. As I said before, I don’t think this author intended to come across to anyone as an LGBTQ activist. I would venture to say that she probably doesn’t care that much about who agrees with her and who doesn’t. She was simply speaking about what she knows, and she wrote a fiction book that was influenced by what she knows and cares about, just like many Christians start talking “Christian stuff” because that is what we know and care about. I know that is the case for me.
Sometimes, we Christians don’t even realize that we are “being religious” because it is just who we are. Many of us have grown up in church, and others found God later, but we all consumed ourselves with our faith, making it a part of our DNA in many of us. I know this to be the case with me. I don’t think that I COULD turn from believing in Christ, even if I wanted to. It would be like cutting off both arms and legs. I wouldn’t know what to do, and I’ll bet I would pretty much keep the same belief structures I have now. I have grown in my faith enough to know that I cannot turn away from believing in the one true triune God of the Bible.
Anywhoo, all of this rambling to say that I get it now why so many people don’t like Christians. They think we are trying to shove our faith down their throats. Though it is fundamental to our faith that we preach Saving faith to those who do not believe in hopes that they will convert and truly see the love of God…yes, I know, there is also the wrath of God, but that is reserved for those who never accept him. I believe the Bible focuses more on God’s love toward his enemies than the wrath toward His enemies…but we digress again.
Anywhoo, Yes, many of us Christians are always looking for ways to spread the good news of eternal life, but we don’t intentionally “shove it in people’s faces” We read our bibles at lunch break because we follow Christ, not to shove it in your face. We pray, not to get you to pray with us – though you are always welcome – but because we like talking to God. Some of us don’t watch certain movies not to tell you that you shouldn’t, but because we feel that God doesn’t want us to. Some of us try not to say certain choice words or act in certain ways, not to rub in your face that we are Christians, but because we know that our Father wouldn’t want us to say those words or act that way.
I’m pretty sure that the same could be said for most LGBTQ peeps. They don’t do or say what they do or say to shove their beliefs in our faces.
We, on both “sides” of the fence, just need to stop taking offense at what other people do and think if it doesn’t physically hurt us or if it isn’t intentionally hateful.
I could go on for pages on more of this, but I’ll just end here. This post has kind of been all over the place, but I hope you enjoyed reading it anyway.
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