"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter." - Martin Luther King Jr.

I have been silent. And this post probably won't exactly be the voice heard round the world.  But in a society where social media is the public square I feel like I'm trying to hide in the shadows if I don't speak up even though I know speaking up will most likely get me rejection.

I have many dearly loved gay and lesbian friends and family. I just want to say I love you! My disagreement with the Supreme Court's views (and society in general) about marriage and homosexuality is because I have a love for you that I believe comes from God.  It's not bigotry.  It's not hate.   It's not fear.  It's not prejudice.  I disagree, but I love you.

I will listen to you and be your friend. I will never shun you because you embrace what I believe to be what's not right.  I know you are coming from a position of what you believe is right.  I too am coming from a position of what I believe is right.  I believe what is right is defined by God.  I believe he is the one who created marriage.  I believe he is the Creator of human sexuality and knows what's good and right for us.

I believe there was a real man named Jesus of Nazareth who walked our soil a couple thousand years ago. He was the only right man. I believe He was the only God-Man. I believe he is the only one who has the real right to say what's right and what's wrong.

He was, and is, a friend of sinners.

I too was a lover of my own version of sexuality and my own version of what is right once. But when I heard Christ's loving call to leave all that behind and follow him and I saw the love and the forgiveness and the offer of life in him that I could not resist.

And so I follow him. Not the culture. Not fear. Not prejudice. Not popular opinion. Not my own desires even. I follow the Friend of Sinners who calls us out of the tangled mess we weave of our lives into true freedom. True life. True love. True peace.

So I love you family and friends!  You know who you are. I really do love you with the love that the friend of sinners has loved me with. I love you and I call to you with him to leave what you define as right for what he defines as right. He is full of love and truth.

And if you find this to be bigotry or prejudice or hateful I would just ask, would you have coffee with me?  Would you sit down with me and listen, and let me listen to you, even though you don't agree with me?  Would you get to know me and see if my life is one that reflects the love I claim?

Quieted,

Sheila