In the comments that followed the post, people said all sorts of mean things. Someone called her homophobic, lots of people said she was entitled, not a minority, and had no idea what she was talking about.
Now, I don't know what it's like to be gay and to be afraid to let the people around you and the world in general know that you are gay. BUT I do know what it is like to be a Christian in the field of science.
There are scientists who are Christian. The two are NOT mutually exclusive. But throughout my education, I have been extremely aware of people who think that Christians are idiots.
I have been afraid of admitting to peers and professors that I am Christian because I am afraid that they will think that I am stupid (my intelligence is very important to me), I am afraid that I will be rejected, I am afraid that it will hurt relationships.
I don't actively try to hide the fact that I am a Christian, but I don't try to reveal it either.
I recently began my Master's of Science in Marine Biology at Texas A&M at Galveston. It is a science and engineering focused school. There are few religious organizations on campus. I don't know if I am actually in the minority on campus, but it feels like I am.
It stings when you are at work and you hear someone say, "Don't you just hate it when someone posts something religious on facebook? Doesn't that make you uncomfortable?" As though you aren't allowed to post your opinions or religious affiliation on social media. Or that it is socially forbidden. That it is taboo.
The United States of America was founded on religious freedom. It is in the 1st Amendment of the Bill of Rights. That shows just how important it is. But we have moved away from freedom of religion to freedom from religion.
Religious people are often looked down on. Christians are often looked down on.
I don't what to be thought less of for being a Christian anymore than a gay person wants to be thought less of for being gay. We are all people, regardless of our religious affiliation, sexual orientation, race, nationality, gender, sex, hair color... and we deserve to be treated as such.
Know one should have to hide who they are for fear of being mocked, rejected, ostracized, belittled, or hurt.
You don't have to like me, but would you mind at least trying to get to know me before you make that decision?
That's my two cents.
-Sharon
Hi Steve,
ReplyDeleteLet me first apologize for not checking my blog regularly (I've been busy and blogging is a hobby of mine). I'm not entirely sure what your comment has to do with this particular blog post. But I'll leave it up because while I do not necessarily agree with ALL of what you've said, I do believe that you have a lot of valid points.
While I do believe and trust the Bible, I don't believe that our interpretations of the Bible are always completely accurate. I do believe that "All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequately equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17
I strongly disagree with you on the issue of baptism. I believe that baptism is the outward sign of acceptance of Christ. I do believe that baptism is very important, but I don't believe that baptism is actually how you are saved. I have thought about and researched this issue a lot and could find no clear answer. The original reason I was so interested in this was that as a child I had friends who believed that I was not saved because even though I believed in Christ, I had not been baptized. This was very upsetting to me. I believe that God wants us to be baptized but I do not believe that if a believer dies before they are able to be baptized that Jesus would reject them. He is a good God who is concerned with our souls and I believe you will be welcomed to heaven if you are not baptized but do believe. I believe that baptism is a response to our belief. I do believe that it is important to be baptized, but if that was all that was necessary for salvation, then why did Jesus die?
Of course, these are my understandings of the Bible as the Lord has revealed them to me and I am neither theologian nor Bible scholar. If I am wrong, I hope that God will reveal this to me, but either way I believe in Jesus and his good Father and I have been baptized so whatever the answer is, I am saved.
All things should be taken with a grain of salt. The Creator God would not have given us brains if he did not intend for us to use them.
Thanks for dropping by.