What is true religion?
[And, why do I write so much about religion? Grumble, grumble...]
It is because I am a human being. It is because, as a person, I am a spiritual being...
No. I don't go into the mysticism. But, it is something that I cannot run away from in my country. Truth to tell, most human beings cannot run away from it.
A colleague of mine at work asks, apropos of nothing. 'Are you a Catholic?' Answer? No. And, he continued. Protestant (anglican)? No. SDA? No. Moslem? No.
Then, frustrated, 'What religion are you?', and cheeky me, 'None of the above.'
I choose to think that religion doesnt define my humanity. And, I choose not to choose any of the labels. But they are very important to us as human beings.
Because I say that, some point at me and say this is an anti-Christian blog. (Uh, that was Ssempa, you guessed.)
But, I strongly believe in a person's right to define their faith. I will not proselytize my lack of faith. And, I will look on in bemusement if anyone tries to proselytize me. Might make for an interesting conversation.
And, I will also stand for the right of a gay African to have a faith life.
Some believe that since we are gay, we cant be Christian, or Muslim, or whatever religion. I think they err. And, though I am none of those, I believe that a gay Ugandan, a gay African is also a human being. They, and we have the same right to religion as all other human beings.
Yes, I might have a problem with the logics of reconciling the faiths. But then, why do we call them faiths? Because they are faiths.
Even when others use their faith to hit out at us, demonise us, call us anti-Christ, kaffirs, anti-God, etc, just because we have a different sexuality, I still stand and say that we are human beings. And, a gay human being can be a Christian.
And, can be a Moslem.
And, I may actually find the words to debate one who says I cant be a Christian (or Moslem) and gay at the same time. Because that person is denying my humanity. That is my convoluted thinking.
I would really love it if religious people would stop defining their religiousness with anti-gay rhetoric.
I mean, in Uganda, Ssempa is the epitome of a Christian. Because of his anti-gay rhetoric, which is considered the very spirit and soul of Christianity. The Anglicans in Uganda.... well, it is all the same. That is why they excommunicated Bishop Ssenyonjo. He was not anti-gay enough. In fact, he was pro-gay.
I know. For the Catholics, it is the contraception thing, but the anti-gay thing also comes in.
Bahati... well. He says that it is his heartfelt wish to pass the 'Kill the Gay' bill. Make it law. Of course, for him it is defining something called the family, or traditional family. And, he still has hopes of it becoming law.
So, what is true religiousness? Why does my sexuality have to be used to define spirituality?
I have no answers for you. The only ones I have are for me, thank you.
Gug
Now this post was inspired by this post here. Who are the Real Christians? And, in my book, Desmond Tutu is a real Christian....!
3 comments:
You know what, GUG? It is these occasional flashes of brilliance, every now and then, that make me endure the remainder of your blog that I find otherwise … off-putting. Naturally. But this one is truly good.
So, I agree with you on this (again). First, I too have no religion. None of the above. And I am not an atheist, either. I have faith in God, through Jesus Christ. I refer to my beliefs as Christianity for simplicity, but I know that most Christians would deny me and banish from their group (and rightly-so). The rest of the details can be found elsewhere. :o)
On Christ and the homosexuals, I have written much. In short: Christianity is the only place where homosexuals should be, and be at peace, because it is the only place where sinners—which includes homosexuals like you, and straight people like myself—can be at peace with a system that sensibly says that homosexuality is a sin, like much of what we do. The system is the justice of God; but Christianity is the Grace of God. Grace, here, means “pardon”. I do not understand why most people do not see or understand this: it is the point of Christianity. Yet there has never been anyone rushing to condemn the evil thing that Christianity is, before they have understood the single fucking reason it is called the “Good News”: read Romans 3:9-31 to get an idea of what I seek to present.
Now, people like Pr. Ssempa condemn homosexuality, because they do not do it; they do not condemn other things that are sins but which they do. In fact, you have mused in the past about whether Pr. Ssempa is a closet gay. I can confirm that, if he believes that Christ spoke the truth, then Pr. Ssempa is a homosexual. Not my words; Christ’s words. If he gets to see this, I challenge him to challenge me. If he does not, he accepts my charge.
“Yes, I might have a problem with the logics of reconciling the faiths. But then, why do we call them faiths? Because they are faiths.”
And in that one sentence you grasp, immediately, what otherwise eludes whole swathes of the beak-frothing legalistic Pharisee league. Curious that you, after affirming your not being churched, repeat this highest truth of the faith of the followers of Christ. You agree with Christ more than you realise. Notably, John 3:16 says nothing about what you do, but only what you believe. There will be many homosexuals saved, and no Pharisees. Luke 18:9-14.
“And, a gay human being can be a Christian.
And, can be a Moslem.”
Yes on the Christian, no on the Moslem. Only Christianity is the faith of sinners; the rest of them are faiths of righteous people. Homosexuals are sinners (just as I am a sinner—what/who/how I fuck is not that important). Therefore only Christianity can be their faith. Faith makes you a Christian, not what you do.
“I mean, in Uganda, Ssempa is the epitome of a Christian. Because of his anti-gay rhetoric, which is considered the very spirit and soul of Christianity.”
Things like these, GUG, are why I am not a Christian. Incidentally, I agree with Pr. Ssempa that homosexuality is a sin. I do not agree with him, however, when he draws the Grace of God away from the people for whom it is meant: homosexuals (among others—liars, for example, like himself).
If this is Christianity, then I am not a Christian. No wonder they hate you—they hated your advocate first.
From the 27th Comrade. Dont know why this didnt appear here.
You know what, GUG? It is these occasional flashes of brilliance, every now and then, that make me endure the remainder of your blog that I find otherwise … off-putting. Naturally. But this one is truly good.
So, I agree with you on this (again). First, I too have no religion. None of the above. And I am not an atheist, either. I have faith in God, through Jesus Christ. I refer to my beliefs as Christianity for simplicity, but I know that most Christians would deny me and banish from their group (and rightly-so). The rest of the details can be found elsewhere. :o)
On Christ and the homosexuals, I have written much. In short: Christianity is the only place where homosexuals should be, and be at peace, because it is the only place where sinners—which includes homosexuals like you, and straight people like myself—can be at peace with a system that sensibly says that homosexuality is a sin, like much of what we do. The system is the justice of God; but Christianity is the Grace of God. Grace, here, means “pardon”. I do not understand why most people do not see or understand this: it is the point of Christianity. Yet there has never been anyone rushing to condemn the evil thing that Christianity is, before they have understood the single fucking reason it is called the “Good News”: read Romans 3:9-31 to get an idea of what I seek to present.
Now, people like Pr. Ssempa condemn homosexuality, because they do not do it; they do not condemn other things that are sins but which they do. In fact, you have mused in the past about whether Pr. Ssempa is a closet gay. I can confirm that, if he believes that Christ spoke the truth, then Pr. Ssempa is a homosexual. Not my words; Christ’s words. If he gets to see this, I challenge him to challenge me. If he does not, he accepts my charge.
“Yes, I might have a problem with the logics of reconciling the faiths. But then, why do we call them faiths? Because they are faiths.”
And in that one sentence you grasp, immediately, what otherwise eludes whole swathes of the beak-frothing legalistic Pharisee league. Curious that you, after affirming your not being churched, repeat this highest truth of the faith of the followers of Christ. You agree with Christ more than you realise. Notably, John 3:16 says nothing about what you do, but only what you believe. There will be many homosexuals saved, and no Pharisees. Luke 18:9-14.
“And, a gay human being can be a Christian.
And, can be a Moslem.”
Yes on the Christian, no on the Moslem. Only Christianity is the faith of sinners; the rest of them are faiths of righteous people. Homosexuals are sinners (just as I am a sinner—what/who/how I fuck is not that important). Therefore only Christianity can be their faith. Faith makes you a Christian, not what you do.
“I mean, in Uganda, Ssempa is the epitome of a Christian. Because of his anti-gay rhetoric, which is considered the very spirit and soul of Christianity.”
Things like these, GUG, are why I am not a Christian. Incidentally, I agree with Pr. Ssempa that homosexuality is a sin. I do not agree with him, however, when he draws the Grace of God away from the people for whom it is meant: homosexuals (among others—liars, for example, like himself).
Anyone that has experienced God's Love, will know that He makes no distinction between black or white, straight or gay, rich or poor. Like the other commentator wisely said, it is by Grace that mankind is saved, because God sent His Son down to earth to die for our sins--and absolutely everyone is a sinner, from Adam to the last human being that is born on this earth.
Christ's message is one of being non-judgemental, and of loving each other like we would ourselves. So it is 100% incongruent to consider oneself a religious person while judging and condemning others. Much less linking in any way Christianity to an absurd message of hate and intolerance based on their own misconceptions, and personals issues regarding anyone's sexual preferences--We have seen this situation over and over again, where a person that openly and vigorously critizices gays, ends up being a closeted gay himself.
Why some people link this ignorant prejudice, or any other; to Christianity? because they have never known God or Christ.
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