Times have changed

[capnzebbie]

When I was a teenager, back in the 1970s, the Christian Right political movement was just starting. I saw the beginning of it and found it very disturbing even then, when I *was* a fundamentalist Christian. It was part of the reason I left the church; I couldn't reconcile my religious and political beliefs, so I chose my political beliefs.

Back then, I was just starting to question my sexuality. The only person I told was my (Pentecostal Assembly of God) minister. I went to him for counseling about my attraction to one of the girls at church. He was very sweet and understanding. He told me that it was okay, and that I was probably going through a phase. (As it turned out, I wasn't, but that's okay.)

I can't imagine a fundamentalist minister being that reasonable about it now. At the very least, the congregation would want to lay hands on me and try to heal me or cast out the demon of homosexuality. At worst I would be kicked out of the church. My minister not only didn't denounce me, he still loved me. Not in today's "hate the sin, love the sinner" way; he just loved me and treated my feelings with kindness and respect.

What a difference a few decades has made. Everything is so polarized now. It's terribly sad to me that such a large part of the Christian community is so hostile toward gays. It may seem like it has always been this way, that this mutual hostility has always been there, but I remember a different time, and it wasn't so long ago.

Comments

[dominik.livejournal.com]

hi! can't say much about the Christians, except that it's sad..
but I actually wanted to ask you if I might know you from TWoP? The fanfiction thread, perhaps?

That's me!

[capnzebbie.livejournal.com]

I do post on the TWoP forums, in the Smallville forums usually. I like the Fanfic, Fanart and the HoYay! threads particularly. That's how I wound up on LJ, by a circuitous path. I don't recognize your screen name from there though. Do you post under a different name or am I just being unobservant?

Re: That's me!

[dominik.livejournal.com]

No, I'm mostly a lurker. My screen name is "tigrrr" if I post, which I sometimes do on the Fanfic and the HoYay! thread.

I should have figured your icon is by Lanning, I saw a similar one just recently in her journal (can you tell I've been friendsfriends-browsing? *g*)

So anyway, it's nice to meet you! We like the same things. :)

tigrrr

[capnzebbie.livejournal.com]

I recognize that screen name! I was a lurker on TWoP for about two years before I finally worked up the nerve to post anything. And before I post on a particular forum thread I feel like I should read all the available entries first, so I've seen your name. Now, I kind of post in bursts. I'll post several things at once and then just lurk for a while.

We do like the same things. Some of the things that you have listed as interests I'm also interested in even though I don't have them listed yet. I'm new to all this and I'm not yet familiar with all the potential areas of interest on LJ. I'll be modifying my lists as I go. I guess that's what most people do.