A Speech Before Congress

I am a Christian. A Christian who grew up in the South. As such, I grew up with certain cultural biases. Biases which needed to be outgrown. It took several years of military service to get past my fear of African-americans. It took a divorce and losing everything I had to learn the value of a loving wife and to have a genuine respect for all women. It took the love of a lesbian with a heart of gold to help me past my disdain for those who are sexually different. It took years of addiction, depression and anxiety to learn compassion for the still sick and suffering. It took years of self-inflicted pain to get past my personal bias. It took pain to motivate me to start learning to love people like Jesus did--right where they are.

Where did I learn these unhealthy biases? In a legalistic Christian society. Legalism based on the writings contained in one book. A book in which there are concepts and principles truly inspired by a loving God. Yet, still containing the cultural biases of the men who put pen to paper. Biases that shine through like black tar on the coat of a pure white lamb.

These biases shine through when women are classified as second class citizens. Biases stating that women should not have authority over or be able to teach men. When the truth is we call all learn from the spiritually mature. Who better to lead us than someone who knows how to love and is close to God? This bias shows up in writings about widows in 1 Timothy 5:9-16. It shows up when it was written in 1 Timothy 2:15:

But women will be saved through childbearing--if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. NIV

The cornerstone of Christian belief is faith in Jesus Christ. Women belong the the category who so ever.

Cultural bias also shows up in writings about homosexuals. It is written that homosexuality is immoral and abominable. Sexual promiscuity and addiction is far more damaging to the fabric of our society. Until we know whether or not homosexuality is a recessive genetic trait, all of God's creations are precious and deserve respect. Those who are sexually different deserved to be love right where they are and belong in the category who so ever.

Today, we recognize spiritual sickness. In biblical times, addicts and the mentally ill were considered immoral people or demon possessed. The still sick and suffering were ostracized by the society of their time due to a lack of understanding. During my time of recovery from addiction and mental illness, some accused me of a lack of faith. Going so far as to accuse me of not having a relationship with Christ. I am ashamed to say, at times I believed them. This kind of cultural bias is truly based on ignorance. Those who are still sick and suffering belong in the category who so ever.

It is time to put all forms of cultural bias aside. It is time to embrace true equality. It is time to quit using an imperfect book to justify unhealthy bias. It is time to stop denying responsible American citizens the right to legal acknowledgment of who they are. It is time to end the culture war and paranoid delusions of agenda imposition. It is time to place love ahead of cultural differences. Allow me to slightly paraphrase a true American poet--Garth Brooks:

When we are free to love who so ever we choose. We shall be free.

It is time we learned to love like Jesus did; right where we are.