After much thought and consideration, here is why I voted No:

First, a couple of disclaimers:
- I am a straight man who is a Pastor and believes that Jesus Christ was born as the Son of Man and of God, died, and rose again for all of humanity to experience God’s loving grace.
- I have nothing to gain (personally, socially or professionally) in supporting Prop 8
- I have no intention to divide the “ignorant” from the “loving.” I believe that those that are voting YES on Prop8 do love God, do love others and are voting from what they believe to be a “Godly” place.
- I love the Church. I believe in God’s church and the communities of faith that gather each week to journey through life together.
- As a Christian, I just disagree.

My vision of Jesus starts and ends with a word that I believe is at the center of the church / Church and at the center of every Christ-followers theology and Christology - Grace. The very being of Jesus was God’s proof of His grace for His creation. Sacrificially, Jesus came to repair and restore humanity unto God’s loving grace. There is no greater story of an expression of grace than someone that is pure and has nothing to gain giving the full extent of himself for others that have everything to gain and from which everything is to blame. This act is the center of God’s theology toward each of us. In a nutshell, Grace. I could go on for another ten minutes about this concept, but thats for another time…

From this vision of Jesus, I allow my views (world, political, spiritual and personal) begin to wrap themselves around the concept of grace. In every interaction, every action and every motion; I seek to live out of that center. That my very being would exude grace because grace is exuded upon me. As such, grace becomes an active rather than passive expression toward others. Instead of “giving grace” to those that trespass against me (which is still good in and of itself), I attempt to “live and walk in grace” in all that I do. Grace becomes an active verb rather than a passive noun that describes my actions.

Out of that concept, the “outcast” becomes a primary focus in my theology. If there is ever a people group in need of verb based grace, it is those that “society” has deemed the “other.” In my bubble, the society that I am referring to is the Christian society and the other takes many forms, ie. the homeless, the broken, the hurting, the divorcee, the misfit, the abortionist, and the homosexual. These are groups that have been identified as “other” within the Christian world view (although I don’t really agree with that distinction, this is what is true for our Christian society).

I don’t think that many of us have much of a problem living grace to most of those people groups, with one major exception… homosexuality. I think we can all agree, that regardless of our differing theologies on the matter, the GLBT community is one that is on the “outside” of what would be considered our christian community / society.

Here are my honest thoughts about the GLBT community:

First, I have come to a place in my theology through my experiences, friendships, spiritual life, prayer and relationships that homosexuality is not in any way shape or form a choice. Many of you will either stop reading here, or at this point in the article, have found the place in which we fundamentally disagree. I understand, but try to stay with me for a few paragraphs more and try to have an open mind about the “choice” issue. Here is why I believe that:

- I cannot conceive why anyone would choose to become an outcast in a society which they have belonged and been a significant part of. I have journeyed with two of my closest friends (and countless others) through their “coming out” season, and watched them loose their support, their community and worst of all, their families. I have sat on the couches collecting tissues hearing my friends utter over and over, “Jay, I wish I wasn’t gay… help me not to be gay… I wish I wasn’t gay… why does God hate me?” Some argue that they are just “confused.” From what I’ve experienced, there is no confusion, but an honest confession and coming to grips with who they truly are. Some argue that “its all because of their up-bringing and socio/economic status.” Again, there is nothing to evidence this to me. Raised in loving, Christian families… divorce free and healthy, these friends still “choose” to be gay. Finally, some argue that it is them “giving into a sinful lifestyle or giving into temptation.” Yet, these are men and women who love the Lord and are honest about their temptations and their “sins.” These are men and women who embody and exude God’s grace to all they come in contact with. If it was a simple “backslide” or “temptation,” there would be no need to sate it at the cost of what most of them have payed. Out of all of this, I do not believe that homosexuality is a choice. Nor do I believe that you can be “healed” or “delivered” out of homosexuality. Those that carry that testimony may very well have changed, but at their core, only they can know who they are. As far as my experience, I’ve hung out with those who have been through programs and rehabilitation and have still come out as a homosexual. Ultimately, I have to trust those that identify themselves as homosexual at their word. I do not live in their skin, I do not walk their walk. I can’t say that I’ve chosen heterosexuality, so nor can I say that they’ve chosen homosexuality. Homosexuality, in my belief, is not a choice.

Therefore, if homosexuality is not a choice; the practice of homosexuality cannot be a sin. God does not create that which is by its very nature, sinful. (Enter in your favorite “original sin” argument here). At our core, we are reflections of a perfect and pure God. We do have the capacity for evil, but at our core we are God’s beloved. If the homosexual man or woman is created of God, and homosexuality is a part of that creation, God would not condemn from the start that which he has created. Nor can I, as a Christ follower, condemn that which God has created from it’s core. There is no scriptural proof of homosexuality as a sin from my intense study of the scriptures on this matter. Jesus never dealt with this, and Paul was the only one to comment on the issue (NT), and he was speaking to a specific practice that was happening in Rome in the time. Nor did Paul deal with a committed homosexual couple. In fact, Paul was specifically talking about straight men partaking in orgies within the temple. I know that this is another “hot button” item that needs more explanation, but that, again, is for another time… Through the study and pondering of all of this, I have come to the conclusion that the practice of homosexuality is not sin.

Out of those convictions and personal discoveries, I do not believe that anyone (especially Christians) should choose to continue to define people as “others or outcasts.” Proposition 8 uniquely and specifically CHOOSES to exclude others from what has been called “a moral institution” based on their sexual identity (not preference). Going back to grace, the verb of grace never excludes and never defines the “other.” Instead, it moves out of love toward those that are left out and embraces them within the fold of grace. Marriage, in any way you define it, has taken on many, many, many different forms. From biblical polygamy, to a biblical perspective of woman as property, to biblically arranged marriages between families of young pre-teen children, to autonomous unions between two consenting adults (a more modern definition). Marriage is not a “moral institution” to deny others based on who God created them to be. Nor is it a historical “moral institution” that has sustained through the annals of history. Instead, marriage has been a fluid “moral expression” of commitment to another (in some cases, many others). It has always been fluid, and always allowed itself to evolve to a place where it is an active form of grace rather than a passive explanation of what happened.

Gay marriage is another evolution of this fluid institution. Instead of rejecting a healthy and committed expression of love toward another (singular), we ought to be embracing the decision and desire of homosexual men and woman to join into and make their own “moral expressions” of commitment to one another. Gay marriage is something to be celebrated and something to give thanks unto God for. I believe it is a beautiful thing for people to make moral commitments to one another, and for the Church to embrace, through active grace, those decisions.

That’s why I voted NO on PROPOSITION 8.

grace,

Jay Selnick
Creative Arts Pastor
Missiongathering Christian Church

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