EQUAL

Last week, I had read on MSN.com News that Joel Osteen, a Senior Pastor and Televangelist, was interviewed by Oprah recently and was asked a series of questions pertaining to Christianity and HIS opinions.

One was if he believed that Homosexual people could go to heaven, and this was his response:

“I believe a gay person will be accepted into heaven, I believe you have to have forgiveness for your sins and sometimes we (the Christian community) look at gay as being a bigger sin than being proud or not telling the truth. I don't think God categorizes sins. Instead, I believe that people are constantly changing and growing, and that no one would have a chance in heaven if sins could not be forgiven. I believe that homosexuality is shown as a sin in the Scripture, it’s a hard thing in a sense, because I’m for everybody. I’m not against anybody. I don’t think that anybody is second-class. But when I read the Scripture in good faith I can’t see that it doesn’t show that as being a sin.”

A lot of people were so disturbed by his response and gave such an ANGRY and negative shout towards who he is as a Pastor and how he spreads his teachings across America. Truthfully, when I read and saw his full interview, I didn't get angry or thought ill of him (although I must say he's not my favorite person to listen to at all), I have FULL and UTMOST respect for Joel Osteen, he's entitled to his opinion just like anyone is, it's his right to freedom of speech, yet I will say this:

No ONE can ever tell me anything about whether or NOT they believe that I will be accepted into HEAVEN, and let me tell you why.....

-->"We are ALL created EQUAL"
This is what it says in the United States Declaration of Independence, yet it is not expressed fully for what it really means. Since the beginning of time, there's always been some type of Hierarchy and segregation that has separated Type A's from Type B's and C's, etc. Although, in your physical body, I have the same color blood and bones that every human has ever existed with on this Earth. We are ALL the same...point blank!

-->"Have you NO sins of your own?"
If we are to talk about the Bible, it is stated, more than once, and as it says in this scripture of the Gospel according to John 8:7:

They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, "All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!"

Jesus himself brought this into light, and yet, somehow, it has been forgotten over the course of time because at some point, EVERYONE is without sin, and that my friends has no truth whatsoever. Humility is the key word here.

-->"Time and time again, we will be in constant battle with ourselves"
How many times have I not heard and seen people fall and make mistakes everyday, every month, every year?? This is nothing new, we ALL fall and we at least must make an effort to pick ourselves up and learn from our mistakes and disadvantages....it would be a lot easier to accept ourselves and our flaws, rather than let others do the "accepting" for us.

I've known I was gay since I was 4 years of age, obviously I was born this way and there's not much I can do about it, if anything, I spent the first 17 years of my life trying to hide it from everyone. My older brother would tease me till no end about who I would become in the future, a very flamboyant hairstylist (well, he was right about the hairstylist part, I will give him that). My parents still have a hard time seeing the truth, yet, they're at least dealing with it. My siblings ALL have opinions about it as well, and when Prop 8 came up, 50/50 of them voted for it, again, that is their opinion, not mine, I myself, opted to be neutral in the matter.

I taught teens for 7.5 years about how to LOVE GOD with all their might and to go in the right paths in LIFE, nowhere was there EVER a negative comment that came out of my mouth that contributed to hating or looking down upon anyone. If anything, because I am different, I taught them Patience, Kindness, Truth, and Compassion. All the things that GOD has taught me, I went ahead and payed it forward through teachings AND actions.

I've had 2.5 boyfriends in my lifetime and all 2.5 of them have known that GOD is first and foremost in my LIFE, NEVER a human being with an opinion. I'm also still a proud 28 year old Catholic that goes to Church whenever I have the opportunity to do so, it feels great to be in the presence of GOD, it's HOME!

I am truthfully happy and fulfilled that I have been able to lead a LIFE thus far that has had SO MUCH of the meaning and word UNDERSTANDING in it. I was brought here to LOVE and SERVE others in many ways, and in one of those any ways is to speak of the TRUTH, and I speak of it in ALL aspects of LIFE, you want to know something, I'll tell you what and how it is, I've learned along the way that it's better to speak your mind whenever it is NECESSARY.

I've been told by Pastors, Ministers, and Priests that GOD is watching what I'm doing every step of the way, and have even told me that I should repent for my intimate thoughts and for who I am, yet unfortunately, they know NOTHING about or of me, only GOD knows me, and yes, HE will be EVERYONE'S final judge, until then, ALLOW US to humble ourselves and simply LOVE eachother for who and what we are....

EQUAL