I was listening, Josh Duggar, when you?made statements about your views on same-sex marriage and?how you feel your religious freedoms are being violated when you aren’t allowed to discriminate against LGBTQ persons.
I am?confused, sir, over your definition of Christianity. Much like the letter I wrote in December to your mother, Michelle, I have to wonder if you’ve read the same Bible that is the foundation of Christianity?that I studied growing up.
It is my understanding that defining yourself as Christian means patterning your life after the example of Jesus Christ. I studied the exact same Bible with the same stories about the same Jesus Christ as you, I have to assume. Therefore, I’m baffled when I hear you and your family describe yourselves as Christians if you’re patterning your lives after?that the same loving, forgiving Christ that I studied when you judge and discriminate against others.
Are we talking about the same Christ of the Bible?that states “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”? (Romans 3:23). The same Bible that says “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us”? (1John 1:8). Most importantly, is it the same Bible that says “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins”? (James 4:17).
You know the good you ought to do, Josh. If you went to a Christian church as I did, you know that kindness and forgiveness are fundamental pieces of Christ’s message. You know that ignoring the suffering of LGBTQ youth, who attempt?suicide at a three times higher rate than their hetero counterparts because of the bullying against them, is not a Christian thing to do. You know that the discrimination you’re displaying positions LGBTQ people as less than and unworthy of compassion, respect, or tolerance, which contributes to and supports that bullying. What you’re doing, Mr. Duggar, cannot be representative of the same Christian ideal I was taught.
A few months ago, a friend and co-worker of mine posted a beautiful message on her Facebook page. This friend was one of my trainers when I became an advocate for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. She demonstrated to me a level of compassion and understanding for all of our clients while I was training that earned my ultimate respect. I watched her gently speak with adult and child victims, hold their hands, and provide a supportive ear in their most crucial times of need. I listened while she gave her entire heart to victims over our crisis line during the most traumatizing moments of their lives. Her Facebook post?touched my heart that day, as I hope it will for you and everyone who reads it.
Forgive me, Mr. Duggar, but that sounds much more like the Christian ideal I was taught in church.
