🙂 Thank you what an intelligent man you are, finally someone understands Thank you so much and I am very greatful

Hi Aaron,

Thanks for sharing your story. Your raise an important issue.

I hate racism and think God does too. God does not discriminate and we have no right to either. As Christians, and especially as LGBT Christians who have experienced discrimination regarding our sexuality, we should be the light of the world and be examples through our acceptance and love for one another, regardless of race or ethnicity. We should be the ones seeking justice and standing up for others who are denied their rights or experience prejudice in any situation. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Dr. MLK Jr.

People may feel an attraction to people of different races, or to only their own race, but that doesn’t give anyone the right to be rude or hurtful by their words or actions. I think a lot of “racial attraction” is “nurture” not “nature” anyway – its mostly what people grow up with or get used to. I know many many white guys for example who say they don’t like Asian guys until they live in or visit a big Asian city and meet or get to know some really great people, and then suddenly they don’t see a particular race anymore, just people.

In the past I have been more attracted to ABWG (anything but white guys), but living in Tokyo I know there are some places I just can’t go because foreigners (non-Asian) are not welcome. Meanwhile, when I visited clubs in NYC (Lord have mercy) with an Asian friend, I was really upset by the way he was treated.

Unfortunately racism is a real problem in the community, and in the church, and in every community, but that is one reason why Jesus came, to break down the dividing walls between races and people and to bring everyone back to God in the unity of the Spirit. Once we fall in love with God, get our eyes on Jesus and get filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit we start to see and love others as Jesus sees and loves them. We see who they are in the spirit, not black or white or asian, not male or female, but all one in Christ Jesus, and he becomes everything to everyone.

Right now I’m listening to a song by Reba Rambo McGuire “Lord, make us one river, one body of water, one people, united by your love, latter rain keep falling, Spirit pour down on us, till we’re just one river, one body of water, one river flowing forth …”

Anyway, I think the key is to continue to keep our hearts right and walk in love and forgiveness, even when others are stupid or racist. Its the love and light in us that makes people ashamed of their hatred in the end. Live above the junk of this world by just loving people.

Bless you Aaron. Glad you feel settled and accepted at your church. I hope you enjoy making friends here.

Timothy

Hi love your reply and good sense of humour 🙂 all is good, thanks for your kind words and encouragement

Aaron

RaulG is our “Barnabas” = Son of Encouragement. He’s made me smile so many times with his lovely sense of humour and his unique way of seeing a situation. A “hermano querido.” indeed, he is.

:8)

Dawww, thank you guys!

Yours in Christ,

Raul

Hi Aaron,

When you said “Multicultural Melbourne” and the LGBT from all different cultures/nationalities, it reminds me of my experience last year in California at a conference for LGBT Christians (here’s the link to my freedom2b story by the way: http://www.freedom2b.org/topic/200?page=1).

There were people from the U.S., Mexico, Latin America, Asia, Europe and everywhere in between; people and families of all sexual orientations; and many from very different denominational backgrounds. It was a literal rainbow of people, but all with a common passion to worship Jesus and all hungry for the moving of the Holy Spirit and the presence of God, which drew them together and created an atmosphere of love and acceptance that was amazing to feel.

On earth there are many divisions between people, but in Heaven it is a “great multitude that no one can count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and the Lamb”, so our churches and gatherings should reflect that “on earth, as it is in heaven”.

I believe we will see more and more people come together and the barriers between us fall as we all learn to yield more to the Holy Spirit. At Babel the nations were divided and everyone spoke different languages and there has been confusion and conflict ever since, but on the Day of Pentecost, when the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit, everyone “heard them declaring the wonders of God in their own tongues” and the barriers between people began to fall.

I pray God will use you as a light of reconciliation, reconciling people back to God and to each other. Loving God and loving people (all people), is what its all about.

Bless you Aaron,

Timothy

Hi Aaron!

Welcome welcome welcome!

Awesome of you to share your story. I know it took me courage too. Shows your personality 🙂

Shan