by Rachel Stockton

Created on: June 24, 2008

The Jesus I was introduced to as a child was vengeful, American, prejudiced, and swift and harsh in meting out "justice."

This alter-Jesus was to be feared, demanding that strict guidelines be met in order to pass go. He seemed to enjoy toying with humanity, making sure that the rules of the game were so specific, so breakable that a mere few favorite "children" would make the grade.

Those folks that believed they had passed were typically arrogant, using this Jesus to become a barrier who shielded his pets from having to have compassion, or to grapple with weightier matters, other than the sexual orientation of others, or the political affiliation of others, or the place of worship of others, etc. Indeed, the message of pseudo-Jesus was quite "others" oriented. Not in focusing on the needs of others, focusing on the mistakes of others. This Jesus, who thankfully does not exist, told his followers that the best way to deflect personal culpability was to dwell on the perceived "sins" of other people. Pointing a finger and denigrating someone who may have a substance abuse problem, for example, will keep others from seeing our OWN weaknesses.

The issues of drug addicts (and prostitutes, and alcoholics,) are obvious. Many times, we choose to mentally linger on their DUIs, drug rehab experiences, adulterous affairs, etc, b/c our own frailties may not be as clearly visible, so easy to point to. Sort of an "if-I-don't-get-caught-I-didn't-do-it" mentality.

Several years ago, a private "Christian" university in the south decided to dismiss one of its students for being gay, and for being honest about it.

I read the headline one morning as I stumbled around trying to get my cup of get-up-and-go. I couldn't help but feel deeply chagrined and downright horrified when I read of the dismissal. Here was a young man who had the integrity to unabashedly admit the very essence of who he is - a rare and admirable trait - only to be turned away from an institution that claims to demonstrate the love of Christ. Whether one believes homosexuality is wrong is a moot point in this instance. Imperfection is imperfection, whether manifesting itself as gossip around the water cooler, pilfering office supplies from one's work place or streetwalking in Las Vegas. We are all in the same boat when it comes to needing redemption from our dysfunction. The only difference between a "functional" human being and a dysfunctional one is the fact that the functional folks admit their dysfunction, and are typically quite compassionate when it comes to the foibles of other people. Many times they are "wounded healers", very much aware that all are entitled to the grace and love of Christ. And, it's just very possible that Jesus doesn't see homosexuality as an imperfection (he never even mentioned the subject), which would make it even more disgraceful (as in, literally, having no grace) to treat the young man the way he was treated.

Ironically, the southern "Christian" university's reaction to the honesty of the student in question will only serve to encourage the rest of the student body to "go underground" with their misdeeds, whether they choose to have premarital sex in a parked car (which is undoubtedly against school policy) or cheat on a final exam. The obdurate rigidity of the institution will not encourage "better" behavior; it will simply "inspire" students to come up with more ingenious ways to hide their infractions. Instead of promoting honesty, "Southern University" is choosing, by "legally" discriminating, to discourage authenticity, to promote belief in a Christ who would rather pretend everything is okay, than deal with the pain of others.

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