“We must not use the Bible as a sort of encyclopedia out of which texts can be taken for use as weapons,” C.S. Lewis said.
The words of a wise man are now being buried under the idea that certain people should be turned away at the doors of a faith whose god is supposed to love all.
To preface, I should clarify that I am a Christian. I attend a Methodist church. I also attended a private Catholic middle school, and made the decision to switch to a public high school. There were many changes and adjustments that came with this, one of the most prominent being the assumptions that some people have about Christianity.
Despite what our forefathers intended, the line between politics and religion has been blurred, with many associating Christianity with the Republican party. Our founders made no emphasis on religion other than the freedom to practice as you choose. In fact, James Madison’s “Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments” lists numerous reasons why governments should not involve themselves in condemning or supporting religions.
“The government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion,” John Adams wrote in the Treaty of Tripoli.
The current administration uses religion as a shield for their actions. The division between state and faith that Trump has so clearly blurred seems to be a strategic play. Most of America’s presidents have identified as Christians, but Trump seemingly uses Christianity as defense for political actions. Aside from Trump himself, many members of his cabinet have discussed Christianity’s role in the government. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly addressed how Catholicism shapes his policies.
Trump signed an executive order to protect Christians and, as he says, “prosecute anti-Christian vandalism and violence in our society.” Yet you don’t see him go out of his way to protect other religions in the same way. The constitution says that “Congress shall make no laws respecting an establishment of religion,” nonetheless Trump is blatantly doing so.
To say that the Bible states same-sex attraction is a sin would be true (Corinthians 6:9-10). However, if you flip a few chapters over you will find a verse that states “It [love] does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs,” (1 Corinthians 13:5). So to shut out someone from the church because they are different would be to disrespect the greatest virtue (1 Corinthians 13:13).
“It’s not on me to gatekeep the kingdom of God,” Rev. Leigh Ann Maynard, associate outreach and worship pastor at Christ Church United Methodist, said.
Both political and religious organizations are quick to cherry pick Bible verses to fit their agendas, and in the same breath disregard other verses as being less important.
Students, legislators and pastors alike are working to set the record straight when it comes to what many believe to be the central tenet of Christianity: love.
Dr. Sheila Schuster is a psychologist who gave up clinical work to be engaged in advocacy with state legislators in Frankfort.
“We just kind of assume that everybody knows what our values are because of the way we act or the way we talk or whatever, and I don’t know that we’re always very true to our values,” Schuster said.
Schuster went on to discuss the use of Christianity as a shield.
“I think what we see now that we didn’t see at least when I was growing up is people wear their Christianity like a badge,” Schuster said.
Schuster also discussed how religion was used by Kentucky legislators to justify passing the 2023 anti-transgender bill prohibiting gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth.
“It was painful because some of the worst legislators, who are the meanest, if you will, did it in the name of God … it was enough to turn your stomach,” Schuster said.
In pastoral ministry, some ministers work towards inclusion efforts, while others choose to stick to more traditional values. Maynard spoke of her experience in a position of authority within the ministry.
“It’s none of my business who Jesus brings to the table,” Maynard said
Maynard emphasized the importance of inclusivity over our own personal biases. In the end, we are not the ones who make the decision on who enters heaven and who does not. Therefore, it’s not our job to decide who attends church.
“It’s none of my business who Jesus goes after, and if it was, then you know, He would not be worth worshipping,” Maynard said.
However, there is something to be said for tradition. A fraction of Christians have been raised in a manner that emphasizes certain verses of the Bible while neglecting to highlight messages of inclusivity. In a sermon found on the Northeast Christian Church website, the pastor displays on the screen a numbered list of key positions. The first of these is “anything less than compassion isn’t Christian,” and the fifth is “a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman is the only God ordained context for sex.” There is also an emphasis on the idea that all sexual desires, heterosexual or not, are in some way “wrongly directed.”
The pastor, Tyler McKenzie, claims that there is “no moral high ground for heterosexual Christians to claim in this conversation. The ground is level at the foot of the cross.” McKenzie also recognizes the historical context of the Bible, acknowledging that there has been consensus in the past on same-sex relationships in the Bible throughout cultures. While putting an emphasis on conviction without condemnation (but still highlighting how same-sex relationships are condemned in the Bible), a stance like this still opens the door for compassion from Christians.
Amina Mbacke (11, HSU) spoke on her experiences as a Christian at duPont Manual High School.
“So there are some situations where friends, people that are close to me, don’t believe in the same things that I do. But I haven’t really let that stop me from being friends with them, or anything like that, but just understanding that, you know, people believe different things than I do, basically,” Mbacke said.
Manual is a diverse community. When asked how she combats assumptions associated with her religion (specifically on homophobia and pro-life stances), Mbacke answered that it’s best to make it clear what beliefs you align with, and which ones you don’t.
Depending on which version of the Bible you read, the word love is mentioned anywhere from 310-801 times, while same-sex attraction is mentioned around seven to nine times. When you look at the numbers, the message is very clear: love trumps all. No matter who you are, where you are from, what you believe in, or who you love, God tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and there is no greater commandment than this (Mark 12:31).
