Quote of the Day

Some people have tried to find some underlying character flaw or theological misunderstanding in me that explains my acceptance of the fact that I’m gay, while hardly knowing anything else about me. Unfortunately, there’s just nothing for them to find. There isn’t anything more wrong with me than anyone else. I am not basing my identity in my sexual orientation as opposed to Christ just because I’ve decided not to beat myself up anymore on account of who I am, and I’m definitely not idolizing a relationship with another human being over Christ just because I believe what the Bible says about homosexuality doesn’t apply to loving same-sex relationships today.

I don’t consider myself the kind of person that gets offended easily, but it’s hard not to get offended and for it not to hurt when people start calling my faith and sincerity into question just because I’m gay; especially when they wouldn’t do those things to straight people. I couldn’t possibly fathom someone accusing a straight person of idolizing their relationships with another person over Christ, just because they’re straight. And no one would try telling a straight person that they’re basing their identity in their sexual orientation instead of Christ just because they embrace it . . .

It’s not that I’m too proud to accept any criticism or have hard conversations. It’s just that, sometimes, I have a really hard time taking people seriously when they insist on continuing to abide by double standards that make gay Christians feel like second class citizens in God’s Kingdom. Because the fact of the matter is gay Christians are not spiritually or theologically handicapped, needing to be looked after to make sure that they don’t sin or do anything wrong, just because they’re gay.

– Jonah Venegas
Excerpted from "Christians, Gay Does Not Equal Lesser"
Bedlam Magazine
May 28, 2015

Jonah Venegas identifies as a gay Christian and notes on his blog that he is trying to figure out what exactly that means and how it affects his day to day life. He is currently a linguistics student at Bethel University, an evangelical Christian higher education institution located in St. Paul, MN. After graduating, Jonah has aspirations to be an activist for Christian LGBT people, because, he says, "that is where I believe God has called me." Other dreams of his include "publishing a novel someday and moving to New York City or just outside of it." He loves tea, friends, Jesus, and writing. You can follow him on Instagram and Twitter @jonah_venegas17. He also shares his thoughts on his blog, Another Anomaly Among Many.


Related Off-site Links:
Stop Comparing Your Lust to My Sexual Orientation – Matthias Roberts (On Faith, June 29, 2015).
Three Reasons I Quit Loving the Sinner and Hating the Sin – Beth Woolsey (Five Kids is a Lot of Kids, October 23, 2013).

See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
• Message to a Young Man of Integrity
• Heartening
• The Many Forms of Courage
• What is a "Lifestyle"?
• Be Not Afraid, You Can Be Happy and Gay
• LGBT Catholics Celebrate Being "Wonderfully Made"
• Celebrating Our Sanctifying Truth
• "Catholic Teaching on Homosexuality is Complex and Nuanced"
• Remembering and Reclaiming a Wise, Spacious, and Holy Understanding of Homosexuality
• The Most Sacred and Simple Mystery of All

Image source: Jonah Venegas's Gravatar profile page.