all have sinned

Eugene Peterson backtracks on same-sex marriage: it's a couple of months old by now, but still relevant, I think.

I am troubled about the question of homosexuality.

I can fully believe that history twisted the text of the bible around to denounce homosexuality overall when the words in the original text meant nothing like what we understand as homosexuality. I can also fully believe that it may be that God considers active homosexuality to be the same as 'fornication' (sex without committment/sex as urge and lust and satiation; not sex as intimacy and personal relationship tool).

Would I prefer the first? Yes. Yes, I would.

Was I brought up in the second. Yes. Yes, I was.

Am I just looking for the exit options on the Evangelical hardline on homosexuality? I don't know. Maybe I am. Maybe I'm seeking a way I can have my cake and eat it, too - to not offend my LGBTQ friends with my faith.

Offence is to be expected - though not because of the question of queer sexuality.

Does God hate queers? No. He hates sin. We are made to worship Him, to give Him all due glory as Creator, and we have fallen short of that mark. That is sin - more than lying or cheating or having sex outside of marriage: to give God the Creator one whit less than is His due.

And yes, we're all guilty of it. Queer and heteronormative, all genders, all races, all nationalities, all people. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Most people think of sin as something they do. I think of sin as something I am - until the grace of Jesus comes and clears me of it. Yes, I have been incredibly fortunate to witness the love of humanity and the grace of people in so many ways; there is hope in humanity. But that seed of hope is not enough to save us - to redeem us from the darkness in our souls and make us better as individuals or as a people. We can be good, yes, but we can never be perfect.

That's the offensive message I carry: that we are not good enough, individually or grouped together, for God. Not without the help of Jesus.