I need to pay attention...

[tehillah05]

So it has occurred to me that I am 4 months behind the news of Ray Boltz coming out. I grew up listening to Ray Boltz's songs. I've heard people perform them at my childhood church. I've seen numerous dances and mimes done to "Watch the Lamb" - his best song in my opinion. I have one thing to say to him: GOD BLESS YOU RAY BOLTZ!!! The words to his songs are still as powerful and anointed today, out or not, as they were when he wrote them. I am, however, a bit annoyed about something. I was reading the blogs that are everywhere about Boltz's coming out. More than a handful of "Christians" are condemning Boltz for his "choice" and calling for him to "repent." One blogger on blog.christianitytoday.com went as far as to say the Christian church needed to ignore Boltz until he repented. (yes I cited the website...I'll leave the blogger's name a mystery out of respect for his/her ignorance and/or blindness). I'm reminded of Matthew 18:15-17: " "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as(AC) a Gentile and a tax collector" Now most Christians read this and say okay I'm mad at my brother/sister...I confront them (usually out of anger not love), they don't listen. I get a couple of witnesses, confront again (this time with more anger and less love) and he/she still won't listen. So I bring it before the body and we all decide to cast him/her out. Fine. But, according to Max Lucado (not sure what book this is in...I just remember reading it...no I don't know his stance on homosexuality...never heard him mention it directly), our responsibility to our brother/sister doesn't end there. If the person is truly in sin, then we, as believers in Jesus, are to pray and LOVE that person back into the fold. Of course, that's the end result. The first thing is to confront in love not anger but that's a whole other blog altogether now isn't it? Anyway, my point is not that homosexuality is a sin...most of us know by now that things have been lost in translation(s) as the Bible has been translated and re-translated from the original languages. My point is simply this: for those out there that truly believe that homosexuality is a sin just like pride, lust, murder, evil thoughts, adultery, greed (Exxon, Chevon..US Gov't), etc then in your "casting out" of Ray Boltz your responsibility to love and pray for him does not end. My cousin told once told me "when you come out, you will undoubtedly have your family tell you they are praying for you...which is fine because although their prayers may not do you much good they certainly won't do you any harm." (paraphrased but you get the idea)

Again, I say God Bless Ray Boltz for having the courage to come out in an age where fundamentalism is attempting to rule all under the sun (domestically and internationally) and even more so for contiuning to write wonderfully moving songs.