An Open Letter to the LGBTQ+ Community, From a Christian

To my friends in the LGBTQ+ community:

During this month, perhaps more than any other, you will experience a plethora of responses to you, your community, and Pride Month. Much of it being vitriolic. And sadly, much of it coming from those in my community – the church.

I am sorry for the hurt that you have experienced at the hands of my community. Our words and actions, especially in this area, don’t often reflect the words and actions of the one who we follow – Jesus Christ.

It is true that myself, and those in my community believe that God has designed sex and sexuality to function within a certain framework. It is true that we believe that anything outside of that framework is an act of sin.

Where we have failed you isn’t in speaking the truth – but rather in speaking the truth in love.

We have failed you at treating you like fellow human beings with feelings and experiences that have influenced and developed you into the person you have become.

We have failed you at not recognizing or remembering that we once were lost but now have been found and that we too have dark pasts full of sin.

We have failed at showing you kindness and compassion even if we disagree with you about sexuality.

I hope you can forgive us for mishandling you and our relationships with you.

But above all I hope that you can see Christ in us even when we fail to demonstrate it the best way.

I love you. We love you. And we desire, as God does, that no one should perish and be eternally separated from Him. I pray that we can do better and that you will see that and know there is a God and that He loves you too.

Sincerely,
A Christian Trying to do Better