Ted Born Again Christian Homo Meth Message
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, know that resources are available. Text: 741741, telephone call 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or visit www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
A couple of months ago, the New York Times ran a fascinating article chosen "Googling for God." In this piece, writer Seth Stephens-Davidowitz explores recent trends in Google search data specifically related to questions people pose about God. Stephens-Davidowitz notes that the number i God-related question people ask on Google is, "Who created God?" Not surprisingly, number two is "Why does God allow suffering?" Yet, I was shocked and dismayed to meet the question that came in at number three: "Why does God hate me?"
Stephens-Davidowitz then provides an even more than troubling piece of information: "What is the most common give-and-take to complete the following question: Why did God make me ___? Number ane, by far, is 'ugly.' The other sad answers in the top three are 'gay' and 'blackness.'" Although the author of this article does non explicitly link "Why does God hate me?" and "Why did God make me ___?" I couldn't assistance but wonder if there might be some connection betwixt the two questions. After all, if you believe God fabricated you lot "ugly," it's not a stretch to believe God hates you, besides, since in our culture "ugly" is a very negative term that is used to denigrate people based, primarily, on their advent. In the same mode, given that those who identify as black or gay are oft marginalized in our society—or fifty-fifty targeted for violence on the basis of those identities—it'southward not hard to imagine that members of those groups might experience that God is, at best, indifferent to their plight, or, at worst, that God has hand-picked them to exist oppressed and mistreated.
Reading this article made me deeply deplorable, considering it made me realize just how many incorrect ideas well-nigh God are nonetheless out there, and how deeply those ideas are hurting people. Although the church certainly teaches that nosotros are all sinners and accept fallen curt of God's glory, it as well fundamentally affirms that each one of us is created in the image of God and that through God'southward grace we are loved unconditionally. Somehow it seems that this crucial bulletin has gotten lost in the wider culture, because every bit the Google data prove, people searching on the Net for answers to their religion questions seem to assume that God is primarily a judgmental, capricious tyrant who selectively applies oppression and suffering to certain groups, or who makes some people "ugly" and others not.
The problem hither is that it'due south not God who is doing this labeling and excluding—it'southward homo beings. Nosotros are the ones who have created societies in which individuals are judged based on their physical appearance or on their membership in particular demographic groups, rather than on the content of their graphic symbol or according to their unique gifts and skills. We—non God—are the ones who take decided that some are "in" and some are "out," which is in direct contrast to the bulletin we hear over and over again in Scripture: that God has come into the world to reconcile all people, through grace that is freely given to everyone. Equally the church building, we are called to detect new ways to spread the message of God'south grace and beloved far and wide, then that nosotros might challenge and dismantle the erroneous theology that is causing people so much harm. My prayer is that ane twenty-four hour period, in the not-so-distant future, Google might report their meridian God-related searches as "Why does God care for me so much?" and "Why did God brand me so beautiful and love?" May information technology exist so.
The Rev. Dr. Leanna K. Fuller is assistant professor of pastoral care at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and teaches in the MDiv Programme. Her ministry experience includes serving as acquaintance pastor of Oakland Christian Church in Suffolk, Va., where she coordinated youth ministry and Christian education programming. She writes regularly on pastoral care and counseling, pastoral theology, and congregational conflict.
In the well-nigh four years since this blog postal service went live, we take received record numbers of comments and east-mails. Nosotros thank y'all for your interest and engagement with this topic. We are thankful that we take been able to proclaim a message of hope and love to so many who accept longed to hear it. We accept kept the commenting for this blog active as long as possible, even though we sometimes must disable comments on our older weblog posts. Unfortunately, as we arroyo our fourth year, the commenting feature will no longer exist available.
Although nosotros can no longer actively moderate and respond to comments on this commodity, we realize that the topic is important to many of our readers. If you would like to discuss issues similar this in greater depth, we encourage you to connect with a congregation or pastor in your area. If you lot are uncomfortable discussing this topic with a pastor, consider speaking with a counselor.
If you have struggled with this question or others like information technology, or if you or someone you know is considering suicide, know that resources are available. Text: 741741, phone call 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or visit www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
Thank you for your conversation over these final years! Once once again, recall the words of the commodity above: y'all are created in the image of God and through God'due south grace y'all are loved unconditionally.
Source: https://www.pts.edu/blog/why-does-god-hate-me/
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