Disclaimer: This article may make some people get into their feelings. That’s okay.
In today’s times, we have all of these ideas being thrown at us. Different lifestyles being introduced. People learning to live their lives in ways that are unfamiliar to the world. Things that were never made so public, such as racism, homosexuality, transgender lifestyles, atheism, promiscuity, and so much more. These things are being forced into our societies, on our tvs, social media, news reports, movies, and everyday lives. There is no way to sensor what things you see, because it’s everywhere.
I am a born and raised Seventh-Day Adventist (don’t google it, you can get some pretty insane results). As a Christian, one of the hardest challenges for me is staying steadfast in my beliefs, yet accepting everyone as they are. I don’t agree with homosexuality or trans lifestyle, but I don’t discriminate who I love based on their sin. We are all sinners and no sin is bigger than any other. Unfortunately though, when I tell people that I don’t agree with a certain lifestyle, I automatically get called “homophobic” or “transphobic”, two words that I am not. It’s not fair that because I disagree with your lifestyle, I get labeled as something I’m not. I’ve learned to hate the sin, yet love the sinner. I believe that we long as you’re happy, then do what you have to do. I may disagree with it, but I will still love you, regardless.
For some reason, in this day and age, people seem to have an idea that if someone doesn’t believe in the same thing as them, they must make them feel badly about themselves or persecute them for their beliefs. That they can’t agree to disagree, or live their lives separately. It’s actually pretty funny because people want to be accepted as they are, yet they don’t accept someone when their beliefs disagree with theirs. It’s not fair that I, a Christian, get hate for maintaining my beliefs. As a human, that infringes on the only true freedom I have, which is freedom of speech and freedom to think whatever I want, and I should not get persecuted because of that.
One of the greatest things that a lot of people have is the ability to think for themselves and that right is taken away when everyones beliefs are being shoved down everyones throats. On the other side, it is NOT okay for people who disagree with a certain lifestyle to belittle or discourage anyone else. Unfortunately, that’s the world we live in, and it’s our job to change this world.
One of my favorite sayings that I’ve made up is, “You do you and imma do me, and we’re gonna be alright.” On this planet, we will always come into contact with people who don’t believe the same as us. We need to take it upon ourselves to continuously love and accept others, because that’s what we want to be done to us.
