Caitlyn Jenner: A Christian's response and apology

Taking a leap here because I tend to keep my faith more personal but here goes nothin'...

I have been a Christian my whole life. It is something that I take pride in. I went to a Christian school, came from a Christian home, have Christian friends and a Christian boyfriend. I wear a cross around my neck that my grandmother gave me and I have a bible verse tattooed on my skin.

However, I have a tattoo, I have non-Christian friends and gay friends and friends who say they are Christian but know nothing of a personal relationship to Christ. I have 9 piercings, 5 tattoos and have doubts about my faith all the time. So go ahead and judge away, wouldn't be the first time and it won't be the last.

I say all this as to say that my Faith is very important to me, but Christianity and Christians are not perfect, far from it. I have had teachers tell me my family is going to Hell and I have had friends tell me I was the most liberal girl they knew because I have gay friends.

Whoopdy Freakin' Do.

I just read an article titled Caitlyn Jenner is Not a Hero, and while factually accurate (in terms of the definition of a hero) it is a blithe on the Christian name, and I apologize.

I will not say I agree with Caitlyn, nor do I think she deserved the award, but it has nothing to do with her transitioning into a woman. I do not think she deserved the award because I believe there are people more deserving; Lauren Hill for example. This article defined a hero as someone who put's their life above others, whose actions are not rewarded. To me this is what a hero is, some one who would sacrifice their life and happiness for the lives of others, or someone so passionate about a cause that they will take a stand not to fulfill their own desires, but to fulfill the desires of others, and this is why I do not think Caitlyn should be given this award. However, Caitlyn Jenner is a portrait of strength to the people who her lives have touched.  She has done what many people in this world lie awake dreaming they had the courage to do in order to be happy, and that is truly a feat in itself. It is courageous but it is not heroic.

The real bone I have to pick is not to decide whether or not Caitlyn deserves an award. I don't care whether she does or not. However, I care about the response that people believe to be the true "Christian way."
To say that God only makes a man and a woman devoid of imperfection would also mean that God only makes healthy babies; only healthy people. Which in turn means that the Devil is creating these people that aren't healthy. I don't know about you, but a child with an extra chromosome is still a gift from Heaven if you ask me, and I dare you to say that my autistic cousin is not a gift from God, because I am willing to commit that sin by slapping you for saying that. To think that God only makes wonderful and perfect things is damning all the imperfectly perfect people and events that happen in this world, and that is tragic. So many wonderful creations (people, experiences, character traits etc) are created from things not perfect, happy or wonderful, but I guarantee you they are worth while.

To be honest, I don't care one bit over some celebrity who was once a great athlete now turned walking mat for the Kardashians...Yea not one bit of caring happening here!! I do care about the press and the abuse people are getting from so called Christians. That makes me mad, and it makes me sad. Jesus ate with prostitutes, the sick, and the thieves, and you want to bash someone simply because he decided he wanted his man parts to become woman parts. REALLY! I have had several discussions with friends who don't share the same beliefs I do and the largest hindrance to them believing in Christ are his followers. That right there is the a hard pill to swallow. When did becoming a Christian mean we get to bash other people based on Freedom of Speech? When did becoming a Christian mean that we no longer let the light of Christ poor out of us onto those in need?

Being a Christian means being a follower of Christ. It means loving people like Jesus loved, which, in case you missed Sunday school, Jesus loved us so much that he died for us. That is a lot of love folks. BUT BUT BUT we don't care about how he loved right?? No, we only care about making sure people know it's against Christian doctrines for a man to want to wear a dress.

Get over yourself.
I am so sorry that many Christians think it is okay to play the role of God and decide to publicly humiliate and damn people. When you die on the cross, turn water into wine, or love people so strongly that it radiates for centuries and centuries then you can come talk to me. Until then, why don't we as Christians worry about praying for Caitlyn to have a happy life? Why don't we pray that our next president is a man of faith and courage? Why don't we pray that we find a solution to the thousands of children dying in Africa because it won't rain? Those all seem like more important things to worry about than a person on the cover of a magazine. The Church and the body of Christ is called to love your neighbor, to support the weak and the innocent, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to give shelter to the homeless (Matthew 25:35-40). Don't you think that is more important? I do.

I am so sorry that many Christians spend more time discussing the small things like what to wear or not wear instead of discussing how to love people better. I'm sorry that you think being a Christian means degrading a person.

I am sorry that you are so worried about playing God that you forget to love people like God does.

Stop worrying over who is wearing a dress or not and start loving people for who they are. Let God decide what is right or wrong, and let us Christians make sure we are not a hindrance to others coming to know what real love is. Whether you believe Bruce/Caitlyn is right or wrong, who cares. All you need to believe is that God loves him/her so you should love him/her.

PS loving someone from a distance is okay. It is possible to show someone love and not agree with their beliefs or lifestyles. It is okay to show someone love and not want to be best friends with someone. Trust me there are many people who I do not agree with, people that have hurt me or hurt the people I care about that I would never willing choose to be best friends with, but that does not mean I do not love them as a human being with real feelings.