You will burn in hell.

This is one of the most common phrases repeated to gay men and women around the world. Most of the time, comes from 'religious' people who seem to think that they are God's personal prophets. And sadly enough, a lot of these people are Christians.

I remember a time when I was so conflicted about my sexuality and my faith. All around me, the signs pointed that God hated me and had given up on me. I used to have a textbook in high school for religious studies, and one chapter had the big bold title of HOMOSEXUALITY. The textbook may as well had come out of the dark ages, because the chapter pulled the old gay cliche of quoting several verses from the Bible that apparently condemn homosexuality, and that if we knew any gay people, we should pray for their souls and pray that God would be merciful to them in death. My feelings were so intense and confusing that I would sit there in my seat and wish that the ground would swallow me up. When did the God that I prayed to every day become such a hateful one? Why in all his wisdom and goodness would he put me on this earth only to condemn me?

I wish that I could go back and tell myself not to be so worried, to not hate myself for being different, and most importantly to tell myself that everything works out just great in the end. I now live a great life out and proud to most of the people in my life, and as for my faith it's still very much there, only it's not based on what's written in a textbook.

"We have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better." Colossians 1:9-10

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