My NALT video: Not Just A Blonde blogger… talking not typing!

I made a video this past week-end for the NALT Project in support of LGBT individuals that have been wrongly judged, condemned, and isolated from their faith due to mis-interpretation of the Bible outside of it’s historical context. I basically just prayed sat down and started talking… no script just sharing from my heart. It is a lot different that typing a blog for which you can edit words and share only after the finished product is to your liking… but I didn’t have time for that. NALT Project needed my voice now… an authentic if imperfect sharing of my soul. I hope my message is clear about one thing…. homosexuality is not a sin and God loves you just the way you are… and as a fellow Christian… so do I!

For those who may be hearing impaired the audio is as follows:

Hello, my name is Ann McPherson and I am making this video on behalf of the NALT Project to let others know that not all Christians believe that being LGBT is a sin.

I’ve been a Christian pretty much my whole life, in fact, I really don’t remember a time when I wasn’t a believer. A few years ago I underwent a Spiritual Awakening of sorts and since that time I’ve looked at the world within a whole new light, through the lens of love, as God has spoken to my heart.

I am a Christian woman, a mom, a wife, a Sunday school teacher. I occasionally even lead a small group at church. I also have a Spiritual blog called ‘Not Just a Blonde‘ that is dedicated to exploring the Spiritual side of God and how we can approach life through loving others as equals as we are ALL God’s children.

It really has touched my heart when as I see on the news all the politics and debate regarding same-sex marriage. I think (watching) that really took my contemplation of whether or note homosexuality was a sin to the next level. At first I went with the whole mentality of  ‘Love the sinner… hate the sin’,  but that just never set right with me. It still felt like I was judging someone and for something I didn’t even understand.

As a heterosexual female, even since I was 6 years-old I had crushes on little boys. The idea of having a romantic tie to the same gender was foreign to me. However, the more I thought about it, what if loving and being attracted to the opposite gender was seen as or interpreted as evil or sinful in the Bible? And then I thought about it; ow would that make my life different?

As it is I’m in a heterosexual marriage. The Church generally celebrates families. In fact, I kind of get an extra ‘adda girl!’ for staying married and doing the traditional thing. However, what if? What if I fell in love with someone of the same gender and I wanted to start a family with her? What would my spirituality be like? Specifically what would my Christian family be like?

I realized where I attend church right now in the denomination of the United Methodist Church is undergoing a time of contemplation and questioning. Specifically, my Pastor Scott Mann is very accepting of people from all walks of life, homosexuality included.

However, our denomination as it stands isn’t currently blessing same-sex marriages or unions… and that breaks my heart. However, I feel called to stay and continue to attend this church and be in the church as a voice of change and God’s Love… instead of rushing off to find a church that better suits my needs.

I am heterosexual, so I can’t be judged or talked to like I’m just trying to ‘justify my own sin’. I feel like it would be easy for those to claim I had an agenda if I were to be homosexual, but being heterosexual I feel like I need to take a stand!

I feel like I need to take a stand and say NO! It isn’t right (to judge homosexuality as a sin) and even though my direct family wouldn’t change, GOD”S family WILL change if we allow and bless and stop judging, condemning, ostracizing, shunning individuals of the LGBT (Community) people.

Needless to say this is a very important time and I am proud of the NALT Project and I want my voice to stand alongside other’s voices that say we love you just as you are! I believe God created you to love in a unique way that is for your path just as sacred and amazing of a path as a heterosexual one!

I’ve read the Bible, and in the historical context I see nothing condemning the love that you guys seek.

You are welcome in our Church family and I believe by my specific church and in time by the United Methodist Church denomination as well.

I thank you so much for listening to my video and I feel like we have a lot of loving to do, us Christians, to make up for the hurt and pain we have caused you over the years.

Please know on behalf of other Christians, specifically heterosexual ones that in the past have misjudged, misunderstood or even been afraid of you… that we are deeply sorry and God loves you just as much as He loves us!

God Bless you and I want everyone to know, as Christians we are Not All Like That!

Related articles

• New ‘That’s Church’ Messages Highlight the Church in Action (prweb.com)
• Pro-LGBT Christians Launch ‘Not All Like That’ Campaign (patheos.com)
• What if Christians Were…Well…Like Christ? A Simple Christianity of Christ-like Love and Inclusion (adventistsforprogress.com)
• The Bible Does NOT Condemn Homosexuality (welcometothepatriarchy.wordpress.com)
• Christians for Gay Marriage Launch “Not All Like That” Campaign (swampland.time.com)