I don’t think I’ve ever gone a whole day without talking.
In fact, I’m not actually sure I’ve made it through very many complete hours without talking. It seems that I’m vary rarely at a loss of words or something to say. (If you read this blog, you’ve already figured this out). =)
But, tomorrow, I’m gonna stay quiet.
Tomorrow is the annual “Day of Silence.” Many high school students will choose to “not talk” during the day tomorrow in order to show their solidarity with their many peers that are wrestling with LGBT issues in loneliness and fear.
Now, I know many Christians who vehemently oppose this movement each year. In fact, last year I think I witnessed an all new low in Christian depravity as a local church actually held a protest outside a high school in my area (read last year’s blog here).
A church protesting high school students? Huh?
Effectively, though the church leaders claim nobler intentions, the message was “God hates gay people and so do Christians.”
And while many people will not go so far as to hold a protest outside a school tomorrow, a noticeable amount of “Christian” students will be absent tomorrow in an effort to make their own statement of condemnation about it. Others will attend but simply ridicule those participating and be as boisterous as possible in their disruption.
However, I would like to humbly suggest another alternative: PARTICIPATE.
In fact, I’d like to propose that maybe participation is the most CHRIST-LIKE thing we could possibly do. For while I may not agree with a particular lifestyle that may be reflected in some people of this movement, Jesus calls me to show love to people that are different than me, not condemnation.
Wayne Jacobsen is the publisher of the best-selling book, The Shack. Recently on his Lifestream blog, he wrote:
…many public school students will observe a Day of Silence as a means to protest harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. It has been going on for almost a decade and many parents who are against ‘the gay agenda’ feel the need to keep their kids home that day, or participate in a Day of Truth that makes sure everyone in their district knows they consider homosexuality to be immoral. Is this the way Jesus would respond?
Perhaps a better way to encourage faith-based students to respond would be to adopt the Golden Rule Pledge. “I pledge to treat others the way I want to be treated.” It allows a pro-active response to sharing the burden to increase mutual respect for all, regardless of our differing points of view.
I agree whole-heartedly. Maybe we should spend less time trying to “win a battle of accepted morality” and more time living a life of CHRIST-LIKE love. Maybe Jesus’ model of love, compassion and grace really is more powerful than our protest. Maybe to be silent in solidarity with the weak, in some Kingdom of God way, really is more transforming than our disruptive and polarizing vocalization.
So, I’m gonna stay quiet because even if I disagree with people about their lifestyle, I don’t think Jesus will allow me to treat them with any less love than everyone else.
I’m gonna stay quiet because too many young people wrestling with complex sexual orientation issues are afraid to talk about it for fear of ridicule, ostracization, or even physical harm.
I’m gonna stay quiet because Jesus commands me to treat other people like I would like to be treated, and I so desperately want to let His way of life direct and control my own.
If you’d like to consider participating or supporting those who do as well, please visit this great site for more information on an excellent alternative/compliment to the DOS:
So, join me in trying a new way of life: LOVE.
Consider staying “SILENT.” It may be that our LBGT community has heard enough of our voices already anyway.
nickloyd.com 
Nick,
I must say that I completely agree with you. While I do not condone the lifestyle, I do believe in the Golden Rule & I also believe that Jesus would show them love. I commend you for taking the approach that you are. Sometimes it is better to win the fight with love than with war. I will be praying for all participating & for those who are staying home & missing out on a true opportunity to show Gods love.
Elaine
Nick, you have good arguments and have made me think. This is a hard issue and I haven’t really decided what we should do. I think it kind of depends on whether we are loving and supporting people and encouraging them to rise to God’s standards, or if we are accepting and validating their sexual tendencies / choices (not sure that it is always just one or the other). Unless we are saying that God approves homosexual behavior–and I challenge you to show me that he does–I would have trouble staying silent if my silence were misconstrued as supporting homosexual behavior. I don’t think God is ever shown in the Bible to support sin, in fact by definition He cannot, and I’m not sure how you can be a follower of Christ without opposing sin wherever we find it. Fortunately there is usually enough sin in my own heart to deal with so I don’t really have much time to worry about other people’s sins… however, in this case, I think I’d find the middle road and neither protest the day, or be silent. I’d probably just go about my day as normal. But if you are convinced in your heart that being silent has the greatest potential to impact lives for Christ, and brings the greatest glory to God, I say go for it!
What a joy to find someone else who tnhiks this way.
ah, Nick, I’m so glad I was able to help you see where those who don’t hold your view might have been coming from. =) oh well. Or maybe you are just trying to stir up a blog following. Either way, hope you are doing well!
To all who choose to add “While I don’t condone homosexuality…” or feel obligated to point out they don’t support people’s “lifestyle choices”, I have a few things to say. First is this: I personally know quite a few people who are gay/lesbian, and I feel necessary to point out that it is not a choice for them. They are born gay, just as some are born straight. I know that many have tried to change – spent their whole lives in the church, attempting to do just that – but when it came right down to it, they could not. Think about it: if it was the opposite situation, could you make yourself be gay?
And why exactly do we think that being homosexual is a sin? In fact, most [though not all] references to homosexuality being a sin are found in the Old Testament, right alongside plenty of other rules that we don’t follow today, because as Christians we believe that when Jesus died on the cross, He eliminated the need for those rules. Laws like forbidding the wearing of mixed fibers, not having any contact with women while they are on their period, and forbidding men to trim their beards. Why should we pick and choose which rules we follow? While I am glad that you, Nick, choose to show your love for those different than you, I would also encourage you to try to understand more about homosexuality. Make the effort, everyone, to get a grasp on why a countless number of Christians have been ex-communicated from their churches and communities for being the way they are. If they were given the choice, most would choose to change, because then they wouldn’t have endure this horrible treatment. Please, just try to see the other side of things.