Dear Editor
My heart wept when I read the front-page article in the Feb. 16 News-Optimist, “Drag queen event at Dekker Centre sparks community controversy.”
For someone who believes in a God of Love, and in the commandment Jesus Christ himself set forth, “Love your neighbour as yourself,” it makes me shudder when other so-called Christians come forward only to be hurtful and discriminatory.
Jesus accepted those his society rejected – adulterers, tax collectors, people of races other than his own. If he were here in our day and time, I have no doubt he would accept members of the LGBTQ community.
For decades, I have puzzled as to why certain “Christian” groups pick and chose certain classes of “sinners” to rally against. Even supposing dressing as a drag queen is a sin – which, to be clear, I do not believe it is – why the focused outcry against that particular “sin?”
Dressing up does not even violate any of the 10 commandments. Why not rise up and protest, instead, lies and falsehoods which do break one of the commandments?
What about not respecting the Sabbath? How many of those people who phoned or emailed the Dekker Centre to make their righteous protest stop at Walmart or a grocery store on a Sunday to pick up a few things?
The Christian faith teaches that we are all sinners, we all fall far short of being perfect human beings. It also teaches love, a love that is patient and kind, a love that does not dishonour others, a love that accepts people as they are.
If you too are a Christian, how about focusing on sharing that love, instead of complaining about things you do not like and which do not hurt anyone.
Helena Long
Unity
