Love one another as I have loved you....

In the middle of the city, on a Saturday morning, rain clouds looming above me, I head to the train station to meet a friend.  We're going for lunch and a catch up.  The crowds are hectic and I realise that some of the roads are closed off.  

I listen and hear cheering heading my way.  Whistles are being blown.  There is loud music.  There is a lot of bright colour headed towards to me. The Pride march!  I had completely forgotten it was on, even though I had been hearing about it all week.  I have never been to one before so I wandered over and stood on the pavement, where the march would soon be passing by.  

The police came first, blowing whistles, waving, laughing, smiling.  Then came a float with cheesy pop music booming out from it.  People standing on it, dancing, waving and laughing.  More people followed, dressed in rainbow colours, waving, walking their dogs, holding rainbow flags high.  It was an assault of noise, colour, laughter and I loved it.  I stood on the pavement, grinning and waving back.  

In a world that is becoming so dark and backwards with its beliefs; a world that is becoming terrifying in believing it is acceptable to physically assault or kill someone because of their race, creed or sexuality, this march, to me was beautiful.  A bright colour and a resistance to the hate and darkness within this world.  

However, there was some darkness in this march and it grieves me to say, some of it was from fellow Christians.  I feel the eyebrows raising and the inhalation of breath at that statement.  I hear the arguments.  I should stay quiet and keep my opinion to myself.  Who am I to judge others?  I am no-one.  My life is not free from sin and I continually make mistakes.  I know full well that the only way I am getting to heaven is by the grace of God, no other way.  However, I am tired of staying quiet and allowing these Christians to speak for me.  I am tired of them showing a non Christian attitude.  I am tired of the anger and hypocrisy.  I will speak out.  You do not have to agree with me, and that's ok.  You are entitled to your opinion but so am I and here it is.  

On the Pride march there were some Christians with signs that said "Prepare to meet thy God".  Fair enough, I'll accept that.  That can be a message for all of us, those of us who believe need to prepare.  Those who don't believe, well some Christians will argue that you need to prepare.  I will simply say, you've heard it, you've made a choice and I respect it.  

Further down the march were the signs that would state things such as "you will burn in hell" and such like and here is where I get angry.  Who are you to judge in such a manner?  Who are you to say such things?  We (Christians) are followers of Christ.  Christian is in fact a nickname given to the early followers and it means 'Little Christ'.  We are to emulate Him (Jesus).  So tell me, where exactly in the bible does it tell us about Jesus condemning people?  Where does it tell us about him spouting hate towards others?  Where?  Oh, that's right, IT DOES NOT!!!  Jesus did not speak hatred and he did not condemn.  He lead with love and humility.  LOVE AND HUMILITY!  Does screaming that someone will burn in hell seem like a loving thing to you?  Do you honestly believe Jesus would be stood at a march today holding the exact same sign?  Do you?  

Let's have a wee look.  There are so many examples from the bible, about Jesus' attitude and behaviour towards people I could use but I shall choose just one (so that you won't be reading this for days).  The most commonly known example, the woman caught committing adultery.  

Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple.  A crowd soon gathered, he sat down and taught them.  As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery.  They put her in front of the crowd.

"Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the act of adultery.  The law of Moses says to stone her.  What do you say?"

They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger.  They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, "All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!"  Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.  

When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.  Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, "Where are your accusers?  Didn't even one of them condemn you?"

"No, Lord", she said.

And Jesus said, "Neither do I.  Go and sin no more".  

John Chapter 8, vs 1-11 (NLT)

So what can we take from this passage?  We'll ignore the fact that this whole scene was a set up, that is a discussion for another time.  Jesus says "let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone".  When you are throwing out these judgements and words you are casting stones.  Are you justified in throwing these stones?  Are you without sin?  

As everyone is sinful they cannot condemn the woman.  We are all sinful, so what gives you the right to condemn your fellow human being?  What gives you the right to shout hateful things to them and make them feel terrible?  

The one who has the right to judge and condemn DOES NOT!  He leads with love and humility and wisdom.  

Do you honestly believe shouting hate at someone is glorifying God?  Do you honestly believe you are following Christ's example?  Do you believe the way you are treating people will lead them to God?  I'm pretty sure it won't.  Most of the people I have spoken to who did the march, paraphrasing them more politely was "screw you then".  You are not reaching people.  You are not glorifying God.  You are breeding hatred and intolerance.  

Now, I can hear you say "but the bible says homosexuality is a sin" so lets get down to it shall we?  Indeed it does.  In Leviticus Chapter 18 vs 22 "Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman.  It is a detestable sin".  There it is.  How can I argue with that?  I cannot and I will not.  It is indeed written in the bible.  However, I will call out the people who use it.  Remember casting the first stone?  Continue reading Leviticus.  Chapter 19 vs 11 "Do not steal".  Have you ever stolen something?  No?  Are you sure?  Did you take a pen from work?  Did you have an hour at work where you did not actually do much work, if any?  That is stealing my friends and, I hate to say, most of us have done it in one way or another, perhaps without realising it, but we have done it.  We have committed this sin.

Moving on in the same passage, vs 16 say "Do not spread slanderous gossip among your people".  Ever gossiped?  Just passed on a bit of information about someone you know?  You could argue that it wasn't slanderous but I'll argue that all gossip is slanderous.  It is detrimental to the person being gossiped about and it often makes situations far worse with everyone embellishing their news slightly.  Stone = sin.  Pot to kettle, colour check.

Moving on, vs 17 "Do not nurse hatred in your heart for any of your relatives.  Confront people directly so you will not be held guilty for their sin".  Now, I realise that not everyone has experienced this but many have.  Arguments within the family, dysfunctional family dynamics are all to common place.  For many, even if they have forgiven now, for a time hatred will have been nursed.  A sin was still committed.   

One of my favourites, whilst reading this, please glance down at your clothing.  Now lets read Leviticus chapter 19 vs 19 "....Do not wear clothing woven from two different kinds of thread...".  I do not believe that needs any further explanation.

My point with this is yes, the bible says homosexuality is a sin and I do not dispute that.  What I do dispute is the judging of each other and the hatred that is bred from this.  

Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.  For you will be treated as you treat others.  The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.

And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own?  How can you think of saying to your friend, "Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye," when you can't see past the log in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye."

Matthew chapter 7 vs 1-5

Yes, I acknowledge that this blog is judging others and I acknowledge that I am not in a position to.  Believe me I know but I am truly tired by people breaking the one commandment Jesus gave us.  

"So now I am giving you a new commandment:  Love each other.  Just as I have loved you, you should love each other."

John chapter 13 vs 34

When you next go to tell someone that they are a sinner, or that they will burn in hell, or that they are an abomination, ask yourself these questions - 

Is this how Jesus would love this person?

Is this what Jesus would do?

Is this me loving you as I have been commanded?

Is this glorifying God and making you want to know Him?

There is so much hate in this world.  Do not add to it.  Lead with love, humility and wisdom.  

Love one another, as He loves us....

F is for....fit?

 Ok.  It's time.  It's time to get, gulp, fit.  It's time to improve my health or something like that.  The question is how?  Let's see....walking?  I already do that with the minimum 45 minute walk a day with the dogs and it has to be said, it ain't toning any part of me.  

Hmmm, running?  Hahahahahahaha.  Unless something is chasing me, that isn't happening.  I always say, if you see me running, run!  Something is either chasing me or I am running away from imminent danger.  

What about these insanity classes?  Um, no.  The clue is in the title of those classes and I am not that insane.  I cannot understand why you would cycle on a bike frantically whilst going nowhere.  What's the point?  Also your legs do not work properly afterwards, making walking down stairs more than slightly terrifying and funny.  

So what did I choose?  What hellish torture known as 'exercise' did I opt for?  Well, my criteria is easy.  I want something fun, something that will strengthen my core and something that I won't get bored with.  So I opted for the obvious.  Pole dancing.  What could possibly go wrong?  

So I signed up for four lessons and received my blurb.  Where they were, where to park the car, wear a loose t-shirt and shorts, very short shorts, that's it.  Ummm, shorts.....shorts.....slight problem.  I don't own shorts.  I try not to inflict my bright white legs upon the public.  They are a safety hazard.  As RAF boy tells me, at night when I walk through a dark room, it's like strobe lighting when the moonlight bounces off my legs, humph.  

Ok, I can buy shorts.  Not a problem.  Oh dear Lord, problem.  I'm looking in winter when shorts aren't really wanted right now.  Shop assistants look at me as if I'm a crazy person when I ask for shorts.  Eventually, Primark comes to my rescue with some shorts.  I grab them and head into the changing room and suddenly realise that, upon walking through the changing room doors, I have entered a fairytale world and become Goldilocks.  

First pair go on and go right down to my knees. I like them, they cover my white thighs but the information said I need short shorts.  Ok, second pair.  As I hauled this pair over my thighs and up over my hips I gave an inadvertent squeak and went slightly cross eyed.  These shorts were indeed short and revealed my thighs.  They also revealed my bum cheeks and gave me an all round wedgie!  Nope!  Off they come in one fluid movement that I'm sure would make most strippers envious (however the move did result in the offending shorts flying up over the cubicle curtain and landing in a cubicle further up where another woman was trying on clothing.  I stayed quiet and admitted nothing, sniggering slightly at the scream of surprise).  Third pair were just right (well, almost).  They were not tight, they did not reveal bum cheeks, they were short enough for pole dancing but not so short that I left nothing to the imagination.  The only problem was my pale, milk bottle legs sticking out from them.  As I turned around in front of the mirror I was horrified.  When did that happen?  When?  When did I suddenly get cellulite?  I started contorting myself in to all sorts of weird and wonderful positions to try and make it go away.  Turns out that if I stand like I'm about to go skiing then the cellulite disappears, ha!  So off I sexily stalk out of the changing rooms in a squat position as if I'm skiing.  I turned some heads that day, let me tell you! 

The day arrives.  I've got my shorts and t-shirt under my regular clothes and off I go.  The room it is held in is in a maze of a building.  I was told to take the lift upon entering the building but for love nor money I couldn't find it.  I asked the door man and he huffed at me, gestured in a vague way and said "THERE!"  I wander off in the direction he motioned at, looking.  Suddenly he shouts "NO!  THERE!!"  I'm really confused and slightly frightened at him shouting at me.  He is manically waving towards the plants.  Perhaps it's like Platform 9 3/4 and I have to run at the wall and suddenly I'll be in the pole dancing room.  I wonder what Harry Potter would have made of that?  Instead of a train station, a pole dancing club with Fred and George providing drinks and tricks (not that sort of trick!  Magic tricks!) 

Suddenly, like a magic eye picture, the door appears before me.  It is the tiniest lift, with one tiny door, hidden behind a tree.  Of course, where else would it be?  I gingerly enter the lift and it creaks and moans as we ascend.  When the doors finally open I pause to say a prayer of thanks.  Today, I survived the terrifying doorman and the haunted house lift.  Off I wander to find the room.

Eventually I find it and I enter, bemused by the fairy lights, spinning poles, tutors in full perfect make up hanging upside down, women in platform sandals spinning around and a guy who I really wish wore shorts and not incredibly tight briefs.  I looked away before I was blinded only to be assaulted by a woman doing the V split in barely there briefs.  I'm not a prude but I do think it's only polite to buy me a drink before flashing me, especially when I'm stood there thinking "ooh, hon, you need to go and get a wax".  Ahem.  Well, least said soonest mended.  

There were two other beginners there.  You could tell we were beginners because we looked out of place and we were wearing shorts, not underwear.  The instructor calls all of us over and starts warm up exercises with us.  Warm up?  I think she's trying to kill me.  Star jumps?  Why?  I am not a star and I've never seen one jump.  Squats, aargh, thighs and butt.  Then we're on the floor doing stomach crunches and swinging our legs around wildly.  When we were finished, I was done.  I wanted to crawl home after this torture.  Why had I decided to do this?  Cheerfully she tells us to grab a pole.  I think she means to help us drag ourselves up, which is what I do.  She stares at me as I pull myself up using it, groaning all the way.  She shakes her head a little, jumps on a pole and starts showing us what we're going to practice.  

It's harder than it looks.  Apparently I gripped to tightly which is why I was having problems spinning (oo-er missus) but I soon worked it out.  Turns out I'm a wee bit of a natural for pole dancing.  I can do a chair spin, fire pole spin, V split, angel something and hold myself midway up the pole with just my thighs, oh yeah! It was good fun and, yeah, I was a wee bit proud of myself that I could do the moves.    

For the next five days though, I could barely move as I was very aware of my muscles.  I tried to roll over in bed that night and couldn't move.  It was hilarious.  I was like a beached whale trying to roll over.  I eventually made it but made a mental note not to move again.  The next few days heard me moaning and groaning with every move I made, I'm sure the neighbours think I'm either demented or the house is being haunted by a noisy ghost.  

It was a good work out though.  It's the kind of work out I enjoy, where you don't feel like you're actually working out and you have fun.  I've been a couple of times now and I enjoy it but due to time constraints at the moment, don't know if I'll be able to carry on (classes clash with work).  Hmmm, we shall see but I think I will return in the future.  I can't let my shorts go to waste :) Until then, if you see a mad redhead spinning round a pole, it's probably me just getting a quick bit of practice in.  

Until next time.....