Blue Like Jazz

My friend Chris Bobek loaned me his copy of Blue Like Jazz a few weeks ago. He said that the author is a "hippie liberal character" that reminded him of me. I just finished it.
A campus preacher at UF this past year told the people listening to "be skeptical of the skeptics" mainly because they endorse the lifestyles of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgenders. Homosexuality is no doubt an immoral lifestyle, but I think it's strange that he used it as his main weapon for discrediting the skeptics. Jesus said that our second greatest commandment, after loving Him, is to "Love your neighbor as yourself." It was not to stop gay marriage. Why couldn't the campus preacher say, "Be skeptical of the skeptics because they don't love you as much as we Christians do"? We might not be able to say that much of the time. He and other campus preachers have probably brought hundreds, if not thousands, of students to Christ. Their work has done far more good than harm. I really admire their courage. I'm only saying that it would be more effective if the focus was solely on Jesus Christ and loving others. Then I wouldn't have to stumble over my words as I explain how Christians feel about gays. It often does not make any sense to a non-Christian.

The last chapters of Blue Like Jazz touch immensely on this theme of what it means to love and not judge other people as Christians. I think something is wrong when we assume that homosexuality or other sin is as appalling to everyone else as it is to us Christians and we use it as our main ammunition. I've never heard anyone say they came to Christ as a result of hearing a pastor lash out against gays, Democrats, hippies, Muslims, stoners, etc. But love converts people all the time. Love should come first, then they will conform to our stances on gay marriage and other issues as they learn more about Jesus. It wouldn't do much good for me to rewrite the book here. I'll only say that everyone should read it. It really spoke to me.