"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." - Romans 12.2
In today's society, I've notice that in order to 'be somebody' you have to be put into a specific category. Especially with today's elections going on, you either have to be one extreme or the other:
- Democrat or Republican, Black or White, Straight or Gay, Virgin or Not, Married or Single -
WHAT!? Now, excuse my opinion, but WHO CARES!? Why do we have to be one extreme or the other. Whether we like to admit it or not, we all try to categorize each other to fit this somewhat 'norm' we have in our head. Now lets be honest, who knows what the norm is?
The reason that I bring this topic up, is because it's been very relevant in my life today. Who am I to say that everything that I do and believe is the right way.. I'M NOT! I'm going to say it.. I'm just going to do it.. I'M A VIRGIN? Why are people afraid to say that? Why does someone get looked down upon for believing and practicing what they want? Why does saving yourself for marriage make you seem like a prude? It's because, as a society, we have learned that there is something wrong with that person if they are different ---- NEWS FLASH, God made us all different for a reason. If the Lord wanted us all to be the same, believe the same thing, and act the same, don't you think He would have made us the same?
*TIME OUT* Let us take a moment and let that sink in --- GOD MADE US ALL DIFFERENT FOR A REASON!! He wanted us to choose to love Him, to choose to practice the faith of following His path, and to CHOOSE to put Him first before all. Does that mean I can't be your friend if you think the opposite.. Ummmm, no. I DON'T CARE!!
WOOOOAAAHHH Erika, you just said you didn't care if someone didn't believe in God? Okay, I lied, I do care. I care enough to say that I'll pray for you. I'll pray that you will someday have a strong relationship with Christ like I do. I pray that you will have a genuine true friendship with me. And I pray that I can be a positive role model, through Christ, as your friend.
It's funny, people think I'm weird/different from today's norm. People think that what I believe in can't possibly be right. I'm of mixed race (haha - DUH), I'm Catholic, I'm a democrat, I believe that anyone and everyone should be married no matter the sex or gender, and I believe that Christ died, rose from the dead, and will return again. Why is that so wrong? This topic has made me doubt some things that I have believed in my whole life.
Lets get down to business; why am I writing this post now? I recently had a conversation with someone saying that, through my religion and family, I did not have a choice in what I believed in, and that I was forced to believe my faith an morals. They said, if I didn't grow up in the Catholic church, I wouldn't think that sex was such a sin before marriage --- NEWS FLASH, again --- You're correct. My faith is the building block of how I live my life, but I'm not going to force that upon anyone else. God said to love your neighbor as yourself. If I believe heavily in my faith, why can't I accept others for their belief? It's about accepting and loving one another. Is that not what Christ did to those who didn't believe in Him at first?
I'm not saying believe in what I believe. I'm not saying that you have to be Catholic to live a happy and long life. And I'm not saying that if you don't save yourself for marriage, you're a horrible person. NO, that's the exact opposite. All I want for you is to accept and love your neighbor as you would love yourself; no judging, no categorizing, just simply love.
"But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." -1 Samuel 16.7
-Erika Watson
