Patheos

BuddhistCatholicContemplativeEvangelicalGeneral ChristianHinduJewishLatter-day SaintMuslimNew VisionsProgressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Patheos

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube

freedhearts

Dear Susan: Should I Take the Red Pill or the Blue Pill?

Last updated on: February 20, 2015 at 11:09 am   by Susan Cottrell

Dear Susan: Should I Take the Red Pill or the Blue Pill? 2015-02-20T11:09:17-05:00 Susan Cottrell

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

redblue

Are Christians ready to step outside of their box? Are they willing to take the “red pill?” Fortunately, many have and are coming to know the truth and the heart of God and the teachings of Jesus.  Unfortunately, way too many have decided to take the “blue pill,” climb back into the box, seal it tight, and just ignore this whole “love your neighbor” thing as it applies to the LGBTQ community.

When we talk to some of them, their response is usually to try to turn the tables, say we are not Christians, say we are not Biblical. I have stopped defending that, because they are the ones who must defend their lack of love and their condemnation and judgment.

God bless the reader who asked this question. I have deep compassion for him and I desire to lead him to the truth in love. He is simply inside the box, repeating the unbiblical, incorrect teachings he has heard for a long time on Sunday mornings. But, when I saw his screen name – RedPill – I couldn’t resist responding.

I will say that after my initial response, he got a little heated with me and others. I still have compassion, as we all should, but there is a point when you have shared the truth with someone, pointed out the hurt caused by the actions they are defending and the hypocrisy of their position – and they ignore it all – that you have to move on.

dear-susan_white

But I want to share this with all of you today…

I write Dear Susan posts most every Friday. Sometimes they are poignant, sometimes thought-provoking, sometimes tender, sometimes funny… but hopefully always worth the read.

Dear Susan,

If you want to promote homosexuality in contradiction to the bible that’s fine, but why call yourself a christian or say you are teaching biblical morality? and if you think god’s teaching on homosexuality can be disregarded, then why not also disregard any teaching you or anyone else happens to be inconvenienced by?

Sincerely,

RedPill

Dear RedPill,

You and I focus on different things. I refuse to disregard the Bible’s teachings (specifically teachings of Jesus, the origination and conclusion of our faith) that say: “Above all, LOVE. Leave people to me. Don’t judge. You are NOT their teacher. Above all, *LOVE*.”

I have a high view of Scripture and I take those teachings very seriously, and I invite you to do the same.

But Box-Christians (Christians who want everything fitted neatly in a box) disregard them and so many others about love and mercy and trust, in favor of… well, which passages do you think I disregard?

A very few passages that, in context, do not condemn homosexuality?

If you do not want disruption to your story – the one box-christians have told themselves about those verses and their opinion of LGBTQ people – perhaps you want to change your handle to BluePill.

As Morpheus in The Matrix says: “You take the blue pill, the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbithole goes.”

I choose the red pill, because I intend to stay in this land of Divine Wonder that God has given us, as God’s plan for inclusion is revealed, to see just how far the rabbithole goes.

As my husband Rob says, “Be radically inclusive because we have been radically included.”

– Susan

Church & Religion

Family Support

dear susan

gay Christian

gay daughter

gay son

homosexuality

matrix

Previous Post



February 18, 2015

A Love Letter To My Anti-Gay Christian Friend

Next Post



February 21, 2015 Jesus Blog: I Miss You


Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Church & Religion Dear Susan Family Support Gay Weddings & Marriage GCN Conference Jesus Blog LGBTQ Support Parenting Personal Stories Suicide The Real Jesus Theology Transgender Uncategorized X Archived Posts

Select a Month August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 January 2025 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 June 2022 December 2021 May 2021 February 2021 November 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 May 2019 March 2019 January 2019 November 2018 March 2018 January 2018 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012


Follow Us!

Follow Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter



TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Job Solomon Isaiah David

Support this
Column

Related posts from FreedHearts

Family

We’re Straight & Queer. Why It Matters.

FreedHearts

Family

We Are Not the Resistance — We Are...

FreedHearts

Family

The Common-Sense Case for Why Being LGBTQ+ Is...

FreedHearts

Family

Do Christians Know It’s Christmastime At All??

FreedHearts

TRENDING AT PATHEOS Progressive Christian

Walking through History

  A new article, written by Jeff Lindsay and Gale L. Pooley,...

Swimfan: Forgotten Aughts Pleasures

This is a recovery effort. In 2002, My Big Fat Greek Wedding...

Top Three Anti-Catholic Lies About Catholicism

  This is my initial transcript for the video, "THE 3 WORST...

Pope Leo Celebrates Mass for Nurses & Docs...

I don't have any idea how he did it, but Pope Leo...

The Sermon on the Mount, Part I: Matthew...

The Sermon on the Mount, Part I (Matthew 4:12-5:12) St. Matthew moves...

What's up from Crossway

What's up from Crossway: Reviewing some of their latest A few weeks...

view all Progressive Christian blogs

Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Copyright 2008-2026, Patheos. All rights reserved.

Subscription Support Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In

Follow Patheos Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube