These Christians try to use spiritual plastic surgery in their lives in order to make themselves better, just as people use plastic surgery to enhance their physical appearance. They do this because they suffer from a fear that they are not good enough for Jesus’ mercy, want to make others feel inferior to them, or want to appear as Christians but are not willing to take the sacrifice of changing their ways. They apply botox to their mouths by persistently referring to scripture and use it in their minds by trying to always be excited about life. Both are degenerative, because they are fake and scare non-believers away from Jesus.

People that use spiritual plastic surgery may feel that they are doing the right thing as Christians, but if anything they are being destructive to current and future relationships with fellow believers. These Christians that take life too seriously scare non-believers away from Jesus because they predispose others to assume that Christianity is a works-based religion. Also, the amount of attention that plastic surgery Christians pay to little issues make them look foolish to non-believers.

Jesus did not take His reputation or the way people perceived Him so seriously that He could not laugh at things that were legitimately funny. Jesus came to forgive us of our sins, but He did not come to tell us that we must live holy lives. This is stated in the Bible, and based upon the fact that the Bible’s truthfulness is unquestionable, there is no Biblical intention for plastic surgery Christians to take themselves so seriously. This means that believers do not need to fluff up our attitudes and mental appearances when in public or try to look like what they imagine Christians to look like. It means the opposite, it does not matter what the world and non-believers think of us; God’s opinion on our actions and appearance is what should only matter in our lives.

So let’s bring an end to spiritual botox and plastic surgery. Jesus wants us to spread the word and make fellow disciples, and non-believers want anything other than a works-based religion. Let’s stop faking Christianity, and just be real with each other.

Every person dreams of living a “happily ever after,” but in reality do “happily ever afters” really exist? In the book A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly, the fictional characters deal with the issues of living in reality or not. Happy endings do exist, but so do the dire things in life, that people must confront. It is a breathtaking novel full of adventure, drama, truth, and healing.

Mattie, a young girl living on a farm with three other sisters and her Pa, debates throughout the book whether to chase her dreams or marry an ignorant man but getting to live near home.

Royal Loomis, a tough, strong, and attractive man, starts to pursue Mattie. Mattie, a plain girl who never thought a guy like Royal would like her, is intrigued. She never thought a guy like him would like a girl like her. Royal is insensitive and rude, but throughout the book, Mattie puts up with Royal’s nonsense and degrading comments and trys to fall in love with him… because it makes sense. With Royal, she could start a family, live near home, and he would provide for her. But all the while she would not be truly happy and would never get to pursue her real dreams and go to college.

In the book, when Mattie talks about Royal she says, “For the first time, I saw what was in his heart, and I wondered if he might ever want to look deep enough to see mine.”

Later in the book when Mattie gets a scholarship to Bernard, she has to choose if she will do what makes sense and marry a guy she does not love, or do what her heart is telling her to do.

This book is one of my favorite books I have ever read. It was inspirational and exciting. The ending left you feeling good and happy, even though Mattie did not end of having the happy ending she dreamed of her whole life.

When it comes to reading books, there is a debate about whether people should write about happy endings, prince charmings, and magical things, or if people should write about the realistic side of life.

So is it possible for happy endings to exist? Donnelly thinks that happy endings do happen but not always in the way readers think it will. Mattie’s prince charming never is who she hopes him to be, but she packs her bags and heads to New York City in hope of succeeding in college.

When people factor in the sensible side of life books becomes sad and not comforting. Some people’s prince charmings never come. Or some people don’t even get to live a full life due to a car accident, or cancer. All these problems are real and happening to people everywhere, so how come some books never mention these things? It’s because readers like to escape the scary and real world and like to have some hope. Hope is a good thing and reading is a great way to establish that.

“When I read a book, it has to be realistic. No sappy love stories that never really come true. Every love story is the same, they end up together. There is no surprise, no point to read the book…because it’s the same every single time,” said Sarah Levenhagen, junior.

Books should be a combination of both. In The Northern Light, the ending is a perfect example. She ends up chasing her dreams and leaving the realistic and practical life, and does what her heart tells her to do. It is an inspiration for people, and it shows that there is a good in this life even if it means being unrealistic and illogical.

Mattie ends the book with thinking back to her life and who she could have been, she says, “Right now I want a word that describes the feeling you get—a cold sick feeling, deep down inside—when you know something is happening that will change you, and you don’t want it to, but you can’t stop it. And you know, for the first time, for the very first time, that there will now be a before and an after, a was and a will be. And that you will never again quite be the same person you were.”

A Northern Light is a great example of a perfectly balanced book. Mattie gets a taste of the “good” side. Royal proposes to her and she starts to plan a life with him. After a shocking, eye-opening event, Mattie realizes what she really needs and wants. The book ends with Mattie packing up her books and pencils and heading off to chase her real dreams.

Mattie discovered what a happy ending really was. For her, it wasn’t ending up with the right guy. It was leaving home, leaving what she thought was good for her, and taking a risk and going to New York City, all on her own, but pursuing her dream of becoming a writer and one day writing her own book.

To say I’m not perfect would be an understatement. I can be the most horrific little brat when I want to be. I mess up on a daily and sometimes hourly basis (just ask my mother), and when confronted with the fact that I’m pretty flawed, I cringe.

It is not because I have this false idea that I’m great or because I refuse to accept reality. The reason I get so uncomfortable when confronted by someone outside of myself is because no one likes to know that others see their flaws.

As previously stated, I’m perfectly aware that I’m pretty messed up, and when someone notifies me that they agree I immediately turn to defense mode.

I’m quite suddenly very aware of everything wrong with them. My mind begins to tear them apart, drowning out their observations on me and turning my attention to their problems, wondering who died and made them God? Who do they think they are to judge me?

And since these are my immediate thoughts and reactions, some might say I don’t take criticism well, but I truly believe that most people don’t give criticism well, and I react accordingly.

I’ve had some of the worst encounters possible with friends, teachers and family members while they were ‘just trying to help’. I’ve been given awful ultimatums and made to feel beyond salvation. Very rarely has someone come up alongside me and asked if there something they could do to help me.

So after years of harsh critic and guilty feelings, I promised myself I’d never be ‘that’ type of friend. I fled totally from the idea of telling anyone they were in the wrong. I adopted a ‘live and let live’ philosophy. I never called anyone out on any problem, little or small, and became notorious for a shrug when it came to issues with my peers.

My friends told me any and everything, knowing full well there wasn’t any judgment, but soon I was listening to horror stories of reckless behavior and sitting idly by as people I claimed to love self-destructed.

My idea of keeping the peace had gone completely down the toilet. I realized very quickly that if I wasn’t a part of the solution, I was most definitely a part of the problem. How could I let something terrible happen to my friends and not speak up? I might as well be a stranger pacing by.

I came to the realization that silence most definitely was not golden, but neither was interjecting my opinion into every aspect of my friend’s lives.  I don’t want to only be a ‘fair weather’ friend, however, the kind of person who is only there when things are going well and the skies are clear but takes off at the first sight of rain. There’s a thin line between holding your friends accountable and being a nag.

Finding an equal median is the struggle. When do you speak up and how do you go about doing that? I think it differs in every scenario and with every friend. Everybody has off days, so I don’t base whether or not I will say something off one bad scenario. If an attitude or behavior persists, then I decide to take action.

When I do so, I don’t make rash statements or go right for their jugular with my words. I remind myself that I’m not speaking out of anger or hatred. This is my friend who I love and care about. I’m not trying to make them feel bad. I’m trying to open their eyes to an issue I’ve noticed—not condemn them to hell.

I offer good, realistic and helpful tips afterwards, because proposing a problem without offering any sort of solution is pointless.

I realized everyone needs a friend to do this for them because it’s nearly impossible to give yourself an unbiased opinion or piece of advice. I’ve found the more I open myself up to giving constructive criticism, the better I handle it when I receive it.

Fear is the plaguing vermin that festers within you.  It isn’t invited.  It doesn’t give a hint that it is arriving.  Rather, it seizes hold of your mind until it suffocates any words you would have said or actions you would have done.

This, for me, is what rushes through my mind as I type these words.  I am unsure of how this will be accepted, but I have decided to exit my comfort zone as I dare to tackle this daunting task.

Even though I attend a Christian school, I feel as if the topic of Christ or the Bible is closed for conversation outside the classroom.  We have become so used to hearing Jesus loves us or reciting all the little scripture verses, that furthering any conversation on this topic is out of the question.

For one, whenever people are open about their relationship with Christ, they often come off as ungenuine, partly because much of the time they are.  This is when it becomes a turn off.  This is what scares people from ever bringing up the topic of the Bible or Christ. Too often there is insincerity when speaking of this subject, that people just don’t want to bring it up anymore.  At ;east. this is the case for me.

While we are a part of Christ’s family, we are still afraid of being judged, whether as insincere or cheesy, partly because we’ve had the same thoughts ourself.

For many of us, we have had times when we were either openly condemned for a little issue or were placed in a situation where the conversation turned awkward by someone’s small comment.

While I believe we shouldn’t feel uncomfortable encouraging our brothers and sisters or speakig of Christianity, you shouldn’t force the issue.  I don’t want to go down the lines of saying when it is appropriate and when it isn’t because that delves into a whole other issue.

However, I think it could be simply a matter of shoving down your fear of what your friend might think whenever you share what you’ve been learning.  Or even just giving someone a piece of encouragement from the Scripture.

As I write this, I realize that I am going to be judged by what I am writing, and a lot of that will be in negative context.  Yet, isn’t that what human nature is?  This article is not meant to be condemning you because often I judge others by what they say as well.  That is not necessarily always a good thing, I will admit, but I am saying this because I realize that I am not perfect.

How do we fix this problem?  Honestly, I don’t know.  I don’t have all of the answers.  All I can say is this: maybe it’s a matter of just being brave.  Pulling out the long strings of fear and anxiety and putting them in a pile on the side.  We have freedom to speak, and people have freedom to have their opinions, and sometimes with having your own opinions, others are judged.  But argue with me if you find this otherwise, whenever someone is truly genuine and speaks about the “forbidden topic”, it stays with you.  When someone speaks up about Christ – and you can tell they are not seeking attention or approval from teachers or others – you are encouraged. I am not saying to look for whatever opportunity there is to preach to a person (‘cause that can be rather annoying) but rather being genuine.  It can be a dangerous place, I know.  Teenagers are a tough crowd to please because we, ourselves, have plenty opinions of our own.

Nicholas Sparks, a #1 New York Times bestseller, has published another sure to be hit.  The Best of Me was released in stores on October 11, 2011.

Most of the book takes place in the small town of Oriental, North Carolina.  It is a heart rending story about former high school sweethearts who get the chance to pick up where they left off, but there’s a catch.  Neither have led the life that they had imagined living.  Fate throws them back together unexpectedly.  They both want a chance to start over where they left off, but some things are easier said then done.

A good portion of the book leaves the reader wondering if they both have  changed too much to rekindle their former high school flame or if they really always have been each others’ perfect matches.  Once you open the book, it is almost impossible to put down.  There are new surprises on each page that leave you wanting more.  From the moment you meet the characters, you will immediately fall in love.

All of the characters have very realistic traits that are relatable to readers,  teenagers and adults alike.  The book deals with first loves, family struggles and staying faithful.  It also deals with the pains of growing up . Each of the characters deal with trying to be an individual and follow the path that they want to take instead of the path their parents or family want them on.

The characters are very lovable.  Since they go through the struggles of every day life, they  are easy to relate to.  The characters follow their heart at some times and go with their gut feelings at others.  They make unpredictable decisions that many readers may question, but in the end, the decisions they make work out for the better.

The story takes you through many realistic struggles that every day Americans go through.  It deals with family struggles, alcoholic problems, cheating, trying to raise a family, and many other struggles along the path of going from being a teenager to an adult.

The book moves at a steady pace and answers all of the reader’s questions as it goes along.  Every couple chapters there is a flashback to help fill in the blank spots of the story that help you get to know the characters better with each look at the past.  Like some of Sparks’s older novels, there is an element of danger that follows the characters throughout the entire story.  The story is very suspenseful and unpredictable.  The book tugs at every emotion and makes the reader sympathize with each of the characters.

The book takes readers through a series of want and wonder and leaves them desperate to know more.  The love that they felt for each other has not gone away and it leaves them digging a deeper and deeper hole.  They want to be together, but a lot has changed and the circumstances now are different then they were back then. They do not know how to go about handling the situation that they are in now. The story comes down to whether you should follow your heart and your emotions or if you should think with your head.  The book shows a test of true love and looks to answer the question if a true love can be rekindled.

The book gives you an insight into your own life and makes you answer the questions for yourself.  Would you choose your one true love or the life you have already made for yourself?

The book is not left open ended. At the beginning of the book, many questions begin to form, but by the end, every question is answered.

Nicholas Sparks is the master of endings.  No matter how the story turns out, it is always for the better.  You may question the ending at times, but by the last sentence of the book it always sheds a new light on the story that plays out the ending in a different way.  The Best of Me is no different and  will not leave you disappointed.

Goal, basket, touchdown… All have similar effects: the crowd goes wild, the players rejoice, and the proud coach gives his athlete a pat on the back. It is one thing to hear about a major feat in the announcements, but a whole other thing to witness it. Let me propose a tweak to the dress code in the hopes of encouraging just that. Let’s let varsity athletes  wear their game uniforms to school on game day to promote game attendance. Excitement will spark among the team and this magical thing called “school spirit” will unite Westminster.

“People don’t always notice posters, but they notice sixteen girls in cheer uniforms,” said Laura Hamman, senior, captain of the varsity cheer squad.

When I was younger, I would fantasize about becoming a cheerleader. When that opportunity came my freshman year of high school, I was more than eager to partake in all of the activities that came with being a cheerleader. I especially loved wearing my uniform to school on game days. Westminster was once part of the many high schools who honored this as a tradition. But day in, day out, we are met by the new standardized dress code which restricts us from continuing to do so. The regulations for wearing game uniforms have not been discussed or heavily considered because it is not allowed in the first place. But athletes would be willing to compromise.

“Even if we could just wear team jackets or t-shirts with dress code bottoms it would serve the same purpose,” said Hamman.

It seems as if Westminster students have lost some of their past privileges with the transition to the new campus, including being able to wear their game day uniforms. In general, students agree that the new dress code should not restrict them from advantages they had in earlier years. Personally, I miss wearing my cheer uniform on game day. It was refreshing to be identified as more than just another student sitting in a classroom. I felt connected with the squad which generated a strong sense of school spirit.

“[In the past] any sport was allowed to wear their uniform. Obviously swimmers were not allowed, so they would wear their jackets,” said Susan Brown, assistant to the deans.

Though it seems the option of wearing athletic uniforms to school was taken for granted in the past, if this were to be allowed, athletes would see it as a benefit for their hard work in making the varsity team. Freshman and JV should not be upset about this because their time will come, just as present varsity players had to wait and work toward such a revered distinction.

“We as a school try to celebrate success. We try to support all of our athletes, organizations, clubs… as many of our student activities as we possibly can. So to set ourselves apart by wearing gear on game day seems to open up, ‘Why not JV? Why not band? Why not the JETS club?’ and it goes on and on,” said Jim Sefrit, head of upper school.

The viewpoint that once the door is opened to varsity athletes then the problem rises of everyone wanting to get through that door is valid, yet solvable. I understand that standardized dress promotes a better learning environment and gives WCA a clean and polished look, but the benefits of what I am proposing outweigh the costs. It has always been a tradition for sports to wear their uniforms on game days.

Though other organizations and clubs should be rightfully recognized, there needs to be a limit on what is allowed. Some sports have three to four games per week so there would be someone out of dress code every day, which would completely contradict the school’s decision to enforce a standardized dress code. Therefore, simply wearing a team jacket or uniform shirt only once a week should prove to be a reasonable compromise,

“I’ve worked to be on the football team and it’s great to be able to show it to other people,” said Jonathan Roth, senior.

Because it is such a high honor to make the varsity team, those athletes should experience benefits that reward their talent and hard work. Varsity athletes should be the blue and white color that decorates the beige walls at Westminster. They should not only encourage school spirit, but also be the trendsetters of new ways to show it.

Technology is advancing and increasing communication, though humans are not adapting appropriately. There is a revolution in communication devices that is changing our world, but it can be argued that this revolution is harmful to our culture.
Face-to-face conversations about deep, pure feelings or topics are being replaced with meaningless brief texts that provide no emotions, true thoughts, or opinions. Too much texting hurts our ability to truly communicate and have deep and meaningful relationships with one another.
Is there importance in one-on-one conversations? Definitely. A pure, deep conversation between two or more people is extremely influential and can serve to strengthen the culture of our world.
Decreasing or severing worthy conversation from our lives simply cuts off true emotions, the skill of debating, and pure friendships from our community. Unfortunately, people are switching spoken thoughts to typed thoughts keeping the comfort level easy. Simply put, texting requires no feelings on either part.
The solution to the threat of texting is not to eliminate texting, but to realize that it is simply a tool. Just as a hammer has a specific use, texting too has specific uses. The common mistake is using texting as a tool for the wrong jobs.
Modern technology has given us the option of texting, calling, or meeting; it is critical that we designate which tools are the best for certain conversations so certain types of interaction do not overlap other types.
An example of the significance of choosing the right interacting tool is a sermon given by a pastor to the church body. Typically, a preacher teaches to the community in the presence of the community.
There is a reason behind this preaching habit. A sermon is especially critical and effective to the listeners. If a preacher simply wrote a sermon and presented it on a screen to the congregation, the audience would not engage or feel the content is important.
Texting and conversations can also range from non to very. Questions regarding feelings in detail are more fit to certain forms of communication than others. It is unhelpful for a friend to text his or her deep feelings about a tender topic.
The length of a conversation also should impact our choices of interaction. For example, a short question like, “When will the game start?” is well suited for a text. In fact, it is hard to imagine someone scheduling a transparent meeting to ask such a brief question. The question,
“Why do you think the Wildcats will win?” is more likely to have an answer and an explanation. Therefore, it should be asked face-to-face or ear-to-ear.
It is imperative that we think about what communication vehicle is appropriate for a certain message or question. Our choice of correspondence can send a significant impression.
As technology increases and the ability to communicate becomes more simple, we must understand the importance of usage with each mechanism. We cannot allow some communicating vehicles to steal the job of other forms. If we will allow that to happen we might as well mail letters about football game schedules, have the President start texting life-threatening decisions to the public, and children might as well send thank you emails. The world may as well change, and not for the better

The last succulent drops of summer have been squeezed from this year, only to be reminisced over in the jar of memories we have carefully tucked away in the backs of our minds. Now being three weeks into the school year, many of us reckon there is no more sweetness to soften our labors. Feeling dry, flavorless, and unenthusiastic for the already routine school nights of toiling homework and part time jobs, we view this as another year to trudge through, striving to come out relatively unscathed.

But look around you. Look at your classes.  Look at your teachers.  Look at this campus. Look at the opportunities. To whom much is given, much is expected; and you, my friends, are the ones whom much is expected.

As any other school year, we rekindle our friendships, procure a deeper appreciation for sleep, and view the weekends as our “holy grail”, but this is not just another school year. This is your first year attending a school whose progress has captivated the audiences of St. Louis, appearing not only on the front page of their newspaper, but also numerous times on their news channels.

The people of this city are eager to watch their youth be trained to go out into the world to make a difference. You are their beacon of hope. You are the future for this city, this country, the world, even. Really, you are.

Now is the time to truly step up to the plate, so to speak. God has already given you the potential, and now he has given you the opportunities. How blessed and fortunate you are!

The opportunities of this school aside, you have been made in the image of the person who declared a few words and the universe was made, the guy who split the Red Sea, and the victor who has defeated even death. That is a lot. And the same power that rose Christ from the dead is at work in you . . . right now.

Just that alone has granted you so much. For those of you who have come to know Christ as your personal savior, so much power and strength is within you right now that your mind cannot even comprehend all that the Lord has in store for you. I urge you to take advantage of what he has given you!

Even when the storms come – and they will come – still strive to make the most of every opportunity. You never know how that situation will later play out in your life because even while you are hard pressed on every side, you are not crushed; even while you are perplexed, you are not abandoned; and even when you are struck down, you are not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4).

Throughout every day of your life, seize the opportunities the Lord has given you. Truly seize the day, or as in Latin it is written as, “Carpe Diem”.  The Lord has a purpose for you and he will fulfill it as it says in Psalm 138.  I hope to encourage and challenge you to not be apathetic with your days on this earth. As I am sure you have heard this before, it is a very important time in your life where God is showing you what directions to take. Listen.  Search.  Follow.  As you are being sanctified, remember to thank God for the opportunities he has given you by taking hold of them.

For those who relish their days at the Academy, I have one encouragement: say good-bye well.  Tell your friends the impact they have on your life.  Tell your teachers the value of their guidance inside and outside the classroom.  Tell your coaches the magnitude of their lessons through sport.  Tell your parents thanks.  Tell the people you see in the hallway week-in and week-out cleaning up after you that you appreciate them one last time.  Do not allow yourself to become so caught up in the celebration that you forget to actually recognize the ending of a chapter in your life.  

Remember that high school is over, and trying to hold onto the past is pointless.  By the end of the summer, it is likely that you may be in contact with only five friends from Westminster.  This is okay, it is natural to let go in order to move on.  You have not failed in your friendships, but rather you are preparing to make new friends in college.  

This does not mean that one friend is lesser than the other.  One friend resides in the good times of high school, while your new friends are enveloped in a different life stage, college.  It is like the Girl Scouts song says, “Make new friends, but keep the old.  One is silver and the other gold.”  You will gain and lose friends in the evolution of your life, and high school to college is one of these transitions.  

For those who rejoice in the ending of high school because of the heartache that is intertwined with their experience, I have one encouragement as well: freedom is yours, you can and will reinvent yourself in college; it’s a restart button.  Enjoy it!  Do not fear the future.  Rejoice in a new beginning and move on by forgetting the past.    

For those of you in this category, I understand the pains of high school, I have been there.  When I think about my four year I remember times of heartache over friends who rarely included me.  I think of academic struggle and minimal empathy for challenging teachers.  However, these categories are not black and white. 

My experience seems more like a shade of gray.  I think of some good in relationships I have made with educators who love me for who I am and encourage me in overwhelming times.  I think of disappointment that led to the strengthening of my character.  Irony encompasses my experience: I have wanted a friend group who loved me for me and included me, and I have made those friends at the end of my senior year.  I have found people who I truly care about and who care about me in the fleeting last months of high school, and it hurts me to know that we may not remain this close throughout college.  

A couple of months ago, I would have told you that I leap and rejoice in the feeling of escape, but now with the gaining of true friends I feel like a mixed senior.  Yes, I have been hurt by people at Westminster, which does skew my opinion about the institution as a whole, but I have also made meaningful and lasting friendships with teachers and students toward the end of my time here. 

The reality remains, high school is over and what you choose to do after this point is up to you.  You can live in the past and dream about the glory days, you can sever all ties to the Academy, or you can combine the two, keeping the good and relinquishing the unpleasant.  I will choose to do the latter.

In elementary school, every student learns the basics of proper grammar. They know exactly what a noun is, how to modify it, and that an adjective describes it. They learn basic definitions of words that can be used to describe things. 

So why is a trend, built on nothing but ignorance and bigotry, becoming so socially acceptable? The phrase ‘that’s so gay’ is, on average, used on Twitter more than 1,500 times a day, according to thinkb4youspeak.com.  The term has become widespread and very common. It is almost viewed as appropriate and holds no shock value when said.

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard, recently gained press for screaming homophobic slurs at a referee. Roger McDowell, Atlanta Braves pitching coach, was also fined for hurling similar words at  the opposing team’s fans. It has become a part of mainstream media. 

The word ‘gay’ is defined in the dictionary as being “merry or having a lively mood.” Though when used, primarily by younger people, it has a negative connotation. It is used to say something is bad or dumb. Whether someone views homosexuality as a positive or negative way of life, it is ignorant and hurtful to use the word ‘gay’ in the wrong context. 

It dehumanizes people and can be compared to racial slurs, petty bullying, or the word ‘retarded’. It takes the name of a whole people group and makes it ‘dirty’ and something ‘gross’ to be associated with. It inadvertently condones bullying, hate crimes, and cruelty because anything that is deemed ‘okay’ to make fun of should be ‘okay’ to hate. 

Some people argue that it is just another slang word and can only be blamed on society’s tendency to cut down grammar and vocabulary.  However, just because something is common does not make it acceptable.

The n-word was originally used as a slang word for African Americans but there is absolutely no denying what the true meaning behind the term is. It was used to demean and hurt people by attacking an aspect of their life that they could not change. 

 At Westminster, I find that there is almost an epidemic of gay slurs. What’s worse, in my opinion? The justification of this hateful speech. It seems as though student’s personal convictions on whether they believe homosexuality is right or wrong is at the root of it. Christians who believe homosexuality is a sin should remember they were born sinners as well—no better and no worse than someone ‘struggling’ with their sexuality. 

Hateful speech is hateful speech. There cannot be any exceptions, because once you start allowing one word, one insult, one slur to be okay, you pave the way for more words to also be added to that list. 

Christians should choose to live above petty things such as this.  How can we, who claim to be broken, messed up, disgusting people saved by grace, participate in the bashing and condemning of anybody?  Even if it is not meant to cause any harm, or if it was said on accident, most accidents do cause injuries. If “that’s so gay” was said in front of someone who was homosexual, it is unrealistic to think for even a second it would not offend them or single them out.

Not only is it dehumanizing and hurtful, it can also limit what a person, especially a young man, feels like he has the freedom to do. 

Teenagers have to take into consideration just how much the approval from peers affects their day-to-day life and choices.

Being labeled as ‘gay’ when you are, in actuality, straight, may be traumatic to a teenage boy or even a girl.  It is not uncommon for them to feel they have to do whatever they can in their power to change that perception.

According to thinkb4youspeak.com, sixty percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students have felt unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation, and forty-four percent have reported being physically harassed at school. 

There is no excuse for this. Regardless of sexual orientation, they are all people. People who deserve the same rights and respect as any other person. Nothing and no one can take someone’s humanity away and be in the right.