Today Christian’s all over the nation have reeled back in horror with the revelation that Church poster-boy Guy Sebastian supports Gay marriage.
In an interview with the Herald Sun he has shared his change in religious beliefs saying it was, “Because what I was told in regards to so many things was so wrong. I’ve gone from a place where I was told there was one way and only one way, to being more in a place where I don’t think anyone has the right to say what they believe is more important or more significant.”
To add to the controversy he has also become an advocate for Gay marriage saying, “I don’t think anyone has the right to tell someone who they can and can’t be in love with.”
A hardcore Guy fan since his beginnings on Australian Idol in 2003 and once a member of The Guy Sebastian Appreciation Society (yes, seriously), I immediately looked into the public’s feedback. I was saddened to see comments on Guy’s official Facebook saying things like “What a disappointment you are Guy” and that he has a “sitting on the fence attitude”.
Now, before you discard everything I write from here on out on account of the fact I am a Guy Sebastian fan, please take a second too consider what I say. Yes, I love Guy, but I love Jesus a whole lot more and because of this my faith influences everything I say, do, believe and think. Even about Mr. Guy Sebastian. So what I am about to suggest will hopefully be slightly more balanced than someone who is completely pro-whateverGuySebastiansaysandbelieves.
What if Guy Sebastian hasn’t, as the Herald Sun has suggested, lost his religion? What if he has grown up, seen the world and discovered that God’s love for people is far broader than he was taught? He was, after all, 22 when he won Australian Idol. He was a born and bred church kid who sang in the church band and loved music. It is really that surprising that his views have now changed so radically?
At 30 years old Guy Sebastian has sold millions of records, seen the world, married his child hood sweet heart and had a beautiful baby boy. Perhaps I making presumptions, but I would think this is enough to refine the beliefs of anybody.
So before we go out and start bashing Mr. Sebastian on the head with the Bible, claiming he needs to be ‘forgiven’ perhaps we should take a look at just how influential he has been, and continues to be. He has been known as the ‘virgin’, the pin up boy for every Christian in secular media.
He has supported World Vision and performed at many church events; his albums contain very few sexual references and maintain a positive and wholesome content and he is a faithful husband with a son he evidently adores. That sounds like a light on a hill to me, someone who is willing to be pure and stand up for Christ in the midst of a dark and dangerous media industry. So perhaps his views on religion and sexuality have altered, well at least he has told us that and is not hiding behind the Christian tag. And on that note, who’s to say he’s not a believer in Jesus Christ anymore?
Every Christian has beliefs that differ; it is the fundamental belief that Jesus is the son of God and saved us from our sins that should make us ‘Christian’. We will always disagree on other aspects of life. I’m not saying these aspects are not important, just that they are different for every Christian and as long as they are living a pure lifestyle and love and follow Jesus, who are we to judge their relationship with God? Certainly there will be people in Guy’s life who will keep him accountable to the faith, but that is not the public’s role; it is his family, friends and church’s.
May I suggest something quite radical? In the 9 years Guy Sebastian has been in the record industry he has shown the world that Christians can be welcoming, loving, talented, warm, funny and caring people. He has abstained from saying anything radical and due to this is well loved by people of various backgrounds. Well now he has said something controversial, and the very group of people who have jumped on his band wagon are now judging him.
Maybe it would be more ‘Christian’, more Christ-like to accept Guy as he is, just as he is accepting others as they are and making the church open to more people than ever before.