I'm a Christian, but I'm in the LGBT+ community.

Now before I'm hit with criticism for that statement, hear me out.

I was never forced into church as a child, my parents believed it was my own choice on what to believe in and I chose to follow a Southern Baptist path at a fairly young age. I am a somewhat active church member, I am in the process of being taught how to teach youth classes and I travel with my pastor's children to sing at other churches. It's a huge part of my life and I have benefited greatly over the last several years of being a part of a church family.

Yes, I am fully aware that not being straight and cis is a sin. I don't have to be reminded. In no way do I boast about my identity; I stay closeted for my own safety. I respect other's feelings towards LGBT+ matters, and I wouldn't expect positive reactions from the church if I decided to come out. Though that isn't an important thing to me, it makes me raise questions for the church.

If everyone is a sinner and all sins are equal, why is the LGBT+ community excluded?

As said in Romans 5:12 (Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned), we as human beings are born sinners and are sinners until death. It is in our hearts to sin, and we accept that as fact. It is fairly easy to be forgiven of those sins: pray for forgiveness of your sins and accept Christ as your Lord and Savior. Of course, it is still impossible to completely refrain from sin, and that's okay.

Except if you're not straight and cis.

Christians like to point out that "lifestyle" as such a horrible way of life; suddenly there is one sin worse than any others. Church members lie, cheat, steal and put other things as a priority of worship but receive a pat on the back after admitting their wrongdoings, knowing that they will leave the church and do the same things again. Why is this accepted and LGBT+ matters shunned?

"Well, being gay is an abomination."

That is what most people take out of the Bible without completely understanding the context; the Bible teaches that it is an abomination to fornicate (you know, "bedroom stuff") with someone of the same sex, so having a basic relationship isn't necessarily a sin. This isn't a loophole to pursue a same-sex relationship, this is what the Bible says. People will often use the term abomination to shut down any statement regarding LGBT+ relationships, but churches still choose to accept other Biblical abominations.

For example, divorce.

Divorce and remarriage are both considered abominations unto the Lord, however most churches today say nothing to people or couples who fit that frame and are open to performing marriages between two divorcees. If the church is willing to accept divorce, there is no valid excuse as to why they can't accept LGBT+ people.

So why don't they?

There is only one reason Christians exempt the LGBT+ community from acceptance: it's not something the majority of the church is guilty of. As human beings, we like to pick on those who are different from us, and when it comes to sin it's often us LGBT+ individuals who become the target of condemnation. Many other sins and abominations are accepted for the sole reason that they are prominent in the church; if it were more common for LGBT+ people to be part of a church, we would be accepted just as those who divorce.

It is only human of us to judge the things we don't do instead of what sin we do commit. It can be hard to take your eyes off of others' wrongdoings instead of focusing on your own. It's easy to go off on the wrong path without realizing it because you were paying more attention to what the guy in front of you has been doing instead of what you've done. We point fingers and make snide comments rather than showing love, acceptance, mercy and grace. All sin is equal in the eyes of God, there are no exceptions and none better or worse than others. God loves you as you are, no matter who you are or who you used to be, gay or straight, trans* or cis, or anyone in between. God loves you.

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." - 1 John 4:7-8