Ben Haggerty, better known as Macklemore, is a rapper from Seattle, Washington, who has recently reached stardom with his album The Heist. His album was his debut album and has some easily recognizable songs such as “Thrift Shop and “Can’t Hold Us”, but one of the most known songs from the album is “Same Love”. “Same Love” was written in support of legalizing gay marriage, particularly in Washington, Macklemore’s home state, but is now considered “the gay anthem”. The music video tells the life story of a man, starting with his birth, growing up like a regular boy, struggling with his sexuality as a teenager, finally accepting his sexuality as a man, eventually getting married to his boyfriend, and then growing old with his husband.
One stanza that really stood out to me was in the second verse when Macklemore sings:
“When I was at church they taught me something else
If you preach hate at the service those words aren’t anointed
That holy water that you soak in has been poisoned
When everyone else is more comfortable remaining voiceless
Rather than fighting for humans that have had their rights stolen
I might not be the same, but that’s not important
No freedom till we’re equal, damn right I support it”
Macklemore’s got it right; we live in a world where Christians’ actions are far from what Jesus actually taught. Those lines go with how the media is portraying Christianity’s view on homosexuality. It’s sad when one of the most well known verses is Leviticus 18:22, which condemns homosexuality. Christ taught that we should repent and turn towards Him while loving one another. Matthew 7:12 teaches to treat others as you would have them treat you. I’m not saying accept homosexuality, I’m saying respect them, love them, talk to them. Homosexuality is still a sin, so love the sinner, hate the sin. Defy the media’s portrayal of hateful, bigot Christians and show them the love and acceptance of Jesus.
Activism 