At the risk of feeding the flames of overreaction and self-righteousness, I want to talk this week about the Bible verse on The Rock. I don’t promise to add a fresh perspective, just one that comes from someone who considers himself to be a reasonable person, in spite of being a Lutheran.

The Christian Bible has often been dismissed by non-Christians as being perfectly valid as a morality tale but unacceptable as grounds for faith. How strange, then that so many so-called Christians have demoted such an integral part of their faith to a list of “thou shalt nots.” They’ve done the same with their faith as a whole, and in the process they’ve managed to make enemies of civilized society, the basic teachings of Jesus Christ and many other nice people. I could go on and say that for every sin-hunting bigot there’s a thousand nice, liberal Christians, but I won’t. My faith doesn’t need defending. The rock-painters don’t belong to my faith. At best, they’re in it for the wrong reasons.

We Christians should know better than anybody that we’re in no position to be making moral judgments. Nobody’s perfect, but everybody needs to feel like they know what’s right and wrong. Even prominent atheists like Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris have their own moral system. It’s called secular humanism, and it’s a nifty way of feeling good about yourself without the help of God or religion. If even Dawkins and Harris aren’t arrogant enough to claim that they’re perfect, who is?

Now listen to me and listen to me good. The purpose of the Christian faith is NOT to provide a system of morals. I’m not just saying this to those idiots who painted the rock. I’m saying this to every disgusting, self-righteous Christian and every ignorant non-Christian who thinks all that the Christian faith has to offer is a set of outdated rules. Christianity isn’t about living a perfect life or helping everybody else live a perfect life. It’s about transcendence.

Transcendence is about freedom and fulfillment and purpose and so much else that can’t be summarized in just one article. That’s what the Christian faith has to offer. That’s why, even though I’m not gay, not involved with Q&A and not even especially liberal, I take personal offense to the verse on the Rock. I mentioned that I’m a Christian, and I’m damn proud of it. What I receive from my faith is not available from any other source. That’s why I’ve stuck with it for so long. Not because I’m afraid of going to Hell, not because all my friends are Christians and not because I enjoy listening to Christian rock music (I don’t). Because in all my experience as a Christian—and as a person—I’ve found my faith to be indispensable.

My faith was attacked last Monday. It was attacked by someone who thought he/she could devalue the most important thing in my life. Someone who thought he/she could reduce something infinitely beautiful and fulfilling to a handful of rules and threats. Somebody who hijacked what defines me for the worst purpose imaginable: hate.

As a system of morality, the Bible is hypocritical, outdated (especially the Old Testament), and the parts that actually make sense aren’t exactly patented. Here I’ll join the chorus of non-Christians who practically scream at Biblical literalists, “I don’t need your rules, I don’t need your morality, and I don’t need any more guilt than I already have.” What I need is something considerably less quoted by that shameful sect that has the audacity to call itself Christian. Love.

So does the Bible actually say that homosexuality is a sin? Here’s my answer: I don’t give a fart.

“Hatred stirs up dissention, but love covers over all wrongs.”

Proverbs 10:12