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Journey of grace - From lesbianism to the parking lot to church: An interview with author...
World Magazine ^ | March 8, 2013 | Marvin Olasky

Posted on 06/27/2013 12:08:33 PM PDT by scripter

Rosaria Butterfield was a tenured professor at Syracuse University, until God used her desire to write a book on the religious right, and the friendship of a biblically orthodox pastor, to draw her to Christ. She became a voracious Bible reader, gradually saw that her new beliefs required her to upend her former life, and has now described what happened in The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert. I interviewed her on Jan. 11 in front of students at Patrick Henry College. By Feb. 20 about 30,000 people had viewed the interview on YouTube. Here are edited excerpts. 

Let’s start with the very first sentence in this terrific book: “When I was 28 years old, I boldly declared myself lesbian.” Did you feel heroic in doing so? I felt I was simply telling the truth. 

How did you get to that point? I was in graduate school and cared deeply about relationships. I even authored at least one article on the subject of morality and moral living. I was steeped in worldviews that buttressed a sense of equality and the high value of personal experience. I had wonderful relationships with many of my female colleagues—deeper, resonating relationships. For me, coming out as a lesbian, was the same way I might come out as someone who loves her dog or feeds her cat in the morning. It was bold in that it provided an edge for me in the world, but I like edges. It didn’t seem spectacular. It didn’t seem very extraordinary. It just was.

At age 36 and well-established at Syracuse, you wrote a critique of the Promise Keepers movement in the local newspaper and received lots of letters. You had a tray for fan mail and a tray for hate mail, but you didn’t know where to put a letter from a pastor, Ken Smith, because it wasn’t nasty, just questioning. I couldn’t dispose of this letter. I tried to, but at the end of the day I would fish it out of the recycling bin and put it back on my desk. It had some questions that no one had ever asked me in my life. At the end of the letter the pastor asked me, please, to give him a call. The title of the church was Syracuse Reformed Presbyterian Church, and I assumed reformed meant enlightened. An anthropologist colleague of mine said a meeting would be “GOOD FOR YOUR RESEARCH! Call him back!” So I did. 

What were some of the questions no one had asked you? One had to do with the nature of the Bible as a library, not just a book, that it contained every genre I used to teach from. He asked questions about my well-being. He asked, do I believe in God, and if so, what do I think He thinks of all this? He wrote in such a gracious way, and I was intrigued by it. 

You write that he invited you to dinner, and there was no air conditioning. Why was that a plus in your mind? I had presumed that evangelical Christians were people who felt entitled to a dominion over the earth that is hateful, violent, unhelpful, unkind. Air conditioning: not necessarily good for the ozone layer, and expensive. They had fans and served a vegetarian meal, which I appreciated because I felt at this point that the eating of meat was a violent activity and I didn’t want to be a part of it. Their home and their culture didn’t seem so different from mine. That put me at ease. 

Was there prayer before the meal? Amazing prayer. I had heard lots of prayer before. I was the heathen who got to overhear the prayers of many people at gay pride marches and in front of Planned Parenthood. I was going to hold my breath and get through the prayer, and then I could have a chance to get to some of my research by talking with this family. But it wasn’t like that at all: It was a very conversational prayer, a prayer that included asking God for forgiveness of sins, and in a very specific way. It wasn’t a terribly lengthy prayer but it had some details in it that made me think about myself, like forgetting to bring a meal to someone. Basic everyday things, but he was noticing them, and they were big enough to ask a holy God to forgive him for. 

You write that they didn’t “share the gospel” and invite you to church—and it was important that they did not do those things. Absolutely: I trusted them because they did not do those things. I knew the script. But Ken and his wife Floy were not talking to me as if I simply were a blank slate: “OK, here is someone who clearly needs the gospel, let’s make sure we get to these points before we let her leave our house.” They seemed more interested in having a long relationship with me. 



TOPICS: Current Events; Ministry/Outreach; Moral Issues
KEYWORDS: homosexualagenda; presbyterian; psalmody; rosariabutterfield; rpcna
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1 posted on 06/27/2013 12:08:33 PM PDT by scripter
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To: scripter
I thought this was well done. One questioned asked near the end of the article:
Christian, what did you have to give up to be here?
I think that hits home for many.

The 65 minute youtube interview can be watched here:

Interview with Rosaria Butterfield; January 11, 2013

2 posted on 06/27/2013 12:10:50 PM PDT by scripter
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To: little jeremiah; xzins

Ping. What do you think?


3 posted on 06/27/2013 12:12:12 PM PDT by scripter
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To: drstevej; OrthodoxPresbyterian; CCWoody; Wrigley; Gamecock; Jean Chauvin; jboot; AZhardliner; ...
GRPL Ping


4 posted on 06/27/2013 12:19:10 PM PDT by Gamecock ("Ultimately, Jesus died to save us from the wrath of God." —R.C. Sproul)
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To: scripter
"Christian, what did you have to give up to be here?”

Great question. If the answer is "nothing" you have some soul-searching to do.

5 posted on 06/27/2013 12:22:21 PM PDT by jboot (It can happen here because it IS happening here.)
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To: scripter

bookmark


6 posted on 06/27/2013 12:23:25 PM PDT by Pajamajan (Pray for our nation. Thank the Lord for everything you have. Don't wait. Do it today.)
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To: scripter

it proves the studies that show friendship evangelism is by far the most effective way people come to Christ.


7 posted on 06/27/2013 12:33:26 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: scripter

I think it is very beautiful and I will ping it in a bit.

(Good to “see” you!!!)


8 posted on 06/27/2013 12:38:02 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. CSLewis)
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To: scripter

Zebra. Stripes. No way to change that.


9 posted on 06/27/2013 12:39:28 PM PDT by elkfersupper ( Member of the Original Defiant Class)
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To: scripter

Fantastic article!


10 posted on 06/27/2013 12:44:14 PM PDT by JCBreckenridge ("we are pilgrims in an unholy land")
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To: Secret Agent Man

Jesus Himself employed various means of evangelism.

That said, so-called “friendship evangelism” (building relationship with non-believers) is an excellent way to communicate the truth of Christ.


11 posted on 06/27/2013 12:50:58 PM PDT by Theo (May Christ be exalted above all.)
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To: elkfersupper
Zebra. Stripes. No way to change that.

I don't see your point... if you're saying that she's a homo and will always be one, then are you not also saying that God cannot save from sin?

12 posted on 06/27/2013 12:51:10 PM PDT by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: Theo
That said, so-called “friendship evangelism” (building relationship with non-believers) is an excellent way to communicate the truth of Christ.

This is true.

13 posted on 06/27/2013 12:52:13 PM PDT by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: elkfersupper

“Zebra. Stripes. No way to change that.”

Very true my friend - short of meeting the man who knows everything about you:
http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/20-quotes-from-finally-free


14 posted on 06/27/2013 12:56:17 PM PDT by jonno (Having an opinion is not the same as having the answer...)
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To: Theo

Problem is many have the friendship part down pat. They just forget the evangelism.


15 posted on 06/27/2013 12:57:01 PM PDT by Gamecock ("Ultimately, Jesus died to save us from the wrath of God." —R.C. Sproul)
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To: Gamecock
Well, there is a difference between being a buddy - and being an actual, loving, friend...
16 posted on 06/27/2013 1:00:05 PM PDT by jonno (Having an opinion is not the same as having the answer...)
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To: jboot
"Christian, what did you have to give up to be here?”

I am reminded of a story I was told by someone who was involved with Alcoholics Anonymous for many years.

A new, younger woman was telling the group very passionately about how she "deserved" to be free of her addiction, God must make it so, we all "deserved" it, etc...

A longer-term member, who had once been a drug-user, gang-banger, did time in prison, etc... replied: "I pray God does not give me what I deserve!"

17 posted on 06/27/2013 1:04:52 PM PDT by PGR88
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To: scripter

bookmark


18 posted on 06/27/2013 1:15:45 PM PDT by Sergio (An object at rest cannot be stopped! - The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs at Midnight)
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To: OneWingedShark
I don't see your point... if you're saying that she's a homo and will always be one, then are you not also saying that God cannot save from sin?

Which god? Mankind has invented thousands of them.

Also, a lot of people including me don't think lesbianism is a sin.

19 posted on 06/27/2013 1:45:33 PM PDT by elkfersupper ( Member of the Original Defiant Class)
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To: elkfersupper

Some people can and do change. Look at the lives of Bernard Natanson, Carol Everett and Norma McCorvey. Bob


20 posted on 06/27/2013 1:57:39 PM PDT by alstewartfan ("You have the most appealing surface I have seen. Bring it over here. Lay it down by me." Al Stewart)
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