🔵 By Steven Newell. Photo by lauragrafie.
Sam, here is a story of an inmate finding a lasting impression upon his heart and soul, to forever change the level of compassion and love for all mankind, no matter race, religion, sexuality, or gender. Thank you Sam.
Like most inmates going into the lonely world of the prison system we come to be lonely and in need of outside friends and companions to help deal with our time inside. Death row in America is one of the loneliest places one could find themselves. Thankfully we are not alone. We do have advocates out there that connects inmates with pen-pals who accept people for who they are and not judge them. Giving them a chance to be known for who they are and not by the mistakes they made. no matter how great or small.
It is thru one of these advocate groups that I was introduced to a new pen pal one year. A man named Sam. Sam was a little younger then me and very outgoing. A ‚cool cat‘ as I would put it. Everyone who loves electronic music is a ‚cool cat‘ in my eyes. We got on great with a lot of things in common.
At this time, like a lot of inmates, I had a pen pal ad up on a paid website. I had a bio up with pictures. After exchanging a few e mails with Sam I told him about the ad and how he could go see pics of me on this site. So Sam goes and checks it out. What happened next I wasn’t expecting. Sam writes and tells me he checked it out and that the pics looked good and all that stuff. But then he tells me that my bio mentions me being a Christian and he would understand if I wouldn’t want to write him anymore, because he’s gay and him and his partner live together. Let me pause here for a second to mention something.
I’m not used to people not being able to read me or get my vibe/personality that people get when in person and meeting in person. So much is missed when your stuck just emailing someone or on social media. So when Sam tells me that, my heart felt like someone had stomped on it. It broke! As I laid on my bunk pondering his email it hit me like a ton of bricks. Sam was right! Not that I wouldn’t write him for being gay, but that the perception of Christians isn’t accepting, or welcoming of gay people. It broke my heart even more and with tears in my eyes I wrote him an email so fast I could barely keep up with the typing and my thoughts. I was hurt as it wasn’t my personal character and I know as a Christian that it’s not my Lords character.
As I walk out my faith I’m trying to be more like my Lord and it hurts to see how Jesus Name is cursed, because people portray themselves as Christians while demonizing people for their sexuality, race, gender, religion and so on. I have not come to know Christ in that way and He hasn’t treated me with such hateful, unkind, unloving ways. The opposite!! Jesus doesn’t treat me as I deserve so how dare I, or anyone persecute another.
I do want to say this, I’m a Bible believing christian. and do believe certain things about marriage. In the gospel of Mark 10:6-9 it states:
„But at the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.“
That’s what I believe. But here’s where problems come in and the demonizing of those who don’t agree with me or what the Bible teaches. Today’s society, as past society’s, force the conforming to a particular religious, philosophical, or political ideologies. You better conform and go along or you will be persecuted! Isn’t that what we see today? Unity, unity, all conforming unity! that’s what we see. political rallies use controversial issues to separate the people, religious gatherings preach hate to separate, and pride parades are a mockery to offend and separate. All of it separates so one group, or beliefs is seen as not one of them, or hay, I oppose you and your kind! That’s the reality I saw when I got that email that day from Sam. Ohh, how unity has taken on another meaning today and that’s conform or else.
I personally love the diversity of the world and think God made it this way because He too likes all the difference in the world. In my relationship with Sam. I earned my right to share what I believe. Because I care about him and showed that so much so he knew the genuineness of my heart. That is what brought 2 different views to the table in love and where able to talk about all these things and gain a real understanding of each other. It makes that friendship even stronger, and what a world we would have if people truly cared about each other as human beings with hearts and feelings and the God given right to be loved and accepted. That is the impression and touch of my friend Sam and may that never fade from my character and who I am as a Christian man.
Thank you once again Sam.