Jesus vs Pride? Culture war on full display in Sacramento when it doesn’t have to be | Opinion

With Pride Month in full swing, the rainbow pride flag is ever present during celebrations, parades, festivals, and on summer clothing.

It’s also a symbol in America’s culture war that never seems to end.

Recently, I took a trip to San Francisco with my partner who is queer. Among the many neighborhoods we visited was the historic Castro District, a significant birthplace of gay rights and gay activism in America.

In the 1960s, gay-owned establishments came to the neighborhood, followed by an influx of gay people looking for a cheaper place to live and a community. Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to a public office in California, lived in the Castro with his partner.

While me and my partner walked down the street, looking at all the different establishments dressed up in rainbow colors, we decided to go into a store. It didn’t have any rainbow decorations. We encountered a gentleman pointing a camera at the owner of the store, asking him if he acknowledged Jesus. Feeling harassed, the owner told him kindly to leave the store, as he felt that the gentleman was being aggressive.

At the next store, we were told that the same guy had harassed them as he had the previous shop owner.

Now, I don’t call myself the smartest man, but I’ll never understand why anyone would harass people in a neighborhood celebrating gay history by asking them if they believe in Jesus.

But that’s where we are in this culture war. Those who believe we’re in some spiritual conflict for the soul of our country will use any moment to attack those they believe are the enemy.

Power in the name of Jesus

Sacramento had its Pride festival and parade on June 8 and 9 and the culture war was on full display. On the same weekend as the festival, a “Let Us Worship” rally took place only blocks away. Signs that read “Jesus Revolution” were held by attendees. Some wore shirts with “Worship is our war cry” on them. You could even see Trump 2024 campaign flags and “Jesus 2024 — Our Only Hope” dressed up in a Trump logo.

Now to be fair, organizers said that the rally wasn’t in direct opposition to the Pride festival. But the rhetoric shared was purposeful and divisive.

“The rainbow first comes up in the Book of Genesis,” Josie Saenz, an attendee of the rally, said. “A rainbow symbolizes God’s promises over our life, to protect us as Christians. It represents my walk with God.”

“At what point do we as Christians take back a symbol that was meant to represent Christianity and that now, in the world, represents sin?”

Regardless of what some want to say, rainbows can be whatever you want them to be. The original Pride flag was created in 1978 when Milk asked activist Gilbert Baker to create a symbol of pride for gay people.

Each color has its meaning:

• Red: Life

• Orange: Healing

• Yellow: Sunlight

• Green: Nature

• Blue: Serenity

• Purple: Spirit

The meaning behind the rainbow is what matters to the millions of gay people in our country, particularly those who fight for their rights every day in states that choose to create laws targeting members of the LGBTQ+ community. And yes, even cities in California are not home to pro-rainbow flags.

How does having a rainbow pride flag hinder someone’s connection to Jesus? One would think attacking other people, alienating them only for who they are attracted to, would disconnect one from Christ, who taught to love first, not judge.

If you find yourself in a group or just around people who use words and phrases like “war” and “take bake our country” they are not seeking to act with love or understanding. They are extremists who are blinded by their prejudices.

Is extremism normal?

We find ourselves at an interesting point in American society, where merely accepting someone’s identity can be considered an act of extremism in some circles.

How does one sway the bible-thumping conservative crowd or the pride-loving queer person into seeing the other’s point of view? It’s quite simple, you don’t.

But what the average American can do is just be themselves and try to see through the noise and let common sense prevail.