Glennon Doyle Melton Answers 'How Do You Justify Being Gay and Christian?'

Jun 19, 2017 10:15 AM EDT

"Christian mom blogger" Glennon Doyle Melton, who married soccer star Abby Wambach earlier this year, has she's not going to "justify" being gay and a Christian to anybody because doing so is too "exhausting."

The "Momastery" blogger recently shared her thoughts on the issue in response to a question posed by a reader: "How do you justify being gay and being a Christian at the same time?" the reader asked.

"Oh, I don't," Melton responded. "I don't spend my precious time and energy justifying myself to anybody. That sounds exhausting. The most revolutionary thing a woman can do is not explain herself!"

"What good is our freedom if we don't spend it on those not yet free?" she asked.

For those wanting further insight, the mother-of-three also shared a link to an article she wrote several years ago about her thoughts on "Christianity and marriage equality."

In the article, Melton explained that she supports same-sex relationships "through my faith, not in spite of it."

"I support equal rights for my gay neighbors not even though I'm a Christian, but BECAUSE I'm a Christian," she wrote. "In the Gospel Jesus makes it crystal clear that if we are going to take seriously only one of his suggestions- we should make it this one: love your neighbor as yourself. I think there is a big difference between simply loving someone and loving someone as yourself."

When asked how she interprets the scriptures about homosexuality, The "Love Warrior" author claimed that when the Bible was written, "there was no precedent for monogamous, consensual homosexual relationships."

"I think that if someone translates scripture to me in a way that seems to rub up against what I know about the God of love, it's my responsibility to start asking questions. We must work out our own faith with fear and trembling," she wrote.

Melton also said she talks to her kids about homosexuality "early and often" and revealed her pastor is gay - "so my kids aren't growing up with the idea that homosexuality and church are at odds at all."

Melton and Wambach started dating last November after both divorced their previous partners and married earlier this year, as reported by GH.

Melton, who regularly speaks at Christian events and mainline Protestant and non-denominational churches around the world, claimed that she and fellow author Jen Hatmaker were "shunned" by "Christian figures' after they both came out in support of same-sex marriage.

"You can imagine that I know some of what Jen's felt this year. It is one thing for people to tell you that they hate you, it is far another for people to tell you that God hates you. It's really something. It really is. it never stops stinging," she wrote.

The Momastery blogger went on to offer some advice for Hatmaker and others "who feel like the outcasts of today": "religion is not God," she said."There is chasm wide difference between the two. No man can keep God from you. God is yours and you are God's. Nothing can separate you from God's love."

She also advised the "gatekeepers" to "consider using your words to love instead of crucify [Jesus'} beloveds."