Rev. Janet Edwards, a Presbyterian minister, believes that evangelicals can change their minds and accept LGBT people and stop fighting against equal rights. Here is an essay she wrote for The Advocate suggesting what needs to be done for that to happen:
It is true the tide has shifted toward acceptance of LGBT people as equal members of society. But one need look no further than the string of defeats at the ballot box to understand just how far we have to go.
The conventional wisdom tells us that to win, we should focus all our resources on getting out the progressive vote and solidifying the support of social moderates because the hearts and minds of evangelical Christians are unwinnable. I believe it’s time we dispensed with the conventional wisdom.
The fact is, we remain a country where 77% of our citizens identify as Christian. Shifting public perception on any issue requires engaging them. Evangelical Christians carry significant weight with many Christians across most denominations on this issue. For this reason, I believe the tipping point for LGBT equality will come when evangelical Christians recognize our common humanity — that we are all equal in the eyes of God.
Easier said than done? There’s no denying that LGBT people have suffered greatly from the hurtful words and actions of some within the evangelical Christian community. There will likely always be religious hard-liners who won’t budge from their convictions. Yet change is possible for many.
Click here to read the rest of the essay.
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