January 07, 2010

Encouraging Words 1/7/10-"A Call For a Nuanced View of Religious Leaders"

We believe this is an exceptional essay and offers a viewpoint we strongly agree with.  From Timothy Kincaid at Box Turtle Bulletin:

Most of us are capable of seeing our coworkers, family, and neighbors as possessing varying degrees of rejection or support.



We know that Aunt Gladys will ask when you’re going to go to Vermont to marry your young man and we appreciate her. But we also know that Uncle Fred will keep his mouth shut but, if asked, will say, “well, any of your special friends are always welcome in my home, but I’m just old fashioned and think a marriage is between a man and a woman”. And Cousin Susan loves you and supports you but really wishes that you were straight because, “the gay life is so much more difficult”.


Somehow we are able to accept Uncle Fred and Cousin Susan and their limitations without denouncing them as vile people. But too often our community views religious leaders through a dichotomous lens; either the minister is a fully supportive political ally, or a hate-filled anti-gay bigot.


But truthfully, most are neither.
 
Click here to read the rest of the essay.

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