Persuasion Using a "Velvet Glove"

I found a story off the AP wire courtesy of 365gay.com discussing the approach Focus on the Family is using to campaign for the repeal of the "Maine Human Rights Act," which specifically includes sexual orientation.

Apparently Focus on the Family belongs to the group of fundamentalits that believes specifying that is is wrong to discriminate against homosexuals grants them some kind of special rights. Interestingly, the leaders of the campaign in Maine are asking their workers to tone down their condemnation of homosexuality and not come across as hateful.

That approach, although somewhat disengenous, is no better or worse than what most other political activists do to persuade people to adopt their particular point of view. That's not my issue.

This report also tell us that Maine evangelical leaders were urged to quit quoting the bible verse (Leviticus 18:22) which is so often used to refer to gay sex as an "abomination."

Let me get this straight--religious leaders are urged NOT to quote their main source of moral guidance in order to be more paletable to voters. What election or vote is important enough to win that turning AWAY from the Bible is a justifiable approach, especially among those who have pledged to spread the Gospel?

Only ones where you are willing to put YOUR desires and values ahead of God's. For me, that would be none.

KKK Protests Pro-Gay Church Group

I dabble in writing fiction, but you just can't make this stuff up. A recent meeting of a pro-gay United Methodist group in North Carolina was protested by about a dozen card-carrying members of the KKK. That's right, the KKK is branching out and not reserving their message of hate for African-Americans. One of the protesters' signs said "Show me where sin is OK." Sure folks, right after you show me where hate is okay.

Looking at the glass half full, the fact that there was a religious group in the notoriously conservative south seeking full rights for gay members is a good thing. God bless them and others like them!

Forgiveness

The pastor at my church had a sermon that really spoke to me today. He preached about the need for us as christians to forgive those who have hurt us or made us angry or that for whatever reason we have some issue of anger or envy toward.

I have not always practiced that in the posts I have added to this blog. I have allowed my anger at those who practice exclusion or other narrow-minded acts to pour out toward these groups or individuals. It would be easy for someone to read what I have written about people like Pat Robertson or groups like Repent America and categorize me as judgemental. By practicing one of the acts I an quick to criticize them and others for, I am not raising the level of dialogue, which is the primary goal of this blog.

I am asking God to forgive me for, at times, writing as if I had the right to judge others. I don't, nor does anyone have the right to judge me. That is something God reserves for himself and I'm mighty glad he does. That being said, however, I will continue to speak out about intolerant acts or anything that I have learned goes against God's word and the very essence of who He is.

Condemning the messenger is what people usually do when they can't argue against his message. It's important to keep focused on the issues and how God wants His people to handle them in their lives. Anything thing else just gets in the way of his will.

Loaning a lesbian

I usually don't stray outside the U.S. for my posts, but this one was just too good to pass up. As reported in the USA Today, a library in Stockholm, Sweden has set up a sitatuion where people can literally come in and check out a person. People with different backgrounds, including homosexual, will be available for library patrons to reserve a 45-minute one-on-discussion to find out how they tick.

I know the best way for me to begin understanding the differences and similarities between myself and gay men was to spend some time sitting with them and asking questions. I have been fortunate to forge good relationships over the years that have been very illuminating, and the gay and lesbian members of my church continue to teach me a LOT about their lives and how we're not nearly as different as some right-wing zealots would have us think.

Of course, I had to be willing to listen. Sadly, that is becoming a lost art in our country. If you haven't done so in a while, try really listening to someone you disagree with and try to understand them. Then, see if they will return the favor. We can all learn something by doing that more often.

On the other side of the ledger.....

One of the more outspoken, bigoted, narrow-minded organizations around, Repent America, issued a statement directly tying in the Katrina disaster to the fact that New Orleans was preparing to host the 34th annual "Southern Decadence" gathering, a major party for the GLBT community. They point out that "this act of God destroyed a wicked city."

While New Orleans has a well earned reputation for decadence involving both straight and gays, this argument is severely flawed because:

o That presumes God created the conditions for the hurricane and steered it's path. Is he supposed to have picked this one out to do some special work, or is he in charge of all hurricanes and therefore responsible for all destruction they cause?

o This was the 34th "Southern Decadence." Why do you suppose God let the first 33 go without punishment?

0 If this storm was to punish New Orleans, then what are the thousands of people in Mississippi whose lives were torn apart supposed to think?

Then again, there wasn't a whole lot of rational thinking that went into this proclamation, was there?

Another way to help Katrina victims

Sadly, one situation when people are truly treated equally is during a natural disaster. Hurricanes don't differentiate between straight and gay people, they just destroy whatever is in its way. Few have done so more than the recent storm Katrina, which brought a nearly unimagineable amount of descturction to Louisiana and Mississippi. There is an organization representing LGBT people that is trying to help called the Rainbow World Fund. Check them out and consider offering any assistance you can afford.

Also, please join me in prayer for those who have lost loved ones as well as those who survived but saw their entire way of life destroyed.

A Loosely Orgainzed Pawn

That's what I am and, I suspect since you are reading this, you are one too. That's according to a piece written by Dr. Edward Hinson, Assistant to the Chancellor of Liberty University. That's right, he works for Rev. Jerry Falwell.

In this diatribe written for "Jerry Falwell's National Liberty Journal", Dr. Hinson targets the Christian Alliance for Progress but essentially throws any organization that would refer to itself as "religious liberal" under the bus. Essentially, that would include anyone who does not subscribe to the version of Christ touted by the Religious Right. The tone of this essay was hardly doctorate in nature. Rather, I could almost hear him saying "Nyah nyah nyah nyah, we're bigger and better than you are."

The main flaws Dr. Hinson points out, besides these groups disagreeing with his narrow view of Christianity, are that the leaders are not nearly as famous as men like Falwell, James Dobson, and yes, Pat Robertson. It is a darn shame that none of the "religious liberal" leaders have ever received anywhere near the publicity that Robertson did today, isn't it?

I would think that a representative of a university (a lovely campus I had the pleasure of touring recently) founded on christian principles and purporting to teach future religious leaders would show at least a trace of Jesus' love. He writes "evangelicals are not the stupid, backward obscurantists you think we are," yet in the rest of his essay appears to go out of his way to disprove his own point.

Thanks to the excellent blog "Christian Dissent" for finding this piece.

Robertson Wants Chavez Whacked

You just can't make this stuff up. If you did, it would be considered so far out there that it would be ridiculed. On Monday's edition of "The 700 Club", a show my mother and I used to watch together because of its loving Christian message and moving stories, host and right-wing religious czar Pat Robertson encouraged the U. S. government to assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. He veered so far to the right that Fox News doesn't even have his back on this issue.

I'm trying to make sense out of this, which is of course impossible since IT MAKES NO SENSE! Like it or not, Robertson is a religious leader with some influence in this country. I'm sure he has some twisted justification of how murdering this political leader would advance the cause of God's kingdom. I'm also happy to say that is escapes me, meaning I still have at least one foot firmly planted in reality.

Robertson endorses the assassination of the Venezuelan president in large part to save another $200 billion to get rid of a dictator, obviously referring to the cost of the war in Iraq. Robertson sees Venezuela becoming "a launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism."

I suppose we can infer from his statements, made on his own television program, that if we see any nation or group that he determines is a threat to our nation, it's okay to go Tony Soprano on them so we can save some money.

Of course, Robertson and his right-wing ilk often expound on the threat homosexuality is to our society. If there was a "President of Homosexuals" I guess Robertson would put a contract out on him or her. Since Canada has legalized gay marriage, is Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin on his hit list?

Does the Fab Five from "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" have bodyguards? If not, they might want to look into it--they could be next in the 700's Club's crosshairs.

Preaching Politics

Call me crazy, but when I go to church, I want to hear preaching based on the bible. I want to learn more about taking God's word and applying it to my daily life. I want to feel more of the Holy Spirit and draw closer to God and be a better servant.

I DON'T go to learn how someone thinks I am supposed to vote, but I feel more and more like that puts me in a shrinking minority. Here is a story about what was organized as a rally to support Supreme Court nominee John Roberts in churches acorss the country. After it was revealed that Roberts had once provided legal advice to a LGBT group that helped them win a civil rights case, the tone was changed into just a basic gay-bashing rally.

The story quotes a spokesman for Focus on the Family as saying Roberts' work with the LGBT group is "raising alarm bells."

Someone that has James Dobson's undies in a bunch can't be all bad.

Catholocism and the Gay Community

My name is Jim, and I’m a recovering Catholic.

Hi Jim!

I didn’t need a 12-step program to move away from Catholicism. In fact, for a while, it was very good to me. I converted from being a Southern Baptist in 1994, a year after marrying another converted Catholic.

I was, and still am, horribly disillusioned by the right-wing policies the Baptists adopted and have worked very hard to have adopted as the laws of the land. They have been disturbingly successful with this effort and stand to gain even more of a foothold as the character of the Supreme Court changes in the next few years.

The Roman Catholic Church is hardly noted for its liberalism. Rather, its attitudes toward women in the ministry and priests not marrying hearken back to the dark ages. I think what appealed to me in 1994 and for a number of years following was the structure and history of the Church. They were hardly making up the rules as they went along and there were very clear lines of authority. No preachers were running amok on a power trip with their hand out shaking people down for money.

Ultimately, though, what both my wife and I found lacking in the Catholic Church was passion. She had been indoctrinated into a very spiritual parish in Illinois, but we never found one in Maryland that came close to equaling it. Gradually we drifted away from the church and were readying ourselves to look for a new church home. I think she would like where Brenda and I are now, a small, spirit-filled church where the policies of exclusion are denounced and inclusion are practiced.

This all came to mind when I was perusing 365gay.com, a news service focused on gay issues. One of their stories reported on a priest at the famous St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, Monsignor Eugene Clark. He had recently resigned after being named as "the other man" in a divorce suit involving his former secretary and her husband. I can’t help but think that at least some Catholics’ first reaction was, "at least he wasn’t doing anything with a little boy." It’s not an easy time to be in the Roman Catholic Church.

The story is relevant in this forum because Clark was known for his repeated attacks on gays. 365gay.com reported that in 1999, Clark told a Catholic Radio audience that gays are "The enemy of Christian marriage." It seems that Clark himself was the enemy of at least one marriage himself. How often have you noticed that, regardless of the issue, the people who are the loudest at condemning people are often covering for some sin or shortcoming themselves?

Can Catholicism actually be good for gays? Columnist Michelangelo Signorile at 365gay.com asks that question and says in some ways it is. He points out that that when a gay Catholic comes out, families tend to be more accepting and work on keeping the family unit together in part because of the teaching of the church.

Signorile also writes that in predominantly Catholic countries like Spain, Poland, and much of South America, gays are gaining more visibility and benefits than many people believed possible. Agree or disagree, this is one of those pieces that will make you thoughtfully rub your chin and go "hmmmm."

Hopefully the Catholic Church will get some new blood in their leadership that will take it to a more open and accepting policy, but I doubt many of us will live long enough to see any significant change. There will always be some common ground with other Christians and Catholics. We all love God and are trying to serve him. That’s not a bad place to start.

Too Much Understanding, Not Enough Faith

In this, the information age, our society tries to understand TOO much. How is that possible? When we try to explain the unexplainable, usually by diminishing it to a level where mere humans can make sense out of it.

You see, the whole concept of faith, especially faith in God, is belief in things unseen. When a child is very young, his understanding of the world is very limited. Inevitably there are important things that his parents tell him that they are not able to rationalize. In those cases, parents usually say something like, "trust me, it’s for your own good," or "you know I would never tell you anything that would hurt you."

Some of us were fortunate enough to have loving, caring parents as small children, and others were not. We all have our Father in heaven who will love us, through his Son Jesus Christ, regardless of how much money we possess, what type of job we have, the color of our skin, or yes, even our sexual orientation. He tells us many times in the Bible that the most blessed of us will come to him like children.

We can ALL trust our Father when he tells us that if we love him, accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, and seek forgiveness of our sins (repent) we will receive eternal glory in heaven. I don’t understand how that is all possible, and how we will eventually rise up again and walk the earth. Thankfully, I don’t have to; I just need to have the faith to accept that it will all work out as God has promised us.

Another of the many things I don’t understand about this world is why some people are straight and others are homosexual. I won’t even offer any theories as to why God does that; I’m smart enough to know when I’m out of my depth.

Unfortunately, many pious religious leaders do not exercise that type of discretion. Instead, they have determined that, since they do not believe homosexuality is acceptable it must be a sin. They’ve even twisted the interpretation of several scriptures to "prove" their point.

Taking that "logic" a step further, they can’t exactly preach that God made people with a natural inclination to sin. Therefore, it must be an individual’s "choice" to act as a homosexual, and any choice, like that of drinking alcohol or using drugs, can be changed with enough prayer, therapy, rehabilitation, and a little condemnation thrown in for good measure.

By preaching this message as the gospel truth, those who practice it are becoming a major divisive force in this country. That’s okay with them, however, because they can explain, rationalize, justify and use any other logical method to tell you why they are right and everyone who has a different view is wrong.

From where I sit, I think the Religious Right needs to do less "understanding" and more believing in the message of Jesus Christ, the message of love and inclusion.

God says many times in the Bible that His ways surpass all understanding. So it is okay not to know everything, filling in the holes with faith in his promises to us, the children he loves so much.

Be All You Can Be? Not Quite

How often have you heard the phrase "Be all you can be" used as a recruiting slogan by the United States military? I would think probably hundreds, if not thousands of times over the year. It’s a good one, isn’t it?

If you happen to be gay, lesbian, or bisexual however, it is a lie.

Not only is the military staunchly defending its "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy in court, they appear to be aggressively seeking out soldiers that are deemed to violate its very broad interpretation.

In the past year, at least five soldiers have been discharged from the military for placing online personal ads that identify them as gay. The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) reports that there have been at least 40 "outings" in similar incidents they have monitored this year.

Who is taking the time to peruse gay personals anyway? Is that actually in someone’s job description? Would we have a better chance of finding Osama Bin Laden if he was trying to get hooked up with a gay lover? Is this really important enough to further deplete the ranks of soldiers that are already spread too thin?

I’m proud of our brave men and women that sign up to leave their homes and put their lives at risk. Most of us have a friend or relative that served in at least one of the Iraq wars. I have a brave young cousin that was over with the first wave of forces in 2003. Whether you agree or disagree with the politics involved God Bless our soldiers for being willing to go and defend our nation.

The fact that military leadership continues to enforce this inane "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy and are willing to go so far as to review personal ads, however, helps make the phrase "military intelligence" seem like an oxymoron.

Speaking of morons, have these people watched too many episodes of MASH? Do they expect gay soldiers to act like Corporal Klinger in the early years, reporting for duty in women’s clothing? Are they afraid of gay soldiers heading out on troop maneuvers wearing pink chiffon and demanding candelabras at the mess halls with Liberace dinner music piped in?

I’m asking a lot of questions here and providing few answers because I just don’t get it. As far as society has come in so many areas, it is sad that the leaders of the group that could literally blow up the world still acts as if they fear people that are not like them.

Many leaders of the right wing have tried to make patriotism and morality into black and white issues, allowing no room for shades of gray, not to mention any rainbow colors. No wonder they are usually the political champions of the Armed Forces.

In the United States military, it’s not about being all you can be; it’s about being all they will allow you to be.

Destroying the "Traditional Family"

For a long time, I bought the right-wing party line about how allowing gay couples to marry would lead to the “destruction of the traditional family,” as they love to trumpet loudly.

Then I did something the Religious Right just abhors—I thought for myself and then actually became acquainted with some gay couples. I have seen a love and devotion in these couples that reminds me of that I sharedwith my late wife and now with my fiancee. How could these people having the right to get married destroy anything?

In this excerpt from his book “Marriage Under Fire,” Dr. James Dobson wraps up his case against gay marriage. I found it appallingly easy to unravel. Here are a few of his key points and where I see reality is different.

“The legalization of homosexual marriage will quickly destroy the traditional family.” Do you know what really destroys the traditional family? Divorce! Yes, even some of the ministers who so piously preach about “family values” from the pulpit every Sunday have broken their marriage vows and divorced their wives. It just makes common sense to me that we should be a LOT more worried about heterosexuals failing at marriage than gay couples, many who have been together functioning as marred couples for years, having the opportunity to enjoy those benefits.

“Children Will Suffer Most.” Here the esteemed Dr. Dobson points out that homosexuals are rarely monogamous. Again, I’d worry about that 50% divorce rate myself. What is worse, living with two fathers or two mothers or being raised by a single parent? It just makes sense that having two committed partners who love each other and love a child builds a very solid foundation in a child’s life.

“Public schools will embrace homosexuality.” Heaven forbid that acceptance be taught in our public schools. After all, it obviously is not in Dr. Dobson’s church!

“Religious freedom will almost certainly be jeopardized.” Here Dr. Dobson cites examples of legislation in Canada designed to restrict hate-mongering speeches against gays. Thank heavens preachers are free to preach messages of hate and exclusion in our fine nation!

“The gospel of Jesus Christ will be severely curtailed.” The Religious Right’s narrow-minded and twisted view of Jesus would take a hit, that’s for sure. What would come forth is a renewed emphasis on how He loves ALL people who accept him as Lord and Savior.

One might read this and wonder how I, a lowly accountant and sportswriter by trade, would dare to challenge a man so learned as Dr. James Dobson, someone who has sold millions of books and has a nationwide radio ministry.

I would respond by saying I am simply observing my surroundings, opening my heart to the Holy Spirit, and following His lead. I did NOT establish a political agenda and look to filter everything, even the Word of God, through that agenda. I do not fear or hate people who are not like me. Jesus preached love and acceptance and that is the example I try to follow.

People like Dr. Dobson are trying to secure the future of the family by keeping apart people who truly love and are committed to each other, but happen to be gay. Does that sound as stupid to you as it does to me?

A productive focus on the family would be one that helps people, regardless of sexual orientation, make better decisions when they take their marriage vows and offer assistance and guidance in keeping them.

Of course, that wouldn’t sell as many books or bring in as many donations, would it?

Site Update

First, I would like to thank the hundreds of visitors that have come here in our first few weeks on the Internet. I hope you have found your time well spent.

Beginning next Tuesday, I will begin a set schedule of updates on Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday. They will usually be posted in the evening, although some days it could be earlier.

I would encourage anyone who runs across any pertinent material someone else wrote, or who wants to contribute an original piece themselves, to send it to me. If I feel that it keeps with the mission of this site, I would be happy to post it and appreciative that you thought of forwarding it.

Most of all, I would ask visitors to take a moment and leave feedback, either by posting a comment or sending e-mail to straight_notnarrow@yahoo.com. I want to improve this site in any way possible and will seriously consider any suggestions. It would be nice to know if what I am writing and posting is making an impression on the readers. A few of you have already been kind enough to tell me that it has.

I would also ask that, if you feel there is value to what you read here, to please encourage anyone who might be interested to check it out. You can access it directly at www.straightnotnarrow.org.

I'm not interested in doing anything with Straight Not Narrow other than encouraging dialogue and getting people to consider important issues relating to Christianity and LGBT individuals from a different perspective. Most importantly, I want to spread the word of God's loving inclusiveness, not exclusion. The more people that get involved in this site, the better chance there is of accomplishing these goals.

Thanks for your continued support,

Jim Johnson

Dissent is Patriotic

Last week, there was some conversation amongst my church family regarding President Bush’s nomination of John Roberts to become the next Supreme Court Justice.

In a left-leaning church like ours, it was no surprise when one member asked everyone to sign a petition opposing Judge Robert’ nomination and calling on Congress to not confirm him.

Another member responded by wondering what was the point, asking if there was any realistic expectation that Bush would nominate anyone but a conservative. This was a valid point but one that troubled me nonetheless.

One of the more effective tactics the Bush administration and its right-wing supporters have used to deflect criticism of their policies is to call any public opposition “unpatriotic” and hiding behind the veil of “threatening national security.”

On the contrary, nothing is MORE patriotic than dissent.

Conservatives like to talk about returning out nation to its core values but, as so often happens, they pick and choose what values they want to emphasize. Even the most cursory review of American history serves as a reminder that this country was founded because of the dissent of the original colonists. They spoke out against taxation without representation and, when words failed, they took action.

That, my friends, is a core value of the United States of America that the right wing is gradually trying to erase, and with much success. It’s not all about the conservatives, however. When is the last time you saw any debate on one of the national news programs that didn’t deteriorate into a shouting match? Nobody listens anymore! Advocates on the right and the left seem to only focus on making their points and listen to opposing views only to have points they can loudly object to and, at time, ridicule. If someone can’t argue down the message, the next step is to often attack the messenger. This is something the right wing and the Bush administration have down to a science and clearly helped them keep power in 2004. Their opponents don’t have a strong leader and a clearly focused message with which to overcome this tactic.

I don’t want this forum to become heavily political, but sometimes there is no avoiding it. The Pastor of our church has often said that he abhors hearing politics preached from the pulpit. He reluctantly faces reality, however, when he points out that if we don’t stand up for what we believe, open and affirming churches like ours and many of the people who worship in them will get shoved right back into the closet.

From my vantage point, the right wing is controlling the debate, often by limiting it, because they are more focused on issues and they have the loudest voices. Who can moderates and liberals claim as their answer to Rush Limbaugh, Jerry Fallwell, Pat Robertson, or most of the Fox News Network?

The right wing has the advantage in today’s microwave society because they present their views as facts, and many people are just too lazy or busy with other things to consider anything different. This type of person is all too happy to have someone tell them what to think and follow along like sheep. THERE is the primary target audience that needs to be reached to reintroduce love as a core value of this once-great nation. THERE are the people who, if they make even a slight effort to open their minds and hearts, can cause a groundswell against those that spew hate and condemnation in God’s name.

I signed that petition. I encourage everyone that reads this to explore areas where they can make their voice heard. If we wait for someone else to step up, the opportunity may be lost forever.

Two Good Approaches

There is an outstanding op-ed piece in the 7/18 edition of the Los Angeles Times (free registration required) written by Michael McGough that addresses two ways that gay people and their advocates can make points against the condemnation the Religious Right is so determined to judge them with.

First, there is more than one way to interpret scripture, as I have pointed out on this blog before. He refers to a great website for this exercise, www.truthsetfree.net, reserched by Justin R. Cannon, a student at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana.

McGough also points out another approach, "There is an alternative to passage-by-passage literal arguments — one that calls for the courageous assertion that Scripture can be reinterpreted.....on the basis of the lived experience of Christians, guided by the Holy Spirit."

Regarding the "clobber passages" that are often used to support the arguement that homosexuality is a sin, McGough concludes, "however you read them, they were never meant to be the end of the lesson."

Wise words indeed! I strongly recommend you take time to read the entire editorial.

Gay Children

I've been corresponding with Bill Ware, who writes a blog titled Ware Farms. Bill writes about gay issues from a perspective consistent with his background in psychology.

I am linking to a piece he wrote about the trial of the man in Tampa who, in trying to "toughen up" his son, wound up beating him to death. In it he reprints a heartfelt letter he wrote to a local newspaper about raising gay children with love and understanding, not the hate and condemnation the religious right preaches. It is very much worth reading.

In The Name of God

Church-burnings appear to be coming back into vogue, and they still don’t make any sense. The most recent case occurred in Virginia, where a United Church of Christ church was vandalized and a small fire was set inside the building. Fortunately, the perpetrators apparently weren’t very good arsonists since there was only smoke damage from the fire. The graffiti on the side of the church proclaimed the congregation sinners, likely in response to their rule-making body’s endorsement of same-sex marriage a few days earlier.

This violent act, apparently in the name of God, is nothing compared to what Islamic extremists have been doing worldwide for years. They claim that Allah wants them to destroy the infidels (I’ve been called worse) and have the world conform to their type of Islamic lifestyles.

I’m not sure what God you worship, but the One I have given my life to, the One who loved me so much that He sent His son to earth to suffer and die to save ME from MY sins doesn’t think destruction and death are ways to spread His message of love and inclusion.

Let’s go back to the knuckleheads who were led to vandalize the UCC church because that denomination had the nerve to adopt a policy that did not sync up with their view of Christianity. It appears that he, she, or they decided to enforce their version of God’s will upon that group of sinners, since they obviously deserved it. May I suggest a radical solution to stop people from acting like this in the future—read the Bible!

Sure, in Old Testament days God did a lot of smiting. Many stubborn Israelites just didn’t get it when God gave them direction to do something, and the penalty was often death administered by Him DIRECTLY. He didn’t delegate the smiting, demonstrating He was the only One who could truly pass judgment on a person. Even if He would have, it wouldn’t have been to some amateur pyromaniacs with a can of spray paint.

Why, then, does ANYONE think they have the right to administer punishment based on THEIR interpretation of God’s Word. No human’s judgment is infallible. I know the Pope of the Catholic Church is said to be infallible, but since church policy has changed over the centuries, does that mean they’ve become more infallible? I seriously doubt it.

Recently, someone tried to set fire to a mosque in Bloomington, Indiana—I suppose they were punishing that group for violent acts committed by others who shared the same religion. Ah yes, the old "eye for an eye" policy. That is soooooo Old Testament. Perhaps these less than enlightened folks never heard of the sequel, the New Testament. There’s not as much sex and violence in the New Testament, but it does contain the most important story ever told, that of how Jesus Christ came to redeem us and, among other things, save us from ourselves, not to mention eternal damnation.

I just can’t get my arms around the concept of initiating violent acts in the name of God. I don’t know a lot about Islam, so I’m not going to try and analyze how Muslims can justify the types of action most people call terrorism, but I’m quite familiar with Christianity. Jesus came toward sinners with words of wisdom, open arms, and the love of God. He didn’t have matches and a bucket of paint.

Shouldn’t people acting in the name of God act more like God?

Onward, Moderate Christian Soldiers

I was forwarded this piece written by John Danforth. Ambassador John C. Danforth is an Episcopal priest and the current United States Ambassador to the United Nations. He served for 18 years as a Republican Senator from Missouri. His Op-Ed article "Onward, Moderate Christian Soldiers" appeared in the June 17, 2005 edition of the New York Times. I didn't think I'd be using anything from a prominent republican in this forum, but I found this to fit very well. It's a good message of open mindedness and tolerance.


It would be an oversimplification to say thatAmerica's culture wars are now between people of faith and nonbelievers. People of faith are not of one mind, whether on specific issues like stem cell research and government intervention in the case of Terri Schiavo, or the more general issue of how religion relates to politics.

In recent years, conservative Christians have presented themselves as representing the one authentic Christian perspective on politics. With due respect for our conservative friends, equally devout Christians come to very different conclusions.

It is important for those of us who are sometimes called moderates to make the case that we, too, have strongly held Christian convictions, that we speak from the depths of our beliefs, and that our approach to politics is at least as faithful as that of those who are more conservative. Our difference concerns the extent to which government should, or even can, translate religious beliefs into the laws of the state.

People of faith have the right, and perhaps the obligation, to bring theirvalues to bear in politics. Many conservative Christians approach politics with a certainty that they know God's truth, and that they can advance the kingdom of God through governmental action.

So they have developed a political agenda that they believe advances God's kingdom, one that includes efforts to "put God back" into the public square and to pass a constitutional amendment intended to protect marriage from the perceived threat of homosexuality.

Moderate Christians are less certain about when and how our beliefs can be translated into statutory form, not because of a lack of faith in God but because of a healthy acknowledgement of the limitations of human beings. Like conservative Christians, we attend church, read the Bible and say ourprayers.

But for us, the only absolute standard of behavior is the commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves. Repeatedly in the Gospels, we find that the Love Commandment takes precedence when it conflicts with laws. We struggle to follow that commandment as we face the realities of everyday living, and we do not agree that our responsibility to live as Christians can be codified by legislators.

When, on television, we see a person in a persistent vegetative state, one who will never recover, we believe that allowing the natural and merciful end to her ordeal is more loving than imposing government power to keep her hooked up to a feeding tube.

When we see an opportunity to save our neighbors' lives through stem cell research, we believe that it is our duty to pursue that research, and to oppose legislation that would impede us from doing so.

We think that efforts to haul references of God into the public square, into schools and courthouses, are far more apt to divide Americans than to advance faith.

Following a Lord who reached out in compassion to all human beings, we oppose amending the Constitution in a way that would humiliate homosexuals.

For us, living the Love Commandment may be at odds with efforts to encapsulate Christianity in a political agenda. We strongly support the separation of church and state, both because that principle is essential to holding together a diverse country, and because the policies of the state always fall short of the demands of faith.

Aware that even our most passionate ventures into politics are efforts to carry the treasure of religion in the earthen vessel of government, we proceed in a spirit of humility lacking in our conservative colleagues.

In the decade since I left the Senate, American politics has been characterized by two phenomena: the increased activism of the Christian right, especially in the Republican Party, and the collapse of bipartisan collegiality. I do not think it is a stretch to suggest a relationship between the two.

To assert that I am on God's side and you are not, that I know God's will and you do not, and that I will use the power of government to advance my understanding of God's kingdom is certain to produce hostility.

By contrast, moderate Christians see ourselves, literally, as moderators. Far from claiming to possess God's truth, we claim only to be imperfect seekers of the truth.

We reject the notion that religion should present a series of wedge issues useful at election time for energizing a political base. We believe it is God's work to practice humility, to wear tolerance on our sleeves, to reach out to those with whom we disagree, and to overcome the meanness we see in today's politics.

For us, religion should be inclusive, and it should seek to bridge the differences that separate people. We do not exclude from worship those whos eopinions differ from ours.

Following a Lord who sat at the table with tax collectors and sinners, we welcome to the Lord's table all who would come. Following a Lord who cited love of God and love of neighbor as encompassing all the commandments, we reject a political agenda that displaces that love.

Christians who hold these convictions ought to add their clear voice of moderation to the debate on religion in politics.

Can There Be Hope for the Homophobe?

I've been given the opportunity to publish this article that originally appeared in the 6/22/05 issue of the Bradley News Weekly in Tennessee. It was written by Rev. Apostle Dolly Hamby of the Covenant of Hope Fellowship in Cleveland, Tennessee. She has dealt with issues of acceptance of LGBT people from both sides. I found her insight to be profound and the feelings she expressed to be very moving:


CAN THERE BE HOPE FOR THE HOMOPHOBE?

I first came to Cleveland, TN, when I attended BTI (Bible Training Institute) a few years ago, in the church of God of prophecy, and I thought that Cleveland was truly the Holy City of the South. I loved the city and the people seemed to be so friendly. But, that was before I came out as a lesbian. It’s still hard for me to call myself a lesbian. But I had to face the fact that that is who I am and there was nothing I could do about it but accept it and live for God. And I was about the most homophobe person you could ever meet (before I came out), I did not want to hear the word homosexual or gay and especially, that “L” word, lesbian. I did not want to hear it because it scared me to even think someone might find out I was a lesbian.

I had lived a life of being a wife, a mother and a minister in the COGOP (Church of God of Prophecy). I had graduated from BTI and was appointed to pastor a church in Dalton, Ga. The church I was appointed too was in a black community and had primarily been a black church. There was one member left on the roll when I began pastorate, and they had not attended in a long time. Was I discouraged, no siree, I dug right in and went to work. The church smelled so bad from where the pigeons had nested and left droppings in the ceiling that we had to place deodorizers all over the place to even stand to have church. And when the first rain came, we had to place buckets everywhere to catch all the water. The bathroom floor was falling in and the place was so grown up with brushes and trees that needed to be trimmed, that it was an exceptional challenge for me and those that supported me. I remained there until the churches were assimilated together into one and then I started going to another COGOP in the area.

As time went by and my heart ached more to be who I knew I was inside, I begin going to every church that was in revival and going through prayer lines to have hands laid on me to be delivered. I would feel much better for a couple of days then back again with the same feeling of loneliness, emptiness and urgency. After much pain and suffering my husband and I separated and finally divorced. It was very hard to leave a 35 year marriage and start over, but my children were all grown and married and I had prayed for years for God to send me someone to love me for just being me. Not because I helped to make a living or raised their children or submitted to their every wish or demand, but just because they loved me.

I had been in love with one of my members for five years, but I had never told her or said anything to her. I knew she loved me but I also knew that she was married and had children as well. I could see no way for us to ever be together or even think that we might, but she was the best friend I had ever known and if that was all I could ever have with her, then I would contend myself with “just being her friend.” However, I kept praying for God to set me free if there was never to be any love between my husband and myself. I loved my husband (like a good friend) but not as a lover.

He was first to leave me and then we kept getting back together for as many as three times, and finally, it was as if God tapped me on my shoulder and said, “I have set you free three times, why do you keep taking him back?” Well, that was all I needed to let go and believe it or not she was set free the same day, amazing huh?” But God has perfect timing in everything He does and in the season we need it most.

I can almost hear some of you shaking your heads and saying, “She’s crazy, God does not answer prayers for any gay person. Well, your God might not, but my God is not in a box, and He is much bigger than my thoughts or your IDEAS and I will answer to Him for every word I am writing here today. Society or the religious right-wing have tried to keep God away from anyone that they saw as different and they have succeed in instilling fear and rejection into their children and their congregations until many young people are taking their own lives because they feel condemned to hell without a chance to serve God as God created in them to be. Being homophobe is like going back to the times when the blacks were enslaved and forbidden to eat with the whites or to ride buses or go to school with every other American kid. They fought a long time to be free, but they made it and I am very proud to say that I prayed for their freedom when I was just a child because I could see it wasn’t right for any person to be treated that way. Then came the women wanting to vote, and they were fought the same way the blacks were but not as violent. And now in the 2005’s the Gay Rights are fighting to have the same rights as any other American, but until “YOUR FAMILY”, your son or your daughter is among the “gay” society, you will fight with all your might to keep us from having the same rights as you “straight folks” have.

God gave me a Word for the straight people in 1994 “Thus says the Lord, “I will cause your sons and your daughters to rise up among you that will be gay and lesbian and the fathers and mothers will fight among themselves until they see their families being separated from them. I will divide them left and right until “ALL” come to know I will show favor unto whom I will and I will raise up apostles and prophets and ministers among the gay society that will proclaim my Word boldly until all come to the UNITY OF THE FAITH.” One very important thing I have learned about God, “He is a God of spirituality, not a god of sexuality. God could care less if you are male or female, because all He sees is the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ if it’s been applied or not. Matt 6:33 “But seek you first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and ALL these other things will be given you as well.” NIV.

The only thing we want to do at COHF is try to save some of your sons and daughters from taking their own lives and lead them into FULL FELLOWSHIP with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. God gave us a promise when we started the church (then Hope For All Ministries) that as long as He was in control no harm would ever come to anyone that entered our doors. He has kept His promise, but some people are still afraid to come to our church or even put a rainbow sticker on their car for fear of being rejected or harmed in some way or other. That is truly a shame, we are good enough to pay taxes, to vote, to buy your merchandise and if all the closeted gay people came out of your churches, you would be missing many singers and musicians, teachers and ministers that you rub elbows with every Sunday.

There is hope for the homophobe, because LOVE never fails. Until we can learn to accept each other as God does and look for the good that lies within each of us, we will continue to be “The Bride of Christ, with cuts and bruises, and thrown veils and spotted garments; And I’m sure our bridegroom will look at us and say, “well, my bride has been fighting again.” Do you believe that Jesus our bridegroom, will want a bride that looks like that? I don’t think so!

What you believe is your business, that is not for me to decide. But it is with sweet relief to me when I discovered I do not have to embrace another person’s beliefs in order to respect their rights. I am dedicated to being a champion for religious freedom and diversity. To be successful in my endeavors I must overcome my passionate feelings that sometimes get in the way. If I let my emotions rule, I would wing up saying things that are not helpful at all. My brain says, “Stand up for equal rights for all people!” But my emotions step in the way and interpret the message, “Put those religious bullies in their place!” When I hear the manipulatively loaded language of an opponent and am tempted to duplicate it. While I am called a godless, liberal or an enemy to Christ or the Church, my emotions want to label those people with names like, “The Radical Religious Political Extremists,” or “modern-day Scribes and Pharisees.

I am not an enemy to the American Family Association or the Christian Coalition and it’s hard for me to not think of groups such as these as the Enemy. But, as the saying goes, “It is hard to shake hands with a clenched fist. I pray that God can help us have Christ-like communication if and when we should meet.

This journey I have made from a place of fear and ignorance to a place of love and truth has been an adventure of one discovery after another. And it began when God placed one verse in my mind that I feared more than I feared man, “Rev. 22:15 “But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, (and whoever loves and practices lies). NKJV. I will never again be ashamed or lie about who I am because God looks at the heart and my heart is pure. Praise the Lord!

May we forever be united until the Lord Jesus Christ comes for us all. God Bless!