"Day of Truth" Anything But

Tomorrow, April 26th, GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network) will sponsor its 10th annual National Day of Silence. This event will involve Gay-Straight Alliances and other supportive students all over the United States. GLSEN is expecting 500,000 students from over 4,000 schools to participate.

This event is described on the GLSEN site: "The Day of Silence®, a project of GLSEN in collaboration with the United States Student Association (USSA), is a national student-led day of action where those who support making anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) bullying and harassment unacceptable in America’s schools participate in activities to recognize and protest the discrimination and harassment - in effect, the silencing - experienced by LGBT students and their allies."

Not to be outdone, the Alliance Defense Fund (founded by leaders like Dr. James Dobson) will rebut with a "Day of Truth" the following day, promoting the "Anti-Homosexual Agenda" in many of the same schools that will host the National Day of Silence.

Alan Sears, the President and CEO of the ADF, wrote a piece that was published on the Baptist Press (the media arm of the Southern Baptist Convention). Here are some noteable quotes.

".....if you hadn’t reckoned with the advocates of homosexual behavior being so single-minded in their determination to crack every moral cornerstone of the country ... if it never occurred to you that they wouldn’t stop until they’d converted every child in America to their fierce distortion of human sexuality....."

"Scheduled for April 27 (one day following the “Day of Silence”), “Day of Truth” is an ideal opportunity for young people to make a strong, thoughtful, outspoken response to the tacit lies and subtle intimidations put forth on the “Day of Silence.”

That's right, Mr. Sears, don't forget to portray your side as the victims.

Our schools are rapidly becoming a major battleground when the "fundamentalist" right will seek to spread their message of exclusion and condemnation and repress any presentation of homosexuality as anything other than an abomination that will lead to the downfall of civilization.

Sears quotes surveys in his piece that show his side is being solidly thrashed in our schools, so they are intensifying their efforts. This only makes it even more important for those of us on the side of inclusion and acceptance to support our youth and reinforce the efforts to protect them from bullying and intimidation from those who aren't so enlightened.

Rep. Frank Optimistic on Future of Gay Rights

U. S. Rep. Barney Frank(D-Mass) shared some interesting comments at a fundraiser for the Utah Stonewall Democrats Friday night.

"There is no bigger difference between the two political parties today than on LGBT issues," Frank said. Being an openly gay congressman (he came out publicly in 1987), Frank has been right in the middle of those issues.

When gay people make their sexuality public, Frank said: "We tell the average American that they are not homophobic, they just thought they were supposed to be."

Frank said heterosexual people constantly out themselves by saying something about their spouse or pointing out someone they feel is attractive.

"Heterosexuals also discuss their sexual nature, but when they do it, it's called talking," he said.

To further gay rights, Frank said homosexual people must not only come out of the closet, they must become politically active too, encouraging their loved ones to follow suit. "We don't win this alone," he said. "We win this with the people who love us, who support us."

I totally agree, but it carries a lot more weight when someone like him says so, doesn't it?

If You Seek Answers, You Just Might Find Them

Here is a story about a Presbyterian minister who grudgingly agreed to serve on a task force to study whether his church in Southern California should ordain gays.

Boy, was he surprised what he found when he took a thorough schollarly approach to studying the bible to find the answer.

Jack Rogers approached the issue predisposed to an answer; "I opposed homosexuality reflexively--that's just what I thought Christians were supposed to do." Like many others active in the church, he had stopped at that point until serving on the task force.

Rogers now has a more educated and totally different view; "I am so convinced that Jesus and the Bible, rightly understood, support the equality of all persons, including gays and lesbians, and that the church cannot continue going against its central values."

Imagine that, an ordained minister who is not part of "the homosexual agenda" finds that study and an open mind lead to knowledge that supercedes what so many of us have been taught since we first learned the words to "Jesus Loves Me."

Maybe that's why the title to the song wasn't "Jesus Loves Me If I'm Straight."

Rogers has recently released a book titled "Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church. I have not yet read it myself, but it is already receiving some very positive reviews on Amazon.com.

I am glad that Rogers made the effort to share what he learned with anyone who is interested enough to read about it. We all need to do what we can to get the message out and counteract the thundering crescendo of hate and exclusion being spewed from the "fundamentalists" and their ilk.

Jesus' Example--If All Else Fails, Sue 'Em?

That would be the gospel according to Dr. Jerry Falwell. Be careful of the spelling if you are seeking out his website. If you are trying to reach the home page of the good doctor's website by typing in his last name, don't put in one two many l's. The site www.falwell.com will direct you to Dr. Falwell's center of ministry. However, if you type in www.fallwell.com, you will find an entirely different message--and that's the problem, at least in Dr. Falwell's judgment.

The site with one too many l's, very low tech by today's standards, contains this message:

I was just 12 years old. My family and I were on vacation in Virginia. My dad and I were watching television in our motel room. Jerry Falwell's "Old Time Gospel Hour" was on. Reverend Falwell looked into the camera and, preaching against gay people, said, "Even animals don't do that."

That was the first time in my life that I ever felt unworthy of the love of God.

Yes, the owner of www.fallwell.com is gay and uses that forum to present the other side of the issue. Generously, he also provided a link to Dr. Falwell's site for those who are misdirected. I noticed no reciprocal link from Falwell's home page, a clear violation of Internet courtesy.

Apparently outraged by someone clever enough to use that domain name, Falwell did just what Jesus would have--he sued. When the decision didn't go his way, he took it all the way up to the Supreme Court. Earlier this week, the High Court had the good sense not to waste their time with this case, allowing the owner of www.fallwell.com to maintain his site as is.

The MSNBC report also tells how Dr. Falwell intimidated the owner of the domains jerryfalwell.com and jerryfallwell.com into yielding control of those or else face the wrath of Falwell's attorneys.

I keep searching my bible to find where Jesus ever did anything remotely like bringing a suit against anyone. He didn't even have an attorney when He was "tried" and sentenced to death for crying out loud. Can you imagine Him suing someone else who was called Jesus out of fear he would lose part of his audience? The thought is laughable, isn't it?

I guess I have one of those "Lavender Bibles" that doesn't correctly explain to me why homosexuals are horrible sinners and why Christians should sue whenever they don't get their way.

Delusions of Grandeur

Our friends at the AFA (American "Family" Association) are still harassing the Ford Motor Company. Their latest grievance is Ford's sponsorship of The Family Area at the upcoming Motor City Pride event in suburban Detroit on June 4.

That in itself is enough to annoy the AFA, but an activity scheduled in this area is really ticking them off. The Detroit MCC church is looking for gay and lesbian couples to participate in a committment ceremony to make a statement in support of same-sex marriage.

The AFA is using this as more ammunition to get people on board with their boycott of Ford. Here's the part that really chafes me. Taken from their website:

"Since the boycott began, Ford stock has fallen 7% and Associated Press stated that Ford sales were down 5% in March. Many financial consultants believe that Ford is headed for bankruptcy. It appears that Ford is more willing to face bankruptcy than ending their support of homosexual groups and causes."

Wait a minute--back the truck up! Is the American Family Association actually trying to claim credit for pushing Ford toward bankruptcy.

Anyone who closely follows the news knows that Ford, or any other American automaker, doesn't need anyone's help to encounter financial difficulties.

It makes me wonder how many of the AFA's members are really that closely in touch with the news or most of the reality the rest of us live in every day.

How Does It Feel to be a Political Pawn?

There are several items on the Republicans' congressional agenda leading up to the 2006 elections, and the GLBT community is right in the crosshairs.

The Republicans aren't even trying to mask their intentions any more. They are clearly playing to their right-wing base by introducing a constitutional amendment defining marriage as only between a man and a woman, along with pushing for abortion limits and anti-flag burning legislation.

Not coincidentally, the right wing base has made it abundantly clear they expect this and more from the legislators they feel they put into office. Quoting from the USA Today/AP report:

"It seems like for only six months, every two years — right around election time — that we're even noticed," said Tom McClusky of the Family Research Council.

"Some of these better pass," he added. "You notice when it's just lip service being paid."

Bill Frist, the senate majority leader, has accepted his marching orders. ""When America's values are under attack, we need to act," Frist told the Conservative Political Action Conference in February.

Gary Bauer (he's still around?), the head of Americans United to Preserve Marriage, says "The marriage amendment is in a class by itself because of what's at stake."

What's at stake? Oh yeah, the entire concept of a family. How can I keep forgetting as often as these folks are reminding me?

The report also says "Sending the proposed amendment to the states for ratification may not win the two-thirds majority required in the House and Senate. But committing to a vote in June is a gesture of good faith that would resonate with social conservatives, Bauer said.

I'm glad to see my tax money being put to such good use.

So, GLBT folks, the Republicans think you are a pawn, perhaps even a pinata--you know, just getting whacked around for someone else's entertainment.

Are you going to sit there and take your beating? The elections are coming in November and you have an opportunity to step up and defend yourself at the ballot box.

Education—The Enemy of Prejudice

There is a proposal being considered by the California state legislature that would require public school textbooks to include gay and lesbian history.

"This is simply adding the LGBT community to the groups that the state has said must be included in the curriculum," Geoffrey Kors, executive director of Equality California, which backs the bill, told the San Francisco Chronicle. "There's nothing special or different.”

Of course, not everyone agrees. Again quoting from the Chronicle report:

"This is about pushing a blatant sexual agenda -- including sex changes that involve cutting off body parts -- upon impressionable schoolchildren as young as kindergarten," said Randy Thomasson, who heads the Campaign for Children and Families.

Thomasson said teaching about racial differences is not like teaching about sexual orientation because, he believes, people can change their sexual orientation. He said the bill "will require the positive portrayal of these lifestyles, with the goal of forcing students to accept them and even consider themselves eligible to engage in them."

To their credit, the Chronicle has come out in support of this legislation in a recent editorial. While stating that this law would be largely symbolic, the Chronicle opined:

“…..symbolism can be important when confronting an entrenched curriculum that may -- even unintentionally -- be perpetuating myths or negative stereotypes about a particular minority group. Kuehl's bill is not about political correctness. It is about completeness and accuracy.”

This reminds me of a situation I experienced while attending elementary school just a few miles outside of Washington, DC in the late 1960’s. Living in Prince Georges County, Maryland, I was exposed to one of the first curriculums that included what at the time was referred to as “Black History.” We were taught about the civil rights protests, the works of Martin Luther King, and what prejudice was really about.

As I learned more about the struggles of blacks in our nation and the important contributions of black scientists, artists, and leaders I had not previously heard of, I looked at my black classmates differently, with more understanding and acceptance of our differences.

The religious right cringes at the thought of that happening with attitudes toward the GLBT community. They don’t want their kids taught about positive contributions of gays and lesbians and the injustice many of them have endured over the years. If children learn these things, it will be harder for their parents to teach condemnation and discrimination.

The kids might be inclined to treat GLBT people like members in good standing of the human race.

Is Tax Money Supporting Discrimination?

This story out of Kentucky got me to thinking, something I try to do on occasion. A student named Jason Johnson (no relation I know of) was expelled from The University of the Cumberlands when details about his gay dating life he had made public on the Internet were found by school officials.

There are two points I want to make relating to this item. I don’t actually have a problem with the school taking this action. They stated it in their school handbook that sex outside marriage and homosexual practices could result in a student being asked to withdraw from school. The policy was in place and Johnson was willingly violating it.

I also don’t take exception to churches that do not welcome homosexuals. I obviously don’t believe they are correctly discerning God’s will, but I support their right to include and exclude whoever they want. My problems with them occur when they venture outside their boundaries and try to influence public policy or otherwise impose their views on those outside their organization.

That leads me to my second point and why I am quite bothered by the actions of the University of the Cumberlands. Despite their policy of exclusion, they receive $11 million in funds annually from the state of Kentucky. How can tax money support the work of schools that include or exclude students based in part on a specific set of religious values?

Doesn’t that at least imply the state of Kentucky supports the policy of requiring students from abstaining from sex outside of a legal marriage? Why are they allowed to determine a student’s suitability for higher learning based on their sex lives while operating in part on taxpayers’ funds, at least some of which would have been donated by GLBT people?

There is starting to be some pushback on the Governor of Kentucky to exercise his power of line-item veto on the next state budget and eliminate funds for the University of the Cumberlands. I hope he does so.

States and the federal government have no business contributing any support to organizations run by religious principles. I certainly have no issue at all with them existing; I just don’t want them enforcing their beliefs by using tax money.

There Are No Limits to Jesus

Matthew 28: 17-18 (after he had risen following his crucifixion) When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."

There are no limits to Jesus. He told us so himself. He has authority over everything! He demonstrated that by rising up from the dead!

Have you been so badly hurt by loved ones that you can't imagine your life every being right? Jesus can heal that pain--after all, he rose from the dead.

Have you dealt with condemnation of those who call themselves Christians and feel like you could never be welcomed into Christ's church? That's not the case. Jesus loves us all--he allowed himself to be brutally murdered and rose from the dead for each and every one of us.

Have you committed sin that you believe God can never forgive you for? He CAN forgive. he sent Jesus to earth to die and arise to pay the price for our sins. If we seek forgiveness, it is ours; not because we deserve it, but because Jesus rose from the dead.

Is there anything in your life you think is broken beyond repair? Is there an emptiness that you can't imagine could ever be filled?

Then you are wrong! Jesus can do it. He has authority over everything on heaven and earth.

After all, he rose from the dead.

Republicans Making Anti-Gay Pitch to African-Americans

As reported by The Advocate, the Republican party is reaching out to African-American voters by honing in on their presumed homophobia. This story was the result of a report issued by the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force.

According to the Advocate, the GOP is relentlessly reaching out to African-Americans through their churches. President Bush's faith-based initiatives (which I spoke out against in my "Faith Based" Federal Funding post on February 24) have focused on African-American churches. Additionally, right-wing evangelical ministers exploit racial and socioeconomic ills by blaming them on GLBT people.

“You want to know what the single biggest problem facing inner-city black neighborhoods is? Homosexuality,” stated the Reverend Louis P. Sheldon of the Traditional Values Coalition, a far-right religious organization.

I suppose it's the gays and lesbians that are dealing drugs and killing people-good to know. It is beyond my comprehension how anyone could fall for such bigoted and idiotic rhetoric, but some people do.

The NGLTF report includes this quote; "I'd be excited to see the GOP finally making a serious push for black voters — if the party was offering fresh ideas on police profiling, housing discrimination, unemployment and other issues of importance to black folks. But the focus (isn't) on any of that. Rather, it's on the gosh-darned 'homosexual agenda.' "— African-American author Leonard Pitts Jr.

That actually makes sense, doesn't it? Even if you feel that there is a "homosexual agenda" and that all GLBT people are an abomination (a view I clearly do not share), surely you can realize the grossly disproportionate amount of energy and resources being used against GLBT issues.

At a time when the United States is spending billions of dollars fighting a war on foreign soil; while this nation is still extremely vulnerable to terrorism; when there are millions of people faced with poverty, homelessness, unemployment, hunger; when there are millions of people who do not have access to medical treatment they desperately need; when there are millions of people living within our borders illegally; WHY ARE POLITICIANS AND EVANGELISTS PUSHING THOSE ISSUES ASIDE AND ATTACKING THE GAYS?

Because GLBT people are easy targets.

Because the politicans and evangelists don't have answers for those difficult issues, but they do have a plan to discriminate against GLBTs.

Because there are enough people that either hate gays or at least want to restrict their rights for those issues to resonate and bring these "leaders" political strength and financial wealth.

Maybe it's not all the homosexuals' fault, though. Maybe our current leaders need to discern God's will and act upon it. Failing that, the people of this nation need to demand new leadership.

Living In the Bonus Round--A Note From the Past

I ran across the blog "Living In the Bonus Round" earlier this week and was moved by the post "A Note From the Past." It the story of his reunion with the leader of a Christian band and the writer, a former bandmate who had come out as gay and contracted AIDS.

The writer, Steve Schalchlin, began one of the first known blogs in 1996. Titled "The Bonus Round," Schalchlin chronicled his battle with AIDS, figuring it would be a diary of his last days. Fortunately, he's still blogging ten years later.

Schalchlin and his partner Jim Brochu co-wrote the musical "The Last Session" and the musical comedy "The Big Voice: God or Merman?". They won awards from GLAAD and the LA Drama Critics for The Last Session and again from the LA Drama Critics for "The Big Voice."

Despite this success, he met judgemental rejection when he got together with his former bandmate. I post this story not because it is unique; in fact, just the opposite. I'm sure most if not all GLBT people have a similar story to tell. I felt this one, especially in the context of Christianity, was well told and would resonate with readers of this site.

As Schalcilin writes, the person he calls "T" treated him "as if I were a specimen" instead of a person. It is especially troubling seeing this told of a professing Christian, since I don't recall Jesus treating even a leper in that manner.

Fortunately, not all Christians are like that, but sadly far too many do behave that way. You know, the Golden Rule isn't just a nice saying, it's biblical:

John 13:34 (NIV) Jesus says "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

Did you notice that there are NO qualifiers in that command. If we are truly seeking Christ's will for our lives, that's how we treat other people; so simple yet so difficult for many "godly" people.

NAACP Leader Speaks Out for GLBTs

The Rev. Nelson B. Rivers III, the COO of the NAACP, spoke out over the weekend opposing a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage in South Carolina.

Rev. Rivers, speaking at a political event in Columbia, South Carolina, said "This is not about sexual orientation or about a lifestyle, this is about fairness and equality.....Equality is what we must stand on. We cannot be afraid and surrender the higher ground for moral principal."

While not exactly an unconditional statement of support for the state's GLBT population, it is still an important step, especially in a state with one of the largest proportions of African-American residents in the United States.

With this statment, Rev. Rivers stopped well short of saying "gay is okay," but he may also have demonstrated a route than African-American fundamentalists can take to support same-sex marriage and other GLBT issues of equal treatment under the law. It appears Rivers took his church's views on homosexuality out of the equation and viewed the same-sex marriage issue strictly on its civil rights merits. Based on that, he developed a clear vision of the injustice of the constitutional amendment.

So it takes a preacher to show how to take the church out of the political process and view issues on their legal and constitutional merits.

Imagine that.

Supporting a GLBT Freindly Politician

Author Wayne Besen has a column up on his site about U. S. Senator Russ Feingold, who is the first potentially viable presidential candidate to come out in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage.

Besen writes that this is somewhat of a watershed moment in GLBT politics and feels that because of his support, Feingold deserves the strong support of the GLBT community. He compares Feingold to other political "friends":

As the right wing beat the stuffing out of our beleaguered families, our "friends" whispered from the sidelines, "don't take it personally, we still love you." And, of course, they do love us, which is the problem. We are adored like the terminally uncool, but loyal, buddy who unfailingly helps move our furniture or fixes our computers, but never asks us why we haven't invited him to swanky A-List parties.

Since Feingold has invited the GLBT community to the party, Besen feels that they should make every effort to attend.

I agree with this to some extent. When I begin considering who will receive my vote in the 2008 Democratic primary election, their position on GLBT equality will obviously be an important factor, but not the only one. Besen does not make the "one issue" case for Feingold either, pointing out the Senator's strong stance on campaign finance reform and his measure to censure President Bush and hold him accountable for illegally wiretapping Americans as other strong points on his political resume.

I just want to caution the GLBT community and their allies to not fall into the trap the religious right has sucked millions of voters into. They have convinced people that it is wrong to vote for someone who wants to keep abortion legal or doesn't want prayer in schools. These are important issues, but do they really rank up there with decisions like whether or not to invade another nation?

When it comes down to it, there are issues that have more far-reaching impact that same-sex marriage. However, if your favorite candidates agree on everything else and disagree on that issue, it would be a good tie-breaker.

Feingold might very well be worthy of supporting for president. Let's just make sure we consider his and any other candidate's entire political platform and not be overly influenced by any single issue no matter how passionately we care about it.

Update on the Christian Coalition

Once a powerhouse political lobbying organization, the Christian Coalition is experiencing some very troubling times these days. This is the group co-founded by Ralph Reed, the subject of my post yesterday, and the now infamous Pat Robertson.

According to this Washington Post article via MSNBC, the "once-mighty" Christian Coalition is now $2 million in debt and dealing with lawsuits from creditors. I guess the current leadership didn't go to all of those Christain seminars about how the Godly way of financial management is not to dig a deep hole of debt.

Perhaps even more troubling is the fact that some of the local chapters, the true grass-roots strength of the Christian Coalition in previous years, are distancing themselves from the organization. The Iowa chapter has completely cut its ties and renamed itself the "Iowa Christian Alliance."

Stephen L. Scheffler, The Iowa affiliate president since 2000, told the Post "The credibility is just not there like it once was.....There's a trail of debt....our board believes any Christian organization has an obligation to pay its debts in a timely fashion."

I don't recall reading about Jesus running up a large Visa card bill during His time on earth, which, since he knew when he was going to ascend to heaven, would have made sense--enjoy the benefits then let somebody else pick up the tab. If anybody could have pulled that off, it would have been Him.

Fortunately, the examples of His ministry show the complete opposite approach as being acceptable. If the Christain Coalition is going to linger and not have the decency to just go away, couldn't they at least change the name and take Christ out of it--at least that would be more representative of the orgainzation's actions.

Dragging Down the Religious Right

Apostle Dale at my church alerted me to this fascinating article in "The Nation" magazine about Christian Coalition co-founder Ralph Reed. The article talks about the trouble he has encountered in his campaign for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia.

Reed has been linked to the still mushrooming dirty-money scandal centered around provessional lobbyist Jack Abramoff. As you can read in the article, it is merely the latest question of impropriety and legality Reed has been faced with in his public life.

It is troubling that someone who help found and then lead an orgainzation with the name "Christian Coalition" has a documented history of deception, ruthlessness, and self-promotion. All of these characteristics go against the Christianity I know.

That leads me to touch on the bigger issue, the role of the church in American politics. Going back to the very founding of the United States, politics has been known as a dirty business. When religious organizations became prominent in the political arena in the 1980's, primarily as an operative for the Republican Party, something had to give. Either the Christian involvement would rase the standards of politics, or the principles of Christianity would be compromised as these groups wallowed in the mud with everyone else. It is with sadness and anger that I have watched the latter scenario play out.

When Christian leaders focus so much of their time, energy, and their follower's money on political issues, they are usually yielding the moral high ground they are claiming in their television ads and talk-show appearances. While people like James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, and Pat Robertson are feeding on the wealth, celebrity, and influence their political activism has brought them, who is home feeding their sheep?

Jesus said in John 21:18, "Feed my sheep."

He didn't say to do so if you could work it in between political rallies or television appearances.

The Truth Is Out There

I was struggling a bit trying to come up with a good post this morning. Being called a heretic and "a hell born child of Satan himself" as I was over on the Charisma message board I posted about on Wednesday had something to do with that. I reject their labeling, but it also doesn't give one a warm fuzzy either.

I then found a post while visiting Wes Ellis' wonderful blog "Living In the Kingdom" that I needed to see, titled "the truth is out there." After getting beat up because I didn't agree with the "absolute truth" subscribed to by the Charisma posters, Wes' words were very refreshing. Here's the part that really spoke to my heart:

"The problems don’t come when we’re uncertain of our faith. Real problems come when we are so certain that we start to think that our faith is the only faith that has any access to truth. We really enter the danger zone when we begin to think we have the market on truth. What was once faith becomes dogma, and not the good kind of dogma, but the kind that we feel must be protected at all costs. This dogma now becomes the center of our faith. Only by a subscription to this dogma, we believe, can someone really hold truth. This is a gravely dangerous thing. "

Wes is currently a theology student at Asuza Pacific University. We've corresponded before and he is still undecided about the place of homosexuals in God's kingdom. He has written about that on his blog and invited me to share ideas regarding that and other issues. Wes is a seeker searching God's ultimate truth. I believe I am also, and hope that something you read on either of our blogs encourages you to take that path yourself.

Racial Separation in the GLBT Community?

I've pondered that quesiton since I patricipated in Equality Maryland's lobby day rally earlier this year and noticed the only African-American faces I saw were invited speakers. I wondered if that was a fluke, then I heard that Julian Bond, one of the more respected African-American leaders, would not attend Coretta King's funeral because she had come out in support of gay rights. I then knew there was a deep seeded issue at work here.

This article from the Southern Voice delves into the issue of racial division in Atlanta, a city with one of the largest concentrated groups of African-Americans, GLBT people, and one could presume African-American GLBTs. While this piece does not come up with any firm conclusions, it is at least a good exploration of the issue.

I have heard two theories, neither of them scientifically researched. The first one, especially among Christian African-Americans, focuses on the strong "fundamentalist" teaching they receive in primarily African-American churches. The idea is that even as many fall away from the church as adults, they remember some of the basics drilled into them by the sermons they heard as children. We all know how "fundamentalists" feel about GLBTs.

The second theory deals with resentment. At the rally I attended, one of the primary themes put forth by the speakers, especially the African-American ones, was a push for civil rights. There was even a point where we were led in a couple of songs from the civil rights marches in the 1960's, which I thought was a bit over the top.

Anyway, the theory I have heard is that there is resentment among some of the prominent African-American leaders who could really help push for issues like same-sex marriage. Resentment derived from a feeling that the GLBT community is not entitled to ride on the coattails of civil rights icons like Martin Luther King. I can't help but find some merit in that. I believe those who are leading the fight for GLBT rights need to set their own tone and not try to hitch their wagon to civil rights battles fought long ago.

I am very interested in your thoughts here. It is an issue I will continue to study and post on from time to time when I have something of substance to share.

Visiting the "Other Side"

I mentioned in a recent post that I had visited a message board tied in with "Charisma Magazine" after they had published a strongly anti-gay column. After six days, 159 replies, and almost 2,000 views (some of whom then visited this blog), the discussion finally seems to be winding down. The experience has been illuminating and I think worth sharing some thoughts here.

Fellow blogger Bill Ware jumped in and helped me carry the debate about the place of homosexuality in Christianity. Bill and I both believe a person can be both homosexual and a christian who can have an active fellowship with God. We both feel the bible speaks very strongly about the sinfullness of promiscuity and that some of those scriptures have been interpreted in a way that makes many Christians believe the practice of homosexuality is an abomination (among other things) under any and all circumstances.

As you can imagine, Bill and I got beat up pretty badly over there. Bill shares some of his posts on his blog if you are curious, but not enough so to plow through that entire thread. I believe we had the same intent about participating, and that's what I want to share here.

When I posted my objections to the key points in the Charisma Magazine column, I did so with no realistic hope of changing minds of the hard-core members of that message board. Several of them, while staying civil for the most part, still hammered at their points to prove the sinfullness of homosexuality, and rejected out of hand the mere consideration that there could be another vaild interpretation of scripture. Bill and I have several of the regulars over there praying our salvation, since we obviously can't be saved in their eyes with our beliefs, so at least we've got that going for us.

I suspect that many Internet sites and message boards that lean to the left or the right, as most of them I've seen do, also attract vistors who have not put a stake in the ground on either side. If this issue was polled, they would be undecided. That's the group every politician campaigns to, and those are the people I was taking a verbal lashing for.

I am not a preacher, nor do I play one on TV. I only hope with my writing here and the work I do through my church to reach someone enough to get them to say "hmmm, that is worth considering." Whether I help them consider the ideas I have put out there, which I believe with my heart and mind are inspired by God, or they hear them and go off on their own to ponder and investigate them doesn't matter to me.

If I can help people just stop and think, I'm already shaking the "fundamentalists" up because it is painfully obvious to me they don't want anyone to do that.

Instead of wanting people to follow me like sheep, I want to direct them to the love of Jesus so they can follow him and be fed by the Holy Spirit. If I can help get them pointed in that directions, the next step is between them and Jesus.

I would encourage any of you who can stomach it to participate in forums that may be hostile to your viewpoints, and even to you personally. In order to spread the enlightenment that can only come from opening your heart and mind to the love of Jesus, sometimes we need to go and meet people where they are, then see if they will follow us back to where we are.

World War on Gays

I am extremely pleased that this blog has an international readership, having been visited by people in 66 nations since I began it a few months ago. I usually keep my commentary on news events to those in the United States because I stick to what I know.

Given the international flavor of my visitors, I thought it was well worth linking this column by Andrew Sullivan in The Advocate magazine. He writes about discrimination and persecution against GLBTs running rampant across the globe. From refusal to allow a gay pride parade in Moscow to a prohibition of public speaking in favor of gay equality in Nigeria to gay teens being hanged in Iran, Sullivan brings home the point that GLBT equality, even safety, is not an issue restricted to the borders of the United States.

The saying goes "Think globally, act locally," but GLBT individuals and their allies need to make sure to both think and act beyond our own borders whenever possible.

What Has Happened to America's Jesus?

I recently ran across a piece that speaks to a lot of concerns I have about Jesus' position in American society.

The columnist, Rob Borsellino, went to Sicily, Italy to visit family. His piece was based on how he would tell his family about how Jesus is viewed in this country. This excerpt in particular struck me:

"Several times during the week, I thought about telling my family what's happened to Jesus in the United States — how he's been kidnapped by politicians and preachers who decide what he does and doesn't think. They speak for him, and it doesn't always make sense.

They say Jesus is "pro life," but he doesn't seem to have a problem with the death penalty. And he thinks stem cell research — something that would save lives — is no different from murdering babies. They say he's the embodiment of kindness, love, decency and compassion. But he hates gays, lesbians and Muslims. And he's not too crazy about Buddhists, Hindus and the rest. Jews? He can put up with them if he has to.

The Rev. Fred Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka claims to speak for Jesus and goes around the country talking about how "AIDS cures fags." Pat Robertson says it would be a good idea if the United States killed the president of Venezuela. It would be a lot cheaper than starting another war.

All week I went over that stuff in my head and decided not to mention any of it to the family.
It would make America look ridiculous."

It sure would. Too bad it's true.