The Next Step in Soulforce's "Great American Outing"

This might be the best initiative Soulforce has undertaken since I've been involved in GLBT ministry.

From Soulforce.org

The American Family Outing now prepares to visit Bishop T.D. Jakes who has graciously agreed to share food and conversation with us on Sunday afternoon, May 18th. Our families also look forward to attending worship services at The Potter's House. Several dozen families making the visit will be led by Pastor Troy Sanders of Atlanta, Georgia, and other clergy leaders.

Pastor Troy says, "I've joined the American Family Outing team because I have a passion to see us engage in healthy, holistic dialogue around sexuality and faith. I have experienced oppressive theology first hand and I see the damage it does to men, women and children on a daily basis. I am constantly in contact with people who have lost faith in church and spiritually because of the damage done at the hand of individuals who think they are doing God's will. We are quickly approaching a time in our community and culture where we can no longer avoid having these type conversations. I look forward to fostering the kind of environment with American Family Outing that lends itself to peaceful discourse with clergy and families without the fear of being badgered or imposed upon."

The American Family Outing is a nationwide fellowship effort which aims to connect one-on-one and family-to-family with congregants at six prominent mega-churches. Willow Creek Community Church in Illinois, and Hope Christian Church in Maryland, have also agreed to meet lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender families and we approach these opportunities with the belief that it is possible for families to have meaningful conversations in spite of perceived differences. Rice University Professor Stephen L. Klineberg's data can confirm the impact of simply getting to know someone who is gay or lesbian:

"One of the most powerful predictors of area residents' attitudes toward gay rights, as powerful among religious fundamentalists as it is for the more secular respondents, is the simple question, 'Do you have a personal friend who is gay or lesbian?'"

"It seems clear that the opportunity to get to know someone who is homosexual helps to break through the stereotypes and fears, and to reinforce the sense of common humanity," says Klineberg, who is a Professor of Sociology and the founding-director of the Houston Area Survey (1982-2008), which has tracked Houston's demographics and public attitudes for the past 27 years.

"Support for gay rights (e.g., allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military, or to teach in the public schools, or to be legally permitted to adopt children) has continued to increase steadily and consistently among Harris County residents over the past two decades," Klineberg continued.

Please join me in praying that these efforts result in understanding which leads to acceptance, just as Jesus accepts ALL of His children.

Tomorrow is International Day Against Homophobia

The Canadian organization Foundation Emergence is promoting the 5th annual "International Day Against Homophobia." Here is their press release describing their goals:

In addition to the International Day Against Homophobia, Fondation Émergence, the pioneer of this event, is launching its annual campaign against homophobia for the year 2008. Entitled Homosexuality is NOT a sickness! this new campaign, which will reach its highpoint on May 17, when the Day is held, aims to reach healthcare workers as a priority. Also, it was on May 17, 1991, that the World Health Organisation (WHO) removed homosexuality from its list of mental illnesses. Unfortunately, though, prejudice is deep-rooted since some people still think that being gay or lesbian is a mental disorder while others mistakenly believe that homosexuality can be “cured”.

As it does each year, Fondation Émergence proposes an attention-grabbing image found on its posters, on pamphlets, and on its website at www.homophobiaday.org. A hand, in a blue medical glove, holds up a syringe but the word STOP, in large print, reminds us that “Homosexuality is not a sickness!” The pamphlet describes the evolution of health professionals’ viewpoints on homosexuality, calls on workers involved to use non-biased language with consulting clients, and encourages the latter to feel comfortable talking about their sexual orientation to healthcare professionals. The posters and pamphlets are available at www.homophobiaday.org, where people can also find a large number of listed resources. This material can be ordered free of charge from the website.

The fight against homophobia requires workers involved in all communities that must participate in this effort. A large range of efforts can be undertaken such as putting up posters in waiting rooms, providing pamphlets, posting an International Day Against Homophobia banner on websites, distributing emails, asking one’s municipal board to adopt a resolution to support the International Day Against Homophobia on May 17, organising activities, colloquia, conferences, reporting anti-LGBT behaviour and speech, suggesting reports to the media, and participating in the national plan to raise the Rainbow Flag for the Day on May 17.

Set up in 2000, Fondation Émergence was an initiative by Gai Écoute – a help center and info and listening line. Fondation’s mission is to fight prejudice and, for the International Day Against Homophobia, an event that it began, launches an annual campaign to fight against homophobia.

Let's hope their efforts spread understanding and acceptance again this year.

You can find out more at the offical website.

More on the California Same-Sex Marriage Decision

Here are some reactions to today's California Supreme Court ruling that declared the state's law against same-sex marriage unconstitutional:

Los Angeles Times report

Lambda Legal
It's an unforgettable day for same-sex couples and advocates of fairness and opportunity across the nation! The California Supreme Court has ruled that the state may no longer exclude same-sex couples from civil marriage. We are so proud.

Lead counsel NCLR, Lambda Legal, the ACLU and Equality California have been fighting for this victory for four years and today we have made history! But we must all do what we can to make sure that discrimination is not written into the state constitution in California through a ballot initiative.

Liberty Counsel
Today, the California Supreme Court abandoned the rule of law and common sense when it handed down a 4-3 decision that rewrote the definition of marriage. This ruling will unite the people of California and will propel their efforts to amend the state constitution. Liberty Counsel represents the Campaign for California Families (CCF) in the defense of the state’s marriage laws.

On March 4, 2008, Mathew D. Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law, presented oral argument at the California Supreme Court in defense of the marriage laws. The court hearing lasted more than three hours, as each side debated the issue. Liberty Counsel became involved in February 2004.

Commenting on today’s ruling, Mathew Staver said: "This ruling defies logic. It is a gross departure from the rule of law. It is outrageous. Traditional marriage is common sense. Yet, this decision is nonsense. No matter how you stretch California’s Constitution, you cannot find anywhere in its text, its history, or tradition that now, after so many years, it magically protects what most societies condemn. Same-sex marriage is not part of our history nor is it woven in the fabric of fundamental freedom. The California Supreme Court has defied logic, undermined the will of the people, and weakened our future. This decision will ignite California voters to amend their state constitution to protect marriage and prevent judges from wrecking marriage."

National Gay & Lesbian Task Force
This is an extraordinary victory for Californians and all Americans who hold fairness and opportunity as fundamental American values. Today, once again, California is leading the way in affirming the inherent dignity of all people. Today, in our hearts, we are all Californians."— Rea Carey, Acting Executive Director

Truth Wins Out
“We are thrilled to be a part of history and experience a monumental victory for marriage equality,” said Wayne Besen, TruthWinsOut.org’s Executive Director. “The court made a bold decision and confirmed that all relationships, regardless of sexual orientation, are equal in California.”

“Under these circumstances, we cannot find that retention of the traditional definition of marriage constitutes a compelling state interest,” the court said in a majority decision. “Accordingly, we conclude that to the extent the current California statutory provisions limit marriage to opposite-sex couples, these statutes are unconstitutional.”

The California court also said that the right to marry in the state’s constitution
“guarantees same-sex couples the same substantive constitutional rights as opposite-sex couples to choose one’s life partner and enter with that person into a committed, officially recognized, and protected family relationship.”

“This ruling is a devastating blow to ‘ex-gay’ cults, because it undermines their propaganda, which claims that same-sex relationships don’t work,” said TWO’s Besen. “The images of happy couples marrying undercut their efforts to recruit vulnerable people.”

The ruling will take effect and marriages will begin in 30 days. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a statement that said he will “respect the court’s decision and will “uphold its ruling.” He also said that he “will not support an amendment to the constitution that would overturn this state Supreme Court ruling.”

Family Research Council
"It's outrageous that the court has overturned not only the historic definition of marriage, but the clear will of the people of California, as expressed in Proposition 22." said FRC President Tony Perkins. "The California Supreme Court assumed the powers of a legislative body by imposing same-sex 'marriage.' However, in 2000, the people of California spoke loudly and clearly on the value of marriage when 61 percent of voters approved Proposition 22."

"The California Supreme Court has taken a jackhammer to the democratic process, and the right of the people to affect change in public policy. Four judges discarded the votes of 4,618,673 Californians who approved the state's 'Defense of Marriage Act.' Voters understand that children should not be deprived of a mother or a father," added Perkins.

FRC urged Californians to support a marriage amendment to the state's constitution, which is slated to appear on the ballot in the November election. "Anticipating this ruling from a court of activist judges, over 1.1 million California voters signed petitions placing a constitutional amendment on the ballot this November. The California Marriage Protection Act will provide voters with the opportunity to correct this exercise in judicial activism and to permanently protect the definition of marriage," said Perkins.

"This decision put marriage at risk all across the nation and again highlights the need for a Marriage Protection Amendment to the U.S. Constitution so that this divisive campaign for the oxymoron of 'same-sex marriage' will be ended once and for all."

The Christian Post
Matt Barber of the pro-family Concerned Women for America believes the ruling by the California Supreme Court was the “worst kind of judicial activism today” and represented a rejection of the court’s supposed role “as an objective interpreter of the law.”

"So-called 'same-sex' marriage is counterfeit marriage. Marriage is, and has always been, between a man and a woman,” he said in a statement shortly after the court’s decision.
Although pro-family groups were undoubtedly disheartened by the court’s decision, they were adamant that citizens would vote positively on a constitutional amendment to ban gay “marriage” during this year’s election in November.

Over 1 million signatures have been collected to place the measure on the ballot for the public to vote on. The initiative is still being processed by the State Registrar.

If a majority of state residents vote positively on the ban, the amendment will overturn and nullify the decision by the California Supreme Court.

"The majority of Americans recognize the fact that legitimate marriage and family are cornerstones of a healthy society,” CWA’s Barber noted.

Ron Prentice, executive director of the Sacramento and Riverside-based California Family Council, stressed the importance of the November vote after Thursday’s high court decision.

"We have not been able to count on the legislature or the courts of California to adhere to the will of the people," Prentice told the Los Angeles Times. "This is yet another example why the people need to go to the polls in November to defend the historic and natural definition of marriage."

Matt Daniels, president and founder of the Alliance for Marriage Foundation, called California “ground zero” in the battle to protect traditional marriage. “[T]he fight in California must now be joined in the Congress,” he said.

The two sides seem to agree on one issue: California is now THE battleground state for same-sex marriage. Right-wing opponents have shown they WILL NOT stop fighting to restrict GLBT peoples' rights. We'll soon find out just how deep the resolve is in the GLBT community and among their allies to gain equality.


Join me in praying that enough people dig deep and look inside their hearts to determine what is the right thing to do and

BREAKING NEWS: California Court Says Same-Sex Marriage Ban Unconstitutional

I don't try to post breaking news very often, but this one is huge:

Calif. Supreme Court rejects gay marriage ban

This puts the issue front and center once again, and could impact the upcoming election.

There will be much, much more to come on this story. I'll post more about it tonight. The war is not over by any stretch, but today is a battle decided in the favor of true equality for ALL people.

The Gay Evangelical

I found this interview on http://www.endtheharm.com/the-gay-evangelical-an-interview-with-mel-white. I was drawn to it because I met Mel White 10 years ago when I joined Soulforce in going to Jerry Falwell's church in Lynchburg, Virginia to try and speak with him and his congregants about religious bigotry against the LGBT community. I think the interview was well done and really shows you who Mel White is. Hope you enjoy it.

Sharone

"The Rev. Mel White served the Religious Right until he came out as a gay man. Here he discusses the reconciliation of his politics, his faith, and his sexual orientation.
Rev. Mel White penned the life stories and speeches of conservative Christian superstars like Pat Robertson. His religious leaders publicly and vehemently condemned gays and lesbians, and White tried to overcome his homosexuality with exorcisms and electric shock therapy. In 1993, White came out as a gay man and denounced the politics of hate in the evangelical church. Now, 15 years and two books later, White spearheads Soulforce , an organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender acceptance in religious communities.

Here, White discusses the latent power of the Religious Right in the forthcoming presidential election, his antipathy toward civil marriage, and the rationale behind the Religious Right’s homophobia..."

For the rest of the article, refer to the web link I have at the beginning of this post.

Pastors are Being Encouraged to Preach Politics, Dare IRS to Investigate

From the Christian Post:

Conservative legal advocates are recruiting pastors nationwide to defy an IRS ban on preaching about politicians, in a challenge they hope will abolish the restriction.

The Alliance Defense Fund, based in Scottsdale, Ariz., will ask the clergy to deliver a sermon about specific candidates Sept. 28. If the action triggers an IRS investigation, the legal group will sue to overturn the federal rules, which were enacted in 1954.

Under the IRS code, churches can distribute voter guides, run voter registration drives, hold forums on public policy and invite politicians to speak at their congregations.

However, they cannot endorse a candidate, and their political activity cannot be biased for or against a candidate, directly or indirectly.

The Alliance Defense Fund said Friday that the regulations amount to an unconstitutional limit on free speech and government intrusion into religion.

"It certainly does have a chilling effect," said Mike Johnson, senior counsel for the fund. "I think that there is a lot of fear and intimidation and disinformation about the parameters that do exist."

Johnson said about 100 pastors have expressed interest in participating so far.

The IRS has stepped up monitoring of nonprofit political activity during the 2008 election. Punishments can range from a financial penalty to loss of tax-exempt status.

IRS investigations are confidential and the agency does not discuss the cases.

However, the United Church of Christ, which counts Sen. Barack Obama as a member, has said that it is under IRS review because of a speech given by the Democratic presidential candidate at the denomination's national meeting last year.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State, an advocacy group in Washington, monitors church political activity and consistently files complaints with the IRS. They said Friday that they will notify the agency of any pastor who participates in the ADF campaign.

Some religious groups support keeping politics out of the pulpit.

J. Brent Walker, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty in Washington, which advocates for religious freedom, said churches should be involved in public issues, but partisan activity can "compromise the essential calling to spread the Gospel."

"The church can't raise prophetic fist at a candidate or at a party," Walker said, "when it's locked up in a tight bear hug with that candidate or party."

I post this here for a couple of reasons. The idea of preaching politics is not restricted to the religious right, but right-wing groups like the Alliance Defense Fund are the staunchest advocates of it, now even encouraging what amounts to civil disobedience. These groups are the among the most strident opponents to any rights for GLBT people, and the politics they want to preach would only further inflame the anti-gay rhetoric.

I believe the claim to restriction of freedom of speech is tota bogus. These people can say whatever they want...unless they want their churches to be tax-exempt. The constitution absolutely proetects their freedom of speech, but not their freedom from taxes. I don't think my tax money should subsidize any type of political activity, whether it be campaigning for a right-wing republican or for democratic presidential candidate Barrack Obama.

If you belong to a church that participates in this initiative, I strongly recommend you walk away and don't look back. Find a ministry that is focused on preaching God's word and is annointed with the Holy Spirit, not one that is more interested in annointing political candidates.

So Where DOES Joel Osteen Stand on Homosexuality?

It's interesting to see how different sources can spin the same story different ways. This morning, Sharone posted about the Soulforce version of the meeting Jay Bakker had with Lakewood Church Pastor Joel Osteen. Tonight, I'm linking to and excerpting from the story on The Christian Post, where the headline is "Joel Osteen Maintains Homosexuality Is a Sin."

Interestingly, Joel Osteen is not quoted in this article. Instead, a church spokesman stated Lakewood's position without directly quoting his pastor:

The group of 30 met with Osteen after service as the megapastor was greeting hundreds of visitors. The Osteens – including the pastor's mother, Dodie, and wife, Victoria – welcomed Bakker and the guests from Soulforce, according to Lakewood spokesman Donald Iloff, who added that the church does not turn visitors away.

Joel Osteen, his brother, Paul, and Iloff then met privately with Bakker and there they discussed faith, family and LGBT people.

"It was a very cordial, very nice meeting," Iloff told The Christian Post on Tuesday. "But ultimately through our conversations, we continued to disagree with Soulforce and Jay's position."

Iloff says Bakker, whose mother is somewhat of a legend in the LGBT community, and the groups involved in the pro-gay campaign want the megachurches not to see homosexuality as sin.

Although Osteen and leaders at Lakewood open their doors to all visitors, Iloff says they "believe homosexuality is sin" and that "it is disobedience under God."

He further affirmed that they will maintain that position.

Here is the closest this article could come to quoting Osteen:

Osteen, who authored bestselling book Your Best Life Now, had remained largely mum about the issue of homosexuality but indicated in public interviews that he doesn't agree with it.

"I will say we don't see homosexuality as the worst sin," Iloff commented. "Sin is sin."

While I give Osteen credit for being cordial and taking time to meet with Jay Bakker and other Soulforce representatives, I can't help but get the feeling he has intentionally placed himself safely on the fence here.

I have seen Joel Osteen preach numerous times on television, and found his message to be positive and uplifting, but I've never been sure how much depth was behind it.

Call me cynical here, but I wonder if Osteen is intentionally placing himself in a position where nobody is mad at him and, dare I say, would stop buying his books, CDs, etc.

I'm thankful a pastor of his popularity and public speaking skills is not an avowed enemy of the GLBT community, but he's not much of a friend either.

Wake me up when he takes a stand.

Joel Osteen meets with GLBT advocate

There is a Soulforce movement to meet with mega church pastors and congregations to try and foster some understanding of each other. Apparently, this Sunday, Jay Bakker got the ball rolling with one of the most popular television ministers right now. Good for him. To read the entire story, go to http://www.soulforce.org/ and click on the news item at the left.

Sharone


American Family Outing Begins Dialog with Lakewood

(Houston, TX) -- On Mother's Day, Jay Bakker, son of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, brought a group of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) families to worship at Lakewood Church -- the largest mega-church in the U.S. After the service, Bakker met privately with Lakewood's pastor, Joel Osteen, to talk about faith, family, and LGBT people.

The visit is part of a nationwide fellowship effort called The American Family Outing, which aims to create dialogue between LGBT families and families at six American mega-churches. Several prominent mega-churches, including Willow Creek Community Church in Illinois, and Hope Christian Church in Maryland, have agreed to meet lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender families.

Earlier in the week, Lakewood officials had expressed an unwillingness to meet with Bakker and The American Family Outing. A tip from a Lakewood Church member led Bakker to seek out Osteen after the Saturday evening service, during the time when the pastor greets new visitors to Lakewood. The two exchanged remembrances of Bakker's late mother, Tammy Faye Bakker Messner, and arranged to meet privately the next day.
Bakker's conversation with Osteen came just a day after The American Family Outing hosted a picnic in a Houston park for families from Lakewood Church. A handful of Lakewood members attended the picnic and expressed their appreciation for the effort to start an open conversation about the status of LGBT people at Lakewood...

Memior of a Bishop's Daughter Riles Up the Episcopal Church

From Newsweek.com:

Six months after the death of Paul Moore, the Episcopal bishop of New York from 1972 to 1989, his daughter Honor got a phone call. It was her father's birthday, and she was at home unpacking boxes of his belongings. The caller introduced himself as an old friend of her father's; it was a name she had not heard until it appeared in the bishop's will some months before. Moore began to talk with him, eager for insight into the man who had loomed larger than anyone in her life but had been a difficult, impenetrable figure. The caller repeatedly mentioned how close he had been to Paul for 30 years, and Moore finally asked if her father had ever confided in his friend about his sexual life. The man's answer was immediate. "I was his sexual life," he said.

The revelation, Moore writes in her new memoir, "The Bishop's Daughter," was startling but not entirely surprising. Her father's bisexuality was an "open secret" that she and her eight younger siblings had known for years, and that had been hinted at in the press and by members of the church. Still, the publication of an excerpt from her book in The New Yorker in March, detailing her father's sexuality, created a minor scandal. In a letter to the magazine, two of her siblings wrote, "Doesn't it matter, even when someone is dead, that his most fervently held private life, and the unnecessarily explicit details of his marriage, are exposed against his wishes? We believe that it does matter, and that both of our parents' good legacies have been damaged." Others applauded Moore's candid portrayal of her father. An Episcopal priest from Maryland wrote, "This story illustrates the necessity for our church to struggle honestly with the issue of healthy sexual behavior—gay or straight."

This is a difficult issue, but I suspect (I have not read the book) that there is value in this story being told besides selling books. Most major religious denominations continue to force gay christians to choose being one or the other and, as a result, they must deny a part of who they are.

God sent his Son down to earth to give people a chance to become whole and appreciate the fullness of the gifts He has given to them, not to deny a major portion of who they are. As people understand what that can do the life of a leader of the faith like the late Bishop Moore, perhaps they will be less likely to force someone like him to lead two seperate lives, which by its nature diminishes them both.

Today Show Interview With Bishop Eugene Robinson

Eugene Robinson, the openly gay bishop ordained in the Episcopal Church in New Hampshire who has been at the center of the storm threatening to split the Episcopal Church, has written a new book "In the Eye of the Storm: Swept to the Center By God."

Bishop Robinson was a guest on The Today Show and was subjected to, in my opinion, a fairly hostile interview by host Matt Lauer. I thought he held up well, showing humility and the heart of Christ. I'm linking below to a writeup about the Bishop which contains the video of the interview. Let me know what you think of it.

Interview with Bishop Eugene Robinson.

What'a a Straight Guy Doing in Affirming Ministry?

That's a question I get asked on occasion, as does Pastor Miach Royal from The Church of the Painted Sky in Lumberton, North Carolina. He answered that question in an interesting essay for The Epistle online magazine.

People wither and want nothing to do with God the more they hear and experience rejection, judgment, and condemnation. This withering is what I witnessed happening to gay and lesbian people in the ministry I was ordained in, which shunned gays and lesbians. Even from the most well-meaning ex-gay advocates the rejection of the one who is different at the heart of that form of Christianity gets communicated loud and clear to those in the gay community. I have seen firsthand how that rejection and the religious abuse that comes with it lead many to wither up spiritually and decide if all God is about is abuse and judgment, I have enough of that already. Why seek him out and get more?

But it is amazing -- when you begin to tell people that they are fearfully and wonderfully made as Ps. 139 tells us, and that who they are in all of their uniqueness is a gift of God, something wonderful happens. When people really begin to sense that they are loved by God unconditionally, that there is nothing they have done or can do for God to quit loving them, and that nothing about them is a mistake, it is amazing to see how people open up.

Just like flowers open up to the sun, when I share with people how much God loves them I can see their whole demeanor change and them begin to open up to God. My experience is that the greatest way to drive people away from God is to tell them that God has no room for the likes of them and then to try force people to fit your mold of how they ought to be. But the greatest way to point people toward God is to let them know that they are no mistake but precious in the eyes of God.

And isn't seeing that change, that spiritual move from withering death to blooming life, what ministry is to meant be about? Why would my sexuality -- the mere fact of me being straight --keep me from wanting to be a part of that?

That's a pretty good answer, isn't it? That's only part of Pastor Royal's essay.

Click here to read the rest of it.

New Edition of the International Carnival of Pozitivities Is Now Available

From Ron Hudson, founder of the ICP:

Dear Friends of the International Carnival of Pozitivities (ICP):

It is a tremendous pleasure to announce the publication of edition 2.11 of the ICP at DropDeadHappy. Mark has done a beautiful job of tying together a number of new blog posts from the world of HIV/AIDS. I encourage you to bookmark this edition and visit it over time so that you can enjoy each of the contributions. Please leave feedback for the contributors and especially for the host for these selfless efforts to help us continue presenting the ICP.

"Strike a Match"

That's the message that Rev. Candace Chellew-Hodge shares in this essay for Whosoever, the online GLBT Christian magazine she edits. Rather than be bullied into silence, she encourages GLBT Christians to stand up and allow others to see the light of God shine through gay as well as straight people.

It's a message that arrives too many times in my email box.

"Hi, I'm gay (or lesbian, or bisexual or transgender) and I've been told I’m going to hell. Help me! I’m scared!"

My heart breaks every time I receive that message, because it reminds me of just how powerful the message is that GLBT people receive about God and how God surely feels about them. It’s a message many in our community hear relentlessly. A Bible verse or two is quoted as proof. The person under attack may not know how to defend themselves; they simply hear the words of condemnation and fear overtakes them. Many, unfortunately, succumb to the darkness. They accept the condemnation and either bury their sexuality, try to “change” it, or forsake their relationship with God all together. Some write to me or other GLBT Christian organizations seeking support.

As someone who has put this issue to rest within my own mind ("No, I'm not going to hell because I'm a lesbian. Thanks for your opinion, though."), it's difficult to back up and give that helping hand to those still behind me on the path toward reconciling sexuality and spirituality. However, that is what Christ demands from us when he tells us to let our light shine in the world. Instead of cursing the darkness that keeps GLBT people from realizing the light of God within them, we are to strike a match and be beacons of light along the path for anyone who has not made it as far down the road as we have. We are to be like bodhisattvas in the Buddhist tradition, refusing to enter Nirvana until all have found the way there.

Click here to read the rest of the essay at Whosoever.

Where Does GLBT Acceptance Stand in Three Key Protestant Denominations?

That's the question review by this interesing article from The Christian Century (hat tip to Whosoever, which reviews the status of GLBT acceptance into the Evangelical Lutheran Church, United Methodist Church, and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).


"The Church's Unfinished Sexual Revolution" was the title of an article in the spring 2006 issue of Yale Divinity School's Reflections magazine. In it longtime Christian ethicist James B. Nelson described some progress in church thinking about sexual ethics, but contended that the church's agenda on sexuality remains "confusing, unsettled, unfinished."


When asked if he sees himself in a "sexual revolution," Phil Soucy, publicist for the gay-friendly Lutherans Concerned/ North America, demurred: "It's difficult after all these years to think of it as a revolution; it is more like an evolution."


Indeed, three of the largest mainline Protestant denominations continue to move to and fro on issues of sexuality, with leaders often expressing concern about whether the churches will survive the turmoil.


Click here to read the entire article, "Gay acceptance has advances and setbacks in three denominations."

Seminary President Testifies Against Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage

Dr. Riess V. Potterveld, president of gay-affirming Lancaster Theological Seminary, testified in a hearing in the Pennsylvania state legislature concerning a ballot measure to amend the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

From the Lancaster New Era:

"Clearly, what is proposed in Senate Bill 1250 is a step backward into language of denial, devaluing, delegitimizing and in its simple wording, in my opinion, conceals a wellspring of toxic and prejudicial feeling," testified Riess W. Potterveld, president of Lancaster Theological Seminary.

"The text is not neutral but rather agressive in its language of invalidation. This would be a step back into what I will call 'worst public practices'; because it is essentially about the restriction of rights, the enforcement of inquality without any basis other than fear, prejudice and hostility," he said, according to prepared remarks provided to the New Era."

...To be honest, I cannot think of one good thing that would come from passage of this amendment; my hope is that reason will prevail and that the measure will be defeated," said Potterveld, the only local speaker.

I found this to be a very well spoken arguement against this measure, with a little added kick from the fact that it came from an ordained minister (United Church of Christ).

We need even more men like Dr. Potterveld to step forward and make this same arguement.

National Day of Prayer Not Really National

As clearly pointed out in this note from the American Prospect (item #4 on this link), the upcoming "National Day of Prayer" on May 1 should actually be called "Government Sponsored Day of Christian Prayer."


This is just another example of the Religious Right co-opting the government for their agenda. The first warning of this should have been the fact that Shirley Dobson, the wife of infamous founder of Focus on the Family Dr. James Dobson, is the chairman. Don't take my word for it, here is a quote from the official site:


The National Day of Prayer Task Force was a creation of the National Prayer Committee for the expressed purpose of organizing and promoting prayer observances conforming to a Judeo-Christian system of values. People with other theological and philosophical views are, of course, free to organize and participate in activities that are consistent with their own beliefs. This diversity is what Congress intended when it designated the Day of Prayer, not that every faith and creed would be homogenized, but that all who sought to pray for this nation would be encouraged to do so in any way deemed appropriate. It is that broad invitation to the American people that led, in our case, to the creation of the Task Force and the Judeo-Christian principles on which it is based.


Clearly Shirley Dobson has every right to organize this type of event on her own dime. Last Saturday, an event called ReignDown USA was held on the National Mall and broadcast across the world. There were no government proclimations behind this event (also an exclusively Christian gathering) however. There are plenty of them for the National Day of Prayer, from the federal government and all 50 states (you can see for yourself from this link).


Folks, this is not freedom of religion. This if freedom for the Religious Right to worship as THEY see fit and direct everyone included to worship ONLY as the leadership sees fit.


I'm a Christian, so I would be welcome to participate (probably only as long as I kept my mouth shut about GLBT people), but I don't want to be part of government led and sponsored worship anymore than I want my church to pass legislation (we could probably do a better job, but I digress).


I'll be praying for our nation to go back to its foundation of being inclusive and the end of state-sponsored religious worship. I hope you'll join me.

"These Are The People I Came For"

I found a story through the Gay Religion blog that fits perfectly with the message I try to convey here at Straight, Not Narrow. Even better, it comes from about as far away from my home base in Maryland as you can get, Sydney, Australia.


The Westboro Baptist Church may think God hates fags, but not all Christians agree. This year 100 clergymen from all over Australia made a formal apology to gays and lesbians for the way they’ve been treated by the churches, and marched with us in the Mardi Gras Parade.


Michael Hercock, the Surry Hills Baptist pastor who started 100 Revs, got the idea for the march and apology after seeing the damage done to some men with HIV by intolerant Christians.


“There were a couple of guys whose stories particularly affected me … and as I came across more guys like them, I thought, we need to have a conscience about this and ask ourselves some hard questions about what we were saying to these guys,” he said.


“I started sharing this with some other ministers and it resonated with them too.”


Pastor Hercock is adamant that the time has come to speak out.


“We have vilified the gay community much more than any other marginalised group. Our silence on First World HIV/AIDS is deafening. We’re all happy to go overseas and help out … with HIV/AIDS, but here there’s nothing. All through the 1990s, we did nothing.”


The 100 Revs included a few Pentecostal pastors, usually thought of as among the most anti-gay. But Pastor Hercock says those who “get outside their own church walls” and engage with marginalised groups such as the homeless, problem gamblers, and gays and lesbians, change their views.


He compares his critics with the Pharisees, who were sticklers for the letter of the law, held themselves to be superior to others, and disdained to engage with ordinary people.


“Jesus was criticised very heavily for the people He engaged with … He went out of His way to spend time with … the equivalent of the people who are marginalised today … accused of having dinner with prostitutes and tax collectors, His response was, ‘Well, actually, these are the people I came for.’”



If you are a GLBT person reading this, you need to know that Jesus came for YOU, not just me. They know that all the way Down Under, and there are people here in the United States that know it also. They may not have the popular radio shows or get a lot of face time on television, but power and/or popularity in society mean nothing when it comes to discerning the truth of God's word and the Holy Spirit. Having a heart like Jesus is what counts.


These ministers in Australia have found the heart of Jesus, one filled with love for EVERYONE.


Click here to read the rest of the article from the Sydney Star Observer.

A Truly Christian Response to the "Day of Silence"

Thanks to Box Turtle Bulletin, I found what I felt is a truly Christian response to the "Day of Silence" observed in many schools around the nation last Friday--a response bereft of judgement and full of love. Here is an excerpt:


Yesterday morning, when I went to the SAGA (Sexuality and Gender Alliance) table to receive my piece of duct tape, I showed them my slips and told them that several ministries would be participating as well. The look on their faces was priceless. They were shocked, but ecstatic. This alone would have been enough to make my day.


People came up to me shocked. Over and over, people said to me, “Thank you. You don’t know how much this means to me. I’m amazed. Thank you!” The students seemed really surprised that a ministry, especially a Christian ministry would do that. I talked with several students, but one student spoke with me for a while. She told me that she was so surprised and couldn’t believe her eyes that she had to read the card twice even before it was read aloud. I’m so grateful for the relationships that were begun yesterday just by pledging to be silent for less than 24 hours. Later that night I went to eat with several of them and hung out until the wee hours of the morning. It was wonderful.


To those of you reading, I wish I could tell you in person because this day deserves more than a short summary. Yesterday, the LGBT community saw something revolutionary- they saw Christians loving them and more than that, they saw the love of Christ. What would happen if next year, hundreds of Christian students walked around with duct tape in silence?

I have to tell you about how I felt yesterday walking around in silence with duct tape. I felt humiliated at times, and other times proud. You see, everywhere I went, people stared. I felt like a leper, completely stigmatized from people. In fact, I was experiencing what the LGBT community has experienced for decades.


Walking in someone else's shoes is a great way to learn and empathize, but one has to be willing. It's great to see that students at Appalachian State, and I'm sure at many other campuses nationwide, took that step on Friday.


After all, that's an ultimate example of what Jesus did, coming down to earth and walking in our shoes, and anytime we can follow His example everyone involved is blessed.


Here's a link to the entire letter on Warren Throckmorton's site.

Young Faith Voters Moving Beyond Abortion and Same-Sex Marriage

In what I find a very encouraging trend, this report from 365gay.com indicates that more young faith voters are widening their political focus beyond the issues of abortion and same-sex marriage to concerns like poverty and war.

In my opinion, the religious right seized on the abortion and same-sex marriage because they lent themselves to simplistic, black-and-white policies--DON'T! I believe the old guard religious right leaders either didn't have the intellectual capacity to adequately address broader issues or didn't believe their followers did.

The new generation of faith voters doesn't seem to be satisfied with that approach and shows signs of holding policy makers accountable for finding ways to make sure people don't go hungry and to bring peace back to our nation.

You know, the kind of thing Jesus did while He walked the earth.

Here's the link to the 365gay.com story.

African Delegates Could Block GLBT Acceptance at Methodist Convention

According to a report in The Dallas Morning News Religion Blog (one of the better sources for religious news I've found), if it was strictly up to American delegates of the United Methodist Church's General Conference, the denomination's official position on homosexuality could very well change.

This report says that many Americans would be in favor of no longer classifying homosexuality as against biblical teaching, but there is strong opposition to that coming from African delegates:

Among the delegates I chatted with was Boniface Kabongo. He's a student at Africa University and a pastor from the Congo, and this is his first General Conference. He's part of a much larger African contingent of delegates than at the last General Conference, in 2004. This reflects the growth of the UMC in Africa.

He said the African delegates are opposed to ordination of non-celibate homosexual pastors in the UMC.

"I don't think any delegate from Africa can accept this," he said.

Many American members of the UMC favor changing the denomination's official position that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. Many also would like to see the church open itself to non-celibate gay pastors. But the growing influence of the conservative Africans doesn't bode well for such changes.

Mr. Kabongo said that the Africans would also likely oppose any restructuring of the UMC intended to give the U.S. churches the chance to adopt for themselves a more accepting position on homosexuality.

Click here to read the rest of the story from The Dallas Morning News.