From the Southern Voice:
Soulforce wants to worship and break bread with New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, in hopes of having a conversation with Bishop Eddie Long.
As of press time, New Birth had not responded to the organization’s repeated attempts to make contact.
“What has happened with other churches is we have collaborated to work out something that is appropriate for each congregation, but we haven’t heard anything back from [New Birth],” Soulforce spokesperson Paige Schilt said. Soulforce first began to contact New Birth in December.
William Turner, New Birth’s senior director of marketing, said he wasn’t aware of specific plans to receive the group. Turner referred questions on the church’s position on the American Family Outing to Dan Renee, who works with a public relations firm in Washington, D.C. Marketing director? PR Firm? Is this a church or is Bishop Long a bit too much into his celebrity status? He is also resisiting inquires from Iowa Senator Charles Grassley into his church's finances, so he's a very busy man these days.
“They have tens of thousands of people who worship on Sunday. If a couple more people show up, they show up,” Renee said. “I don’t think there is any reason for the church to be concerned or scared.”
Renee did not make Long or any member of the church available to discuss the church’s positions on lesbian and gay issues.
Dr. Sylvia Rhue, director of religious affairs for the National Black Justice Coalition, is one of the planners of the American Family Outing. She will help lead the New Birth outing, and said Soulforce would not consider it a success just to worship.
“It’s not that we just want to worship, we want to meet with Bishop Long, and have an official meeting, or outing or a picnic with the church,” Rhue said.
If the church does not respond, Soulforce participants would still attend services but not be disruptive or wear clothing to identify themselves as gay families, Rhue said.
“Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth is someone we would like to have dialogue with to see where our common ground is, especially because he led that march basically against marriage rights several years ago,” Rhue said.
Again, I can't praise Soulforce enough for this initiative. God bless the people who are making this trip, as well as those ahead to Saddleback Church (The Purpose Driven Life author Rick Warren's church) and Willow Creek Community Church (led by author Bill Hybels).
May 31, 2008
May 30, 2008
The Pendulum Swings Toward Same-Sex Marriage
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that poll numbers show a huge swing in California toward same-sex marriage--a critical trend with the likelihood of a proposed state constitutional amendment to ban it likely to be on the ballot in November.
In a dramatic reversal of decades of public opinion, California voters agree by a slim majority that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry, according to a Field Poll released today.
By 51-42 percent, registered voters said they believed same-sex marriage should be legal in California. Only 28 percent favored gay marriage in 1977, when the Field Poll first asked that question, said Mark DiCamillo, the poll's director.
"This is a milestone in California," he said. "You can't downplay the importance of a change in an issue we've been tracking for 30 years."
"There's a certain validation when the state Supreme Court makes a ruling that you can't discriminate when it comes to marriage," he said. "That may have been enough to move some people who were on the fence about same-sex marriage."
The article also refers to another poll that shows 54% against same-sex marriage, but even that would represent a significant move of the needle in the direction of acceptance with over five months to move it far enough to defeat the ballot initiative.
I also ran across this blog post where another person has morphed in to a straight ally.
Anyway, here's the thing: once I got married, I discovered something that surprised me about myself: I really love married life! I'd always cherished the quotidian joys of spending every day with the person I love most in the world -- that didn't change. But what I love about marriage (or my marriage, anyway -- Maude knows your mileage may vary!) is the security of it. If my husband and I had agreed to live together and made a lifelong private commitment to each other, I think that eventually I would have felt insecure. I would have thought, why does my partner not want to make that ultimate level of commitment -- marriage? Even if we'd chosen not to marry for political reasons, I believe that those doubts would have gnawed at me.
So, yes, the personal sense of security I get from being married -- a security that I'm sure many other happily married folks also share -- is definitely one of marriage's benefits. As is the social status -- because, as uncomfortable as I may be with that kind of undeserved privilege, it certainly redounds to my advantage. Not to mention the legal rights and benefits that accrue from marriage -- all 1,049 of them (and counting).
All of which brings me to the change of heart I'd had about gay marriage. It now seems obvious to me that focusing on gay marriage was a stroke of genius on the part of the GLBT groups. It was daring, because it dramatically took issue with conventional wisdom (the same kind of conventional wisdom that has so sagely counseled us that, among other things, Democrats shouldn't oppose the Iraq War, or they'll look weak, and that Democrats shouldn't "go negative" against the President, because that will be unpopular. And on and on). But it was brilliant, because it gets people right where they live. It exposes the evil lie on the part of conservatives that being gay is about some debased, sinful lifestyle, and makes it crystal clear that what the whole gay rights debate is really about nothing more than the right to love, and to live in dignity.
I was in Cali last week, and one day after the gay marriage decision came down I met a gay man who told me that the previous day, his partner of 38 years had asked him to marry him. I was so touched I started to mist up.
So here's to you, D., and your future husband. I hope you two crazy kids are sure about what you're doing -- wouldn't want you to try anything rash! Many, many happy returns to both of you.
You can keep up with the latest at the Equality California website.
In a dramatic reversal of decades of public opinion, California voters agree by a slim majority that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry, according to a Field Poll released today.
By 51-42 percent, registered voters said they believed same-sex marriage should be legal in California. Only 28 percent favored gay marriage in 1977, when the Field Poll first asked that question, said Mark DiCamillo, the poll's director.
"This is a milestone in California," he said. "You can't downplay the importance of a change in an issue we've been tracking for 30 years."
"There's a certain validation when the state Supreme Court makes a ruling that you can't discriminate when it comes to marriage," he said. "That may have been enough to move some people who were on the fence about same-sex marriage."
The article also refers to another poll that shows 54% against same-sex marriage, but even that would represent a significant move of the needle in the direction of acceptance with over five months to move it far enough to defeat the ballot initiative.
I also ran across this blog post where another person has morphed in to a straight ally.
Anyway, here's the thing: once I got married, I discovered something that surprised me about myself: I really love married life! I'd always cherished the quotidian joys of spending every day with the person I love most in the world -- that didn't change. But what I love about marriage (or my marriage, anyway -- Maude knows your mileage may vary!) is the security of it. If my husband and I had agreed to live together and made a lifelong private commitment to each other, I think that eventually I would have felt insecure. I would have thought, why does my partner not want to make that ultimate level of commitment -- marriage? Even if we'd chosen not to marry for political reasons, I believe that those doubts would have gnawed at me.
So, yes, the personal sense of security I get from being married -- a security that I'm sure many other happily married folks also share -- is definitely one of marriage's benefits. As is the social status -- because, as uncomfortable as I may be with that kind of undeserved privilege, it certainly redounds to my advantage. Not to mention the legal rights and benefits that accrue from marriage -- all 1,049 of them (and counting).
All of which brings me to the change of heart I'd had about gay marriage. It now seems obvious to me that focusing on gay marriage was a stroke of genius on the part of the GLBT groups. It was daring, because it dramatically took issue with conventional wisdom (the same kind of conventional wisdom that has so sagely counseled us that, among other things, Democrats shouldn't oppose the Iraq War, or they'll look weak, and that Democrats shouldn't "go negative" against the President, because that will be unpopular. And on and on). But it was brilliant, because it gets people right where they live. It exposes the evil lie on the part of conservatives that being gay is about some debased, sinful lifestyle, and makes it crystal clear that what the whole gay rights debate is really about nothing more than the right to love, and to live in dignity.
I was in Cali last week, and one day after the gay marriage decision came down I met a gay man who told me that the previous day, his partner of 38 years had asked him to marry him. I was so touched I started to mist up.
So here's to you, D., and your future husband. I hope you two crazy kids are sure about what you're doing -- wouldn't want you to try anything rash! Many, many happy returns to both of you.
You can keep up with the latest at the Equality California website.
May 29, 2008
Report on American Family Outing Visit to Hope Christian Church
From the Washington Times:
It was a meeting of opposites: 30 conservative black Pentecostals from Hope Christian Church in Beltsville dining with 30 activists from Soulforce, a pro-gay religious group.
While there was no rancor or overt anger, there also was no meeting of minds. After nearly 90 minutes of debate Saturday night, no one on either side of the question of what the Bible teaches about homosexuality would admit to changing their minds.
"It was noncombative, nonpunitive dialogue," said the Rev. Troy Sanders, a gay black pastor from Atlanta who was one of the Soulforce speakers. Soulforce members queried after the dinner said they were pleased with their reception, and several said they would attend Hope Christian's Sunday service.
Bishop Harry Jackson, pastor of the 3,000-member church, acknowledged the evening was "historic" but made no promises about any changes in teaching or policy. "We'll have to pray about discrimination issues in the gay community," he said.
The Times, a right-leaning newspaper, didn't show too much of that in this article, although the implication that there was any chance there would be any agreement come out of this meeting was, at best, silly.
The important thing is that Bishop Jackson, one of the more outspoken anti-gay right-wing ministers who appears to relish his recently found political influence, allowed this dialogue to happen is an important step. There did seem to be at least the hint of some common ground in regards to the impact of this divide on children.
Here is the Soulforce report on this event from their official website.
It was a meeting of opposites: 30 conservative black Pentecostals from Hope Christian Church in Beltsville dining with 30 activists from Soulforce, a pro-gay religious group.
While there was no rancor or overt anger, there also was no meeting of minds. After nearly 90 minutes of debate Saturday night, no one on either side of the question of what the Bible teaches about homosexuality would admit to changing their minds.
"It was noncombative, nonpunitive dialogue," said the Rev. Troy Sanders, a gay black pastor from Atlanta who was one of the Soulforce speakers. Soulforce members queried after the dinner said they were pleased with their reception, and several said they would attend Hope Christian's Sunday service.
Bishop Harry Jackson, pastor of the 3,000-member church, acknowledged the evening was "historic" but made no promises about any changes in teaching or policy. "We'll have to pray about discrimination issues in the gay community," he said.
The Times, a right-leaning newspaper, didn't show too much of that in this article, although the implication that there was any chance there would be any agreement come out of this meeting was, at best, silly.
The important thing is that Bishop Jackson, one of the more outspoken anti-gay right-wing ministers who appears to relish his recently found political influence, allowed this dialogue to happen is an important step. There did seem to be at least the hint of some common ground in regards to the impact of this divide on children.
Here is the Soulforce report on this event from their official website.
May 28, 2008
An Episcopal Church in California Ready to Perform Same-Sex Weddings
From the Christian Post:
An Episcopal church in California plans to perform marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples beginning mid-June.
All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, one of the largest congregations in the denomination, adopted last Thursday the "Resolution on Marriage Equality" in response to a California Supreme Court ruling that legalized gay marriage.
The 125-year-old congregation "will treat equally all couples presenting themselves for the rite of marriage," said the Rev. Canon J. Edwin Bacon Jr. in an announcement.
"I am honored to serve a church where the leadership demonstrates such stirring courage to move beyond lip service about embodying God's inclusive love to actually committing our faith community to the practice of marriage equality," Bacon commented, according to Episcopal News Service.
Episcopal Bishop Jon Bruno of Los Angeles is establishing a task force to help clarify the impact of the court's decision on local congregations.
While many bishops in The Episcopal Church support the rights of gays and lesbians, the denomination has not "yet made" the decision to bless same-sex unions, Bishop Jim Mathes of San Diego noted.
"We are in the midst of a challenging but vital conversation about holy relationships in this diocese and indeed across the [Anglican] Communion," Mathes said.
Click here to read the rest of the story.
An Episcopal church in California plans to perform marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples beginning mid-June.
All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, one of the largest congregations in the denomination, adopted last Thursday the "Resolution on Marriage Equality" in response to a California Supreme Court ruling that legalized gay marriage.
The 125-year-old congregation "will treat equally all couples presenting themselves for the rite of marriage," said the Rev. Canon J. Edwin Bacon Jr. in an announcement.
"I am honored to serve a church where the leadership demonstrates such stirring courage to move beyond lip service about embodying God's inclusive love to actually committing our faith community to the practice of marriage equality," Bacon commented, according to Episcopal News Service.
Episcopal Bishop Jon Bruno of Los Angeles is establishing a task force to help clarify the impact of the court's decision on local congregations.
While many bishops in The Episcopal Church support the rights of gays and lesbians, the denomination has not "yet made" the decision to bless same-sex unions, Bishop Jim Mathes of San Diego noted.
"We are in the midst of a challenging but vital conversation about holy relationships in this diocese and indeed across the [Anglican] Communion," Mathes said.
Click here to read the rest of the story.
May 27, 2008
Another Mind Changed in Favor of Same-Sex Marriage
E. J. Dionne, Jr. is a columnist for the Washington Post who has not only changed his position on the issue of whether same-sex marriage should be legal, he has publicly stated why he changed his view.
Like a lot of people, I decided I was wrong. What moved me were the conservative arguments for gay marriage put forward by the writers Jonathan Rauch, Andrew Sullivan and New York Times columnist David Brooks.
They see society as having a powerful interest in building respect for long-term commitment and fidelity in sexual relationships and that gay marriage underscores how important commitment is.
Prohibiting members of one part of our population from making a public and legal commitment to each other does not strengthen marriage; it weakens it.
And, as a New York Court of Appeals judge cited by the California court majority noted, fundamental rights "cannot be denied to particular groups on the ground that these groups have historically been denied those rights." If history and tradition had constrained us, equal rights for African-Americans would never have become law.
Dionne does, however, sound a warning:
But to find a constitutional right to gay marriage, the California majority chose to argue that the state's very progressive law endorsing domestic partnerships for homosexuals — it grants all the rights of marriage except the name — was itself a form of discrimination.
.....in many states, it will take years for a political and legal consensus in favor of gay marriage to develop. In the interim, civil unions or domestic partnerships are the best hope homosexuals in these states have for some form of legal recognition for their relationships.
The danger is that foes of civil unions will use the court's own logic to argue that such arrangements are not a political halfway house but lead inexorably to gay marriage. It would be unfortunate if California's breakthrough were used to stall significant if more modest progress elsewhere.
Interesting point. Click here to read the rest of his column.
Thanks to PageOneQ for the tip.
Like a lot of people, I decided I was wrong. What moved me were the conservative arguments for gay marriage put forward by the writers Jonathan Rauch, Andrew Sullivan and New York Times columnist David Brooks.
They see society as having a powerful interest in building respect for long-term commitment and fidelity in sexual relationships and that gay marriage underscores how important commitment is.
Prohibiting members of one part of our population from making a public and legal commitment to each other does not strengthen marriage; it weakens it.
And, as a New York Court of Appeals judge cited by the California court majority noted, fundamental rights "cannot be denied to particular groups on the ground that these groups have historically been denied those rights." If history and tradition had constrained us, equal rights for African-Americans would never have become law.
Dionne does, however, sound a warning:
But to find a constitutional right to gay marriage, the California majority chose to argue that the state's very progressive law endorsing domestic partnerships for homosexuals — it grants all the rights of marriage except the name — was itself a form of discrimination.
.....in many states, it will take years for a political and legal consensus in favor of gay marriage to develop. In the interim, civil unions or domestic partnerships are the best hope homosexuals in these states have for some form of legal recognition for their relationships.
The danger is that foes of civil unions will use the court's own logic to argue that such arrangements are not a political halfway house but lead inexorably to gay marriage. It would be unfortunate if California's breakthrough were used to stall significant if more modest progress elsewhere.
Interesting point. Click here to read the rest of his column.
Thanks to PageOneQ for the tip.
May 26, 2008
American Family Outing Update: The Potter's House Visit
From Soulforce.org
Although Bishop T. D. Jakes was unavailable while recovering from back surgery, the leadership of his church, The Potter's House, in Dallas, TX, met with representatives from Soulforce. According to this report by participant Rev. Gil Caldwell, the hosts were gracious and the discussion constructive.
Early on, I sought to set forth the "why" of my commitment as an ally/advocate of LGBT persons and same gender couple-led families. I attempted to link my Civil Rights experience for racial justice to that of the justice struggle for Gay rights, but soon realized that our hosts were unwilling to engage in give-and-take on our disagreements. They sought to impact us with their ministry to HIV/Aids persons, but were unwilling to acknowledge that they acknowledge same gender persons as such, ill or not. All of our group raised questions and/or made helpful comments. Their expressed willingness to engage in further conversation, will I hope, receive a positive response from us soon. At the end of the meeting, Jeff Lutes, the Executive Director of Soulforce, had a telephone conversation with Bishop Jakes. Sitting next to Jeff I was able to hear and "feel" the affirmation expressed by Bishop Jakes for our willingness to dialogue, rather than confront. I did hear the Bishop express a concern that I have heard from other black pastors about how anti-hate legislation might curb their right to preach and teach their understandings of "Biblical Truth" as they interpret its meaning for same gender loving persons. I think over and over again how we must help all preachers understand how their negative "Biblical pronouncements" about LGBT persons harms and hurts LGBT persons and gives some violent persons rationale for their violence against them. It was the same for those preachers who preached racial segregation as being legitimated by Scripture. Many of them could never comprehend how their words from the pulpit energized the verbal and physical violence of the KKK against black persons.
My first hand experience with the "American Family Outing" of Soulforce at the Potter's House in Dallas confirmed my belief that the reality of "Family" in all of its many configurations when shared and experienced, has the capacity to break through the walls of prejudice and bigotry. Years ago as a boy in North Carolina I used to hear my Mother speak of a woman "with child" as being in a "family way." On Sunday, May 18th, representatives of Soulforce and the members of the Potter's House experienced a taste of the authenticity of what it means to be in a "family way."
Here is a report from The Dallas Morning News (which took almost a week to get printed).
The American Family Outing was in my area this weekend meeting with Bishop Henry Jackson from Hope Christian Church. Bishop Jackson has been an outspoken opponent of gay rights, so this visit had the potential to be the greatest challenge of this initiative.
I'll post an update as soon as one is available. May God's blessings be with those who are participating in these meetings, including both the Soulforce representatives and members and leadership of the host churches.
Although Bishop T. D. Jakes was unavailable while recovering from back surgery, the leadership of his church, The Potter's House, in Dallas, TX, met with representatives from Soulforce. According to this report by participant Rev. Gil Caldwell, the hosts were gracious and the discussion constructive.
Early on, I sought to set forth the "why" of my commitment as an ally/advocate of LGBT persons and same gender couple-led families. I attempted to link my Civil Rights experience for racial justice to that of the justice struggle for Gay rights, but soon realized that our hosts were unwilling to engage in give-and-take on our disagreements. They sought to impact us with their ministry to HIV/Aids persons, but were unwilling to acknowledge that they acknowledge same gender persons as such, ill or not. All of our group raised questions and/or made helpful comments. Their expressed willingness to engage in further conversation, will I hope, receive a positive response from us soon. At the end of the meeting, Jeff Lutes, the Executive Director of Soulforce, had a telephone conversation with Bishop Jakes. Sitting next to Jeff I was able to hear and "feel" the affirmation expressed by Bishop Jakes for our willingness to dialogue, rather than confront. I did hear the Bishop express a concern that I have heard from other black pastors about how anti-hate legislation might curb their right to preach and teach their understandings of "Biblical Truth" as they interpret its meaning for same gender loving persons. I think over and over again how we must help all preachers understand how their negative "Biblical pronouncements" about LGBT persons harms and hurts LGBT persons and gives some violent persons rationale for their violence against them. It was the same for those preachers who preached racial segregation as being legitimated by Scripture. Many of them could never comprehend how their words from the pulpit energized the verbal and physical violence of the KKK against black persons.
My first hand experience with the "American Family Outing" of Soulforce at the Potter's House in Dallas confirmed my belief that the reality of "Family" in all of its many configurations when shared and experienced, has the capacity to break through the walls of prejudice and bigotry. Years ago as a boy in North Carolina I used to hear my Mother speak of a woman "with child" as being in a "family way." On Sunday, May 18th, representatives of Soulforce and the members of the Potter's House experienced a taste of the authenticity of what it means to be in a "family way."
Here is a report from The Dallas Morning News (which took almost a week to get printed).
The American Family Outing was in my area this weekend meeting with Bishop Henry Jackson from Hope Christian Church. Bishop Jackson has been an outspoken opponent of gay rights, so this visit had the potential to be the greatest challenge of this initiative.
I'll post an update as soon as one is available. May God's blessings be with those who are participating in these meetings, including both the Soulforce representatives and members and leadership of the host churches.
May 23, 2008
"I Will Not Be Broken"
That's the title of a new book which, while it is not specifically about the LGBT community, it does cover some topics that are of value to everyone, perhaps every particularly LGBT people. The information below is from the official website for the book. I was contacted and asked if I would post something here about the book, and I am happy to do so.
I Will Not Be Broken: Five Steps to Overcoming a Life Crisis is a new book by Jerry White.
Leveraging personal experience and a lifetime of wisdom, landmine survivor Jerry White outlines a very specific five-step program to coping with disaster; to achieving strength and hope; and to turning tragedy into triumph.
From a leader of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning movement to ban landmines and founder of Survivor Corps comes an astoundingly effective guide to recreating a happy and fulfilling life after catastrophe strikes—a book that Bob and Lee Woodruff call “a road map for the individual and their family to re-enter the land of the living.” In I WILL NOT BE BROKEN, Jerry White reframes the question “why do bad things happen to good people?” and asks, given that bad things do happen, how do people absorb the blows and move through them?
Tragedy happens to everyone. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, a painful divorce, or a serious injury, we all face unavoidable moments that divide our lives into “before” and “after.” These events take a heavy toll on everyone, but there are those who have muscled their way through tough times and emerged stronger, wiser—even grateful for their struggle. Jerry White is one such example. In 1984, he lost his leg—and almost his life—in a landmine accident, and has personally endured the pain of loss and the challenge of rebuilding.
As co-founder of Survivor Corps, White has connected with thousands of victims of tragedy, and in I WILL NOT BE BROKEN, he shares their collective wisdom, which he distills into an effective five-step program for turning tragedy into triumph:
1. Face Facts. One must first accept the harsh reality about suffering and loss, however brutal. “This terrible thing has happened. It can’t be changed. I can’t rewind the clock. My family still needs me. So now what?”
2. Choose Life. That is, “I want to say yes to the future. I want my life to go on in a positive way.” Seizing life, not surrendering to death or stagnation, requires letting go of resentments and looking forward, not back. It can be a daily decision.
3. Reach Out. One must find peers, friends, and family to break the isolation and loneliness that come in the aftermath of crisis. Seek empathy, not pity, from people who have been through something similar. Let the people in your life into your life. “It’s up to me to reach for someone’s hand.”
4. Get Moving. Sitting back gets you nowhere. One must get out of bed and out of the house to generate momentum. We have to take responsibility for our actions. “How do I want to live the rest of my life? What steps can I take today?”
5. Give Back. Thriving, not just surviving, requires the capacity to give again, through service and acts of kindness. “How can I be an asset to those around me, and not a drain? Will I ever feel grateful again?” Yes, and by sharing your experience and talents, you will inspire others to do the same.
There are testimonials on the website from Lance Armstrong, Bob and Lee Woodruff, Deepak Chopra, Jane Goodall, Queen Noor of Jordan, and others in a very eclectic group of people.
There are excerpts from the book, information about the Survivor Corps, links to purchase it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble, and more information on the offical website. I encourage you to check it out.
I Will Not Be Broken: Five Steps to Overcoming a Life Crisis is a new book by Jerry White.
Leveraging personal experience and a lifetime of wisdom, landmine survivor Jerry White outlines a very specific five-step program to coping with disaster; to achieving strength and hope; and to turning tragedy into triumph.
From a leader of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning movement to ban landmines and founder of Survivor Corps comes an astoundingly effective guide to recreating a happy and fulfilling life after catastrophe strikes—a book that Bob and Lee Woodruff call “a road map for the individual and their family to re-enter the land of the living.” In I WILL NOT BE BROKEN, Jerry White reframes the question “why do bad things happen to good people?” and asks, given that bad things do happen, how do people absorb the blows and move through them?
Tragedy happens to everyone. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, a painful divorce, or a serious injury, we all face unavoidable moments that divide our lives into “before” and “after.” These events take a heavy toll on everyone, but there are those who have muscled their way through tough times and emerged stronger, wiser—even grateful for their struggle. Jerry White is one such example. In 1984, he lost his leg—and almost his life—in a landmine accident, and has personally endured the pain of loss and the challenge of rebuilding.
As co-founder of Survivor Corps, White has connected with thousands of victims of tragedy, and in I WILL NOT BE BROKEN, he shares their collective wisdom, which he distills into an effective five-step program for turning tragedy into triumph:
1. Face Facts. One must first accept the harsh reality about suffering and loss, however brutal. “This terrible thing has happened. It can’t be changed. I can’t rewind the clock. My family still needs me. So now what?”
2. Choose Life. That is, “I want to say yes to the future. I want my life to go on in a positive way.” Seizing life, not surrendering to death or stagnation, requires letting go of resentments and looking forward, not back. It can be a daily decision.
3. Reach Out. One must find peers, friends, and family to break the isolation and loneliness that come in the aftermath of crisis. Seek empathy, not pity, from people who have been through something similar. Let the people in your life into your life. “It’s up to me to reach for someone’s hand.”
4. Get Moving. Sitting back gets you nowhere. One must get out of bed and out of the house to generate momentum. We have to take responsibility for our actions. “How do I want to live the rest of my life? What steps can I take today?”
5. Give Back. Thriving, not just surviving, requires the capacity to give again, through service and acts of kindness. “How can I be an asset to those around me, and not a drain? Will I ever feel grateful again?” Yes, and by sharing your experience and talents, you will inspire others to do the same.
There are testimonials on the website from Lance Armstrong, Bob and Lee Woodruff, Deepak Chopra, Jane Goodall, Queen Noor of Jordan, and others in a very eclectic group of people.
There are excerpts from the book, information about the Survivor Corps, links to purchase it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble, and more information on the offical website. I encourage you to check it out.
May 22, 2008
Another Ex-Ex-Gay Writes About How His Faith Was Used Against Him
That's my takeaway from this powerful essay written by Noe Guiterrez at Ex-Gay Watch (thanks to Peterson Toscano for linking this story on his blog).
Set against a biblical contrast of right versus wrong, ex-gay ministries often draw a direct link between the quality of a person’s faith and their commitment to make a choice in the “straight” direction. This value system often results in the ex-gay person being caught by a cycle of perpetual self-evaluation. Compelled to dissect every thought, every word, and every deed into these black or white categories, the life of an ex-gay can become all about choosing sides. With homosexuality as the target, the goal then becomes to eradicate all thoughts and behaviors associated with “wrong” sexual attraction. This becomes the “calling” of the ex-gay person who finds their purpose in the process of self re-orientation. I believe this mode of thinking establishes a clear and distinct association between the effectiveness of God in a person’s life and that person’s ability to commit to ex-gay change.
And even as I write this I hear the murmurs of ex-gay promoters and providers accusing me of focusing on the wrong thing, of trying too hard or not enough, of not trusting God or depending too much on God to do what I needed to do. With the Ex-Gay Movement they have an answer for everything but most of these answers boil down to one thing: It's your own fault.
Rather than face reality that I we sought for the wrong thing and that another way exists, ex-gay leaders, pastors, parents and "friends" cling to a faulty series of beliefs and lay loads on people's backs that make them, in the words of Jesus, "twice the sons of hell."
For me I discovered that "change" was not possible, not in the way they promoted it for years. More importantly change was not necessary and to pursue it damaged me significantly, so much so that I had to take nearly 10 years to recover.
I post stories like this, despite how ANGRY they make me, because people need to be exposed to these tragedies. Gutierrez lost over ten years of his life trying to be something different that God made him because leaders of his faith told him he was a sinner, preying on the weakness of someone struggling to discover who he was and, more importantly, who God wanted him to be.
On an earlier blog post, Peterson Toscano was kind enough to mention this blog as one who consistently report on the ex-gay movement. I do that in the hope that someone who is caught in the cycle that Noe Gutierrez was will see his story and realize that there is another choice, that God will love him and accept him as he walks out his life true to the sexual orientation He blessed him with.
I believe it is impossible for anyone to be in full communion with God and be blessed with the fullness of a healthy relationship with Him if we are not honest with ourselves and live our lives true to the way God made us. If I was trying to live a gay lifestyle, I couldn't enjoy a full and honest relationship with the Lord because I would be dishonest to myself.
Dishonesty is a sin, and sometimes the most damage is done when we turn that inward onto ourselves. I pray that there are fewer and fewer stories like Noe Gutierrez's, fewer years lost, less pain endured, as people like him selflessly put themselves out there and share their experiences.
Let his pain help you from enduring more of your own.
Then let God help you put the pieces together His way and show you the fullness of how He made you, not how someone else thinks you should be.
Set against a biblical contrast of right versus wrong, ex-gay ministries often draw a direct link between the quality of a person’s faith and their commitment to make a choice in the “straight” direction. This value system often results in the ex-gay person being caught by a cycle of perpetual self-evaluation. Compelled to dissect every thought, every word, and every deed into these black or white categories, the life of an ex-gay can become all about choosing sides. With homosexuality as the target, the goal then becomes to eradicate all thoughts and behaviors associated with “wrong” sexual attraction. This becomes the “calling” of the ex-gay person who finds their purpose in the process of self re-orientation. I believe this mode of thinking establishes a clear and distinct association between the effectiveness of God in a person’s life and that person’s ability to commit to ex-gay change.
And even as I write this I hear the murmurs of ex-gay promoters and providers accusing me of focusing on the wrong thing, of trying too hard or not enough, of not trusting God or depending too much on God to do what I needed to do. With the Ex-Gay Movement they have an answer for everything but most of these answers boil down to one thing: It's your own fault.
Rather than face reality that I we sought for the wrong thing and that another way exists, ex-gay leaders, pastors, parents and "friends" cling to a faulty series of beliefs and lay loads on people's backs that make them, in the words of Jesus, "twice the sons of hell."
For me I discovered that "change" was not possible, not in the way they promoted it for years. More importantly change was not necessary and to pursue it damaged me significantly, so much so that I had to take nearly 10 years to recover.
I post stories like this, despite how ANGRY they make me, because people need to be exposed to these tragedies. Gutierrez lost over ten years of his life trying to be something different that God made him because leaders of his faith told him he was a sinner, preying on the weakness of someone struggling to discover who he was and, more importantly, who God wanted him to be.
On an earlier blog post, Peterson Toscano was kind enough to mention this blog as one who consistently report on the ex-gay movement. I do that in the hope that someone who is caught in the cycle that Noe Gutierrez was will see his story and realize that there is another choice, that God will love him and accept him as he walks out his life true to the sexual orientation He blessed him with.
I believe it is impossible for anyone to be in full communion with God and be blessed with the fullness of a healthy relationship with Him if we are not honest with ourselves and live our lives true to the way God made us. If I was trying to live a gay lifestyle, I couldn't enjoy a full and honest relationship with the Lord because I would be dishonest to myself.
Dishonesty is a sin, and sometimes the most damage is done when we turn that inward onto ourselves. I pray that there are fewer and fewer stories like Noe Gutierrez's, fewer years lost, less pain endured, as people like him selflessly put themselves out there and share their experiences.
Let his pain help you from enduring more of your own.
Then let God help you put the pieces together His way and show you the fullness of how He made you, not how someone else thinks you should be.
May 21, 2008
Faith Leaders Grapple With California Court Ruling
Uncertainty has spread across many corners of the religious landscape in California in the wake of last week's state Supreme Court decision ruling that made same-sex marriage legal in that state.
This article in the LA Times speaks to that uncertainty and also highlights the wide range of reactions across different denominations. Even those who strongly support the ruling are unclear about the ramifications going forward:
The 4-3 ruling, which held that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry, has prompted conservative and liberal congregations alike to discuss whether gay and lesbian members will be allowed to wed in their churches, synagogues and temples.
"These are the kinds of issues every religion has to grapple with," said James A. Donahue, president of the Graduate Theological Union, a Berkeley-based consortium of theological schools. "How do you factor in the role of contemporary human rights, civil rights, the data about homosexuality" with "core traditions and beliefs?"
.....at All Saints Episcopal Church, the Rev. Susan Russell led a between-services forum on the religious, legal and political ramifications of the court's decision.
"The justices have ruled in favor of the sanctity of marriage and against bigotry," Russell declared, as the audience cheered. "This is good news for all Californians.
"But even though All Saints has been blessing same-sex unions for more than 15 years, the ruling unleashed a wave of uncertainty.
"At this point in the Episcopal Church, our prayer book still defines marriage between a man and a woman," Russell said in an interview. "There's some question about whether we can, within the canons of our church, extend the sacrament to same-gender couples.
"The decision raises questions, too, about what All Saints' blessing ceremonies mean anymore, Russell said. Should couples who have had such ceremonies get married too? Will the civil steps suffice? Or should they go through another church ritual? And what kinds of ceremonies will All Saints provide as it moves forward?
The questions are personal for Russell, who celebrated her union with her partner in an official blessing ceremony two years ago. Russell said she and her partner haven't begun discussing what the new ruling will mean for them. As for her church, she said, "I'm glad we have 30 days to think it through."
William McKinney, president of the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley and a professor of American religion there, said the ruling was applauded on his campus, which is a multidenominational, theologically liberal Christian seminary.
Yet he said he felt an element of trepidation as well.
"We're celebrating it on the one hand," McKinney said, noting that San Francisco's 2004 decision allowing same-sex weddings had given many people, both gay and straight, new appreciation for the powerful symbolism of marriage.
"On the other hand, though, this sets us up for another round of the culture wars," he said. "As a straight, married man, I feel for my gay friends whose private life is once again going to be the subject of public debate."
This item from the Christian Post (you can tell the right wing news sources because they use quotations around same-sex "marriage") points out how this decision could have a much greater impact nationwide than the ruling in Massachusetts in 2004:
In a study last December – months before the California Supreme Court began hearing the legal arguments for and against gay “marriage – a study done by the University of California-Davis' Law Review revealed California’s Supreme Court as the most influential in the nation. According to the study, a total of 1,260 decisions made by the California high court have been mimicked and followed by other states, a figure higher than any other state in the union.
Douglas Kmiec, a law professor at the Pepperdine University Law School in Malibu, Calif., emphasized that the California high court’s decision on gay “marriage” would have far greater impact than the similar decision by the Supreme Court of Massachusetts to legalize gay “marriage” in 2004.
“The way the Massachusetts court had interpreted its state law, same-sex marriage in Massachusetts was not available to non-residents,” Kmiec explained, according to Cybercast News Service.
"In California, there's no waiting period, there's no residency requirement, and so yesterday's ruling doesn't just affect a single state with a very large population," he added.
"One of the principal effects of the California decision will be to create large numbers of same-sex marriages that will not only reside in California, but will migrate across the country," he continued. The migration of same-sex couples to other states could then spur the legalization of same-sex marriage nationwide, he explained.
Keep checking back here for more important updates and analysis on how the faith communities on both sides of this issue proceed.
This article in the LA Times speaks to that uncertainty and also highlights the wide range of reactions across different denominations. Even those who strongly support the ruling are unclear about the ramifications going forward:
The 4-3 ruling, which held that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry, has prompted conservative and liberal congregations alike to discuss whether gay and lesbian members will be allowed to wed in their churches, synagogues and temples.
"These are the kinds of issues every religion has to grapple with," said James A. Donahue, president of the Graduate Theological Union, a Berkeley-based consortium of theological schools. "How do you factor in the role of contemporary human rights, civil rights, the data about homosexuality" with "core traditions and beliefs?"
.....at All Saints Episcopal Church, the Rev. Susan Russell led a between-services forum on the religious, legal and political ramifications of the court's decision.
"The justices have ruled in favor of the sanctity of marriage and against bigotry," Russell declared, as the audience cheered. "This is good news for all Californians.
"But even though All Saints has been blessing same-sex unions for more than 15 years, the ruling unleashed a wave of uncertainty.
"At this point in the Episcopal Church, our prayer book still defines marriage between a man and a woman," Russell said in an interview. "There's some question about whether we can, within the canons of our church, extend the sacrament to same-gender couples.
"The decision raises questions, too, about what All Saints' blessing ceremonies mean anymore, Russell said. Should couples who have had such ceremonies get married too? Will the civil steps suffice? Or should they go through another church ritual? And what kinds of ceremonies will All Saints provide as it moves forward?
The questions are personal for Russell, who celebrated her union with her partner in an official blessing ceremony two years ago. Russell said she and her partner haven't begun discussing what the new ruling will mean for them. As for her church, she said, "I'm glad we have 30 days to think it through."
William McKinney, president of the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley and a professor of American religion there, said the ruling was applauded on his campus, which is a multidenominational, theologically liberal Christian seminary.
Yet he said he felt an element of trepidation as well.
"We're celebrating it on the one hand," McKinney said, noting that San Francisco's 2004 decision allowing same-sex weddings had given many people, both gay and straight, new appreciation for the powerful symbolism of marriage.
"On the other hand, though, this sets us up for another round of the culture wars," he said. "As a straight, married man, I feel for my gay friends whose private life is once again going to be the subject of public debate."
This item from the Christian Post (you can tell the right wing news sources because they use quotations around same-sex "marriage") points out how this decision could have a much greater impact nationwide than the ruling in Massachusetts in 2004:
In a study last December – months before the California Supreme Court began hearing the legal arguments for and against gay “marriage – a study done by the University of California-Davis' Law Review revealed California’s Supreme Court as the most influential in the nation. According to the study, a total of 1,260 decisions made by the California high court have been mimicked and followed by other states, a figure higher than any other state in the union.
Douglas Kmiec, a law professor at the Pepperdine University Law School in Malibu, Calif., emphasized that the California high court’s decision on gay “marriage” would have far greater impact than the similar decision by the Supreme Court of Massachusetts to legalize gay “marriage” in 2004.
“The way the Massachusetts court had interpreted its state law, same-sex marriage in Massachusetts was not available to non-residents,” Kmiec explained, according to Cybercast News Service.
"In California, there's no waiting period, there's no residency requirement, and so yesterday's ruling doesn't just affect a single state with a very large population," he added.
"One of the principal effects of the California decision will be to create large numbers of same-sex marriages that will not only reside in California, but will migrate across the country," he continued. The migration of same-sex couples to other states could then spur the legalization of same-sex marriage nationwide, he explained.
Keep checking back here for more important updates and analysis on how the faith communities on both sides of this issue proceed.
May 20, 2008
More LGBT Outreach to Faith Leaders and Groups
This article in the Washington Blade discusses a new and, in my view very positive, trend of LGBT advocacy groups reaching out to faith leaders, churches, and organizations. The best way to change someone's mind is to change their heart, and often the best way to accomplish that is by changing the message they hear from the pulpit in their home church.
One of the greatest hurdles to advancing gay civil rights is overcoming religious, anti-gay rhetoric. From Fred Phelps in Kansas to Focus on the Family in Colorado and the late Jerry Falwell’s church in Lynchburg, Va., religious institutions with deep pockets and vast political power are more than willing to use their resources to demonize gays.
Recently, however, gay groups have started to respond with programming of their own. The Human Rights Campaign has just announced a new venture for 2009 that will focus on clergy members, and several other gay groups have made outreach to faith communities an important part of their work, including the National Black Justice Coalition, Soulforce and Faith in America.
“We’ve had so many years where the far right has dominated the landscape and claimed a set of values that didn’t necessarily resonate with Americans who also [had a] faith tradition, so I think we’re seeing a reaction to that,” says Ineke Mushovic.
Mushovic, who works with the Movement Advocacy Project, a private think tank that analyzes the work of gay groups, says that one of MAP’s studies showed that 85 percent of Americans say religion is very important in their lives.
“America … is a deeply religious nation, much more so than pretty much any of the other industrialized nations,” she says. “You need to meet people where they’re at, and so that means it’s important to be able to connect with their faith perspective.
”For gay groups that are focusing on religious outreach, however, setting and measuring goals can be an intimidating venture. As one member of a religious-based gay group noted, “it’s kind of hard to measure heart change.”
Rest assured, this is not a quick-fix approach, but I believe it has great potential to bring about real, long-lasting change in our society.
Click here to read the read of the Washington Blade article.
One of the greatest hurdles to advancing gay civil rights is overcoming religious, anti-gay rhetoric. From Fred Phelps in Kansas to Focus on the Family in Colorado and the late Jerry Falwell’s church in Lynchburg, Va., religious institutions with deep pockets and vast political power are more than willing to use their resources to demonize gays.
Recently, however, gay groups have started to respond with programming of their own. The Human Rights Campaign has just announced a new venture for 2009 that will focus on clergy members, and several other gay groups have made outreach to faith communities an important part of their work, including the National Black Justice Coalition, Soulforce and Faith in America.
“We’ve had so many years where the far right has dominated the landscape and claimed a set of values that didn’t necessarily resonate with Americans who also [had a] faith tradition, so I think we’re seeing a reaction to that,” says Ineke Mushovic.
Mushovic, who works with the Movement Advocacy Project, a private think tank that analyzes the work of gay groups, says that one of MAP’s studies showed that 85 percent of Americans say religion is very important in their lives.
“America … is a deeply religious nation, much more so than pretty much any of the other industrialized nations,” she says. “You need to meet people where they’re at, and so that means it’s important to be able to connect with their faith perspective.
”For gay groups that are focusing on religious outreach, however, setting and measuring goals can be an intimidating venture. As one member of a religious-based gay group noted, “it’s kind of hard to measure heart change.”
Rest assured, this is not a quick-fix approach, but I believe it has great potential to bring about real, long-lasting change in our society.
Click here to read the read of the Washington Blade article.
May 19, 2008
Politics and Religion...Strange Things Are Afoot!
I went to church Wednesday night for our weekly intercessory prayer meeting. We have dinner before the meeting and, as I was discussing the politics of the day with a few congregants, they expressed to me their reservations about Barack Obama because of his so-called Muslim background. Mind you, I attend a church with a very progressive leaning congregation, so I was taken aback. I tried to explain that Barack's father had at one time been a Muslim, but that he had converted to Catholicism long ago and Barack was never a Muslim. However, one of my friends said that is how these things start and she's going to have to be very careful about who she votes for in the fall based on the fact that we've had so-called Christian candidates who led us down the wrong path.
I was saddened by my conversation with them for several reasons. First of all, they are ignorant of the facts. Second, that they would really not choose to vote for someone based soley on their religion. And third, that they are so adamant, they weren't willing to listen to anybody disagreeing with them! I was just flabbergasted that they refused to hear what I had to say on the subject. Another friend must have seen my dismay and kept unity in the family by changing the subject asap!
My question is this: Are we still that backwards in our country that we will just believe anything that comes down the pike without questioning it or allowing others to question it? These well meaning women believe what an email blast said about Obama without even thinking it could be a smear campaign. Is it me or have we totally lost our minds in this campaign season??
I was saddened by my conversation with them for several reasons. First of all, they are ignorant of the facts. Second, that they would really not choose to vote for someone based soley on their religion. And third, that they are so adamant, they weren't willing to listen to anybody disagreeing with them! I was just flabbergasted that they refused to hear what I had to say on the subject. Another friend must have seen my dismay and kept unity in the family by changing the subject asap!
My question is this: Are we still that backwards in our country that we will just believe anything that comes down the pike without questioning it or allowing others to question it? These well meaning women believe what an email blast said about Obama without even thinking it could be a smear campaign. Is it me or have we totally lost our minds in this campaign season??
May 17, 2008
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.
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.
May 16, 2008
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.
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.
May 15, 2008
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
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.
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.
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.
May 14, 2008
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.
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.
May 13, 2008
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.
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...
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...
May 12, 2008
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.
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.
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