The Human Rights Campaign has sent out a message from Bishop Gene Robinson, the only openly gay bishop ordained in the American Episcopal Church, regarding his participation in the upcoming Inauguration activities. Here are some excerpts that I thought should be shared:
Tomorrow, in one of the most humbling honors of my life, I will deliver an invocation at the first event of inauguration week.
Though many of us were deeply upset when President-elect Obama chose Proposition 8 supporter Rev. Rick Warren to speak at his inauguration, the fact that he also invited me – a proud gay man – is a hopeful sign of our president's commitment to reach out to all Americans.
Now it's up to all of us to capitalize on this moment and ensure that President-elect Obama works for equality.
As a gay American, a bishop, and a member of HRC's Religion Council, I was open about my shock and anger last month at Warren's invitation.
But I now feel it's time to turn the page on that controversy – to come together and tackle the next set of challenges.
The blueprint calls for President-elect Obama to sign hate crimes legislation into law, to support a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act, to end unequal taxation of domestic partnerships and more.
In the spirit of hope, we ask President-elect Obama to follow this blueprint and keep his promises.
Tomorrow, I will be blessed to stand at the Lincoln Memorial before the next leader of our great country. His message has inspired countless Americans who have waited many long years to feel represented by their government.
I owe President-elect Obama the utmost thanks for allowing me to participate in such a historic event.
I love the balanced perspective Bishop Robinson demonstrates, further confirming how excellent a choice he was to represent the GLBT community of faith in these ceremonies.
January 17, 2009
January 14, 2009
Do Gay-Straight Alliances Make a Difference?
That's the question asked in this article from the Chicago area Pioneer Local newspaper which focused on the impact of gay-straight alliances in American high schools. The answer may seem like another DUH! moment, but it is important to have data to support initiatives like this.
High schools with gay-straight alliances may be safer places for homosexual, bisexual and transgender youth, new research suggests.
The 2007 National School Climate Survey: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth in Our Nations Schools was conducted by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network known as GLSEN, a New-York-based national education association.
This survey found that when high schools had such alliances, these students reported hearing fewer homophobic comments and experiencing less harassment or assaults because of their sexual orientation or gender expression than students attending schools without gay-straight alliances. They also said they felt more of a sense of belonging to their school. Yet only just over a third of surveyed students surveyed reported that they had such an alliance at their school.
This survey indicates how a GLSEN-affiliated organization helps attitudes toward GLBT students and makes their high school experience (which can often be traumatic) more manageable. The relative scarcity of these groups, however, shows that there is still much more work to be done.
Click here to read the Pioneer Local article.
High schools with gay-straight alliances may be safer places for homosexual, bisexual and transgender youth, new research suggests.
The 2007 National School Climate Survey: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth in Our Nations Schools was conducted by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network known as GLSEN, a New-York-based national education association.
This survey found that when high schools had such alliances, these students reported hearing fewer homophobic comments and experiencing less harassment or assaults because of their sexual orientation or gender expression than students attending schools without gay-straight alliances. They also said they felt more of a sense of belonging to their school. Yet only just over a third of surveyed students surveyed reported that they had such an alliance at their school.
This survey indicates how a GLSEN-affiliated organization helps attitudes toward GLBT students and makes their high school experience (which can often be traumatic) more manageable. The relative scarcity of these groups, however, shows that there is still much more work to be done.
Click here to read the Pioneer Local article.
January 13, 2009
More on Rick Warren
I was determined not to do another post anytime soon on Rick Warren following all the attention (and anger from GLBT people) given to his pending prayer during the Presidential Inauguration next week, but some news items regarding the Rev. came up that I thought should be noted here.
Warren and his wife Kay have received international kudos for their activism regarding the AIDS epidemic in Africa. This article on AlterNet makes me wonder if that is justified:
Warren's defense against charges of intolerance ultimately depends upon his ace card: his heavily publicized crusade against AIDS in Africa. Obama senior adviser David Axelrod cited Warren's work in Africa as one of "the things on which [Obama and Warren] agree" on the Dec. 28 episode of Meet the Press. Warren may be opposed to gay rights and abortion, the thinking goes, but he tells evangelicals it is their God-given duty to battle one of the greatest pandemics in history. What could be wrong with that?
But since the Warren inauguration controversy erupted, the nature of his work against AIDS in Africa has gone unexamined. Warren has not been particularly forthcoming to those who have attempted to look into it. His Web site contains scant information about the results of his program. However, an investigation into Warren's involvement in Africa reveals a web of alliances with right-wing clergymen who have sidelined science-based approaches to combating AIDS in favor of abstinence-only education. More disturbingly, Warren's allies have rolled back key elements of one of the continent's most successful initiative, the so-called ABC program in Uganda. Stephen Lewis, the United Nations special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, told the New York Times their activism is "resulting in great damage and undoubtedly will cause significant numbers of infections which should never have occurred."
Warren's man in Uganda is a charismatic pastor named Martin Ssempa. The head of the Makerere Community Church, a rapidly growing congregation, Ssempa enjoys close ties to his country's first lady, Janet Museveni, and is a favorite of the Bush White House. In the capitol of Kampala, Ssempa is known for his boisterous crusading. Ssempa's stunts have included burning condoms in the name of Jesus and arranging the publication of names of homosexuals in cooperative local newspapers while lobbying for criminal penalties to imprison them.
To me, that makes this story even worse. From the Southern Voice:
The Atlanta Black LGBT Coalition last week called on Ebenezer Baptist Church, the historic church where Dr. Martin Luther King served as pastor, to remove Pastor Rick Warren as the keynote speaker for its upcoming MLK Day service.
“Rev. Warren’s hateful opposition to civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and reproductive rights for women, and his intolerance of diversity contradict the values of freedom and equality that this day represents,” the group said in a Dec. 24 press release.
The coalition called on Ebenezer’s pastor, Rev. Raphael G. Warnock, to rescind the invitation to Warren to speak at the Jan. 19 service.
The church did not respond to an interview request by press time.
“Bestowing Rev. Warren such a prominent role does not foster greater understanding between divided communities. Instead it drives more wedges between disenfranchised communities that are continually pitted against each other by the agents of racism and homophobia,” the gay coalition said.
Now this bothers me. How can someone who has been recently exposed as someone strongly opposing civil rights for GLBT people be a keynote speaker on a day honoring one of the greatest civil rights leaders in history? Folks, if you want to protest something, this would be a good place to do it. To celebrate a day of inclusion in a house of worship with a leader who supports exclusion is inexcusable.
Now Rev. Warren is offering refuge to any Anglican congregation that wants to break away from the Episcopal church because of their ordination of gays. From Christianity Today:
But since last summer... I’ve been on Gene Robinson and other’s attack list for my position on gay marriage. ....[Our] brothers and sisters here at St. James in Newport Beach lost their California State Supreme Court case to keep their property.
We stand in solidarity with them, and with all orthodox, evangelical Anglicans. I offer the campus of Saddleback Church to any Anglican congregation who need a place to meet, or if you want to plant a new congregation in south Orange County.
I have both of Warren's popular books, The Purpose Driven Life and, before that, the Purpose Driven Church. I got a lot out of the former and found the latter to be a turning point in my ministry work--both were books full of amazing insights.
As long as one isn't gay, that is. What a shame. A man who could do so much good is blinded to God's love for GLBT people.
Yes, Rev. Warren, even a gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender person can live a Purpose Filled Life pleasing God without renoucing the way God made them.
Warren and his wife Kay have received international kudos for their activism regarding the AIDS epidemic in Africa. This article on AlterNet makes me wonder if that is justified:
Warren's defense against charges of intolerance ultimately depends upon his ace card: his heavily publicized crusade against AIDS in Africa. Obama senior adviser David Axelrod cited Warren's work in Africa as one of "the things on which [Obama and Warren] agree" on the Dec. 28 episode of Meet the Press. Warren may be opposed to gay rights and abortion, the thinking goes, but he tells evangelicals it is their God-given duty to battle one of the greatest pandemics in history. What could be wrong with that?
But since the Warren inauguration controversy erupted, the nature of his work against AIDS in Africa has gone unexamined. Warren has not been particularly forthcoming to those who have attempted to look into it. His Web site contains scant information about the results of his program. However, an investigation into Warren's involvement in Africa reveals a web of alliances with right-wing clergymen who have sidelined science-based approaches to combating AIDS in favor of abstinence-only education. More disturbingly, Warren's allies have rolled back key elements of one of the continent's most successful initiative, the so-called ABC program in Uganda. Stephen Lewis, the United Nations special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, told the New York Times their activism is "resulting in great damage and undoubtedly will cause significant numbers of infections which should never have occurred."
Warren's man in Uganda is a charismatic pastor named Martin Ssempa. The head of the Makerere Community Church, a rapidly growing congregation, Ssempa enjoys close ties to his country's first lady, Janet Museveni, and is a favorite of the Bush White House. In the capitol of Kampala, Ssempa is known for his boisterous crusading. Ssempa's stunts have included burning condoms in the name of Jesus and arranging the publication of names of homosexuals in cooperative local newspapers while lobbying for criminal penalties to imprison them.
To me, that makes this story even worse. From the Southern Voice:
The Atlanta Black LGBT Coalition last week called on Ebenezer Baptist Church, the historic church where Dr. Martin Luther King served as pastor, to remove Pastor Rick Warren as the keynote speaker for its upcoming MLK Day service.
“Rev. Warren’s hateful opposition to civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and reproductive rights for women, and his intolerance of diversity contradict the values of freedom and equality that this day represents,” the group said in a Dec. 24 press release.
The coalition called on Ebenezer’s pastor, Rev. Raphael G. Warnock, to rescind the invitation to Warren to speak at the Jan. 19 service.
The church did not respond to an interview request by press time.
“Bestowing Rev. Warren such a prominent role does not foster greater understanding between divided communities. Instead it drives more wedges between disenfranchised communities that are continually pitted against each other by the agents of racism and homophobia,” the gay coalition said.
Now this bothers me. How can someone who has been recently exposed as someone strongly opposing civil rights for GLBT people be a keynote speaker on a day honoring one of the greatest civil rights leaders in history? Folks, if you want to protest something, this would be a good place to do it. To celebrate a day of inclusion in a house of worship with a leader who supports exclusion is inexcusable.
Now Rev. Warren is offering refuge to any Anglican congregation that wants to break away from the Episcopal church because of their ordination of gays. From Christianity Today:
But since last summer... I’ve been on Gene Robinson and other’s attack list for my position on gay marriage. ....[Our] brothers and sisters here at St. James in Newport Beach lost their California State Supreme Court case to keep their property.
We stand in solidarity with them, and with all orthodox, evangelical Anglicans. I offer the campus of Saddleback Church to any Anglican congregation who need a place to meet, or if you want to plant a new congregation in south Orange County.
I have both of Warren's popular books, The Purpose Driven Life and, before that, the Purpose Driven Church. I got a lot out of the former and found the latter to be a turning point in my ministry work--both were books full of amazing insights.
As long as one isn't gay, that is. What a shame. A man who could do so much good is blinded to God's love for GLBT people.
Yes, Rev. Warren, even a gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender person can live a Purpose Filled Life pleasing God without renoucing the way God made them.
January 12, 2009
There's Strength in Working Together
A few days ago, I posted about how GLBT activism did not need new organizations, they needed more effective ones. According to this story from the South Florida Blade, some folks in Florida are thinking the same way. As an aside, for a straight guy I DO spend a lot of time reading GLBT focused publications.
Anyway, back to the story:
The Nov. 4 passage of Amendment 2 has led to a groundswell of activism and protests, as organizations—primarily associated with the national Join the Impact movement—continue to stage equality rights demonstrations. It could as well lead to new grassroots strategy among Florida’s gay political organizations.
On Tuesday, two months after the November election, leaders of several local and regional gay political organizations including SAVE Dade, Palm Beach Human Rights Council and Sarasota Equality Project announced the launch of Organizations United Together (OUT). OUT will act as a network of myriad local GLBT groups and allies to address equality issues throughout the state and attempt to bring increased visibility in communities where gay groups are lacking.
The organizers announced they will hold their first organizational meeting in Orlando Jan. 24.
The passage of statewide anti-GLBT amendments in Florida, Arizona and California was a wake up call for many in the movement, said OUT spokesperson Karen Doering.
“After Amendment 2 we did a lot of soul searching,” said Doering, a veteran gay rights attorney. “This last election has caused leaders in the gay movement to do some serious thinking.”
Advocacy is not effective when individual agendas are pursued. Rather, it makes the most impact when people are working together for a common goal. Organizations gathering together to focus on that goal, especially when they are coming at it with different resources and approaches, can draw strength from that diversity and speak with a stronger voice.
I hope people outside of Florida are paying attention to this.
Click here to read the rest of the story from the South Florida Blade.
Anyway, back to the story:
The Nov. 4 passage of Amendment 2 has led to a groundswell of activism and protests, as organizations—primarily associated with the national Join the Impact movement—continue to stage equality rights demonstrations. It could as well lead to new grassroots strategy among Florida’s gay political organizations.
On Tuesday, two months after the November election, leaders of several local and regional gay political organizations including SAVE Dade, Palm Beach Human Rights Council and Sarasota Equality Project announced the launch of Organizations United Together (OUT). OUT will act as a network of myriad local GLBT groups and allies to address equality issues throughout the state and attempt to bring increased visibility in communities where gay groups are lacking.
The organizers announced they will hold their first organizational meeting in Orlando Jan. 24.
The passage of statewide anti-GLBT amendments in Florida, Arizona and California was a wake up call for many in the movement, said OUT spokesperson Karen Doering.
“After Amendment 2 we did a lot of soul searching,” said Doering, a veteran gay rights attorney. “This last election has caused leaders in the gay movement to do some serious thinking.”
Advocacy is not effective when individual agendas are pursued. Rather, it makes the most impact when people are working together for a common goal. Organizations gathering together to focus on that goal, especially when they are coming at it with different resources and approaches, can draw strength from that diversity and speak with a stronger voice.
I hope people outside of Florida are paying attention to this.
Click here to read the rest of the story from the South Florida Blade.
January 11, 2009
I Have Something In Common With Equality VA's New CEO.....
....we're both straight. Even since I became involved with the GLBT community, I've wondered if a straight person would be accepted in a leadership position of an advocacy organization. Now I'll get to watch that situation play out just down the road from Straight, Not Narrow headquarters (otherwise known as my house).
From the Washington Blade:
The board of directors for Virginia’s statewide gay rights group announced Wednesday it has chosen a straight man to serve as its executive director.
Jon Blair, the newly appointed chief executive officer of Equality Virginia, joins the organization after working as campaign manager for freshman U.S. Rep. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) in the 2008 election. Blair succeeds Dyana Mason, the former executive director for Equality Virginia, who left the organization Dec. 31.
Blair, who was unavailable for comment before Blade deadline, said in a statement, “I believe in Equality Virginia’s mission of basic human rights for all, and I am proud to fight for it.”
Blair’s experience includes work for Virginia State Sen. Ralph Northam (D-Norfolk) and State Del. Paula Miller (D-Norfolk).
Equality Virginia’s 10-member search committee recommended the selection of Blair unanimously, according to the statement. Jay Fisette, a gay member of the Arlington County Board and a member of the committee, said Blair’s “experience and talents will take Equality Virginia to the next level.”
From Equality Virginia's press release annoucing the appointment:
Blair's selection concludes a six-month nationwide search by Equality Virginia’s eleven-member Search Committee, co-chaired by EV Board members Allison Weinstein and John Sternlicht. This diverse group of GLBT leaders and straight allies provided a broad perspective to the search effort. The Committee recommended Blair unanimously.
Mark Board, the Chair of EV’s Board of Directors, hailed Blair’s selection. "In his time working for federal and state legislators, Jon has built a reputation as a tough, results oriented manager,” Board said. “His leadership has been instrumental in winning victories for forward-thinking legislators across our country. Jon has earned the admiration and respect of voters and legislators, and the public service realm as a whole. He is the ideal leader to take the helm as EV's Chief Executive Officer."
"It is a privilege to take the reins of this great organization from one of the country's true trailblazers, Dyana Mason," said Blair. "I'm thrilled with the opportunity to be a leader in the continuing battle for human rights and to have a role in helping to achieve full equality, in law and spirit, for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Virginians. I couldn't be more excited."
Jon Blair is the first straight ally to lead Equality Virginia. Blair commented, “I believe in Equality Virginia’s mission of basic human rights for all, and I am proud to fight for it.”
From the Washington Blade:
The board of directors for Virginia’s statewide gay rights group announced Wednesday it has chosen a straight man to serve as its executive director.
Jon Blair, the newly appointed chief executive officer of Equality Virginia, joins the organization after working as campaign manager for freshman U.S. Rep. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) in the 2008 election. Blair succeeds Dyana Mason, the former executive director for Equality Virginia, who left the organization Dec. 31.
Blair, who was unavailable for comment before Blade deadline, said in a statement, “I believe in Equality Virginia’s mission of basic human rights for all, and I am proud to fight for it.”
Blair’s experience includes work for Virginia State Sen. Ralph Northam (D-Norfolk) and State Del. Paula Miller (D-Norfolk).
Equality Virginia’s 10-member search committee recommended the selection of Blair unanimously, according to the statement. Jay Fisette, a gay member of the Arlington County Board and a member of the committee, said Blair’s “experience and talents will take Equality Virginia to the next level.”
From Equality Virginia's press release annoucing the appointment:
Blair's selection concludes a six-month nationwide search by Equality Virginia’s eleven-member Search Committee, co-chaired by EV Board members Allison Weinstein and John Sternlicht. This diverse group of GLBT leaders and straight allies provided a broad perspective to the search effort. The Committee recommended Blair unanimously.
Mark Board, the Chair of EV’s Board of Directors, hailed Blair’s selection. "In his time working for federal and state legislators, Jon has built a reputation as a tough, results oriented manager,” Board said. “His leadership has been instrumental in winning victories for forward-thinking legislators across our country. Jon has earned the admiration and respect of voters and legislators, and the public service realm as a whole. He is the ideal leader to take the helm as EV's Chief Executive Officer."
"It is a privilege to take the reins of this great organization from one of the country's true trailblazers, Dyana Mason," said Blair. "I'm thrilled with the opportunity to be a leader in the continuing battle for human rights and to have a role in helping to achieve full equality, in law and spirit, for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Virginians. I couldn't be more excited."
Jon Blair is the first straight ally to lead Equality Virginia. Blair commented, “I believe in Equality Virginia’s mission of basic human rights for all, and I am proud to fight for it.”
I applaud Equality Virginia for going outside the box with this appointment. Not all straight people are the enemy of or indifferent toward the important issues of equal rights the GLBT community has to deal with.
I believe a straight person can believe in this cause passionately enough to be an effective leader of an advocacy organization. After all, many other groups of this type are led by individuals who have not been directly impacted by the situation they are fighting for--you don't have to be a cancer survivor to lead a cancer support organization, for example,but you must be sensitive to their needs.
I wish Jon Blair much success as he leads Equality Virginia . Attending church in Northern Virginia, I am aware that there is still an uphill battle for equality in that state, even if it did turn blue in the presidential election. Gay, straight, or bi, he will have his work cut out for him.
January 09, 2009
"2009: The Year of the Trans"
Donna Rose is a transgender activist who felt so strongly about the HRC's support of dropping transgenders from the ENDA legislation last year that she resigned as a member of the organizaiton. She is, however, looking forward to a positive year for the transgender community in 2009 in this post on The Bilerico Project:
As we continue to push the envelope and more and more of us get involved in general "life" things we'll continue to see things change. We'll continue to see pride replace feelings of shame, guilt and fear as we go about our lives. We'll continue to see recognition of the unique challenges many of us face. And we'll continue to gain friends and allies in this struggle who accept us as valued peers, not as expendable liabilities.
I'm not trying to diminish other significant events that may happen this year. We are living in a time of significant opportunity and many of us have high hopes so there's no need to argue about what's the biggest. However, I'm not willing to admit that our continued emergence as whole, sane, contributing members of society is any less important than anything else.
Changing culture, and that's what we're fundamentally talking about here, takes time. Barriers and prejudices built over generations do not come crashing down in a day. It's a gradual change that happens brick by brick. It's filled with stops and starts, spurts and crashes, victories and defeats. It is a journey fueled by passion, energy, and dedication. Looking at our progress it's not hard to predict that 2009 will be a big year in this journey. It is truly an amazing time to be alive.
There is a LOT of wisdom in this excerpt from her post. In order for the entire LGBT community to achieve not only tolerance but full acceptance in society, our culture itself must change. That is an arduous process and can't be done simply with legislation. Real change must be affected by individuals who become tired of being victims or sitting on the sidelines and are ready to initiate change.
Donna Rose sees that for 2009, and I hope she is right. Click here to read her predictions for the upcoming year.
As we continue to push the envelope and more and more of us get involved in general "life" things we'll continue to see things change. We'll continue to see pride replace feelings of shame, guilt and fear as we go about our lives. We'll continue to see recognition of the unique challenges many of us face. And we'll continue to gain friends and allies in this struggle who accept us as valued peers, not as expendable liabilities.
I'm not trying to diminish other significant events that may happen this year. We are living in a time of significant opportunity and many of us have high hopes so there's no need to argue about what's the biggest. However, I'm not willing to admit that our continued emergence as whole, sane, contributing members of society is any less important than anything else.
Changing culture, and that's what we're fundamentally talking about here, takes time. Barriers and prejudices built over generations do not come crashing down in a day. It's a gradual change that happens brick by brick. It's filled with stops and starts, spurts and crashes, victories and defeats. It is a journey fueled by passion, energy, and dedication. Looking at our progress it's not hard to predict that 2009 will be a big year in this journey. It is truly an amazing time to be alive.
There is a LOT of wisdom in this excerpt from her post. In order for the entire LGBT community to achieve not only tolerance but full acceptance in society, our culture itself must change. That is an arduous process and can't be done simply with legislation. Real change must be affected by individuals who become tired of being victims or sitting on the sidelines and are ready to initiate change.
Donna Rose sees that for 2009, and I hope she is right. Click here to read her predictions for the upcoming year.
January 05, 2009
The difference between Steven Curtis Chapman and John Travolta
After I read the story about John Travolta's son passing away this weekend, I got to thinking about how different it is when someone loses a loved one and they are not a Christian. Not to say that every Christian handles death the best way, or even in a good way. I'm just saying that the difference in how people handle these tragic circumstances was marked in the two families I have listed.
Here is an excerpt from a story on John Travolta's family. (Just for the sake of this story's significance, Travolta and his wife are members of the Church of Scientology.)
"Q: How is John doing? A: John is distraught. He is trying to understand and reconcile this. He is seeking an explanation so that this makes sense to him. And his loved ones are trying to provide that to him. Yesterday was the worst day of his life. Today is probably equally as bad, and if not, it's the second worst day of his life. John is recognizing the outpouring of support he has got from both the U.S. and the world. He can feel the love and he says it makes him stronger and hopefully it allows him to reconcile. He is undergoing the pain any father would if they lost his son. Generally a son buries his father, and John thought that would be the way it would go with Jett, not the other way around. He is in shock. He is emotionally distraught. He is going through many different feelings of disbelief and anger. It's going to take a while for him to feel good again. This is the most traumatic thing that has ever happened to him and he needs to go through a process of healing. John and Kelly are suffering total misery. They were so close to their son. This is hard to accept."
For the entire article, go to:
In contrast, this is from an article that was written shortly after Steven Curtis Chapman's daughter was accidentally run over with the family car by one of Steven's other children...
"A memorial service was held Saturday at Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville for Grammy Award-winning Christian singer Steven Curtis Chapman's 5-year-old daughter Maria Sue. Maria Sue died three-days earlier when she was accidentally hit at their Franklin, Tennessee home by a reversing Toyota Land Cruiser driven by her 17-year-old brother.
In a two hour service that drew 1500 mourners - Maria was remembered for her love of water and doing the dishes naked. She "loved, loved, loved to be naked," said her mother Mary Beth Chapman. He understandably is just devastated," Chapman's pastor Scotty Smith told CBN News about the son involved in the accident. "Their beautiful home has a couple of bends in the road. It just was totally an accident. A viewing for Maria was held Friday evening."This is a very difficult experience for the family and for any family that has lost a child," Pam Stevens, the Funeral Director at Williamson Memorial Funeral Home & Gardens in Nashville told Usmagazine.com. "Their faith is extremely strong and that is what they're leaning on."
For the rest of this article, go to:
What I found interesting about these two stories is the utter devastation and despair that the Travolta family seems to be in. While it's obviously hard for any family who loses a child, some of the verbage in the first article really made it seem like Mr. Travolta is angry and questioning why this happened. The word "reconcile" was used several times by his representative. That he was trying to reconcile what has happened. Presumably, he can't reconcile what he believes with what has happened. Scientology is a sketchy religion, at best. The word "Scientology" means "the study of knowledge or truth." The Scientology religion holds that man is basically good, not evil. This flies in the face of what we, as Christians, know to be THE truth. We need Jesus. We need the Savior. Unfortunately, Mr. Travolta and his family are trying to reconcile their child's untimely death with the idea that if they did was Scientology told them, everything would be fine. They would have success, a good family, etc.
Steven Curtis Chapman's family, while not perfect by any means, had the benefit of knowing that their daughter was with her God and that God never promised us that we'd never know pain or loss in this life. He promises us that He will help us through times of pain and loss. He promises that if that loved one knew Him, we will see them again. He also promises that we will most certainly know hard times!!
As Christians, we can know with certainty that we will encounter horrible pain at some point, sometimes many points, in our lives. What gives us an advantage over those who don't believe in Jesus is that we know He suffered too. We know that He loves us and will be there with us through the tough times. How hard it must be not to have that knowledge!
It's times like these that make me even more determined to talk to those I love who are non-believers and let them know that Jesus is real and that He loves them and wants to be in their lives! Please, don't hesitate when God gives you an opportunity to talk to someone about Him. It may be your only chance.
January 04, 2009
We Don't Need MORE Organizations
As I've put together the resources for this blog over the years, I've sifted through hundreds of organizations at the local, regional, national, and worldwide levels. Do we really need more? Well, here's someone who apparently thinks we do. From the (San Francisco) Bay Area Reporter:
Since Prop 8 passed November 4, several groups have sprung up and organized marches and rallies around California.
Since Prop 8 passed November 4, several groups have sprung up and organized marches and rallies around California.
Now, at least one new group wants another march on Washington, D.C. But others are expressing doubt as to how successful Yes on Gay Marriage, the new group, can be.
Kelley Moran, an organizer with Yes on Gay Marriage, said it was formed to work for marriage in all 50 states and recognition by the federal government.
It's "imperative as a community that we stand up for our civil rights and go to Washington, D.C. and ask for [the Defense of Marriage Act] to be overturned," said Moran, who's openly gay and president of Moran and Associates, a Sacramento-based agency that works in political consulting, public affairs, and other areas.
Moran said Yes on Gay Marriage has a list of several hundred LGBT groups that they're contacting and his organization will be meeting with others in January to discuss a strategic plan.
While I agree with Moran's ultimate goals, why in the world do we need to devote additional resources to a new organization to do so? Wouldn't time and money be better spent working within the framework of existing groups, making them more robust, effective, and focused? Are egos getting in the way here--people thinking that they need to put their stamp on these issues to make a difference?
One very important thing to remember is that GLBT people are a minority. Those who oppose equality greatly outnumber and outspend GLBT activists and their supporters. I don't think it is in the best interest of advancing equality to take the small pie and slice it up into even smaller pieces.
People speaking with different voices, all trying to be heard, usually just make an unintelligible racket. If their is one common, unified voice speaking loudly and firmly, however, that has the best chance of being heard and respected.
Let's see some more unity in the struggle for equality with everyone focusing on, dare I say, the same agenda for the greater good rather than their own individual ones.
January 02, 2009
Are "Religious" People Morally Superior?
Columnist and activist Wayne Besen takes a crack at that question in his latest column:
If 2008 taught the world one lesson, it is that religious people are not morally superior to those who are non-religious. Indeed, faith often shelters the shameless and provides cover for the most corrupt among us.
This is not to say that religious people are necessarily more corrupt. But, the myth that faith makes one less fallible and more pure must be punctured. This fable comes at a great cost to the holy who keep getting hosed. Charlatans are acutely aware that when religious institutions confer credibility, it is easier to con the credulous. Needless to say, churches, temples and mosques are often a refuge for reprobates. As escaped slave turned abolitionist Frederick Douglas noted in his tome “Autobiography,” the most devout Christians made the most brutal slave owners.
I'd love to send Wayne an e-mail ripping him a new one for such a negative view.
I would too if I didn't think his observations correctly reflected what's going on in today's soecity.
Much of Wayne's essay was about the Jewish faith, but his points are just as applicable to those who portray themselves as Christian. I put it that way because the only exception I take with this essay is replacing the phrase "faith" with "those portraying faith." People with true faith ARE different.
Those who accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior and receive the Holy Spirit go through a process of "sanctification," defined in this excerpt from the website Bible-Knowledge.com.
If Christianity looks a lot like not being a Christian, why should someone bother?
Sadly, a lot of people don't these days.
If 2008 taught the world one lesson, it is that religious people are not morally superior to those who are non-religious. Indeed, faith often shelters the shameless and provides cover for the most corrupt among us.
This is not to say that religious people are necessarily more corrupt. But, the myth that faith makes one less fallible and more pure must be punctured. This fable comes at a great cost to the holy who keep getting hosed. Charlatans are acutely aware that when religious institutions confer credibility, it is easier to con the credulous. Needless to say, churches, temples and mosques are often a refuge for reprobates. As escaped slave turned abolitionist Frederick Douglas noted in his tome “Autobiography,” the most devout Christians made the most brutal slave owners.
I'd love to send Wayne an e-mail ripping him a new one for such a negative view.
I would too if I didn't think his observations correctly reflected what's going on in today's soecity.
Much of Wayne's essay was about the Jewish faith, but his points are just as applicable to those who portray themselves as Christian. I put it that way because the only exception I take with this essay is replacing the phrase "faith" with "those portraying faith." People with true faith ARE different.
Those who accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior and receive the Holy Spirit go through a process of "sanctification," defined in this excerpt from the website Bible-Knowledge.com.
The different Bible dictionaries and commentaries define the word "sanctification" as follows:
- The state of growing in divine grace
- To set apart for holy purposes
- The process of being made holy resulting in a changed lifestyle for the believer
Noted Bible scholar Jack Hayford, in his excellent book titled: " Hayford's Bible Handbook," defines sanctification as follows:
"The work of God's grace by which the believer is separated from sin and becomes dedicated to God's righteousness. Accomplished by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, sanctification results in holiness, or purification from the guilt and power of sin. Sanctification is instantaneous before God through Christ and progressive before man through obedience to the Holy Spirit and the Word."If you can't sort out Christians from non-Christians, then those professing faith with their mouth are NOT walking it out with their life. Unfortunately, this type of failure makes it much more difficult for those who ARE sanctified to make a difference in the world since people can understandably be very skeptical of good intentions these days.
If Christianity looks a lot like not being a Christian, why should someone bother?
Sadly, a lot of people don't these days.
January 01, 2009
Happy New Year!
What a difference a year can make!
When Brenda and I began 2008, we were struggling in several areas. She was fighting some serious health issues, had become recently unemployed, and was facing one roadblock after another in searching for a new home for us to rent. I was angry, frustrated, and at times resentful of my work situation.
As 2009 opens, Brenda's health is significantly better, she is settled into a new job close to home that she loves, and we are in a huge, beautiful home in a very nice neighborhood that as I write this is full of lovely Christmas decorations. I found a new job which has afforded me opportunities I had long since resigned myself to never having in my career.
There is some really good stuff going on in our lives, and as we ended 2008 with a lot of positive momentum, Brenda and I have expectations that we will continue to build on that and make 2009 the best year of our lives.
We both feel very strongly that this is only possible through the blessings of our Lord. We stayed faithful even when we were dealing with some serious issues in early 2008 and before. I'll never forget literally feeling my blood run cold when Brenda told me the year before that the growth in her breast was cancerous. Fortunately, it was caught very early and, even though she had to endure three procedures, there was not a need for chemo or radiation and she is completely clear of cancer today.
It is critical to remember in tough times that the Bible tells us we will be tested. Just because we accept Christ and are willing to serve in His ministry doesn't mean there will not be adversity in our lives:
1 Timothy 3:10 And let them also be tried and investigated and proved first; then, if they turn out to be above reproach, let them serve.....
I now understand why I had to wait until my 50th year to be presented with the career opportunity I have now--I wasn't ready. I was tested and came up short. Now, being stronger in my faith, having a deeper relationship with the Lord, and having developed a character more pleasing to Him, I'm ready. I must be or else he would not have pointed me in this direction.
I share this with you today to not only tell you how blessed Brenda and I are, but to remind all of my readers that this is available to you too. We haven't done anything special, only sought out the will of the Lord, stayed obedient, and kept our faith strong even when it wasn't easy.
Anyone can do this. If you need to change the direction of your life, I hope our story helps you consider turning to Christ, taking His hand, and letting him lead you in a better direction--toward Him. If you're not sure how to do that, drop me a note and I'll be glad to help.
Have a blessed 2009 everyone!
When Brenda and I began 2008, we were struggling in several areas. She was fighting some serious health issues, had become recently unemployed, and was facing one roadblock after another in searching for a new home for us to rent. I was angry, frustrated, and at times resentful of my work situation.
As 2009 opens, Brenda's health is significantly better, she is settled into a new job close to home that she loves, and we are in a huge, beautiful home in a very nice neighborhood that as I write this is full of lovely Christmas decorations. I found a new job which has afforded me opportunities I had long since resigned myself to never having in my career.
There is some really good stuff going on in our lives, and as we ended 2008 with a lot of positive momentum, Brenda and I have expectations that we will continue to build on that and make 2009 the best year of our lives.
We both feel very strongly that this is only possible through the blessings of our Lord. We stayed faithful even when we were dealing with some serious issues in early 2008 and before. I'll never forget literally feeling my blood run cold when Brenda told me the year before that the growth in her breast was cancerous. Fortunately, it was caught very early and, even though she had to endure three procedures, there was not a need for chemo or radiation and she is completely clear of cancer today.
It is critical to remember in tough times that the Bible tells us we will be tested. Just because we accept Christ and are willing to serve in His ministry doesn't mean there will not be adversity in our lives:
1 Timothy 3:10 And let them also be tried and investigated and proved first; then, if they turn out to be above reproach, let them serve.....
I now understand why I had to wait until my 50th year to be presented with the career opportunity I have now--I wasn't ready. I was tested and came up short. Now, being stronger in my faith, having a deeper relationship with the Lord, and having developed a character more pleasing to Him, I'm ready. I must be or else he would not have pointed me in this direction.
I share this with you today to not only tell you how blessed Brenda and I are, but to remind all of my readers that this is available to you too. We haven't done anything special, only sought out the will of the Lord, stayed obedient, and kept our faith strong even when it wasn't easy.
Anyone can do this. If you need to change the direction of your life, I hope our story helps you consider turning to Christ, taking His hand, and letting him lead you in a better direction--toward Him. If you're not sure how to do that, drop me a note and I'll be glad to help.
Have a blessed 2009 everyone!
Who Needs a Savior?
So, who needs a savior anyway, and why?
Every living human being needs a savior. No living human being can measure up to God’s standards on their own. Even if someone lived a perfect life and never did anything wrong they would still require a savior. Why? Well, it goes back to the beginning……………………..
When Adam and Eve disobeyed God it started a chain reaction that would require divine intervention to fix. Disobedience became part of human nature. It was passed from generation to generation in the blood line; in the genes – the “sin gene” became a reality. Also, God had said that if this should happen, death would come out of it. But God didn’t mean a physical death. God was referring to eternal death.
You see, God created us to be eternal beings. Things only got messed up when Adam and Eve disobeyed. Gradually, they started to get old and sick and show the signs of age. The earth started growing weeds and pests. Everything got very difficult. It would require someone who did not possess the “sin gene” to make things right again. So, God decided to make it easy.
First God decided that since only one person caused the “sin gene” in the first place, that it would be acceptable for one person to stand in on behalf of everyone. But, there wasn’t any human being who could do it. That’s why God decided to turn into human form and be born as a human being, from a virgin, not born of the seed of man, but of the power of a perfect God. And they called him Jesus.
Then God decided that if anyone believed in Jesus and what He came to accomplish that it would count for them as if they did not have the “sin gene” any more. Pretty good deal, eh?
So, Jesus was born and lived a perfect life, and then was falsely accused and put to death in order to complete the process of fixing the blood line. Well, it wasn’t enough that God took care of the “sin gene” and then took care of the death penalty. God wanted to be able to give us the ultimate victory; the victory over eternal death. So, God raised Jesus from the dead to prove that everything was fixed and made right again once and for all.
Now, God gives each of us the opportunity to choose whether to believe in Him or not. We can choose eternal death, or we can choose eternal life.
Who needs a savior anyway? WE DO!!
If you would like to tell God that you believe in Jesus and what He did for us then just say this prayer.
God, I believe that Jesus is the Savior I need. I accept Him now and receive the eternal life that you promised. Thank you for making it so easy. Amen
If you prayed this prayer and believe it in your heart, please get in touch with us so we can rejoice with you!
Every living human being needs a savior. No living human being can measure up to God’s standards on their own. Even if someone lived a perfect life and never did anything wrong they would still require a savior. Why? Well, it goes back to the beginning……………………..
When Adam and Eve disobeyed God it started a chain reaction that would require divine intervention to fix. Disobedience became part of human nature. It was passed from generation to generation in the blood line; in the genes – the “sin gene” became a reality. Also, God had said that if this should happen, death would come out of it. But God didn’t mean a physical death. God was referring to eternal death.
You see, God created us to be eternal beings. Things only got messed up when Adam and Eve disobeyed. Gradually, they started to get old and sick and show the signs of age. The earth started growing weeds and pests. Everything got very difficult. It would require someone who did not possess the “sin gene” to make things right again. So, God decided to make it easy.
First God decided that since only one person caused the “sin gene” in the first place, that it would be acceptable for one person to stand in on behalf of everyone. But, there wasn’t any human being who could do it. That’s why God decided to turn into human form and be born as a human being, from a virgin, not born of the seed of man, but of the power of a perfect God. And they called him Jesus.
Then God decided that if anyone believed in Jesus and what He came to accomplish that it would count for them as if they did not have the “sin gene” any more. Pretty good deal, eh?
So, Jesus was born and lived a perfect life, and then was falsely accused and put to death in order to complete the process of fixing the blood line. Well, it wasn’t enough that God took care of the “sin gene” and then took care of the death penalty. God wanted to be able to give us the ultimate victory; the victory over eternal death. So, God raised Jesus from the dead to prove that everything was fixed and made right again once and for all.
Now, God gives each of us the opportunity to choose whether to believe in Him or not. We can choose eternal death, or we can choose eternal life.
Who needs a savior anyway? WE DO!!
If you would like to tell God that you believe in Jesus and what He did for us then just say this prayer.
God, I believe that Jesus is the Savior I need. I accept Him now and receive the eternal life that you promised. Thank you for making it so easy. Amen
If you prayed this prayer and believe it in your heart, please get in touch with us so we can rejoice with you!
December 30, 2008
Research Shows the Harm Done By Rejecting LGBT Kids
This sounds like a story from the annals of DUH, but there are far too many people who need to see cold, hard evidence of the harm they can do to kids to dismiss this research. From Bilerico:
For the first time, researchers have established a clear link between rejecting behaviors of families towards lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) adolescents and negative health outcomes in early adulthood. The findings will be published in the January issue of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, in a peer-reviewed article titled "Family Rejection as a Predictor of Negative Health Outcomes in White and Latino Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Young Adults." The paper, authored by Dr. Caitlin Ryan and her team at the César E. Chávez Institute at San Francisco State University, which shows that parents' rejecting behaviors towards their LGB children dramatically compromises their health, has far reaching implications for changing how families relate to their LGB children and how LGB youth are served by a wide range of providers across systems of care. The study and development of resource materials was funded by The California Endowment, a health foundation dedicated to expanding access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities.
If anyone you know is in a family situation where there is a struggle to accept a GLBT youngster, please make sure they read this story so they can understand the consequences of not finding a resolution.
Click here to read the rest of the detail of this study at Bilerico.
For the first time, researchers have established a clear link between rejecting behaviors of families towards lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) adolescents and negative health outcomes in early adulthood. The findings will be published in the January issue of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, in a peer-reviewed article titled "Family Rejection as a Predictor of Negative Health Outcomes in White and Latino Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Young Adults." The paper, authored by Dr. Caitlin Ryan and her team at the César E. Chávez Institute at San Francisco State University, which shows that parents' rejecting behaviors towards their LGB children dramatically compromises their health, has far reaching implications for changing how families relate to their LGB children and how LGB youth are served by a wide range of providers across systems of care. The study and development of resource materials was funded by The California Endowment, a health foundation dedicated to expanding access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities.
"For the first time, research has established a predictive link between specific, negative family reactions to their child's sexual orientation and serious health problems for these adolescents in young adulthood--such as depression, illegal drug use, risk for HIV infection, and suicide attempts," said Caitlin Ryan, PhD, Director of the Family Acceptance Project at the César E. Chávez Institute at SF State and lead author of the paper. "The new body of research we are generating will help develop resources, tools and interventions to strengthen families, prevent homelessness, reduce the proportion of youth in foster care and significantly improve the lives of LGBT young people and their families."
"This study clearly shows the tremendous harm of family rejection, even if parents think they are well-intentioned, following deeply held beliefs or even protecting their children," said Dr. Sten Vermund, a pediatrician and Amos Christie Chair of Global Health at Vanderbilt University.If anyone you know is in a family situation where there is a struggle to accept a GLBT youngster, please make sure they read this story so they can understand the consequences of not finding a resolution.
Click here to read the rest of the detail of this study at Bilerico.
December 29, 2008
"Is Gay the New Black?"
That's the title of an essay African-American GLBT activist and journalist Keith Boykin wrote a few days ago. Among the issues he discussed were the level of homophobia in the black community and how best to get more of them to support same-sex marriage. Here are a couple of excerpts: (hat tip to Freedom to Marry)
Homophobia:
Homophobia:
The issue is not whether blacks are homophobic or not. Of course we are. We all live in the same racist, sexist, classist, misogynist, homophobic, heterosexist, culturally imperialistic society. Everyone is affected by those prejudices at some level. The question, though, is whether blacks are more homophobic than others, and that depends, of course, on how you measure homophobia.
On the personal level for many black gays and lesbians, the black community certainly feels more homophobic for those who face the slings and arrows of insult from their friends, family, church members and co-workers. But on a political level, it's hard to prove that blacks are any more homophobic than whites.
Even back in the 1990s, when I wrote my first book, polls showed blacks were more supportive than whites of outlawing employment discrimination against gays, but blacks were still far less supportive of same-sex marriage than whites. How do you explain that?
Same Sex Marriage Support: Many critics of black homophobia fail to grasp the difference between the politically progressive and the socially conservative streaks in the African American community. To communicate effectively to blacks, you need to know how to frame these issues.
If you can figure out how to frame the gay question as a political issue for basic rights instead of a social issue about acceptance, then blacks are much more likely to support it. That's a hard sell for same-sex marriage because many blacks see marriage as a religious structure, not a civil institution. But it creates opportunities to learn effective messaging.
It's important to remember the messenger is just as important as the message. Straight black people are not likely to sympathize with white people preaching to them about the evils of gay discrimination. That's a message that can most effectively be delivered by other blacks, straight and gay. Until the white LGBT movement learns this obvious point and implements strategies to include many more LGBT people of color in positions of visibility and responsibility, they are doomed to repeat the same tragic mistakes of their past failures.
It's also not helpful for gays to equate one movement with another. The civil rights movement is not the same as the gay rights movement, racism is not the same as homophobia and blacks are not the same as gays.
Although there are similarities between the two movements, there are also major differences. But why do gay activists feel the need to prove the struggles are the same in the first place?
I think Boykin's point about the need to raise up black LGBT leaders to mobilize the black community is dead on. Let's face it, any minority will respond more to someone that looks like them and has a similar cultural heritage. Where are those black leaders, either gay or straight, with enough courage to go against the tide and help push their people into becoming stronger allies in the fight for equality?
December 28, 2008
Another Convert in the Fight for Same-Sex Marriage
Caifornia Attorney General Jerry Brown has changed his mind. The former governor (once known as "Governor Moonbeam") and presidential candidate originally supported the legality of Proposition 8 which added discrimination against GLBT people to the state's constitution. He has recently changed his mind. From Time magazine:
With an 111-page legal brief that has surprised legal scholars, Brown reversed course and repudiated his previous statements indicating he'd likely support the legality of Prop 8. Instead, on Friday, he urged the state's Supreme Court to overturn the vote, a move that would infuriate conservatives who are still white-hot mad over the court's historic 4-3 decision that earlier this year prohibited all forms of discrimination against gays, and mandated the state issue marriage licenses to gay couples. In a wide-ranging interview, Brown told TIME that his view of the legal merits of the case had evolved over the past several weeks, and explained why he now thinks the right to gay marriage in California is as fundamental as such bedrock principles as the right to property and to liberty itself.
"Right from the beginning, it looked like the only question was whether the vote was an amendment to the state constitution or something more, a revision," Brown told TIME, explaining his original stance in favor of Prop 8's legality. "But the precedents for saying that the vote was a revision were very few. Based on that, I didn't think we could call it a revision, and therefore Prop 8 looked valid."
But as his staff of more than 30 lawyers began researching the case, Brown said a few urged him to look at the question from a much broader perspective. "Some of the staff said 'wait a minute, there is another way of looking at this.' The idea was that gay marriage involves a basic liberty interest, rights that formed a foundation for our Constitution, that we enjoyed even before California became a state. That was a new way to look at this." Rights like that, he came to believe, can't be taken away, at least not by something as simple as constitutional amendment by popular vote. Instead, those rights he said, are "inalienable" in the same sense that the Declaration of Independence speaks of inalienable rights.
"The issues raised here go far beyond the issue of same-sex marriage," Brown wrote in his brief. "The question is whether rights secured under the state Constitution's safeguard of liberty as an 'inalienable' right may intentionally be withdrawn from a class of persons by an initiative... This litigation, perhaps for the first time, poses a more fundamental question: Is the initiative-amendment power wholly unfettered by the California's Constitution's protection of the People's fundamental right to life, liberty and privacy?" In other words, aren't some rights so sacred that they can't be taken away?
Yes there are, and the right to legally marry the person with whom you have entered into covenant and want to share the rest of your life with is clearly one of them.
December 27, 2008
What Does The Other Guy Think
At many formal occasions, there are both an invocation at the beginning and the benediction at the end. In regards to Barack Obama's Inauguration, all the attention has been focused on Rick Warren, who is giving the invocation. Perhaps we should be paying more attention to who is giving the benediction, Rev. Joseph Lowery, a civil rights icon who supports most civil rights for GLBT people. From the Washington Blade:
Lowery, 87, a founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, was the first to mention Coretta Scott King’s support for gay civil rights at her funeral in February 2006 at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, reminding the audience that she "frowned on homophobia."
Perhaps it is worth focusing on the positive presence and participation of someone like Rev. Lowery and releasing some of the frustration regarding Rick Warren's.
Click here to read the rest of the Washington Blade article.
Here is more on Rev. Lowery in the Washington Post "On Faith" section article "Rev. Joseph Lowery, the Anti-Warren."
Lowery, 87, a founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, was the first to mention Coretta Scott King’s support for gay civil rights at her funeral in February 2006 at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, reminding the audience that she "frowned on homophobia."
Lowery supports rights for gay couples, but stops short of calling for same-sex marriage.
"I support civil rights for all citizens and this includes gay and lesbians citizens. I support civil unions and full benefits (visitation, insurance, etc) for partners in same sex relationships," he said in a written statement to Southern Voice. "Because of the deep seeded roots concerning marriage — in our hearts and minds — for a man and woman, many people, including me, have concerns about the concept/term 'marriage' and experience a degree of cultural shock when faced with same-sex partners. Nevertheless, I am strongly opposed to propositions or amendments that put into law any discrimination against citizens because of sexual orientation."
This is the same kind of forthright response that would have saved Rick Warren some trouble. Instead of trying to nuance his way through, Rev. Lowery was clear that he still had a problem with same-sex couples using the term "marriage." Unfortunate but understandable. More importantly, he is strongly opposed to placing any additional barriers in front of same-sex couples and wants all GLBT people to have a wide, if not entirely complete, range of civil rights.Perhaps it is worth focusing on the positive presence and participation of someone like Rev. Lowery and releasing some of the frustration regarding Rick Warren's.
Click here to read the rest of the Washington Blade article.
Here is more on Rev. Lowery in the Washington Post "On Faith" section article "Rev. Joseph Lowery, the Anti-Warren."
December 24, 2008
Merry Christmas!
Brenda and I want to take a moment and wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas!
While I don't get upset when people say "Happy Hollidays!" instead, I still encourage everyone to remember what Christmas Day commemorates--the birth of our Lord and Savior, who came into this world an an innocent little baby to provide a path to salvation for you and me.
If you don't have someone to be with over the holidays, know that Brenda and I are thinking about you and praying that you connect with the love that Christ wants so much to offer you.
While I don't get upset when people say "Happy Hollidays!" instead, I still encourage everyone to remember what Christmas Day commemorates--the birth of our Lord and Savior, who came into this world an an innocent little baby to provide a path to salvation for you and me.
If you don't have someone to be with over the holidays, know that Brenda and I are thinking about you and praying that you connect with the love that Christ wants so much to offer you.
December 22, 2008
The Decline of the Southern Baptists
For years leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention, to which I belonged for much of my life, crowed about that the decline in membership of mainstream denominations like the Lutheran and Presbyterian churches, blaming it on what they considered liberal theology.
Well, sometimes what goes around comes around. From the Washington Post:
Times are tough, even in the salvation market. After decades of growth, the nation's largest group of Protestants, the Southern Baptist Convention, is reporting losses (in church membership and recorded baptisms) for the third year in a row. Baptisms are at a 20-year low, a figure liable to put an eternity-conscious church into a severe depression.
The writer offers several reasons for this, but here's the one that I think really hits the mark:
The brand is less appealing. After 30 years of theo-political warfare within the denomination and the culture, which has included the merciless purging of evangelical moderates and even conservatives from all Southern Baptist school and agencies, not to mention strong public support for the Republican Party and Administration, the words "Southern Baptist" carry more negatives than positives. The largest and most prominent Southern Baptist congregation in America -- Rick Warren's Saddleback Church -- doesn't even use the word Baptist in its name.
There are some wonderfully devout Southern Baptist Christians who love the Lord and love people but are simply lacking the revelation about God's acceptance of GLBT people. The leadership of the SBC, however, seems to go of its way to put forth a public image of judgement and condemnation of anyone who deviates even slightly from the denomination's doctrine.
People are not inherently stuipd. Many of them will figure out what a load of crap their "hate the sin, love the sinner" approach is when the emphasis invariably falls on the hate part. Those who are truly seeking God are usually well acquainted with hate and don't need to get up early on a Sunday morning and drop some money in the collection plate to get more of it.
People are seeking love, therefore they are seeking the Lord who is love (1 John 4:8). When they find hate and judgement of man instead, they are likely to take their checkbooks and look elsewhere.
I did and have not regretted it. I learned doctrine and scripture in the Southern Baptist churches I belonged to, but I then met the Holy Spirit in an independent gay-affirming church.
When they change churches back from republican campaign headquarters to houses of worship, they might turn this trend around, and in the process maybe gain a better understanding of God's love and acceptence.
Well, sometimes what goes around comes around. From the Washington Post:
Times are tough, even in the salvation market. After decades of growth, the nation's largest group of Protestants, the Southern Baptist Convention, is reporting losses (in church membership and recorded baptisms) for the third year in a row. Baptisms are at a 20-year low, a figure liable to put an eternity-conscious church into a severe depression.
The writer offers several reasons for this, but here's the one that I think really hits the mark:
The brand is less appealing. After 30 years of theo-political warfare within the denomination and the culture, which has included the merciless purging of evangelical moderates and even conservatives from all Southern Baptist school and agencies, not to mention strong public support for the Republican Party and Administration, the words "Southern Baptist" carry more negatives than positives. The largest and most prominent Southern Baptist congregation in America -- Rick Warren's Saddleback Church -- doesn't even use the word Baptist in its name.
There are some wonderfully devout Southern Baptist Christians who love the Lord and love people but are simply lacking the revelation about God's acceptance of GLBT people. The leadership of the SBC, however, seems to go of its way to put forth a public image of judgement and condemnation of anyone who deviates even slightly from the denomination's doctrine.
People are not inherently stuipd. Many of them will figure out what a load of crap their "hate the sin, love the sinner" approach is when the emphasis invariably falls on the hate part. Those who are truly seeking God are usually well acquainted with hate and don't need to get up early on a Sunday morning and drop some money in the collection plate to get more of it.
People are seeking love, therefore they are seeking the Lord who is love (1 John 4:8). When they find hate and judgement of man instead, they are likely to take their checkbooks and look elsewhere.
I did and have not regretted it. I learned doctrine and scripture in the Southern Baptist churches I belonged to, but I then met the Holy Spirit in an independent gay-affirming church.
When they change churches back from republican campaign headquarters to houses of worship, they might turn this trend around, and in the process maybe gain a better understanding of God's love and acceptence.
December 20, 2008
More Thoughts on the Warren Controversy
This is part of an e-mail response I sent to one of my Facebook friends who commented on my last post:
I do have some understanding of the pain that you and many GLBT people are feeling in the wake of Prop 8. This is where I believe the leadership of the major advocacy organizations have let the community down by fanning the flames of this issue into a major controversy rather than keeping it in what I believe is a more appropriate perspective.
I do have some understanding of the pain that you and many GLBT people are feeling in the wake of Prop 8. This is where I believe the leadership of the major advocacy organizations have let the community down by fanning the flames of this issue into a major controversy rather than keeping it in what I believe is a more appropriate perspective.
I think there is one other important thing to remember here. Obama has, to my knowledge, never hinted that he favors marriage equality. By supporting civil unions, he is merely in favor of less discrimination toward GLBT people. This is still a major improvement over Bush and what McCain would have done, but it still approaches same-sex couples as less than equal members of our society. Perhaps in the euphoria of Obama’s victory some people have lost sight of that and developed what I believe could be unrealistic expectations of what an Obama administration could mean to the GLBT community. Perhaps the backlash toward Warren giving the Inaugural invocation is at least partially caused by the first hint of that realization.
Just to be clear, Warren is definitely anti-gay. Check out this video of his recent NBC Dateline interview. That doesn't mean that Obama is giving him a forum to spew that at the Inauguration. Warren will likely offer a prayer asking for God's blessing on Obama's presidency and our nation.
That's something I believe most of us can agree on.
Added: Just found this post by Bill Browning, the editor of th.e widely respected GLBT blog "The Bilerico Project" which shares my perspective and has much more discussion from readers.
December 18, 2008
Some Perspective on Obama and Warren
There has been much hue and cry in the LGBT community since the announcement that Rev. Rick Warren (of "The Purpose-Driven Life" fame) will deliver the invocation at Barack Obama's inauguration.
Warren is very much a Southern Baptist preacher who campaigned for the passage of California's Proposition 8. It is understandable there is anger directed toward Warren by the people whose rights he advocated taking away. I get that, and was disappointed at his activism in that campaign myself.
That being said, though, let's keep it in perspective.
It's a freakin' prayer people! It's not like Obama nominated Warren to a cabinet position or some form of policy making or advisory spot. It's a prayer. Anybody selected for that role is bound to piss some group off, and it happened to be the LGBT community.
It apparently has not been a one way street, however. According to Obama, he was recently invited to Warren's Saddleback Church:
"I think that it is no secret that I am a fierce advocate for equality for gay and lesbian Americas. It is something that I have been consistent on and something that I intend to be consistent on during my presidency. What I have also said is that it is a time for America to come together, even though we may have disagreements on certain social issues. I would note that a couple of years ago I was invited to Rick Warren's church to speak despite his awareness though he was aware that I held views that were entirely contrary to his when it came to gay and lesbian rights when it came to issues like abortion. Nevertheless I had an opportunity to speak. And that dialogue, I think, is what my campaign has been all about.
"We're not going to agree on every single issue. But what we have to is create an atmosphere where we can disagree without being disagreeable and then focus on those things we hold in common as Americans."
The level of outcry over this decision I believe reflects much more poorly on LGBT people than it does on Obama, taking a relatively minor issue and drawing the dividing line of us vs. them in a situation where I don't find it to be very productive. In fact, I think that gives some easy ammunition for anti-gay rights advocates to point to a lack of tolerance from LGBT people.
As a passoinate ally, I would strongly urge leaders of LGBT advocacy groups to pick their battles more wisely.
Warren is very much a Southern Baptist preacher who campaigned for the passage of California's Proposition 8. It is understandable there is anger directed toward Warren by the people whose rights he advocated taking away. I get that, and was disappointed at his activism in that campaign myself.
That being said, though, let's keep it in perspective.
It's a freakin' prayer people! It's not like Obama nominated Warren to a cabinet position or some form of policy making or advisory spot. It's a prayer. Anybody selected for that role is bound to piss some group off, and it happened to be the LGBT community.
It apparently has not been a one way street, however. According to Obama, he was recently invited to Warren's Saddleback Church:
"I think that it is no secret that I am a fierce advocate for equality for gay and lesbian Americas. It is something that I have been consistent on and something that I intend to be consistent on during my presidency. What I have also said is that it is a time for America to come together, even though we may have disagreements on certain social issues. I would note that a couple of years ago I was invited to Rick Warren's church to speak despite his awareness though he was aware that I held views that were entirely contrary to his when it came to gay and lesbian rights when it came to issues like abortion. Nevertheless I had an opportunity to speak. And that dialogue, I think, is what my campaign has been all about.
"We're not going to agree on every single issue. But what we have to is create an atmosphere where we can disagree without being disagreeable and then focus on those things we hold in common as Americans."
The level of outcry over this decision I believe reflects much more poorly on LGBT people than it does on Obama, taking a relatively minor issue and drawing the dividing line of us vs. them in a situation where I don't find it to be very productive. In fact, I think that gives some easy ammunition for anti-gay rights advocates to point to a lack of tolerance from LGBT people.
As a passoinate ally, I would strongly urge leaders of LGBT advocacy groups to pick their battles more wisely.
December 17, 2008
"Some of My Best Friends are Christian"
A serious point can sometimes be made by using satire, and this essay from Bilerico is a good example. Tired of right-wing homophobes denying they are anti-gay by claiming to have gay friends, writer Alex Blaze says he can not possibly be a "Christophobe" because he has Christian friends:
Some of my best friends are Christian.
I know, I know, it may be hard to believe. Some of you may ask, "Alex, why are you friends with members of that radical cult? Don't you know that they want to subjugate women, erase queer people's existence, institute slavery, and convert the entire world to their bizarre lifestyle?"
To which I'd respond, "Yes! But being friends with someone doesn't mean that you have to accept their beliefs or lifestyle!"
It would be ridiculous to accuse me of being a Christophobe, because I have Christian friends. While Radical, Militant Christians like to paint anyone who supports the venerated institution of throwing Christians to lions as a bigot, that's just their way of silencing free speech. If they had their way, believe me, anyone who tried to throw a Christian to the lions or even preached about the importance of the institution would be put in prison.
Not all Christians are like that, though. And I'd suggest all of you go out and find a Christian friend. Let them know that you care and that you're trying to help them move away from that lifestyle.
This isn't about hating the believer, just the belief.
Sounds pretty ridiculous, doesn't it? That's the idea.
Click here to read the entire tounge-in-cheek essay at Bilerico.
Some of my best friends are Christian.
I know, I know, it may be hard to believe. Some of you may ask, "Alex, why are you friends with members of that radical cult? Don't you know that they want to subjugate women, erase queer people's existence, institute slavery, and convert the entire world to their bizarre lifestyle?"
To which I'd respond, "Yes! But being friends with someone doesn't mean that you have to accept their beliefs or lifestyle!"
It would be ridiculous to accuse me of being a Christophobe, because I have Christian friends. While Radical, Militant Christians like to paint anyone who supports the venerated institution of throwing Christians to lions as a bigot, that's just their way of silencing free speech. If they had their way, believe me, anyone who tried to throw a Christian to the lions or even preached about the importance of the institution would be put in prison.
Not all Christians are like that, though. And I'd suggest all of you go out and find a Christian friend. Let them know that you care and that you're trying to help them move away from that lifestyle.
This isn't about hating the believer, just the belief.
Sounds pretty ridiculous, doesn't it? That's the idea.
Click here to read the entire tounge-in-cheek essay at Bilerico.
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