Though the most visible black man in America has endorsed gay marriage, don't think that our long struggle to reconcile the religious ethics that animate so many black communities and gay rights is over.
Many black pastors claim that their disagreement with same sex marriage is rooted in scripture. But since when did black folks, who embraced the spirit of Christianity long before literacy was even legal for many of us, start depending on literal readings of the Bible? We all know that according to a literal interpretation of the Bible we should still be in chains. The opposition to gay marriage in black churches is not about scripture. It stems from the desire to protect patriarchy, a central defining element of black churches today. Homosexual unions would challenge the foundation of a church in which men and women are viewed not only as fundamentally different, but also as entrenched in a divinely inspired hierarchical relationship which privileges men over women.
Sexism in black churches is a long-standing tradition, which is most visible in the fact that black men still overwhelmingly make up the leadership, especially in the role of senior pastor, of black churches. Meanwhile women make up the majority of the members. According to the Pew Forum for Religious Life women make up 60% of black churches. Because of this imbalance, black ministers often characterize black women as the "backbone" of the church, but as theologian, Jacquelyn Grant points out, "...most of the ministers who use this term are referring to location rather than function. What they really mean is that women are in the "background" and should be kept there..." Turn on any televised black mega church and you can see this arrangement in action as a lone man preaches vehemently to pews teeming with women. None of the major mega churches, with their influential television ministries, have a woman at the helm. Meanwhile, black women are filling collection plates all over the country, in some cases funding multimillion-dollar operations, run almost exclusively by men.
At the root of these disparities is an overt theology put forth by many churches that insists that men and women have fundamentally different roles in marriage. Where men are to assume a leadership position, women are to be helpmates to men. Though ministers insist that that neither role is superior or inferior, they wouldn't have to make that argument if it wasn't so obvious that there is no equality in this arrangement. Women are considered by virtue of biology to be less capable in the eyes of God and man. Thus, even though many of these churches include women ministers, they are often relegated to ministering to women about how to be better helpmates to men.
To be sure, there are black churches that hold more progressive views, churches that espouse liberation theology and promote a basic sense of equity between men and women. President Obama's former church, Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago where Rev. Jeremiah Wright once ministered is among these churches. But even at this beacon, there has never been a woman as head pastor. This is because the roots of patriarchy run so deep in black churches that many members whether consciously or unconsciously can't imagine women holding the chief position of leadership.
Homosexual unions would fly in the face of patriarchy by poking holes in the very notion of a male-female hierarchy as the primary means through which marriage, and relationships between men and women, can be understood. Who for example would be the head of the household if both partners were men? In a lesbian marriage, who would play the role of helpmate? In fact, if lesbianism is a viable possibility then perhaps men are not a necessarily required for leadership in and outside of marriage after all. Indeed, lesbianism is the big bugaboo for black churches, even more so than gay men. There has always been a specific place cut out for gay men in black churches. As long as they are musical and don't openly acknowledge themselves as sexual beings, they can go on directing the choir without question. Though they are certainly carefully constricted, they too have some of the privileges of being men in a black church. They are given the benefit of a doubt. But there is no such place for lesbianism because it is the ultimate rejection of the patriarchal structures that are the mainstay of the church.
In the end, if marriage equality is ever to get any traction in black churches, we first have to begin dismantling the patriarchal structures that define them. Though women are often subordinated to men, their numbers alone make them a powerful constituency. If these women would stop buying into their own oppression, all hell would break loose in the black church. If just half of these women stopped sitting down in those pews and passing their hard earned dollars to men who drive cars that cost more than these women's houses, change would be swift and unrelenting. Black women should treat the black church the same way they would treat a patriarchal, self-serving, preachy boyfriend, and let their feet do the talking. If they ever do, patriarchy and homophobia in black churches will fall by the way side.
Cassandra Jackson is a Professor of English at The College of New Jersey. Her latest book is Violence, Visual Culture, and the Black Male Body.
Onesimus was a runaway slave that became a Christian listening to the Apostle Paul, who sent him back to his master Philemon, whom Paul knew, with a letter. That short, one chapter letter to Philemon is part of the New Testament.
The heart of the letter to Philemon is verses 15 & 16:
"For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord."
I doubt Philemon put Onesimus in chains.
Heaven forbid that black folks should know more about what God has said.
"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." - 2 Timothy 3:16-17
This comes from the King James version of Genesis 2:18, "And the LORD God said, [It is] not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." In King James' time, the word "meet" in this context means, "suitable".
The Hebrew word "'ezer" translated as "help" does not denote an inferior. In fact, nearly all other uses of that Hebrew word in the Old Testament refer to God Himself, for instance, Psalm 33:20, "Our soul waiteth for the LORD: He is our help and our shield."
Moses named one of his sons Eliezer, which means "My God is a helper" (Exodus 18:4) The idea even carries forward into the New Testament. In John 14:26 (New American Standard version), Jesus says, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." See also John 14:16, John 15:26, and John 16:7.
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her," - Ephesians 5:25. Seems to me that the husband symbolizes Christ, and the wife symbolizes the Holy Spirit.
The challenge is - that the black church community that is against Marriage Equality - won't label this as the reason - instead, they hide behind 1. Biblical Literalism and 2. a Faux defense of the Civil Rights movement. Both of these reasons are being challenged and seen for the smoke screens that they are - a lot has shifted on this since my blog entry about these 2 false defenses - http://www.revdavida.blogspot.com/2012/01/reflecting-on-dream.html
As these reasons continue to dissolve - the issues of homophobia and patriarchy will become more and more exposed. Developmentally it seems that the fraction of the Black Church community for whom this is still a challenge - will ultimately have to "Man Up" and realize that real manhood is not about "puff chested machoism" but more about tenderhearted compassion for ALL of God's children.
However, I would not limit this insight to Black churches in America. Patriarchy is at the root of homophobia in all churches, including Catholic and Muslim, and in all countries, including non-religious countries such as Cuba and North Korea.
Bottom line is that patriarchy is the source of all homophobia.
Two males forming a union or two females forming a union do not add up to diversity.
That adds up to sameness.
Diversity is found in the male female union.
The two, male born male, and female born female, make up two unique persons with unique characteistics that form one whole.
As human beings we are all capable of having, "Personality, compassion, intelligence, LOVE, interests, achievements, failures, BELIEFS etc. etc." And it is both normal and natural for a man and a woman to erotically express those feelings between each other through sex. Anatomically the two are different i.e. penis and vagina and by function, one inserts the other receives, thereby forming a physical and emotional union through a sexual act of love-making.
It would be wrong of me to think that homosexuals are not capable of "loving and monogamous" relationships.
I think cc111 was just trying to point out that the act of homosexuality by comparison is unseemly to heterosexuality because the "characteristics" of the organs are the "same thing" and the function.....try visualising.
Your creator not only has the right but the obligation to lay down certain principles, right and wrongs, good and bad just as any parent does.
Read any study and you find the same thing. Children do best with their biological parent mother and father.
Every study shows the family unit is the singular most important factor to community health.
Every study shows male and female need a father and mother in their lives to do well.
That is how they learn diversity.
The impact of the father on daughters is just now starting to be studied and the implications are profound.
Two mothers are not capable of providing what a father in the family can provide.
Two males cannot provide what a mother provides the family.
Marriage of the male and female bonds the father to the children.
The trend since the 60’s has been a “me” mentality. What is good for “me”.
What makes “me” happy and satisfies “me”. The Christian faith and family are founded on an “us” mentality.
What is best for “all” is the foundation of the Christian Church and is the most stable model for any culture.
Billions is a big number and that number is very debatable. The gay community would like the world to think they are much larger group than they are.
http://www.wfu.edu/~nielsen/15%20yr%20article.pdf
http://www.americanvalues.org/html/r-turning_the_corner.html
There have been observed cases of parthenogenesis (asexual reproduction) in the hammerhead shark and the blacktip shark.
Why?
Man is not a flower or a fish.
We have benn made a litlle higher.
Could that be why?
Figure are from the Center for Disease control. USA
In 2009, black men who have sex with men (MSM)1 represented an estimated 73% of new infections among all black men, and 37% among all MSM. More new HIV infections occurred among young black MSM (aged 13–29) than any other age and racial group of MSM. In addition, new HIV infections among young black MSM increased by 48% from 2006–2009.
African Americans accounted for 44% of all new HIV infections in that year. Compared with members of other races and ethnicities, African Americans account for a higher proportion of HIV infections at all stages of disease—from new infections to deaths
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/aa/
The Bible clearly opposes homosexuality. This condemnation is based on scripturally sound teaching and it has has been agreed upon by many since the Bible was authored. God, the author of life, created women for men. That is the divine norm and both a physical and spiritual mandate.
As for my opinion on the leadership of the church, I stick by my initial comment. Again, men in principle are the dominant sex. Therefore I believe that naturally male theological leadership roles are more appropriate for the spiritual well being of the church. It is becoming more apparent that when we start to deviate away from biblical patriarchal leadership, it gives rise to the tolerance of forbidden behaviours which the Bible commands us to abstain from. Homosexuality, which is clearly condemned by ALL the prophets, is now being welcomed by many churches.
Apostle Paul speaks of the great mystery of the church. And homosexuality by its very nature contravenes that. I did not forget about great women of the Bible. My contention here is that God ordained spiritual headship for men.
Also read1 Timothy 4:1-2.