There is a right and wrong side of history in the struggle for full and absolute equality for LGBT people.
All signs indicate that America is in the last decades of the misguided and hurtful effort to treat lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people as second class citizens. And, if history is any guide, a few decades after that the "mea culpa" and formal apologies will come.
We have seen this cycle of oppression and repentance before. Consider the great scourges of anti-Semitism, support of the institution of slavery and violence against indigenous and native peoples. Self-righteous people used selective scripture and "rational" thought to support theologies and world-views that dehumanized Jews, Africans and Native peoples and led to genocidal policies against these groups.
Then decades, and even centuries later, in dramatic examples of "far too little, far to late" the apologies came from church leaders and politicians.
We are in the middle of that oppression-repentance cycle currently with the willful maltreatment of the LGBT communities.
A vivid religious example is the United Methodist Church, which recently reaffirmed the idea that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. They did this while formally apologizing for the denomination's support of segregation and the oppression of native peoples in the past. Oh, the irony!
At the same time the Methodists throw one group under the bus, they extend a hand towards the groups that still have tire tracks on their backs. Of course, we know what comes next. In a few more decades, the Methodists will be having rituals of repentance for how they treated LGBT people.
Here's an idea. Why don't we just skip the "more oppression" part and move straight to the reconciliation and full communion? Saying that gay people can't be Christian (or really anything we want to be) isn't going to work much longer anyway.
People aren't buying the anti-gay rhetoric any more and the younger the person; the more likely they are to support full equality of gay and lesbian people. The problem with the anti-gay position is that people actually know gay people and recognize the fully humanity in their friend, brother, sister, mother, cousin and co-worker. Straight people aren't going to listen to anti-gay lies for much longer.
And now that LGBT people have tasted a tiny bit of what it means to be recognized as a full human being, we will never go back. No matter how much the preacher rails or the psychologist explains, LGBT people today will refuse to be described as sick or sinners because of our sexual or gender orientation. The more any LGBT person understands deep in their soul that they are wonderfully and beautifully made; the more untenable it will be for them to accept people preaching or teaching against them.
Once a soul and mind are freed, they can never be caged, or put back into the closet again.
Progress happens when people have faith that a better world is possible and are willing to work for it. The world is becoming more and more convinced that LGBT peoples must be acknowledged and admitted into full communion with the rest of humanity, and more and more people of all background are joining the struggle.
There is a right and wrong side of history for the struggle for full equality of LGBT peoples. The arc of the universe is bending towards justice for LGBT peoples. Those people who maintain anti-LGBT positions are going to be caught behind the curve.
And if history has taught us anything, those people who are so against gay people today will show up with their hats in their hands, repentant and asking for forgiveness for their sins.
But why wait? Get on the right side of history -- today.
Follow Paul Brandeis Raushenbush on Twitter: www.twitter.com/raushenbush
Belief in Christ.
Repentance of and turning away from the sins which GOD hates.
Trusting in Christ to accomplish the work of regeneration in the life of one called by GOD to eternal life.
One cannot be Christian and continue to live the sinful character which Scripture teaches is an offense to GOD. Matters not the sin, one must change to be accepted by GOD.
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LGBT have equality they want special rights, inequality and they seek to force their deviant religious views on society in order to gain acceptance that will never come.
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LGBT sodomy and homosexuality were illegal for the past 300years until the Liberal sexual revolution of the 1970's. History is on the side of morality and heterosexuality. Sexual homosexual preference is not a right.
Aren't you people the ones full of hate and anger? That's all we need now, more hate and anger. Maybe you and the church should try practicing forgiving each others instead of attacking each others.
Try showing people that you are the better people. All I see here is that gays attacking anybody that doesn't agree with them. You are no better than the church you fight against.
The Bible approved of slavery, genocide, stealing from other races,rape of women of other races , and also of killing people for adultery and of killing people for worshiping differently than the true Faith.
The Constitution introduced the idea that all people are created equal,and are endowed with the inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It does not say that this pursuit can only be achieved by following the Christian religion. ( http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution.html )
Congress shall make no law regarding religion was included for two reasons.It was included so that the Government could not force anyone to believe or worship, or not to believe or worship in any specific way.
The Bible is against this idea. The laws we have in free societies today are much more civilized and much better than the laws of the Bible.
The Bible is an out of date book with out of date rules and anyone that follows it is stuck in a time warp. ( http://danielmiessler.com/blog/the-bible-is-fiction-a-collection-of-evidence )
http://www.godisimaginary.com/
or
"A bachelor is someone who never made the same mistake once."
or a million others I'm sure.
Still, I've been married more than a half century and love it, although my wife may ave some unvoiced doubts.
we attend a small UU church with many LGBTQ members, some single, some married. If no one said, you wouldn't know who is who. That's all the evidence I need to 'know' my childhood homophobia was an ignorance I outgrew.
That will be progress to the utmost.
Sadly, many will be sent to hell by their own choice.
Millions of our fellow human beings...relatives, neighbors, co-workers, and friends will benefit. No one else is harmed. How, pray tell, is that not the right thing to do ?
This is a no brainer...(sigh)
You could read the Bible. (God's evidence)
Therefore, it is natural.
It hazard a guess and say that a great deal of this depression and drug dependency, etc., has to do with the treatment of gays by society in general, their own families and religious organisations which spend an inordinate amount of time calling them sinful and demonizing them as a threat to (1) marriage; (2) society; (3) the continuing existence of the human race.
You only have to browse online sites such as this to see the outpouring of ignorance, invective, spike, hatred, discrimination and willful misinformation about and towards gay people.
A person who know gay people, many of their "issues" come from these factors, and not the mere fact that they are gay.
Would you think it odd if Hafiz said,
"I am in Love with every church
and mosque
and temple
and any kind of shrine
Because I know it is there
That people say the different names
Of the one God."
It is also been written that if you cannot remember history you are deemed to repeat it.. Or doomed either/or. Personally I hope the LGBT community end up running all of it.
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)
Furthermore, Christ is the fulfillment of God's Law. Islam adds laws in the old testament style.
In other words, a Christian must view Islam is being false.
There are well meaning Muslims. And it may be that God will accept them; that is for God to decide. But the God they call out to is not the God of Abraham.
I do know Your "Rule Book" I can't provide the JimNasium 14.6 like you but see if I get this right... "Lying lips are abominable to the Lord those that deal truly is his delight"
So why not do the same America and turn marriage over to the civil authorities? Churches, should they wish, can carry on as they do in Europe. They can even call the thing they do something else in order to maintain the holiness of the sacrament, or whatever their concern is. Then, the rest of us can celebrate love without the stench of religious self-righteousness and condemnation.
That's the bit that I'm suggesting doing away with. If the clergy are no longer permitted to invoke the power of the state, then it strips one more plank from their argument. Also, it would most likely annoy them, which I would enjoy.
It is. Does that mean you and your church will go away now?