Millions of people around the world are celebrating at LGBT Pride parades this month. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and straight folks are dancing on pulsating floats, riding on roaring motorcycles, sharing activist messages, and showcasing their most flamboyant finery. And many, many of these people are religious.
At the heart of most Pride parades in America, you will see religious congregations marching. Jews, Christians, Pagans, Buddhists, and others share in the spirit of the original Stonewall uprising of '69 by proclaiming that they have a right to be who they really are meant to be, which, in our case, is both LGBT and religious. Unfortunately, like many of my sisters and brothers who identify as both LGBT and religious, I find that sometimes I am asked to choose between my identities.
Sadly, many religious organizations continue to hold on to cultural prejudices and lazy scriptural reading and categorically reject the fact that people can be fully religious and LGBT. The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a good and timely example. The SBC has been congratulating itself mightily this week for having elected its first African-American president. Formed in 1845 as a breakaway denomination that insisted that slavery was mandated by the Bible, it took them only about 150 years to reverse their thinking on the basic humanity of black folks.
But they were quick to restrict that dignity from being extended to LGBT people. The SBC passed a resolution that states, "It is regrettable that homosexual rights activists and those who are promoting the recognition of 'same-sex marriage' have misappropriated the rhetoric of the Civil Rights Movement." It is funny that the SBC is now so invested in the civil-rights movement, as it certainly was not supportive when it was happening in the '60s.
And while it is true that the LGBT experience is not identical to that of African Americans, it is also true that these freedom struggles are not mutually exclusive. To begin with, there are LGBT people of color, and furthermore, most of the civil-rights leaders who were actually part of the struggle have come out in support of the equality of LGBT people, including the late Coretta Scott King, Julian Bond, and John Lewis.
The idea that one freedom struggle has to exclude another is caused by either a lack of imagination or the devilish tactic of divide-and-conquer. But even if the Southern Baptist leaders are not ready to embrace LGBT rights, that doesn't mean there aren't a lot of LGBT Southern Baptists. While religious hierarchies continue to pass resolutions and white-knuckle their grip on dogmas that oppress, there are millions of religious LGBT-identified people who continue to worship, volunteer, and practice their faith in spite of it all.
In fact, the progress toward acceptance of LGBT people within religious organizations has been nothing short of miraculous. Several mainstream Christian denominations and the two largest Jewish movements have, to some degree or another, recognized LGBT people as full members of their communities. And movements within Islam, Hinduism, and many other religions are forming or well on their way. This is all within the last 40 years.
At the same time, some of the pressure that religious LGBT people feel comes from within the LGBT community itself, from people who insist that all religion is hostile to LGBT people and that by staying there we are subjecting ourselves to a kind of deluded abuse. This is a horribly patronizing view that ignores the diversity of cultures, religions, and experiences within the LGBT community.
For many of us, our religious tradition and spiritual practice are an essential part of our lives. My partner and I attend an Episcopalian church most Sundays. We spend time next to one another in silent reflection and prayer, enjoying the beautiful music and space of our small church and taking part in the powerful experience of the liturgy. In our church we find LGBT and straight people in the pews and on the altar. In the church we feel connected to the deep tradition that stretches out behind us, and to the call of God, which moves the church, and us, forward.
This Sunday I won't be at the Pride parade in New York. Instead, I will be attending the church that nurtured me when I was young in Madison, Wis. They have graciously asked me to say a few words to the congregation about my life in the 30 years since I left. I plan to tell them how grateful I am to my parents for taking me and my siblings to that mainline Presbyterian church that instilled in me a sense of responsibility to my neighbor and gave me the joy of a loving community and an abiding sense of the love of God in my life. I look forward to saying the Lord's Prayer next to the current congregation in the place that taught me how to pray.
It is the best way I know to celebrate Gay Pride Sunday.
Follow Paul Brandeis Raushenbush on Twitter: www.twitter.com/raushenbush
God may be calling you, but to give up homosexuality, and then come back to Him.
Genesis 9:
11 And I will establish My covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.
12 And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth.
14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
15 And I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
It is a symbol of God's covenant between man and every living creature but is being used by sinners as a symbol for a sinful lifestyle.
FYI. People still die in floods every year. Does that mean God didn't keep his promise?
There is physical evidence in addition to the account in the Bible. If you are willing to review the evidence, see the following article:
(http://www.wnd.com/2012/06/does-science-prove-noahs-flood/?cat_orig=faith)
Mid-oceanic ridges are supported by the Biblical accout of Genesis 7:11 which says that on the day the flood began, there was a “breaking up” of the fountains The waters that had been held back burst forth with catastrophic consequences.
God does keep His promises and the promise was specific "and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy ALL flesh." If we, as a society, decide to build houses on known flood plains, earthquake faults and else, does it become God's fault when the physical barriers we built fail? Man's problems were not and are not caused by God. They are caused by mankind.
God attempted to stop Cain from killing Abel in Genesis 4:6-8
"And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him."
"Remember, Jesus would rather constantly shame gays than let orphans have a family."
I just talked to god and he says he’s a gay pro-abortion Atheist! Now, prove that statement false
He?
These confuses and fudges the whole situation and in the mess, the basic point about human rights and equality can often get buried under a tiresome and pointless exchanging of scriptural references.
1. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.
2. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
3. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
4. Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
There are no ifs, ands, or buts here. None....
Because it doesn't say that. If it does, throw it out and get a proper translation.
I think the stand and be counted as American Citizens with the same birth rights or naturalized rights as any other American is the route to go.
I wish someone could help me to understand why people who believe in the Trinity have the right to dictate what is lawful and what is not, they can even get their Gods laws right. Don't commit adultery, don't kill, obey thy father and mother, just to name a few. I do believe we have the Freedom of Religion in this country. Now with that said. I do not understand why I have to abide by someones religious beliefs, in the way of laws, that satisfy their religious convictions YET hinder in my life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
I was born in America, raised in America, I work and pay my share of taxes in America still I have to fight for my Equal Rights to Civil Rights in America.
Guys in jail might say the same thing ...:)
What if I tell you, I am not a Christian and I promise to never follow your laws rights and rituals. I promise to always practice my faith and will never insult your holy institutions by bringing my homosexuality within their walls. Now can I have my equal rights as an American Citizen and marry who I choose. Oh and I promise my partner and our children will never come within shouting distance of your institutions either. Okay so can I go get my marriage license now and legalize my 13 yr relationship with my loved one?
Very sad that some christians reject christ.
Jews, Christians, Pagans, Buddhists, and others don't necessarily belong to a defined religion.
Which church does that, I would like to know, please.