Thanks so much to my friend Anna for pointing the way to this site. Specifically, these two columns--here and here--should be required reading from the pulpit of every mainstream Christian church in the U.S.
So you want to talk about homosexuality? YOU want to talk about homosexuality? You want to talk about homosexuALITY?
Sit down CHRIStian. Give me that bible you're waving before you hurt yourself. I'm going to resist the temptation to snatch it from your hands and beat you with it. I am your worst nightmare, a Texas preacher who knows The Book better than you do.
You cannot wave your unread bible and scare me. I know its larger story and I will tear you a new biblical asshole.
Show me your scriptures. Show me how you justify condemning homosexual people.
Show me what you got, Christian. The Sodom story? That story is about people who wanted to commit a brutal rape. Let's all say it together, "God doesn't like rape". You could have listened to your heart and learned that, Christian. Move on. What else you got?
....And you come to me with two little scraps of scripture to justify your persecution of God's children?
...Sit down Christian. You have not earned the right to speak to this generation. The right to speak is earned with love.
...I do not think the bible teaches that every expression of homosexual love is sinful. The scriptural witness on this subject is shaky at best.
Even if you do not buy my claim that we have no right to demand specific explanation of scriptures from homosexuals since we don't provide similar explanations for the hundreds of passages we blatantly ignore...
Even if you do not agree that the Bible never really addresses the subject of homosexuality as a sexual orientation...
Even if you reject my biblical analysis and decide that the bible is condemning of homosexuals...
Would you at least agree that the passages are ambiguous and open to many interpretations? Would you at least agree that others may responsibly interpret them and not agree with you?
If you could at least acknowledge that scripture is far from clear on this subject, then perhaps you would be willing to err on the side of compassion. Perhaps you would be willing to open your churches to our homosexual brothers and sisters, trusting them to read the bible just as you do, with love and hoping for Grace from God.
It almost makes me want to shout, "Amen, brother!"
