FIRST, LET ME begin by apologizing. For too long Christians have used the Bible to justify discrimination against gays and lesbians (not to mention others). Homosexuality is not a sin—but discrimination is.
It was with relief for many (myself included) that the United Church of Christ (UCC), the denomination that I serve, became the first Christian church to endorse marriage equality in 2005. We took a lot of flak at the time, but it was the only responsible action to take. Today, a majority of Americans—including growing numbers of people of faith—support marriage equality.
Regardless, it cannot be denied that Christians have caused great harm to gays and lesbians either through overt bigotry or silence when gays and lesbians cried out for justice. We have much to repent for.
The general synod of the UCC proclaimed in 2005 that:
“The message of the Gospel is the lens through which the whole of scripture is to be interpreted. Love and compassion, justice and peace are at the very core of the life and ministry of Jesus. It is a message that always bends toward inclusion. The biblical story recounts the ways in which inclusion and welcome to God’s community is ever expanding—from the story of Abraham and Sarah, to the inclusive ministry of Jesus, to the baptism of Cornelius, to the missionary journeys of Paul throughout the Greco-Roman world.”
The acceptance of the theological worldview advanced by the UCC has been astonishing, as other Christian denominations, such as the Episcopal and Presbyterian churches, have come to support marriage equality as well. What brought about this sea change? In part, it was anti-gay advocacy by the religious right.
Oregon’s 1992 Measure 9 is a good example. That measure, which would have compelled the state to “discourage” homosexuality, prompted gays and lesbians to come out of the closet. When that occurred, it required our churches to struggle with the reality that our congregations included gays and lesbians (along with bisexual and transgender people). The impact was that it forced churches to decide whether or not to be welcoming of all people. This isn’t what the religious right intended.
There is more work to be done, of course. Too many Christians still oppose equality. Some have even promoted new laws that would allow businesses to discriminate against gays and lesbians based on a personal religious belief exemption. It is worth noting that when such a law was passed in Indiana, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) voted to move their annual meeting out of the state in protest. We cannot allow politicians or preachers to misuse religion as a tool to divide Americans for partisan political gain.
As has become the norm, numerous religious groups will march in Pride parades across the country, including Portland. This is how it always should have been. I’m sorry it took so long for us to get to the party, and ask forgiveness and grace from those we have wounded as we try to better live up to the teachings of Jesus, who turned no one away.
Rev. Dr. Chuck Currie, a Northeast Portland resident, is the director of the Center for Peace and Spirituality and university chaplain at Pacific University.
More Pride Issue Articles:
What those on the right just refuse to acknowledge is
1 legal marriage, a contract with government, does not equate to holy matrimony, a contract with God
2 A loving home will always be superior to no home, or the prison of verbal/physical abuse, alcoholism, etc.
When leaders, both political and religious, stop seeing equality as a threat to them, stop denigrating a family for looking different, perhaps the younger flock will follow again.
Wrong on so many levels. You should NOT be a Reverend since you are leading people away from the truth. You will be held accountable.
All I can say is no wonder God warned us about U
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
Acts 20:29-31
The Spirit says clearly that some people will abandon the faith in later times; giving heed to deceiving spirits and teachings of devils. 1 Timothy 4:1
“‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable Leviticus 20:13
“‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.
Leviticus 18:22
Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
Romans 1: 28-32
I give no quarter to one who says they speak for God yet leads people down the road to rebellion against God and what God proclaimed. God is immutable and He did not change his mind because society did and Satan wants people confused about what sin is. God had Moses and Paul go to little description as to the specifics of what a sin was, with the exception of homosexuality and sexual misconduct. This is very well defined as to what constitutes exactly that SIN. An abomination or detestable act to God is a sin so gross to Him that he would destroy whole cities for it. Yet you teach people they don’t have to turn from sin to repent by saying this abomination is not a sin. Well I am letting you know if you are that ignorant, willfully or accidentally through gross negligence to study to be a worthy servant of God that you have been informed and will stand without excuse for all the souls you are leading to hell with that message.
All I can say is no wonder God warned us about U
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
Acts 20:29-31
All I can say is no wonder God warned us about U
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
Acts 20:29-31
The Spirit says clearly that some people will abandon the faith in later times; giving heed to deceiving spirits and teachings of devils. 1 Timothy 4:1
“‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable Leviticus 20:13
“‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.
Leviticus 18:22
Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
Romans 1: 28-32
I give no quarter to one who says they speak for God yet leads people down the road to rebellion against God and what God proclaimed. God is immutable and He did not change his mind because society did and Satan wants people confused about what sin is. God had Moses and Paul go to little description as to the specifics of what a sin was, with the exception of homosexuality and sexual misconduct. This is very well defined as to what constitutes exactly that SIN. An abomination or detestable act to God is a sin so gross to Him that he would destroy whole cities for it. Yet you teach people they don’t have to turn from sin to repent by saying this abomination is not a sin. Well I am letting you know if you are that ignorant, willfully or accidentally through gross negligence to study to be a worthy servant of God that you have been informed and will stand without excuse for all the souls you are leading to hell with that message.
Ephesians 5:11
Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
2 Timothy 4:3-4
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
Galatians 1:6-9
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.