Tag: gay marriage

What Offends You More?

All of the uproar about Caitlyn Jenner reminded me of this story which a friend told me years ago. But, before I get to it, these two disclaimers:

I have no idea whether the story is factual or not, but it is a good (dare I say, true?) story.
I also have no idea about the number of children he said died of hunger, but the website poverty.com references a UN statistic that 21,000 die every day from hunger or hunger related causes.

Tony Campolo, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Eastern University and noted Christian speaker and writer, was invited to speak at a well known and fairly affluent church. When it came time for him to speak he stood up and said, “Today, around the world, 20,000 children will die of hunger or hunger related causes. Do you believe all that shit?” After the gasp of the congregation faded away, he went on. “What offends you more? That I said shit or that 20,000 children will die today from lack of food?”

It’s a good question.
What offends you more Caitlyn Jenner or the fact that 6.5 million Syrians have been displaced by the war in Syria and the wider Middle East conflicts and now live in refugee camps? What offends you more the fact that a gay couple may get married or the fact that countless teenagers continue to commit suicide because they are gay or teased about being gay? What offends you more the fact that a cafeteria worker gave free breakfasts to hungry children or the fact that tens of thousands of children in our country will go to bed hungry tonight?

Too often, with good reason, Christians are seen as focusing on the Caitlyn Jenners and gay marriage and the cafeteria worker and forgetting the desperate plight of the refugees and the awful reality of war and that fact that too many teenagers see suicide as the only way to escape the pain and rejection they experience and that children in our own neighborhoods will go to bed tonight hungry. And, those around us look at what we do and what we say and turn away shaking their heads.

What offends you more?
Those of us who take our place within faith communities and stand within religious traditions, need to decide.
Because IT IS IMPORTANT.

Dear Mr. Stern, President of World Vision U.S.

Dear Mr. Stern,

I am sure you are still living in the whirlwind created by the decision and then abrupt reversal of the decision made by World Vision to consider employing couples in a committed homosexual relationship. I am just a parish pastor and not the head of a denomination or an organization with significant funds to support the work of World Vision and so my two cents won’t amount to much, but remaining silent is not an attractive or faithful option.

World Vision reversed its decision not because of beliefs or values central to the Gospel or to the mission of your organization, but because of money. When a portion of the evangelical community withdrew funds or threatened to withdraw funds, sometimes conveying their decision to you using language and rhetoric which was, at least, hurtful if not hateful, you backed away from a decision that, I am sure, you and the World Vision Board thought long and hard about. You also backed away from an opportunity to engage those who disagreed with you and other religious leaders in an open and honest conversation about what values are central to the Gospel and to your organization (please reread A Hole in the Gospel). This would have been a unique opportunity to remind not only the Christians community, but also the larger community about the desperate need faced by so many in our world and a set of values that are central to our faith tradition.

Also, I am afraid your short-term financial gain will result in a long-term loss. All the studies and statistics I read indicate that those who are younger than you and me do not see homosexuality and gay marriage in the same way those who withdrew their financial support view it. In fact, those who are younger are highly critical of and turning their backs on religion and religious organizations which they perceive as narrow-minded and hateful. All of which means, that as funding for organizations such as World Vision shifts from this current generation to younger generations, potential supporters are going to look for organizations that not only are doing much needed work to alleviate suffering and hunger, but organizations which reflect values and practices which are more inclusive and understanding. Your decision, and the manner in which it was made and communicated, not only reinforced destructive stereotypes, but also turned away from the opportunity to help the next generation share in the ministry and mission of World Vision.

Sincerely,
The Rev. Paul Alcorn

Under Attack. Really?

“You can safely assume you’ve created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.” – Anne Lamott

The quote by Anne Lamott probably gives me away.
But, I have to admit I don’t get it.
I take them at their word, but I don’t understand the anger and the angst felt by those who feel their religious liberties are being infringed upon either by the LGBT community demanding acceptance or by the emerge of diverse religious/spiritual voices now finding a place in our country. I do understand that the culture in which I grew up has changed and is no more. And, I do understand that is hard and scary and for those of us in the Church because what we once knew and cherished is no more…at least in the way we remember it.

But, if this is really about faith more than it is about politics and power, isn’t our understanding of God bigger than that? I happen to think God is more inclusive and welcoming and loving than I am and probably ever can or will be. But even if I imagine God in the more traditional sense of my childhood, isn’t that understanding of God also big enough and broad enough to temper our anger and angst and our hurtful rhetoric? If a change in our understanding of marriage goes against our understanding of the intent of God, is our best response to legislate morality or to provide a compelling enough witness though how we both live and speak that space is created for those others who do not think as we do to enter into a conversation with us about what we believe and why we believe it?

Right now, it seems to me, that all we are doing is pushing people away.
They are turning their backs to us rather than turning to talk.

Tags

Several things I believe: