One unfortunate side effect of this so-called culture battle is how the anti-lgbtq evangelical and religious right have co-opted the concept of religion and Christianity.
This mindset of the lgbtq community versus Christians and people of faith is a huge lie, particularly because of the fact that many lgbtqs are people of faith. And don't even start listing Biblical verses which supposedly speaks against homosexuality. I generally don't like to debate such things because I believe the final judgement belongs to God.
But that doesn't mean I don't get angry with people pushing the narrative that all Christians and people of faith in general believe one way about the lgbtq community. According to an excerpt below from a recent article in the San Antonio Express News there are many Christians and other people of faith who lgbtq equality:
Some 200 ministers, rabbis and other religious leaders wrote to select House members Thursday asking them to support policies that treat lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Texans on an equal basis with other people. The letter went to lawmakers including members of the House State Affairs Committee, which is considering legislation that would restrict the restrooms transgender people can use. The religious leaders didn’t confine their message to the bathroom bill, although they cited it among other legislation.
“Our faith compels us to oppose anti-transgender legislation (‘bathroom bills),
discriminatory laws masquerading as “religious freedom,” or any other attempts to treat Texas’ LGBT community as second-class citizens,” said the letter from Texas Believes, which according to its website is a project of the Texas Freedom Network and Equality Texas. The Texas Freedom Network describes itself as a watchdog of far-right issues and a defender of individual liberties. Equality Texas works for full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Texans, “We will continue to speak out against all attempts to use religion to demonize, discriminate against or bring harm to our LGBT sisters and brothers. And we encourage you, as leaders in our state, to support policies that treat all Texans equally under the law, including the LGBT community,” said the letter.
Besides State Affairs members, the letter went to House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, who opposes a bathroom bill approved by the Senate; Rep. Ron Simmons, R-Carrollton, the author of a House version of the bathroom bill; and several members of the Calendars Committee, which schedules legislation for House debate.
It is up to all of us to not allow the anti-lgbtq evangelical and religious right to nab the concepts of Christianity and religion in general. They don't have nor do they deserve sole ownership.
3 comments:
Once again, thank you.
If it weren't for you I wouldn't have heard about this letter.
I visit your blog often and always appreciate your take on situations.
Jen
I don't understand why LGBT+ accepting and affirming faith communities don't speak out more often and more vociferously to denounce the co-opting of Christianity by the right-wing, evangelical, fundamentalist lobby. Perhaps if legislators knew that not every person of faith shares the anti-LGBT "belief" they might be more thoughtful and reasoned in their law-making.
@Frank
Unfortunately, I think that would just re-enforce the hater's notion that THEY are the true Christians instead of the other way around.
Once insane, always insane.
Post a Comment