Quote:
Originally Posted by Steven E. Webster
Friends,
I'm not reacting so negatively to this congregation. It sounds like they are very divided. Rather than go along with folks that want to exclude LGBT people, they have decided that there will be no family photos in the directory either heterosexual or LGBT. That, at least, doesn't treat LGBT families as less than heterosexual families.
Sounds like the pastor might get ousted by the "conservative" faction if they have their way--he doesn't deserve it. I hope the moderates and progressives in that church keep tying to hold it all together.
Seems also like there is more that the "gay issue" involved here---notice the controversy over Marcus Borg having preached there. Borg is a wonderful biblical scholar and I am impressed that this congregation is open enough to have him speak there at all, much less in the pulpit. But the controversy over Borg indicates there is a conservative-liberal split in the works here---too bad!
I'm a liberal/progressive and proud of it, but I also hope that the church can get beyond divisions and make a place for all to worship without demeaning anyone.
Steven Webster
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I guess that my negative reaction is not to the entire church, but that conservative faction that is "ok" with gay couples worshipping with them, but not truly embracing them. Thus my reference to DADT. The gay couples in this congregation are being loved conditionally. As long as they "keep their place" and keep quiet about who they really are, then it seems ok to "allow" them to attend church, and allow them to support the church financially. It seems that the conservative faction is embarassed that a church pictorial would include gay couples. It seems like they are saying that they don't want anyone to know their church includes gay and lesbian families.
I commend the pastor. I agree that this is an imperfect resolution of the problem though. I also agree that there is much more going on here than just a question of whether lgbt people should be welcome in this church.