[On August 7th, The Johnson City Press requested readers to write their opinions regarding the amendment to the Tennessee constitution on the November ballot to restrict marriage to heterosexuals. In the August 20th edition, they printed some of these opinions. The paper wrote that in its "unscientific on-line poll" approximately 70% of the respondents were in favor of the amendment. Twenty-six percent were against it (1% undecided, 3% "don't care"). The paper published my letter, printed below.]
Voting Against
"I have been honored to officiate at holy unions for gay and lesbian couples that I believe are as holy and blessed as any of the marriages I have performed for straight couples. I serve a congregation that welcomes and loves gay and lesbian people, their partners and families, and regards them as full and equal members.
I will be voting against this amendment in November. Regardless of what happens with this legislation, it is even more important that sexual minorities in this area know that you do not have to choose between your faith and who you are. There are congregations here that are open and affirming. I am proud to serve one of them."
John Shuck
Minister
First Presbyterian Church
Elizabethton
[If you would like to learn about this issue and support equal rights for all people, you can check out this website: "Vote No on No. 1"]
I want to say that I am very proud that John and other church members spoke up in support of gay and lesbian rights in the Johnson City Press. It is disheartening to read that 70% of the people in the informal pole (probably around the state too) will vote to ban the LGBT community from enjoying the same rights that the privileged majority hold--not that there is too much evidence that heterosexuals are doing too well with marriage anyway.
ReplyDeleteIt never fails to amaze me that human beings can decide to hate 7% to 10%of the people in their own communities whom they have never met and do not know. There are those who attempt to back out of this shameful disregard for our mandate to love one another with some paraphrase of the idea that they "love the sinner, but hate the sin." Those who like to talk about public policy do something similar in separating the person from the deed: People, they say, have rights to equality, but not all acts should be sanctioned. I loved the one about the bicycle on the freeway in the paper. And yet, there is not a single heterosexual who wrote into the paper Sunday who separates who they are from their sexuality. Indeed, they would all say that their sexual identity was intimately connected to their self-concept and self-esteem. What makes them think that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters are any less connected to their sexual identity? It is not the fully integrated people with clear sexual identities and appropriate human boudaries that we have to fear. We should fear those who in fact do separate themselves from their sexual acts in the form of becoming predators, rapists, or child molestors. By far, these are the crimes of the heterosexual community, not the LGBT community.
For the religious fanatics who are fond of extricating their favorite lines from the first five books of the old testament (Jesus does not seem to have realized what an important issue homosexuality was or is), I would suggest that we equally take up arms against (a)the wearing of clothes made of more than one fiber, (b) planting a field with more than one crop, or (c) not forgiving the debts owed us by our brothers and sisters every seven years. Laws of the old testament, after all, must be applied equally--or NOT AT ALL.
I hate to actually say that some of my best friends are lesbian or gay, but, as it turns out, SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS ARE LESBIAN or GAY, and I don't tolerate well having them oppressed, discriminated against, or hated for no other reason than they are not part of the majority. There are but two great commandments: Love God with your whole heart and your whole mind and Love your neighbor (even your enemy, Christ would say) as yourself. Live and let live. Love and let all be loved. Granting the same rights to all is the only way to protect these rights for ourselves.
VOTE AGAINST THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO BAN SAME-SEX MARRIAGES! AND GET OTHERS TO DO THE SAME!
Jim Bitter
John’s letter reminds us of a similar note he published in The Billings Gazette. In fact, it was such a letter that lead us to FPC in Billings and eventually our commitment ceremony/Holy Union in the sanctuary. We pray that there are GLBT couples and singles in the Elizabethton area, who may have felt disenfranchised and will read John’s letter and find the courage to attend a worship service. It will not be a regret! Under John’s leadership we were able to participate fully and use our gifts and talents to serve the congregation, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and God.
ReplyDeleteWe still bask in the glow of beautiful memories that John helped to create on our special day. He preached the most sincere and heart-touching sermon. Our parents still ask about John, his passion and commitment to GLBT rights, and his well-being.
Our hope is that all GLBT people could have the opportunity to know the same warmth and love of God.
Blessings to you all in Elizabethton! Keep up the good work in your congregation and the strength to be open and affirming!
Peace,
Tony & Mike
Billings, MT
The challenge has been set - what is more harmful to society "Hate or Homosexuality?"
ReplyDeleteWhat seems most spurious about this falsely dichotomous view is that it reduces any objection one might lift to homosexual "marriage" (or - to put it better - any deviation from monogamous, lifelong, faithful heterosexual marriage) to HATE. I can assure you that I do not hate homosexuals, though I am grieved at their sin. (No moreso, I hope, than I am grieved at my own.)
There are actually a number of reasons that have nothing to do with religious convictions - reasons that are well supported by social scientific studies as well as logical thought - to oppose advocacy for anything other than the normativity of marriage as defined above (lifelong, faithful, heterosexual).
If you are still open to reasonable objections, I encourage you to visit http://www.princetonprinciples.org/ which was formed, in part, to counter the extreme views of those supporting the "beyond gay marriage" movement.
Respectfully,
Chris Larimer
Thanks, folks.
ReplyDeleteI think that there are at least 500 churches in the Tri-cities area. Maybe that number is closer to 1,000, depending how we define the area. That is a guess. Let's say, 750. Of that number, I know of no other church that openly (as in declares in its statement of welcome on the bulletin and web page) declares full welcome to sexual minorities. But I do not know for sure. Some congregations are open and affirming but may not state it, although, I have to wonder if they are sincere. In other words, when challenged will they stand up for their glbt members and visitors?
Let's say there are two or three, maybe even five congregations that are officially welcoming churches (I can think of the UU church and the Unity church. Munsey Methodist claims to have "open doors, open minds, open hearts" but I don't know how open they are to glbt folks).
The point is that of 750 congregations, five at best are officially welcoming. That means that there are 745 congregations that are not.
I do not debate the full humanity and the full blessedness of same-gender relationships in my congregation. It is a given.
If there is one issue on which I have become very directive in my pastoral authority, it is that I have zero-tolerance for any statements or actions that in any way suggest that glbt people and their sexuality is unacceptable, sinful, or whatever.
Congregation members may have individual opinions regarding the full humanity of glbt persons. They may think that the sexuality of gay, lesbian and bisexual persons is sinful. Fine. But if they say it, and I hear it, I stop it. I do the same for racist or sexist comments. My predecessor, John Martin, had the same policy. (BTW, I have never heard those comments in the year that I have been here. John helped to clear that path).
My conservative colleagues may cry, "Unfair! You don't tolerate my views." My response: "You are absolutely correct." Zero tolerance.
This congregation is a safe sanctuary and it will remain so as long as I am pastor.
There are plenty of websites in which folks can discuss or debate the so-called sinfulness of homosexuality. There are plenty of churches in which folks can do the same. This is not one of them. We are light years beyond it.
However, we do talk about advocacy, special issues for glbts and their families, how we can make life better, how to respond to bible-abuse, how glbts can reclaim their faith in a culture of spiritual violence, etc.
If you would like to e-mail me privately and discuss/debate, that is another matter. If you, Chris, would like to discuss that with folks, maybe that would be a good discussion to have on your blog.
Blessings,
john
Hi Ali!
ReplyDeleteI gotta give you a pulpit, girl! Thanks for your wisdom and passion!
John
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