God vs. Gay

But back to this "God
vs. Gays" thing. I know just yesterday you told someone you
were "spiritual, not religious." But there are plenty of us
in the queer community who identify as both spiritual and
religious. It's going to take all of us to counteract the
heterosexist agenda of those who appear to be religious and not
the least bit spiritual.

Our primarily secular
LGBT organizations are doing a much better job of including
LGBT people of faith in their work these days. The Gay and
Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, The National Gay and
Lesbian Task Force, The Human Rights Campaign, and others are
making faith issues part of their program initiatives. There
are several prominent LGBT people of faith who write and blog
about their beliefs. They all understand that it is simply not
enough to meet religious-based bigotry with secular argument.
Not only is doing so ineffective, it contributes to the lie
that LGBT people are not people of faith and that all religions
and religious leaders view LGBT people from the same
perspective.

As the Prop. 8 loss in
California and President Obama's selection of Rick Warren to
deliver the inaugural invocation have recently shown
us, it is still critical to our community to take seriously the
intersection of LGBT rights and issues of faith and
religion.

But it will take all of
us. Taking a page from Sarah Silverman, if you grew up in a
faith tradition, go back to your family, your church,
synagogue, or mosque and talk about these issues. Challenge
them on what they are doing to make the church more inclusive.
Let them know, and know for yourself, that Scripture and
theology do not teach homophobia, transphobia, intolerance, or
bigotry. Remember the young people who are sitting there
hearing the messages of exclusion and judgment that drove you
out the door. Our movement needs political, economic, and
spiritual strength.

My wish -- OK, since
I've come out this far, I'll say "my prayer" -- is that all
who seek spiritual strength in the Christian church will find
it, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity. That
all may freely worship. That all may freely serve. That is my
prayer.

So, amen
anyway.