During his
campaign for the White House, president-elect Barack Obama
had three conversations with openly gay Episcopal
bishop Gene Robinson about what it's like to be a
"breakthrough" figure. The discussions occurred in May
and June 2007, The Times of London reports.
""The first words
out of his mouth were: 'Well, you're certainly causing
a lot of trouble,'" Robinson, who became the Anglican
Communion's first out bishop in 2003, told The Times. "My response to him was: 'Well, that
makes two of us.'"
The head of the
New Hampshire diocese was in London this week to be
honored by the gay rights group Stonewall. He told the paper
that his chats with Obama were part of the candidate's
overall outreach to faith leaders of all stripes. But
because of Robinson's unique -- and controversial --
position, he had particular advice to offer the Illinois
senator.
"At the end of
the day," he told Obama, according to The Times, "you have to decide whether or not
you are going to be paralyzed by threats and by violent
possibilities or whether you just move on and do what you
feel called to do despite the risks." (The
Advocate)