I recently read Mel White’s book Religion Gone Bad: The Hidden Dangers of the Christian Right. He is a former speechwriter for Jerry Falwell, who died today. I found it profoundly disturbing not because so of much of what is says is true, but because he roused me from my comfortable position on the sidelines in the struggle to regain the true spirit of Christianity. I contribute to numerous GLBT organizations, have participated in various levels of political activism, and have been out and open about my orientation for 40 years in spite of remaining actively involved in the Methodist Church. While I disagree with his strategy of taking the movement to the streets with Soul Force, I cannot disagree with his assertion that the fundamentalists are a very corrosive and divisive force in this country who wants to remake the United States in their image. I am a pragmatist and belief that change comes slowly, and confrontation, while it also may induce change, can also introduce a backlash that only strengthens the opposition.
As I have said repeatedly, I don’t seem the primary issue as the full acceptance homosexuals into the church as much as the attitude of exclusion impeding the mission of evangelism. To quote Mel from page 290 “What bothers me most these days is the large number of my brothers and sisters who have been so damaged by religion that they have stopped their spiritual journeys altogether. The confuse religion and spirituality. Because the church rejects them they think God rejects them as well. Consequently, the walk away from the offending church and never think to find a “Welcoming and Accepting” congregation or a Metropolitan Community Church where their spiritual wounds can be healed and their faith in God take root again. And out there alone, apart from any community of faith or any individual strategy to keep faith alive, spirits shrivel and faith dies. The death of faith in the gay and lesbian community has serious consequences for the future of our liberation movement and consequences that are equally dire for progressives who have quit religion and at the same time abandoned the spiritual journey.”
As such, I am less concerned about what the hierarchy and the political power structure of the Methodist Church says either at General Conference or at Annual Conference in terms of resolutions, amendments to the Discipline, or statements from the Council of Bishops than what is occurring in the local congregations. I really wonder how much is accomplished by yet another round of “The Methodist Church Studies Homosexuality” as though we haven’t already studied it to death. When in doubt, appoint a committee or a task force and delegate the issue to oblivion. People are hurting, and divisive language is perpetuating an attitude that there is an “either/or” solution to every situation we face in modern society.
The Methodist Church has adopted a sequel to the study of several years ago with a DVD series (and associated printed materials) as a formal process of establishing dialogue. It was used at the last general conference, and a formula has been developed for use in local congregations. Although the organization and presentation is not very clear up front and will require a big investment in time and study, it is worth consideration. RUM-NC has a copy available for loan.