Yes, my first article is going to be about religion. And, yes, about religion and the LGBT community. Specifically, Christianity in Mississippi.
I wish we had an additional commandment written with a more contemporary influence: “Thou shalt stop with the games.” Because the game our churches are playing with the LGBT community is worrisome. Instead of providing a welcoming place full of Christian believers, we continue to shun the entire LGBT community through our seemingly constant need to be behind the times on a range of issues.
We are not conforming to the world by being welcoming; we are conforming to Christian principles. These principles do not tell us to reject LGBT individuals.
Just recently, First Baptist Church here in Oxford took a needed step by passing a Resolution on Reconciliation and Revival, denouncing racism in all its forms, and acknowledging its conduct in 1968 when it banned blacks from participating in worship.
Why did we pass this? Because we recognize that to fully move past our previous sins, we must fully acknowledge and reject our previous behavior. We want to encourage blacks in our community to worship with us. Will it now take 30 to 40 years to pass another resolution on LGBT issues too?
I’m not afraid to say it: I’m sorry to the LGBT community. I’m sorry for churches alienating our LGBT families (Mississippi has the highest percentage of LGBT couples raising children in the country). I’m sorry for church leaders and pastors refusing to address the LGBT community in any sensible way. And most, I’m sorry for the intelligent men and women who sit idly by week after week, failing to step up to the plate for LGBT friends, family and co-workers within their church families and communities. Intelligence doesn’t mean intellectual; we have far too many running our affairs already. Intelligence means common sense.
It’s interesting that our churches talk about religious freedom, but we sometimes use the pulpit for political gains to restrict the freedoms of others. What restrictions? The freedom to use God-given productive capacities to work without being fired. The freedom to marry. The freedom to adopt children. Or the freedom to raise a gay, faith-based family in our body of believers.
We need more people in our churches doing the right thing by promoting relationship building and de-emphasizing antiquated social norms that cannot be defended as logical, but only defended when emotion rules the all-too-common day.
I’ve not here, or anywhere, advocated for moral relativism, only moral recognition. If it’s philosophical and moral arguments you require, then learn the non-aggression principle. It serves us well to know we can live our lives peacefully, without limiting the life or rights of others. In fact, I think it the greatest feat of the human capacity to resist the urge to use force against a person simply because you disagree with a decision that doesn’t harm you or others in any way. Mississippi legislation that bans these freedoms is force, pure and simple.
Admittedly, my views on individualism and some forms of objectivism seem, from time to time, at odds with Christian tenets. But that’s not the case here. This is not “brother’s keeper” mentality, but “brother, get the hell out of my way.” No one is arguing for you to be a moral busybody.
However, restricting freedoms has and always will fail in the end. In fact, throughout history, it has mostly been met with negative repercussions, or whiplash—the restrictors, in turn, become the restricted. No matter who claims the restrictor title, it’s wrong. Yet we keep repeating the same mistakes.
As a Christian and Southern Baptist no less, I can proudly say I support our LGBT and Ally community here in Mississippi. And it’s getting increasingly difficult to show why you couldn’t too. I’m also proud that I’m a part of OUTlaw, our law school’s LGBT and Ally group that hosts an annual LGBT legal symposium (one of the few in the country).
It’s time to stop playing these games. It’s time to begin building an inclusive faith-based community in this state. It’s time to start acting more like little Christs.
Perhaps you’ll take my article as the exact opposite of Christ-like, but being open to frustrations that sound displeasing to you is important, for even Christ grew frustrated in the temple at one point in His ministry. Do you think they listened?
