Recently I had a conversation with an elder man about the
issue of acceptance of Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgendered (LGBT) people
in the church. He was upset about all the recent noise about inclusion. He felt that “those” people are not normal;
they are not part of God’s plan for humanity and could never be recognized as
normal. He was concerned about the
language of inclusion that was being expressed in an increasing number of
circles. He had grown up in a community in which though it was known that “those”
people existed, they were unmentionables and were never to be included in
proper social gatherings.
It seemed to him that all this talk was an indication that
the “gays were wanting to take over” and he was not going to have it. I shared with him that that his sentiment is
similar to that of every dominant culture that was resistant to hearing the cry
for justice from a minority or so called subordinated culture.
As I listened and later challenged him on the matter of God’s
created order for humanity, it occurred to me that he expresses the opinions of
many of his generation. He grew up in a world where LGBT people were demonized
and ostracized. They were relegated to
the outskirts, dark corners and forbidden alleys of society. They were objects
of abuse, ridicule and violence. There
was no opportunity for a “normal” life unless it was in secret and even then
the threat or possibility of exposure was always looming, so there were few
opportunities for peace in the life of our LGBT brothers and sisters. And at the same time, this man was socialized
to believe that these people disturbed the peace of his community.
But I would venture that there are generations of people who
grew up under all kinds of repression and oppression—racism, sexism, ageism, classicism,
elitism, etc. that was/is psychologically, spiritually and emotionally
damaging. Even he, as an African-American Elder man, must have experienced the effects
of exclusion. It seems there is always
somebody somewhere who wants to belittle, condemn and restrict some so that the
restrictions can make way for freedom and comfort of others.
I think the ultimate end of all spiritual/religious pursuit
is peace— peace in one’s personal life, in one’s family, community, world and certainly in the
afterlife. And it seems to me that a
considerable part of understanding peace imparts a sense of justice—not vengeance
or exclusion. A sensibility that says I
am accepted cared for and encouraged to share my gift of life in the land of
the living and so too are others. The more I talk to people like this man, I wonder
whether peace living is possible.
The optimist in me, says that no matter how difficult a task
is or appears to be, if the end or completion of it is peace, then we should, I
should continue the work without violence or malice but with the strength of
hope in the possibility for mutual understanding.
Are we all searching for peace? I believe it’s an important question of this millennia;
we’ve tried all manner of hostility, sanctions, exclusions threat and force. It is time to seek peace; first seek it within
ourselves, and then encourage peaceful living in our homes, on our jobs, in our
neighborhoods, and the world. Speak out,
vote, write, teach and support efforts that encourage peace
