From an upcoming magazine article
I decided to post a portion of an email interview I did for an upcoming magazine article so you can get the full, unedited version. The things I say may be hacked to bits in print soon, but you can get the whole story right in blogville!
Once this is published, I'll post a link.
2. Some people in our community can't comprehend how an individual can be gay and a Christian, given the hostility toward GLBT people exhibited by some people who are Christians. How would you respond to that?
I completely understand the reluctance. I've been there. Nobody wants to approach a God who might offer condemnation on spec, and who might consider a certain kind of truth to be an abomination. I'd rather not hit myself in the head with a skillet either! No one wants to walk right into a situation that brings automatic pain. But the pain doesn't come from God in this case. The moment I first realized that it was other Christians who were condemning me as a lesbian, and that the condemnation was not coming from God, it became a whole lot easier to approach God and work on developing a more profound relationship. That's really what it's about. It's not about being perfect or living up to other Christians' standards. It's about a relationship with God, and anyone can have that.
3. The well-known passages in Leviticus are the ammunition that people on the Christian right typically use to disparage gay people. How can gay people respond to that? Is there any effective way to respond, particularly if one isn't a Biblical scholar or a theologian?
The easiest way to respond is to say that God loves us fully as we are. There is more to the story, but that's a good place to start. If God IS love, doesn't it become logically impossible to say that a certain kind of love is not God? If love is present, God is present. That's the foundation. It's important to understand that the Christians who use Leviticus to speak against homosexuality also don't understand homosexuality. There is some sort of built-in fear of same-sex attraction that requires them to look for ways to condemn it. Leviticus is an obvious choice.
Leviticus 18:22 (NIV) says, "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable." Some translations say it's an abomination. As a lesbian reading that passage I think, "Well alrighty then! I won't! Consider it done. Big whoop." Although this verse speaks specifically about men, those who take the Bible literally try to make this a balloon statement that covers lesbians as well.
Two important things to note about homosexuality and the Bible: Homosexual orientation is never addressed, and Jesus said nothing about it. If there had been an eleventh commandment that said, "Thou shalt not fall in love with someone of the same gender, have a union cermony, and open up a joint checking account" then we might have a problem. But it's always a select few homosexual acts that are discussed in the Bible, and not same-sex love or a gay person's psycho-sexual orientation.
In the culture at the time Leviticus was written, cleanliness and keeping things cut and dried was of the utmost importance, and homosexuality was a blending of two things not largely understood. For reasons that deal with cleanliness, Leviticus also forbids eating fish without scales and wearing fabric made of two different materials. So if someone uses Leviticus to speak against homosexuality while eating oysters and wearing a cotton/polyester blend, that person is in a heap of spiritual trouble. Leviticus was written before Jesus, so the only way to grow closer to God during that time was by keeping the commands of this holiness code. Jesus eventually bridged the gap, and again, said nothing about homosexual orientation. When we as GLBT people make an effort to understand and own the Bible, we realize it's not as anti-gay as it has been made out to be. And it becomes a whole lot easier to take condemnation from other Christians because we become better aware of how misguided it really is.
4. In a similar manner, there is at least one passage in the New Testament that some people interpret as prohibiting homosexuality (from Paul, though not sure which book). That message in the New Testament can seem more problematic to some people. How might we respond to that?
It's important to respond with the understanding that the word "homosexual" was first coined by psychologists in the 1860's, so the fact that the word appears in the Bible at all shows the bias of modern translators.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians that "homosexual offenders will not inherit the kingdom of God." In 1 Timothy we're referred to as "perverts" and lumped in with slave traders, swindlers, and adulterers. Different modern translations use different words, but the orginal Greek meaning is almost always lost. The orginal Greek words usually refer to youth that exchanged sexual favors for money from older men; i.e. prostitutes. Paul had to say something to address what was going on in the culture at the time. Sexuality was being used for personal gain--status, power, selfish gratification, etc. Again, it's not homosexual orientation that's being addressed, but the misuse of sexuality in general. If I cheated on my same-sex spouse today I could be condemned based on the words of Paul not because I'm a lesbian, but because I would be an adulterer. Paul also encouraged slaves to obey their masters, taught that women should be obedient and submissive to men, and instructed women to have long hair and men short. Paul was human, and said what he thought was best regarding the culture at the time. To pull out a verse without understanding the context doesn't do the Bible justice.
5. So many people on the Christian right (or at least those who have set them up in positions of power and influence) seem to become so hostile regarding gay people and gay issues. Is there a way we can talk to one another and try to bridge that "belief gap"?
The crux of the argument against gay marriage, is that "the Bible says homosexuality is wrong." I don't believe that's true at all, and it makes me a little bit nuts when these soundbites become part of news stories. But until GLBT people take full ownership of their faith, sentiments like these will continue to gain momentum. Taking ownership can mean simple things, like wearing a cross necklace, having a holy union ceremony and inviting the relatives that just don't get it, and taking the initiative to build relationships with people who have different faith-based opinions. I sometimes have coffee with a member of an ex-gay organization who thinks that homosexuality is biblically forbidden. Yet we are able to look each other in the eye and talk about God, and I think each of us catches a glimpse of God in the other. No two Christians will agree on everything. So it's silly to let an issue like homosexuality keep us from reaching out and building relationships. I think the people who show hostility toward us as gay people (in the name of God of course) sort of expect us to react negatively, or at the very least to be hurt by their opinions. We just have to stay strong and refuse to match the hostility. That means commit to the truth, own our faith, and when hostile opinions come, respond with grace. That seems to be a whole lot more Christian than judging and condemning anyway.
6. In your work with the twentysomething group at Cathedral of Hope, have you seen
examples of attitudes from young gay people that you think might help them advance the rights of gay people and gay Christians? If so, what might those be?
The 20somethings amaze me. For the most part, they are secure in their faith and secure in their sexuality, and they just want other Christians to hurry up and get it. Granted, these young gay people are part of a nucleus of gay Christians and they have the luxury of that support group. But overall, I think they are part of a generation that understands more than it condemns, and that bodes well for the future. The energy to initiate positive change is there. It's just a matter of continuing to respond from a place of truth and love, and not from a place of revenge, hostility, or entitlement.
7. When you came out, what was the reaction of your listeners? Are your listeners aware that you are gay?
I don't know how my listeners can NOT know that I'm gay. I don't go overboard talking about it just like I don't go crazy talking about my blonde hair, but it is part of my life and anyone that wants that info can certainly find it. (My bio page at mix1029.com includes a picture of Angela and she's always part of my radio-related blogs.) My actual on-air coming out happened when I was part of a morning show on another station, and there were a couple of people who found my website after that and offered some not-so-nice suggestions about how God might feel about me. But those people will always be out there, and they could find me just as easily if I worked at the grocery store. Overall, listeners have been accepting. Lesbian listeners have been ecstatic at times. They seem to have taken ownership of me in a way, which is flattering. I feel a certain responsibility to not let them down. They're all getting toaster ovens.
Are there any questions that I haven't asked that you might like to address?
I've certainly made my share of mistakes, and now that the book is out those foibles are there for all the world to see. But I hope more than the brokenness, people are able to see the wholeness that rises above the shattered pieces when God is involved. And really, whether we are Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, etc., I think we would benefit as GLBT people if we all took better ownership of our faith. Faith is truth, and if we actively display it, it becomes a lot harder to find fault with us and keep us down. I fully believe there is a faith-based revolution on the horizon, and we can all play a part. It begins and ends with each of us.
Once this is published, I'll post a link.
2. Some people in our community can't comprehend how an individual can be gay and a Christian, given the hostility toward GLBT people exhibited by some people who are Christians. How would you respond to that?
I completely understand the reluctance. I've been there. Nobody wants to approach a God who might offer condemnation on spec, and who might consider a certain kind of truth to be an abomination. I'd rather not hit myself in the head with a skillet either! No one wants to walk right into a situation that brings automatic pain. But the pain doesn't come from God in this case. The moment I first realized that it was other Christians who were condemning me as a lesbian, and that the condemnation was not coming from God, it became a whole lot easier to approach God and work on developing a more profound relationship. That's really what it's about. It's not about being perfect or living up to other Christians' standards. It's about a relationship with God, and anyone can have that.
3. The well-known passages in Leviticus are the ammunition that people on the Christian right typically use to disparage gay people. How can gay people respond to that? Is there any effective way to respond, particularly if one isn't a Biblical scholar or a theologian?
The easiest way to respond is to say that God loves us fully as we are. There is more to the story, but that's a good place to start. If God IS love, doesn't it become logically impossible to say that a certain kind of love is not God? If love is present, God is present. That's the foundation. It's important to understand that the Christians who use Leviticus to speak against homosexuality also don't understand homosexuality. There is some sort of built-in fear of same-sex attraction that requires them to look for ways to condemn it. Leviticus is an obvious choice.
Leviticus 18:22 (NIV) says, "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable." Some translations say it's an abomination. As a lesbian reading that passage I think, "Well alrighty then! I won't! Consider it done. Big whoop." Although this verse speaks specifically about men, those who take the Bible literally try to make this a balloon statement that covers lesbians as well.
Two important things to note about homosexuality and the Bible: Homosexual orientation is never addressed, and Jesus said nothing about it. If there had been an eleventh commandment that said, "Thou shalt not fall in love with someone of the same gender, have a union cermony, and open up a joint checking account" then we might have a problem. But it's always a select few homosexual acts that are discussed in the Bible, and not same-sex love or a gay person's psycho-sexual orientation.
In the culture at the time Leviticus was written, cleanliness and keeping things cut and dried was of the utmost importance, and homosexuality was a blending of two things not largely understood. For reasons that deal with cleanliness, Leviticus also forbids eating fish without scales and wearing fabric made of two different materials. So if someone uses Leviticus to speak against homosexuality while eating oysters and wearing a cotton/polyester blend, that person is in a heap of spiritual trouble. Leviticus was written before Jesus, so the only way to grow closer to God during that time was by keeping the commands of this holiness code. Jesus eventually bridged the gap, and again, said nothing about homosexual orientation. When we as GLBT people make an effort to understand and own the Bible, we realize it's not as anti-gay as it has been made out to be. And it becomes a whole lot easier to take condemnation from other Christians because we become better aware of how misguided it really is.
4. In a similar manner, there is at least one passage in the New Testament that some people interpret as prohibiting homosexuality (from Paul, though not sure which book). That message in the New Testament can seem more problematic to some people. How might we respond to that?
It's important to respond with the understanding that the word "homosexual" was first coined by psychologists in the 1860's, so the fact that the word appears in the Bible at all shows the bias of modern translators.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians that "homosexual offenders will not inherit the kingdom of God." In 1 Timothy we're referred to as "perverts" and lumped in with slave traders, swindlers, and adulterers. Different modern translations use different words, but the orginal Greek meaning is almost always lost. The orginal Greek words usually refer to youth that exchanged sexual favors for money from older men; i.e. prostitutes. Paul had to say something to address what was going on in the culture at the time. Sexuality was being used for personal gain--status, power, selfish gratification, etc. Again, it's not homosexual orientation that's being addressed, but the misuse of sexuality in general. If I cheated on my same-sex spouse today I could be condemned based on the words of Paul not because I'm a lesbian, but because I would be an adulterer. Paul also encouraged slaves to obey their masters, taught that women should be obedient and submissive to men, and instructed women to have long hair and men short. Paul was human, and said what he thought was best regarding the culture at the time. To pull out a verse without understanding the context doesn't do the Bible justice.
5. So many people on the Christian right (or at least those who have set them up in positions of power and influence) seem to become so hostile regarding gay people and gay issues. Is there a way we can talk to one another and try to bridge that "belief gap"?
The crux of the argument against gay marriage, is that "the Bible says homosexuality is wrong." I don't believe that's true at all, and it makes me a little bit nuts when these soundbites become part of news stories. But until GLBT people take full ownership of their faith, sentiments like these will continue to gain momentum. Taking ownership can mean simple things, like wearing a cross necklace, having a holy union ceremony and inviting the relatives that just don't get it, and taking the initiative to build relationships with people who have different faith-based opinions. I sometimes have coffee with a member of an ex-gay organization who thinks that homosexuality is biblically forbidden. Yet we are able to look each other in the eye and talk about God, and I think each of us catches a glimpse of God in the other. No two Christians will agree on everything. So it's silly to let an issue like homosexuality keep us from reaching out and building relationships. I think the people who show hostility toward us as gay people (in the name of God of course) sort of expect us to react negatively, or at the very least to be hurt by their opinions. We just have to stay strong and refuse to match the hostility. That means commit to the truth, own our faith, and when hostile opinions come, respond with grace. That seems to be a whole lot more Christian than judging and condemning anyway.
6. In your work with the twentysomething group at Cathedral of Hope, have you seen
examples of attitudes from young gay people that you think might help them advance the rights of gay people and gay Christians? If so, what might those be?
The 20somethings amaze me. For the most part, they are secure in their faith and secure in their sexuality, and they just want other Christians to hurry up and get it. Granted, these young gay people are part of a nucleus of gay Christians and they have the luxury of that support group. But overall, I think they are part of a generation that understands more than it condemns, and that bodes well for the future. The energy to initiate positive change is there. It's just a matter of continuing to respond from a place of truth and love, and not from a place of revenge, hostility, or entitlement.
7. When you came out, what was the reaction of your listeners? Are your listeners aware that you are gay?
I don't know how my listeners can NOT know that I'm gay. I don't go overboard talking about it just like I don't go crazy talking about my blonde hair, but it is part of my life and anyone that wants that info can certainly find it. (My bio page at mix1029.com includes a picture of Angela and she's always part of my radio-related blogs.) My actual on-air coming out happened when I was part of a morning show on another station, and there were a couple of people who found my website after that and offered some not-so-nice suggestions about how God might feel about me. But those people will always be out there, and they could find me just as easily if I worked at the grocery store. Overall, listeners have been accepting. Lesbian listeners have been ecstatic at times. They seem to have taken ownership of me in a way, which is flattering. I feel a certain responsibility to not let them down. They're all getting toaster ovens.
Are there any questions that I haven't asked that you might like to address?
I've certainly made my share of mistakes, and now that the book is out those foibles are there for all the world to see. But I hope more than the brokenness, people are able to see the wholeness that rises above the shattered pieces when God is involved. And really, whether we are Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, etc., I think we would benefit as GLBT people if we all took better ownership of our faith. Faith is truth, and if we actively display it, it becomes a lot harder to find fault with us and keep us down. I fully believe there is a faith-based revolution on the horizon, and we can all play a part. It begins and ends with each of us.
posted by Jen Austin at 1:25 PM
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