Southern Tradition: A 'Taste' of Bluegrass
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The MattHillNC.com Blog
LGBT Happenings & News of the Piedmont/Triad & Beyond
Winston-Salem, Greensboro, High Point & UNCG, North Carolina
My blog has moved!!! Please visit my new blog.
Winston-Salem, Greensboro, High Point & UNCG, North Carolina
My blog has moved!!! Please visit my new blog.
Sunday, July 31, 2005
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PFLAG issues statement on Zach Stark and ex-gay "reparative" therapy
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PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) has issued a statement concerning Zach Stark (pictured left), the gay 16 year old Tennessee boy who blogged about being sent to an ex-gay camp by his parents.
I have followed this story for a while now, in fact, I have followed it since practically the beginning. Zach was supposed to be released from Refuge on Friday, July 29, 2005. I have not seen any news reports concerning his release on Friday and it is still not yet known what kind of effect the camp might have had on Zach.
I keep him in my prayers and hope that he has come through this journey okay. I also pray that he has not given in to the hate-filled and bigoted beliefs of the radical religious right. God loves all of His children. It is my belief and the belief of so many others that our loving and merciful God cares more about our love and devotion to Him rather than who we love. I also firmly believe that we will all be judged on how we loved and not who we loved in this earthly life.
To see the PFLAG statement: Click HereSaturday, July 30, 2005
Nazi Germany on the rise again? At least for gays it is.
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Friday, July 29, 2005
'Ex-gay' confab in N.C. a sad sight- From Sovo.com
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Reporter Eartha Melzer returned this week from a stint in North Carolina, where she covered last week’s Exodus International conference for gays and lesbians seeking to change their sexual orientation. For those who live in predominantly gay neighborhoods in the Northeast between Washington, D.C., and Boston it is tempting to dismiss the "ex-gay" crowd as fringe crazies bent on derailing the gay rights movement. But a very different picture emerged from last week’s conference. The crowd, about 1,000 people, mostly men, came to attend panel discussions on resisting masturbation and creating a sexual relationship with a member of the opposite sex, among others. They attended prayer sessions and were addressed by Jerry Falwell, longtime enemy of gay rights advocates. But there was a noticeable absence of anti-gay malice among the ranks of attendees. Most of these people are desperate to repress and deny their homosexuality because they don’t understand it and long to be accepted by their communities. They’ve long been subjected to anti-gay rhetoric from their families, friends and church leaders. They fear being ostracized for being different and many of them no doubt live in fear of physical violence. Being gay in a rural area can be a frightening prospect, as evidenced by this week’s arson attack on a gay couple’s home in Florida. The ex-gay ministries are cruelly preying upon the Exodus conference attendees, feeding them false hopes of living a "normal life" with a member of the opposite sex. These people are largely from rural areas; they are isolated from other gays and the resources that many urban gays take for granted. They may be poor — one attendee told of saving money from multiple jobs to make the journey to the ex-gay conference — or uneducated. And those factors make them prime targets for the fundamentalist Christians, who know something about exploiting the vulnerable. Whether it’s preying on the elderly for donations to shifty televangelists, indoctrinating alcoholics with fundamentalist dogma or convincing gays they can choose to be straight, fundamentalist Christians know how to manipulate and take advantage of vulnerable people. Reports from the conference make it clear that the ex-gay business is booming. Their message — that prayer coupled with avoiding pornography and masturbation can help change a person from gay to straight — is silly, simplistic and not grounded in anything approaching science or even reason. But it’s wrapped in a slick package, complete with rock music, light shows and promises of salvation. Sadly, many rural gays are being taken in and they’re buying it.See Earlier Posts on the MattHillNC.com Blog: 'Two tid-bits: Falwell at ex-gay conference" "Gay teen to be released soon from ex-gay camp" "Western NC Mountains become hotbed of debate concerning gays and religion"
"The Clear Truth of Scripture" (from The Reverend Susan Russell)
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Here’s a question from a letter I received this week: "What we're asking for is a straight answer out of you people on where in the Bible you rest your case on the same sex relationship issue. Can you do that or not?" Finally a question I can answer without hesitation. The answer is "no." There is no single text -- no specific chapter and verse -- that I can point anyone to and say, "Here is the clear truth of scripture" on the issue. Nor is there any "clear truth of scripture" in support of the ordination of women. Nor is there any "clear truth of scripture" on the sanctity inter-racial marriage. Nor is there any "clear truth of scripture" opposing the death penalty. Nor is there any "clear truth of scripture" supporting the abolition of slavery. Finally, if there WAS a single text argument for any of these hotly debated issues YOU WOULDN'T FIND AN ANGLICAN MAKING IT! We’re not a Sola Scriptura people. That is not how we do theology -- never has been and (God willing) never will be. And yet, there are forces at work urging us to ignore our history and abandon our traditional methodology and polity - substituting literalism and “confessionalism” for traditional Anglican comprehensiveness. Key to that effort is the ongoing “spin” of the controversy du jour as the sole responsibility of the mythical gay agendists hell-bent on undermining western civilization and destroying Christianity as we know it. “The clear truth” is these are not arguments about sexuality but arguments about biblical authority -- and we have been having for CENTURIES. Check out Terry Holmes for a little historical perspective:“The Puritans taught that the Scriptures provided a certainty that transcended all other certainty, including reason, which reason they wished to confine to “science” (e.e. all forms of human learning). They believed that the Scriptures must be read for themselves and devoid of subsequent interpretations, namely, tradition. Hooker’s answer to this was that the Scriptures when read apart from reason and tradition and were subject to the all kinds of private interpretations, which would of necessity be biased. Hence, Hooker articulates for Anglicanism its answer to the question of what is our authority. Our authority is the association of Scripture, tradition and reason … Scripture for the Anglican is a fundamental source of authority for the church; but apart from reason it is dangerous. It becomes the mirror for the misdirected person to project his or her own opinions and give them the authority of God. Th! e sin of schism in the result.” - Urban T. Holmes, “What Is Anglicanism” pg. 11-13 Hmm … “the sin of schism” … perhaps we detect a pattern here! Some of us had Puritan ancestors who jumped ship over this very thing in the 16th century and some of us are losing friends and colleagues in ministry over it in the 21st. And the battle goes on. And to equip ourselves for it, I commend "To Set Our Hope on Christ": ECUSA's response to the invitation of the Windsor Report to explain "from within the sources of authority that as Anglicans have received in scripture, the apostolic tradition and reasoned reflection, how a person living in a same gender union may be considered eligible to lead the flock of Christ." It is available for order through http://www.episcopalbookstore.org or in a PDF online at ToSetOurHopeOnChrist.pdf Read it. Mark it. Inwardly digest it. Study it in a group and reflect on it in your prayer time. Give thanks for the blessing it represents as a 21st century reflection of the historic faith we inherit as Anglicans. And pay close, close attention to the powers and principalities organizing to take that historic faith and turn it into something neither Hooker nor Seabury would recognize.http://integrityusa.blogspot.com/2005/07/clear-truth-of-scripture-from-rev.html
Two tid-bits #2: Methodist Pastor Removed and Gay Billboards rejected
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Thursday, July 28, 2005
McCain v. Clinton in 2008?
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International groups dispute claims over gay teen executions in Iran
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The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch claim that the two teenagers were convicted and executed for sexually assaulting a 13 year old male, not for having consensual gay sex.
The Human Rights Campaign sent a letter last week to Madame Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice asking her to condemn the executions. The executive director of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission welcomed the HRC's work on international gay-rights abuses but noted that this was "the wrong case" on which to take action.
The Human Rights Campaign stands by their original request for a condemnation of the executions. The HRC is not willing to give Iran, a country full of LGBT-rights abuses, the benefit of the doubt and believes that the charges were trumped up.
Although Madame Secretary of State Rice did not condemn the executions, the US State Department did release the following statement on the Iranian judicial systeM:
"We remain concerned about Iran’s judicial process. Defendants are not receiving due process of law, and trials lack procedural safeguards. "As noted in our country reports on human rights practices, the judge and the prosecutor are the same person, trials are frequently held in closed sessions without access to a lawyer and the right of appeal is not often honored. "We call upon the government of Iran to vigorously pursue prison reform, cooperate with international investigations of human rights cases and respect international human rights law and practice."Although the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch have decided that the teens were not excuted for having consensual homosexual sex, they are still alarmed and concerned about Iran's execution of teenagers. Other high ranking officials around the world have either condemned the executions on the grounds that teenagers should not be executed or on the grounds of the belief that the teens were executed for having gay sex.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
President of UNC Assoc. of Student Gov'ts speaks out against Budget Provisions
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Tuesday, July 26, 2005
And the race begins: Piedmont/Triad organizing efforts for the 2008 March on Washington for LGBT Equality
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Monday, July 25, 2005
Falwell: Forcing gay kids into "reparative therapy" OK
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According to an article on Express Gay News, the Reverend Jerry Falwell (pictured left), founder of the Moral Majority and Liberty University, has endorsed the forcing of gay teenagers into "reparative therapy" at centers such as Refuge in Memphis, Tennessee. The Refuge center is run by Love in Action, an affiliate of Exodus International, an organization that bills itself as the largest ex-gay organization in the country.
At the 2005 Exodus International conference, which is currently going on at the Lifeway Ridgecrest Conference Center (run by the Southern Baptist Convention) near Asheville, North Carolina, Falwell compared letting children identify as "gay" to allowing children to play on the interstate.
According to the article Falwell also "dismissed psychologists’ claims that consent is fundamental to a healthy counseling relationship and that parents should not force their gay kids into therapy."
This year's "Freedom Conference" was attended by more than 1000 and took on a higher profile after the controversy surrounding Love in Action and the experiences of Zach Stark (pictured right), a gay 16 year old Bartlett, Tennessee, boy who blogged about his parents forcing him to be sent to the camp and "turn" straight (see earlier post Gay teen to be released soon from Tennessee ex-gay camp).
There has been no more news regarding the release of Zach Stark and no new information is available regarding the affect which the ex-gay camp might have had on him.
======
Falwell has gone and done it again. After opening his big, fat mouth after September 11th, blaming the tragic events on gays, feminists and the ACLU, Falwell is going about his old tricks again.
Who should know better about therapy and forced therapy upon youth: The Reverend Bigot Falwell or the American Psychological Association? Also, who knows better about sexual orietnation and the science surrounding it?
Just because some people may believe homosexuality is choice does not make it true. The Church once insisted that the earth was the center of the universe, despite science's claims to the contrary. I wonder when the Church will have to apologize for the actions of bigoted leaders like Falwell in the future just like it has apologized for the actions of the leaders in Galileo's day?
How much proof do you need people? Do we have to wait five hundred years before we realize, "Ooops... Looks like we were wrong... gay people are born that way."
Wake up and smell the coffee!!! While you're at it, start treating ALL of God's beautiful children equally and fairly.Two Letters: The Bible, the Quran, America and Discrimination
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We should not trash our heritage for the abyss of pluralism because the Muslims in Greensboro want to use the Quran and not the Bible in the courtroom ("Group requests that courtroom oaths cater to various faiths," July 7). The Bible has given the Muslims and others freedom in this country, whereas the Quran has not provided likewise to others in theirs. The Bible, with its high morals and absolutes of right and wrong, coupled with mercy, forgiveness, acceptance and a savior for eternal life, which brings consolation and coherence, has been America's historical foundation and source of common law. Without a high moral standard to lead, we are lost in the abyss of unknowns and searching instability. We can be proud to have had, connected to our common law, virtues of moral purity, faithfulness, trustworthiness, righteousness and justice. Maybe that is why in the 1776 North Carolina Constitution, only Christians were allowed to handle the affairs of the state. E.A. TIMM Walnut Cove"USED TO DISCRIMINATE" July 25, 2005
I found the July 19 letter "Heritage" to be very distasteful, arrogant, prejudiced and bigoted. The Bible is not what gave our nation's citizens the freedoms we all enjoy (and sometimes take for granted). Instead, the Bible has been used to discriminate against countless groups of people in our nation's history and it continues to be used to justify discriminating against certain groups of people because of their "sin." The Bible has been used to discriminate against Jews, Muslims and other non-Christians. People have also used the Bible (and also the holy name of God) to discriminate against blacks, women and people who are gay or lesbian. How righteous is it to own another human being, or hold your wife as inferior or discriminate against others just because they may be different from you? The Bible should be used to promote love, mercy, forgiveness and equality, but I guess our mortal, inferior minds will continue to use the name of God and his book to justify our own sins. I pray that God would have mercy on us all, for we have sinned against him by using his unending good to do nothing but evil. MATTHEW MORRELL HILL Winston-Salem======= There have been other responses to the original July 19th letter published on the Opinion page of The Winston-Salem Journal. All of them, so far, have been in opposition to the original letter writer's position. One letter said something like (and this is not a direct quote), "The original North Carolina Constitution also gave voting rights only to white, privileged, land-owning males. I doubt that is the type of North Carolina we all want now." I did not have room in my letter to the editor to give a full response to the original letter. I wish I had. I see no problem, whatsoever, in allowing Muslims to use the Quran to take courtroom oaths. Why does it matter... won't they still be saying the same oath? The only thing that might change is the "so help me God" part and in that case only the word "God" would be changed to the Arab word for "God," which is "Allah." If there truly is a separation of Church and State in this country (which there is, although some people still don't realize it and even I have still have a problem reconciling God and Country) then why is there even a controversy over the Quran and its use in court? If Church and State are separate, then all religious people should be able to use their own holy texts and God(s) to take courtroom oaths. This whole debate is ridiculous. I wonder how much money the officials over in Guilford County will use in trying to keep Christianity above all other religions in our court system?
Sunday, July 24, 2005
No Surprise: No mention of Gays in North Carolina Democrats and Young Democrats Platforms
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Saturday, July 23, 2005
Two tid-bits: Falwell at Ex-gay Exodus conference and Nobel Peace laureate condemns gay Iranian executions
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teenagers (see my earlier blog post, HRC pushes Secy. Rice to condemn executions of Gay Iranian Teens). According to an article on Express Gay News, news has surfaced that the boys (pictured left) were charged not only with committing homosexual acts but also with raping other boys. The British group, OutRage!, and other gay groups across the globe believe that the rape charges were trumped up in order to decrease public sympathy for the executed teenagers.Friday, July 22, 2005
HRC pushes Secy. Rice to condemn executions of Gay Iranian Teens
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"This crime warrants an immediate and strong condemnation from the Department of State," said the Human Rights Campaign in a letter Friday to Rice. "Atrocities committed by foreign governments against all people must be condemned swiftly and forcefully by the world’s greatest democracy. We urge you to do so. "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was signed by the UN General Assembly in 1948, declares that every human should be guaranteed the fundamental right to life, liberty, and security of person and every human should be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Tragically, this guarantee of basic human rights does not exist for GLBT individuals in certain regions of the globe." The letter, signed by HRC President Joe Solmonese goes on to say that research done by organizations such as the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission and Amnesty International, shows that human rights abuses are perpetrated against the GLBT community in all corners of the globe. "As we have seen in recent weeks, the barbarous punishments for sexual acts in these countries run contrary to the letter and the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. For that reason, these acts must be condemned," the letter from Solmonese said. The State Department said that it had not seen the letter and would not comment on it until it had been studied.======= With all that is happening in American society surrounding the issue of LGBT rights and abuses of those rights, it is easy for us to forget about the abuses which LGBT persons across the globe face on a dialy basis. In many parts of the world, the abuses which LGBT Americans face are nothing compared to the abuses of others, such as the executions of the two gay Iranian teenagers. Our world has a very long way to come in order for LGBT people to be treated equally and fairly. We have much further than that to go before LGBT people will not only be treated equally and fairly but also respected and valued as equally as straight people. May God help our mere mortal souls to know the difference between right and wrong and may He also guide us to love our neighbor as ourselves and treat others the way Christ Himself treated us.
"Activist Judges" ??? They exist in Spain, too!!!!
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The head of Spain's supreme court, Francisco Jose Hernando, commented on the judge's move, saying, "if the colleague in Denia thinks that the new law regulating homosexual marriages contains unconstitutional aspects, it is within his rights to have chosen this means of expressing his doubts."Spanish gay rights organizations fear that conservative Catholic judges may wage a war against marriage equality for gay couples. ======= It seems that while conservatives here in America are complaining about liberal "activist judges" who legislate law against the will of the people and legislature, liberals are complaining about the opposite in Spain. The Spanish people and legislature have ruled that gay couples can be married, yet conservative "activist judges" are fighting it. One thing though: I bet most of the hypocritical, radical, religious conservatives of America are standing behind these conservative judges in Spain... even though those judges are doing what the American conservatives seem to loathe the most: legislating from the bench. You know what... hypocrisy stinks.
Gay teen to be released soon from Tennessee ex-gay camp
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“We felt good about Zach coming here … to let him see for himself the destructive lifestyle, what he has to face in the future, and to give him some options that society doesn’t give him today,” Stark said, "Until he turns 18 and he’s an adult in the state of Tennessee, I’m responsible for him, and I’m going to see to it that he has all options available to him.”It is not known what type of effect the ex-gay camp has had on Zach. Before going into the camp Zach wrote about having suicidal feelings in his blog. The gay media, blogs on the web, the Memphs area media and mainstream national media sources including the New York Times, have covered Zach's story. With all of the media attention, the debate over the legality and ethics of treating homosexuality has sprung back up. ========= It is so good to know that out of the horror and tragedy which Zach has expereinced and is still experiencing, something good is coming out. Zach's struggles have sparked a debate which was well overdue in American society. In 1973, the American Psychological Association took homosexuality off its list of mental and psychological diseases. So this is the question I propose... Why isn't illegal to force people into treatment to "cure" homosexuality, especially teenagers who are at the mercy of their parents and their decisions? Hopefully, when Zach is released, he can get away from his parents. They are supposed to love him and protect him, instead they have done nothing but hurt him. He will need to get away rom them and find a family that is supportive and loving. I just pray that Zach has not given into the bigoted and hatefilled ideology of the Ex-Gay Movement.
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Two kids dead... "But the school denies there is a problem"
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Protecting the Family.... yeah right... more like destroying it... if you're gay anyways
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Good parents -- gay or straight -- shouldn't have to fear that some government agency is going to take away their kids. Anne Magro, Gay Oklahoma Parent
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Troy Perry, Moderator of Gay & Gay-friendly MCC denomination to step down
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Wilson has had a distinguished career within Metropolitan Community Churches. In 1976, she became the youngest person ever elected to the MCC Board of Elders and has served as an Elder since that time. She attended Boston University School of Theology with a Rockefeller Fellowship, also holds an M.Div. from SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary, served as Vice-Moderator of MCC during 1993-2003 and has pastored MCC congregations in Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, and California. Wilson is the former senior pastor of Metropolitan Community Church of Los Angeles, the Founding Church of the MCC movement. She currently serves as senior pastor of Church of the Trinity MCC in Sarasota, Florida. From 1979 to 1999, she served as MCC's Chief Ecumenical Officer, representing MCC at the National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches. In 1987, she represented MCC as an ecumenical observer at the Bilateral Dialogue of the Roman Catholic and Lutheran Churches in Columbia, South Carolina, where she met Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, becoming one of the first LGBT leaders to meet the man who is now Pope Benedict XVI. Wilson has also been active on behalf of HIV issues, prisoner treatment programs, and women's rights. She is the founder of the MCC Conference for Women in Professional Ministry. In 1979, she participated in the first-ever meeting of gay and lesbian religious leaders at the U.S. White House during the Carter Administration. She is also the author of several books and is a contributing author to Poems and Prayers in Race and Prayer edited by Malcolm Boyd and Chester Talton (Morehouse Press). Wilson resides with her partner of 27 years, Dr. Paula Schoenwether. They both actively work for same-sex marriage equality. Prior to beginning her MCC ministry, Rev. Wilson was active in the United Methodist Church. Following the ratification vote this weekend, Wilson will be formally installed as the new MCC Moderator at a ceremony at Washington National Cathedral, Washington, DC, on October 29.The Metropolitan Community Church has more than 300 churches around the world with more than 40,000 members total. The General Conference is expected to draw a thousand or more delegates to Calgary and is the third conference to be held by the MCC in Canada.
Western NC Mountains become hotbed of debate concerning gays and religion
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Canada legalizes marriage for gay couples
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Tuesday, July 19, 2005
NC wife sues husband's gay lover
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Monday, July 18, 2005
A world of possibility and a healthy disregard for the impossible.
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I envision a United States of America where lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans will be freely able to live, work, grow, learn, parent and love openly and honestly. Furthermore, I long for the day when our beloved nation will live up to its ideals of equality, liberty and justice for all by full heartedly treating, respecting, accepting and valuing LGBT Americans as equally and as fairly as straight Americans.Achieving my vision won't be easy. That is why we must take small steps and go for and accomplish goals which we can achieve until everything adds up to completion and the vision is no longer impossible or unrealistic. At the point in which the vision does become possible and realistic, we must strive further and get to the point where the vision has become reality. I have spent six days with some of the many best student leaders in America. My life has been changed. I want to be like a pebble dropped in the ocean. I want the ripples I create to stretch out, for I never know on which shores those ripples might fall.
I'm Back!!!
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Monday, July 11, 2005
Out of Town
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One of my favorites
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If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea. The Gospel of our Lord according to Saint Matthew 18:6, NRSVI know my Lord will protect me and all of the other young gay Christians out there. My Lord loves me and cares more about my belief and service to Him than He does my sexual orientation. All I am asked to do is live a moral life... loving another person is not immoral, no matter the sex. It is good to know the my Lord will protect me from those who would want to reject me and keep me out of His Church.
Follow Up: "Christians, Christianists & Christianism..."
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Gay and Lesbian Pride in the Triad
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The sculpture (pictured at left), Three Pride Symbols, was designed by Christine Knoblauch and was built by her husband, Paul. It contains three of the traditional pride symbols standing for gay men, lesbians and transgender people, but according to the designer it can be interpreted differently. "It stands for us all — male and female," said Christine Knoblauch.
I think having a sculpture to honor the lives of LGBT citizens is a grand idea. Our society already has sculptures and statues to honor war veterans, other community leaders/heroes, people of color and communities in general. Winston-Salem itself has numerous sculptures, ranging from one for Richard J. Reynolds at City Hall, one for his wife, Mrs. Katherine Smith Reynolds-Johnston on the grounds of the R.J. Reynolds High School and even a Confederate Memorial at the Old County Courthouse. A sculpture honoring the general LGBT community is no different.
I would love to see the Triad get such a piece of art. As the "City of the Arts," I propose that Winston-Salem be the place to put such a sculpture and it should be put in the Downtown Arts District (the center of which being at Sixth & Trade Streets).
In recent months, the visibility of the LGBT community of the Triad has become more outspoken. Thanks to the Triad Equality Alliance, billboards advocating for equal treatment of all people regardless of sexual orietnation have sprang up across Winston-Salem and Greensboro. The first such billboard stated, "Gay or Straight, all Americans deserve equal treatment under the law." The current billboards feature pictures of prominent LGBT community members with the following text above the pictures, "Lesbian and Gay People are Valued Members of this Community."
But I guess that the first logical step toward getting a sculpture to celebrate the LGBT community of the Triad would be to first get our local governments to recognize that we even exist. The Mayors of Winston-Salem and Greensboro should both issue official proclamations every June celebrating Gay Pride Month (in the defense of the current and past Mayors of Winston-Salem: they have done this before). During the month of June the rainbow flag should be flown from the City Halls of Winston-Salem and Greensboro. It would also be nice to see rainbow flags put out on street lamps (like American flags put out for July 4th) in such affirming and more inclusive areas of our cities such as the Winston-Salem Downtown Arts District and Greensboro's counterpart. If we really wanted to be bold we could have rainbow flags put out on Fourth Street, Winston-Salem and Elm Street, Greensboro.
So that's it. Before we get a big, fancy sculpture we need to get our governments to recognize our community every year in June, the one time of the year when we, as a community, celebrate our history, our lives and our pride. If we can succeed in that then maybe we will have a shot at not only creating a more inclusive and affirming Triad community, but we might also have a shot at getting that long overdue sculpture!Christians, Christianists & Christianism - It so makes sense
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New gay-friendly religious coalition forming in Virginia
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Sunday, July 10, 2005
Study finds many "bisexual" men are actually gay
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Changing the Church
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Saturday, July 09, 2005
Vatican condemns Spain/Canada marriage equality
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The Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, called Spain and Canada's new marriage equality laws "violent and direct attacks against the family." His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has said that same-sex unions are one factor damaging marriage in the Western World. The Holy Father has also said that same-sex unions are "pseudo-marriage between persons of the same sex," according to L'Osservatore Romano.
I wonder why the Vatican and so many other reilgious groups and churches are calling marriage equality "attacks" upon the "traditional" family and family values. It seems to me as though opening marriage to all persons, regardless of gender does nothing but strengthen the family by making sure that every type of family is protected by the laws and statutes of their respective nations and communities.
If the Vatican wants to know what a real "attack" on the "traditional" family would be, I'll tell them: Take away all marriage rights and benefits from straight couples. If that were to happen, then maybe the Vatican and other groups would come to know what a real "attack" would be.The Archbishop: Leading with Love
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In the past few years, His Grace has led the Church through one of its most toiling and turbulent times. The Anglican Church is in the midst of a possible schism over the election and appointment of The Right Reverend V. Gene Robinson, Bishop of New Hampshire, an openly gay priest living in a committed and monogamous relationship with a person of the same sex.
For the past five years I have seriously contemplated converting to Episcopalianism/Anglicanism. I am just now starting the official process of conversion and will be starting Confirmation classes in the fall. I look forward to the day where I will stand in the Nave of Saint Paul's Episcopal Church and be confirmed into the Church by the Right Reverend Michael Curry, Bishop of North Carolina.
I am glad that I have chosen to become a member in a Church whose guiding principals call for love and compassion, even though not all of its members are fully accepting and approving of homosexuality or gay people. I am happy that I have found a spiritual home for my faith, a home in which I can feel comfortable and close to my Heavenly Father.
Long Live the Church!UCC Church vandalized
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A message that UCC members were sinners was also left on the outside of St. John's Reformed United Church of Christ.
It is a sad, sad day indeed. A Church does not belong to human beings, for it is the house of the Lord. The desecration was most likely performed by someone who probably thinks they are a "true" Christian. I have news for this person, however: You have desecrated a place of worship, a House of the Lord. You have not only sinned against your fellow brethren in Christ, but also against God.
No matter our different beliefs, there is one principal which unites all Christians, our devotion and service to Jesus Christ, the Son of the One True God.
I find it hard to believe any "God-fearing," "true" Christian could bring themselves to desecrate a place of worship. Shame on you!It might not be so bad after all
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New mag in N. America First to be written for and by gay youth
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Friday, July 08, 2005
Judge rules Boy Scouts cannot receive federal funds
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Gay ban justified? No rights violated? ARE THEY CRAZY???
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A New Blog, A Fresh Start
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News??? I don't think so.
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Schism is still a threat
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appointment of the Right Reverend V. Gene Robinson, Bishop of New Hampshire.
It has been two years since the election of the Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson but 100 members of Christ Church and its Rector have decided that they are leaving their parish, diocese and Church.
During the Spring 2005 semester of my University studies, I wrote a thesis/research paper on the controversy surrounding the inclusion of gay and lesbian persons to the clergy of the Church ('Sibling Rivalry: The Threat of Anglican Schism"). I was astonished to learn during my research that the battle amongst members of the Episcopal Church (USA), the Anglican Church of Canada and the Church of England, not to even mention the worldwide Anglican Communion, had become so divided and heated. Of course, the battle of gays and homosexuality is not new; its been going on for more than thrity years now. The difference is that now, in this day in time, the battles, conflicts, divisions and upsets are more public and talked openly about. Thirty or more years ago, homosexuality was just not a subject people spoke openly about.
It makes me very sad to see the Church which I am just beginning my conversion to go through so much pain and suffering over the issue of homosexuality. It would seem to me that the people of the Church would be able to see past all ofour differences of opinions and practice in order to see the many common bonds which we all share, one of which happens to be the most important: Our service and faith in Christ, the Son of the One True God and Saviour of all humankind.
I hope and pray that the Anglican Church will be able to one day see past all of our differences and reach toward the one goal which draws us all together in the first place: To live in love as Christ loved us, to gain salvation and learn of God's ultimately magnificent Grace, Mercy, Power and Might. I also hope and pray that the people of the Church, and all people in every church, mosque and synagogue will one day be able to know that our God is one of unending love, mercy, forgiveness and benevolence.
May the Holy Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ guide our Church, our communities, our nations and our world in order to one day attain that which was only made possible by the unending and ever-present love of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Thirty Six Years After Stonewall: The State of LGBT Civil Rights
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In the early morning hours of June 27, 1969, the New York City Police Department, once again, raided one of the many gay hangout spots and bars in Greenwich Village. This bar, the Stonewall Inn, was a hangout spot frequented by gays, drag queens, transgendered persons and other people considered “rejects” or somehow deficient in American society.
What made this particular raid different and memorable, however, is also the same thing which would spark the National Gay Rights Movement. Unlike the many times in which the New York Police had raided Stonewall and the many other gay bars, patrons of the Stonewall did not just sit down and take the abuse. They fought back. The Police barricaded themselves inside the bar as all hell broke lose outside on Christopher Street. The riots lasted for almost a week after the initial raid at Stonewall that night and the nation started to come to a realization that gay people were no longer just going to sit idly by as their civil and human rights were abused and stripped away by those in power.
Today, the state of LGBTQ civil rights is far better than it was in June of 1969. As a group, gay people have come into being; we are now a community and no longer, for the most part, society’s rejects. We no longer exist on the very fringe of society, for we are involved in society’s everyday life. Openly gay people, living their lives and not hiding who they are, can be found in every walk of life and in almost every area of our nation. We are high school students learning algebra and world history. We are teachers teaching our nation’s future leaders. We are mechanics fixing our neighbors’ cars. We are accountants, lawyers, doctors and business owners. We are priests and members of the clergy teaching about God and His everlasting love shown through Christ. We are Rabbis and Imams. We are involved in politics, from the very bottom as a campaign worker, to the very top as a member of the United States Congress. Gay people are, today, able to live their lives in a somewhat stable manner.
The thing that gay people have not been able to achieve in the past thirty six years, however, is a feeling of acceptance and respect within our society. Yes, we may be everywhere and many people may know other gay people, but, overall, our society still does not accept, much less respect, us and our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In many areas of the country we can still lose our house or apartment if our landlord doesn’t like gay people. We can be fired from our jobs, simply because we are gay. We can be expelled from our Church-run school, college or university. LGBTQ parents can be told to come, not as a couple, but separately to school functions. And the most obvious point of civil rights concern: We have become, officially and constitutionally, American second-class citizens by the numerous state constitutional amendments discriminating against gay people based simply upon our sexual orientation.
We have made much progress, however, and that progress is going to help us fix the many problems that still exist. Our largest and most substantial piece of progress is how much we have been able to network, nationally and on the local levels, with other people like us and other people sympathetic to our cause. Straight people can be our biggest allies and in many cases in the past thirty-six years straight people have been just as personally involved and devoted to our cause as gay people. The Civil Rights Movement would never have been a success without the help of white people and, likewise, the Gay Rights Movement will never fully succeed without the help of straight people.
In terms of successes, there are many. These successes, however, are sometimes small and insignificant compared to the victories which we have yet been able to attain. Some of our successes, such as more gay people in the media and more representation in Hollywood’s creations, are good but where do they really get us? Many of the gay roles on television are humorous and who would take an overly stereotypical, feminine gay man strutting around like a woman seriously? All that gays in the media get us is entertainment. The only time that having gay roles on television might help is on shows such as Law and Order: SVU where gay people are seen as normal human beings living out their lives in the face of rejection from friends and family and the sometimes all too real possibility of being hurt or killed simply because we are gay. Those types of roles really help us. The greater society gets to see gay people as human beings, free of stereotypes and lies.
One success, which is a great victory but also one which has yet to materialize on a national scale, is the respect of gay youth within our nation’s schools. In such states as Vermont, Massachusetts, California and New York, legislation has created a more positive and safer climate for LGBTQ youth. Our youth, gay or straight, is our nation’s greatest asset, for it is the youth of today who will become our future leaders, doctors, lawyers, politicians, business owners, teachers, parents, etc. Although the state of our school climates have become better for gay youth in some schools across the nation, we cannot count this as a full victory until all gay youth are respected and able to learn and grow in schools free from discrimination, harassment, prejudice and physical and verbal abuse. Parents, teachers, students and community members realize this and for the sake of voiceless gay youth across the nation groups such as the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network and state groups such as North Carolina’s own Safe Schools NC are working toward the greater vision of a nation of respecting, tolerant, safe and secure institutions of education.
Many would say that the greatest set back to the Gay Rights Movement, at least in recent years, is the introduction and passage of numerous state constitutional amendments limiting marriage to a union of one man and one woman. Casting out arguments regarding marriage equality and a gay couple’s right to marry, these amendments are still ethically, legally and morally deficient. These amendments do more than just limit marriage and in places like the Commonwealth of Virginia, gay couples have been stripped of the right to enter into otherwise legal contractual agreements such as power of attorney agreements and wills if those agreements and contracts somehow give any of the rights or benefits of marriage to couples ineligible for marriage. The constitutional amendments across the nation making marriage between one man and one woman also only give the rights and privileges associated with marriage to those persons who are married. In places such as the State of Michigan, unmarried, straight couples are being stripped of the right to be protected from domestic violence because of the couple’s unmarried status. So it is easy to see how these amendments are so legally, ethically and morally wrong, for they not only discriminate against gay people (the last group of people which, many would say, is still allowed to be harassed or discriminated against), they discriminate against every couple which is unmarried. The one fact which separates the unmarried gay couples from the unmarried straight couples is this: those unmarried straight couples still reserve the right to get married at any time; gay couples don’t have that right and are unable to ever achieve the more than 1000 rights, benefits, privileges and protections, plus hundreds more given on the state levels, associated with being in a legally recognized relationship.
Although we have many areas in which we must still gain acceptance and respect and also many areas in which we must still work to attain full equality, we have many things for which to be thankful. One of the greatest things which I have learned in my more than five year involvement in gay rights activism circles is that we must always remember the positives; we must always remember our past successes and victories. In the face of what seems unbearable and unchangeable we must look into the past and see what we have changed so far. Being aware of what has changed and how many victories we have helps us to go forward and they all serve as a rallying point, for many of our victories belong to everyday life and are things which gay people everywhere can relate and be grateful.
In the past thirty six years, the state of LGBTQ civil rights has done nothing but improve. We must continue our work and our devotion in order to make sure that civil rights will continue to improve. Whether you are an activist, politician, teacher, student, parent, blue-collar worker, or high-class business person, you can do your part in furthering LGBTQ civil rights by simply being who you are and speaking out in ways in which you feel comfortable when you see intolerance and disrespect. If you are not “out of the closet” that does not mean that you don’t have anything to offer. If you are in the position to do so, come out and let your family and friends know who you really are. Surprisingly, the single act of “coming out” can do so many great things to help make others more accepting, tolerant and respectful.
Gay people in the United States have a lot for which to be thankful. We also have many things for which we must still work and strive. If we continue to strive for the goal and keep our eyes on the greater vision of a nation of acceptance and full equality, we will someday make that a victory. If we band together and continue to network and work together as we have in the past thirty six years, we will succeed and we will, one day, be welcomed with open arms into full equality in our communities, cities, states, nation and society.
Misunderstanding arising from ignorance breeds fear and fear remains the greatest enemy of peace. ~ Lester B. Peterson
LGBT NC Resources
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- CRN Interactive (Carolina Rainbow News) www.crninteractive.com
- The Front Page http://www.frontpagenews.com/
- Q-Notes www.q-notes.com
- Out in Asheville http://www.outinasheville.com/
- EqualityNC www.equalitync.org
- SafeSchoolsNC www.safeschoolsnc.com
- OutCarolina www.outcarolina.com
- The Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Charlotte www.gaycharlotte.com
- OutTriangle www.outtriangle.com
- OutGreensboro/Alternative Resources of the Triad www.outgreensboro.com
- PFLAG Winston-Salem www.pflagwinstonsalem.org
- QCYNT (Queer College & Youth Network of the Triad http://groups.yahoo.com/group/qcynt/
- Triad Equality Alliance www.triadequality.org
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