PrideSource: Bishop calls for gay Christians to come out of the spiritual closet
The most visible and powerful voice for LGBT equality in the Christian community will address thousands of activists on Feb. 9 during the National Creating Change Conference in Detroit.
In 2003 Rev. Gene Robinson's consecration as the U.S. Episcopal Church's first openly gay bishop sent shockwaves across the globe that threatened to divide the Anglican Church. Despite death threats, relentless media attention and political fallout, Robinson has become a beacon of hope and reason for those focused on working for change within faith based communities.
"Because religion has treated LGBT people so horribly it is the last place we will look for support," said Robinson during an interview with BTLlast week. "There is no civil rights issue so closely tied to religious issues as homosexuality."
His plenary address at Creating Change will outline the connections between the fight for LGBT rights and religion.
"We cannot ignore the religious piece of the argument, since it is the greatest stumbling block to us making progress. I think it will take religious voices to counter the religious right."
Coming out as people of faith
The very nature of the "religious right" and the pervasive use of the Bible to justify denial of LGBT rights, said Robinson, has made tackling faith based roadblocks the last priority for many activists, leading many into a spiritual closet.
"LGBT people need to come out as being religious. I think it sometimes easier to come out as gay than it is to come out as religious."
During a recent visit at the D.C. offices of the Human Rights Campaign, he asked a group of 100 staffers to raise their hands if they were active in a church.
"About two-thirds of them raised their hands," recalled Robinson. "But only 3 people said they had told other people in the building that they were religious."
To create change, Robinson believes that LGBT people of faith need to view themselves as missionaries - building bridges between churches and the greater lesbian and gay community.
Reclaiming Religion
"Religion is not monolithically our enemy."
But, homophobia justified by Biblical interpretation leads many LGBT people to stereotype all churches as the right arm in the religious right.
Robinson points to his consecration as proof that change is possible in faith based communities.
"In the Episcopal church, with me being elected, there have been lawsuits and people leaving the church. This is the church risking its life for gay and lesbian people. The church has put itself on the line to protect us."
Calling the notion of "church or a belief in God" far from a stagnate thing, Robinson encourages LGBT people to seek out communities of faith that accept them for who they are.
"The church that you left when they were feeling so discriminated against may not be the church that it is there now. There is a church or synagogue that can, with an open heart, help you put back together your spirituality." Article continues.............
