A series of articles by Robert Buchanan, D.Min., on gay prejudice and
Christianity in order to challenge the church and help provide for the
spiritual needs of sexual minorities
Please bookmark this page and come back.
|
A series of articles by Robert Buchanan, D.Min., on gay prejudice and
Christianity in order to challenge the church and help provide for the
spiritual needs of sexual minorities
Please bookmark this page and come back.
|
|
|
Who Should be Afraid of John?
I am concerned
about John Ashcroft becoming Attorney General. He speaks at minister’s
gatherings and I have met him. Ashcroft is no ordinary church member. He is a
zealot for his beliefs. He is, as his father was before him, a mover and
shaker in his denomination, the Assemblies of God. His father was one of the
primary people who shaped Assembly of God thought through its educational
ministries. The denomination’s positions on gay and lesbian people are
dangerous and threatening to those who are different in America.
Ashcroft and the
Assemblies believe that gays and lesbians are “an aberration, evil, a problem,
sin against God and man." (General Presbytery 1979) Gays are referred to as
“perverts” throughout the document. A denominational publication currently
distributed in their churches says that homosexuals deserve judgment and warns
Assembly of God people to not be tolerant of gays and lesbians. The only way
for gays and lesbians to be saved is to stop being homosexual, according to
the position paper. Homosexuals cannot be members in the church nor serve in
any leadership or ministry.
They believe
that homosexuals must not be treated equally in the church or in society
because they homosexuality to be a more “reprehensible” sin than others. If a
minister has an affair with a woman he can be reinstated to ministry in two
years. If he is homosexual they can never again serve in the church. The
Assemblies of God believe that gays and lesbians are a threat to modern
society, although they can’t show any credible evidence for this claim. They
proclaim intolerance and inequality.
John Ashcroft
has experience in government and the law. He can present himself well. From
every outward appearance he seems like a kind professional man, but he has
core beliefs that can threaten the safety of minorities in society. Jesus
said to “beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing.” In reality, his nomination to
Attorney General could set our already weak protections toward racial and
sexual minorities back decades.
How will he be
able to offer equal protection when he believes in inequality and intolerance?
Everyone who believes in equality and tolerance should be more than a little
concerned about John Ashcroft ascending to Attorney General. His bigoted
beliefs should disqualify him for the job in an ideal world. Instead, the
influence of the religious right may likely sway the confirmation in the wrong
direction. If the Senate confirms John Ashcroft as Attorney General, his term
will be a time for sober action and much prayer.
Jesus came into
the world proclaiming love and acceptance without condemning anyone, but those
who report to follow Christ often have traditions that directly contradict
Christ’s message as we enter the third century of Christianity. Much prayer
and some miraculous interventions will be needed to allow for a safe
environment for all as the struggle for equality continues.
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Robert Buchanan is a minister of the Ecumenical Catholic Church and a psychotherapist who lives with his partner of many years in Durham North Carolina. He is the author of Love, Honor & Respect: How to Confront Homosexual Bias in Christian Culture and serves as director of the Institute for Inclusive Christianity. a training program for ministers and clergy who do not discriminate against gays, lesbians, bisexuals, or because of financial, familial or social status. Additional resources for inclusive Christians can be found at our Resources page.
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