Interacial marriage ban and gay marriage ban. Same issue. Same bigotry.

A post by Neil Hart on homosexuality, LGBT, lesbian and gay stuff and the Lutheran Church of Australia.From religioustolerance.org  U.S. interracial marriage:  Laws that restricted marriages on the basis of race were enforced in many states starting with Maryland in the 1660s. By the early 1960′s at least 41 states had enacted such statutes at one time.  By 1967, 16 states still had anti-miscegenation laws in effect.In 1959, Richard and Mildred Loving — an inter-racial married couple who had been married in the District of Columbia a few weeks before — were arrested in Virginia. They pleaded guilty to a felony and were not permitted to be together in the state for 25 years

The judge ruled:

“Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with his arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that he separated the races show that he did not intend for the races to mix.“

The couple appealed their case to the US Supreme Court, who In 1967, unanimously overturned the Virginia law and annulled similar miscegenation laws of 15 other states.  Persons of different races have been able to marry throughout the US ever since.

Some other interesting facts…

Roman Catholic Church: In 1996, the church forbade a church marriage because the husband-to-be was a paraplegic, and thus presumably could not engage in sexual activity and consummate the marriage. The couple was free to be married outside of their faith. This restriction still surfaces from time to time.Most recently in the letter to parliament signed by 50 Australian church leaders including the Presidents of the LCA opposing marriage equality. The theology and logic behind the letter, written by a Roman Catholic,  grows out of this same theological base.

Predominately Muslim countries: In most countries with Muslim majorities, a Muslim woman may not marry a man who is not of the same faith. This has produced some interesting results. During the late 1990s, a university professor in Egypt who considers himself to be a Muslim, wrote a book suggesting that Islam was in need of a reformation. Religious courts determined that he was no longer a Muslim and ordered him and his wife to divorce. They left the country instead.Issues of social justice, religious restrictions and marriage laws are often tied together. When slaves were freed after the American civil war one of the first things they did was to marry their loved one as a sign of the freedoms that were denied them when they were owned. As late as the 1960′s the southern states of America still denied justice to  couples who loved each other through laws that denied interacial couples the right to marry.Recenty, this history has been compared to that of gay and lesbian couples who are denied their right to marry. Some have argued that the links are not there. More than that, they argue that such links are an affront to African American’s who have suffered centuries of prejudice. But the connections between racial injustice and the injustice faced by the LGBT community have been cemented this week by the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.) The NAACP was formed in 1909. Its mission is “to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination”. Listen to NAACP CEO and Board Chair Benjamin Jealous. Make sure you listen to his emotional anecdote at the end. NAACP Support Marriage Equality ► Just an aside… Benjamin Jealous has obviously overcome a speech impediment to be in a position that  involves a lot of public speaking. You gotta respect people who have the “stuff” required to overcome and acheive. He reminds me of Dr John Koch one of my seminary lecturers. Dr Koch overcame a  speech impediment to not only become a respected preacher in the church but to become a lecturer in public speaking/ preaching. I remember being in his preaching class. We would have to write and preach a sermon to our classmates. They would listen and then critique…usually very gently and kindly knowing that they would soon be “in the spotlight”. At the end of my sermon i was listening to my classmates kindly critique me but Dr Koch said nothing. When I asked him a question he said…”Oh, I dont know, I stopped listening to you”. He noticed the look of confusion on my face at the same time as the class went quiet. “And I make no apology for that”, he continued. “Your Job was to keep me engaged”. You didnt.” Lesson learned! Sometimes you just gotta cut through polite niceties and say what needs to be said. I still remember that man as one of the people that have positively impacted my life.  Thanks Dr Koch.

Drs Cameron and Pollnitz and a call for change.

A Post by Neil Hart on homosexuality, LGBT, lesbian and gay stuff and the Lutheran Church of Australia.

Paul Cameron responded to president Obama’s support for marriage equality on the Christian radio talk back program “Crosstalk”.

Normally, reader, I wouldn’t trouble you with some raving lunatic on a US radio show. This is a little different. Dr Paul Cameron was a main source quoted by the LCA’s own Dr Robert Pollnitz in his submission to Parliament opposing marriage equality.  More on this later. Listen to some of Dr Cameron’s responses to questions from the interviewer and callers.

Full disclosure: The entire program went for 52 minutes. I have done a cut and paste job to isolate some of the more objectionable comments made by Cameron. My editing has not done anything to distort what the Dr says or make him appear in a bad light. He does that all on his own. The full program can be heard here.

Paul Cameron on Crosstalk

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So…quick recap…

Obama and the Secretary of Education have probably been involved in “homosexual acts”. Like all homosexuals, this 24/7 sin so consumes their minds that it is all they can think about. It has confused Obama’s election strategy and effected the funding priorities of the government. Obama’s administration and their homosexual agenda is such that they will not rest until “every little boy grabs his ankles”. The only effective way to protect our children is to throw homosexual miscreants into gaol.

Did i miss anything?…oh yeh…”winning people to Jesus Christ, (they) wholeheartedly recommend.” That’s nice.

Now, back to Dr Pollnitz.

I first made contact with Dr Pollnitz when I commented on an 2003 article he had written in the Lutheran as the head of the Church’s Committee on Social and Bio-ethical Questions. In my subsequent correspondence with Dr Pollnitz he made the following comment.

 I am concerned that such children (gender confused 10-18 year olds) can be targeted by militant homosexuals and encouraged to think of themselves as gay/lesbian.

Fear of militant gays whose supposed objective is to make our  teenagers gay is an unworthy attitude for the head of a commission go take into official LCA discussions on homosexuality. I believe  it  shows that Dr Pollnitz’s differences with the likes of Cameron are more a matter of degree than of kind. My concerns are amplified by Dr Pollnitz’s recent use of Cameron as a major source for some of his offensive statements in his anti-gay Government submission. With this type of uncritical thinking on the part of an influential church leader I find it little wonder that we continues to make public statements that embarrass the church and bring dishonour to the name of our Lord.

I believe that Dr Pollnitz should consider voluntarily removing himself from the position of chair of the CSBQ. The gay people in the LCA, the people who Dr Pollnitz represents and has power over, deserve better than a person who is so suspicious of them. The fact that this call needs to be made is indeed sad. I understand that Dr Pollnitz’s past service to the LCA has been admirable. But the needs of the LGBT members of the church stand above the feelings of one person.

Dr Pollnitz. Thankyou for your service. Perhaps it is time to give someone else a go.

Should the head of the CSBQ stand down?

A post by Neil Hart on homosexuality, LGBT, lesbian and gay stuff and the Lutheran Church of Australia.

The Lutheran Church of Australia’s Dr Robert Pollnitz, head of the Church’s Committee on Social and Bio-ethical Questions has found himself in the news. This is story of scientific findings and statements made by legitimate doctor’s representative bodies, versus faith-based statements made by a few fundamentalist christian doctors under the guise of medical opinion.  Follow the story with me, Reader.

Lachlan Dunjey is the head of “Doctors for the Family”. They are a faith-based group of doctors established in 2011 whose objective, it would seem, is to promote Christian principles in health care. Dr Dunjey, church musician of 40+ years, 2004 candidate for the Christian Democratic Party and former head of the Baptist Church in WA denies that the group has religious objectives  although the Christian roots and membership of the group are impossible to ignore.

Dr Dunjey was interviewed on a Melbourne radio station because “Doctors for the Family” made a submission to the recent Government enquiry objecting to marriage equality and concerned that such a move would “normalise” deviant behaviours . The submission was signed by around 150 doctors who, it would seem. make up the organisation’s membership.  Dr Dunjey quoted the American College of Pediatrics who claim that gay marriage will be harmful because it will increase gender confusion for young people.

I have written about the bogus American College of Pediatrics before. The legitimate representative body is  the American Academy of Pediatrics. This  is a 60, 000 strong professional body that represents medical practitioners in the United States. In 2002 they endorsed same-sex parent adoptions. A small group of conservative Christians then broke away from that body in protest and formed the American College of Pediatrics. The membership of this breakaway group is not released for public scrutiny but it is estimated to be between only 60 and 200 people. This breakaway, bogus group exists not to further the cause of paediatrics but to fight against gay rights in America. They have been caught misusing the research of members from the legitimate organisation in a dangerous anti-gay letter that was sent to every school district in America.

Following the bogus College of Pediatrics, Dr Dunjey, in the radio interview, asserted that through “psychological counselling” a person’s sexual orientation can be changed. This is in direct contravention to the longstanding posted advice of the legitimate Academy of Pediatrics.

Therapy directed specifically at changing sexual orientation is contraindicated, since it can provoke guilt and anxiety while having little or no potential for achieving changes in orientation.

American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement, “Homosexuality and Adolescence,” Pediatrics, October 1993.

Dr Dunjey  acknowledged that the gay youth suicide rate is at least 4 times higher than the rest of the youth population but did not believe that this was because of vilification and discrimination such as that promoted by the American College of Pediatrics and the “Australian Doctors for the Family”.

The Doctors for the Family Submission asserts that children fare better in all parameters when raised by heterosexual parents.

In an ABC News report  AMA president Steve Hambleton has rejected the claims, saying there is no evidence that children with same-sex parents are any different to those with heterosexual parents.

“There is a growing body of evidence that says there’s no difference in their psychological development, their general health, their sexual orientation,” he said.

Dr Hambleton says the opinions expressed in the submission do not reflect the views of the wider medical community, stating that there are nearly 90,000 AMA members in Australia (as opposed to the opinions of the 150 “Doctors for the Family).

He says doctors must be mindful of putting their opinions forward because they hold influential positions in society.

“That’s part of the reason why it’s a bit disturbing that these opinions have been proffered. It’s certainly not the opinion of the AMA body of doctors,” he said.

At this point, dear reader, the story heats up a little.

Included in the list of doctors who signed the objectionable submission was Victoria’s Deputy Chief Psychiatrist and member of the Equal Opportunities Board Professor Kuruvilla George.

After listening to Dr Dunjey’s interview Melbourne radio personality Derryn Hinch called for Dr Georges resignation.

How Professor George can embrace all that from the Board of Equal Opportunity is beyond me.  He can have that personal opinion. But he can’t keep that position.

As a Government psychiatrist he must be aware of the discrimination and fears especially in the minds of troubled  gay teenagers with a suicide rate four to six times higher than other teens.

To exacerbate those fears with this homophobic scare letter to the Senate is a disgrace. And even more so since it hides a religious agenda. Professor George must resign.

Crikey in an article on 15th May announced that Prof. George had indeed fallen on his sword. It was untenable that he should hold those views and maintain that Board position.

And this is where the trail leads us to the LCA’s own Dr Robert Pollnitz.

The same Crikey article names Dr Pollnitz as another medico with “impeccable God links” who has signed the “Doctors for the Family” anti-gay submission. This submission follows on from Dr Pollnitz’s earlier personal submission to the senate enquiry. In fact, the Doctors for the Family submission, Dr Pollnitz’s personal submission and the LCA Presidents Submission which Dr Pollnitz helped prepare, all share the same references with the same wording.

I reviewed Dr Pollnitz’s personal submission here and here. Allow me to copy a paragraph from one of these posts.

If Dr Pollnitz is indeed adding his expertise as a paediatrician of 30 years experience to the church’s discussions as he himself claims in each of his submissions on behalf of the church, then one would expect that the information supplied would be factual and from the best possible up to date scientific and medical research on the matter. Rather than that, we have unsubstantiated and inflammatory statements that have been presented by conservative religious bodies who have broken from the accepted scientific views of their own governing medical bodies.

Of greatest concern is that  Dr Pollnitz has made public statements that would seem to add to the guilt and anxiety, social stigma , hostility, hatred and isolation of young gay people. According to the Academy of Pediatrics these types of statements promote a culture of increased risk of suicide.

I repeat what Derryn Hinch said of Professor George.

To exacerbate those fears with this homophobic scare letter to the Senate is a disgrace.

Like Professor George, Dr Pollnitz has every right to make a personal submission to the Senate voicing his own opinions on homosexuality. But when those opinions reveal such an attitude as to be completely out of step with what would be expected of the Head of the CSBQ his personal opinions becomes a matter of public concern for our church.

The CSBQ is a group entrusted with a fair, open-minded and informed investigation and discussion on the issue of homosexuality and the LCA.

However…

• Dr Pollnitz’s submissions to parliament reveal his willingness to use sources that have been completely discredited and widely condemned.
• His submissions show a willingness to ignore the findings of the legitimate paediatrics association which supported gay adoption and to publish the questionable findings of a small group of religiously based anti-gay doctors.
• His submissions presented these finding uncritically as if they were the findings of a legitimate medical organisation.
• Like Prof George he has added his name to what has been called by the media a “homophobic scare letter” that “hides a religious agenda” under the guise of medical opinion.
• His submissions reflect badly on the church. As Dr Hambleton the head of the AMA said, “…it’s a bit disturbing that these opinions have been proffered. It’s certainly not the opinion of the AMA body of doctors.”

Marginalised Lutheran, one of the gay commentators on this blog has called for Dr Pollnitz to stand down. Just as It was completely fitting that Professor George stand down from his position so it would seem that Dr Pollnitz’s position as head of the CSBQ seems increasingly shaky.

An Open Letter to the LCA from “Marginalised Lutheran”

A post by Neil hart on homosexuality, LGBT, lesbian and gay stuff and the Lutheran Church of Australia.

I have just finished my second mailout to the Church workers of the Lutheran Church of Australia. It is a letter from Marginalised Lutheran, who regularly comments on this blog.

Thanks Marginalised for allowing me to post it here as well. (Sorry about the different fonts. I just cant seem to change them on wordpress.)

An open letter to the pastors, church workers and church councils of the Lutheran Church of Australia,

I am a Lutheran. I am a communicant member of a Lutheran congregation. I am an employee of a Lutheran school. I am one of you. But in so many ways, on so many days I do not feel like a Lutheran. I do not feel like a welcome member of my congregation. I don’t feel like a wanted employee of the school I work in. I do not feel like one of you.

I am homosexual. I am a homosexual Lutheran. I am a homosexual communicant member of a Lutheran congregation. I am a homosexual employee of a Lutheran school. I am one of you AND I am homosexual.

Despite official church teachings I do not believe that my sexuality is the result of a fallen world. I do not believe that my sexuality is something that I can be cured of. I do not believe that I will change.

I do believe that God created me. I do believe that God created me as I am, not as the church wants me to be. I do believe that I am loved and forgiven by God for my sin

I do not believe that my sexuality is sinful.

I feel. I love. I yearn. I weep. 

I feel joy and happiness in the community in which I serve. I feel anger and desolation about what I expect the reaction would be if I came out to my community.I love my God, my Saviour, my family and my friends. I have loved another, but lost him because I was ashamed at the thought of what my community would think.

I yearn for a time when the love I share with that person will be accepted and celebrated by my community, not despised, whispered about and hidden from the world.

I yearn for a time when I might be able to love someone again.
I weep because of the salvation I have in Christ. I weep because of the burden I carry. I weep because every day I hide who I really am from my family, my friends, my colleagues and my community.I weep because every day I am blessed by a God who does know me. My God who knows my secret. Your God who loves me, not despite my sexuality, but because I am his, even with my sexuality.

I weep because I live in fear. I live in fear of complete rejection; by my family, by my friends, by my colleagues, by my congregation and by my community. I do not fear being rejected by my God, but it is very hard to feel close to Him when the Church I belong to goes to whatever lengths possible to make me feel apart from Him. Fear that I will never progress in my career if I come out. Fear that I will not be asked to be involved in worship and the life of the congregation if I come out. Fear that my committed, loving and life-long relationship with my future partner will not be accepted, celebrated or blessed by my community.  Fear that bigotry will stop me from ever knowing the joy of parenthood.

I weep because submissions are made to the government apparently representing the Lutheran Church. I weep because bogus research and false assumptions are used to justify a position of hate and the abuse of basic human rights. I weep when a Church leader thinks it is permissible to try and force the opinion of some onto the legislature in the name of the entire Church body. 

I weep because every day I feel like dogma is more important than me.Me, the person here in front of you now. The person here, wanting to be a part of God’s faithful community. The person here, wanting to be loved. The person here, wanting to be valued by the church community. The person here, wanting to be in a committed, loving and lasting relationship. The person here, wanting to hold a child in his arms.

But I am not there in front of you. I am in my community, surrounded by friends and family, but so very, very alone. I am alone when I wake in the morning and come home at night. I am alone when I go to worship in my congregation. I am alone when I go to work functions, surrounded by happy couples. I am alone when I watch my friends get married. I am alone when I celebrate the birth of their children. I am alone when my family, friends and colleagues ask why I’m not married or have no children. I am alone.

I am alone when I wonder why God made me this way. I am alone when I cry out in anguish to God to help me understand. I am alone when my thoughts turn to self hate and darkness. I am alone when my self hate gets so oppressive that I think it would be better sometimes to just be dead.

I am a part of the Lutheran Church of Australia. I am marginalised every day because of harmful and hurtful opinions and assumptions about me.Irrespective of theology I will not put up with a church leader or a church representative who uses an official Church submission to represent a personal opinion. I am angered by the wording used in official Lutheran Church of Australia submissions to government.I am angered by the use of unsubstantiated and bogus research to prove a hateful and hurtful position. I am angered by the use of personal hunches in submissions which represent the Lutheran Church of Australia.

Marriage equality according to Michael Semmler will cause ‘damage to the social fabric of our nation.’

Marriage equality according to Michael Semmler will be the undoing of the ‘stability and prosperity of our country.’

Marriage equality according to Michael Semmler will ‘devalue’ heterosexual marriage.

Marriage equality according to Michael Semmler will create ‘reverse discrimination against those who are currently married as husband and wife.’

Marriage equality according to Rob Pollnitz will lead to ‘group marriage and polygamy, and incest between consenting adults, and even in extreme cases marriage to ‘consenting’ animals.’

Marriage equality according to Rob Pollnitz will ‘undermine traditional marriage entirely.’

Marriage equality according to Rob Pollnitz is so abominable that it is permissible to use bogus research and misrepresent the research of others.

In a submission to the government on behalf of the Lutheran Church of Australia Rob Pollnitz linked a justification against marriage equality to supposed evidence (or is it just personal opinion) that in fractured families there are ‘large increases in health problems, emotional imbalances, learning disorders, defiant behaviours, drug use, sexual promiscuity, and criminality.’ (I wonder whether the single parent families of the Lutheran Church of Australia are aware that this personal opinion of one man is being provided to the government on their behalf.)

Regardless of any agreement on the theology supporting or not supporting homosexuality, the statements made by these two church leaders are shameful and hurtful. These statements do not want me to be a part of the Lutheran Church of Australia. These statements cause me to continue to live in fear despite Michael Semmler’s heartfelt, yet strangely unconvincing, ‘hope that they [the gays] are always helped to feel valued members who are welcome in our parish communities.’

I weep for the fact that these two men are representatives of the body of believers of the Lutheran Church of Australia.I weep for the fact that there has not been widespread outcry from the members of the Lutheran Church of Australia over these statements. (Perhaps it is because they simply do not know these submissions have been made on their behalf.)

Regardless of opinion on homosexuality, these statements should not have been made as part of submissions representing the Lutheran Church of Australia. There is no excuse or any amount of repentance that can undo the hurt that has been caused by these statements.

Believe what you will about homosexuality, but do not let these two men continue to bully those of us who are marginalised within the church. Do not let these two men continue to represent the Lutheran Church of Australia. Make a stand for what is right. Make a stand for human rights. The Universal Declaration for Human Rights clearly states:

Article 16
(1)    Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.

No matter what your religious opinion is, I am equally entitled to the institution of marriage. Here in Australia my human rights are being denied. I do not put my right to marry above that of the need for food, protection, health care and freedom from persecution that others are denied in other places. But this is personal and real for me. Me, a member of the Lutheran Church of Australia. Me, a member sitting on your pews, in your congregations.

Do not let the personal opinions and unchecked statements of these two men attempt to deny me my human rights in the name of the Lutheran Church of Australia. Take the time to read the numerous submissions made over the past years regarding marriage equality and church doctrinal statements on homosexuality and decide for yourself. Is this what you want representing you?

If you really want your church to be the place ‘Where Love Comes to Life’, then make a stand. Stand up for accountability in our church leadership. Stand up against bullying of marginalised groups within the church by those in positions of influence. Despite your opinion of homosexuality at least stand up for these atrocities.

Feel with me. Love with me. Yearn with me. Weep with me. 

Jesus does.

Jesus loves me, this I know.
Yours in Christ,

 Marginalised member of the LCA

Thank God for the LCA: Keeping your marriage strong and safe from the gays!

A post by Neil Hart on homosexuality, LGBT, lesbian and gay stuff and the Lutheran Church of Australia.

US President Obama has voiced his support for gay marriage. As expected it has put the cat among the conservative news pigeons.  Enjoy :)

BTW. There is an M rating on this one. Adult content.

gay mariage

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and then there is this…

Gay Friend Teaches LCA Ex-CEO The Meaning Of Grace.

A post by Neil Hart on homosexuality. LGBT lesbian and gay stuff and the Lutheran Church of Australia.

Hey Reader! I’ve been in Bali.

I spent lots of time sitting in a pool in a cliff top villa which overlooked the ocean and the cliff top golf course that I played on. My caddie, (yes, I had a caddie, and a golf cart and drinks and nibblies… ) said to me…”Mr Neeeil. You No. 1 top golfer, Mr Neeeil”…which might have been flattering if she hadn’t said it while giggling to my golf partner’s caddie immediately after I had just scored an embarrassing 13 on a par 4.  (I though they stopped counting at 10!! And whats with this “extra stroke plus distance” when you hit your ball over the edge of the cliff and into the ocean below??)

Anyway…it was the humidity. It made me lose focus. It made me do and occasionally say stupid things.

Some of my best friends are…

It gave me a new appreciation for some of the things I have heard coming out of hot and humid Queensland. Not that there is anything wrong with Queenslanders. Some of my best friends are Queenslanders. It’s just that…well…they cant help the environment they were brought up in and…I guess I’ve learnt to hate the stupidity but love the stupid people.

Do you remember, reader, Bob Katter’s Australia Party’s anti-gay advertisement during the recent Queensland election? Have a look if you have forgotten.

Bob Katter Anti-Gay Election Advertisement

A recent Queensland Newspaper article linked gay youth suicide with communal attitudes such as those expressed by Mr Katter.

Mount Isa Gay-Marriage Advocate, James Newburrie says his hope is that if we, as a society, stop marginalising kids by telling them that they’re disgusting, unnatural, and unworthy, they might stop killing themselves”

“Since the early 1990s, La Trobe University has been asking gay kids why they attempt suicide, commit serious self-harm, take drugs, avoid school and run away from home. Every year the answer is the same: because of their family and their community’s attitude towards gays. If a gay male teenager experiences homophobic violence from his brother, there is a 70 per cent chance he will kill himself within a year. The data is there – your homophobia is killing your kids,” Mr Newburrie said.

Mr Katter rejected the accusation that he is homophobic. He says he hopes there are no gay young people who take their lives for those reasons.

“I am a passionate advocate for suicide prevention amongst the various interest groups within (his?) electorate and the country.”

But Bob! Just saying it doesn’t make it so. It seems that Mr Katter is a “passionate advocate for suicide prevention” until it comes to election campaigning where, suddenly it is ok to present homosexuality as lurid and something to be feared. Hey insecure and hurting gay youth of Northern Queensland…How does THAT make you feel? Oh! That’s right! According to Mr Katter…there are no gay youth in his electorate.

Speaking of Queensland Pollies, humidity and anti-gay nonsense, we have our very own Lutheran Church of Australia connection.

Trevor Ruthenburg was interviewed a few months ago by Radio National’s Religion Programming. Mr R was the CEO of the Lutheran Church of Australia until earlier this year when he was elected into the Queensland Parliament as a member for the LNP. Their election platform included a policy to revoke the law that allowed same sex partners to register a civil union. The policy was only approved last November by the previous government. Trevor was asked about his attitude to same sex partnerships.

First he seems to acknowledge his elected responsibilities…

I think that dignity needs to be preserved, and human rights, and civil rights need to be preserved,

But when asked about civil unions for gay couples  he said…

 I think civil unions are awful close to gay marriage and I don’t support them, and I’ve been quite open on this in my electorate.

and why is gay marriage not ok? Mr R talks about his gay friend as he explains.

But he knows that I could never support gay marriage, while I maintain my current faith, and as much as I…You know what? It is going to sound strange. I almost ache at times for him and understand his pain. It’s one of those things where sometimes we don’t understand God’s wisdom, but nonetheless we have to abide by his word as we understand it.

So, there it is. He stands for dignity and human and civil rights except for the dignity and human and civil rights of his gay friend. And why? Well, he doesn’t quite understand why but he is against it anyway coz…God says so. I’m glad he ALMOST aches for his gay friend and “understands his pain”. I’m sure his gay friends might ache a little sometimes too.

His response might have been made slightly less disingenuous if he hadn’t used his gay friend to try to bolster his argument. Why is it that almost everyone who stands against the human rights of the gay people in our community feel the need to preface their statements with the line, “Some of my best friends are gay…”  I’ve never heard anyone who defends the rights of the LGBT community say it. Perhaps it is a conscience balm or something. “I know that what I’m about to say SOUNDS really bad and bigotted…but, trust me, I’m not really tha way coz…some of my best friends are gay”

The interview included this line from Mr R.

… one of my best friends is a practicing homosexual and is always welcome in my house, and he knows that  and we have many long conversations together on this, and it’s one issue that we are different on, but I guess that’s what makes us mates.

“But i guess that’s what makes us mates.”

Interesting comment. I think we need to put Mr Ruthenburgs comments into perspective. They aren’t talking about any simple difference of opinion. It’s not a matter of which football team is the best or which golf club to use on the par 3, 15th. Trevor, according to his Lutheran Church of Australia faith,  is saying to his friend, “You are a sinner. God judges you for your sexual activity. Your sexuality is disordered and perverted and unnatural. It is a disease and a blight on our society.

“But i guess that’s  what makes us mates.”

I think what really makes Mr R and his gay friend mates is his friend’s amazing grace which is willing to maintain the friendship even in the face of such ignorance, prejudice and insult.

You know reader…that men like Mr K and Mr R are responsible for forming government policy is downright scary if you ask me!

The West Wing and The Gay

A post by Neil Hart on homosexuality, LGBT lesbian and gay stuff and the Lutheran Church of Australia.

Hey reader.

How long since I last posted? Seems ages. Probably just over a week though. Its been a bad week. When I am low I find it so hard to put fingers to keyboard. I know, reader, I can see your tears and hear your sympathetic sobs.

What was that? Oh. You were just choking on your curry? Oh…ok…my mistake.

Sigh… :(

Anyways…I DID manage to get that mail out to all pastors and lay workers of the Church that I talked about in a previous post. I dropped the self-indulgent self justifications and just forwarded the challenge about gay youth suicide and the Lutheran Church of Australia.

I’m thinking that, in a future mail out I should berate them for their disgraceful lack of interest in and support for the Fremantle Dockers Football Club. I mean…their colours are RED, WHITE, GREEN and PURPLE. They are the liturgical colours for the church year for goodness sake. How can they NOT support them?? Unless you have any better ideas :)

MY reason for posting today is to share some memories from West Wing: the greatest TV series ever made. Deadwood was good. Game of Thrones is shaping up well. Still, nothing matches West Wing when Aaron Sorkin was writing for them. Thanks Christie for the reminder.

Enjoy.

Ahhh…Bartlett for president 2016