MY HOMOPHOBIC EXPERIENCE AT NEW MT. ZION AME
One of my close friends invited me to church a week or so ago and I complied. While I don’t believe in the supernatural I can appreciate a positive message no matter what method is used to deliver it.
Well I arrived to church with an open mind and heart and prepared to listen to some encouraging words as referenced from Jesus Christ who had a lot of them.
I was pleased to see so many gay men and women in the church from the choir stand to the pews.
What I got in return was homophobia and a church all too willing to cosign those views.
The pastor who was invited to speak from Miami didn’t wait 10 minutes before launching into a tirade against gays. He claimed “In the old days gays used to sit in the church and be quiet now they want to take over.” He then made a call for a return to order? Of course the church clapped and amen’d away.
He then launched into a story about his gay brother who died of AIDS. I guess to highlight the point that gays are disease ridden? That heterosexuals can’t acquire and die from HIV/AIDS? The church members once again clapped and amen’d.
Sigh.
I am a gay man who takes my self respect and self worth very seriously and I will not sit as it is assaulted by fake men of god. So I stood up and walked out. The ushers tried to block me and I told that woman if you know what’s good for you you will move. I was prepared to shove her through the doors.
When it comes to homophobia in your church I can care less about your protocol.
What’s sad about the entire situation is that people have come to think of this type of hatred in church as normal, as just something that comes with the territory of going to church.
If the church is supposed to be a sanctuary I certainly did not find that to be true today.
If church is supposed to give you an encouraging word I guess that only applies for heterosexuals.
But yeah that was my day.
In a way I feel bad for even thinking that this Sunday would be different and this church would be different. But I can’t blame myself for wanting to support a friend.
Posted on August 15, 2010, in Church Homophobia. Bookmark the permalink. 17 Comments.
You seem surprised. Why? Do not most churches hate gays? Think they are an abomination? Most people who grew up in church speak this way about homosexual men. It’s been passed down, from one generation to the next. Doesn’t god love everyone?
I do not know what you mean by “most” churches, but as a Gay Activist, I assure you that in this community and indeed across the country there are many welcoming and affirming places of christian and Jewish worship ie, Gays are not sinners or an abomination. Human enlightenment is slow to develop, but it does develop–stay engaged.
I would have walked out, too!
I would have walked out – except I wouldn’t have been there. I have seen so much hatred from organised Christianity that I avoid it altogether as much as I am able. Thankfully most of my family knows that I don’t want anything to do with an organisation that works so hard to deny my humanity so don’t insist I come even for hatches, matches & dispatches
I would have marched out of that place so fast…GOOD FOR YOU!
I would never have gone in the first place. There is ALWAYS the possibility, especially in a black church, that they will unleash their hellish ire against the gays.
What is sad is that the gays in attendance are so self loathing that they will sit there and think, “Oh well I know he ain’t talking about me. It’s them other ones!”
I think that they fight against homosexuals and prostitutes because this is something that lurks deep inside of them. think about it. The church outwardly speaks against SEX. Sex is that think that can take over a person. I found in my life that the main people who spew hate towards a particular thing is battling it within themselves….
Hi most times i do not post on blogs, but being first a Christian and secondly a lesbian I thought I would share this with you…it was sent to me in my email the other day and it just brings everything together in a humerous kinda way…I know I will be using it when some bible thumpers wanna thump my way…its kinda long but worth the read…peace
Why can’t I own a Canadian?
by Nancy Mallette on Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 2:31pm
In her radio show, Dr Laura Schlesinger said that, as an observant
Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus
18:22, and cannot be condoned under any circumstance.
The following response is an open letter to Dr. Laura, written by a US man,
and posted on the Internet. It’s funny, as well as informative:
Dear Dr. Laura:
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God’s Law. I
have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that
knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend
the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that
Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination … End of
debate.
I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other
elements of God’s Laws and how to follow them.
1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and
female, provided they are from neighboring nations. A friend of mine
claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you
clarify? Why can’t I own Canadians?
2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in
Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair
price for her?
3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her
period of Menstrual uncleanliness – Lev.15: 19-24. The problem is how
do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a
pleasing odor for the Lord – Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors.
They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus
35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated
to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?
6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an
abomination, Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than
homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can you settle this? Are there
‘degrees’ of abomination?
7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I
have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading
glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle-room
here?
8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair
around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev.
19:27. How should they die?
9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes
me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two
different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments
made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also
tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go
to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them?
Lev.24:10-16. Couldn’t we just burn them to death at a private family
affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)
I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy
considerable expertise in such matters, so I’m confident you can help.
Thank you again for reminding us that God’s word is eternal and unchanging.
Your adoring fan.
James M. Kauffman, Ed.D. Professor Emeritus,
Dept. Of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education
University of Virginia PS (It would be a damn shame if we couldn’t own a
Canadian)
Most black churches are homophobic, so I am not surprised at all by what happened. I don’t think that outsiders protesting or complaining to Mt. Zion is going to make any difference.
What may make a difference would be if the gays and gay allies within that congregation spoke up and left the church and joined another church that wasn’t homophobic. I don’t understand why gays and allies would choose to join such a church. By being members, they’re indicating they support the church’s homophobia. If you want to complain, complain to the gays and gay allies who go to that church and are complicit in its homophobia.
Excellent response. I totally agree with you. Gay African Americans need to come out of the closet and stand up to the bigots. We have to make our presence known in order to stop this anti-gay hate speech. Whenever we see or hear this type of hate speech, we need to walk directly to the speaker and tell him or her that we don’t like or condone their hate speech. Bullies (and on this issue a lot of black ministers are bullies) are afraid of direct confrontation.
The religious-industrial complex will continue to exploit and victimize the same-gender loving community as long as it produces tons of money. Fear and hate are great motivators and the gay community has always been a vulnerable and placid target. Hateful churches are filled with gay uncle toms who sit through the hateful speech and say nothing, sing in the choir and do nothing, give money and expect nothing as they contribute to the spreading of this vile message.
It should be noted that not all churches inflict this kind of damage on gays and lesbians and the community at-Large. We are creating today, what slaves created 300 years ago and for precisely the same reasons: Organizations to meet our spiritual and community needs precisely because the “established churches” will not recognize our faith needs or even acknowledge us as children of God. Churches, Temples, Masjids and Synagogues that are established by and for the same-gender loving community will, I believe, become a powerful force in the future as we build this community.
Christians hating gays.. this isn’t news. While many individual Christians and Christian churches are accepting and loving people who would never dream of holding such biases, most mainstream sects (and certainly the only ones who actually voice what they feel) hate gays, women and people of other faiths. It is ultimately a faith steeped with intolerance. While statistics will show that such extremists make up only 10% of Christianity, experience has shown that these 10% do all the speaking (radio, tv, billboards, protests, etc) thus meaning the other 90% either secretly agree, or are just as guilty by not standing up against them. It’s high time we put an end to these folks banning science and literature from the schools, teaching revisionist history, and indoctrinating the minds of young people all over this nation. Let’s put these people in their place and remind them that if they want to speak out of their ass, they’re going to be treated like asses!
awe im sorry you had to go through that its pass time for black people to loosen the choke hold that the church has on our community – a mother would put her child out because god says its a sin – wake up people
It seems to me that the visitor made a CHOICE to leave. We as a people generally avoid, vacate, and are uncomfortable in a place where TRUTH is heard. What God says is what He says. It is an abomination. Now that doesn’t make anyone less of a person but it does speak to a call to take INVENTORY of your life and ask, Is this yet another CHOICE??
You are an abomination for spreading hatred. I bet you eat pork and wear clothes that are made of cotton mixed with polyester. THAT MAKES YOU AN ABOMINATION TOO!
A person who hates gays is no christian. A person who allows young girls, who can’t keep their bottom’s clean, to have children at the expense of the state. Not one of these black churches pay for the support of the babies they encourage their young girls to bear. No sir. These are not christians in the best sense of the word.
I would like to express to you some thought that I have in my mind, first of all I´m not a Homophobic, and I understand God gave us Free Will (we can choose to do anything we want to and of course assume any consequence for our decisions) I don’t have to be explaining on that matter as you guys know it already.
My point is we need to know that the bible law has change because of Jesus that we don´t need to follow that protocol or to perform some rituals because of the grace of God for us the gentiles, but we cannot pretend that whatever we want to do has to be OK with God, Its like telling a parent that he has to agree to his children wishes even if does not agree with it, bottom line if you want to do something do it you have the right to do it, I don´t like the people treat and talks about homosexuals the same way a do not like homosexual to pretend that nobody can prove them wrong, I just gotta say if God want people to the same sex together, why we need the opposite sex to reproduce humanity, and why he created men and Women (Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve) are we pretending to say that God is wrong or that he needs to accept whatever we want? I just has to say that if we know about bible and we call ourselves christian we have to know that He is the big boss.