Pastors agree: Being gay not a sin, Bible says to love everyone
As clergy who care about our members’ lives and the hospitality of our community, we were pleased to see the article “Same-sex climate a hot issue” in the Lincoln Journal Star on July 29. The writer provided poignant examples of how laws of intolerance affect peoples’ lives.
We were saddened, then, to read responses saying “homosexuality is a sin.” Although such a statement clearly comes out of a deep conviction, we, too, have deeply held beliefs and we feel compelled by our faith to speak out. Being gay is not a sin. We have read widely, studied the Bible, been in many conversations with gay persons and their families and are convinced that being gay is not a choice a person makes, it is who a person is — much the same way that one’s eyes are brown or one is left-handed.
We too love the Bible and base our lives on its teachings. At the same time we recognize that it contains many legal and ritual prescriptions that people today no longer accept. For example, we regularly wear clothes that have a variety of types of threads mixed together within them; few people would support stoning children for disobedience; and most people would not assume slavery as part of the social system, as Paul does. Our challenge is to discern what parts of the Bible will be our highest authority: the few verses that seem to reject gay people or the countless times the Scriptures exhort us to do justice and love our neighbor.
A common thread runs through the scriptures of many faiths: the importance of mutual respect and the inherent worth of each person. In our work as ministers, we often counsel people who face discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Some are bullied or harassed at school. Others face being fired. Some are beaten on the street and are afraid to go to the police for fear of further harassment. If they are fired from their job, they have no legal recourse because state laws in Nebraska and 30 other states permit this.
Such daily oppression takes a toll on a person. Hiding who you are may help you keep your job, but it also deadens a piece of one’s soul. Providing a home and caring for one’s family brings much satisfaction in life. All of us strive to achieve that good life and find that happiness. In contrast, living in fear for one’s economic security or even one’s safety undermines the goodness of life and destroys the possibility of happiness.
We believe that people of faith have a responsibility to care for each other — body and soul. So our faith requires us not only to speak of human dignity but to work to ensure that every member of our community is treated fairly. Our concern is about people not living in fear anymore. It is about embracing family. It is about freedom and equality. It is about respect for difference.
As clergy serving in your communities, we sincerely hope and pray that in Lincoln and in Nebraska we can live together with respect.
The Rev. Stephen Griffith is a pastor at Saint Paul United Methodist Church in Lincoln. The views expressed in this column have the support of 21 other local pastors in various denominations.
We were saddened, then, to read responses saying “homosexuality is a sin.” Although such a statement clearly comes out of a deep conviction, we, too, have deeply held beliefs and we feel compelled by our faith to speak out. Being gay is not a sin. We have read widely, studied the Bible, been in many conversations with gay persons and their families and are convinced that being gay is not a choice a person makes, it is who a person is — much the same way that one’s eyes are brown or one is left-handed.
We too love the Bible and base our lives on its teachings. At the same time we recognize that it contains many legal and ritual prescriptions that people today no longer accept. For example, we regularly wear clothes that have a variety of types of threads mixed together within them; few people would support stoning children for disobedience; and most people would not assume slavery as part of the social system, as Paul does. Our challenge is to discern what parts of the Bible will be our highest authority: the few verses that seem to reject gay people or the countless times the Scriptures exhort us to do justice and love our neighbor.
A common thread runs through the scriptures of many faiths: the importance of mutual respect and the inherent worth of each person. In our work as ministers, we often counsel people who face discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Some are bullied or harassed at school. Others face being fired. Some are beaten on the street and are afraid to go to the police for fear of further harassment. If they are fired from their job, they have no legal recourse because state laws in Nebraska and 30 other states permit this.
Such daily oppression takes a toll on a person. Hiding who you are may help you keep your job, but it also deadens a piece of one’s soul. Providing a home and caring for one’s family brings much satisfaction in life. All of us strive to achieve that good life and find that happiness. In contrast, living in fear for one’s economic security or even one’s safety undermines the goodness of life and destroys the possibility of happiness.
We believe that people of faith have a responsibility to care for each other — body and soul. So our faith requires us not only to speak of human dignity but to work to ensure that every member of our community is treated fairly. Our concern is about people not living in fear anymore. It is about embracing family. It is about freedom and equality. It is about respect for difference.
As clergy serving in your communities, we sincerely hope and pray that in Lincoln and in Nebraska we can live together with respect.
The Rev. Stephen Griffith is a pastor at Saint Paul United Methodist Church in Lincoln. The views expressed in this column have the support of 21 other local pastors in various denominations.
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