Dave Cornwell

Things I believe about homosexuality, the Church, and the attitudes of some Christians

• Sexual orientation is not a matter of choice. It is more like being right handed or left handed.
• Therefore being gay/lesbian is not something to be repented of or to feel guilty about.
• Gay/lesbian persons are part of God's great and diverse creation.
• Biblical passages used to condemn homosexuality are interpreted very narrowly and selectively while other contextual information is ignored. Anything can be proven by "proof texting." In the past Christians have used this method to defend slavery, the supremacy of males, and a flat earth (plus so much more falsehood that this entire space would be occupied if I attempted to list it!).
• Jesus never mentioned homosexuals or homosexuality. He did mention money, religious elitism, public displays of religion, hypocrisy, judgementalism, and legalism. (Wonder where the religious right happens to be on these issues?)
• Members of the religious right, by their anti-gay rhetoric encourage homophobia, bigotry, prejudice, hypcroisy and gay bashing.
• "Don't tell, don't ask" rules enforced by various denominations (such as The United Methodist Church) toward gay/lesbian clergy and laity are more immoral than the conduct they are attempting to prevent. In effect, they are saying, "Lie about who you are and then we will accept you."
• Most Church and denominational leaders refuse to be real leaders. They check the direction of the blowing wind, straddle the fence, and are afraid to offend constituents.
• Gays/lesbians have been and continue to be sinned against by the Church. Many gays and lesbians have been hurt emotionally, spirituality, and personally by the attitude and actions of the church.
• Pat Robertson, James Dobson and Don Wildmon and other religious right leaders have made careers out of vilifying homosexuals. Many mainline churches (such as the United Methodist Church) are duplicitous in this sin by their failure to exert leadership and by their attempts to silence any prophetic voices that dare speak the truth.
• Being anti-gay is a new "article of religion" among conservative groups (examples are the so called "Good News" and "Confessing" movements in the Untied Methodist Church).
• To the religious right, gays/lesbians issues and the "gay agenda" have become a new scapegoat, replacing Communism, and opening up potential sources of emotion, support and income from "true believers."

Last revised:  5/31/99