General Crazy

As predicted I was reticent to jump into the fray on the phone call. It was just too intimidating. I did appreciate the professional facilitation of The Rev. Eric H. F. Law of the Kaleidoscope Institute. Another member of the group and I were assigned to come up with something useful to say to the Archbishop about basic human dignity. My initial thoughts:

I think I have to ruminate for a moment why basic human dignity is germane to the discussion. In my mind “dignity” evokes the words of the baptismal covenant. I cannot get away from the imperative in those vows. The promises my godparents made for me (I was baptized in 1976) and which I reaffirm at several opportunities annually are not optional observances. Any question as to why I do ministry in Christ’s name is answered by those promises. I would like to convey to the Archbishop that it is not out of any political agenda, or elitism, or economic opportunity, or any other related motivation that I feel compelled to call the church to full inclusion. Rather it is out of the bonds of covenant and conviction of the gospel that I can do nothing else. My “story” would discuss the way in which the church’s hypocrisy in its treatment of LGBT people has translated into silent complicity in the abuse and neglect of young people. The teachings of the church are consisently held up in my community as a defense each time a young person is thrown out of his or her home when his or her sexuality is discovered. These are not radical agitators attempting to overthrow the quiet order of our rural community. They’re just young people trying to come to grips with their God-given selves. If the church could “come out” on their side, so much pain and loss would be healed, and further losses prevented.