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Make a list of the Bible passages that especially speak to you and give you hope and encouragement. John 3:16-17 is a good beginning: "God so loved the world (YOU) that God gave God's only begotten child, Jesus, that whosoever (YOU) believes in Jesus should not perish (throw away your life), but have eternal life. For God did not send Jesus into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Jesus should be set free (saved)." See also Psalm 100:3; the Book of Ruth; David and Jonathan in I Samuel 18:120:42 and II Samuel 1:1-27; John 16:33; Matthew 28:18-20; Galatians 3:28 and 5:1; I Peter 5:7; Romans 5:1-11; 8:1-4, 14-39; 15:1-7. Many other Bible passages are helpful and encouraging to people who are misunderstood, outcasts and oppressed. Discuss the Bible in your group and encourage people to suggest Bible passages that have helped them. Further discussion of Step 7 can be found in my book Steps To Recovery From Bible Abuse in the following Lessons: (Click on Bible references to see them.) No. 25.
"DEATH ALONE SHALL PART US: No. 26. "WHAT LOVE HAS JOINED:
No. 27. "GOD KNOWS YOUR NAME" No. 28. "JESUS AND SAME SEX LOVE" "CALL TO ACTION" THE GOOD Same-sex marriages in San Francisco have triggered a worldwide response that has become a "call to action" from many sources. See the detailed statement by Rev. Troy Perry, founder and Moderator of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, link below. See also the Soulforce call to action on their website, link below. Your personal call to action may be simply to "come out" to yourself and to your family and friends as a gay, lesbian, transsexual, or bisexual person. See my website material on "Coming Out" in Step 9. Having Rosie and her partner come to San Francisco from New York to enjoy the marriage opportunity gave a lot of positive publicity to same-sex marriage. At this point, nobody can predict what the California Supreme Court will decide or what the ultimate decision of the U. S. Supreme Court will be. For now, however, the rolling tide of same-sex marriage goes on and thousands of GLBT people are feeling more accepted and safer than before. THE BAD AND THE UGLY Religious and political reaction to the same-sex marriages has been predictable and increasingly ugly and shrill. When the Governor of California compared same-sex marriage licenses in San Francisco to giving a license to use assault weapons or to deal drugs, the response reached a new low level of absurd mockery. Equally absurd has been the response of President Bush to demand a change in the United States Constitution to protect marriage from homosexuals! Marriage is not threatened by GLBT people. Marriage is being destroyed by heterosexuals who cannot exercise enough self-discipline to end spouse and child abuse and to work out their differences without getting a divorce. Divorce still destroys more marriages than marriage creates. Same-sex marriages are a threat only to the ignorant misinformed religiously confused homophobic leaders and their followers. "Equal protection under the law" demands that same-sex couples have the same right to marriage as everybody else. Logical, objective, realistic, practical thinking would go a long way towards resolving the same-sex marriage issue. Unfortunately, both politics and religion are based on principles of illogical, unobjective, unrealistic, impractical thinking and demands. A healthy dose of common sense would also help. NATIONAL NEWS TODAY The national news today is featuring same-sex marriage debates in Congress and in several states. Fairness and human/civil rights for GLBT people is the lead news story on most television news this morning, March 4, 2004. All of a sudden, the rights of GLBT people have become the leading national issue in politics and religion. It's about time! The invisible suffering and abuse of GLBT people is coming into public view. Religious and political discrimination against homosexuals is coming into stark clear focus in public exposure and continuous news coverage. COMMON SENSE Common sense is not nearly as common as it ought to be! Common sense usually means exercising your brain to think logically, realistically, objectively and practically. Why do we resist doing this? What is to be gained by being illogical and impractical? Politics and religion seem to thrive on a lack of common sense. There has to be a way out of this mess! The way out is clear. Let the Spirit of God who is already within you give you clear personal guidance for you and for your life decisions. You do not need somebody else outside yourself to tell you what to do. You do not need a church, a system of doctrines, a religious system or a "know it all" religious leader to tell you who you are or what you are to do with your life. You already have all the information and inspiration that you need within yourself. You are a fully functioning individual with God already installed in your psyche and the Spirit of Jesus as part of your soul and being as a child of the Creator. Nobody outside you has authority over your mind and heart. Don't give away control of your thinking to anybody or anything else. Be YOU. Nobody else can. You can make a difference in your world by being your true self. Resist the tampering that others want to make in your life. Think for yourself. Use the incredible computer brain that you already have. Be yourself. Be free. Be the child of God you were created to be. Use the common sense
that you already have in great abundance! On Saturday, March 20, from 10:00 AM to noon, I will lead the first Session of study and dialogue on "Instruments of Change: our view of the Bible" for GLBT people at Cross Roads United Methodist Church, 7901 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85020. For information, write to "WWIC" (Welcoming Witness for Inclusive Church) at PO Box 87447, Phoenix, AZ 85080 or e-mail to WelcomingWitness@yahoo.com. Rembert Truluck Troy Perry statement about same-sex marriage: Soulforce Direct Action in Bothell, Washington, at the church trial of Rev. Karen Dammann for coming out as a Lesbian and declaring that she is in a same-sex relationship with her partner in the United Methodist Church: http://www.soulforce.org/denomination/umc/dammanntrial/inde x.shtml "CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE" NON-VIOLENT CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE Nothing could be more non-violent that two people loving each other and getting married to demonstrate and seal their love. Yet this exact act of loving non-violence is at the center of the religious terrorism that is being generated against Gay and Lesbian couples in San Francisco because of their "civil disobedience" today. The only way that unjust laws are changed has been by non-violent civil disobedience. Gandhi in India, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr. and now SoulForce and the current same-sex marriage marathon in San Francisco dramatically remind us of the necessity and power of non-violent civil disobedience of unjust laws. The Sunday San Francisco Chronicle: "California State Attorney General Bill Lockyer on Saturday rebuffed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's demand that he force an end to San Francisco's same-sex marriages, calling the directive political rhetoric. "The governor can direct the Highway Patrol. He can direct the next "Terminator 4" movie if he chooses. But he can't direct the attorney general in the way he's attempted to do." See also recent article about San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's decision to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples and other relevant articles in "Yahoo" link below. Click on the map link to see the states that already have voted to ban same-sex marriage. I encourage you to check "Yahoo News" every day to get the latest news and articles about this rapidly unfolding development that so profoundly influences all of us at this time. CHALLENGING ENTRENCHED POWER Established religious, social, political and cultural power never relinquishes control without a fight. Progress for any oppressed minority against discrimination is never easy. People in control use whatever arguments and methods they can dig up or create in order to maintain their control over other people. In 1887, Lord Acton declared: "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." He was talking about political power. But his statement applies equally today to the evil axis of power exercised against GLBT and many others by the religious/political/industrial/social cultural environment of today's world. Jesus engaged in non-violent civil and religious disobedience through many of the actions of Jesus and the disciples when they intentionally broke the Sabbath Laws by healing the sick, eating with sinners, touching lepers and other unclean outcast people. Jesus has already led the way for non-violent disobedience of unjust discriminating laws. Read Matthew 23:1-39 to review the attitude of Jesus towards unjust abusive hypocritical religion. (See link below.) "THE ALLIANCE DEFENSE FUND" The most recent legal challenge to the same-sex marriages in San Francisco has been launched by "The Alliance Defense Fund." The name of this organization is intentionally misleading. It sounds positive and good, but it is really evil, nasty, hateful, angry and full of lies and distortions of truth. This is the most wide spread of the homophobic fundamentalist organizations in the United States. See my update on "THE HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA" for my analysis of the "Alliance" and information about who runs it. This "Alliance" is going directly to the California Supreme Court to petition the court to declare same-sex marriage to be in conflict with the state constitution. Now a drive is also on to remove the California Attorney General, Bill Lockyer, from office because he did not obey the Terminator and immediately stop the same-sex marriages. THE BUSH PUSH President Bush has declared his rejection of equal rights for GLBT people by announcing his determination to seek a constitutional amendment against same-sex marriage. This political maneuver is willing to trample the loves and lives of GLBT people for Mr. President's hope of reelection. Mr. Terminator is making the same decision for the same reason. When the Governor of the largest state and the President of the most powerful nation conspire against GLBT people, we are in deep trouble. But are we? We have a lot of supporters and friends. We are not alone in this battle for fairness and justice. The truth is on our side. Common sense is on our side. We eventually will win. "At first they laugh at you. Then they arrest you. Then you win." Rembert Truluck Matthew 23:1-39 People for the American Way: About the Alliance Defense Fund "THE TERMINATOR" "Governor demands end to gay weddings" is the headline on the front page of Saturday's "San Francisco Chronicle" and moves the same-sex marriage battle into a new "action movie" mode! California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger campaigned for election last year playing a lot on his movie role as "The Terminator." He promised to terminate bad government and to terminate increased taxes and irresponsible state spending. Now he has set his sights on terminating same-sex marriage and in the process terminates the hopes and civil rights of GLBT people. This is far more than a simple political ploy to gain votes and support. It is a step in the direction of adding the little "ex" to the word that easily becomes "exterminator." The governor "ordered Attorney General Bill Lockyer on Friday to intervene immediately and to stop San Francisco from granting marriage licenses to same-sex couples" (See news link below.) "San Francisco Chronicle" also reported that President Bush bypassed the Senate on Friday to seat William H. Pryor, Jr. as an appeals court judge through 2005. Pryor has taken strong stands against abortion and GLBT rights and has made radical conservative speeches against separation of church and state. He worked hard to keep the "Ten Commandments" monument in the Alabama courthouse. (See article below.) POLITICAL/RELIGIOUS OPPRESSION We are facing an increasing flood of political/religious discrimination and oppression as GLBT people. The current political campaign for President of the United States is offering a vast media stage for all possible kinds of anti-gay, ignorant, misleading, misinformed, and just plain mean attacks against GLBT people. Fasten your seatbelts. This is going to be a bumpy ride. Your "seatbelt" that will take you through these bumpy rides is your spiritual confidence that God is with and within you, your knowledge of the facts and your clear confident acceptance of yourself as you are. The radical conservative backlash against any GLBT gains in civil and human rights is mounting in intensity, anger and power. WE NEED EACH OTHER Each of us has a part to play in "coming out" and in confronting the misinformation and lies with gentleness and respect. Here is a conversation that Dennis, one of my readers in Canada, sent to me last week: "I was walking down the street and I heard three people talking (in their 50's) at the bus stop. Just as I walked by the guy said to the two women, "Did you see the picture of the two gay guys, who got married, on the front page of the newspaper…..they were kissing…..wasn't that disgusting?.....They should be shot!" I stopped in my tracks and asked the guy "Why do you think these two guys deserve death?" He said, "I am only kidding…..but we all know two guys kissing is disgusting." I said, "It is comments like yours that result in other people beating and killing gay people! Why do you think it is disgusting?" He said, "Because it is…..everybody knows it is." The other woman said also, "Yes, we all know it is disgusting." I said, "Why, why is it disgusting? At first, they continued to say that "everyone knows it is"….then one woman, hesitantly said "because the bible says it is wrong." I asked her if she could show me the verse in the bible that said it was wrong….and she could not. I told them that I was gay and that gay guys kiss and marry, because they love each other…..just like straight people do. I told them that I had been "in love" several times and I know what it feels like. The guy replied with, "I love my dog, but don't have to marry him." This guy had no idea what I was talking about. I eventually got on the bus with one of the women and talked to her further. I came to realize that none of the three had ever "thought" about this issue at all. They were just "repeating" what others had told them about the situation (i.e., that two guys kissing is disgusting). Gays get condemned because of the misinformation that is passed from one person to another and is "assumed to be true" because "everyone knows it is true," I am told. As you continue to tell us in your newsletter, misguided church members continue to spread lies about gays and the rest of the population believes it…..without even thinking." WHAT IS REALLY DISGUSTING The conversation at the bus stop is typical of homophobic religion driven discrimination and oppression everywhere. Our perverted world thinks two men kissing is disgusting but thinks two men fighting, mutilating and killing each other is exciting entertainment: as in the "Terminator" movies! Religious lies, misinformation, prejudice and discrimination are disgusting. Political abuse and neglect of the civil and human rights of all individuals is disgusting. Same-sex love and marriage are not disgusting. Homophobia is always disgusting. The governor of the largest state and the President of the most powerful nation have far more opportunity and will to do truly disgusting things than I would have imagined before this week. Rembert Truluck Bush appointment of homophobic judge: "SAME-SEX MARRIAGE CONTINUES" The City and County of San Francisco continues to issue marriage licenses and perform weddings for same-sex couples after two Superior Court Judges refused to order Mayor Gavin Newsom to stop. Another court hearing is scheduled by one of the judges on Friday. (See article link below.) MY REACTION I have become very emotional and excited about what is happening for Gays and Lesbians in San Francisco during the past several days. As I look into the faces of same-sex couples lined up outside of San Francisco City Hall to obtain marriage licenses, I am seeing a cross section of America. It is the same as when I went to the last GLBT March in Washington, DC, and was stuck by how ordinary the people looked. They were not strange or wild. They were average couples holding their babies, pushing baby strollers, holding their children by the hand, walking arm in arm. The only thing special about it was that they were same-sex gay and lesbian couples and individuals. HUNGRY FOR ACCEPTANCE Why would thousands of gay and lesbian couples travel to San Francisco for this special weekend from as far away as the east coast and from other countries? Having been an activist in GLBT churches and other retreats and conferences since 1981, I know some of what motivates this pilgrimage to San Francisco. GLBT people are hungry for acceptance and affirmation and for an opportunity to declare and celebrate their long time committed relationships with their partners. Many have suffered a lifetime of pain and rejection from their own parents and families. Many have lost their jobs or lost their families or careers because of their sexual orientation. Many have endured "Ex-Gay" torment and bogus "treatments" to try to change them. Many have been driven to attempt suicide because of religious oppression, rejection and emotional abuse that they have received in churches and from religious leaders. Many have learned to hate themselves and sabotage their own lives because of the misinformation and lies that they have accepted from churches and from society. The misery and pain that this particular army has endured is unimaginable. Some have had their own children taken away from them and others have been driven from their own homes. WHY GAY AND LESBIAN PEOPLE ARE COMING TO SAN FRANCISCO The people who are coming to San Francisco for this unprecedented event of acceptance and affirmation are rejoicing in the chance to celebrate their same-sex committed relationships in officially recognized and sanctioned marriage. The actions of Mayor Gavin Newsom and the staff at San Francisco City Hall are saying: "You are OK." You are not evil or hated of God. You matter. Your loving relationships are sacred and honored here. You have nothing to be ashamed of in your love for your partner. We stand with you and we honor your life, your love and your relationships. Why is San Francisco the only place in the United States where these things are being said and done openly and in clear defiance of homophobic destructive traditions, laws, social customs, prejudices, religion and politics? I and many others hope this is the beginning of a brave new world of hope and self-esteem for the millions of GLBT people in our midst. HOMO HATE In my website and book and in my appearance in the movie "One Nation Under God" I quoted Dr. C. Everett Koop, former United States Surgeon General, who traveled around the country to promote AIDS awareness, prevention and treatment. He said that he used to go to church, but in his travels to churches he realized we need a stronger word than "homophobia" (fear of homosexuality). Dr. Koop said he had met many pastors and church leaders who hated homosexuals so much that if they had a button to push and destroy all GLBT people, they would gladly push the button. We are not dealing so much with a fear of homosexuality as with hate and anger towards homosexuals. THE PRESIDENT SPEAKS OUT President Bush this morning declared his concern and opposition to what San Francisco is doing for same-sex couples. He criticized judges who are trying to make new laws. Bush renewed his support for the religious homophobic establishment and for discrimination and unfair oppression of GLBT people. The push for a constitutional amendment is going to be part of this presidential election campaign. War is being declared on GLBT people of America. Events this week in San Francisco are a battleground for the opening shots of our own revolutionary war of liberation for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Read again my update for this past Sunday. Decide were you stand and what you can do to make a difference for yourself and your world. (See below.) Read again the first section of my website on "Why This Site Is Here" and read all of the sections on "The Ex-Gay Fraud" Get a copy of my book and start your own local small group study, dialogue and recovery in your own home. MAKING THE TRUTH AVAILABLE The truth is still our greatest weapon against ignorance and intolerance. Discrimination against GLBT people is based primarily on misinformed distorted religion. The only effective antidote for the homophobic plague is accurate believable information. Get my website information to as many people as you can. This week I received a request from one of my readers in Brazil for permission to translate my book into Portuguese and publish it. Of course I gladly gave my permission. My book is being translated into Chinese in Taiwan. Others have begun to translate my book and website into Spanish and into Afrikaans. Let me know if you are interested in translating part or all of my material to make it more available where it is needed. I cannot do these things, but perhaps you can. I am grateful for contributions that you have made to my Internet and publishing ministry. More is needed. My job that has provided money for me to give away hundreds of copies of my book and to keep my website and Internet work going has recently been drastically cut back. God will find a way to provide what I need. What we are doing now is far too important to withdraw from battle or to slack up in any way in our essential work of telling the truth, yet with gentleness and respect. When my web site on "Steps to Recovery from Bible Abuse" was published on the Internet in September, 1997, it was the first site to give the kind of information that I gave and was the first use of the term "Bible Abuse" to refer to the abusive use of the Bible against people. "Google" now lists over 450,000 web sites that refer to "bible abuse" and my site is the first one in the list. God has placed us all here for a purpose. Doors are open now that nobody can shut. We have no choice but to go in and possess the land in the power, love and truth of God. The truth does indeed go marching on. You are a vital part of this ongoing march for truth, human dignity, and freedom to love and freedom to live without fear. Rembert Truluck On
Tuesday, February 17, 2004, two Superior Court Judges refuse to stop
San Francisco from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples: "GAY MARRIAGE IN SAN FRANCISCO" A NEW LEVEL OF GLBT ACTIVISM This week, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom opened the way for same sex couples to apply and receive marriage licenses then be married at City Hall for the first time anywhere in the United States. This moved our revolution to a new lever of public attention and challenge to the homophobic social/religious/political system in America. Hundreds of couples have come to San Francisco from all over the United States and several foreign countries in order to take advantage of this first time offer. For the past two nights I drove by City Hall and saw these hundreds of hopeful couples huddled under umbrellas and plastic covers waiting all night in a driving rain for the opportunity to join their lives in marriage. TV news also covered the event all day and night and interviewed many of the waiting couples. I was deeply moved by what I was seeing. The people in this new kind of activist demonstration looked just like the many hundreds of gay and lesbian couples that I had joined in holy unions when I was pastor of Golden Gate MCC in San Francisco 1990-1993 and MCC Nashville 1993-1996. In fact, when I resigned MCC Nashville to go to care for my parents in South Carolina, I had to cancel 17 holy unions that had already been scheduled. THE OPPOSITION EMERGES Local TV news in San Francisco has also given opportunity for a number of radical conservative groups to express their prejudice and anti-gay homophobia and air their bogus claims to save marriage and the home from the evils of same-sex marriage. Much of what is happening this week reminds me of similar develops in 1990 when I had become Pastor of Golden Gate MCC in San Francisco and had begun to engage in activism for "Domestic Partners" and for GLBT civil and human rights. We had the same kind of opposition in 1990 when for the first time anywhere in the world, a local political city, county, state or country approved of recognizing and respecting same-sex partnerships by a popular vote of the citizens and not just by a city council or other representative body. BUT WE WON We won the election for Domestic Partners in November 1990. In this election we also elected Tom Ammiano to the School Board and Roberta Achtenberg and Carol Migden to the Board of Supervisors, beginning the revolution that has continued into the events of this past weekend and week. On Valentine Day 1991, we celebrated the official registration of the first couples as Domestic Partners in a powerful dramatic ceremony at City Hall. Many activists including myself made speeches and joined the cheers for couples who walked down the bright red carpet on the main staircase to the sounds of an enthusiastic band playing lively music of celebration. See my material on this in my web site and book. Later Mark Leno (now in the state assembly) was elected to the Board of Supervisors and Harry Britt, who was appointed to the seat of Harvey Milk when he was assassinated, continued his Board service. These openly Gay and Lesbian leaders transformed the image and political influence of GLBT people for the past ten years no only in San Francisco but around the world. When Tom Ammiano served as President of the Board of Supervisors, he sponsored and fought for legislation that would require any company that did business with the City and County of San Francisco to offer domestic partner benefits to their employees. United Airlines and American Airlines refused to offer domestic partner benefits if they continued to use San Francisco International Airport. Later, as a result of the work of Tom and others, Both United and American Airlines began to grant domestic partner benefits to all of their employees worldwide! None of this progress has come easy. But it has come. Now thousands of companies world wide give domestic partner benefits to their employees who are in same-sex partnerships. COURTS WILL DECIDE A growing list of countries already offers legal marriage to same-sex couples. Respect for same-sex partnerships and continued demolishing of the walls of prejudice, oppression and discrimination against GLBT people is a great historical event that cannot be stopped. Court challenges to same-sex marriage are already in place to be addressed this week. Appeals will finally go to the United States Supreme Court, where discrimination against people on the basis of sexual orientation has already been declared unconstitutional in the recent Texas "sodomy" case. Rembert Truluck Click on these two links to see all of my web site material on same-sex marriage in the Bible. Follow related links on my site to additional material: Update added Nov. 23, 2003: ACCURATE INFORMATION Accurate information is essential to your own understanding and to your ability to help others understand the truth about marriage. You can make a difference in the marriage debate only if you are armed with truth. During this public debate about same-sex marriage, you are hearing wildly inaccurate statements about the history of marriage "for the last 5,000 years," that try to maintain that the current marriage forms and prejudices have always been in place. The truth, however, is that marriage for most of human history has been the ownership of women by men, who could have as many wives as they were wealthy enough to support! See below for a valuable factual analysis of the "biblical view of marriage" by my friend Cindy Scott. Another friend, Christopher Hubble, recently published a new book on the biblical story of David and Jonathan: "LORD GIVEN LOVERS: The Holy Union of David & Jonathan", published 2003 by iUniverse, Inc. Chris sent a review copy to me, and I repeat what he said about his book in his letter to me: "Lord Given Lovers: The Holy Union of David and Jonathan is a concise, biblical response to the anti-gay religious movement. God sanctifies same-sex relationships through the holy union of David and Jonathan." "A redefined cultural and societal understanding of same-sex love derived from and supported by the Bible – more specifically, a widespread knowledge of the Holy Union of David and Jonathan – will have a profound impact on the long-term success of the LGBT justice movement. By exploring God's affirmation of a biblical, same-sex relationship, Lord Given Lovers has enormous potential to positively impact the lives of millions of LGBTQ readers. I feel privileged to offer you this review copy and hope you enjoy reading it." Christopher Hubble's e-mail is lglproject@msn.com. This new book builds on the older 1978 book by Tom Horner: "Jonathan Loved David." See also links below to my web site material on David and Jonathan and Ruth and Naomi. Go to my web site and click on "SAME-SEX MARRIAGE" on my homepage, where you will also be directed to the relevant biblical materials printed out in full. Recent e-mail from Cindy Scott: "IN DEFENSE OF BIBLICAL MARRIAGE" The Presidential Prayer Team is currently urging us to: "Pray for the President as he seeks wisdom on how to legally codify the definition of marriage. Pray that it will be according to Biblical principles. With many forces insisting on variant definitions of marriage, pray that God's Word and His standards will be honored by our government." Any good religious person believes prayer should be balanced by action. So here, in support of the Prayer Team's admirable goals, is a proposed Constitutional Amendment codifying marriage entirely on biblical principles: A. Marriage in the United States shall consist of a union between one man and one or more women. (Gen 29:17-28; II Sam 3:2-5.) B. Marriage shall not impede a man's right to take concubines in addition to his wife or wives. (II Sam 5:13; I Kings 11:3; II Chronicles 11:21) C. A marriage shall be considered valid only if the wife is a virgin. If the wife is not a virgin, she shall be executed (Deut 22:13-21) D. Marriage of a believer and a non-believer shall be forbidden. (Gen 24:3; Num 25:1-9; Ezra 9:12; Neh. 10:30) E. Since marriage is for life, neither this Constitution nor the constitution of any State, nor any state or federal law, shall be construed to permit divorce. (Deut 22:19; Mark 10:9) F. If a married man dies without children, his brother shall marry the widow. If he refuses to marry his brother's widow or deliberately does not give her children, he shall pay a fine of one shoe and be otherwise punished in a manner to be determined by law. (Gen. 38:6-10; Deut 25:5-10) G. In lieu of marriage, if there are no acceptable men in your town, it is required that you get your dad drunk and have sex with him (even if he had previously offered you up as a sex toy to men young and old), tag-teaming with any sisters you may have. Of course, this rule applies only if you are female. (Gen 19:31-36) --Cindy Scott READ AND STUDY Study carefully my web site material indicated below. When I see people like Chris Matthews this morning on his talk show allowing his guests to say unchallenged misinformation and factually untrue statements while pretending to be fair and objective, I realize that we are up against formidable forces of destruction and abuse even from people who ordinarily are supportive of human rights and fairness. The issue of same-sex marriage is not going to go away. The mounting frantic religious opposition to homosexuals and to homosexual marriages is gaining ground. Do whatever you can to become adequately informed yourself and pass on accurate information to anybody that you think will listen. Share this update as widely as possible. Thank you for what you are already doing to tell the truth that will set us free! Rembert Truluck (See my web site material on Same-Sex Marriage above.) "FEAR OF FREEDOM" FEAR AND THE DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE "Faith based" attacks against GLBT people have accelerated in recent months in the many political and religious movements being generated to defend marriage against the freedom of homosexual couples to marry and enjoy the legal protection and rights of other married partners. What is the basis for this rising tide of religious fear of freedom of homosexuals to marry? What kind of fear is motivating so many people to propose changing the United States Constitution and most state constitutions to define "marriage" as heterosexual and leave out same-sex couples? What forces are driving so many leaders to write homophobia into the basic system of national law and social practice? The acute fears that lie behind this present plague of "homophobia" in America are based, like most fears, in ignorance and misinformation. Legalistic manipulative misinformed religion has emerged as the most abusive social fear force in our culture. Like other fears, homophobia is based on a distortion of factual information and on a religion-based rejection of logical, objective, realistic, practical thinking. For every ounce of accurate information available today about homosexuality and homosexuals, tons of intentionally distorted myths and misinformation are dumped into the public media circus through the Internet, television, radio, newspapers, magazines, sermons, mail-outs, books, pamphlets, and millions of personal conversations. Families are being torn apart by the fears that the ignorance explosion has unleashed upon our society. WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS I receive a constant flow of e-mail letters in response to my web site telling me what "the Bible says" that rejects and refutes my ministry of liberation and self-acceptance for GLBT people. Can't anybody see clearly that the Bible speaks with a multitude of contradictory and confusing voices that are totally out of touch with today's world? The use of the Bible and religion to attack and destroy GLBT people is based on incredible ignorance of the true meaning and nature of the Bible. My web site deals in great detail with the destructive use of biblical literalism and biblical misinformation. I have yet to see any evidence that convinces me that I should change a single statement in my web site and book to bring my work into line with the distorted views of God and the world that legalistic fear-based religion demands. The homophobic religionists ignore the multiple problems of language, translation, cultural context and religious history as though God personally dictated every item and every word in the Bible. The verbal inspiration of every word in the Bible is an absurd myth that has no basis whatever in the Bible itself. Abusive religion existed in the time of Jesus, and the twenty-third chapter of the Gospel According to Matthew eloquently and decisively gives the careful remembered response of Jesus to fear based legalism. WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? To base homophobia and the denial of human freedom on the Bible and on the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to recreate God in the homophobic image of religious ignorance and to ignore the true freedom revolution that Jesus set into motion. The Spirit of Jesus is clearly available and obvious in the Four Gospels. The Fourth Gospel makes clear the presence and availability of the Spirit of Jesus to guide, teach, inspire and empower any follower of Jesus who has the good sense to let go of traditional religion and follow Jesus instead of religion. Any time you want a reminder of how the earliest followers of Jesus understood what it means to do what Jesus would do, read John chapters 13-17. For Jesus, the bottom line and final word is LOVE, not law or religious authority. When I read the news reports that "some bishops oppose gay rights and other bishops support gay rights" my question is, "What is the basis for having bishops in the first place!" Jesus gave no basis whatever for creating religious authorities to have spiritual power over others. Jesus gave his Spirit to every individual and expected each follower to follow Jesus, not some self-appointed expert in the knowledge of God! Jesus rejected and opposed all of the contemporary defenders of the honor of God in his own time, and they in turn attacked and killed him. The spirit of freedom, however, would not die, and the resurrection of Jesus is the victory of freedom over oppression. FIGHT WITH THE FACTS Fight the misinformed fundamentalists with the facts, not with anger and resentment. Keep telling the truth, your personal truth. Do you know who you really are? Discover and celebrate your own truth about yourself. Come out to yourself and to your world. GLBT people bring more positive changes to the world simply by coming out than by anything else we can do. The truth will indeed set you free. Read and study all of my web site and become equipped with factual information that is based on objective research instead of on religious mythologies and speculations. Get a copy of my book to study and share with others in a small group. There is no valid substitute for accurate information. The forces of fear that are arrayed against us are busy with astounding levels of financial support and media outlets. The use of religion in America intentionally to distort the truth about GLBT people and to sell fear is an emerging new industry that is growing more militant and more successful every day. (See the web site links below.) You have the best weapon of all in the Spirit of Jesus. Follow the real Jesus, not the tamed misrepresented Jesus that abusive religion has harnessed to the creaking old wagon of misinformed homophobic nonsense to try to compromise your freedom to be yourself. God made you like you are. Honor God by being yourself in honesty and freedom. CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANITY "Conservative Christianity" is an oxymoron! Christianity that really follows Jesus is always revolutionary, never conservative. To bend every effort to "conserve" the past is to abandon the exciting new creative activity of God in every moment of every day. You are part of the ongoing spiritual revolution that Jesus set into motion 2,000 years ago. You don't live in the past. You live today a day at the time. Faith looks to the past, hope looks to the future, but love is now. Through the love that Jesus demonstrated and taught and promised to give to you through the Spirit, you can be alive, free and relevant today and every day one day at a time. Freedom is a real threat to people who cannot accept themselves. Rembert Truluck My August 22, 2003, update dealt with the "Homophobic Agenda" and reported on the new book on "The Homosexual Agenda" published by Southern Baptists: Here is the web site of Alliance Defense Fund, which produced "The Homosexual Agenda" and A Response to the organization behind the book: Click for Vermont GLBT Conference October 4, 2001, on "Religion, Sexual Orientation & the Law."
This material was added on September 3, 2001: Good parents want their children, prepare for their children's birth and learn everything they can about how to care for and educate their children. Good parents provide the best possible loving, social, physical, economic, educational and spiritual environment for their children. Gay and Lesbian parents do all of this and more! By contrast, many heterosexual parents do not prepare for the birth of children or even become partners until their child is conceived and born. Same-sex couples always prepare long and carefully before adopting a child. We live in a culture, however, where grandparents are raising a majority of children in some sections of our society because one or both of the heterosexual parents are unfit and irresponsible or strung out on drugs or in prison. Being heterosexual obviously does not automatically equip anybody to be a good parent. Being homosexual also does not automatically disqualify anybody from being a good parent. From my personal observation, homosexual couples are more committed to the welfare of their children than are most other people. GAY PARENTS As an MCC pastor and teacher for the past 20 years, I have known hundreds of committed Lesbian and Gay couples that are raising their children with love and encouragement that is a model of what a good home should be. Being members of an oppressed minority causes gay parents to be more sensitive and welcoming to unwanted minority babies and children. Rod Bragg in Nashville, Tennessee, is a former pastor of MCC Nashville that I served from 1993-1996. Rod and his partner became the first gay couple to receive a foster child in Tennessee. Their little boy is an African American AIDS baby. Nobody else wanted him. He was not expected to live very long. He received excellent loving care and medical attention, however, and survived for many years. Finally, Rod and his partner were the first gay couple in Tennessee to be allowed to adopt their foster son. Rod Bragg and his partner are not unique in our community. Many other couples in many places have had similar experiences. The proof of the quality of same-sex adoptive parents is obvious to all of us who are informed about our people and who are not basing our opinions on prejudice and ignorance. Thousands of unwanted babies and children are waiting to be adopted by the many loving same-sex couples that would love to be their parents. We all are waiting for religious lies to be replaced by the truth and for misinformation to be replaced by the facts. Minority babies and children are dying because of the various bans against Gay and Lesbian adoptions. The genocide of GLBT people is thereby extended to include minority babies also. GET THE FACTS The other day at Different Light Book Store in San Francisco, I was struck by how many new books are being published by, for and about Gay Parents. Check out the web sites related to Gay Parents. See links below for just a few of the thousands of related web sites. Politicians, preachers and others who oppose same-sex adoptive parents simply are ignorant of the facts and are basing their opposition on prejudice and their own homophobic religious misinformation. Help to get accurate reliable information to public officials and religious leaders about this important issue. We cannot sit idly by while homophobic misinformed religion holds hostage the freedom of Gay and Lesbian adoptive parents and sabotages the welfare of the children who will benefit from being adopted by committed same-sex loving couples. CHILDREN ARE THE VICTIMS The people who suffer the most because of the homophobic religious ban on gay adoptive parents are the many children who need and deserve good loving homes. Multitudes of needy children are still without parents because of misguided public opinion and unconstitutional unrealistic "faith based" ignorant bans against gay adoptions like the ones in Florida, Mississippi, and Utah. Misinformed abusive religion is the underlying cause for the suffering of these often hard to place orphans and abandoned children. SHAME on the religious people who are fighting for a share of the public money for "Faith Based Services" when their own ignorance and prejudice cancel them out as truly objective realistic providers of help to needy children or to anybody else!
"Welcome the children and do not hinder them from coming to me; Go to "Gay Adoption" on Yahoo! And click on "Web Page Matches" to see a list of 46,500 related sites! See: "Adoption Family Center" Gay and Lesbian Adoption: Resources Gay Parent magazine |
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