"This Pastor Loves You." Or Not.

On my Facebook feed on June 1st, the first day of "Pride Month," there were many pastors who posted the message, "This Pastor Loves You." Many were the same pastors who offered to do weddings soon after Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett was sworn in, and a threat to LGBTQIA+ weddings was heightened. It seemed a little too reactionary at the time, and many of the pastors who were offering their services were late to the game of supporting LGBTQIA+ people in the past.

I couldn’t post this image or message without comment. Why? Because some of the pastors who posted this message did not love me or like me, and told me so. Some fought me overtly or covertly in my previous work as the LGBTQIA+ Advocacy Coordinator in the OR-ID United Methodist Church Conference. I know a lot of them to be some of the nicest people when they are in front of you, and stab you in the back when one turns around. "Nice" Christians can drive me crazy somedays.

In Pride Month, many of these churches will fill their sanctuary and the outside signs with rainbow clutter. Weird. 

Pride month makes me antsy, strangely uncomfortable, and ticked off. I love the rainbow bunting, but this whole Pride event and month and parade started as a strong, bloody protest that we who are LGBTQI + people aren’t going to take it anymore. What is the “it?” The world is still hell bent on denying our existence and wiping us out as a people. Just ask my transgender friends if you want proof. 

Look: I’m a gay pastor. Yep, out and proud, and beaten up and frayed on the edges. I am also a Christian. And as a Christian I know I am, first and foremost, created, loved, and called by God, and from that love I am called by Christ, with grace and faith, to practice a new commandment, to love one another (John 13:34,35). Easier said than done. 

I put up this sign with my comments because I think it is untrue and dishonest. I must confess as a pastor for 38 years I do not love you if you are anti-LGBTQI +, racist, ableist, rapist, ageist, sexist, and an autocrat. And there are some LGBTQI + people I do not love, nor like, and choose not to be friends with because they are toxic and wounded by society and their family and friends. I do not believe in the Southern “y’all means all” or in the north “all means all.” That’s just sloppy thinking. I think churches that put those signs up are misguided. 

The sign, for me, on Facebook could have a rainbow background and would probably read “This Pastor Is Striving To Love Others, and Some of You Are Simply Hard for Me to Love. Until You Change Your Actions and Attitude, Deal with Accountability and Responsibility For Your Past Actions, You Will Not Be Loved By Me, Even If You Are LGBTQI +. I Have an Idea: I'll Let God Figure This Love Thing Out.” 

Probably too long. But more honest.

Comments

  1. Deborah MariaJune 5, 2021 at 7:10 PM

    Oooooh! Thanks, Pastor Brett! I like what you say. Out...outspoken...honest!

    ReplyDelete

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