On Being Gay
ON BEING GAY
Rev. Edward Johnson, pastor of South Hill United Methodist Church has just added a new facet to the question of the consequences of being gay or lesbian.
Rev. Johnson’s decision to refuse membership in the Church to an openly gay man has been affirmed by the Judicial Council, the body recognized as the Supreme Court of the United Methodist Church.
The news reports of these actions have not given references to the justification of the action s by the pastor or the council. Until I receive these references from the Secretary of the Judicial Council I must just wait in wonderment at these actions taken by the United Methodist Church.
For some time I have known that some members of some of the churches disapprove of anyone’s being gay or lesbian. At the same time I have felt that my church, as a church, would welcome into its membership any person who confesses Jesus as Lord, promises to live the Christian life and uphold the United Methodist Church by his prayers, presence, gifts and service.
It now appears that a prospective member must also affirm that he is heterosexual and promise that he will never permit himself to be converted to the gay or lesbian style of sex life.
Well, this situation raises the question of how one becomes homosexual. News reports of physical abuse heaped on gays and lesbians convinced me years ago that no sane person would willingly assume the homosexual style of life. This led to the belief that such persons are born that way, some gene [or genes] got out of place in the parent’s DNA and the body could not decide what sex to give the embryo, or got mixed up and gave it the wrong sex. I don’t have sufficient education to unravel this mystery and have not met any person who could give me the answer.
Under the circumstances I have decided that people who are homosexual were born into that condition without having any say in the matter. If this is true, and no one known to me has shown it to otherwise, then we should accept such persons and accord them all the privileges that we give people who are left-handed, have brown eyes or club feet or pigeon-toes. Also, I have always believed that such persons would not be denied membership in the United Methodist Church.
Therefore, I am convinced that Edward Johnson and the Judicial Council are wrong in their recent actions. I am hoping that some authoritative body will publish the answer telling how a person becomes gay. Also, I am hoping that somebody else will explain why one’s sexual orientation should make one eligible, or ineligible, for membership in the Church.
Jerry Clements, November 1, 2005
Rev. Edward Johnson, pastor of South Hill United Methodist Church has just added a new facet to the question of the consequences of being gay or lesbian.
Rev. Johnson’s decision to refuse membership in the Church to an openly gay man has been affirmed by the Judicial Council, the body recognized as the Supreme Court of the United Methodist Church.
The news reports of these actions have not given references to the justification of the action s by the pastor or the council. Until I receive these references from the Secretary of the Judicial Council I must just wait in wonderment at these actions taken by the United Methodist Church.
For some time I have known that some members of some of the churches disapprove of anyone’s being gay or lesbian. At the same time I have felt that my church, as a church, would welcome into its membership any person who confesses Jesus as Lord, promises to live the Christian life and uphold the United Methodist Church by his prayers, presence, gifts and service.
It now appears that a prospective member must also affirm that he is heterosexual and promise that he will never permit himself to be converted to the gay or lesbian style of sex life.
Well, this situation raises the question of how one becomes homosexual. News reports of physical abuse heaped on gays and lesbians convinced me years ago that no sane person would willingly assume the homosexual style of life. This led to the belief that such persons are born that way, some gene [or genes] got out of place in the parent’s DNA and the body could not decide what sex to give the embryo, or got mixed up and gave it the wrong sex. I don’t have sufficient education to unravel this mystery and have not met any person who could give me the answer.
Under the circumstances I have decided that people who are homosexual were born into that condition without having any say in the matter. If this is true, and no one known to me has shown it to otherwise, then we should accept such persons and accord them all the privileges that we give people who are left-handed, have brown eyes or club feet or pigeon-toes. Also, I have always believed that such persons would not be denied membership in the United Methodist Church.
Therefore, I am convinced that Edward Johnson and the Judicial Council are wrong in their recent actions. I am hoping that some authoritative body will publish the answer telling how a person becomes gay. Also, I am hoping that somebody else will explain why one’s sexual orientation should make one eligible, or ineligible, for membership in the Church.
Jerry Clements, November 1, 2005
posted by Jeremiah | 3:05 PM
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