People's Lives Are Not a Distraction

by

Special to United Methodist Insight

Back in March, I shared a video of a sermon by Rev. Jimmy Asbell, pastor of Chapelwood UMC in Houston. The video was titled: “Distractions and Mission Creep.”

In his sermon Rev. Asbell made a passionate and compelling plea for us to stop the divisiveness and acrimony of the present moment in the United Methodist Church. He said our focus on disaffiliations and the differences between us on the issues surrounding homosexuality is distracting us from feeding the hungry, caring for those in need, and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He made a point of declaring that LGBTQ++ folks were warmly welcomed in his congregation, they could even have leadership roles – they just couldn’t serve as ordained clergy or be allowed to marry someone of the same sex.

At first, I applauded this well-presented case for our getting beyond this issue which divides us so we can be the church, "making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world," as the official UMC mission statement says. But a gnawing discomfort kept bothering me. It is the same gnawing discomfort I feel every time Adam Hamilton proclaims that in his congregation everyone is welcome, and all viewpoints are respected. I finally felt the full-blown nudge of the Holy Spirit to name the cause of my discomfort.

Caring about the UMC's official stance on homosexuality and our differences over it can only be a distraction if we decide that some people don’t matter!

According to our official UMC policy, we’re happy to welcome the 99 and look for the one who is “lost” – provided that the one who is lost is a cisgendered heterosexual person. Oh, we will welcome a member of the LGBTQ++ community and their family – but it comes with an asterisk. You won’t be fully acceptable to us or to God unless you repent of your “sinful” sexual orientation or gender identification. God loves you. Jesus died for you. But you need to change to really be one of us!

It bothers me that Jimmy Asbell believes that means everyone is welcome at his congregation. It bothers me that Adam Hamilton honestly seems to think we should all just "go along to get along!"

I am one of many United Methodists and Christians of other denominations that believes people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered or non-binary people are already fully acceptable to God! They are not going against who God created them; they are striving to be exactly who God made them to be. Sexuality and gender identity are the result of a complex and not completely understood part of being human. We do not ultimately choose these attributes for ourselves, although we do make some choices as to whether to fully embrace our sexuality. Being who/what you are is not a sin!

I know that there are several verses in the Bible which seem to indicate that homosexual practice – typically male-with-male sexual intercourse – is sinful. But these verses all assume that everyone is created to be heterosexual and to perform a homosexual act is an abomination. Like so many other beliefs in the Bible, this reflects an incomplete view of human biology. We know so much more today regarding the complexities of sexuality and gender identity. Our knowledge is still incomplete, but it is enough that we can now understand that being part of the LGBTQ++ community is not a sin.

We have only to look at the world around us to see that this is true. There are approximately 450 species of animals to date where there have been found to be some members of those species who exhibit homosexual traits. Now I doubt that we would say that those members of those species are all sinful! It seems much more likely that this represents a pattern which is a natural part of creation.

When we try to all "go along to get along," we are saying it’s OK to treat some Christians as “almost” good enough. We used to treat people of certain races and women the same way. But I can no longer pretend that our present situation in the UMC versus the Global Methodist Church is distracting from what is important. No matter what a person's sexual orientation or gender identity, they matter to God and should matter equally to us as followers of Jesus Christ.

Those of us who do not accept the prohibitions surrounding homosexuality in the present Book of Discipline should not just sit by and pretend everything is OK just the way it is. I grew up in a small town in southern Idaho where diversity was either nonexistent, or well hidden. I thought until long after I got out of college that I didn’t know anyone who is part of the LGBTQ++ community. I was embarrassed and perplexed that one of my very closest friends when we were in elementary and junior high is now in a same-sex marriage. I have discovered that I am clueless and that I lack so-called “gay dar” which would allow me to react with more compassion, insight and sensitivity for those around me who are not heterosexual or cisgender individuals.

To Jimmy Asbell, Adam Hamilton and any others who wish to pretend that everyone can be welcome in the same UMC congregation, here’s why I don’t believe that can really work. Do you alternate between having a gay pastor and a straight pastor? Can same-sex weddings only happen in even months (or odd months). Will LGBTQ++ individuals be expected not to be offended by sermons which call them sinners specifically because of their sexual expressions? Will those who believe homosexuality is a sin tolerate assertions that that is not the case?

All of this is to say: we can’t continue to treat anyone as a distraction. No one deserves an asterisk because of their sexual orientation or gender identification. We are to make disciples of Jesus Christ from all people everywhere for the transformation of the world! To do that, we must strive for full inclusion in the church of all persons regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identification.

The Rev. Linda A. Richard of Casey, Ill., is a retired clergy member of the Illinois Great Rivers Annual Conference. She currently attends Casey UMC where her husband the Rev. Joe Richard is pastor.