Saturday, June 09, 2007

Black Church Walking Equality Walk

Now in its eighth year as a reconciling church, Union United Methodist on Columbus in the South End is quietly showing the bigots -- black and white -- how to behave, how to be, well, Christian. This year, it's hosting the interfaith prayer service before the Pride parade.

We should pause for a moment to be grateful for those who stand up against easy bigotry. The stereotypical response to calls to welcome homosexual or support their efforts for equality is far too often to reject them. Far too often, even ministers in the African American communities will select some old testament verses to condemn this minority.

The article in today's Boston Globe seemed to want to use this tension to stir a bit of Boston Herald-style sensationalism. However, the Black Ministerial Alliance, home to the anti-gay clergy here, wouldn't bite. No comment. No returned calls.

This blog has cited the conflicts between those clowns and Union United's Rev. Martin D. McLee. Future generations will surely not treat the Gilbert Thompson hate faction respectfully.

In contrast to them, McLee said simply, "Gay folk have always been in the black church and the white church -- that's not new -- but we don't require folk to pretend that they're not who they are." Then in reference to the anti-gay ministers, he added, "I don't want this to be divisive, and I don't choose to be a part of side-taking. This is just one church living out its journey."

Let the people say amen.

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