I’m not bashful when it comes to my position on homosexuality.

To me it’s a no-brainer.  I preach on a regular basis that Love is the most powerful force in the universe, that God’s Love can cross all boundaries and divisions.

So, love between two people of the same sex doesn’t seem like a big deal to me.  It’s Love.

This week, the Supreme Court of the U.S. is looking at California’s Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act.

These are key laws that limit the rights of gays and lesbians.  The courts will be ruling on their constitutionality.  We’ll just have to see what happens.

I’m ready for these laws to change. How about you?

Now…

I am a pastor in the United Methodist Church.  We have our own set of laws that govern our behavior as churches.

Currently, our church laws prohibit gays and lesbians from being married in our churches.  And, “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” cannot be ordained as pastors.

I’m ready for these laws to change, too. How about you?

In Romans, Paul says, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel…”  Nor am I.  The Gospel rocks!  The truth of Jesus is amazing!

But I am ashamed of our church’s stance on homosexuality.  We have misread The Gospel.

What will it take for us to change?  The answer is complicated.

We’re a global church, and the attitudes toward homosexuality vary from place to place.

We’re a methodical church, and things change very slowly.

We’re a divided church on many issues.

That’s part of what makes our denomination great — people with differing opinions on social issues can call each other brother and sister and worship the same God.

But, we are not treating everyone like full brother and full sister.  And that has got to change.

I’ve thought about leaving my denomination many times, because of this issue.

But I don’t WANT to leave it.

I want to CHANGE it.

Today I was planning to write a devotion about Holy Week.

About Jesus being betrayed and denied and condemned, and our complicity in allowing something so unjust to happen.

Somehow…

I think I just did.

Have a great week,

Mitch

http://humanrightscampaign.tumblr.com/