In the past few days I have seen a few Christian right wingers again hurl Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 about "not lying with another man as a man does with a woman for it is an abomination" towards lesbian and gay people. It is one of the famous "clobber passages" used by right wing anti-gay Christians. Among their many claims is that homosexuality is so condemned by Scripture that there is just no getting around it, it is wrong. However a careful examination will reveal that the Scriptures do not condemn committed same-sex relationships. The passage from Leviticus is part of a huge holiness and ritualistic purity code, much of which today is not followed. The same holiness code that talks about a man not laying with another man also condemns the idea of planting two different seeds in a field, or wearing a garment made of two different materials. (See Leviticus 19:19). There are many Christians who quote Leviticus 18:33 and 20:13 against homosexuals, but do not stone their children when they talk back to them which the same holiness code suggests.
The same Bible that is said to condemn homosexuality also tells us to sell everything we have off to give it to the poor. Most of us do not go sell everything we have and give it to the poor. However, the idea of Biblical literalism toward homosexual people, is just something for many fundamentalists where there is just no compromise or understanding.
Today's Gospel ends with "Keep awake therefore, for you do not know the day, nor the hour." (Matthew 25:13). How many of us would be able to stay awake day and night to prepare for the Kingdom of God? One of the opening sentences for Daily Morning Prayer during Advent is: "Watch for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning, lest he come suddenly and find you asleep." (Mark 13: 35,36). You mean to tell me that a mother who finally goes to bed exhausted because she was up all night with a sick child would probably be left by Jesus if he were to come again and find her asleep? We don't exactly apply Biblical literalism applicable here.
If you have not watched the inspiring film For the Bible Tells Me So you are truly missing a great documentary on the Bible and homosexuality. During the film there are several families documented about their struggles with what the Bible and their respective churches have said about homosexuality over the years. There is examination of a few of the "clobber passages" and how they are applied and misapplied. One of the people who tells his story in there is Bishop Gene Robinson. Bishop Gene Robinson is an example of what a Pastor should be. His theology, Spirituality and over all philosophy continues to be an inspiration to many. And if there was a man who sharing in the cross of Jesus, it is +Robinson. He is also an example of what it means to keep our lamps burning and allow the Spirit of the Lord to lead us into all truth.
Among things we must keep in mind is that the Bible in and of itself though it is the Word of God is not the words from God. The Word of God is Jesus Christ, God's perfect revelation. Bishop Robinson deals with this very effectively in his book In the Eye of the Storm on page 22. One way we "keep our lamps burning" and "stay awake" is continuing to inquire and learn about our Christian Faith, and never stop at the door of our own understanding. The Christian Faith is so much bigger than our beautiful Liturgies, music, preachers and theology. It is a life lived in which the Gospel comes alive through our participation in God's work. As we pray for people, help people, love people, struggle with people and work to extinguish the fires of racism, class, sexism and heterosexism we are by the Spirit of the Lord, keeping our lamps burning so that the Son of Man can come and find a new society flourishing with justice and equality.
We have opportunities right in front of us for how LGBT Christians can make the Gospel come alive. When we contact our legislators, when we engage in healthy relationships with someone we love and allow them to love us back. When we participate in an AIDS Walk and work to bring marriage equality and fight those who want to defeat marriage equality even when they win. Our efforts on behalf of the poor and the uninsured as our Congress continues to show their incompetence to pass health care reform, those efforts and our not accepting injustice to continue to go unchallenged, those actions must keep going. We must pray that God will lead us and change hearts and minds as we struggle with the media who continues to paint the picture of LGBT people as the "naughty people" over there, while the straight couples deserve all of the kind attention.
How can LGBT Christians keep their lights of calling for justice and equality burning? What places in your life is God challenging you to remain vigilant as an LGBT Christian? Are you willing to answer that call generously?
Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen. (Prayer for the Third Sunday of Advent, Book of Common Prayer, Page 212).
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