"Simon Peter answered Jesus: "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." (John 6:68, 69).Early this morning I was privileged to be able to attend the American Prayer Hour Breakfast that was held at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. About 30 to perhaps 50 individuals from a variety of faith traditions attended this prayer breakfast. We gathered to eat, pray and share our thoughts and concerns regarding the LGBT citizens of Uganda as they face the possibility of a bill being passed that would criminalize homosexuality to the point that being gay could get someone arrested or possibly executed. In addition, to this horrible law, counselors, parents, ministers and teachers could also be arrested and face prison time for not reporting to the government people who display behaviors of being gay. This proposed law has so many LGBT people in Uganda afraid for their lives that one gay Ugandan who is seeking asylum in the United States spoke out about the proposed law with a bag over his face.
It is important to gather, to pray and to sing and be concerned not just about the law itself, but also the philosophy of the organization that helped transport such an idea into the heads of those who govern an African nation.
This American Prayer Hour Breakfast was called by Wayne Besen of Truth Wins Out (TWO). It was supported by organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign and in Outfront Minnesota, and was held in many cities throughout the country today. It was held to contradict the National Prayer Breakfast that is held every year by the Family, a secretive political organization that occupies a house in Washington on C Street. This organization along is very much responsible for transplanting the kill the gays bill to Uganda. Against many people's wishes, President Barack Obama appeared and spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast.
However, Wayne Besen in his blog article from TWO spoke out in praise of President Obama's speech at the Prayer Breakfast today.
Truth Wins Out praised President Barack Obama today for his bold speech at the National Prayer Breakfast condemning Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill. The bill would imprison, hunt down and even execute gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. The bill also threatens imprisonment for those who do not turn in their LGBT friends and family members to authorities.In his speech, Obama said:
“We may disagree about gay marriage, but surely we can agree that it is unconscionable to target gays and lesbians for who they are — whether it’s here in the United States or, as Hillary mentioned, more extremely in odious laws that are being proposed most recently in Uganda.”
Among the many words shared at this mornings American Prayer Hour Breakfast I shared in that really struck me is that when one member of God's Body of people is hunted down to be killed, all God's Body is hunted down to be killed. If we understand that all of us are part of the Body of Christ simply because God created all of us, and in Christ has redeemed us all, then our concern for the dignity of all human beings cannot stop at the shores of our own nation. Our consideration for the protection of the dignity of all people should not and cannot stop at the doors of race, gender, class, sexual orientation, gender expression/indentity, challenge, religion, nationality or any other reason. All of us, including this writer must learn to regard all people as being given their dignity by the very fact that God has called them into being and has "consecrated them" before they were even conceived.
The idea that a religious minded organization has transplanted heterosexism and homophobia to an African country to the point that their government would introduce a law that would criminalize, imprison and execute LGBT people is such an act of opposition to any major world religion. Whatever our religious persuasion is, even if there are those who do not believe in God at all, there is no philosophy or personal practice, nor national ideology that justifies hunting down and destroying a group of people because of a biased attitude. There is certainly nothing in the Christian Bible that supports a killing law towards any group of people.
As I am reflecting on today's prayer breakfast event and our Gospel today, I think it is most appropriate that LGBT Christians and all Christians focus our efforts to sharing that good news that Jesus Christ has the words of everlasting, all inclusive love and life for all of God's children. The love of God that comes to us in Jesus Christ through prayer, the Sacraments, the Scriptures is not a God of massacre and destruction. God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is a God of compassion, inclusion, forgiveness, mercy and grace. There is no such thing as anyone of God's children that God's will does not desire to survive and flourish in our time. God wants all of God's children to love and serve God and their neighbor. Christians really are called upon by the Gospel of Jesus Christ to oppose any attitude, law or initiative within ourselves, our Church, our society and anywhere else that contradicts God's given dignity for every man, woman or child that God has created.
Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and in our time grant us your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen (Collect for the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, BCP. 215).
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Human Family, BCP, Page 815)
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