Now large crowds were traveling with Jesus; and he turned and said to them, 'Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, "This fellow began to build and was not able to finish." Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions. 'Salt is good; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; they throw it away. Let anyone with ears to hear listen!'
Some careful thinking is important with this Gospel reading. Jesus is not saying here that we are to not love our parents, sisters, brothers and others who are important to us. Jesus is calling those who have chosen to follow him to consider carefully the cost of being a disciple. It is costly to commit one's life to God.
Among the reasons I like to be careful with this Gospel is because this is one of those Bible passages that gets used by fundamentalist and evangelical Christians against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer (LGBTQ) people. Preachers who have good intentions, yet use them to form religious based bigotry towards LGBTQ people would suggest that if an LGBTQ person does not "give up" who they are and how they love other people, well then they just have not accurately counted the cost of discipleship. This kind of manipulation is what drives LGBTQ youth and people away from Christianity and the Church and that is not what this blog is about. This Blog is about how we can embrace LGBTQ people in all of our diversity, using the Gospels or other Bible readings from the Lectionary of the Daily Office or Eucharistic Liturgy in the Episcopal Church as our tool and guide.
I was asked in a comment that was submitted about yesterday's Blog of why would I care if the Bible really does condemn homosexuality? I deleted that comment. This Blog is not a place to challenge or debate, at least not a commentator. I created this Blog because of how the Bible is so often used, misused and abused to abuse LGBTQ people. I started writing this Blog over a year ago to show how the Bible especially the Gospel Narratives are really about welcoming and embracing LGBTQ people. They do challenge all of us when we fail to be inclusive. Mostly they challenge all of us to consider carefully what we do with this marvelous gift of Faith in terms of embracing others who are marginalized and stigmatized by society and the Church. That is why comments that are more about debating a meaning and pushing someone's agenda will be deleted. I want LGBTQ people to visit here and find some solace and even some motivation from what I write here.
When I think of counting the cost of our discipleship for LGBTQ people, I think of coming out and pursuing the life we were created to live. Religious based bigotry that is created by stereotyping and misinformation about sexual orientation and/or gender expression/identity suggests that being LGBTQ can never be in line with being Christian. Such suggestions are not only not based in Scripture, they are destructive to people whom God loves. A great reference to better understanding the effects of religious based bigotry can be found at Faith in America.
Religion-based bigotry is the foundation of anti-gay attitudes in our society and in the minds of a majority of Americans, particularly persons of faith. The term religion-based bigotry was coined because it best fits the description of the problem. The term religion-based bigotry encompasses the attitudes of prejudice, hostility or discrimination that are falsely justified by religious teachings or belief. We will never see full and equal rights unless we address the root of people’s anti-gay attitude.
Religion-based bigotry is not synonymous with bigotry. It is a uniquely vile form of bigotry as the prejudice, hostility and discrimination behind the words are given a moralstamp of approval.
Faith in America’s core message is that religious-based condemnation and rejection of LGBT people cause great harm to LGBT individuals and our society.
We have learned that when we focus on the harms caused by religious hostility toward gay people – its destructive role in the lives of gay and lesbian Americans and explaining that being gay is not a lifestyle choice but is how you are born– persons of faith can understand why religion must no longer be misused to justify hostile attitudes and actions toward LGBT people. These stories, told by the people who have been the subject of or witness to religion-based bigotry serve as a powerful tool to begin changing the hearts and minds of persons of faith.
When LGBTQ people come out and live out our love in healthy relationships we are choosing to embrace the cross that Jesus is talking about. Many LGBTQ people when we come out loose communications with our families, church communities and so on and so forth. In so doing we are examples of what it means to be a Christian. Living openly and honestly who we are and counting all of the costs before taking that step to come out, is exactly the kind of thing Jesus is talking about in this Gospel. One of the great lines from The Sound of Music is when the Reverend Mother told Maria Von-Trap: "You have to live the life you were born to live." LGBTQ people have to live the lives that we were born to live, loving people the way we were created to live. We will face the cross of struggling to gain our equal rights. We will be fighting the good fight of being fully included in churches and other houses of worship. We will face scrutiny for our decision to come out and live. Religious based bigotry is a great evil. LGBTQ people and our allies do have the power together to stand up against such religious based bigotry by sharing our stories. Through the sharing of our stories, we can help people understand that their fears are groundless and therefore their prejudice also has no ground.
These costs are expensive, but counting them carefully is important. We like all who choose to follow Jesus are called to embrace the cross. We are being prompted by the Holy Spirit to consider carefully how to answer what she is calling us to. We will want to think and respond truthfully. But we will also want to be aware that the choices we make whether correct or not so correct, in no way means that God is not working in and through our lives. Each person makes our choices differently for different reasons. God's unconditional love and mercy are always willing to help us through the process of counting the costs and making decisions.
O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Proper 27, Book of Common Prayer, page 236).
Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. (Prayer for Mission, Book of Common Prayer, page 100).
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, Book of Common Prayer, page 815).
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