Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Daniel Francis on 1st mo. 11, 2014 at 12:09am

I think we should take a fair amount of time examining the biblical , social, and other reasons we have as people of faith for being open and affirming. One of the great myths of religion for gay people is that it has no place for them. And that if you choose as a gay person to reject the negative image of yourself and people like you, you have to abandon the Bible completely to do so. I don't know if I agree with the biblical translations of people like K. Renato Ling. But even conceding a more conservative approach to some of the texts, the reality of  how the Spirits revelation has worked over time,from the days of Abraham to this very day, should give us the confidence to speak out boldly in favor of our gay brothers and sisters. Then we can learn to say, like Peter learned when confronted by the reality of spirit filled gentiles, not to call our gay brothers and sisters, through whom God's spirit moved and continues to move "common or unclean".

It is this type of holy boldness, as well as good Biblical hermeneutics, which will instill in gay Friends  spiritual confidence and begin the spiritual healing that so many still sorely need.

Permalink Reply by Robben Wainer on 2nd mo. 22, 2015 at 9:22pm

I feel that the bible speaks to the faithful and those who believe in the spirit. It maybe we have to walk in the same path as Jesus to really understand the call to save the dissension of mankind. We are called to follow and to be Christ like that he alone has chosen for us our destiny. It is in this belief that we are called to answer for ourselves what message do we have to give for those struggling in conflict. In answer to the question. I feel that inclusion means both that the doors are open to the LGBT community and also welcoming. Welcoming in the sense that LGBT families are asked to have a vital voice in what we feel is our primary value. Which is that LGBT families be encouraged to share with us from the light of their hearts  what their experience as being gay and Quaker has been.