Deep Something

I am a huge fan of Lewis Black. His stand-up routines and commentaries on the Daily Show almost always evoke a laugh-out-loud reaction from me. One night last week I watched, for a second time, a Comedy Central showing of Black on stage in Washington, D.C. In response to Bush’s comments about Evolution that, “the jury is still out,” Black does a routine about the Old Testament. As is always the case with the best comedy, it made me think about me think about things from a different perspective…about how we Christians use the Old Testament to discriminate against gay people.

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I have prepared a resolution on social justice to be introduced at the next meeting of the Administrative Board of Palma Ceia United Methodist Church here in Tampa. It will create an inclusive statement of non-discrimination. However, it goes a bit further. In an on-line conversation I had with a new acquaintance, he made a statement that caught my interest. He said, “People don’t have to pay a price for discrimination against gay people.” I believe this is a true statement. You can’t really change how people feel, but you can change how they behave in public through laws and through action. People who make racists statements pay a price. If they are business owner, they may be boycotted by people who don’t beleive in racism. At work, they may be ostricized, and it can affect their potential opportunities. But for the most part, people don’t pay a price for discriminating against homosexuals. My resolution requires the church to put its money where its mouth is.

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You heard right. Apparently conversative Christian leaders are mad at the Government Affairs guy for the National Association of Evangelicals (yep, the one Ted Haggard used to head). They seem to think fighting against equal rights for gay people and opposing abortion are more important than saving the world from blowing itself up.

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Dobson said a congressman has told him that several other gay Republicans will be “outed” in coming days. He said he doesn’t know who they are, but, “They say it is going to be worse than anything that has happened so far.” “They are dribbling this bad news out so eventually the values voters will get to the point so they will say a pox on both your houses; I’m staying home,” Dobson said. “Folks you cannot afford to do that.”

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