…besides that they elected another gay Bishop. And when you get right down to it, probably they count this sin as even more unpardonable. From the New York Times…
Church Aids Expansion of Shelter for Gay Youths
Since 2002, when he opened the Ali Forney Center, which helps homeless gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth, Carl Siciliano says, he has often witnessed the baleful effects of some religious institutions on some young people. He said he had regularly heard stories about priests verbally or physically abusing youngsters who had come out to their parents, urging them to suppress their sexuality and telling parents to disown their children.
So when the Episcopal Community Services of Long Island contacted Mr. Siciliano about creating a shelter for homeless gay youths, he paused.
Not hard to understand why. But this time he was dealing with a Christian church that wants to act like a Christian church and not the right hand of God Almighty. There were no pray-away-the-gay strings attached. These Episcopalians genuinely wanted to support and give comfort to kids in need. And gay kids can be among the neediest. The Times article mentions a study by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and National Coalition for the Homeless that estimated that up to 40 percent of homeless kids in the Land Of The Free And The Home Of The Brave identify as either gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.
The Episcopal donation provided for a new 16 bed shelter, and sadly even that is still not taking care of the problem as every night a list of 150 or so kids…children…go wanting for shelter. Contrast this, with the Catholic church in Washington D.C. threatening to stop feeding and sheltering the homeless…on the taxpayers dime no less…if they’re not allowed to discriminate against gay people. Timothy Kincaid over at Box Turtle Bulletin thumps his pulpit a good one on this odd difference in approach to Christian social justice…
“Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
In Uganda the righteous would send them to the gallows. Thanks in no small measure to American culture warriors who wear their Christianity on their sleeves, but not in their hearts. Charles de Gaulle once famously said that patriotism is when love of your country comes first, while nationalism is when hatred of everyone else comes first. Not for nothing has the term Christian Nationalist or Christianist been gaining currency lately.
