"You cannot believe in God unless you are capable of questioning the authority of prejudice, even though that prejudice may seem to be religious. Faith is not blind conformity to a prejudice -- a "pre-judgment." It is a decision, a judgment that is fully and deliberately taken in the light of a truth that cannot be proven. It is not merely the acceptance of a decision that has been made by somebody else."

Thomas Merton,
New Seeds of Contemplation

"Homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching." That's the language in the Methodist Book of Discipline that was reaffirmed by a 628 to 337 vote at the denomination's General Conference last week. In other words, the Methodist Church voted overwhelmingly to continue its prejudice ... it's pre-judging ... of homosexuals as somehow living outside God's will for their lives. How dare they.

Instead of taking into account the witness by thousands of homosexuals serving faithfully within the denomination they have accepted "a decision that has been made by somebody else." They have reaffirmed a stand that has been around before gays and lesbians found their voices and began speaking out, telling their stories of how God is at work daily in their lives. Instead of questioning the authority of prejudice, the Methodists have relied on their blind faith and voted to continue accepting a decision already made ... a decision made in ignorance about the reality of gay and lesbian lives.

Instead of taking into account the witness of the hundreds who were arrested for displaying their faith in God to protest this vote, the church accepted "a decision that has been made by somebody else." They turn a blind eye to the faithfulness of gay and lesbian believers. They turn a deaf ear to our pleas to be part of the family of God. They shut the door on us as we try to make our way to the altar to kneel before our common God. They follow a blind faith, accepting a decision made by someone else, instead of questioning the authority of prejudice, a prejudice that has been made into a religious idol that must be worshipped or you have no place in their church.

Gays and lesbians are people of "sacred worth" say the Methodists, yet their votes this past week prove that it's just words ... there's no action yet to prove that they believe those words. You don't call someone a person of "sacred worth" on one hand and call them "incompatible with Christian teaching" on the other.

I grieve the actions of the Methodist Church this past week, but I pray their votes have spurred gay and lesbian believers, and their supporters, into more intense action. One day the denomination will see the error of its way and find the courage to question the authority of prejudice, even when it's dressed up in religious dogma. That's my earnest prayer.

Blessings,
Candace