Facing my ministry...

I grew up in a town and in a church and with a family that supported my often extremely liberal ideas of what God expects and wants.  And the older I get, the more liberal I get.  At the same time I understand the conservative religious thought process.  See, the thing about faith is that it isn't rational.  It isn't based in logic, it isn't based on proof.  It's based on emotion and intuition and a million other things that can't be explained by logic.

That said, all too often humanity/society try to make it logical.  As if by outlining the contradictions in the Bible, the Koran, the Sutras, etc. are going to stop people from faith.  As if by using the circular logic that says God exists because the Bible says so is enough to convert the faithless to the cause.  Theism and Atheism are both irrational and illogical.  The only logical stance is agnosticism.  But this isn't about what is logical.

I don't care that my faith in a higher being is irrational.  I don't care that I can't stand on solid evidence and provide proof to the world that there is a God.  I don't need people to jump on my band wagon and worship with me.  I want a community.  I want to built a community of people who are willing to be respectful of others and are willing to listen and be open to the possibility of something different...that doesn't mean accept it.  That doesn't mean take it on if it doesn't feel right, but understanding that the person sitting next to you is not you, and so they won't experience spiritual life the way you do.

I am not LGBT, I never have been.  I was born about as straight as they come.  But I believe in a God who doesn't make mistakes.  Which means that any person who is LGBT is a perfect creation of God.  I find it extremely hard to take that there are people and churches who preach words of hate toward the LGBT community while welcoming adulterers and addicts into their fold.  And while a part of me wonders at the logical argument that can be made to be willing to support and adulterer while bullying a gay person, the other part of me recognizes that it isn't about logic at all.

The Bible vaguely mentions homosexuality in a handful of places...most often in the Old Testament and surrounded by a myriad of other laws that most Christians today don't follow without a second thought.  But there are some in the New Testament...also in places that very often go along with other behavioral ideals that we don't really follow either.

The Bible mentions it's opposition to adultery more than 150 times directly.  And yet...there are no moves toward trying to make adultery illegal by a constitutional amendment in any state.

Why?  Because the fight against the LGBT community isn't about logic.  It is when it comes down to it...I think...fear.

Kentucky was one of the first to amend their constitution to forbid a homosexual union.  It wasn't even a close vote.  While I was disappointed, I wasn't surprised.  And because of that amendment, it is unlikely that I will ever get to perform a legal wedding ceremony for a homosexual couple.

In less than 3 weeks I will be an ordained interfaith minister.  I will be assigned to a church based in New York City and I will be legally allowed to perform marriage ceremonies.  I can't wait.  I really want to be a part of creating the perfect ceremony for a couple.  And I will be happy to perform services for people of any race, gender, sexuality, age or creed (should they want me to do so).

I will not attack any one for their beliefs about God or what God wants.  If you believe that homosexuality is a sin and unnatural, fine.  Live it.  But go ahead and send those people my way.  I will be happy to have them as part of my fold.  And if they aren't near me, I will be happy to help them find a community that will accept them.

My ministry will be based around letting people find themselves, their beliefs and be true to their core.  Any worship service I perform will likely involve things that don't feel comfortable to everyone in the room, but as we are all different, I can't please everyone all the time.  But it will be inclusive.  Any wedding, funeral, baby blessing or spiritual counseling I offer will be based around the individuals coming to me for the service.  They will get to decide how it goes.  I'm sure I will find things I will not do (blood sacrifice, snake handling are two examples), but that's because it is in opposition to my personal morality.  As a minister I have to live true to my personal morality.

I am staring down the barrel and seeing my path as "minister" laid out before me.  And I hope I am up to the call.

As I walk my path, I will follow the example of the men who wrote these posts: 

Stan Duncan:  My Mother's Gay Neighbors

Josh Weed:  In which I come out of the closet on our 10 year anniversary

I don't offer these because I agree with them 100%.  I don't offer them because they stand in support of LGBT.  I offer them because these are two men who live what they "preach."  They are being true to who they are and who God called them to be.

They are both LGBT related because that is the hot topic of the time and because well...that's what I wanted to talk about.  But there are plenty of other people who live their ministry and their faith and I honor them too.