Bigotry in A Black Church

A young man who was on a panel of students at one of our PFLAG-Tallahassee meetings addressed a note to me on Facebook via his status that was out-of-the-blue:

"Do you need a permit to picket an establishment? Say a church."

Whoa!! What now?

Searching back through his posts, I came upon his blog entry, "My Homophobic Experience at New Mount Zion AME." I read it and was appalled yet, sadly, not really surprised. Black churches seem to regularly churn out homophobes. Those who do not want to be a party to this hatefulness usually leave and might land in a white church. That works for some, but there are still others who enjoy the charismatic worship style of the black church which is something that they usually won't find in the more accepting white churches. And so these are the folks who feel cut off from a faith community of any kind... which can translate into anger and hatred of Christians or a misplaced anger and hatred at God. This same phenomenon holds true for whites (I know; I lived that scenario). But still, we seem to have some mainline denominations who hear and adhere to the principle that Jesus didn't come into our midst to pick and choose who would be invited to the banquet of Love. Good for us.

I don't understand anyone who calls themselves "Christian" who has such a virulent hatred and vicious attitude toward LGBT people. I don't understand anyone who calls themselves "Christian" who sits by and allows a preacher to rail against one segment of humanity, and doesn't ask the question, "Why are you so upset by this? Got something to hide?"

I'm in no position to have a say in what happens at New Mt. Zion AME. But I do hope that the gay and lesbian members will find it in themselves to say something about the hurtful words of a visiting pastor. And if they can't feel welcomed there, then shake off the dust of that place, and move on to another AME Church, or some place else. Meanwhile, I encouraged my Facebook friend to gather with others for a face-to-face with the head pastor of New Mt. Zion AME. Diplomacy first. At least before picketing on a Sunday.