A Call to People of Faith to Stand Against Anti-LGBT Violence

Filed Under Hate Crimes, Homophobia, Human Rights, Religion | March 10th, 2008 

Article of Faith by the Rev. Mike Schuenemeyer of the National Religious Leadership Roundtable.

LGBT Religious NewsA few weeks ago I received a phone call as I boarded a flight. It was from the secretary of a church in Ventura, Calif., with whom I had left a message concerning their response to the violent death of Lawrence King. I was appreciative to receive the call back, but my heart sank when the call ended and I began to weep. A wave of grief washed over me, not because of what this church in Ventura had done, or not done. They had done something, they had prayed for Lawrence, his family and the community. But I recognized how inadequate such a response is without a deeper engagement to understand and address the roots of such violence in our midst. A profound sense of having failed Lawrence King and a deep sense of responsibility fueled my tears.

Later that day, I received an e-mail from Pastor Judy Hanlon of Hadwen Park United Church of Christ, in Worcester, Mass., who wrote, “A horrible situation had LANDED in their pews.” Actually, the pastor was writing to get my attention and share the news of an important opportunity. Two gentlemen from Jamaica shared with the congregation their story of horrible abuse, oppression, burning and even death, and the congregation has committed to accompany them as they seek political asylum in the United States.

I already knew a little of the situation in Jamaica, because, like others, I had received a Call to Action several days before from Nancy Wilson, moderator of the Metropolitan Community Churches. Her message also told the story of the horrible abuse, violence and death experienced in Jamaica by LGBT people of faith gathering for worship and support. It called on religious leaders, people of faith and political leaders to take action. She encouraged us to send letters to the Jamaican government and participate in Valentine’s Day rallies at Jamaican embassies and consulate offices around the world to demand that the Jamaican government intervene to stop the violence and protect these citizens.

I was glad for her Call to Action, but I had done nothing to support the effort. Lawrence King and my brothers and sisters in Jamaica weighed heavy on my conscience. I could not help wondering about why we people of faith so often remain silent in the face of suffering, violence and death, and some actually seem to promote it. The faith voices reported in a story published in the Jamaica Gleaner seemed willing to tolerate the violence against their LGBT brothers and sisters of faith. I can’t help believing that what those Jamaican religious leaders are teaching is fueling the homophobic hostility and violence for which Jamaica is too well known.

Some essentialists will argue that religion is inextricably connected to violence. It is indeed rare to find a religious text of any faith that does not have references to violence, especially in dealing with real or perceived enemies. So, does religion justify and inspire violence? Does the violence come out of the religious teaching? Or is the teaching being manipulated to justify the violence, used as a tool of intimidation, oppression and domination?

The sacred texts of our religious heritages do give us a window into human nature and our proclivity to violence. The annals of history, ancient and contemporary, are strewn with death and destruction wrought by the hands of the religious. However, the core teaching of every major faith is peace, not violence.

Thirty-six times the Hebrew Scriptures express the commandment to love the stranger because they themselves were strangers in the land of Egypt. The central commandment of the Christian Scripture calls the followers of Jesus to love their neighbor as they love themselves. In calling for dialogue between people of all faiths, Muslim scholars from around the world quote from the Quran, And the servants of the Infinitely Compassionate are those who walk on the earth in humility and when the ignorant accost them, they only reply with “Peace!” (Quran 25:65). Every major religion has some version of the golden rule, do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

To use sacred texts to justify violence or being complacent in its face does a gross injustice to them. It is essential that people of faith confront the sources of violence. In doing so, let us ensure that we are not just opposing violence “out there” but are acting with justice in our own country and neighborhoods as well. Violence in Jamaica or violence in Oxnard, Calif. — the context and the geography are different, but our call to stand for peace and justice is the same.

Across the religious spectrum, if on nothing else, can we not be in solidarity on this, engaging our religious and ecumenical partners here at home to stand against the kind of violence that killed Lawrence King — to put an end to the violence on our campuses, in our communities and in Jamaica? Is it not possible for people of faith in Jamaica to stand up against the violence and for all of us to stand with them? What is keeping us from engaging our religious and ecumenical partners around the world in the call for an end to the violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people? Let us work together, engaging the prophetic courage of our faith traditions to create change in our neighborhoods, move the mountains of indifference and build communities which are safe, welcoming, inclusive and just.

In the words of the poet and Swiss Muslim scholar, Tariq Ramadan, may we never cease to ask,
Is that all?
Is that “all faith can do”?
And then?
No, we will not be silent!

About the author: The Rev. Mike Schuenemeyer is the executive for Health and Wholeness Advocacy in Wider Church Ministries of the United Church of Christ (UCC), and is a member of the steering committee of the National Religious Leadership Roundtable.

Source: The Task Force

Related Links:
- UCC LGBT Ministries
- UCC Wider Church Ministries
- National Religious Leadership Roundtable