By Bishop John Shelby Spong
I have made a decision. I will no longer debate the issue of homosexuality in the church with anyone. I will no longer engage the biblical ignorance that emanates from so many right-wing Christians about how the Bible condemns homosexuality, as if that point of view still has any credibility. I will no longer discuss with them or listen to them tell me how homosexuality is “an abomination to God,” about how homosexuality is a “chosen lifestyle,” or about how through prayer and “spiritual counseling” homosexual persons can be “cured.” Those arguments are no longer worthy of my time or energy. I will no longer dignify by listening to the thoughts of those who advocate “reparative therapy,” as if homosexual persons are somehow broken and need to be repaired. I will no longer talk to those who believe that the unity of the church can or should be achieved by rejecting the presence of, or at least at the expense of, gay and lesbian people.
I will no longer take the time to refute the unlearned and undocumentable claims of certain world religious leaders who call homosexuality “deviant.” I will no longer listen to that pious sentimentality that certain Christian leaders continue to employ, which suggests some version of that strange and overtly dishonest phrase that “we love the sinner but hate the sin.” That statement is, I have concluded, nothing more than a self-serving lie designed to cover the fact that these people hate homosexual persons and fear homosexuality itself, but somehow know that hatred is incompatible with the Christ they claim to profess, so they adopt this face-saving and absolutely false statement. I will no longer temper my understanding of truth in order to pretend that I have even a tiny smidgen of respect for the appalling negativity that continues to emanate from religious circles where the church has for centuries conveniently perfumed its ongoing prejudices against blacks, Jews, women and homosexual persons with what it assumes is “high-sounding, pious rhetoric.” The day for that mentality has quite simply come to an end for me. I will personally neither tolerate it nor listen to it any longer. The world has moved on, leaving these elements of the Christian Church that cannot adjust to new knowledge or a new consciousness lost in a sea of their own irrelevance. They no longer talk to anyone but themselves. I will no longer seek to slow down the witness to inclusiveness by pretending that there is some middle ground between prejudice and oppression. There isn’t. Justice postponed is justice denied. That can be a resting place no longer for anyone. An old civil rights song proclaimed that the only choice awaiting those who cannot adjust to a new understanding was to “Roll on over or we’ll roll on over you!” Time waits for no one.
…continue reading on Bishop Spong’s website
I absolutely agree with Bishop Spong! I believe that the Church, and I’m being generalist now, has become the keeper of law similiar to the Pharises in the New Testament! Bishops and Religious Leaders have become the so called guardians of morality and “moral living” whatever that is, and make pronouncements on homosexuality, common law relationships and the list goes on.
Surely as our knowledge expands, and our hearts are open to God, we accept that some are different to me/us. Not better, not worse, just different!In this we offer love and respect and hope that we are offered the same in return. Isn’t this the principle of the Second Commandment
From what I’ve read/heard one of the basic tenants of Progressive Religion is tolerance, i.e to not reject people because of different beliefs. It seems that this whole manifesto is about rejecting people because they don’t believe the same way that Progressive Religion does.
Numerous times I have heard leaders of Progressive Religion deny that God as traditionally defined (a perfect, personal, infinite being outside of the material world) does not exist. If that is true, then right/wrong is defined by people and all opinions should be equal. I’m wondering why the Progressive Religion view is better than anyone else’s; or if it is actually better, by what absolute standard is it being measured against?
Wow – what an important and refreshing statement by Bishop Spong. I myself have been in it seems many arguments via Twitter lately on ignorance and religion regarding being gay – mostly sparked from the disappointing vote in Maine. Spiritual leaders like Bishop Spong voicing their beliefs are critical to this issue and I think he makes a great point that we can all learn from – how much time and energy do we want to give to those whose mind is dead bolted in hopes of changing them – people have to change on their own and all we can do is continue to be heard and fight for justice.
I would love to agree with ?Bishop Spong, and do agree not to “debate” them, however a lie, a hate and a misinterportation of Biblical scripture must be continually addressed. To those who are convinced in their ignorance, debate is,usually, useless, yet for millions of openminded youth who still believe that love is the foundation of all spirituality, still need to hear the truth.
Bravo!!
I 100% agree. I will also be choosing this as my manifesto from this day on.
This comfirms what Huston Smith recently wrote, and I’m paraphrasing, that religion in America is hamstrung between liberals and conservatives, and essentially cancel each other out. It’s just more of the same old, tired “us versus them” and doesn’t sound progressive to me at all. Retreat and entrenchment only widens and deepens the chasm that exists, and people are left floundering in the wilderness. I hope the bishop will reconsider and recant this unfortunate manifesto.
BRAVO! It is time to take a stand that treatment of indivdiuals should not be based on their sexuality, gender, color of their skin, etc. A new friend of mine pointed out so elequantly….”If being gay/lesbian is a choice, then choose to be gay”. I will personally spend my energy and day accepting individuals as they are and what they believe, but will also make sure to voice my concern of denying human beings rights simply because of their sexuality. The Bishop makes a good point, think about where you spend your energy/time…sometimes engaging in the debate can be a waste of time. Sometimes taking and declaring a stand can create more movement then a debate. I’m glad that women in the past were willing to go through uncomfortable times so that we could progress to this point and I am more then willing to do the same for gays/lesbians around the world. I want my three boys growing up in a home where they know there is love and acceptance for who they are as a person. I continue to tell all three of my boys “You will decide whether to marry a man or a woman and only you will know which one is true for you.”…….I want them to know that either way is normal and OK with me!
Agreed! I have never understood how anyone could possibly worship a God who would punish a person for being who they are. The God that I know includes everyone in an ever widening circle of grace.
This is sad and truely dishonest. I do not fear gay people; I love love the gay person; I cannot accept the sin. God does hate sin. (If God did not hate sin he must love the gulf it has created between Him and us; Which would bring into question his sending the Messiah, Jesus THE Christ, the only Christ.) Bishop Spong Has erected a straw man that even a “right-winger” like me cannot stand. Truth is, my sin, which is not homosexuality, is just as offensive to The Lord as the sin of Homosexuality: I am worse than most, this I know. Homosexuals are “broken”, to use the Bishop’s own wording, just as much as I am. (Without God’s grace I am nothing but a hell-bond sinner… like everyone else.) But it is only God, who does not by nature reside in us, who does the reparing and gets the Glory. Bow a proud heart before the Cross. Slavation from Hell is a free gift to all who believe, not to those who find righeousness within themselves. (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:9-26; Romans 10:8-13)
I applaud the Bishop for seeing past the small-mindedness, and grasping the harm it does in the long run, and how his wisdom reflect a True God of Love and understanding.
We all need to remember that the “Bible” was writen by man. All books are up for interpretations. Who are we to judge? (some of the wiser words writen) Does not God teach that all creatures large and small are to be loved equally and man is included in that. Are our egos so big that we think ourselves able to judge. My hat is off to the Bishop for getting to this place of acceptance, finally. But why a manefesto? We always need to address intolerance.
Bishop Spong is brilliant. I completely agree that “love the sinner, hate the sin” is convenient and dishonest. Radically inclusive love is the only possibility of reaching spiritual harmony and enlightenment, individually and as a global community.