A Queer Baptist Reflection on the Southern Baptist Convention’s ERLC 2014 Conference (HRC)

[pinto]

A Queer Baptist Reflection on the Southern Baptist Convention’s ERLC 2014 Conference

October 30, 2014 by HRC staff
Post submitted by Justin Davis, Religion and Faith Program Assistant

Ten years ago I wouldn't have been surprised to be attending a Southern Baptist Convention conference on the Gospel and LGBT people. I was a young Christian at the world's largest Baptist college, and deeply involved in my local evangelical Christian Church. It was only a few months earlier that I had finally confessed to myself that I, in the language of that time, "struggled with same-sex attraction."

I wanted to live my life fully, authentically, and faithfully, but at the time, I didn't know that was possible because I was attracted to men. My school, my church, and the Exodus International-affiliated ministry I attended all confirmed that one could not be both gay and a Christian. And so for several years, I towed the line, watching friends and acquaintances become casualties of this culture war, all the while realizing that my feelings had not changed.

The years spent trying to “change” took a toll on my faith. While I never felt alienated from God, I did feel rejected by my fellow Christians and my church community. I withdrew to a place of isolation. Community and belonging are important to all people, and I just didn't feel like I belonged. I eventually found others like myself, Christians who had found themselves alienated from their communities of faith for a variety of reasons. In those years and with those friends, I began a journey of love and acceptance that eventually led to me coming out four years ago as a gay man.

To my great surprise, I found love, acceptance, and affirmation from my friends, family and even my Baptist church. Thus, it is with great wonder and irony that I find myself at Opryland among my Southern Baptist brethren as an openly-LGBT Christian and advocate for LGBT rights with the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Religion and Faith Program.

http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/a-queer-baptist-reflection-southern-baptist-conventions-erlc-2014-conferenc

[cbayer]

1. Good report. Cautiously hopeful is not great, but not all bad.

I am glad he attended and reported. Thanks for posting this.

[Thinkingabout]

2. I was conflicted with the baptist teachings on more than same sex orientations and

Have left the Baptist faith though I still have my faith with God. I dislike the hate preached in the pulpits, don't think this is what Jesus taught. More and more openly they spoke hateful things about the poor, the hungry and yes about same sex orientations. Hopefully they will evolve soon.