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The Equality Herald - East Tennessee's source for LGBT community news |
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Christmas – a time for family and fellowship Equality Herald spirituality writer
Matthew (not his real name) told me of his desire to invite his partner of two and a half years to his parent’s home for their holiday dinner. Matthew had visited with his partner’s family on several occasions. He felt honored to be included in Bill’s family events and wanted to reciprocate so that he could let his own family know how important Bill was to him.
So, Matthew asked if Bill could come to his parent’s home on Christmas day. There was no response to his request until late in the morning of Christmas Day. His mother called to tell him that she could not invite his partner to her home for Christmas dinner because in her view the Bible clearly says that homosexuality is wrong and that she would “stand on the Bible” by declining to invite her son’s long-term committed partner to her home. Matthew could still come to dinner, and they would send a plate of food to Bill. Bill, however, encouraged Matthew to go without him, but politely declined the offer of food. M
Christmas -the day we celebrate God’s inclusive Love for all humanity. The day we set aside to remember God’s greatest gift of Love and Acceptance. Christmas - the day families get together to remember their love for each other. Christmas -the day that many Christians choose to be very un-Christ-like in their treatment of their own family members who are gay.
Christmas - the day when gay and lesbian Christians can demonstrate God’s love and grace and mercy by forgiving family members and moving on. Moving on might mean not going to future family holiday events where your partner is not welcome or you are demeaned. Moving on might mean standing up for your partner and yourself by declaring that you are loved and accepted by God just as God created you - gay or lesbian. Moving on should mean that you are proud to be gay and proud to be a Christian. The two are not mutually exclusive, as some would have you to believe. Pastor Ray Neal is the assistant to Pastor Bob Galloway for the Metropolitan Community Church of Knoxville. |
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We
have just come through one of Christianity’s highest spiritual moments o
the year - Christmas. However, I am amazed and bewildered at the number of
gay and lesbian friends who have related to me just how un-Christian their
families have been to them during the holiday season.
atthew
was angry with his parents, but went to dinner with them anyway. He tried
to talk with his mother the next day about the situation. He told her that
the Pharisees and Levites criticized Jesus because he ate with and
hung-around so-called “known sinners” like tax collectors and others who
were thought to be unclean by the religious authorities. Christ’s ministry
was inclusive, not exclusive. He then asked his mother, “What do you think
Jesus would do?” Answering his own question, he said, “Jesus would have
had dinner with Bill.” In fact, Christ himself said that the sin of Sodom
and Gomorrah was the act of inhospitality toward strangers.
Another
friend, Belinda, says her Mom called to ask if she was coming home for
Christmas. “Yes,” Belinda told her, “Gerrie and I will be there on
Christmas Day.” Her mother responded, “That woman is not invited to my
house!” Bonnie responded by saying, “Then I won’t be there either.” On
Christmas Day Bonnie’s brother brought Christmas gifts from the family
celebration to Bonnie and said, “You know I’m not comfortable with your
being gay, but I don’t agree with Mom and Dad about not letting Gerrie
come to Christmas dinner. She’s your family and that makes her a part of
our family.”
Christmas
- often a very lonely day for some Christians who are estranged from their
families because God created them gay or lesbian.
