This week I had a very enlightening conversation with a friend who has been attending Unity for quite some time. He also is a part of the transgender community in Boulder and he was sharing with me that he felt he would like to see more of a presence and an opening for the LGBTQ community here at Unity of Boulder Spiritual Center.
I actually feel that we do have a pretty strong LGBTQ attendance here at Unity of Boulder, but I would like to see the presence grow. Currently, we do have lesbian and gay members who actively participate at Unity and have their children attending our Sunday School. Some have found partners here as well gotten married. Last summer I officiated two of these wedding ceremonies myself.
THERE ARE SOME THAT BELIEVE ONLY SOME ARE FIT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD. AT UNITY,WE KNOW IT IS MEANT FOR ALL OF US.
The message at Unity doesn’t discriminate against anyone, because we see everyone as the perfect spiritual child of God that they are. In The Bible it state’s we are all made in the image and likeness of God. And Jesus said, “Love one another. End of story!”
I would like to get this powerful Unity message spread far and wide. I want to be a part of creating a community where all people have a loving and supportive place to be totally seen and accepted for exactly the beauty that they are. I want to be a part of creating a community where everyone is inspired to connect with that greater something that divinely guides and directs all of our lives. My dream is that humankind will totally stop seeing each other from a stand point of separation and title but see each other as the Divine Masters that we all are. My dream is that we connect with each other from a compassionate heart that calls each other home to the beauty that exists in all of us.
I went looking through some Unity articles that have really touched me on this subject and I wanted to share them with you, I’m sure they will touch and inspire you just the way they did me.
This Excerpt, “Jesus and Homosexuality” was Written by Paula Coppel for Unity Magazine in 2010:
In his brilliant book, Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time, author Marcus J. Borg writes: “To put it boldly, compassion for Jesus was political. He directly and repeatedly challenged the dominant sociopolitical paradigm of his social world and advocated instead what might be called a politics of compassion.” Jesus ignored social boundaries and violated purity protocol, demonstrating again and again that the letter of human-made law is less important than the spirit of God’s law, which is love and compassion.
We see evidence of the same struggle today between those who believe only some people are fit for the kingdom of God, and others who know it is meant for us all. Borg writes:
“I am convinced that much of the strongly negative attitude toward homosexuality on the part of some Christians has arisen because, in addition to whatever nonreligious homophobic reasons may be involved, homosexuality is seen (often unconsciously) as a purity issue. For these Christians, there’s something ‘dirty’ about it, boundaries are being crossed, things are being put together that do not belong together, and so forth …
“It seems to me that the shattering of purity boundaries by both Jesus and Paul should also apply to the purity code’s perception of homosexuality. Homosexual behavior should therefore be evaluated by the same criteria as heterosexual behavior. It also seems to me that the passage in which Paul negates the other central polarities of his world also means, ‘In Christ, there is neither straight nor gay.’ Granted, Paul didn’t say that, but the logic of ‘life in the Spirit’ and the ethos of compassion, imply it.”
This is the Jesus I have grown to admire: the man who loved freely, and courageously honored the divine perfection in all people.
The fact that he would unconditionally love LGBTs as well as heterosexuals has personal significance for me, in that a young adult in my circle of friends is transgender. After his gender reassignment, it was the nonreligious side of his family that rose to accept him. Sadly, his father, a devout Southern Baptist, has not been able to accept this change, and now refuses to see his child. It is deeply painful to see such rejection of a beautiful young adult who, in being true to himself, has taken an unconventional path, and is happy.
I am certain that such stories are commonplace in the LGBT community. Lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transsexuals and transgender individuals are frequently rejected, disenfranchised, mistreated and persecuted—all in the name of religion. Were Jesus here, I have no doubt he would embrace them all and tell the purists to “Be compassionate as God is compassionate.” Through his radical inclusivity, he showed us the way.
We would love to hear your feedback on the subject, so, if you have something to say, please chime in in the comments below. If you are a member of the LGBTQ community, we would love to know what some of your needs are so that we can serve you better!
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With Love,
Your Friend on the Path,
Syntysche