Religion in the News
By AP from the
NYTimes on the Web, July 14, 2006
INDIANAPOLIS -- ''Would Jesus
discriminate?'' The question has been popping up on billboards, yard signs
and in newspaper ads around conservative central Indiana lately in a new,
Bible-based appeal for acceptance of gays and lesbians. It's a campaign
organized by a predominantly gay and lesbian denomination -- Metropolitan
Community Churches -- and a Jewish gay activist.
Organizers say the effort is the first in a planned series of campaigns across
the country aimed at getting people to take a fresh look at the social justice
passages in the Bible.
''Jesus taught us to love everyone, even our enemies and those who are different
from us, not destroy and mistreat them,'' said one ad published in The
Indianapolis Star.
''We want the dialogue to take place in every city that we operate, in some
way,'' said Rev. Cindi Love, executive director of MCC, which has congregations
in 240 cities.
Christians with conservative theological views believe gay relationships violate
Scripture. They insist their outlook is based not on prejudice, but on the
Bible and 2,000 years of Christian teaching.
Liberals see the primary values of the Bible as being love and inclusiveness,
with long-term gay relationships left unaddressed.
While some are willing to start a dialogue, the discussion around Indianapolis
hasn't always been friendly.
An independent Baptist congregation along a major thoroughfare posted the
message ''God Discriminated at Sodom'' on its sign board. A Christian
conservative group, the American Family Association of Indiana, distributed
radio ads saying, ''Not only did Jesus discriminate; he is going to discriminate
again.''
The MCC and the campaign's benefactor, furniture designer Mitchell Gold, are
undeterred.
Gold, the North Carolina-based purveyor of chic furniture sold by the likes of
Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel, is underwriting much of the $100,000 media
campaign through Faith In America, a national organization he founded to fight
intolerance.
''I've suffered a good amount of discrimination by people holding up their
Bible,'' Gold said in an interview. ''The clock is being turned back, and
I want to stop the clock from being turned back.''
Gold, who is gay, predicted the campaign could change attitudes.
''We can really be a guiding light in the world to what acceptance is really
about,'' he told about 400 people who packed the sanctuary at Jesus Metropolitan
Community Church in Indianapolis recently to discuss the campaign.
''If they don't know we're out there, if we just stayed in the woodwork, it
wouldn't change anything,'' said Mike Myers of suburban Carmel, who was in the
audience. Myers has been in a committed gay relationship for more than 25
years.
Gold said the campaign debuted here because it's middle America and the
Indianapolis gay and lesbian community provides a good base.
Like many states, Indiana has struggled with gay-rights legislation.
Cities such as Indianapolis have approved local ordinances barring
discrimination based on sexual preference, but a campaign to extend the
legislation statewide has come up short. In January, the Indiana General
Assembly will be asked to put before voters a constitutional amendment banning
same-sex marriage.
Curt Smith, president of the Indiana Family Institute, which is not affiliated
with the group distributing the radio ads, said he would welcome an opportunity
to meet in a friendly forum to discuss what the Bible says about homosexuality,
but he believes the MCC campaign has a different agenda.
''My sense of what's happening is, the civil rights argument that the gay
community has put forward is not resonating with the public, so now they're
putting forward a different message,'' Smith said.
The meeting at Jesus MCC drew some conservatives. During a public comment
period, Pastor Mike Kreps of Resurrection Outreach Community Church in
Indianapolis stood up.
''I believe homosexuality is a sin,'' Kreps said, citing passages from
Leviticus, Romans and other biblical books. Afterward, he and Love held a
lengthy, courteous discussion of their opposing views.
The Rev. Jeff Miner, pastor of Jesus MCC, wants more such dialogues, but
acknowledged the challenge his community faces.
''It isn't easy to get evangelical Christians into our house,'' Miner said.
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