81 20 2484 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/3a64e3f46b3a4a742192aa1f59eed9f8.pdf eb39e79a6f0d69191af22719aff5cefc Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource NY Times Article: Church Shuns Divisions on Homosexuality https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/d16fa666f89d247f3a524afb55128c1b.pdf 80f4ab131300304defb7e4ce80042b2f Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Group Ordination Paper https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/9c11f9f9962d659512f47539f8dd5513.JPG cf35b4be3b5b78f81d0d4f81aa7f6f2f Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Postcard from Holly Near https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/947462f6d6f43afb6f01bfb97a71eafd.pdf 77d0f209fce3856a33871957df332d05 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone Description An account of the resource Issues of the Second Stone publication. Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 4 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1989 Publication Date The date the issue was published May/June 1989 Text Any textual data included in the document THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER FOR GAY AND LESBIAN CHRISTIANS NEWSBRIEFS: Three New r.nnw1ter "Bulletin Boartts;r- On Une MAY/JUNE,1989 , • ., .. MCC Pastors Appear On CBN's "Straight Talk" By Jim Bailey Editor Two Metropolitan Community Church pastors recently appeared on the Christian Broadcasting Network Family Channel's "Straight Talk", a one hour program hosted by Scott Ross that deals with social and religious issues. Rev. Gail Van Buren of MCC of Northern Virgina, Falls Church, Virginia, and Rev. Harry Stock of MCC, Washington, D.C. ap peared on the show along with Bob Larson, the fundamentalist host of a daily two hour radio talk show geared toward confrontation, and Joanne Highley, an ex-gay woman who, along with her husband of 32 years, runs an ex-gay ministry. Theological argument between the MCC pastors and the other panelists, considering the wide difference in position, was restrained and there was even one point of almost exuberant agreement when the discussion turned to the way Gays have been "swept under the rug" by TRAVEL: Where To Spend Your Summer Vacation 6000 Readers Across The USA .., many churches and made to feel like they could never have a relationship with God. "It's the biggest sin that we can talk about today," said Van Buren to audience applause. The decidedly mainstream fundamentalist audience challenged Van Buren and Stock with oftentimes sincere and well thought questions. Studio participants were calmly inquisitive and seemed to have an open ear if not, in most cases, an open mind. "The Bible speaks against fornication for both heterosexuals and homo- SEE COVER STORY, Page 5 $2.25 CA LENO AR: Integrity Convention UFMCC Conference TONE ISSUE#4 Gay Episcopalians Host Good-bye Service for Rights Advocate Farewell to Bishop Moore NEW YORK - Lesbian and Gay New Yorkers gathered at the Church of St. Luke in the Fields during the lasr week of April to say good bye to Bishop Paul Moore, who will soon retir e as Episcopal bishop of New York. "Every gay person is this city is in his debt," said Nick Dowen, the former Integrity/ NY president who recalls introducing Moore in 1986 at a packed Gay Pride Service in · rtte Cathedral · of St. John the Divine. "It was shortly after the passage of the gay rights bill," says Dowen. "He had fought so hard for us. Every person in the cathedral wanted to thank him - and we did. That vast space rang with applause and the tears of gratitude practically flooded the place." Bishop Moore's courageous advocacy of rights for Lesbians and gay men is leg endary. · "No religious leader has done more to promote justice for Lesbians and gay men than Paul Moore,"says Dowen. In 1977, Moore ordained the Rev. · Ellen Barrett to the priesthood. This was the first time on openly gay ,.person had . ever been SEE MOORE, Page 5 Gay Mormons Concerned With Rise In Hate Groups TEMPE, Az. - National leaders of "Affirmation Gay and Lesbian Mormons" met in Tempe in late February to discuss what they can do to combat !he alarming rise in hate crimes. Violence against Gays, Jews and Blacks has been on a steady increase. Affirmation is a support group for Gay Mormons, their family members, and friends. Since it was established in 1977, its membership has grown throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Mel Barber, the Affirmation National Coordinator, states however that "most Mormons still don't know that Affirmation is a resource that is available to them . ." Group leaders also planned their upcoming General Conference to be held in Reno, Nevada this fall. One reason that Reno was chosen as the site of the 1989 conference was because the large Mormon commu nity there has. been particularly active in anti-gay causes, Last year, . anti~gay groups in Reno successfully blocked the National Gay Rodeo ° Finals that had been ·scheduled to take place there. They also tried to block the annual gay pride festivities. When that . effort failed, anti-gay demonstrations were organized instead . For more information about Affirmation Gay and Lesbian Mormons write to P .. 0. Box 46022, Los Angeles, CA 90046 or call (213)255-7251. Parents of gay Mormons contact: Jan Cameron (HELP) 9200 Alcosta Blvd., #H-3, San Ramon, CA 94583. Commentary C Gay Pride Is Not Presumptuous By Toe L. not based on reality. · But this is usually said by people who fear, to reveal themselves in. any way, who would · rather · keep the gay thing quiet, and Reprinted from Communication . Some say that gay pride is frivolous, presumptuous, and B PATLA-R . vq1cE OF GAY AMERICA MONTHLY NEWSMAGAZINE FREE AT OUR DISTRIBUTION POINTS SUBSCRIPTIONS $35 ANNUALLY -($45 OUTSIDE USA} SAMPLE COPY $3 / OUTSIDE USA $4 FOR INFO ON ADVERTISING CALL (916) 391-9755 OR 452-0769 PO BOX 22402 SACRAMENTO CA 95822 You spend orily this much of your advertising dollar to reach a Second Stone reader! Reach thinking, caring, active, upscale readers with an a d this size in THE SECOND STONE ... for less than 1.3 cents per reader. Call or write for a rate card and additional information. SECOND STONE Box 8340 . New Orleans, LA 70182 who resent those who have (bedpeople?)! "come out", ·and especially There are substantial those who show pride . 0 These · reasoris why we Christians nay-sayers are so unhappy ·in and : Catholics should, if . we their closet that they can't can muster up the courage, stand seeing anybody .else mar£h ·with our lesbian happy about being gay. As for · sisters . and . gay hrothers . To marching in the streets and . those of us, who regularly take 'flaunting' · their.identity, t.hey part; no ·. exhortation is would never think of doing necessary: we know , how that. ·exhifarating . and , .upbuildipg At the same time, many of su~h public demonstration is. our gay brothers and sisters · To those ·w:ho up to now _have have good reasons for not · stood on . the sidelines and making - any public whose hearts beat faster as demonstration of the.ir they watch their . sisters and orientation. None of us can brothers go by; and who send .ever decide for anybody else their invisible love out to the what posture to take in this marchers , we say: "Come and n,atter; we each make up our join us!" own mind. Is not our ·cause God's But to point the finger at gay cause? Are we . not defending demonstrators and to say that the dignity of God's creation? they are causing trouble is - Are we not saying, "Lord, you another matter . Such have not made a mistake! We accusations often come from magnify your holy _will! W<c those clerics and religious homosexuals give glory to who have unfortunately you!'? And do-we :riot have -a internalized the hatred and special mission io the world prejudice of society and of around us? Are not we a part some parts of the Church. of that vast multitude of the They hate themselves and 'poor' who have a right to can't see how anyone can be speak about . th_eir plight and happy about something who claim a voice in the which can cause them pain. conduct of the Church and society? Our sexuality is good_. We can; we must, ' hold serious reserva tioris about sexual exploitation, disease, sexual violenc~ ;•. · "Unwanted · pregnancy, and .respect for life. i:>.ut in .itself, as God's .qeation, oμr sexuaHty is good : In itself, gay and lesbian sexuaJity is good. _. Part of our mission . in life is . tp speak the truth in the open, out on the streets and in the ·sunlight. Therefore, we religious . and clerics are called to reverse the often negative, ac1:using ·voice of the ' upper Church. Marching in the streets, we of the lower Church say to the upper Church; "We gay and lesbian Catholics are an important part of Christ's constituency. We are real · flesh and blood . We will not go away, and we .shall not be quiet. Try to_ understand us. Speak to our _ real needs. ·Be the Good Shepherd to us." Gay pride is not. presumptious . It is proper. It is holy . As for style, choose your own. That is the only one your are fully responsible for. Identity with openly sexual r----------~~-------------( and attractive) men and □ women is impossible. They , do not want to look at this mirror of themselves - it is too much to acknowledge. To these clerics and religious who say, "We are not like th em," we offer our ministry of patience and · understanding . Eventually, some sense of identity with 0th.er gay people will be part of the healing they need. Objections to gay parades and marches are often about style and individual tast e, about which we can differ widely. We don't all prance down th e street in scanty cloth es or feathers. This is where tolerance and understanding come in. Most of all, in any movement which involves political consequences and which attracts a wide diversity of causes, we cannot always choose the style of those who march with us. We should .let them be wh o they are and try to · appreciate their impulse, whether we agree · with them or not, as long as they contribute to the public statement which our minority community is making . We cannot alwa ys choose our bedfellows THE SECOND STONE FEATURES COVER STORY SUMMER VACATION '89 COLUMNS BOOKS VIDEOS MUSIC FAMILIES CLOSER LOOK PARTING THOUGHT DEPARTMENTS COMMENTARY NEWS BRIEFS LETfERS CALENDAR CHURCH NEWS CLASSIFIEDS PageS Page6 Page4 Page4 Page8 Page9 Page 10 .Page 11 Page2 Page3 Page3 Page8 Page8 _ Page 11 Newsbriefs HRCF Bulletin Board Available The Human Rights Campaign Fund has established a free · bulletin board for computers owners. Contact Sheryl Harris at (202)628-4160, HRCF, 1012 14th St., NW # 607, Washington, D.C. 20005. CompuServe Offers Gay Information Owners of · personal computers with modems can access a wealth of Gay i Lesbian information through CompuServe's Human Sexuality Forum . CompuServe is . the nation's largest computer bulletin board service. Ca 1.I 1-800-848-8199 for membership information . Vatican Plans AIDS Conference Archbishop Fiorenzo . Angelini has announced a THE SECOND STONE Newspaper is pubiished every other month by Bailey Communications, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans. LA 70182. Copyright 1989 by The Second Stone, a registered trademark. SUBSCRIPTIONS, U.S.A. $12.60 per year, six issues. Foreign subscribers add $8.00 for postage. All payments U.S. currency only. ADVERTISING, contact Eric Martin, The Second Stone, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orteans, LA 70182. Basic one time display rate is $6.30 per SAU column inch. Classified advertising is 35 cents per word. EDITORIAL, send letters, calendar announcements, and church/organization news to (Department tiUe) The Second Stone, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA70182. Manuscripts to be returned should. be accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope. Mark manuscripts submitted on speculation either "Ministry" or "For con· sideralion al your usual rates." THE SECOND STONE, an ecumenical newspaper committed to expanding Christian ministry in the gay community and to the spiritual growth and development of gay persons, their families and friends. PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Jim Bailey ASSOCIATE PUB· USHER/SALES AND CIRCULA· . TION: Eric Martin ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Robert McKnight major conference on AIDS to be sponsored by the Vatican. The two week meeting · is planned for November, 1989. Aelred Association BBS On Line An electronic bulletin board dealing with religion and homosexuality has been established. It is operational every day from 11:00 p.m. - 3:00 a,m., · Eastern time. Parameters are 8/N/1. It can be accessed at 300/1200/2400 baud. . The data number is (305)472-0843 . Photos Sought For Book · Ginny Vida, Editor of Our Right To Love: A Lesbian . Resource Book. is inviting Lesbian photographers to submit photos depicting aH aspects of · Lesbian life for possible inclusion in the revised edition of Our Right To Love. to be published by E.P , .. Dutton. Photos ·are due Letters Eugene, Oregon The Need Fo.r A Balanced Journal Dear Second Stone, You all are doing a wonderful job with the publication of The Second Stone. I was especially impressed with the very quick and positive response you gave to Naomi of Christi~n Outreach, in regards to her letter calling for "Inclusiveness a Priority." Your positive and speedy response says more about your attitude of "Inclusivity" than you can imagine . Several other publications would have filed that letter in the perverbial wastebasket. You truly responded b.y headlining the Barbara Harris story, including Naomi's letter with the issue in bold print and providing us all with an update on . the Kowalski & Thompson saga. May 15, 1989. For information write to Ginny Vida, Editor, 0 u r Right To Love. 45 Plaza St., #1-G, Brooklyn ; NY 11217 or call (718)789-0391. Dignity/Dayton Rethinks Compromtse While other chapters of Dignity across the nation have been evicted from church property, Dignity/ Dayton continues to hold mass in a Catholic church as a result of a letter it . sent to Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk stating that the group "accepts church teaching" that Gays . and · Lesbians are intrinsically disordered. The group is now reconsidering its position. -Baltimore Alternative Cenacle Sisters Boot Dignity After ten years of holding its ',1mnual retreat at the Cenacle Retreat House, Dignity/Chicago has now been denied use of the building by the Cenacle Sisters. The Sisters had been seen as pro-gay in the past but now appear . to be yielding to Ch icago Cai:~inal Joseph □ Bernardin. Dignity/ Chicago is also troubled by internal disagreement over how to handle . church attacks on the group. -Chicago Outlines SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS GAYS & LESBIANS You Are Not Alone! Seventh-Day Adventist Kinship International Inc ., a support group of self-affinning Gays and Lesbians with Adventist background, is here to provide the fellow~p ; understanding and support that you seek . For infoimatiori.write: SDA Kinship International Inc. P. 0. E)ox 3840 Los ~les. CA 90078·3840 In the Eastern U.S. call: {617)436-5950 In the Western U.S. or international can: (213)876·2076 □ • . ! ' Thank you, thank you, thank you! And thank you also for not swinging to the opposite extreme. I am a Christian Lesbian Pastor of the MCC Church in Eugene, Oregon and need a balanced journal, keeping Ine up to date on what is happening in the Gay /Lesbian Christian world. I applaud your remarkable efforts and wish you the best of success in the future! God bless each of you as you continue to be all that God called you to be! Celebrate Christ, Rev. Marguerite Scroggie We welcome you to share your views, opinions, feelings and experiences with our readers. Send letters to: LETTERS, The Second Stone, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182, All letters must be original and signed by th.e writer. Clearly indicate if your name is to be withheld. We .reserve the right to edil May/June 1989 . A friend for the Journey. Subscribe today to THE SECOND STONE. .... ..................... Please send THE SECOND STONE to me for [ ] 1 yr (6 issues) $12.60 ['] 2 yrs (12 issues) $25.20 Erdosed is my chlck for$ ............................................................. . flfimec...... _____ _ M:iess~---· ····· .. ··············· ............... ___ .. City/State/Zip ...................................................................................... . I ] Check i1 you preler plain· envelope lor mailing. Add $8.00 per year lor postage in Canada and all other loreign countries. U.S. currency only. T E Box 8340 New Orleans LA 70182 II Videos C "Casting Out Fear" Upbeat and Poignant The "Reconciling Congregations Program" is a movement within mains stream denomination churches to publicly welcome Gay men and Lesbians into their congregations. "Casting Out Fear" is an upbeat, well executed video that shifts the burden of explaining from the "reconciling" to . the "non-reconciling" congregations: Why isn't every congregation reconciling? 'We deny the r; ality of a diverse creation," says Rev. Emilie Townes, who appears in the video. "We stop short of welcoming all into God's realm. We try to define for God who is to be blessed and Who is to be condemned," she says. The video poignantly tells stories from United Methodist congregations who have extended their ministry to · Gay men and Lesbians. These stories portray the pain and estrangement Lesbians and Gay men feel in the church and the hope of reconciliation found in those congregations who are willing to struggle with homophobia and move toward a loving acceptance. The video was made at the national convocation of ReconciHng Congregations in Bruce Roller Video Available The Reverend Bruce Roller; pastor of Recondlia tion Metropolitan C.;>mmunity Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, . has announced the release of a professionally produced video-tape entitled "I Am With You: Fear Not!" The video tape and accompanying workbook is available by mail from Faithful Publications, P. 0. Box 3701, Grand Rapids, MI 49501. The cost is $24.95 for the video tape and $5.00 for the workbook. I am with You F·ear -{'N ot! II (A Corrective Look .at the Lesbian and Gay Clobber Passages) Professionally produced Video-tape Audio-tape & Workbook A new book by· the Rev, Bnu:e Roller Pastor of Reconciliation MCC Grand Rapids, Ml . ~ cf} /'tJ w°Jz[/1 THE MESSAGE oF ~ V .,.- <-/ RECONCILIATION VHS Video (90 min.l $24.95 Audb r&pe $5.00 • wa1<book $5.00 Loving OJrseMtS $6.95 A~ 25% fa shipping & harding . Faithful Publicatiqns P.O. Box 3701 Grand Rapids, Ml 49501 March 1987 and released last _ year by Affirmation: . United Methodists for Lesbian/Gay Books Concerns. It is available (purchase price, $100.00, 30 day ren ·tal, $20.00) from . Reconciling Congregations Program, P. 0. Box 24213, Nashville, TN 37202. [ Book Provides Wide Spectrum of Thought By Robert McKnight Associate Editor One of the hardest parts of arguing the ethics of being gay - and these are certainly arguments to be encouraged - is knowing exactly what's being argued. Whenever the subject is complicated, the history of the argument is long and when, especially this, the emotions are profound, then a clear understanding of the opponent becomes critical . Homosexuality and Ethics (Pilgrim Press, 261 pp., $8.95) is. an anthology drawn from writings of prominent theologians and ethicists in the Judeo-Christian ti;a- AIDS Issues Con1Ponling le Chalenge dition. Editor Edward Batchelor Jr. has organized the selections under four headings, which mark points on the continuum of responses to gay people. Batchelor's first school designates homosexual acts -as intrinsically evil. He divides it into two subgroups - one which depends on · biblical or so-called "natural law" .arguments (Aquinas from the Summa is excerpted), and a second "nee-traditionalist" school which condemns homosexuals for an almost inevitably non-loving, non-Christian lifestyle . "The odds are still high that the average individual Edited by DAVID Q. HALLMAN edited by DAVID G. HALLMAN Coordinator of the October 1987 Consultation on Ethics and Theology related to AIDS Deeply practical issues are confronted in this provocative reading in ethics and theology. The chapters are. drawn from the historic ecumenical consultation on AIDS . which included theologians, social ethicists, persons with AIDS, health care professionals, community service representatives and church denominational members. The contributors argue for the churches to take progressive steps and assist the reader to confront the challenge of AIDS· with intelligence anci"compassion. "This book is extremely useful in helping people to identify and become involved." - DR. JONATHAN MANN, Director, Global Program on AIDS, World Health Organization pbk, $12.95 Also available: UIS: PIPIIIII Sllrln II Pastll'II Pal'Qlellvll Earl E. Shelp, Ronald H. Sunderland . and Peter WA Mansell, M.D. • At bookstores or directly from pbk, $7.95 .Th p·1 . p • e 1 grun ress & 132 West 31st Street, New York, NY 10001 THE SECOND STONE who chooses homosexual behavior will be choosing a sick, immature way of life," writes neo-traditionalist John Giles Milhaven (p.69) . A second school, which includes Catholic theologian Charles Curran, notable for his limited opposition to the Vatican; grants some goodness to homosexual acts but reserves the judgment that they are essentially imperfect. According to Curran, the homosexual does not generally choose - in itself, an improvement over the onus of sin Milhaven drops .. But inasmuch as homosexual unions can never be ideal (straight ones are), Curran says homosexual unions well illustrate what he calls the theory of compromise. .. ' "In this situation, which reflects the ·human sinfulness in which all participate in differing ways, the individual homosexual may morally come to the conclusion that ·a somewhat permanent homosexual union is best, and sometimes the only, way for him to achieve some humanity," (p. 94). The third school argues that homosexual acts may be good or bad, depending on the relationship of which they are a part. The last school, which tends to de-emphasize tela. tionships and focus on acts as the anti-gay traditionalists do, contends that homosexual acts are natural and good. The book's value is in making available this spectrum to thought on gay ethics. Gay people need to argue their side, but to do that effectively, they need to know their opponents. And if they learn some of the pro-gay arguments which this book puts in their hands, then they'll be better prepared to make a serious intellectulll challenge. Cover Story MOORE, From Page 1 ordained to the Episcopal Church. Moore's courageous act earned him the threat of an ecclesiastical · trial on heresy charges, charges which were eventually dropped. · _. He testified year after yea, · in favor of enacting a: g~y rights statute in New York" City and publicly went toe-to-toe with New York's fundamentalist Cardi nal John O'Connor. When · O'Conner called ' a press conference on the steps of St. Patrick's Cathedral to urge rejection of the gay rights bill by the City Council, Moore was on the front steps of his own cathedral the next · day, urging passage of the bill to television reporters. Moore's message to the gay community has been basically a message of encouragement and hope . ln 1985, he established the AIDS Memorial in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. There the names of more than 3000 persons lost to AIDS ·are inscribed . The Aids Memorial has become an important (and for many , even a sacred) place of remembrance for the gay -Second Stone Begins Second Year "A Common Bond" Unites Ex-Jehovah's Witnesses With this issue, The Second Stone successfully completes its start-up period and first year of publication. Six issues have been published; two m;wsletters and four issues in the present format. Renewal notices for. expiring subscriptions are enclosed with this issue. The . newsletter issues were fully billable against subscriptions. A national support network based in Pittsburgh has been established to benefit former Jehovah's Witnesses who are · gay or lesbian. Known as "A Common Bond" the group seeks to unite in a spirit of healing Gay ex-Jehovah's Witnesses ·suffering -the stigma of being excommunicated from the faith because of their sexual natures. Unlike some denominations , who condemn homosexuality but reluctantly welcome the homosexual, Jehovah's Witnesses tolerate neither . "A Common Bond" does not subscribe to any particular belief system. So.me former witnesses remain sympathetic to the Watchtower ' s teachings while others have joined different churches or remained neutral. . Is This Your Last Issue? Renew NOW if the expiration date on your address label is 6/89 A free newsletter is issued periodically with a contact · list for those wishing to correspond. To receive the newsletter or request furthur information write to "A Common Bond", P. 0. Box 405, Ellwood City, PA 16117. Manuscripts Sought for New Anthology Malcolm Boyd and Nancy Wilson are co-editing a new Gay /Lesbian theological anthology tentatively entitled Toward a Lesbian/Gay The- Q!Qgy. Boyd and Wilson are soliciting manuscripts from the never-before published "new voices" in the Gay /Lesbian theological movement. They welcome _ only openly Lesbian or Gay writers, and especially want to encourage students and seminarians, - feminists, African _ American, Latinos/ Latinas , Asian and Pacific Islanders, . Native persons, persons with AIDS/ ARC and all Gay and Lesbian voices "from below"! The manuscripts (essays , excerpts from dissertations, even poetry) must be no longer than 20 pages, typed and double-spaced. If the article is written in other than English, please provide an English translation: Send copies only; ma rtuscripts will not be returned . The dealine is July 15, 1989 . Send all materials (or inquiries) to Nancy L. Wilson, 5879 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232. May/June 1989 community. "We're going to miss him," · says Integrity National President and New York chapter member Kim Byham, □ "but, fortunately, he's going to retire to Greenwich Village, so I expect we'll see him and hear from . him often." BENT RECORDS is bubbling over with gay pride about a brand new album featuring 12 songs from America's most politically-incorrect entertainer!· LYNN LA VNER ... you are what you Yi;; I I ~~\i· ~I -You Wur Old« Offlltll AM• ■nk · Th•Boj!uctlon -ln"'"tlll)d I.Ice j SIDE~ Thot f¥llw Uttlo . No!ghborhood That"• Whal My Woman I• My FaVP.rlte Fan Pollll~hy Correct For Evi,y One Who Folio Au Re~ r To ·receive your copy, use the order form below. Make your check payable to Bent Records. All prices include tax, shipping and handling. Please send me _ _ _ copy(ies) of "LYNN LAVNER ... you are what you wear." lndicate __ _ LPat$9.95, _ __ cassetteat$9.95,or __ _ compactdiscat$14 .95. (Bool<ing information available upon request.) NAME --- ------------- -- - - - ADDRESS _ ____ ____ ___ _ ____ _ _ _ CITY _ _ _ _ ___ ___ _ STATE -- -~ - ZIP __ Detach and mail to: Bent Records, 480 East 17th Street, Brook! n, NY 11226. Ale you moving? Please notify us four weeks in advance for uninterrupted service. Send both old and new addresses. If possble, please attach your mailing label in this space. OLD AD.DRESS OR LABEL: NewAddres.,_s·------------c.lytS.iteej:,μ..· _________ _ Send completed form to THE SECOND STONE · Box8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 II _N _E_ 1 _dG ______ S_u_m_m_e_r_~ Vacation '89 ew ng an . race and Hospitality m- H ighlandS Inn Perfect Country Vacation The Highlands Inn _ is the perfect country inn for a New · Enjoy X-C skiing and hiking on 440 acres of meadows and forest. Private suite in old country farmhouse. quiet and restful. hot tub. Visit Ashland theatres, restaurants, galleries. Brochure available. A WILDERNESS BED&BREAKFAST 658 Shale City Road Ashland, OR 97520 503-776-1728 England vacation; just 2 1 /2 hours from Boston and the Maine coast, 4 1 /2 hours from Provincetown, 3 hours from Montreal, Built 200 years ago as a farm house, the facilities have been operated as an inn for 90 years. Innkeepers Grace and Judi bought the inn in May, 1983, and did a total renovation. The setting is beautiful, peaceful and private . The inri is located 1 /2 mile off of the highway on a private road in the middle of 101 sc~nic acres. A large swimming pool with sundeck and 15 miles of :MONTREAL: ,, .. .. .. .. .. ,, .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .,, .,, .. .,, .. .. .,, .,, .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ,, .. .. .. .. 6 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ,, .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... . . . .., .., .., .. Guest House .. .. .. .. .., • • • .., 'f' .., .. BEST LOCATION BEST VALUE A MUST,. ,. .. ,. A cltanning ,. ,. ,. european guest house, • . • downtown in tlie heart of •1ri1ni1N,oioNA~- o•v · T~vH · ... s;oc 1Ar10~ .., the gay village, placing you wit11i11 walking distance to shops, galleries' and gay night life. ComplimentanJ breakfast, sunny oprn 11ir terrace. -. .. .. .. .,, .. ,, .. ,, .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .,, .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Downtown .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. [514] 521-2238 .,, .. .. .. .. .,, .. .. Ask for brochure & ,, .. mm .. .,, .,, .. .. .. ,, 1567 rue Saint-Andre Montreal .,, .. .. .. ,H2L 3T5, .. .. .. ,. ,, ,, .. .. .. .. .. .. .. hiking/cross country ski trails are found on the inn property. Inside the inn visitors will find gracious guest rooms and spacious common areas. All rooms are individually decorated with antiques and comfortable furniture and most have private baths. Common areas include a large, fireplaced living room, library, enormous •dining room with piano and VCR/ entertainment area and an enclosed wicker filled sunporch . The indoor hot tub/whirlpool spa is perfect after a day of hiking or skiing. The atmosphere of tl:te inn is warm, friendly and casual. Contact Highlands Inn, P. 0. Box 118, Bethlehem, NH 03574, (603) 869-3978. ••••••••••• ••••••••••••••• South Padre Island Texas' Best Secret Unwind in the Sun at Lyle's Deck The friendly folks at Lyle's Deck are committed to making a visitor's getaway just perfect. Situated on the Gulf of Mexico on South Padre Island, Texas, this fabulous guesthouse features fourteen comfortable guest rooms with private baths . The guesthouse is located near interesting shops, art galleries, and gourmet restaurants. Activities include swimming (in the beautiful private pool or the clear blue waters of the Gulf), surfing, sailing, fishing and shopping ih the Markets ol nearby Matamoros, Mexico~ Contact Lyle's Deck, P . 0. Box 2326, So. Padre Island _ TX 78597, (512)761-5953. ................ •.• ...... . Ashland, Oregon Wilderness Bed & Breakfast Willow-Witt Ranch Country Guest House Nestled in a valley high in the Cascades, Willow-Witt Ranch has 440 acres of lush meadows, majestic trees and abundant wildlife, and is located just 20 minutes from downtown Ashland . Surrounded by thous.i.nds of acres of public forest, the ranch offers unlimited opportunities for hiking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing. The ranch was established in the 1920s as a small dairy farm and the weathered barn and milking shed still stand beneath a THE SECOND STONE stately Ponderosa pine near the house. Suzanne Willow and Lanita Witt have lovingly refurbished - and expanded the original farmhouse to include a spacious, ·sun-filled guest suite with private entry and bath arid two double beds, one . comfortably tucked in a loft. The guest suite and its cozy . loft a·nd deck look out over an expanse of meadows, filled with wildflowers from late spring to midsummer. Down comforters, kerosen ·e lamps and a wood stove combine to create a restful atmosphere , allowing guests to delight ir the natural world, unencumbered by power lines 01 traffic noise. Wake to the sound of birds singing and the aroma of freshly ground coffee, then savor _ a leisure!) full breakfast served in thE comfort of your room or on thE east ·deck. A wood-heated hot tub is available upon request. Contact Willow-Witt Ranch, 658 Shale City Road, Ashland, OR 97520, (503)776-1728. __________ s_u_m_m_er_~ Vacation '89 CasuaWl esterCn omforint PhoenixA, rizona m ~ Westwasy An Oasis in theV alleyo f theS un Westways is a wonderful guest ranchette located in easy to reach northwest Phoenix. Situated on one plus designer landscaped acre, the roomy Spanish Med- . iterranean style resort house features six private guest rooms . All new interior furnishing, decorator designed for comfort, include leather and oak in the sunken fireplaced living room, antique Victorian oak dining room, a·nd · rattan and oak in the Arizona leisure room ... all with vaulted ceilings . Each morning a complimentary · "Ranchette" continental style breakfast featuring warm, tasty homemade pastries is served in the kitchen or on the patio. Activities include tennis, golf, tubing, water skiing, jogging, swimming, biking, Uniquaen dS eclduedi nt heH earot f Palm Springs Escape to El Mirasol Villas • • • • • • • • • • • • • • El Mirasol, located in one of Palm Springs lovely residential districts only minutes from the finest boutiques, restaurants, and the famous Indian mineral baths, features a limited number of luxuriously furnished, private villas. A secure walled garden oasis surrounds two new sparkling pools. Being on the desert is a special experience. In addition to enjoying the amenities at El Mirasol, guests also enjoy tennis , golf, horseback riding, biking and quiet trails in canyons and mountains. Each morning guests awake to an elaborate breakfast. A day, a week, or a month - any visit to El Mirasol will be too short. Contact · El Mirasol Villas, 525 Warm Sands Dr ., Palm Springs, CA 92264, (616)327-5913. •••••••••••••••• •••••••••• A Memorable Stay in Montreal EuropeanC harma t HosteUerLiee C hasseur Intimate, friendly and quiet, Le Chasseur, Montreal, Quebec, caters to the casua l crowd - guests who like the easy going mood of this charming down to earth guesthouse, which features immaculate guest rooms . Visitors enjoy a hea rty breakfast each morning on the sunny open-air terrace . Le Chasseur is in the heart of downtown, just one block from the famous "Rue Ste-Cathe rine," placing visitors within walking distance of all major a ttractions including Old Montreal and Rue Saint-Deni s · and the .Latin Qua r ter. Contact Le Chasseur, 1567 rue Saint-Andre , Montrea l, Quebec, Canada H2L 3T5, (514)521-2238. May/ June 1989 fishing, hiking .. . even panning · for gold ... and much more! Recreation and culture abound in the Valley of the Sun. Guests experience the magnificent beauty of desert flora and fauna and delight in an unlimited variety of cultural and educational activit~es, including · outstanding museums . More gracious hosts _are not to be found. Darrell and Brian: assure guests a memorable visit . Contact Westways, P. 0 . Box 41624, Phoenix, AZ 85080, (602) 582-3868. P. 0 . Box 118 SL Bethlehem, NH 03574 (603) 869-3978 InS aFn rancisco 7::fie_ For that "Special Occas~on" try - or, for strictly business! Bed & Breakfast • Panoramic vieWs of the City • Hot Tub & Sun Deck ■ Suite available ft,r private parties ■ Candlelight go_urmet dinners served in the -elegance of ~:-·- .:-.. - · our dinfog,room or <the -i1ttimacy -ofyour bo udoir·. • ~•• ....., ...,_,_,.~_..~ _~· • Conference room and secre tarial services available • First class accommOdatio11s far the woman traveling pn business .or pleasui-e · EXPERIENCE 63 7 Steiner St. San Francisco, CA 94117 415/863-0538 Discover our magic ... A Prfrate Resort Hotel •.. why so many of our guests I return year after year. Call or write Cor our special 525 ~:=~2:~::: 1 1 , Palm Springs, CA 92264 (619) 327-5913 In CA I (Color Brochun upon nqt••~ J ~~ the "other" place under the sun ... •Steps to the gay beach •Vi sit near by Mexico • Pool & cozy jacuz zi • Fr ee continental breakfa st Write or call for brochure . 120 E. Atol St., P. 0 . Box 2326 South Padre Island, Texas 78597 (512)761-L YLE Air connections via: American, Continental, Southwest D Music Lynn Lavner Smiles Are Just Her Style Lynn Lavner, who's been billed as . "America's most politically-incorrect entertainer," has been playing the piano and writing songs since she was seven years old. "Jewish people from Brooklyn are expected . to do this," she claims, "and it is preferred that they be self-taught and unable to read music." Her songs and humor are - drawn, says Lavner, from "my own experiences as a short, Calendar The following announcements have been submitted by sponsoring or affiliated gr~ups. ADVANCE Mid West Conference MAY ·5-7, ADVANCE sponsors a conference to be held in Dayton, Oh. Contact Community Gospel Church, Box 1634, Dayton, OH or call Rev. Bill Roberts or Rev. Sam Kader (513) 224-4372. MCC Eugene Spiritual Renewal MAY 5-7, "Charge Up For The 90's!" is the theme of this renewal event at MCC/ Eugene. Special guests · include Jim McKirk, Asst .. District Coordinator, NW, UFMCC, and Chris Smith as Special Minister of Music for Renewal. Workshops include "Past Pain, Present Grief'' and "Managing Life Period!" Plus 3 Spirit packed worship services: Friday, "Recharging Our Spiritual Batteries," Saturday evening, "Spiritual Empowerment, " and Sunday, "Stay in the Boat." Contact MCC/Eugene, Box 10091, Eugene, OR 97440. PLGC Annual Luncheon JUNE 10, Presbyterians for Lesbian/Gay Concerns holds its annual luncheon during t~e Presbyterian General Assembly in Philadelphia : left -handed , · Jewish Lesbian from New York .. .'' While her act, . best described as "unconventional," is gay in content, her appearance is aimed at a playful parody of stereotypes, and the material is universally appreciated by anyone with an open sense . of humor. The quick-witted Lavner, who stands only five feet tall, performs in black leather ·. Her worldwide appearances at clubs, univ- The Inclusive Church Award will be presented. Contact PLGC, P. 0. Box 38, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0038. Camp Revival '89 JUNE 9-11, Sonshine Evangelical Team of Springfield, II sponsors Camp Revival '89 to be held in Springfield at Camp Cilca. The weekend will consist of campfires, old-time Gospel singing, workshops on relationships and charasmatic worship and worship services. Special guests include "Revival", Rev. Marilyn Marr, Rev. Bill Roberts, Rev. Sam Kader and Rev. Chuck Breckeriridge. ·· · Cost is $25.00 per person, which includes housing and meals . (Fee increases for those registering after May 25:) Contact Sonshine Evangelism Team, P. 0. Box 20038, Springfield, IL 62708. Integrity National Convention JUNE 30-JUL Y 3, The San Francisco Integrity Chapter will host the group's National Convention .. A program of challenges and inspiration has been promised. Write to Integrity, P. 0. Box 19561, Washington, D.C. 20036-0561. Summer Institute JULY 3-8, A workshop for Christian workers sponsored by Evangelical Bible ersities and specia l events also include perforll}ances at Metropolitan Community Churches, Dignity group ·s, and Gay Synagogues. About her unexpected popularity at gay religious events, Lavner explains, "My father was a cantor, so I simply regard my life as a very weird version of ~1™Singer." "You Are What You Wear" is Lavner's latest album release. It's a collection of humorous , whimsical and Institute and Case de Cristo Church. A variety of topics will be presented by Fred Pattison, Kelly Scott, Phyllis Mann, Ed de la Garza, Joseph Sombrio, Norma Haak and others. Limited to_ twelve participants. To be held at Casa de Cristo Church, Phoenix, Az. For information, w)'.ite to Suminer Institute, 1029 E. Turney , Phoeniz, AZ 85014. UFMCC 14th General Conference JULY 16-23, The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches· holds its biennial conference . It will be attended by MCC'ers from all over the world. A week of sharing; workshops and spiritual renewal is promised . The Radisson oftentimes serious ·songs with · social messages. In the inspirational "For Every One Who Falls," . Lavner sings, "For ·every step we take, there's another step to try ... we've never been the ones to be broken .. :" In the stirring, emotion-filled "Anne Frank ," "Looking back on all the months of keeping mum ... we _saw-the signs of things to come ... " And in "Leather & Lace" Lavner sings, "It's'just my style to put Hotel, St. Paul, is the setting . For more information, contact your local MCC. CMI Retreat AUGUST 27-30, A three day retreat for priests and religious sponsored by Communication Ministries, Inc. to be held at Mercy Center, Burlingame, Cal. The retreat facilitators, a woman religious and a priest, will lead the participants in prayer, guided reflection, and dial9g in an attempt to deepen awareness and understanding of the ways sexuality affects all aspects of life. For information contact CMI/Retreat Conference 1989, 245 Lee St., #206, Oakland, CA 94610. □ a smile on your face." This latest album from Lynn Lavner does just that - and more - you'll laugh and you'll feel. "You Are What You Wear" is available from Bent Records, 480 East 17th St., Brooklyn, NY 11226, LPs and cassettes are $9.95 and compact discs are $14.95. Also write to Bent Records for concert booking.information. Beyond Survival To Ministry □ AUGUST 31, A conference sponsored by Communica- · tions Ministries: 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Cathedral Hill Hotel, Van Ness at Bush St., San Francisco, Cal. Featuring an interview with a panel , composed of gay diocesan and religious priests, a religious brother and a lesbian sister. · · Followed by an assessment by conference participants of the current situation of gay /lesbian religious and priests in the 1,J .S. Church. Cost is $25.00. Contact CMI/Retreat Confer- ence 1989, 245 Lee St., #206, Oakland, CA 94610. . SEND EVENT NOTICES TO: CALENDAR, THE SECOND STONE, P.O. BOX 8340, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 Church & Organization News □ United Faith Ministries First Anniversary United Faith Ministries of Denver, Co. has celebrated its first anniversary . Anna Frederiksen is pastor . UFM was started in 1988 as an ecumenical and inclusive church for Gays/ Lesbians. The group meets at the Unitarian Church, 1400 Lafayette Street in Denver. For more information write to UFM, P. 0 . Box 10001, Denver, CO 80201. THE SECON .D STONE New Pastor for MC.C/Detroit Rev. Linda Laster .has been installed as pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Detroit. Over 200 people attended the installation service. MCC/Baton Rouge Calls New Pastor Rev . Cindy Drake is the new pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Baton Rouge, La. Prior to this position, Rev. brake was Senior Pastor of All Faiths MCC in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She holds a Master · of Divinity degree from the St . Paul School of Theology (United .-Methodist) in Kansas City and a Bachelor of Music Education from Nebraska Wesleyan University . Rev. Drake was licensed as a minister in UFMCC in May, 1987. Send news and announcements to Church and Organization News, THE SECOND STONE, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. If sending church newsletters, please highlight information for our attention. Families . □ · Gay Son A Challenge To Baptist Minister Father By Rev. Sylvia Pennin'10U Columnist · Dan and Sam are clean-cut, wholesome types. The kind of .people you can't help loving. Sam had easy acceptance, assurance and love from his family when he came _out to them. For Dan it was quite different. He faced the inevitable struggle that almost any gay person whose dad is a Baptist minister would experience. Dan joined the Navy after two years . of college and there, for the first tiine, told his ship buddies that he was gay . That not only didn't create a problem, but actually enabled him to have closer friends because he was finally no.t hiding anything. He met a special someone and learned what a . wonderful happening gay love coi:ild be. Then he got caught and was discharged from the Navy. He was in Japan when he called his parents. Their excitement . about. h.is .. call :. made his heart heavy. He knew that in moments they 'd be shocked and distraught as he explained why he was coming home. Dan felt he had no choice; he was being forced to come out. Part of him still hoped that being honest with them would break down the walls that his hiding had generated. Their reaction - the words Dan remembers - '"'It's just a phase. You don't really have this dreadful disease." He was angry : He didn't have a disease and he knew who he was and he wasn't going through a phase, but not wanting confrontation, he just let them talk. When Dan arrived in Portland his mom and dad had a big welcome home party - but to Dan it wasn't real. He knew they were just masking what had to follow. It wasn't long before the battle raged. Dad caHed a family meeting in which everyone was informed that Dan had homosexuality - a dread disease. Family responses differed. One sister-in-law assured her love for him. . Her - fundamentalist husband was_ infuriated. Eventually that both refused to acknowledge Dan's existence. Even some of his close friends made it clear he was not wanted or · welcome. During those dark months of denial and rejection, Dan recalled a gay cousin and how often he'd heard his dad speak about not wanting any of his kids to be weirdos . After a year of rejection and humiliation Dan left to go to school in another city, vowing he'd never let .his secret be known again. Had he but known the work our Lord would do in all of them, -he wouldn't have been as brokenhearted as he was. .Dan did well scholastically, kept his secret, remained celibate and detached. It was working for him. School was almost over when he met a young man in one of his classes. Hopes of love and a life-mate overwhelmed him as he found Sam to be the most , ,fascinating hu_1Tian beingJ1e'd _ ever met. Love blossomed and within a .year they began their Ii ves together. That was ele ven years ago and it was Sam and the beautiful life and love they shared that began to cha · ge Dan's parents' attitude. They lived clo e by. They visited. Dan's rri m and dad grew to love Sa more with each passing year. They · could see t eir lives, their • wholesomeriess and inwardly began to realize that their son was not sick or demon possessed or weird. Three years later the . -first evidence of dad's changing attitude appeared . One of Dan's brothers called his father to let him know he :would not come home for Thanksgiving dinner if they were going to let Sam be there. Dan's father said, "If that's the way you f~l, then don't come because I'm going to make sure Sam is here. It was the beginning of real hope for Dan. Even Baptist ministers could change their minds. A while later Newsweek had a picture of Anita Bryant on the cover . Dad picked up the magazine and told Dan and Sam that · he · didn't really agree with her. Dan's mom was furious. Her · . ifornia and began a attend a Christian gay church called New Hope. This was during their eighth year together. Everyone at the church prayed frequently for Dan's parents . Then one day his parents came to visit Sam and Dan and went to New Hope church withthem . Somewhere during communion Dan's dad left the church. When Dan realized he was gone he went out to find him. His father was leaning against the car crying. When he saw Dan he said, "I'm so ashamed of all the things I've said against gay people. To see what I saw in there today - the Love, the Truth, the Honesty. Everyone who . preaches against gay people · should come into this church first . They'c! have to change their mind." . not easy for any of us .· I thank the Lord for the wondrous way in which God directs our paths bringing hope to our hearts especially in the crucial area of family reconciliation. husband had no right to encourage them; but it was _step two . When Dan and Sam had been together for five years, Dan's father told them that the three things he'd preached hardest against in his years of ministry were homosexuality , divorce and abortion. Now three of his four · children had experienced these things - "You've all taught me that I must be much more open to people, and that perhaps my role as a Baptist min1ster is not to judge people, but to love them." Qan was both delighted and shocked to hear his dad say this . Two years later, Dan and Sam moved to the · San Fernando Valley in Southern Cal- Thank you Jesus. You did it again. Changing our minds is Rev. Sylvia Pennington, a heterosexual fundamentalist, began her ministry to Gays in the mid-sixties in San Francisco. Her first book, But Lord, They're Gay ($7.00) tells how God changed her understanding. Her second book, Good News for Modern Gays ($8.00) is a pro-gay biblical approach . fler new book, soon to be released, is Ex-Gays: There '1.IT None. Rev . Pennington's books are available at most _gay bookstores or can be ordered from Lambda Christian Fellowship, PO Box 19-67, Hawthorne , CA 90250 : A Presbyterian Promfse · {1r 11· "We will work to increase the acceptance and participation in the churcq of all persons regardless of racial-ethnic origins, sex, class, age, disability, marital status or sexual orientation" - 195th General Assembly (1983), Atlanta, Georgia If this is your promise, too, we invite you to join Presbyterians for Lesbian/Gay Concerns Write to Elder James D. Anderson PLGC, P.O. Box 38, New Brunswick, NJ 08903~0038,201/846-1510 May/June 1989 Closer Look Justified By Grace Through Faith · By Rev. Bruce Roller Contributing Writer . There . we were sitting quietly in the living room of a couple . i n our congregation . in Grand Rapids, Michigan, .sharing, as we do each Thursday evening, about a portion ·of Scripture and the . way it applies to our Jives, .· when Ken, who was in this Bible Sharing for the first time, one of Tanya's friends, said it. "But what about Romans 1 ?" For a few seconds it was quiet. We had come to · talk about effective praying. The regulars at this meeting had dealt wi .th those Scriptures time and again. Most had read the pastor's extensive pro-gay writings, and Sylvia Pennington's wonderful books . Suddenly everyone had something to say. Little bits of information from their reading and training erupted in disarray. People interrupted each other with bits of interpretation of the Scripture. A few looked stricken. Are . we back to this again? .. . and yet as Christians who are affirming or Lesbian and Gay people we are never far from the traditional interpretations .of Scripture. · so he_re we are again examining the Word of God illuminated by the Holy Spirit regarding those tough verses of Scripture in Romans 1:26-27: For this cause God gave them up to vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature : and likewise .. aiso ihe men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned· in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is inconvenient, and receiving in the .ir own personalities the recompence of their er_ror which was appropriate ; One of my early homiletics professors was fond of saying, ,Evangelicals liJgether Inc. SUPPORT COMMUNITY SERVICE FOR Gay & Lesbian Christians In Southern Calffornia ... since 1979 Suite 109-Box 16 7985 Santa Monica Boulevard West Hollywood, CA 90046 213/656-8570 "A text without a context is a pretext." Cutsey, perhaps, but I have remembered it for nearly twenty years now, and it certainly is appropriate when dealing with .this passage of Scripture that seems so succinctly condeming of acting on our gay and lesbian natures in genitally sexual ways . The ·extremely conservative ·(and far from pro-gay) .commentator Matthew Henry describes the intent of chapters one through three of Romans lay i ng the foundation for the doctrine . of justification, "and that not by the .Gentiles' works of nature (Ch. 1), nor . -by · the Jews' works of the.law (Ch. 2 & 3), for both Jews and Gentiles were liable to the curse; but only by faith in Jesus Christ," Ch. 3. I agree that this is the intention of the Apostle in writing these chapters to the Romans (and subs equently to us.) In the larger context then, our text is obviously an illustration of the · idolworshipping Gentiles ' atteIT\pt to obscure the God they recognized in nature and _in themselves, but were unwilling to worship as God; to obscure this true God by using sexual acts as a means of worship . Observe the Scriptural description of ·these idol-worshippers, and see if they sound like the Christian Lesbian women and Gay men you know. They did not wish to retain God in their THE SECOND STONE -knowledge (i.e., did not .want to think about God); they knew about God, but did not want to acknowledge or reverence God as God; they were not thankful for the blessings of life in general or for the specific blessing of God's revelation of God's self to them; they began to create new and fantastic philosophies of religion. They built idols for themselves and . invested those idols with the qualities · of divinity t hat they may worship them as gods. Because of. these things our text says, these idol-worshippers were given over by God to do as they willed. (It was not God's punishment of the people, but God's permitting the people to continue in their own willful ways, that ano ·wed them to go farther and farther from the God who would ·have been their salvation.) Finally the apostle brings chapter one to a close with the ugliest description of depravity .that the pen has ever drawn . These people are haters .of God and at least tw enty-two other sorts of sins and sinners . There would be no need for me to write a column such as this if the hundreds of thousands of Christian Gay and Lesbian people in the world were described in Romans 1. I write to convince, not those who hate God , but those who love God and yet are condemned by society and the □ · traditional Christian church on the misinterpreted basis of this Scripture. Romans one is written to show that those who obscured God by false and idolatrous religions of all kinds were ·_condemning themselves. Romans two makes it plain . that even those who followed the true religion of Judaism on the basis of the law rather than the spirit similarly condemned themselves. Romans three makes it plain that, indeed, ALL · are self-condemned . All of this sounc!s rather depressing until we . get to the climax of. Romans - Romans 3 :23-24: · For all have sinned and · come short . of the glory of God, so that all may be justified freely by God's grace through the ·. redemption that is in Jesus Christ. The tender loving relating of homosexual persons is the farthest thing from the mind, the spirit, and the pen of the apostle. The God who IS love does not condemn l_ove or lovers, but hate, alienation, and condemnation itself. The Reverend Bruce • Roller is pastor of Reconciliation . MCC in Grand Rapids, MI. He . welcomes your personal comments and observations on this column through the publisher of his books and other resource materials: Faithful Publications, PO Box 3701, Grand Rapids, MI 49501. Al!long · friend5 , M~gazine · · Gay & Lesbian News, Resources PO Box426 Madison WI 53701 Parting Thought Just Who Do You Think You Are? By Dr. Martin FowJer yet ... that is just what we try Contributing Writer when we.justify ourselves, for each of us is one of God's own . • Fi!!. in -the bl<!nks . . "I don't . working ;ideas. .·. flaunt the fact .that Tm..:::..:_, · ·: • I,f it's •true that Christ · but if someone asked:rne; rd . • justifies 0and defends u,s, then be ·honest and tell ·them that. there -is really no point in our I'm __ ." You could , fill in trying to justify and deferid the .blanks equally welj.~~i), . · 0!-1r,s~lye,s_: ,,\'Ve already have · "Gay'' or "Christian" .' We _. .a capable defender. Selfdiligently groom out integrity . justification- is · worse th,m for those prospective '. cha:!• · pointless for a Christian , . It leriges and prying questions . . ··is ,acting as · though Christ's But the opportunity · comes · sacrifice and intercession for defend and proclaim, riot ourselves. Martin Fowler is a member of Classifieds the Dallas-Ft. Worth Chapter of Evangelicals Concerned. He earned his Books &·PublicatiollS' · · · Inc.; 11 -West 32nd St.; New York, NY• RADICAL' BOOK ON EQUALITY- 10001. Add 75 cents for postage. 6/89 "THE PRICE OF EQUALITYl by Rev.· CONFRONTATIONAL BOOK ON Sally Brocato. Eleven shorf stories · AIDS- . . encourage acceptance and equality for ' • AIDS IN COMMON''by Rev. Sally racial, sexual and social minorities. • Brocato. A ·co11ecti6n of'short stories Attitudinai and behavioral change in depicting the lack of discrimination education and in usage of public and ·. shown by HIV virus in choosing its private monies are clearly illustrated, targets .. A good gilt for folks who see □ doctorate in philosophy at the State University of New York . □ Available .. from Carlton Press, lr,c., 11_ West32nd St, New York, NY 10001. Add 75 cents for PQStage. 6189 Friel'l(ls/Relationships · GWM,49, masculine (U-2) good looks and actions, to share Catholic beliefs (East!l_m, R.C .. or Anglican) Friends ... maybe MORE! FRANK, P. o; Box 763,. when we least exP-ect'. it .and us is not real.. When we try to worst of all, we find ourselves justify ourselves, we wind up $6.95. Available from Canton Press, AIDS disease as "beneath them," $7.50. Blue Springs, MO 64015 6/89 unprepared. Afterwards, we · like Peter by the fire, ponder the . clever and denying Christin some way. appropriate things we might When someone tries to have said, if only we had tempt or bully you into been better prepared. justifying yourself, refuse. While warming his hands Not because you are above by the fire in the courtyard, reproach, but because Christ Peter might have been calls Jou to something better rehearsing what to say if the than · self-justification. . As authorities challengiJd , him Peter reminds us, " ... sanctify about Jesus . Jesus had . just Christ as Lord in your hearts, been arrested and · the other always being ready to make a disciples had fled. Just as he defense to every one who asks was getting warm. .. just when you to givean account for the he least expected it ... someone ·hope that is .in you, with accused him of being Jesus' gentleness -and reverence." (1 associate. Peter angrily Peter 3:15). It is that hope denied _ k~owing Jesus at all.. y;hich _ we are commanded to We expect to give justification for our beliefs or behavior, but when someone asks us to justify who we are, this demand catches us by surprise . We find out on the spot that we can't justify ourselves in any truly satisfactory way, no matter how well we think of ourselves or how much we've accomplished. We feel "unjustifiable". A Special Message~ for Bookstores... · "\J Become a part of The Second Stone's dealer network! We invite you to display these sample copies ... and to keep your racks stocked with The Second Stone by reordering when your samples are sold out! (If possible, please place your adcfress label on your order.) We'll Send A FREE CopyOfThe _ Second Stone To Your Friends! Do you know someone who would enjoy reading The Second Stone? As a servic_e to paid subscribers. we'll mail a complimentary copy to your friends. They'll appreciate It -and -you'll be helping us reach interested readers! Your Name (attach label if-possible) YOUR FRIENDS: Name Address City, State & Zip Name Address City, State & Zip MAIL TO: The Second Stone . Box 8340 · New Orteans, LA 70182 _.:... BOOKSTORE ORDER FORM Stt,,,,__ ______ _,f'tllre( Sbilet /roes<; :f . OtylStal'lmp . .. ...... . [ ] YES, we would like to stock THE SECOND STONE. Please send: I l Bundle of 5 · $ 6.75 Burdle of 10 • $ 13.50 I Bundle of 15 - $ 20.25 Bundle of 20 - $ 27 .00 COVER PRICE IS$ 2.25. · WE PAY POSTAGE. Your initial order musl be pre-paid. We will invoice,you for subsequent editions. You may deduct on your next invoice a credit of$ 1.35 for each unsold copy. MAIL ORDER FORM TO: The Second Stone Box 8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 AMOUNT ENCLOSED But "unjustifiable" needn't mean "bad". We falter because we can only justify Classified Order Form what we've made, but none of us is truly "self-made". We can make money or make progress but no one makes himself, no matter how big his ego is. No one is his or her own · Creator. We're willing to defend and justify our best ideas but none of us would think of trying to justify God's own ideas. And FOR ONLY 35 CENTS PER WORD, yourad .. can appear in the next edition of THE SECOND STONE. Name ________ _ _______________ _ Address. __________ _ City/St./Zip, ________ _ AD COPY ________ _ MCC/Modesto In New Building The Metropolitan Community Church of Modesto has moved into a new church building at 1-130 6th Street, Modesto. Take advantage of our low cost (but high profile) classified section by placing your advertising order today! Mail To: THE SECOND STONE P. O.Box 8340 New Orleans, IA 70182 ------------------- __ words X .35= $, __ ___ _ 20 word minimum. All classifieds must be pre -paid. Deadline one month prior to cover date . We will mail you a ··copy of the edition(s) in which your ad appears May/ June 1989 Christian GWM 'A1shes to make new friendships with fellow believers. This 40 year young educator has many interests and enjoys learning your interests? Write tonight! Dave Smith, P. 0. Box 18122, Rochester, New York 14618. 6/89 GWM, 25, 5'7, 140 pds, blonde, blue eyes. Sincere, honest, athletic guy looking for monogamous relationship with someone around same age and interest. Write 3107 Debra Blvd., Panama City, FL 32405.4/6/10/89 Fat old married quean loves to natter and to listen. Candor puleaze! No hunks or dummies. Box 1545, Orangeburg, SC 29116-1545 6/89 Professional Services PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZEROrganizing kitchens to complete householils as well as domestic staff t(aining. Write to: W.B. Rich, Inc., 606 W. Barry St., Suite 168, Chicago, IL 60657 6189 Travel CARL'S GUEST HOUSE, PROVINCETOWN - Clean, comfortable, friendly,.affordable. Excellent location. FREE BROCHURE write to 68 Bradford St., Provincetown, MA 02657 (508)487-1650 10/89 Please place my ad in these issues: [] Jan/Feb [] Ma r/Apr [] May/Jun []Jul/Au g· [ ] Sept/Oct [ J :N' ov/Dec CLASSIFICATIONS · [ ] Books & Publications [ ] Business Opportuniti e s [ l Employment [ l Friends/Relation ships [] General Int e rest [ ] Mail Order [ l Merchandise [ l Organizations [ l Professional Services [ l Real Estate [ l Retreats [ l Roommates [ ]Travel a THE BOOK SERVICE A CHRIST/All "1lGJalit.tl/l.' ,r RN. SJ~!'tm'l!n;i.R GOOD NEWS FOR MODERN GAYS ,;r ile1 S1·M~ ~ n~ll':)lr.11 -• .. \\Hllm11 (:011nt1~mcm --- -- -- -- - - d.l \l\l l lll Jl" l \11 11 _ ,t\\ ll ,.11\11\ l l"ll llll li - I\IJ'I J• .\IU""'ttJ t: l•lll\\ .But L8rd They'll Gay by Sylvia Pennington. The sto,y of a journey for one non-gay fe,vent, evangelical Christian womao with a mission to "Save and Change" the homosexual. The struggles of becoming accepting and supportive as God leads her along his path. 171 pages, papert>ack ................ $7.00 1500 Y11rulthl Church Blta&ing Ln/Sty Rtllllon1lllps ·by Dr. John Boswell (Video) It's Nothing New! Dr. Boswell'speech for the Integrity gathering at the National Episcopal Convention, VHS, 60 min. Video Cassette . . · .. . ...... $29.95 · Sood Nows For Madam Gays by Rev. Sylvia Pennington. This is not . a theological treatise written to theologians. It is one non-gay Christian woman's search for Truth and Understandirig, written simply and easily for others who also seek truth on this controversial subject. 221 pages, papert>ack. . ...... $8.00 Homo11x111llly & Et\ics by Edward Batchelor. Jr .. Editor. A collection of statements and opinions by .church leaders from different viewpoints concerning the Church and homosexualtiy. 261 pages, papert>ack. . . · .... S8.95 61y/Lasbltn Llbmllon/ A Biblical Perspective . by George .R. Edwards. This book · shows. on Biblical grounds. that gay/lesbian liberation rightfully .belongs to the genre of liberation theology, that the homophobic rejection of gay/lesbian persons by the church and synagogue cannot claim Biblical sanction. 153 pages., · ·papert>ack . .... . ... . ...... S9.95 "Rntwl . . , It &wttpl119 IN l•" Cassette (Music) "Revival Group's Second Cassette Tape of Pentecostal' Christian Music. Includes: "Revival Is Sweeping The Land,""Let Us Not Grow Weary," The Beauty Of His Name,""l'm living in Caanan Now," "Peace In Jesus," "Praise The Lord In All Things," "Realize Your Riches," "Children of Azusa Street," ,"The Wind Is Blowin' Again," & "Praise Him Thru It' All" .................... $9.95 Dirt. Srttd & Stx by L. William Countryman. A direct. simple. solid piece of scholarly work which can profitably infonm even the casual reader. Much care is taken to 'unwrap' the New Testament passages which fonm directly and indirectly how we think abo.ut issues of human sexuality. 268 pages. harubound .............. . 11us We have the books you're looking tor! C'h7he h urc u. tmd the [ nomosexua John 1 McNeil/ IL . . l if . DOUBTFUL CHRISTIANS MAKEQUEmSAINTS! RALPII IILAR ( 'hri st innilY, St ieial ~I ·c.kram:r. and Hnm <;S<.:x,mlity .John llo, wl'il 7hl Churcfl tnd lilt HomOIIXIMI by John J . McNeil!, S.J. Condemned by the Catholic Church for its message of spiritual · fulfillment for gays and lesbians. this classic book has recently been updated with new material on AIDS, gay and lesbian sexuality, and McNeill's own struggle with the Catholic Church 280 pages. papert>ack. Updated edition ...... . ..... 19.95 Sod. Gaya· and Utt Gotptt: This is our Story (Video) by Universal Fellowship of MCC's. Documentary · film on UFMCC. 60 flinute video ....... .. •. .. 159.95 A1411. A Ctlllotlc Ctl! fur Comp111lon by Eileen P. Flynn. Reacting to ADIS with panic and hysteria is unchristian. This book points the way beyond fear to reason and charitable concern. 99 pages. papert>ack. . .. $4.95 AIDS; thl Splrlt!MI Olltmmt by John E. Fortunato. This informative, sensitive book is exactly what's needed to answer the witches· brew of ignorance, prejudice. hall-truths. and whole lies evoked by the. word AIDS. Fortunato is a therapist to gay and straight. to those dying of AIDS and those by the grace of God more fortunate. 156 pages. papert>ack. . . . . . . $7.95 Doubttul Chrl1t11n1 M1k1 QIMtr Saint, Concerns the gay Christian's· anxiety over incomplete intergration of Christian faith and. homosexuality. Uses Marten Luther's Ifie in comparison . to the anxious gay Christian. 19 pages, pamphlet. .. . . .. . . . .. . . . . . $4.39 H1mo11u11tty and 11,, Conurnllvt Ctllilllln by Rev. L. Robert Arthur. A brief. concise explanation of each ot the Biblical 'clobber passages' written from the view of a conservative Christian. Rev. Robert Arthur holds a Master of Arts degree in Bible from Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. · Aeconvnended reading for those struggling with what the Bible. says about the subject of hooiosexuality. 13 pages. papert>ack ................ $2.50 Chrl1ll1nlty, Socltl Toltrtnct & Hom .. x•llly by Dr. John Boswell. One of the most extensive treatments on the subject.· Challenges received opinions and preconceptions abou1 the Church's past relationship to its gay members. among whom were priests. and even bishops and canonized saints. Well researched. 424 pages, papert>ack. . . . . . l_t 2.95 LARGEST SELECTION OF GAY CHRISTIAN BOOKS AND TAPES AVAILABLE! FOR FREE CATALOG, CREDIT CARD ORDERS, AND CHURCH . DISCOUNT PROGRAM Call Today 1-800-728-8282 May/June 1989 illtW11n Two 6art11n1 by James B. Nelson. A continuation of his earlier work. "Embodiement," Nelson explores· human sexuality and the Christian experience. He asks the question, "What does sexuality say about faith?" 193 pages, papert>ack. . . . . ...... SB.95 . Bti')nd Stx Rolls by Gilbert Bilezikian. A guide for the study of lemale roles in the Bible. This is a first-rate Biblical-theological study by a committed evangelical teacher that affinms full equality of lhe sexes in church. and family. 300 pages. papert>ack. .. . . .. . .... $9.95 Emb11clng lhl Exile by John E. Fortunato. Healing journeys of gay Christians. "Gay and Christian . Cornerstones of who I am. And, though it hasn't always been so. I've come to believe that both are good." 137 pages. papert>ack. ... . .. . . . $8.95 Coming Out to Pannls . by. Ma,y V. Borflek. By lhe author of "My Son Eric." Mary Borflek deftly presents both sides of this delicate issue. She explores the fears and misgivings that hom'osexuals often have about telling their parents they are gay or lesbian, and she examines the feelings· of disappointment. confusion, and guilt that can beset parents. 208 pages. papert>ack. $9.95 Enlllldl .. nt. An Approach to StxlMlity by James B.' Nelson. A first-class study in theological ethics. The _comprehensive and imagina-tive treatment sets both traditional and unConventional sexuality issues within the context·of God's fulfilling grace. 303 pages, papert,ack . . . ... $11.95 Ex-Gay by Dr. Ralph Blair Reviews and exposes the false hope of the "ex1)ay" movement as well as the unreasonableness of enforced celibacy. 50 pages. pamphlet. .... . ... $4.39 COMING SOON ... Ex-Gays, There Are None by Rev. Sylvia Pennington Order now to rece ive yo ur copy as soon as they a re released lltkfn• ORDER FORM 811111 order ta: THE IOOK IEIIVICE P.O. lox 6780 WDN ■lllf Part. CO 10186 Sub Tolal Colo. Res. Add 3% Tax Add 15% Ship. & Hand. Total _ Visa _ Mastercard _ Discover Pflcl. Amer. Exp. C{lrd No. _ __ ___ _ ____ _ Exp. Date_ Signattn Yo..-card wilt be billed through Pikes Peak Paradise, Woodland Pail<. CO Name ·Address--- --- -- - --- - -- . City, State, Zip ---- - - -- - - -'--- - Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone #4 - May/June 1989 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/a6c8ba1532e609a57ca4a1942526e0bb.pdf ae55cca539965915b64604eea838eb96 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone Description An account of the resource Issues of the Second Stone publication. Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 6 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1989 Publication Date The date the issue was published Sept/Oct 1989 Text Any textual data included in the document THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER FOR GAV AND LESBIAN CHRISTIANS $2.25 I SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER, 1989 8000 Readers Across The USA Crusading Mom After Son's AIDS Death Beverly Barbo Changing Church Attitudes Towards Gays & Lesbians By Pan Grippo Contribμting Writer You can see it all in her eyes. The pain, the compassion, and the determination. Beverly Barbo has lived through one of the most painful experiences imaginable -- she Jost her 27 year old son Tim to the scourge of AIDS in 1986. She has seen up close and first hand the devastation AIDS can visit upon a loved one, as she tended to Tim's needs during the last year of his life. SEE COVER STORY, Page 10 D Real Live Monkeys, Queers And Angels II FAMILIES: Storybook Marriage Didn't Work By Dr. Louie Crew By Rev. Sylvia Pennington TONE ISSUE#6 j AIDS Issue Dominates MCC General Conference By Eric Martin Contributing Writer The issue of AIDS was foremost in the minds of many of the 1500 delegates who convened in St. Paul, Minn . for the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Church' s General Conference in late July. Early in the conference, feeiings . surfaced among I - ---- ----- -- delegates that AIDS was not being dealt with as a top priority and a special forum was held which led to the funding of a full time field director for AIDS ministry. UFMCC founder and moderator Rev . Elder Troy · Perry said that AIDS had substantially affected most Metropolitan Community SEE UFMCC, Page 2 Take Action Against Teen Suicide, Report Urges A report just released by the · U.S. Department of Health · and. Human Services (DHHS) .Task Force on Youth Suicide acknowledges that Lesbian and Gay youth are at increased risk for suicide and calls for "an end (to) dis crimination against youths on the basis of such char acteristics as disability, sexual orientation, and financial status." The report, wh ich was prepared under former DHHS Secretary Otis R. Bowen, was completed in January, 1989 but did not receive publication until mid August. "According to research discussed in the DHHS report, suicide is the leading ·ca.use of death among Lesbian, Gay and other sexual minority youth," said Kevin Berrill, Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Ta sk Force's Anti -ViolenGe Project. "The increased risk of suicide facing these youth is linked to growing up in . a ·· society that teaches them 16'--. hide and to hate themselves. " The DHHS report reflects the findings and recom mendations of three 1986 conferences sponsored by the Secretary's Task Force on Youth Suicide. At the urging of NGLTF and other organ - SEE SUIODE, Page 10 SUBSCRIBE TODAY! ONE YEAR ONLY $12.60! BOX 8340 • NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 P.O. Box 8340 New Ormns LA 70182 In Our Next Issue: "Change" Ministries L the issue of full acceptance ofGays and Lesbians into mainstream church congregations and pulpits is being heard with a louder voice. And so are those who claim to have the real answer: "EX-GAY" MINISTRIES. Robert McKnight has an in-depth report in our next issue. From The Editor . C Taking Care of Business Just a few short, but important, items and we'll get on with our biggest issue to cjate. Our Thanks To UFMCC We had the pleasure of meeting many of our readers and making new friends at the Metropolitan Community Church's General Conference in St. Paul. We were also able to introduce The Second Stone to many who hadn't heard of us. Our thanks to Rev. Ro Halford of the UFMCC for arranging an exhibit table for us. Ciur friendly neighbor exhibitors included Martin Meier of The Book Service, Chuck Vickers of Progressive Praise Productions, Rev. Louis Kavar of Lazarus Ministries and singer Shelia O'Kane. There is a report on the conference in this issue. Unrequested Plain Envelope Mailings To End We have so far mailed all issues of The Second Stone in envelopes but, beginning with our next issue, papers will be labeled and go out as self-mailers unless you have requested otherwise . If there is a letter "P" on your address label, your paper will continue to be mailed in a plain envelope. If this letter does not appear on your label, and you want your , paper mailed in a plain envelope, please drop us a note. You Mu~_t_N_otify Us If You Move When we get a non-delivery complaint, invariably the problem is that the reader has moved without telling us. The post office will not forward The Second Stone because it is mailed at bulk rate (unlike your magazines that are , forwardable which are mailed at second class.) Even if you fill out a change of address form at the post office, your newspaper will still go_ to your old address. If moving, please remember to let us know. Acceptance of Post Paid Cards Ends In the spring of last year, when we announced publication, we distributed yellow post paid cards to various groups kind enough to hand them out for us. The permit information on these cards · will be valid only through December, so we ask if you have any of these cards left that you throw them away. We will be distributing new subscriber cards shortly. · And now enjoy our September /October issue, which was especially challenging and fun to put together. UFMCC, From Page 1 Churches, but that the church had not responded to the issue sooner because of denia( , "All of MCC has AIDS," Perry said, "If we do not have AIDS physically, then it exists in our hearts and minds." He added that it is difficult for people with AIDS to let fellow church or community members know of their situation - that it's like having to "come out" all over again. duced at the conference, "Spiritual Strength for · Survival," which was written by Rev. Stephen Pieters, a long-term survivor . . . of AIDS, who will hold the AIDS ministry position that delegates voted to fund. and injustice. Boswell was presented with the UFMCC 1989 Human Rights Award. The UFMCC started with . one group of 12 people in Los Angeles, Cal., on October 6, 1968 and has grown to an international ministry of 249 churches with over 22,000 members. The clergy includes 166 men and 123 women, g1vmg MCC · a larger percentage of women clergy than any other Christian denomination .' Wfrh a membership growth of 82% during the past decade, it is one of the fastest growing denominaThe MCC has developed a tions in the U.S. new AIDS pamplet, intro- Rev. Don Eastman said that the AIDS -issue has overshadowed many of the women's issues, but that the · Lesbian community has pulled together to assist their brothers. REV. TROY PERRY Highlights of the conference , themed "Good News For All People," included speeches by Dr. John Boswell, Yale University Professor -of History and author of Christianity. Social Tolerance and Homosexuality and activist Camille Bell. Bell, a death penalty opponent whose son was killed in the Atlanta murders a decade ago, delivered a powerful and stirring speech on oppression Letters PhoenixA, rizona DavidR ickey Fan Dear Second Stone, Just wanted to tell you that I am truly impressed with your publication. It is quite well done and has , exceeded my ' expec .tations. I appreciate almost everything, but the highlight of each issue is the "Relationships" column by David a Rickey. It's great! Peace in Christ, Frank S. Lou/an □ We welcome you to share your views, opinions, feelings and experiences with our readers. Send letters to: LETTERS, The Second Stone, P.O. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. All · 1·etters must be original and signe~f by the . writer. Clearly indicate if your name is to be withheld. We reserve the right to edit. ' .. THE SECOND STONE The next General Conference will take place in Phoenix, Az., in two years. In This Issue FEATURES REAL LIVE MONKEYS COVER STORY COLUMNS FROM THE EDITOR CLOSER LOOK FAMILIES BOOK REVIEW TRAVEL ADVENTURE MAKING OTHER PLANS DEPARTMENTS LETTERS NEWS BRIEFS CALENDAR . . . . . . ' . . ORGANIZATION NEWS CLASSIFIEDS □--. Page7 Page,10 Page_2 Page6 Page9 Pag~ 11 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page2 Page3 Pc!g1;!8. Pa-gei2 Page15 News briefs No AIDS Education, Says Assembly of God Pastor Gay activists picketed a recent service of a Mora, Minn. Assembly of God Church whose pastor, David Squire, has been accused of making inaccurate and bigoted statements about G.ays and . is supporting a . movement to remove sex and AIDS edu cation from the Mora schools curriculum, even ·though AIDS _education is required by Minnesota law. Squire also criticized a high school presentation of "Amazing Grace," a play he said seemed "to endo rse homosexuality as an acceptable, alternate lifestyle." Dignity Leader Honored Jim Bussen, president of Dignity USA, • was scheduled to receive the Paul R. Goldman award from the Chicago Interfaith Conference. -Chicago Outlines Bobby Griffith Memorial Scholarship Established The nation 's first scholarship offered to a Gay or Lesbian senior high school student has been established as a joint venture of the . Diablo Valley (Cal.) Chapter of Parents and Friends of THE SECOND STONE Newspaper is published every other month by Bailey - Communications, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Copyright 1989 by The Second Stone, a registered trademark. SUBSCRIPTIONS, U.S.A. $12.60 per year, six issues. Foreign subscribers add $8:00 for postage. All payments U. S. currency ony. ADVERTISING, Display advertising one time rates: Full Page, $595.00; Hall Page, $304.00; Quarter Page, $155.00; Eighth Page, $81.00; Sixteenth Page, $42.00. Send inquiries to: Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Classified advertising is 35 cents per word. EDITORIAL, send letters, calendar announcements, and church/organization news to (Department tiUe) The Second Stone, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Manuscripts to be returned should be accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope. Mark manuscripts submitted on speculation either 'Ministry" or 'For consideration at your usual rates.• THE SECOND STONE, an ecumenical newspaper committed to expanding Christian ministry in the Gay community· - and to the spiritual growth and . . . development of Gay persons, their famllies and friends. PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Jim Bailey Lesbians and Gays, (PFLAG), and the Contra Costa County ; Chapter of the Bay Area Network of Gay .and Lesbian Educators, (BANGLE). The scholarship is being offered in the memory of Robe~ (Bobby) W. Griffith, , a G<1y studen t who dropped out of high sch ool just two months before his graduation because of a lack of support and accurate information regarding his . Gay identity. He jumped to his death from a freeway overpass two years later. Mary Griffith, Bobby's mother and President of the Daiblo Valley Chapter of PFLAG and Robert Bircle, Chairperson of the Contra Costa County Chapter of BANGLE initiated the scholarship in order to offer hope and support to young Gay and Lesbian students who might otherwise feel isolated and unsupported. Conrtributions may be sent to The Bobby Griffith Memorial Scholarship, c/o Diablo Valley PFLAG, 1304 Rudgear Road, Walnut Creek, CA 94596. United Church of Christ Adds Gay Church The 150 m:ember Spirit of the Lakes Ecumenical Community Church in Minneapolis, Minn. has become ·the . nation's first openly homosexual congregation to join a mainline church after being accepted into membership of the United Church of Christ. Rev. Dan Geslin is pastor. -Baltimore Alternative NGL TF Names NeVJ Executive Director Urvash( Vaid has been named new executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force by a unanimous decision of the organization's board of .directors, according to board chairs Jim · Holm and Genie Cowan. Vaid, presently public information director for NGLTF, was chosen following a three month, intensive search that attracted 86 candidates. "I feel that my background and my love · for. this movement - everything that my life has been about for the past 12 years - . have prepared me to accept .. t'1e. c'1!1Jte~ge __ qf .~iirecting the nation's :. 1eading '-Lesbian: ·and Gay civil rights ' otganizatfort,'' Vaid '.said . National Gay:and :Lesbian Task Force has more · than 15,000 members nationwide. ··· .1.,-'; ' Business or :J.?en,6n~l ... ~cy'.'"a--Secoitd ,. . <-<«- Sr!~~u•aiSchieber <>Jiorlored : :'\: ~ Stone Classified Ad Sister ; Eile~n Schieber, volunteer coordii,;,ato; fo~ tile'. NOV A Project in ,,_-., __ I9Jg_gQ, Qh.i.o.i:~cegtly received an Ohio pepartment of Health AIDS Service Award. The award was presented in recognition of her volunteer efforts to assist People With Aids in the Toledo area as well as thoughout the state. In . addition to her work with the NOV A Project, Sr. Eileen has been instrumental in the development of David's House, a home providing assisted living for T oledo-area PWAs without homes of their own. -Cruise Rev. James Sandmire Dies The Rev. James_ E. Sandmire, founder of numerous Metropolitan Community Churches including All Saints in West Hollywood, Golden Gate in San Francisco, and the MCC in Oakland, has died at the age of 59. Sandmire was · a Harvard graduate and also held a master's degree from the University of California at Berkeley . He was the first openly Gay chaplain to the San Francisco Police Department. In addition to his MCC duites, Sandmire served as an adviser to a · group of Gay and Lesbian Mormons who · wanted to form their own religious community, which .became Affirmation . Rev. Sandmire and his partner, Jack Hubbs, would have celebrated their 30th-anniversary this summer . Marine Captain's Discharge Overturned □ In a stunning reversal of a discharge recommendation, a Marine Corps Board of Review on July 6-reinstated a female Marine Corps Captain who had been court-martialed for her friendship with a civilian Lesbian. Captain Judy Meade, stationed a l Carrip Lejeune, North Carolina, wai notified that the board determined the evidence against her was "insufficien l to justify an involuntary separatior from the Marine Corps." "Judy Meade's case underscores th1 ridiculous lengths to which th, military's witchhunters will go tc purge women who are someho \l connected with the charge o Lesbianism," said Sue Hyde, of t h1 National Gay & Lesbian. Task Forc1 and the Gay and Lesbian Milita11 Freedom Project. "The Nava Investigative Service is contemptible ir its singleminded campaign o f terro ; against women in the Marines and th1 Navy. Coupled with its m o11ey· wasting, time-wasting foolish pursui of the utterly discredited 'homosexua connection' in the USS Iowa explosion _ . it is now past time for a Congressiona l . inquiry into the acti'l(ities of the NIS." A Presbyterian Promise _ "We will work to increase the acceptance and participation in the church of all persons regardless of racial-ethnic origins, sex, class, age, . disability, marital status or sexual orientation" - 195th General Assembly (1983), Atlanta, Georgia If this is your promise, too, -we invite you to join Presbyterians for .,,, ,-Lesbia1:1,IGay Concerns ~ ~ . ~. ·. . : ', ., ' . ' ' . . Write 't◊' Elaer Jam.es D. Anderson L - ,.. ~- .·. ,,·- ! f • ..,-::~- • <. (.· .. :-:.,:i:hd ; {. ' · -~ . · :• - .,:.~PLOC 1 P.O .. Box 38;NewBrunswick,NJ ,,-, · 08903-0038~)01/846-1510 . Newsbriefs Gay Group Recognized By Chicago Archdiocese Formal recognition of Archdiocesan Gay and Lesbian Outreach Chicago (AGLOChicago), an organization that will extend the Church's pastoral ministry to Gay and Lesbian Catholics in Cook and Lake Counties, Ill., has been given by the Archdiocese of Chicago. Jerry McEnany, a former leader of Dignity/Chi"cago, said that "recognition as an organization of the Archdiocese exceeds the expectations we had as we began working with the Archdiocese a year and a half .ago." -Chicago Outlines Kummer Honored By · Minnesota Archdiocese The Catholic Commission on Social Justice of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has awarded the 1989 . Archbishop John Ireland Award to William P. Kummer, founder of the Catholic Pastoral Committee on 'Sexual Minorities. Kummer organized the Committee in 1980 and served as staff from 1984 to 1986. The CPCSM is a grassroots, self-supporting coalition dedicated to promoting a ministry of justice and hospitality to, with, and on behalf of PATLAR VOICE OF GAY AMERICA MONTHLY NEWSMAGAZINE FREE AT OUR D ISTRIBUTION POINTS SUBSCRIPTIONS $35 ANN UALLY SAMP LE(t4Jp~Us\ 5)gtr~~~~ USA $4 FOR INFO ON ADVERTISING po cs'il'k &i~~/llt~l~~~ti2c~~§a22 F' ., ~vaDge/icals 'Oge/her Inc. SUPPORT COMMUNITY SERVICE FOR Gay & lesbian Christians In Southern California ... since 1979 Suite 109-Box 16 7985 Santa M onica Boulevard West Hollywood, CA 90046 213/656-8570 It.. j II Gay and Lesbian persons, their families and friends. David McCaffrey, public . affairs laison for the Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities, said the award· was "of particular significance in light of tbe current climate ·within the Catholic Church regarding the plight of its Gay a.nd Lesbian members." Kummer currently is development coordinator for PW Alive (Persons With AIDS live) Publications, Inc. PW Alive is a . coalition of persons directly and indirectly affected by AIDS, dedicated to promoting a message of empowerment and hope throughout the AIDS community. Kummer also directs a CPCSM project, supported by the Headwaters ]:und , called "Mainstream Churches Learning to Live with Gays and Lesbians." The project has a goal of educating and sensitizing parishes on Gay and Lesbian concerns . Established in 1968 and named after the internation,illy renowned first archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the Archbishop John Irelancl Award is given annually to those who distinguish themselves in promoting better human relations based oh justice . This year's award acknowledges Kummer "for his vision and dedication in working towards a society inclusive of and hospitable to all its members, for his profound commitment to Church ministry with sexual minorities, and for his demonstration of sensitivity and courage on behalf of persons with AIDS by which he gives personal witness to the struggle for justice ." Campaign Informs Military Personnel Of Rights Regarding HIV Testing Citizen Soldier, a non -profit GI and veteran advocacy organization, has launched a public service campaign to inform . soldiers and sailors of their legal · rights while undergoing mandatory HIV testing. Ed Asner, best known for his role as ''Lou Grant" on both the Mary Tyler Moore and Lou Grant television series, has given the campaign a boost by endorsing it publicly and appearing on the announcement. All too often military members who test positive for the . BIV antibody are harassed by .their peers and discriminated against by th _e command, although such action is officially against policy. Citizen Soldier is distributing brochures to those serving on active duty, the Reserves and the National Guard. For information, contact Citizen Soldier, 175 Fifth Ave., #808, New York, NY 10010 or call (212) 777-3470. Cardinal: Safe Sex Info "Unacceptable" In a letter which was read during all masses in Boston, Cardinal Bernard F. Law condemned the sex education lessons which are to b~ taught to students in grades seven to twleve. The cardinal has stated that the proposed · curriculum suggest promiscuity which is · unacceptable for Catholics, as well as others, in the community. -Baltimore Alternative No Catholic Church Donations From Me, Says PFLAG Mom Seventy-seven-year-old PFLAG member Veronica ·Colfer, a devout Catholic, has informed Washington, D.C. Cardinal James Hickey that she will not respond to fund appeals until the church deals fairly with its Gay members, according to columnist Robert Bernstejn. Colfer's son's lover recently died of AIDS and she says the church failed to provide her son with any support in his time of need. Colfer and. her husband now worship at Dignity services. · -Chicago Outlines Defense Department · Committee Responds To Military Freedom Project ALEXANDRIA, Va Historic testimony delivered to a Department of Defense panel by four female U.S. Military personnel has prompted the panel to recommend that the DOD recognize and address harassment and d_isharge of women personnel due to allegations of lesbianism . The testimony was organized by the Gay and Lesbian Military Freedom Project, a joint project of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, the Women's Equity Action League, the National Organization for Women, the ACLU Gay & Lesbian Rights Project , and the National Lawyers' Guild's Military Law Task Force. , Studies of discharges from the military services reveal that women are three times more likely t o be discharged for homosexuality than men . . Constituents interested in lobbying their members on gay and lesbian THE SECOND STONE □ military issues are urged to contact Peri Jude Radecic at NGLTF, 1517 U Street NW, Washington, DC 20009. The Gay and Lesbian Military Freedom Project was formed in 1988 to advocate · for the rights of ·gay and lesbian Americans to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces and to press for action ' combatting · the sexual harassment of all women in the military. Dr. Virginia Mollenkott Honored Samaritan College hosted a brunch at the UFMCC General Conference in St. Paul to honor Dr . Virginia Mollenkott with an Honorary Doctorate of Ministries for her ministry to, for, and with Gay /Lesbian people. Dr. Mollenkott co -authored Is The Homosexual My Neighbor? She has been an outstanding and ·courageous spokeswoman on behalf of Lesbian/Gay Christians in mainline church settings. Dr. Mollenkott was outspoke'! in her support of the UFMCC's applicatio11 for membership to the National Council of Churches. She demonstrated her profound courage by coming out as a Lesbian to the NCC as she spoke in support of t heir application. Other published works by Dr. Mollenkott include The Divine Feminine and her recently released book, Godding. Samaritan College was founded by UFMCC in 1970. Over 450 students from . the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Australia and Mexico are enrolled at Samaritan, the largest college serving the Lesbian/Gay community. The college serves both the secular community with _ _the School of Human Services and Gav /Lesbian Christians with the School ~f Theology . Family Discount Discrimination Case Won Seattle 's Human Rights Department has "found probable cause" that the membership policy of AAA Automobile Club of Washington is discriminatory on the basis of marital status . The ruling was issued in a case brought by Demian, a Seattle resident. The department ruled that the automobile club discriminated against Demian when it told him that his · domestic partner was ineligible for "associate membership." The case now proceeds to,\o nference and conciliation, a proc_ess wherepy the department will work with ' both parties to achieve a "just and equitable resolution" to the matter. Newsbriefs Bishop Bans Blessing Rev. David E. Johnson, Episcopal Bishop of Massachusetts has instructed the clergy of St. John the Evangelist Parish, Beacon Hill, not to bless the Holy Union of a lesbian couple. The decision angered the congregatio~. -Baltimore Alternative Lutheran Group Seeks To Ordain Gay Clergy A San Francisco -based coalition of Lutheran clergy and laity is preparing to launch a congregational ministry to the Gay /Lesbian community to be served by openly Gay pastors, in spite of an Evangelical Lutheran Church policy prohibiting practicing Gays and Lesbians from being ordained. Bishop Lyle Miller, leader of the ' ELCA Northern California -Northern Nevada Synod, said that if a Gay or Lesbian candidate not in compliance with ELCA policy were called and ordained by a congregation, he would not sign the call. · A spokesperson for the group, "Lutheran Lesbian and Gay Ministry," said that the proposed ministry would have credibility with a "large segment" of the Gay and Lesbian population only if it we re staffed by openly Gay and Lesbian clergy. Never Morally Acceptable, Says Bishop Five members of Pittsburgh's CRY OUT!, along · with City Councilman Mark Pollock and Human Relations Commission Executive Director John Gabriel rec ently met with Pitts1'urgh Diocese Bishop Donald Wuerl to seek a resolution of the Catholic Church ' s opposition to a Gay rights ordinance in Pittsburgh. Wuerl has stated his concern for the effect such an ordinance might have on the hiring practices for Catholic school teachers and the church's ability to conduct its moral teachings. In a letter published in Pittsburgh Catholic, Wuerl said "Homosexual union can never be a morally acceptal;>le alternative to the union of a man and a woman in marriage." -Pittsburgh's OUT Literary Journal To Debut A literary journal ·said to be of the highest quality will make its debut this winter. Tribe, to be issued quarterly, will feature fiction, poetry and _essays _ by, for, and about Gay men. Manuscripts are now being solicited. Tribe's editorial review board consists of three well respected_ members of the Gay publishing community: David Groff, an editor at Crown Publishers, a founder of the Publishing Triangle, and Poetry Editor of Out /Look magazine; John Preston, a contributor to The Advocate, author of a number of important books, and currently a Writer in Residence for the AIDS Project; and George Stambolian, editor of the highly regarded Men on Men books and - Professor of · French at Wellesly College. Trib.e will be published quarterly and will•be distributed nationally. Authors submitting manuscripts are asked to include a self-addressed stamped envelope. All manuscripts will be evaluated blindly. Short, medium size, and long pieces are welcome. Contact: Tribe, c/o Columbia Publishing Co., Inc., 234 East 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218, · (301)366-7070. Group Seeks Christian Poetry The National Arts Society is searching across the United States for Christian poetry writers. The Society will be publishing a book entitled "Windows of the Soul." Up to two original poems (30 lines or less) may be submitted for publication . All poetry must be Christian in nature. Poetry may be sent to the National A rts Society, PO Bo x 95 , Pass Christian, .MS 39571 no lat er than August 31, 1989. 'Windows of the Soul" will be going to press September 30; 1989. There is no charge or fee for submitting poetry. Catalog Lists Gay Books Paths Untrodden, a Gay-owned/Gay operated mail order book service for literature pertaining to male homosexuality and the Gay liberation movement has released its 1989 catalog, listing hundreds of titles in a subject classification that inlcudes 46 areas. Paths Untrodden specializes in hard to find books, out of print, small press and imported titles. The catalog includes titles never before listed as well as books relating to men's issues arid sale books. A special tribute to Gay activist Ed Murphy is included .. The catalog, a 32 page bibliography, is available for $3.00 fro-m Paths Untrodden, PO Box 459, Village Station, New York, NY 10014-0459. New Gayellow Pages Underway Gayellow Pages, the USA/Canada Directory of Lesbian and Gay Resources since 1973 is preparing to publish_ the 1990 edition, its eighteenth issue. Organizations, businesses, etc., welcoming Lesbian and Gay people but who have not received a mailing from Renaissance House, the book's publisher, should contact them as soon as possible to be sure of being included . Editions currenUy available are: USA/Canada, .#17 (1989), $10.00 postpaid; New York/New Jersey, #25 (1989), $4.50 postpaid; Northe\lst, #10 (1990), $4.50 postpaid; and South/Southern Midwest #6 (1990), $4.50 postpaid . Gayellow Pages is sold by most Gay, Lesbian, Feminist, and alternative bookstores, as well as by many "adult" stores and a · number of sympathetic general bookstores. Quantity discounts are available on request to retail outlets, organizations, etc. For information or for an application to be listed, send a business size self-addressed envelope to Renaissance House GY, Box 292 Village Station, New York, NY 10014. Anti-Gay Violence In New Orleans Under Study □ New Orleans Mayor Sidney Barthelemy has endorsed a project of his Advisory Committee on Lesbian and Gay Issues to collect data on anti-Gay and -Lesbian violence and discrimination in New Orleans. A report will be released this fall documenting incidents of violence or intimidation. The Mayor's Committee will also attempt to measure -the extent of anti-Lesbian and Gay discrimination in jobs, housing, public accomodations, insurance, medical/dental, judicial/ legal and credit/banking: In his endorsement of the project_. Mayor Barthelemy said, "Prejudice, discrimination a·nd violence against any group - be the group Black, Hispanic, Vietnamese, Jewish, Gay and Lesbian or whatever - are threats to all people and must be met with laws to address them." ''lt!J articles are often compellingly written and · thoughtprf! voking . as a magazi n,• handling difficult subject mn ,ter. Open Hnnds:-is to be com mended ' for its results." -judge s' comments from Reconciling Mini s tries with Lesbians & Gay Men Associated Chureh Press Jo.-:;..: Award of Merit Program Open Hands , the only national Christian magazine focussing on the concern s lesbian s and gay men , is now in its fifth year of publication . Each issue of Or Hands addresses a particular concern of gay/ lesbian Christians with: • feature articles by national/local church leaders • ideas for congregational ministries • worship and spiritual growth resources • news from ReconciJing Corigregations and other ministries with lesbian s anrl gay men. Annual subscription (four issues)-$16 Single issue-$5 BACK ISSUES AVAILABLE: .. Be Ye Reconciled" !Summer 1985) "A Matt er of Justice" (Winter 1986) "Our Fa milies" (Spring 1986) "Our Churches' PoliCies" (Summer 1986) ""Images of Healing .. (Fall 1986! "Homophobia and the Church" (Winter 1987) "Minoriti es within a Minority" (Sprini; 1987) ··An Emerging Community·· (Summer 19871 "S exual Violence" IFall 1<)87} "Se xuality and Spirituality" (Winter 19881 ''Building Reconciling Ministries'' (Spring \()8Xi "Living and loving with AIDS" iSummer 19881 "Raising Reconciling Children'' (Fall 1988) "Sexual Ethics" {Winter 1989) .. Called to Create .. ISprjng 19891 . . ~ ........................................................... ... ... . __ Please send me a one-year subscription to Open Hands @ $16. __ Please send me a copy of each of the back issues marked above. D Enclosed is my payment of $ ___ , 0 Please bill me. __ I may want to receive Open Hnnds, please send me a sample issu~ Name _____ _ ___ _ ___ __ ____ __ ___ _ __ _ Address ___ __ ____ _ __ __ ____ _ ~ -- --- - - City -- ------ ---- ~-State __ __ ___ Zip __ _ Open Hands • P.O. Box 23636 • Washington, D.C. 20026 Published by Affirm"a.tion: United Methodists for lesbian/Gay Concerns September/October 1989 ·u Closer Look The Weight Of Words By Rev. Brus:e Roller Contributing Writer Do you not know that the wicked [aou:oi, the unjust ones] will not [inherit the kingdom of God, NIVJ receive the reign of God? Do not be misled: Neither the (nopvot, fornicators, sex ually immoral] nor idolaters nor [μ01mcoi, adulterers] nor [μaA,ax:oi, the soft] nor [apuevox:onai, (an obscure ancient Greek word whose definition has been lost; it's root consists of ·two non-sexually connotative · words, men and bed) nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor [).oioopoi, railers] nor [vp:rcages, rapacious] [will inherit the kingdom of God, NIVJ receive the reign of God. And that is what some of yau · were: .But you were washed, you were [made holy by God], you were justified in the name of the Lord /esus Christ and by the Spirit ·of t>ur God, (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). · We also know that the law is not made for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and , irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for adulterers and preverts, for [people-stealers] and liars and perjurers - and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which God entrusted to me, (1 Timothy 1:9-11). Here we have a close.r look at two New Tes~ament lists that have been used for several hundred years to condemn gay men (and more recently have been used against lesbian women as well, though no possible stretch of the imagination can make the original Jan- I am with You Fear Not! (A Correct ive Look at the Lesbian and Gay Clobber Passages) Professionally produced Video-tape Audia-tape & W ~rkbook A new book by the Rev. Bruce Roller Pastor of Reconciliation MCC Grand Rapids, MI ·~ cp rtJ J-IIlfl! _ lHE ~SSAGE OF ~V.,.. (./ RECONCILIATION VHS Vidaoc C90 f1VnJ $24.95 Al.d:J Tape SS.00 • WCJri!bOOk $5.00 Lo\ling O..selwS $6.95 Ad:i 25% for Slipping & handing. .- : . Faithful Publications P.O. Bo,:-3701 Grand Rapids, MI 49501 .guage here relate to sexual or romantic attachments between two women). As you can see from the brief notes on the Scripture passages above, the confusion is rife ab .out the actual definitions of many of the words in this passage, among them the word transliterated . aresenokoitai which had been translated in ways as · diverse as pederast, male offender, abusers of themselves with [sic] mankind, etc. I have deliberately omitted the paraphrases of the word that utilize "homose xual" anywhere in the term since the term itself in no way speaks of two men in a sexual sense. Far be it from me - a simple country prea cher - to wade in and assign definitions to ancient Greek words that even Greek scholars would not dare to do. However, as a pastor and preacher, I can certainly say that it is unconscienable to base doctrine on such an unclear and ambiguous word - especially doctrine - that attempts to tell people who may or may not go to heaven! The other word under discussion here - malakos - is a bit clearer since it is used one other place in the New Testament. Jesus, speaking highly of John the Baptist in Luke 7:24-28, asked the people what they saw in John. "Did you go out to see someone dressed in fine clothes?" Jesus asked, and then answered his own question, "No, those who wear expensive clothes and indu]ge in luxury are in palaces ." The word · translated here by the NIV as fine (in the sense of luxurious), and by the KJV as soft , is this same word - malakos! Here the word malakos carried no explicitly sexual connotation, and certainly no. homosexual distinction. T~ough some scholars have pointed to other JI'eanings in classical Greek ; I am here concerned With the · K~ine, the Greek of ,·the New .Te.stament . · · O( course, I am very interested in ·word stud ies and specifics of the New THE SECOND STONE Testament text because of my continual exegesis of the Word of God, but the more important step we have not even considered in this study is the wider understanding of the passage: what did the writer seek to convey to the readers · of the first century AD? To understand this we must stand back from the trees for a moment and see the forest. This passage comes in the midst of the discussion about one of the failures of the Corinthian Christians in that they took their legal grievances against one another into the pagan civil court for decisions. The writer urges the Christians instead to submit themselves in these cases to the .reign ofGod - to let the leaders of the church decide who is right and wrong in such issues, rather than going to pagan civil authorities. In this context then Paul says that the unjustified, the wicked, the unjust ones will not submit themselves .to the re,ign of God. Then he names a few . activities (certainly not an exhaustive list) that ' would indicate people who are not living out the Christian virtues expressed by Jesus. Paul's conclusion is that some of the Corinthian Ch ristians had lived with that kind of unregenerate spirit, but now that · they are living in Christ, they need to exerc\se themselves in righ teousness, and to submit themselves to the reign of God which was better exemplified by the leaders of the church than by pagan authorities. The Timothy passage may well be repeated indirectly from the Corinthians one, but in an entirely different context. The writer of · Timothy speaks of those who are trying to impose Hebrew law on the Ephesian Christians, and Paul says · that the Hebrew law, though . good, is ·not for the righteous (those who have believed into Christ), butfor those who practice activities contrary to 'sound doctrine. Only one in the long list of such □ . practices is explicitly a sexual sin, and that is the word translated in the Corinthian passage by the NIV as "sexually immoral." There is no homosexual connotation, nor any other specific: The writer ,leaves this word open to the consc ience of the reader. Moreover in neither passage is the writer dealing with what the crit eria is for entering heaven. The phrase in Cori nthians deals with submitting to the realm . (or reign) of God now on earth, and the Scripture in Timothy speaks of those against whom the Hebrew law would be used. Both stipulate that these descriptions have . no bearing on those who are "righteous ", i.e., those who have believed into Jesus Christ, and have .by grace through faith been justified and sanctified by God. To base any doctrine on such flimsy evidence would be foolish, but to purport to deny entry into the realm of God to a category of individuals .· based on this Scripture is no less than sinful (alienating, marginalizing, and unlike God). Read in context it is easy to see that these passages of Scripture are not dealing with homosexual orientation or entrance into heaven, but with a completely different concept of submitting ourselves to the reign of God in this life by making practical life decisons based on the authority of God and the church rather than o.n the conclusions of the .society around us. The Reverend Bruce Roller is pastor of Reconciliation MCC in Grand Rapids, MI. He has prepared . a workbook on 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 that is available for $3.50 plus 25% handling and shipping . This . book allows the student to draw conclusions themselves from the Word of God, and has helped ma,ny people over their fear • of..,,cpndemnation from _this ,Rassage of Scripture. Tlie woi-Jcli,iok is available from . 'fa 'lth{ul Publications, P.O. Box 3701, Grand Rapids, MI 49501 . . \ Louie Crew, the founder of Integrity, an Episcopalian support group for Lesbians and Gays, appeared before the Standing Committee of the Diocese of South · Carolina on the issue of Lesbians and Gays in the Church. A resolution adopted by the denomination's General Conference encourages open dialogue between the Church and the Gay community. This is Louie Crew's address to the Standing Committee. FELLOW AND SISTER DEVIANTS, it's always a treat to address Christ- . ians, who understand what it is to deviate from the standards of this world. It's also extremely important to keep a sense of humor lest we lose sight of the joy for which you and I were made. Let me illustrate again: Recently Kalen, Father Ramcharan's granddaughter, about 6 or 7 years old, came to him with a teasing smile. "Do you want to see a pictu r e of a real live monkey?" she asked him. "Do you have such a picture?" Father replied. "Yes. Do you want to see it? Here," she said, and handed him a mirror. Father Ramcharan looked carefully . "But I don't see a picture of a real live monkey." "Yes, it's right there," Kalen said, curling he.r finger over J}ie top of the mirror, careful to keep the mirror pointed towards her grandfather lest he tilt it back to her. "No, I see something else." "What?" she asked. "I see a beautiful young angel." "No," she insisted, "it's a real live monkey." "It's a beautiful young angel, see!" Father 'lumded her the mirror . She lookeqcarefully for several seconds and replied softly, "Yes, I see.I' .': "Unless you come as a little child, Real Live Monkeys, Queers and Angels BY DR. LOUIE CREW you shall in no way enter the kingdom of heaven." I REMEMBER MEETING early in 1976 with a Commission chaired by George Murray, who had been my own bishop in Alabama. In a motel at the Atlanta airport several of us helped his Commission to word a document by which the Church could speak the love of Christ to Lesbians and Gay · men . "H-o-m-o-sex-u-al persons," we began tediously, and then cleared our throat, "are Children of God and .... " Not real live monkeys. Not "queers" and "fairies," but "Children of God!" " ... and are entitled to the full love, care, and pastoral concern of the Church." What we said seemed to me then, and still seems to me now, a bit presumptuous, rather as if a small group of ordinary folks had decided to ratify Calvary . It was as if we dared to say. "Well, Jesus, you do have a way of loving everybody, don't you? And I suppose we'll have to go along ." The Episcopal Church passed that resolution, and dozens, maybe scores of heterosexual Christians have joined us in trying to get the good news of God's . love to all Lesbian and Gay people. Those of you who attended General Convention last summer undoubtedly noted a very different Episcopal Church from the one you had seen at previous General Conventions . Hundreds of deputies wore pink triangles, or rainbow ribbons, or both -the pink triangle to show solidarity with Lesbians and Gays, the rainbow ribbons to show solidarity with AIDS victims. Over 20,000 people have been active in Integrity in its 15 years, and many of them new converts, many more of them'. people who had left the Church in despair only to return when they heard the good news that they aren't "real live queers and lezzies," but Children of God." But those numbers are too small, given the millions of Lesbians and Gays who have not heard or have not believed God's love . As you heterosexual Christian deviants . know, it's hard to get people to accept good news, hard to get people to see . the beautiful young angel: it's much easier to settle for .being the victim, the real live monkey . And sometimes our witness sounds so feeble. LAST YEAR CHRISTMAS caught me by surprise, and I dashed off a card to my friends that frankly embarra~sed me by its doggerel, especially when I compared it with the beauty and power of the model. I felt as if I had hung up faded decorations alongside my neighbors ' fresh ones. I wrote my card to the tune of "Greensleeves," and it began, "Why hang AIDS bells on our green tree?" the State the leper is asking. "I dare to claim that God loves me and in this hope Fm basking. This, this is Christ, the King whom peasants guard and angels sing: Haste, haste to bring God laud, The babe, the child of Mary. Silly, I thought, and much too grim for such a holy and peaceful season. "Why must I politicize Christmas!?" I asked myself. Yet I did . I even managed to drop a reference to this silly card into my first conversation with Bishop Allison, just before Chfistmas . I told him how my friend Allen Hess, a man with AIDS, had called me a couple of days before from his hospital in Milwaukee to sing my silly card to me. "You said you weren't demented yet!" I teased Allen when he sang off key! Allen called me again after I got back from Charleston. "Louie," he asked, in a moment of absolute seriousness, "Do you really believe God loves me?" Everything in Allen's voice said, "Sugar, God could not possibly love . me. I'm tacky . I'm angry. I'm sick. I'm queer! " "Allen, honey," I said with all the power of Calvary behind me, "of course, God loves you. God is not god if god's promises are false!" MY GOOD FRIEND Dick Bradley, Warden for the Bishop of Milwaukee, met with Allen many times in the last three months. A priest prepared Allen, and he was confirmed. An atheist friend was the first to call last Saturday night, to tell me that my lover Ernest Clay and Pick Bradley got to Allen's bedside just after Allen had receive.d his last rites. Ernest and . Dick reported that Allen died · certain '. the God loved him. Allen was buried night before last. He had spent most September/October 1989 of his life quietly affirming other people, especially the poor and other outcasts; hundreds packed the small All Saint's Cathedral. All saints indeed. I have another dear friend dying of AIDS 15 blocks from this cathedral, but I don't know anyone in this diocese whom I can call to prepare him for confirmation . He has already heard you, but not a word about the good news at the 1976 General Convention, and much less about the healing at the 1988 C,eneral Convention. My friend in Charleston, like Allen in Milwaukee, has given substantially to the life of his city. I owe so much to him personally. Sixteen years ago my friend lived for a summer in my home in Orangeburg. He was the first person ever to show me the you can be gay and be whole too. I remember the · afternoon during that distant summer . that I discovered to my shock, that integrity means 'wholeness,' and not 'respectability' as used car dealers and other church folks had tried to make me believe. . After I met with Bishop Allison last December, my friend with AIDS and I went out for seafood. He explained that he is finding his major spiritual help from Voodoo. IN FEBRUARY I WROTE to every parish in the diocese offering to help · as we try to act on Resolution-120. Only five persons (The Dean of the Cathedral, Father Houghton, the Rector of Old St. Andrew's, the Rector at Cherow, and Father Snow at Redeemer) have r~sponded, one bluntly, the others kindly, not one with a n invitation . The silence of the others underwhelms. I have heard in greater numbers from Lesbians and Gays who spotted our tiny notice for Integrity in Jubilate Deo. Some of them who are on vestries in this diocese report that they hear us called queers right on church property. The few who report that they have found a sympathetic priest, .uniformly say that they cannot expect the priest to speak out compassionately in this diocese. The priest and the levite did not grow snouts: they were not comic book vill!lins, but just too busy with Church Work to see the victim in .the ditch. Only the despised Samaritan saw, SEE REAL LIVE MONKEYS, Page 11 Calendar The following ll1UWIUICtl1le1 have been submitted by sponsoring OT affiliated groups. Beyond-Survival To Ministry AUGUST 31, A conference sponsored by Communications Ministries . 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Cathedral Hill Hotel, Van Ness at Bush St ., San Francisco, Cal. Featuring an intervie w with a panel composed of gay diocesan and religious priests, a religious brother and a o~111 SIDES N@W Lccal, oatialal, I intematioaal ['lellS I, ~I AID5 iDfaDla.tial , book :ceview:s & Jl:Xe in Maui •s Ralthly g,r;f/bi/u,sbi,m - $10/ye,.,r (5alllple issue S1 I to BSN ~ . ro B:D: 5042 , r.ahul.ui, Mam. m: 96732. ~/>c~lcrO ./ ARE YOU MOVING? The Fbst · Offce wiH not f orward The Second Stone. __ _ YQU rrust notify us for uninterrupted service if you move. II Please notify u s four weeks in advan ce fo r un intenu pted del ivery . Send bo th old and new add resses. If poss ibl e attach mai1ing label in space prO\flded. PRINT NEW AODR ESS (/) 0 )> li ~ 1 ~ i:: Send complel:ed fOt"m 10: 11-IE SECOND STONE Box8340 NswOfoons, LA 70182 lesbian sister. Followed by an a~ent by conference participants of the current situation of gay /lesbian religious and priests in the U.S. Church. Cost is $25.00. Contact CMI/Retreat Confer- ence 1989, 245 Lee St., #206, Oakland, CA 94610. Dignity/USA National Convention AUGUST 31-SEPTEMBER 3, The 20th Anniversary of the founding of Dignity /USA will be celebrated at the group's national convention to be held at The Cathedral Hill Hotel in San Francisco. Cost is $185.00 for members, $235.00 for non -members. Con tact Dignity 1989 Convention, 584 Castro St., #474, San Francisco, CA 94.114. Third Annual Self-Esteem Retreat SEPTEMBER 9·11, The third annual Self-Esteem Retreat for the Gay and · Lesbian community and friends touts · the theme "Can You Feel It? ... A MIRAQ..E is near." · RETREAT PARTICIPANTS will actively explore a myriad of markers o n the path to a new self image. They will learn to effective ly manage such taboos as anger, guilt, and fear and will practice using ·tools for successful decis ion-making and goal setting, forgiveness, trust, and building self-esteem in relationships. The retreat begtns Friday , September 9 at 7:00 p.m . and ends Sunday, September 11 at 3:00 p .m. The retreat site at Point Bonita is .wheelchair accessible . Full or partial scho lar shi ps are available through a grant from Bay Area Physicians for Human Rights . For info rma ti on write: Self Esteem Ministry, Diablo Valley MCC, 2253 Concord Blvd. , Con cord , CA 94521-0139 or call (415)827-2960. Third Annual Key West Women's Week · SEPTEMBERll-17, The Key West Business Guild announces 'Women in Paradise," a week of events for women to be held September 11 through the 17th . During the entire week there will be sailing, boating, snorkeling, . scuba, windsurfing, basketball, music, dances and other activities primarily designed for women participants. A special theatrical presentation will be staged the nights of September 14 through 16 at the Red Barn Theatre on Duval Street; On Friday, September 15, comedian Judith Sloan will perform ''Responding to Chaos" in what is sure to be a terrific concert. For registration · information write to the Key West Business Guild, Women's Week , P .O. Box 1208, Key West, FL 33041 or call (305) 296-2211. ' JUDITH SLOAN Affirmation Fall ~eeting SEPTEMBER 15-17, The National Fall Affirmation meeting will be held at Heme n way United Methodist Church in Evanston, 111. The theme is "Envisioning Our Future." For information write to . Affirmation/Chicago, Box 1021, Evanston, IL 60204 or call Otis Thompson at (312)281-1344 or Jan Olson at (312) 539-4626. Damien Ministries PWA Retreats SEPTEMBER 11-14, Washington, D .C., NOVEMBER 13-16, Chicago, IL, DECEMBER 11-14, Annapolis, Md. , Damien Ministries, a community of Catho lic men and women, both lay and religious, sponsors retreats for People With AIDS. Each retr eat is free to PW As, their care partners, significant others, families and friends. PW As who apply early are eligible to have their travel expenses paid in full. Contact Damien Ministries, P.O. Box 10202, Washington, D.C. 20018 or call (202)387-2926 . A~vance '89 OCTOBER 4-8, 'Thy Kingdom Corne, Thy Will Be Done .. ." is the theme of this conference sponsored by ADVANCE Christian Ministries and hosted by Circle of Glory Church, Fort Worth, Tex. A _variety of educational and worship opportunities will be presented . For information contact: ADVANCE '89, c/o 2734-A Oak Lawn Ave., Dallas, TX 75219 or call (817)457-9043 or (214)522-1520. THE SECOND STONE Great Outdoors 10th Anniversary □ OCTOBER 12-15, Great Outdoors , 'the largest Gay and Lesbian outd~r recreation group, is celebrating it's 10th Anniversary by hosting the first west coast IGLOO, . International Gay and Lesbian Outing Organization, Jamboree. Jamboree '89 will be held at Mount Cross, Cal. Pre- and post-Jamboree activities arranged by Great Outdoors Chapters include a tour of San Simeon, a Sacramento river delta house boating trip and mck climbing with Stonewall rock climbers at Yosemite National Park. Cost is $125-$140 per person, which includes housing and meals for four days and three nights.. For more information, call Wayne Proctor at (602) 325-7607 or write Great Outdoors, 3750 North Country Club #44, Tucson, AZ. 85716-1264. Our Church Has AIDS National Conference OCTOBER 26-28, The National Episcopal AIDS Coalition sponsors a conference to enable Episcopal parishes and institutions to educate their own membership about HIV and AIDS, and to provide models of service and collabo r ation within and beyond the parish for the empowerment of · ministry . The conference is designed for laity, clergy, educators, persons with AIDS or HIV infection. Bishop Barbara Harris will speak. Christ Church and the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Cincinnati, Ohio, is th e setting . Cos t i s $85- $100 per person. Contact Sue W. Scott, Coordinator, P.O. Box 550275, Dallas, TX 753?5 or call (214) 343-6936. NGL TF Creating Change NO V EMBER 9-12, The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force's Creating Change conference for grassroots activists and gay and lesbian organizations will feature keynote addresses by three leading gay activists, a demonstration calling for an end to discrimination against Gay men and Lesbians in the military, and a day -long institute on fundraising. The Holiday Inn, Bethesda, is the location. Workshops will be interpreted for the hearing impaired and the facility is wheelchair accessible. Fees for the Fundraising Institute range from $75.00 - $125.00 and for the conference itself, $50.00 - $125 .00. Contact NGLTF Creating Change, 1517 U Street NW, Washington, DC 20009. , SEND EVENT NOTICES TO: CALENDAR, THE SECOND STONE, P.O. BOX 8340, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 Families Almost The "Perfect" Wife Storybook Marriage A Painful Road To Discovery By Rev. Sylvia Pennin~n Columnist Marilyn grew up loving the Lord. She can't tell you of · ever having accepted Christ as her Savior and she can't remember a time when she didn 't know the Lord was -with her . She was a gentle, passive child, very content and -secure in a home where gentleness,_ love and prayer surrounded the lives of her, her parents, two sisters and two brothers. Marilyn's folks were comfortably fixed and the family spent their summers in their seaside home. Her dad just spent weekends with the family during those months, months when she had the freedom to run along the waterfront, swim, water ski and have time to be by herself where she was able to be very reflective. She often thought about her family. They laughed at some of her tomboy activities -for she related much more to the games her brothers played than those her sisters seemed to enjoy . . Marilyn watched _ her mothe r, pert _ and chipper, basking in the delight , of pleasing her husband, nurturing her children, cooking everyone 's favorite foods - the perfect hostess when her dad's bu ·siness associates came to visit. Her mom was everything a good Christian wife and mother was expected to be-- A role model was being set for her which, in later years, she struggled to emulate. By teenage years Marilyn often wondered why she didn't have the same interest in _boys that her peers had . Her dad told her not to worry about it, she was just a late bloomer . That would have been logical but she knew she was concealing some feelings that weren 't blooming late. Those were the feelings she had about the• girls her brothers dated. She'd secretly wish th<!t they were her dates .. Instinctively, she was very careful not to let those thoughts and feelings be known. In high school Marilyn preferred group activities but did date occasionally, hoping to find a fellow that could fill her with excitement and butterflies. She was a bright youngster and by sixteen she knew that she was a Lesbian. She was also a strong Baptist and believed she knew that she couldn't live a gay lifestyle. · · After graduation Marilyn attended _Oral Roberts University as a psychology major . It was her first time away from her family and although she missed them, she had a strange sense of freedom. , In her junior year she became a prayer-partner with a senior fellow who planned to enter the ministry. She and Carl began dating. · He was fun to be with, and very easy going and athletic . · It wasn't too long before he knew that he was in love; Marilyn knew she wasn't but everyone had to get married eventually and she was certain that Carl would be as good a husband as her d a d was. Carl and Marilyn were married right after she graduated. Carl already was serving as a Pastor's assistant and Youth Minister of a large, prosperous churcl) . She tried - she tried desparately to be the kind of wife her mother was , the kind of woman most of the women in the church were . Concealing _ her sexuality was hard enough but as a Pastor's wife she w_as always in the spotlight. A growing sense of despair filled her heart as she knew more, ·with each passing year, that the time would come soon when she could no longer supress her feelings . Marilyn struggled constantly with attractions to women in the church, but she always had to keep her feelings under control. It was how a good Christian wife had to be. Many hours of prayer and pleading were taking up much of her time . Surely God would help her get free of her perverted desires. She was a Christian woman , she'd made a vow to God to love, honor and cherish until death would she and Carl part. H er pain was reaching an unbelievable point. She knew she had to ~nd the marriage but how could she bring scand<1l down on her husband . She de<1rly loved him and he never let her forget how proud he was of his "perfe 'ct" wife. What right did she have to decide that he should suffer instead of herself. She had the problem, Carl didn't. People would surely believe that he had to have done something wrong if she left him. The push -pull struggle reached a climatic point to where her inner pain was so great that she began to doubt if God could love her and let her be this unbearably broken hearted and desolate . Carl saw Marilyn's increasing depression and _ after many attempts· fo prob e her sadness, she tearfully related the whole saga of her unhappiness to him. Carl's first reaction was one of great anger - an emotion he rarel y displayed, but in time, as they pra y ed the issu e throug h together, he kne w -he had to let her go. He wanted her to just lea ve, taking nothing but her clothes with her. Broken beyond word s ari.d feeling very desolate, Marilyn left in the middle to the night , fourteen years after taking her wedding vows. In the months which followed Jesus made Himself overpoweringly present to her. As she spent many of her nights being with Him and talking with Him, she gradually came to realize that her marriage which was bas~d on self -denial and cover-ups had already been broken years before . A covenant had been entered into which, from the start, was not an honest covenant. She began to realize that God always knew that she was a homosexual, from even before she was born. He was setting September/October 1989 her free to finally be exactly who she was created to be. Much bonding had taken place during her marriage to Carl. It took some time, put past the initial · shock and pain of a divorce, they were able to go on and be best of friends until death do they part. Carl visits Marilyn with her new spouse, Pam. The years of struggle were finally over and Marilyn can live the rest of her life as the unique woman, loved by God, that met the earliest desires of · her heart. In Proverbs there is a verse which ' says, "Hope deferred maketh the heart sick, but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life ." That tree of life was God's gift to her. Rev. Sylvia Pennington, a heterosexual fundamentalist, began her ministry to Gays· in the mid-sixties in San Francisco. The purpose was to "g et Gays saved, filled with the Holy Spirit · and delivered from homosexuality." Over the years, with much prayer . and study, her understanding of God ' s at t itude towards gay people totally reversed . Her first book, But Lord, They're Gay ($7.00) tells how God changed her understanding. Rev. Pennington's books are a vailable at most gay bookstores or can be ordered from Lambda Christian Fellowship, PO Box 1967, Hawthorne, CA 90250. Did you.receiv~ · copy of TSS through a city• ti ? promo on. We hope yoti enjoy reacing lhis edition of TH~ SECOND STONE which you may have received through special one-lime-ony promotions in your area. Subscribe NOW to continue receiving THE SECOND STONE. We'Nkeep you up to date on important news and issues ... and we'll keep you thinking and exploring · through our features and columns. Fill out and mail the subscriber form in this issue! • The mother's true story of her son's homosexuality and his eventual AIDS _related death. • The story of love and devotion between two young men. • The story of a journey to spiritual peace . byBeverly Barbo PAPERBACK $8.50 HARD BOUND $15.50 price includes shipping&. handling available at CARLSON'S Publishing . (913) 227-3360 P.O. Box3 64 114 South Main Lindsborg, Kansas 67456 Ex-Gay s? The re Are Non e Lambda Christian Fellowship is pleased to announce a new book by Rev. Sylvia Pennington - an examination of ex-gay ministries • what they do - what they don't do. You'll meet people who, only through God's grace, have survived and stopped trying to be ex-gays, because, in truth, there is no such thing as an ex-gay fJ;IS/XI. Now Available From Lambda _ Christian Fellowship P. 0. Box 1967 Hawthorne, CA 90250 $15.00 plus $1.50 for postage aro handling. California residents add 6% sales tax. II Cover Story FROMPAGEl She has done more than survive the ordeal, however. She has been transformed by it. She has written a book about the experience, and has emerged a stronger, more compassionate person, and one with a mission . A deeply religious woman, Barbo now leaves her Lindsborg, Kansas home to journey all over the country, speaking openly and movingly of the value of Tim's life, the integrity of his relationship with his lover Torn, and the need for mainline churches to pu_blicly validate Gay and Lesbian relationships. "After witnessing the generous, unselfish love shared . by Tim and To\n, SUI ODE, From Page I izations, representatives of Gay and Gay-affirmative groups - including Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays and the loving support of the Gay community that was there for Tim and for me during his final days, I am convinced that faithful Gay and Lesbian rela tionships are good ·and should be blessed by churches," she says. "Negative church attitudes toward homo sexuafity have done great damage to Gay people's self esteem. Those attitudes have been internalized and have contributed to the high incidence of drug and alcohol use and suicide in the Gay community, " she says. "I believe the answer involves church blessing of same -sex unions . Only then will Gay and Lesbian couples receive the support and affirmation they need and San Francisco ' s Community United Against Violence - were invited to attend the conferences. Second Stone Back Issues Issue # _3 March/April 1989 ONLY 500 AVAILABLE (No orders after Sept 30, 1989) Issue #4 May/ June 1989 ONLY 200 AVAILABLE (No orders after Sept 30, 1989) Issue# 5 July / August 1989 All issues prior to Mar/Apr 1989 ARE SOLD OUT. To order send $2.25 plus 45 cents per issue shipping & handling. (Foreign orders $I.DO per issue.)Orders will be shipped promptly. Please send me .......... copies each of [ ]Issue # 3 [ ]Issue #4 [ ]Issue #5 Name ............... ............... ................ ... , ........... . Address .......................... . ........ : ...... ........... ..... . City, State & Zip., .. .................. ... ...... ............ . mr and deserve ." Barbo didn't always see things this way. Her traditional upbringing and early years of married life did not prepare her for what she was to experience with her son Tim . Faithful church- goers, she and her husband Dave did not question their church's condemnation of homosexuality. "I really didn't give it much thought because it seemed so distant from my own life," she says. Tim c;hanged all that. "He was different from the other boys . He was gentle. Because of this he was never accepted . He was always on the outside looking in ." "We worried a lot and, unconsciously I think, tried to change him. Since the other boys didn't accept him, his best friends were girls, and he spent a lot of . time playing with dolls. I'd throw in a GI Joe doll, thinking inaybe that would help . Or we'd want hin:t to go out for sports he really didn't like." She shakes her head and smiles as she remembers the efforts to change Tim. "But he simply was who he was. It took us a long time to accept that." "In high school, he got involved with an older boy, and that boy told the whole school about Tim. He was ostracized and ridiculed, and he internalized ·that ·scorn for awhile .- He came to us and said, 'Mom and Dad, I am a hopeless homosexual.' We were devasted." Barbo and her husband went to their . church pastors, seeking aid and support. "They couldn't accept it. Instead they wanted to deny the whole thing." "We felt so isolated. What we really needed was some support. We needed to know we were not alone. Even a hug would have helped." She sighs. "They were good people, but they couldn 't help us, they weren't prepared for this. We had to go through it alone." THE SECOND STONE "One of the heaviest burdens families place on · themselves is believing they have to hide their children's sexuality from everyone . Families· will go to great lengths to cover it up. I see now what a mistake that is.'' "At the time I did not realize how much of Tim's pain, and our pain, was caused not by his homosexuality but by what churches had taught us to believe about homosexuality." · "Promiscuity, gay or straight, is the problem, not homosexuality," Barbo says. "That is why it is so important for churches to find a way to bless same-sex unions. Church condemnation makes it difficult for Gay and Lesbian people to sustain their relationships . We all need support for our commitments ." Tim did become comfortable with his sexuality. He moved from Kansas to California and soon met his lover Torn. By this time -the Barbos had decided to accept Tim as he was, regardless of what their church taught, and they also accepted Torn as a part of their family . Things were finally looking up - l.)ntil AIDS. When Tim died, Barbo felt compelled to write the book. "I had to do it. I thought to myself, 'Thes ~ young men are dying, and no one gives a damn because they are gay.' I wanted people to see what . I had seen -- the incredible love that is possible between people that society considers castaways ·." Barbo experienced more pain writing the book than she had allowed herself to feel during Tim's illness and death. "When you're going through it, you wake up every morning and grit your teeth and concentrate on what must be done to get through the day. But ~vhen I wrote the book I had to let my feelings out." "It was painful for me, and for my husband. I would write it out longhand and Dave would key it into □ the word processor. He would come downstairs with tears in his eyes, saying, 'I had no idea it was like that.' I was able to go to California to be with Tim and Tom during the final months of Tim's life. All Dave knew was what I told him in our daily phone conversations. I kept a lot to myself at .the time. So for both of us the book was extremely painful, but it was also part of the grieving we needed to go through ." After spending nine months writing the book, Barbo sent it to both religious and general ' publishers. "The religious publishers said I was too much of an advocate for homosexuality. The general publishers said there was too much 'God-talk' in the book." She laughs and shrugs her shoulders. "So we decided to publish it ourselves." They were told that most self-published books are lucky to sell a thousand copies. So they printed 750. The book has sold over 3,500 copies in less than two years. Barbo has been invited to speak in 14 different states since the book was published. She speaks at . junior and senior high schools, colleges and . universities, seminaries, medical and health care institutim,s, to community, religious · and hospice .groups, even to corporations. , "The repsonse has been overwhelming," she says as she pulls out a, three-inch thick folder brin:trning with letters. "These are just a few of them. I've got six more folders at home the same size." The letters come from all over the country. She picks a few at random and gently reads out loud. They contain the voices of people · with AIDS, of parents and loved one of people with _ AIDS, of people whp didn't know how to talk .to their families a1?out their sexuality or . t~eir ,illness SEE COVER STORY, Next Page Book Review The Silver Lining ofthe A.IDS Crisis '_'Walking Wounded" A Story Of Hope ByDanGJiwo Contributing Writer Within the curse of AIDS. there can be a blessing, for those who . are willing to receive it. The blessing is that AIDS can teach us what life, and'llove, -are really about. Beverly Barbo has received this blessing. She received it from her son Tim, whose life and AIDS-related death she chronicles in The Walking Wounded (pb., 247 pgs., $6.95, Carlson's, 1987.) narrow church doctrine that attempts to exclude an entire segment · of humanity from salvation for the terrible crime of being different. Self published, because religious publishers said it was too "prohomosexual" and secular publishers said ·there was too much .talk about God, The Walking Wounded is not · fancy in typeface or design, and the style could have been polished a bit with professional editing. But don't let that fool you into thinking it is . not an important or powerful book. This is, in fact, a book that will -move you deeply not only because it is about AIDS but also beeause it is a book about families, about the pain of growing up different and the pain of being a parent of someone growing up different; hurting when your child hurts, wishing you could do something to make the pain go away. When you finish The Walking Wounded you will be uplifted, because despite the suffering, this is a story of hope. Tim's suffering and death lead ·many people to love and growth. And because religious intoleran ce is not able to overcome either his or his family's faith, he is able to die, and they are able to let him go,-in peace, knowing he is "going home" to his Creator. Though it hides nothing of the ugly side of AIDS, the book is not without a brighter side. Even in the face of AIDS -- perhaps especially in the face of AIDS - Tim, his mother, and his lover find simple ways to celebrate life during Tim's final months. □ Indeed, this is a book that · celebrates the many kinds of love that . surround Tim; the love of his mother and father, his brother and sister, other relatives, his friends, and his lover Tom. If you doubt that selfless -fove exists in the world, read this book. It is brimming with-that kind of love. And if you think AIDS is a hopeless illness, read this book It will help you see that is is not how we die but how w.e live and love that matter most. The Walking Wounded my be ordered from Carlson's Publishing, P. 0. Box 364, Lindsborg, KS 67456-0364. Cost including shipping and handling is $8.50. The book unfolds with a series of scenes from Tim's -life, beginning with his birth and early eye problems that necessitated several surgeries, moving into his childhood where his gentle nature left him with few friends in the rough-and-tumble world of boyhood, then on to an adolescence spent in painful self discovery and ostracism, to a young adulthood marked by greater and greater self acceptance and the unfolding of a faithful, loving relationship , until the tragedy of AIDS strikes and Tim battles a foe that holds · all the cards. Lesbian & Gay Episcopalians Meet In San Francisco The 1,tory does not end with Tim's death, however. The hidden ·story throughout is the story · of a mother transformed by her son's suffering, a woman no _ longer willing to accept COVER STORY until they read her book, of ministers thanking her for opening their eyes -- of people sharing their pain and their gratitude 'with this remarkable woman of courage. "There will be another book,''. she says. "There has to be. I can't possibly have walked through so many people's pain without there being another book." When you look into her eyes you have no cloubt there will be another book. And when you thirik about this • loving mother and wife from Bible-belt middle America writing and speaking for for religio 'iis .. ·blessing of homose'xuiil' unions, you can't help '·B\lt marvel ·at the way " i1 God calls prophets. - ·- · ·-- For the first time ever, official -representatives of a mainstream Christian denomination traveled to a meeting of a Gay and Lesbi;m organization to listen to its members ' concerns. members ." Four representatives of the Commission on Human Affairs were present. They were the Right Reverend George N. Hunt, Bishop of Rhode Island and the chair of the Commission; · the R.ight Reverend Frederick H, Borsch, Bishop of Los Angeles; Mel Matteson, lay member from the Diocese of Olympia; and Lydia Lopez, lay member from the In e,irly July, four members of, the Episcopal Church Standing Commission on Human Affairs held open hearings at Grace _ Cathedral in San Francisco at the conclusion of a national convention of Integrity, the Episcopal Church's Lesbian and Gay '- Diocese of Los Angeles. The Integrity convention began on June 30 and ran for three days. The gathering marked the fifteenth anniversary of the organization's founding in 1974 by Dr. Louie Crew. Dr. Cr ew was honored by being awarded the first annual "Louie Crew Award for Outstanding Contributions to Integrity." Integrity now has more than 50 U.S. chapters · and chapters-in-formation and eight affiliated chapters in Canada ·and Australia . organization. · "It was something of a first," said · Kim Byham, Integrity's national president. 'We certainly understood the event as a sign that the Church is trying to reach out in the direction of its Lesbian and Gay members, but I wouldn't want to exaggerate its significance. Gay and Lesbian people still have a long, long way to go in the Episcopal Church. We are still far from being accepted as full REAL UVE MONKEYS, From Page 7 bound the wounds, took the victim into a hospice, and paid the bills. OURS IS THE STRANGEST religion on earth, a religion which welcomes bad people more than good people, prodigals more that elder brothers like you and me. - . . . When I grew up,people told me lots of lies ;ibo_ut Gay men, -that we always hold our fingers out .strilight to view them li~e women, that we wear green on Tl;lU)'sdays, that our pitches are always high, that all of us can cook .. but one that most missed the - target with me was the lie, "Gay men can't whistle." I admit that I can:t hail a taxi properly, but I can carry a tune. This, this is Christ, the King whom peasants guard and angels sing: . Hll$t,e✓ haste to,br/ng God laud, This ba_be, the child of MfY· May the $«;>ulSof the faithful · dep¥te< t restj!l -peace ;,and light perpetual shine upon them. (C) 1989 by Louie .Crew September/October ' 1989 · The . convention, which featured seminars and discussions by an impressive array of scholars and civil rights leaders, including Dr. Norman Pittenger and the Reverend Malcolm Boyd, attracted more than 350 participants . · The Integrity convention was called to divise a strategy for the future. "There is no doubt we - are at a crossroads," said Byham. "We felt we had to help the Episcopal Church move forward on the issue of Lesbian and Gay rights. The situation is all the more urgent because of AIDS, because of the rising tide of violence against Gay people, and because of an increase of 'throwaway kids; young people who are rejected and thrown into the street by their families when they find out these children are gay. We simply must have the Church's help ib. dealing with these problems. But not only that, the Church needs us -- and the gifts we can bring." The invitation to the Standing Commission on Human Affairs to receive Integrity's testimony was one part of the organization's on'going - effort to foster Lesbian/Gay inclusive i'1ess in the Church. In addition, the organization discussed plans for its presence at General Convention in 1991 and passed a series of resolutions designed to encourilge the Church to greater acceptance of Gay people and to end discrimination against them. The convention passed .. resoh,1tions that: . . -called upon the Church to repent SEE EPISCOP AUANS, Page 16 Church & Organization News ReconciliatMioin istry ReceiveGs rant grant from the AIDS Foundation of Kent County for fiscal 1989-1990. The award is to be used "to provide services to maintain basic needs on a temporary basis until other existing organizations can be utilized." The church org,mization has also committed itself to "work toward bridge-building between the various service organizations and people whose lives have ,been changed People With People With AIDS, a because of AIDS. newly organized direct services ministry of Reconciliation Metropolitan Community Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., has received a $5650 The board of Re1=onciliation MCC has approved to oversee the fund Patti Gibbs, former Client Services Coordinator for the Grand Rapids .,. • • - -.:;'.~, ... , .. i, ..... -.-•.• •• ~anJtanc,sco m ~-YIN AMERICA Reprints of the complete Examiner series now available. ****** *** The Examiner has just concluded an unprecedented 16-part feature on gays in America. More than 60 Examiner staff members contributed to this series, talking to thousands of people in the Bay Area and across the country. This important report studied gay Americans, American society and their uneasy intersection. In every major aspect of our culture, "Gay in America" revealed how gay and straight attitudes are changing as we approach the 90s. For a limited time, we're making available this extraordinary work as a special reprint package. Each is a full sixty-four pages, printed flexographically ( the ink won't come off on your fingers). Every reprint comes with a bonus: the original 13½ x 23-inch poster used to pr<llnote the series. Cost for the reprint and poster together (sorry, they're not available separately) is $5.00. This covers our costs for processing, postage and same-day shipping when we ·receive your order. The Examiner makes no profit on sales of these reprints. Quantities are limited; order soon. Examiner "Gay in America" Reprint Offer I'd like to order reprint(s) / poster(s) as follows: D Send me __ reprint/poster sets@$5 .00* each. Nam,~- -----~------- Address, ___________ _,,pt._ City . 'tatc_Zip __ Phon~------------~D Send _reprint/poster sets@$5.00• each as my gift to: Addres~-------------"PL~ City _____ --- -~tatc--.Zip_ ._ Phon~-------------City 'tatc------.Zip __ Payment: □ My check is enclosed, payable to SF EXAMINER. (To expedite, please be sure to enclose just one check for tht• total of all above orders) □ Charge my □ MASTERCARD D VISA Cardf ________ ___ ____ _ Expiration date_ /_ Signatur~----- ~ ------- Mail your order to: Gay in America Hcprint 943 Howard Street #304 San Fr~ncisco, CA 94 I 03 ;§,anlfl'randfs!cxoa mincr THE SECOND STONE AIDS .Task Force; Dan Brauer, a professional accountant who is Student Clergy at Reconciliation MCC; R. Anthony Espinoza, Executive Director of the Grand Rapids Minority AIDS Project; and Reconciliation MCC's pastor, the Rev. Bruce Roller. High Gay/Lesbian VisibilitAy t PresbyteriCano nference The Presbyterian Church/USA held its most "open and affirming" General Assembly in decades this summer, according to James D. Anderson, Communications Secretary of Presbyterians for Lesbian/Gay Cone cems. "When we· do achieve a truly inclusive church, and I know we will, we will look back on .this assembly as .r the one that turned the corner and ·· began the long process of rejecting the · current ban on Lesbian and Gay participation in the Presbyterian Church," Anderson said. BatonR ougeM CC EyesL argerF acility The Board · of Directors of MCC Baton Rouge, La., is negotiating . a , lease on a new, larger worship . · facility. The 3000 sq. ft. building could eventually serve as a Gay and Lesbian community center for Baton Rouge, according to Pasto r Cindy Drake. PikesP eakM CC Celebrate1s0 th Pikes Peak MCC . in Colo rado Springs, Colo. celebrated in August the tenth anniversary of its founding. Rev. Marion C. Harrison pastors the church which is located at 730 North Tejon Street in Colorado Springs. PLGCG roupF or. LouisianPao ssible Two Presbyterian for Lesbian/Gay Concerns members from Baton Rouge, La.,are measuring interest in forming a chapter in Louisiana. Anyone interested in being part of the group may write to Louisiana PLGC, 2285 Cedardale, Baton Rouge, LA 708.08. Sendn ewsa nda nnouncementots C hurcha nd OrganizationN ewsT, HE SECONDS TONE, P. 0. Box8 340,N ewO rleansL, A7 0182. If sendingc hurchn ewsletterps,le aseh ighligh:t informatiofno r oura ttention. _ · .·Travel Vancouver Picturesque Site Of Gay Games III By Cynthia A. Marquard Contributing Writer As the site for Gay Games III in August 1990, one can hardly imagine a more beautiful setting than Van c ouver, Canada. Nature provides a northern rain forest of cedar and hemlock on a calm harbor studded with islands and surrounded by snow-capped mountains. · To introduce .the inter national gay /lesbian community to the charm · of Vancouver, the local community recently hosted the , annual convention of the International Gay Travel Association. The main focus was, of course, on Celebration '90: Gay Games III and Cultural Festival, which will run from Aug. 4, 1990,' to August 11. The event is being organized by the Metropolitan Vancouver Athletic and Arts Association, and they see this upcoming occasion as much more than a gay /lesbian sports competition. "Celebration '90 is a celebration of the gay and lesbian lifestyle," says Barry McDell, a director of Celebration '90 and des ignated spokesperson. "It has two equal components, Gay Games III and the Cultural Festival." Gay Garnes III will have at least 28 competition categories, some 20 of which will be individual sports, such as track & field, darts, equestrian even ts, and a triathalon. The other com -· petition categories will be for such team sports as basketball, water polo, softball, and s.occer. The Cultural Festival will feature a whole range · of gay /lesbian expression: dance, theater, music, liter ature, film, and fine arts exhibits . The Opening and Closing Ceremonies wm be held at ·=n Is This Your ,, l I Last Issue? .. '\] Renew NOW if the expiration date on your address label is .10/89 British Columbia Place, a domed stadium that seats 65,000 ·people. ·"We see the opening and closing ceremonies as the vehicle for passing on ··. the emotional experience of gay /lesbian pride," says another Gay Games organizer. The details of the ceremonies are a closely guarded secret, but they will have bands, a light show, banners and flags, Big-Name entertainers, and Denver is organizing a 1,000 voice Festival Chorus. Celebration '90 promises to provide a rich experience for everyone, and exploring Vancouver will be another major component of that experience. There are many beautiful sites in and around the city . It would . be easy to spend the better part of a day at Vancouver's Stanley Park. This remarkable area covers 1,000 landscaped acres and houses the Kid's Zoo and the Public Aquariu 'm, where there are daily shows by killer and beluga whales. The park was donated to the city 100 years ago by one of Canada's Governors General, Lord Stanley, who also began hockey's Stanley Cup. Vancouver is divided . into several shopping areas, each with its own unique characteristics. Robson Street, sometimes called ''Robsonstrasse" by the locals for its European flare, is lined with trendy shops featuring Gucci and other brand -name imports. Farther along you'll find the Vancouver Art Gallery, Robson Square, and the Pacific Centre shopping mall. Gastown is a restored historic area, named for "Gassy" Jack Deighton, an earlier barkeeper, who apparently liked to talk a lot. The atmosphere is decidedly yesteryear, with . antique shops in renovated buildings, fancy street lamps from a bygone era, and the 1887 Steam Clock, that lets off a blast every 15 ·minutes. Canada Place; built for Expo '86, is a huge shopping, hotel, and cruise ship docking complex. Prince Charles and Lady Di stayed at the PanPacific Hotel here when they opened Expo. The area that probably has the highest percentage of gays is the West End . It is also reporte _d to be the most densely populated area in the world, with 35,000 people per square mile, The reason everyone squeezes in here is the view. Dozens of luxurious high rises offer spectacular views of Vancouver ' s harbor and mountains, certainly among the top-ten living room views in the world . There are several spots in the West End attractive to gays -and lesbians . The West End's English Bay Beach, for example, is known as Gay Bay . The gay section is rather difficult to reach . down a very steep grade. One of the many attractions on the beach is the Sylvia Hotel, the great movie stars · stayed in the 1920s and 1930s. The gay scene in Vancouver has changed radically over the past few years. Five years ago there were almost no night spots for gay men and lesbians . Now there are several gay restaurants and about a dozen bars. For fine but casual dining, there is Thurlow's on EXPERIENCE EL MIRASOL VILLAS A Prfrate Resort Hotel Discover our magic ... .. . why so many of our guests return year after year. Call or write for our special vacation package (800) 327 -2985 525 Warm Sands Drive Palm Springs, CA 92264 (619) 327-5913 In CA (Color Broch11rt 11po,r rrqust) Thurlow ·Street in the West End. The prices are moderate for their featured salmon; pasta, and Australian lamb dishes. Doll & · Penny's is an eclectically decorated eatery that people in Vancouver .• regard as "California chic." Hamburger Mary's serves sandwiches, and at 6:00 p .m . offers one special. In addition to bars and restaurants, Vancouver · .has many community organizations, bookstores, a library, . and various gay /lesbian religious organizations, such as Dignity, Integrity, and a Metropolitan Community Church. To find out what is going on, pick up the local free gay /lesbian monthly newspaper, Angles. During Celebration '90, .hotel rooms will be at a premium. The organizers expect about 7,500 athletes and around · 25,000 spectators . Various gay/lesbian travel agents and tour operators have blocked several □ thousand hotel rooms. But these will go fast. So to be assured of getting the accommodations you want, today is not to soon to book . Your local IGTA travel agents have all the details. Cynthia A. Marquard is the owner/manager of Envoy Travel, Inc ., 740 N . Rush St., Suite 609, Chicago IL 60611. P. 0. Box 118 SL Bethlehem, NH 03S74 (603) 869-3978 In San Francisco 'Cfie... For tbai "Special Occ0sion" - try - or, for strictly business! Btd & Breakfast • Panoramic vieWs oftbe City ■ Hot Tub & Sun Deck ■ Suite available ft,r ptiuate parties • Candlelight go11rmet dinners served in the elegance of our dining room or the intimacy of your boudoir ■ Conference room and secretarial services available • First class accommodations far the woman tr0veling 011 business or pleasure 637 Steiner St. San Francisrn, CA 94117 415/863-0538 the "other" place under the sun ... •Steps to the gay beach •Visit nearby · Mexico • Pool & cozy Jacuzzi • Free continental . breakfast Write or call for brochure. 120 E. Atol St., P. 0 . Box 2326 South Padre Island, Texas 78597 (512)761-L YLE Air connections via American, Continental, Southwest September /October 1989 Adventure New Group Shares Exhilaration Of Climbing On a wall of rock soaring skyward hundreds of feet are two figures perched precariously on a thin ledge. The two are tied to oppo s ite ends of the same rope to ensure ·each other's safety. A strong bond , built on trust and interdependence emerges as they continue the ascent. A blur of physical exertion, delicate movement, fear and exhilaration fill them as they face the unique challenge of the vertical w orld. Finally the top is reached with a feeling of satisfaction and pride. A handshake . An embrace. For years Gay climbers have shared these powerful experiences, but seldom with other Gay climbers. Until now. On the last weekend of May, Gay and Lesbian climbers from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Washington, DC, Pennsylvania and Texas gathered at the Shawangunks, · At the Shawangu~ks, the foundiJ members decided to expand t: original conception to explicit include bisexual climbers. Accordi; to Mark Mueller, who · original conceived the idea of the clu "Bisexuals can feel like a doub minority, neither complete accepted among straight friends, n among Gay people. By includiI bisexuals from the start, we hope create a comfortable environmen The membership went even further affirm that all people - includi1 straight people - who accept tl goa ls of the club' are welcome to 1 members. (Many openly Gay climb€ climb regularly with straig partners .) Climbing trips planned for the m six months range from Acad National Park in northem Maine Joshua Tree National Monument southern California . Despite ' predominance of U.S. climbers p:resent, the club · i s conceived international. Planned trips for tJyear include Quebec and t Canadian Rockies . A friend for the journey. Subscribe today {o THE SECOND STONE . Randy Tate of Providence, Rhode Island, stretches for a handhold. a major East coast climbing area near New York City, to found Stonewall Climbers. Climbers from more distant places - Ontario, Minnesota and California - sent their best wishes. Many of the founding members had previously climbed together over the last year , sometimes driving , hun dreds of miles to explore new climbing areas . For dedicated climbers, distance is no object. Each classic climbing area has its own personality and characteristic features: cracks or overhanging ceilings, low -angle slabs or vertical walls . Climbers loye to visit areas that differ from their local haunts : It made sense to form a club to publicize trips happening all YES, I want to receive The Second Stone, over. the national newspaper for Gay and According to John Yanson, the club's Lesbian Christians ... send me: public relations officer, "Our !ntent is to serve as an umbrella group to_ [ ] Oneyear (6 issues) for $12.60 encourage climbing .within the structure of local gay and lesbi;ui [ ] Two years (12 issues) for $23.00 outdoor organizations . . Virtually , [ ] Three years (18 issues) for $32.00 every major U.S. and Canadian city' Peter Daley of Boston, Ma Stonewall Cli:(nbers Treasurer, h: above the tree~. (and many ,European and Australi_an Aecordi-ng to"-. Carla -Krys ~:~~i:;;:;ldi::::: ?' :,: ::;s;.;i, :~Ziit~~:~;::i t~;f':£iriar~[: , . .. _ . , .~t R.g;,i!-}g'.,J,t~ );?, .r. ~ ,~!'Y ?L the'~e executive CQ~Il'\~te(:! In absen · ,.!,,.. ; ~f.l'T1 \ ::,•.; t: .,' . ;-, ···:- •'-' ~,:;·.:~! ·:·~chv~}1~~~--~~~--~~,sy :-to~,fi~d ... ~nou_~h .. "Thete·.are <Gay-.cl~ber~ ·-everywli Check here if you prefer. plain en~}</Pl1 for mailing: ( :LP.tease al,19','f _&~. futerest~Aμe.gp~e. !Qcally .to run trips .. _, _ we just need 1ft) gef:ffieWord out!" weeks for delivery of your firsl'issue. Add $8.00 per year for postage · - 11 c b in Canadand all other foreign countries. U.S. currency only. - · · _)3ut for. d imbing · , parti cularly i,ce Write to Stonewa Jim ers climbing ,~ we have :tolookbeyond our P.O. Box 445, Boston, MA 02124 \ ~ Box-834(),New0r~e~s,L~7Ql.~ .-.:..::·.· _ :· ~ ... -.... ~- -~·-,.~ Own~back-yards:''·. · .·::·-:.,·/i·;:, ½.>~ :., .. : -~ : -~Ftdfn· Cruise Magazine· /5t ~111~- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~T~.H~E~ .. ~s~'E'~t~O-N..,..DSTO.....,_;_N_E.:____ .:.__:_.:___ ____ .:_____ _:: ___ ~ Making Other Plans High -Fidelity · Sy David Doorley '.::olumnist Three months after I met my life ?artner , I embarked on what I ntended to be a three-week sexual xlyssey in San Francisco . It was · 1981, nany years before I would hear the :erm AIDS, and since I was on ,acation and had my lover's ,ermission, I was prepared, to try inything . To my surprise I found 'idelity. At ·thi=lt time , the friend I was risiting . had been living with his over, Dennis, for three faithful ,eJ rs. Many of h°is friends in San 1rancisco were involved in mono; arnous relationships . Sexual adventures, .huh. Well, I ,. ried, but I discovered something bout myself on that trip: sex w_ithout Jve was fine and fun when l wasn't in JVe, but now that I was, it wasn 't. I ,a s a one-man man. My lover, on the •ther hand, believed in monogamy, ,ot fidelity. Dennis's definition of monogamy It's A Classified Secret A great way to promote your business, product or service is through the classifieds! And now, you can try our classifieds at a special discount • just attach· the coupon below to your order. includes fidelity. At first he and Jeff were smug about their commitment, while their Gay fri,ends pitied them or found their relationship incomprehensible . "It is work," Dennis admits. "Make up your mind to that. You need patience, and you have to give your relationship time to mature and grow. Independently we both wanted it. I didn't need a real good roommate." Dennis thinks it incongruous that some coup les set a a little household, play house and then trip over to someone else's bedroom. "There seems to be a ·desperate need for change and excitement," he comments . "Young love in bloom . Well, we're a.JI different. For a -while Jeff and I were the - exception rather than the rule, but not anymore. You see monogamous couples springing up . all the time . Oh, look! There's another one." My lover had been in an open relationship for eight years, and he did not believe in exclusivity - and before he met me he had certainly put his beliefs into practice. I did not believe that love lasted forever. I ' had been burned before, and I swore I'd never be burned again. (Uttered with a fist clenched heavenward, somewhat like Scarlett's scene in the turnip patch.) What we did believe in was our Jove for each other. And so, when I decided to leave Brian rather than deal with a type of relationship 1 · was not comfortable with, he agreed to try things my way. We promised to exclude all others sexually. · Of course, that was not a guarantee . that we would live happily ever after. Because I was insecure and · Brian had difficulty expressing his feelings, we traveled through the next two years on a roller coaster ride of incredibl~ highs and equally incredible lows. Perhaps we might ·have made it this far without fidelity. I don't think it's likely, though . We were · both conditioned to different behaviors, and our solutions would have led us away from each other and a resolution to our conflicts. Obvious ly fidelity"has become more important today. It could save your life. But I'd like to think that' the couples who are forming faithful relationships are doing so not from □ fear but for reasons s imibu to Jeff's and Dennis's. Seven years ago my lover and I were not afraid of any sexually transmitted diseases. · I was worried that Brian would find someone who was better in bed . He was concerned that I might falf in love with someone else. What we both were afraid of was a commitment. And how has mote than one-half of a decade of fidelity affected us? Well .. .! arri not quite as insecure, and , Brian still has difficulty expressing himself. But there is one thing we can count on ; Each other. Classifieds - □ Notice: Prison Correspondence READERS ARE CAUTIONED to follow these guidelines in corresponding with inmates: · Do not send checks or money orders thrpugh the mail to inmates. Do not cash checks or money orders from inmates. Persons cashing altered money orders are personally responsible for the difference between the issue amount and the altered amount. Do not reveal personal or confidential information that would be harmful to you if passed along to your employer, family, etc., or may otherwise be used in extortion. Books & Publications 20%-'0FF ALL BOOKS!!! No matter where you find them listed or catalogued, we offer · 20% DISCOUNT on all Gay/Lesbian titles and authors when you order by mail from LAMBDA PASSAGES BOOKSTORE, 7545 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL 33138 (305)754-6900. Please add $2.00 S/H first book, and 50 cents each additional. Florida residents please include 6% sales tax to total order. For complete catalogue, please send $2.00 12/89 · Join the nation's ONLY Lesbian and Gay BOOK CLUB. No membership fees. No minimum purchases. Send for FREE catalog: LIBERATiON BOOK CLUB, f'.O. Box 453, Dept 2, South Norwalk, CT 06856 2/91 Friends/Relationships GWM, 25, 5'7; 140 pds, blonde, blue eyes. Sincere, honest, athletic guy looking for monogcjmous relationship with someone around same age and interest. Write 31 o 7· Debra Blvd., Panama City, FL 32405 4/6/10/89 LONELY 27 yr. old GBM, believer in God, seeks friends for inspirational purposes. A very rare prisoner, confined to a cell 23 hours daily, with limited outside communications. Eric White #93484, La. State Prison, Camp J, Angola, LA 70712 12/89 THIRTYONESOMETHING Uncloseted HIVGay male (WASP Minister) seeks similar Northeast friend w car for weekend/holiday travel. (609)347-8231, P.O. Box 1294, Atlantic City, NJ 10/89 Travel CARL'S GUEST HOUSE, PROVINCETOWN - Clean, comfortable, friendly., affordable. Excellent location. FREE BROCHURE write to 68 Bradford St., Provincetown, MA 02657 (508)487-1650 10/89 Classified Order Form Pl ease pla ce my ad in these issues: [] Jan/Feb [ J Mar/Apr [ J May/Jun [ j Jul/Aug [ ] Sept/Oct [ J Nov/Dec FOR ONLY 35 CENTS PER WORD, your ad can appear in the next edition of THE SECOND STONE. Take advantage of _our low cost (but high profile) classified section by placing your advertising order today! _ Mail To: THE SECOND STONE P.O.Box:8340 _· New Orleans,LA 70182 Name __________ _ Address _____ ~---- City/St./Zip ____ ~------ AD .COPY ________ _ __ words X .35= $ _______ _ 20 word ininimum. All classifieds must be pre-paid. Deadline one month prior to cover date. We will mail you a copy of the -edition(s) in which your ad . appears September /October 1989 CLASSIFICATIONS []Books & Publications · [ ] Business Opportunities [ ] Empioyment [ ] Friends/Relationships [ ] General Interest [ ] Mail Order [ ] Merchandise [ ] Organizations [ ] Professional Services [ ] Real Estate [] Retreats [ 1 Roommates [ ]Travel II . National Committee To Free Sharon Kowalski Accomplishes Goal "Everything is set in place for a secure future for Sharon," said ·Tacie Dejanikus, co-chair of the National Comriuttee to Free Sharon Kowalski, which has accomplished its goal and is shutting down. "With Sharon's move, we have substantially completed the agenda around which we organized .in 1987. Sharon is getting good rehabilitation; she has contact with Karen Thompson and her other friends; she has returned to the.Minneapolis area, where she had made her home; we've promoted the book Karen wrore with Julie Andrzejewski, Why Can't Sharon Kowalski Come Home?, to get the facts of the case out to the public; and as a bonus, Donald Kowalski will be · replaced as -guardian. We're proud of what we've accomplished" The comm1ttee said in an open letter to tl)e Gay community that "The case of Sharon Kowalski has been instrumentc1l in focusing the att~ntion of the Lesbian and Gay community on the need for domestic partnership protections, which is sure to be one of the biggest community issues of the next decade... Karen Thompson's determination and her refusal to give Sharon Kowalski up for dead have made possible the education of hundreds and thousands of Lesbians and Gay men and people with disabilities about the rights we have and must protect, and the rights we do not have and must fight for-" Sharon Kowalski may receive cards flowers, etc., at Trevilla of Robbinsdale, 3130 Grimes Ave. N ., Robbinsdale, MN 55422 . Unitarians Name New Program Director Boston, MA - The Unitarian Universalist Association has named the Rev. Scott W. Alexander as Director of its.Office of Lesbian and Gay Concerns (OL9C) . A graduate of Lawrence University and the Thomas Starr King School for the Ministry, Alexander was ordained to the Unitarian Universalist ministry in 1975. As Director of the Office of Lesbian and Gay Concerns, Alexander will coordinate efforts to combat homophobia with .in the 11beral religious denomination as well as in society at large. During the course of the next year, the Offic e of Lesbian and Gay Concerns will . launch a major EPISCOPALIANS, From Page 11 · for past persectuion of Lesbians and Gay men; - urged equal opportunity in the Church, including access to the ordination process for Gay people; -denounced so-called "ex -Gay" ministries . as immoral and urged their rejection by the Church; - deplored the absence of any openly Lesbian or Gay members of the Standing .Comm i ssion on Human Affairs; - urged the Church's acceptance and blessing of same-sex unions; - urged bishops to respond t o anti -Gay attacks with positive affirmations; and· . - urged the House o:f Bishops to deplore the situation in ·the Anglican Diocese of Sydney, Australia, where all openly Lesbian and Gay people and all straight people wh o s peak on campaign for Unitarian Universalist churches, the "Welcoming Congre gation,:' a · program . which is "inclusive and expressive of the concerns of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual persons at every level of congregational life , in worship and program. Participating congregations welcome not only the presence of Gays, Lesbians, and Bisexuals, but the unique gifts and particularities of their lives as well." For information on the Unitarian Universalist Association 's Office of Lesbian and Gay Concerns or on the "Welcoming Congregations" program, contact The Rev . _Scott Alexander, UUA, 25 Beaccm St., Boston, MA 02108~2800 or call (617)742 -2100 . their behalf hav<;? been denied the s·acraments, removed · from Church positions, arid . excluded from virtually every _ aspect of Church life. The convention . also took steps to expand Integrity 's own inclusiveness, particu 'larly with regard to disabled persons, including those with AIDS. One attendee, who is blind as well as wheelchair -bou n d , prais~d the . organization's efforts on behalf of disabled persons. "I joined the Episcopal Church," she said, "because of the wonderful 'smells and bells' of its services and I joined • Integrity because I found a community within the Church that accepted me _in •,ev:ery way -- as a Lesbian, as a disabled person, and as a human being . · Half Page Vertical 5 1/4" X 121;'.2" Half Page Hotizontc (not illustrated) 1_03/4"X61/4" A ~ / Quarter Page 5 1/4" X 6 1/4" Eighth Page 51/4"X3" A Note To Our Advertisers Effective with our next . from the SAU column i issue, we are changing format, which will enh nch format to a modular the paper. Because of anc~ the appearance of and improved reach o'.11' increasing circulation rate adjustment at th _we_ are also announcing a Th S 1s t.ime e econd Stone now · states and in man ti . has readers in all 50 . . Y ore1gn coun1r· servatJve estimate of d - . ies. Our con- . remain one of the l rea ersh1p is 8700. We h east expensi sue a precisely tar e . ve ways lo reach level. . ~ ted audience on a national The proportio; s for d . . page ad are drawn o ; -venismg up to a half lO 3/4" wide x 12 1~.~ -page. (A full page is your ad, please be sur - igh.) When setting up guidelines. e II falls within these For furth - . Ur Information or assistance . please write to· THE SECOND STONE . Box 8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 Sixteenth Page • 25/8" X 3" m September/ October 1989 · Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone #6 - Sept/Oct 1989 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/5ae4640368dfae2f054a15531c411db2.pdf 159519d0d1b17164e8d877e275e31e00 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone Description An account of the resource Issues of the Second Stone publication. Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 7 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1989 Publication Date The date the issue was published Nov/Dec 1989 Text Any textual data included in the document THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER"FOR GAY AND LESBIAN CHRISTIANS $2.25 8000 Readers Across The USA ISSUE #7 I A Change Of...Heart? Ex-Gay Ministries Say There Is Another Choice By Robert McKnight Contributing Writer Though science tends more and more to show that sexuality is formed by physical causes lying beyond an individual's choice, change ministries that offer help toward sexual conversion are more popular than ever, said an expert in the field. "Before Anita Bryant's campaign on the homosexual rights bill in Miami, churches didn't discuss this," said Rev. Sylvia Pennington. "There are many more (churches confronting the issue) now than then. They're getting more sophisticated, more subtle. Maybe they're not stressing 'ex-gay.' They'll teach you you'll still have desires sometimes." SEE COVER STORY, Page 9 IDl Art Inspired By The Light Within m FAMILIES: WasA Promise From God Broken? By Michael Blankenship By Rev. Sylvia Pennington Planning Underway For National Lesbian Convention A national lesbian conference moved one step clpser to reality when more than 160 Lesbians gathered at Portland State University for a secon d planning meeting. The three day session resulted in an interim task committee that is empowered to begin the work necessary to make the conference a reality for all Lesbians in the United States. It is anticipated that the task force will manage daily operations until the full steering committee begins to function in January of 1990. The conference is scheduled for April 24 to 28, 1991 in Atlanta, Georgia. Conference SEE CONFERENCE , Page 20 Disciples Of Christ Gay . Organization Participates In General Assembly Gay, lesbi a n and affirming memb ers and cler gy of the Christian Chur ch (Disciples of. Christ) in the United States and Canada created a formal organization and officiall y participated in that Church's biennial General Assembly. The group known as the Gay, Lesbian· and Affirming Disciples · Alliance · or GLAD Alliance _ is an outgrowth of clandestine meetings which began at the 1979 General Assembly in St. Louis and continued through the 1987 Gen e ral Assembly in Louis v ille . In 1988, the Alliance met in Chicago to begin th e process • of creating a formal struct ur e and lay ing th e groundwo rk for a public presence at the Church's 1989 . Gene ra l Assembly. At a retreat held immediately prior to the convening of the Assemb ly, the Alli ance adopte d a "Design and Cove11ant" to define its purposes a nd organizational structure. Along with other denomination a l a nd ecumenical groups, the Alliance operated a booth in the Exhibition H a ll of the Convention Center. Members disseminated literature and SEE ASSEMBLY, Page 14 SUBSCRIBE TODAY! ONE YEAR ONLY $12.60! BOX 8340 • NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 P.O. Box 8340 New Orleans LA 70182 In Our Next Issue: Youth Counseling BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PA ID NEW ORLEANS, LA PERMIT No. 511 In spite of a recent government report indicating that gay and lesbian youth are at increased risk of suicide, most high schools dare not approach the touchy subject for fear of a backlash from parents and others: In our next edition, we look at an innovative, yet embattled, youth counseling program. From The Editor Playing Hou~e No "Cure" For Being Gay In the beautifully photographed motion picture Maurie~, from the novel by E. M. Forster, two handsome young men, Maurice and Clive, meet during their undergraduate years at Cambridge, grow to love ee1ch other, and share many warm and wonderful times. Shortly after passing his bar exams, Clive turns away from Maurice, . declaring that he has "become normal," and later marries a quiet and charming woman and assumes his role in society. Maurice is unsuccessful in his attempts through therapy to stop loving Clive and to change his homosexuality . Soon he falls in love with another man and appears at Clive's home one evening to make the announcement. It was to be the last time that Clive would ever see Maurice. Clive watches from a window as Maurice disappears. Slowly h e closes the shutters. Shutting Maurice - out of his life . Shutting himself into a life of dispassionate love, never again to feel the intense joy of the sunny afternoons of their days ·back at school. It was a love that was innocent and terrible at the same time. Innocent, because it happened so wonderfully, and terrible, only because someone said . so :i Can the heart of one who longs for, .or "who's experienced, such a love ever be changed? The cqver story for our seventh edition is not so much about · change as if is choice . And it's ' not so• much about .sexuality as it is the longing of the heart . A friend of mine, Don, 27, graduated from an all-male high school where there was considerable pressure to date girls. H_e married at 19 and the ~ Evangelicals If::' '(/ loge/her Inc. SUPPORT COMMUNITY & SERVICE FOR Gay & Lesbian Christians In Southern California ... since 1979 Suite 109-Box 15 79B5 S _anta. MOnlca Boulevard West -Hollywood, CA 90045 213~(;56-B570 PATLAR VOICE OF GAY Pi.t,AEAICA MONTHLY NEWSMAGAZINE FR.EE AT OUR DISTRIBUTION POINTS SUBSCRIPTIONS $35 ANNUALLY SAMPLE(i~P~u:sW6'crrl/;\'t~ USA $4 FOR INFO ON ADVERTISING po c:J} &~~W/lll~lt~~ti2cf~~s22 newlyweds soon had a baby girl. Don began to feel incomplete in his love and marriage and the family, with much hurt, anguish and frustration, broke apart. Don was, is, and always will be a gay man who, although physically fully functional in a heterosexual situation, longed for a completeness which ·he was not to know in his · marriage to his wife. What is so troubling about the ex-gay concept is that this, uh ... "ex-straight " man already had what change ministries channel a gay or lesbian person toward ... an opposite-sex spouse, a home , and children. Yet, with much heartache, Don left his home and family. How tragic for him, his loving and caring wife, and his b ea utiful daughter. A decision to play house is no "cure" for being gay. In the Sept/ Oct, 1988, issue of Daughters of Sarah there appeared an article entitled "My Husband is Gay". It was an interview with a woman who had married a .gay man. Mike and Linda were both evangelical Christians. They had two sons and one daughter and were living in the Midwest. Linda said of Mike, "He tried every kind of therapy, 12-step groups, Bible studies, and so ·on. For seven or eight years •·it was an intense _efforL If anyone sh,ould have ~hanged by -now, it would be Mike." And of her own struggle Linda said, "I had to deal with _ the fact that my husband is not sexually attracted to me and he is attracted to men. I came to . realize my husband would probably ·share his love and affection with someone other than me. " Mike's heart was a restless hunter . I met Ray a couple of years ago. He had moved to the city from a rural area, thinking that it might be easier to meet the man of his dreams. He was good natured, attractive, and fun to be with. In spite of these qualities, Ray was unable to establish th e relationship that he longed for. One afternoon he told me he was tired of being alone and had began dating Diane, a woman who he had known for a !<;mg time. I felt sad for Diane. There was an unevenness in their relationship. She was .attracted to him and loved him dearly. For Ray, Diane was a refuge from !onliness . I always thought that she deserved more. What an unfortunate day for her when this "ex-gay" man finds the love that he · initially sought. No "conversion " has taken place just because a gay man or lesbian settles into an opposite-sex marriage . Even th e evidence of their physical bonding - a child - is no proof of the ".conversion," although ex-gay ministries would see a victory ther e. Only slightly below the facade is ·much potential for hurt and suffering, not only for the ex-gay "convert" but for his or her spouse and children as well. A gay man or lesbian making an ex-gay decision loses the chance to love · fully. Th e ir opposite-sex spouse will be cheat ed, never receiving back the precious love that they give so fully and freely. The ·"right person" for both of them is still out there, somewhere, alone and seeking. And it's all the more tragic if any children are born into the ex-gay In This Issue FEATURES COVER STORY THE LIGHT WITHIN COLUMNS FROM THE EDITOR COMMENTARY CLOSER LOOK FAMILIES TRAVEL VIDEOS MAKING -OTHER PLANS PARTING THOUGHT DEPARTMENTS 'NEWSBRIEFS ORGANIZATION NEWS CALENDAR CLASSIFIED THE SECOND STONE □ family. Affectual and se·xual orientation is a basic, innate part of .one's being . To change it is not a decision one can make . There is, however , a choke to be. made. Maurice chose to fully be himself, to live and love to his greatest potential, in spite of the difficulties. Clive chose to play his role as best he could, entering into a loveless marriage, never really living life for himself . There were days when he probably stood alone peering through the shutters. Remembering. Longing. ~ □ Page 9 Page 10 Page 2 Page 3 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 4 Page 12 Page13 Page '19 Commentary Jim Roche -Non-Existing In Four Fifths Of America ByJimRoche Contributing Writer In Gay Justice Richard Morh asks: "How can it b e that fully four-fifths of Americans claim that they don't have any Gay or Lesbian _acquai nt ances?" After celebrating the twentieth anniversary of Stonewall you too may be asking that question. In New York it was an entire month of eve nts: gay and lesbian dances, gay and .lesbian film festivals, gay and lesbian parties, forums, church services, marches, rallies and picnics. Too m any things for me to even try and attend. And Gay and Lesbian month isn't the on ly time of year we are to be heard from. It's amazing that with all the gay publicity that is seen and heard these days because of AIDS, with all the political actions that we read and hear about (when isn't ACT-UP in the paper?), with all the Gay and Lesbian characters in TV programs, in movies and in literature, and with all the Gay Pride Day celebrations everywhere from New York to San Francisco to Norfo lk, Virginia and• Austin, Texas, that most Americans still claim they don't even know of us ! But that's the claim, that's what they say, and I believe them. That is, I believe that's what they think. Or what they want to think. We all know it isn't true, but they are THE SECOND STONE Newspaper is published every other month by Bailey Communications, P. 0. Box 8340, New 0rteans, LA 70182. Copyright 1989 by The Second Stone, a registered trademark. SUBSCRIPTIONS, U.S.A. $12.60 per year, six issues. Foreign subscribers add $8.00 for postage. All payments U .. S. currency only. ADVERTISING, Display advertising one time rates: Full Page, $595.00; Half Page, $304.00; Quarter Page, $155.00; Eighth Page, $81.00; Sixteenth Page, $42.00. Send inquiries to: Box 8340, New 0rteans, LA 70182. Classified advertising is 35 cents per word. EDITORIAL, send letters, calendar announcements, and church/organization news to (Department title) The Second Stone, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA. 70182. Manuscripts to be returned should be accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope. Mark manuscripts submitted on speculation either "Ministry" or "For consideration at your usual rates.· THE SECOND STONE, an ecumenical newspaper committed to expanding Christian ministry in the Gay community and to the spiritual growth and development of Gay persqns, their families and friends. PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Jim Bailey convinced it is true. In After the Ball Marshall Kirk and H unt er Madsen put it another way: "What do straights think about Gays? They don't." That's all there is to it. They don't think about Gays. Period. And they don't want do. And Gay P rid e Day won't help change that. Once-a-year memorial services for those who have died , from complications of AIDS won't help. Once -a-year events only prove to straight society that running into us, running in to a Gay or Lesbian person is an exception . We can be found in parades or mentioned on occasion in the papers and on TV. So don 't worry. To middle America that · kind of visibi lity isn't proof that we really exist and matter, instead it's proof that we don 't exist. At least not in any way that matters. Too many times I have heard the rationale that AIDS will come home to everyone. That every single person in this country will be affected by it. I don't think that's ·true. AIDS is still so .connected -with the -untouchable , the unknowable, the unthinkable that people have a capacity to ignore i t and not be affected. It still h<Jppens to someone else. To middl e America it will never happen to someone they know, b eca use it happens to Gays and they .don't know a·ny. If .it does happen to someone they know , it. was another exception. Middle America will put forth whatever efforts are necessary to see that we don't exist. Or if we do, they won't know about it. The on ly one who seems to get an understanding from all these eve nts, all these parades and celebrations and memorials , that it means we do really exist is us. Gay men and Lesb ian women. It proves to us th at, as my bumper sticker on my car says, "we are everywhere." -Now that isn't bad in itself , because more Gay and Lesbian people have had a hard ti.me dealing with the reality of their own existence right from 'the beginning. Usually we are told by our parents and friends that our feelings don't · exist, that our sexual urges don 't exist and by the government as well as our friends that our relationships don't exist. Try having a discussion about your gay or lesbian relationship with a few straight friends and you'll see how quickly the sub ject changes. Proving to ourselves that we do exist, with parades and rallies and parties and film festivals, is not so bad in itself. But still to the vast majority of Americans, we are in:.rislble. The invisible minority. We are as real to them as the faeries of Shakespeare. Our being an invisib le minority isn't somethi n g to take lightly. Some of us like it that way, and we prefer that who we are be kept a secret. We need to protect our jobs, our relationships and sometimes ourselves. The government and others also want who we are kept a little secret. That's why there's been so much opposition to the anti-Gay hate crimes bills that have been defeated all over the country. If we are being threatened, beat up and murdered all over the American landscape , then we exist. So Jesse Helms and oth e rs do whatever they can to see to it that we don't. And that no evidence that we exist com.es to light. That's why anti-discrimination laws are so hard to get passed, and when they are Reach for the Light! YES? Sign me up for the magazine that shincdorth the light of hope for all God's people. I want: _ l ycarofTheOtMrSideforS12.50 Save $9.2,5 plus get 1M "Givef.r .Guide " _ 2 years of TM Other Sith for $25.00 Save $18SO plus get tM _ "Giver's Guith"· _ Payment enclosed. _ Bill me later. Name _ _ ____ _ Adm=· _______ _ City--------- Statel.ip _ __ _ __ _ Add.$8 p,r year for ncn-U.S. and APO or FPO addn.ssu. S0751Z November /December 1989 □ . passed, so easy to repeal. It isn't that people feel, as they say, that we shouldn't get "special privileges" or that the government shou ldn' t pass laws that in effect "promote homosexuality as a lifestyle." Nor is it that people actually want us to be discriminated against, it's that they object to any law that says we exist. That we are real, substantial beings. To these right wing religious groups any law that would bring to public view proof that we exist is a bad .Jaw. If we are discriminated against, we must really be, right? That's why so many people object to the inclusion of homosexuality in school family life and sex education programs. Recently when the state Cif Virginia mandated that the ·school family lif e curriculum include information on SEE COMMENTARY, Page 4 An Incredible Price on an Incredible Magazine Act now and you'll save as much as $18.50 on The Other Side, the premier magazine of hope and love for all God's people. Clip the coupon below and discover a Christian peace-and, social-justice . magazine infused with the biblical vision of jubilee, a mag¥ine that has courageously sided with gay and lesbian Christians since 1977. Great reading . Fascinating .people. Refreshing ideas. An Amazing Bonus If You Act Now Subscriptions to The Other Side. are nonnally $21.75 a year. Act now and we'll send it to you for just $12.50. PLUS we'll include, as the first issue on your subscription, our special, elflra-value "Giver's .Guide," a fact-filled guide to 123 charitable organizations involved in a variety of causes. You'll find detailed opinions and ,perspectives, including concrete infonnation on those organizations which actually acknowledge that they discriminate against gay and lesbian people. The "Giver's Guide" alone is worth the price of your subscription. Quantities limited! Respond today! The Other Side 300 W. Apsley Sueet, Philadelphia, Pa. 19144 II Newsbriefs World AIDS Day, Dec. 1 The Worl,d Health Organization has declared December f.lhe second annual · World AIDS Day, For information write to Public Information Office, Globaf Programme on AIDS, WHO, 1211 .Geneva 27, Switzerland . Gay Religious Order Forming Ecumenical Brothers of the Mercy of God is a gay Christian religious community of men who feel the call of Christ to serve the needs of all people. A spokesperson for the group said, "If you feel a special call to serve Chris t through the message of the Gospel, we invite you to join this very special society. Your be ing .gay is not what we question here, it is your desire to be a part of a religious family sharing your God -given gifts to those who are . reaching out. Although we are -in formation, we are receiving candidates ." For furthur information contact the Ecumenical Brothers of the Mercy of God , Suite 212 /3 41 East Center St ., Man~hester, CT 06040. , :Out Front Judges' Code May Include Ban On Discrimination Against. Gays BOSTON - The next code of ethics for judges will include a ban against discrimination based on sexual orientation if the National Gay and Lesbian Law Association has its way . Board member Suzanne Bryant testified in Washington, D .C. before · the American Bar Association committee which is currently revising the ethics code. Ms. Bryant described the c:urrent "epidemic ofviolence" against Lesbians and Gays "who are often reluctant to · . . _,,,,,,,,::1' Dece111 er: "Merry ristmas ·~n January: "Thinking - Of You." March: "You're · Special." May: "Love . You." July: "I Care." September: "You' re In My Heart." A Christmas gift subscription to THE SECOND STONE let's someone know how much you care ... and it's a gift that keeps on giving ... all year long. What a nice way to say so much to someone you love! . . . . ... .... . · ..... Please send a gift subscription and greeting card to: Name ........................................................................ .. ·Address ................................................................ . City, Stale & Zip ................................................... .. Name .................................................... _. .................... . . Address ................................................................. . 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Last February that ABA passed a resolution supporting legis l ation prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment, housing and public accomodations . Now, the ABA is revising , the Model Code of Judicial Ccihduct which serves as ethical guidance for judges throughout the country. The draft revised code prohibits bias based on race, sex, religion an.d national origin, but fails to mention sexual orientation. Testimony at the hearing showed that the justice system is not always impartial when it comes to Lesbians and Gays . In 1987, Daniel Wan was brutally beaten and murdered outside a gay bar in Fort Lauderdale. At a COMMENTARY, From Page 3 homosexuality, to do something about their increasing drop out and teen suicid e rate, parents and .right wing religious groups objected, forcing many school districts to remove any mention of homosexuality from their curriculum . Some said they would rather have a "dead son than a gay one." They want us not to exist. And that's how far they are willing to go to make sure we don ' t. They will ignore the life and death struggles of their own children . If they don't have to admit that we exist, for all intents and purposes, we don'.t. Much of the time we seem to b e all too willing to go along with the idea . The problem we have is that for the most part we can go along our everyday paths and never seem to be any more gay or lesbian than anyone else. We can pass . That's something no other minority group has been able to do before, and ies also one of the reasons that people are so paranoid about Gay and Lesbian people. Like communists, we don't know any, but anyone could be one. What does all this mean? It means that you should know that coming out at a parade is nice. Numbers are important . Coming out at a rally, a sit -in or a memorial service is nice. It's something we should all do, for our own sake. But the most important place to come out, the most important place to take your stand as a Gay man or Lesbian womyn isn't publicly , it's personally . Coming out to your friends, your family . . Your workmates. That 's where coming out really counts. Morh writes in Gays/Justice, "The main aim of gay public education should be publicity - and not by proxy. Coming out, singly and in groups is still the most D THE SECOND STONE □ pre-trial hearing, Judge Daniel Futch asked the prosecutor, "That's a crime now, to beat up a homosexual?" The judge later said he was kidding, but gay rights groups throughout the country failed to see the humor . Last year in Dallas, Judge Jack Hampton admitted in an interview with the Dallas Times Herald that he had · given a convicted murderer a light sentence because the victim was homosexual. The frightening implication of remarks like these is that gay people are fair game. If the Code .of Judicial Conduct is revised to .include a ban against judicial discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, judges will be accountable and may think twice before they fail to provide equal justice under the ·1aw. important thing a Gay person can do politically ." Those people you marched with, those people you went to the rally or memorial service with, they aren ' t the people who need to be told you're Gay or Lesbian . They aren't the ones who need to know that "we .are everywhere ." Let's stop preaching to the converted. We can't really have pride without dignity, and no matter how big our parades become, how many people attend our marches and rallies, until every person feels that he or she can say they are gay or lesbian without threat to their jobs, their friendships, their church membership, their very lives, we still have no pride to speak of . We put a misguided emphasis on our sexuality being a matter of privacy, therefore, it's best if we don't exist, isn't it? Our sexuality should not be a matter of privacy but a matter of pride. March, and be counted. (But rememb .er, they always undercount us.) More importantly, speak up and out, as an i.ndividual. Make sui-e that somehow, one way of another, everyone finds out that they do, really, know someone who is gay or lesbian . Make sure, one way or another, they know "we are everywhere." Twenty years after Stonewall we should be doing better than one-fifth of this ccmntry having a Gay or Lesbian acquaintance, don't you think? Hug someone straight today. Jim Roche is a Unitarian Minister, therapist and member of the. American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists. He is also a regular contribuior to Oμr :Own Community Press. Bays Undor Brm by Maury Johnston. A Gay Christian's Response to the Moral Majority. This book is meant to be an aggressive attack upon the anti-gay ideology of "Falwellian" fundamentalism as well as an objectively critiC31 review of various life-styles among some gay Christians which only tend to give more credence to the extremist accusations that all gays are "immoral and perverted." 202 pages, hardbound . ........ S1_5.95 eom1,. out ta P111nt1 by Mary V. Borhek. By the author of . "My Son Eric." Mary Borhek deftly presents both sides of this delicate issue . . She explores the ·!ears. and misgivings that homosexuals often have about telling their parents they are gay or lesbian, and she examines ihe feelings of disappointment, confusion, and guilt that can beset parents. 208 pages, papertiack. S9.95 111..,11rs of S111h MlpzlM. May/ June, Sept/Oct Issue. ·A Christian magazine concentrating on "NOmen's issues. A two-part series pertaining to Christian lesbians. Such articles as "Is Lesbianism The Real lssue?,""My Husband ls Gay .. ,"and two articles on "Can Homosexual Behavior ee· Christian?" Magazine . subscription info is also available on request. . . . . . $3.00 Dirt, 6rlld &· Sax by L. William Countryman. A direct. simple, solid piece of scholarly work which can profitably infonn even the casual reader. Much care is taken to 'unwrap' the New Testament passages which fonn directly and indirectly how we think about issues of human ~ sexuality. 288 pgs, hardcover. $19.95 Dcubttul Cllrlltlm M1k1 Qi.a,r Saints by Or: Ralph Blair. Concerns the gay Christian's anxjety over incomplete integration of Christian faith and homosexuality. Uses Martin Luthers li1e in comparisof! to the anxious gay Christian. 80 pages, pamphlet. $4.39 Embodt .. nt. An Approach to S1x111llty by James B. Nelson. A first-class study in theo lo gical ethics. Th e comprehensive and imagi nat ive treatment sets both tradili\lflal. and unconventional sexuality issues within the context of God's fulfilling grace. 303 pages, papertiack . ..... $11.95 THE BOOK SERVICE We have the books you're looking for! Christmas Shopping A Problem? We stock over 140 books and tapes for 5lift items. To insure delivery by Christmas please order by Dec. 6'i1i. LARGEST SELECTION OF GAY CHRISTIAN BOOKS AND TAPES AVAILABLE! FOR FREE CATALOG, CREDIT CARD ORDERS, AND CHURCH DISCOUNT PROGRAM Call Today 1-800-728-8282 "Ravlval" Cassette Tape (Music) Cassette Tape of Pentecostal Christian Music. Includes: "Revival," "Almost Home," "Jesus," "Will Soon Be Oone," "Gonna Be Gone," "Sound of His Coming," & "The Rock" ... · ... $9.95 BaySpak by James Chesebro, editor. Essays on coming out, gay civil rights, the media and homosexuality, lesbian relationships, and a host of other issues. 367 pages, papertiack. 19.95 Good N1W1 f11r Mod1m 61yl by Rev. Sylvia Pennington. This is not a theological treatise written to theologians. It is one non-gay Christian woman's .search for Truth ·and Understanding, written simply and easily for others who also seek truth on this controversial subject. ~21 pages, papertiack . .. ..... . . .. . .. . $8.00 Hamo11x111llty & El!IICI by Edward Batchelor, Jr., Edito.r. A collection of statements and opinions by church leaders from different viewpoints concerning the Church and homosexuality. 261 pages, papertiack. . . . .. $8.95 Rev.S yMaPffl ningion HomomuIllty ind th, Conumtlv, Cllrllllin by Rev. L. Robert Arthur. A brief, concise explanation of each of the Biblical 'clobber passages· written from the view of a conservative Christian. Rev. Robert Arthur holdsa Master of Arts degree in Bible·from Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. Recommended reading for those struggling with what the Bible says about the subject of homosexuality. 13 pages, papert,ack . ... . -. ....... . .. $2.50 . Ex-Bay by Dr. Ralph Blair Reviews and exposes the false hope of the "ex-gay" movement as well as the unreasonableness of enforced celibacy. SO pages, pamphlet . .. , ... . . $4.39 61y/L11blu Llbmtlon/ A Biblical Perspective by George R. Edwards. This book shows, on Biblical grounds, that gay/lesbian liberation rightfully belongs to the genre of liberation theology, that the homophobic reject ion of gay/lesbian persons by the church and synagogue cannot claim Biblical sanction. 153 pages. papemack, .. ...... .. . .... 19.95 NEW RELEASE/ Ex- G ays? There ar e none. by Rev . Sylvia Pennington. This book is an examin a tion oY .gay m inistr ies; What th ey do an d do no t d o . It is tol d through the positiv e testimoni es of many women & men who have over come thier lif elo n g st ru gg le ab out being g a y and Chr ist ia n. 400 p ages, pa per . . . . $15.00 Wlllt Boll! Ey11 0111n by Patricia Johnson & Janet Kalven. ''The human species ... has been driving down the highway of life with one eye (the female) held firmly closed," says Elizabeth Dodson Gray . This · book encourages a second look at patriarchal Christian theology from a more balanced perspective. 201 pages, paperback. , ... • . $10.95 Wo11111t of fllllt In Dlllt111111 by Virginia Ramey Mollenkott. In a unique dialogue project sponsored by the American Jewish Committee. eighteen women of fa ith • Protestant , Catholic , Jewish, and Muslim - discuss the challenges that confront women in the respective communities of faith. 144 pgs, paperback. 19.95 Your MDMY or Your LIii by John Alexander. This is a witty and eloquent plea to Christians who are concerned both for themselves and the world to take Jesus seriously, love God whoJly, and live their faith passionately. 251 pages, hardbound . . • $14.45 lfDull Uk1 A IJJbl1 by Madelene L'Engle. Adventures in the life of Poly· O'Keafe on her way to a conference-in Cyprus. Polly realizes that it is alright to have contradictory feelings about somecne, and that on the other side of pain there is still love. 308 pages. hardbound . ..... $13.95 H1maa1ial1 Ind 1111 BIiio by Rev. Or. Nonnan Pittenger. An overall look at homosexuality and the Bible. Briefly approaches Scripture. 14 pages, pamphlet. .. . ... . ... $1.25 Qty -- ORDER FORM - S1nd order to: THE BOOK SERVICE P.O. Box 5760 Waa,fland P1r1', CO Bf!866 Sub Totat . . Colo. Res. add 3% tax .... ·- -Handling 12.50. ....... . .. 2.' 50 Shipping-Add SOC /item. Total . _ Visa _ Mastercard _ Discover Amer. Exp Exp.Date_ card No. _____ ___ _ __ _ Signature ___ _ _ _______ _ ___ _ Your can! will be ·billed through Pikes Peak Paradise, Woodland Park. C Name Address_----~--~---- --- -- City , State, Zip. _____________ _ November /December 1989 AIDS, tl1t Splrttllll Dlllm .. . by John E. Fortunato. This infonnative, sensitive book is exactly what's needed to answer the witches' brew ol ignorance, prejudice, half-truths, and whole lies evoked by the word AIDS. Fortooato is a therapist to gay and straight, to those dying of AIDS and those by the grace of God more fortunate. 156 pages,_ paper ... $7.95 Allf1, A Cl1hollc Cott for Comp1111Dn by Bleen P. Flynn. Reacting to AIDS with panic and hysteria is unchristian. This book points the way beyond f,. r. to reason and charitable concern . . 99 pages, paperback. . ........ 14.95 Bo!MlnTWll Sltdana , by James B. Nelson. A continuation of his earlier work. "Embodiment," Nelson explores human sexuality and the Christian . experience. He asks the question, "Whai does sexuality say about faith?" 193 pages. paperback . ............... H.95 llylnd 811 Rolla by Gilbert Bilezikian. A guide for the study of female roles in the Bible. This is a first-rate Biblical-theological study by a committed evangelical teacher that affinns full equality of the sexes in church and family. 300 pages, papert,ack. .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. 19.95 But IJJnf T111y'11 Bay by Sylvia Pennington. The story of a journey for one non-gay . fervent, evangelical Christian woman with a mission to " Save .. and Change" the homosexual. The struggles of becoming accepting and supportive as God leads her along his path. 171 pages, papertiack . ......... .. .... 17.00 Chrl1t1anlty, s0,111 Tolonnco & Homoaxi.allty by Or. John Boswell. One of the most extensive treatments on. the subject. Challenges received opinions and preconceptions about the Church's past relationship to its gay members, among Yt'hom were priests, and even bishops and canonized saints. Well researched. 424 pages, papertiack . ..... SlZ.95 My Sao Erle by Mary V. · Borhek. The story of a mothers struggle of denial, realization, and acceptance of her gay son. In the process she discovers herself. 160 pages, papertiack. . . , ..... 17 .95 II Newsbriefs Telegram Hotline Establis·hed To Fight AIDS Discrimination WASHINGTON, D.C. - Americans who want to see the passage of the most · far reaching federal legislation to provide legal protection to people with AIDS or those with HIV infection now have a powerful lobbying mechanism through the use of the telephone. .. An ADA Hotline has been established by a coalition of Disability and AIDS activist groups to provide Congress with a flood of telegrams in support of the landmark Americans with · Disabilities Act of 1989. The CCD (Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities) is a coalition composed of several dozen national organizations providing services and advocacy for persons with physical and emotional disabilities. The CCD has been the leading group advocating for the ADA as it moves through Congress, As a partner with CCD, NORA (National Organizations Responding to AIDS) is an additional coalition organized by the AIDS Action Council that includes the National Gay and. Lesbian Task Force, the Human Rights Campaign Fund, The National AIDS Network, .The National Association of People with AIDS, The National Minority AIDS Council, The National AIDS Interfaith Network and over -100 other human service and professional national · associations . This strong civil rights bill will ensure civil liberties to all persons with physical as well as emotional disabilities and will also protect the estimated 1.5 millions Americans infected with HIV, the virus · associated with AIDS. ADA passed the Senate by a vote of 76 to 8 on September '7th. President Bush has publicly expressed his strohg support · for the passage of the bill into law and has confirmed his support for the HIV protections in the bill . The ADA Hotline is activated by an individual calling 1-800-257-4900 and requesting operator number -9565. Hearing impaired callers can use TTD number 1-800-541-1792. The operator will ask the caller for their name, address and phone number in order to bill the $7.50 charge and to assign the message · to that caller's congressional representative. The caller need not even know their own congressperson as the message will be sent automatically to Western Union. For the $7.50 charge, three different, pre-recorded messages will be sent to Congress on behalf of the caller. Due to daily changes in the status of the bill's progress through the Congress, messages are written by the Coalition to fit the changing status of the bill. Callers will see their charge A Presbyterian Promise "We will work to increase the acceptance and participation in the church of all persons regardless of racial-ethnic origins, sex, class, age, disability, marital status or sexual orientation" ~ 195th General Assembly (1983), Atlanta, Georgia If this is your promise, too, we invite . you to join Presbyterians for Lesbian/Gay Concerns Write to Elder James D. Anderson PLGC, P.O. Box 38, New Brunswick-, NJ 08903-0038, 201/846-1510 on their next phone bill and may requesta copy of the message from the Hotline operator. The Holtine lobbying technique has been used by many advocacy groups in Washington and has been shown over the years to be an effective tool in the effort to encourage members of Congress to support certain bills. Organizers hope to show Congress with the use of the ADA Hotline that there are fhousands of voters who enthusiastically support this effort and reall:i.e its historical importance. Priest Denies Sexual Allegations Renegade Catholic priest George Stallings, Jr. denied the allegations of an unidentified 28 year old man who told the Washingtqn Post that Stallings regularly had sex with him in 1977 in the church rectory. Stallings had previously been suspended for forming the Imani Temple in Washington, D.C. in protest against the church's lack of pastoral concern for blacks and in defiance of church hierarchy. Stallings said, "I believe that this charge is an accusation to divert attention from my- mission ... to drive racial insensitivity and racism out ·of the Catholic Church. Gay-Bashings Faked SAN FRANCISCO - Rev. Lynn Griffis, assistant pastor of a Metropolitan Community Church in San Francisco, resigned her position after is was discovered that she filed false reports of being a victim of gay -bashings in two separate incidents this past summer. The incidents received widespread media attention and prompted Mayor Art Agnos to offer a $10,000.00 reward for the attacker's arrest. At pre 9s time, Griffis had made no statement regarding the false reports. -Chicago OUTLINES ELCA Defers Gay Ordination Issue, Passes AIDS Policy Interim guidelines opposing ordination of non-celibate gays were referred to committee without discussion during the first convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and will therefore not be acted upon until the _next church-wide assembly. But the Rev. Jim Lokken, a spokesperson for pro-gay California congregations, says that his church, St. Francis Lutheran in San Francisco, will proceed with the THE SECOND STONE □ : ordination of Jeff Johnson. (TSS, Nov/Dec88) Lutherans Concerned was present at the ELCA convention, staffing a literature table . and confronting delegates with pro-gay bann~rs, badges, posters and slogans. In other action, the Assembly passed in a near unanimous vote a strong policy statement on the AIDS epidemic. The resolution committed the church to the inclusion of "all persons living with ·AIDS, their families, partners, and friends" in "the life and worship of the church" and dedicated the ELCA "to · , practical, pastoral, and emotional support services through its congrega lions, institutions and agencies." Bob Nelson, a delegate from. _the Sierra Pacific Synod (Northern <' California/ Northern Nevada) was one of the authors of the resolution. "I was amazed that no regional assembly had memorialized a resolution on AIDS to this one," he said, "In fact, the only time AIDS was to be discussed was at 6:30 a.m. at a breakfast meeting. We quickly got an ad-hoc group together and drafted a resolution with some teeth in it." -Baltimore Aliernative and other reports Leonard Graff, NGRA's Legal Director, Departs After Seven Years SAN FRANCISCO - Leonard Graff, National Gay Rights Advocates Legal ·rnrector since 1982, has announced that he will be leaving the civil rights law firm in December. NGRA's Executive Di,ector Jean O'Leary expressed her sadness at the announcement and commended Graffs long record of service and powerful influence on NGRA and the gay and lesbian community . Under Graff's leadership, the legal program of NGRA set a number of new benchmarks: a landmark $3:2 million settlement against Pacific Bell for employment discrimination against Gays and Lesbians, a California Court of Appeal precedent that make AIDS employment . discrimination illegal, and a United States Supreme Court victory establishing the First Amendment rights of teachers to discuss homosexuality, He has played an important role in defining a powerful agenda for gay civil rights in the United States. Newsbriefs Resources Available For Gay Couples Gay and lesbian couples looking for legal information, a couples support group, or a way to win domestic partnership benefits might start with a free list of resources available from "PAR1NERS: The Newsletter for Gay & Lesbian Couples ." The annotated directory, "Resources for Gay & Lesbian Couples," is available in a newlyexpanded edition that lists two dozen social, political and support groups , and more than 40 books, videotapes and films. To receive a copy send a self-addressed, stamped business size . · envelope to: P AR1NERS resource list, · Box 9685 , Seattle WA 98109. Audio Tape Provides Information On AIDS AIDS Audio Update provides monthly audio casssette tapes on issues important to all persons living with AIDS . and all others conc ~ d about the disease. '' Tapes are availabl e individually for $10 .00 or by annual subscription (12 tap e s) for $99.00 from AIDS _Audio Dpdate , P.O . Box 46 1370, Los Angeles , CA 90046 or toll-fr ee , 1-800-999-9559, -extension A. AIDS ' organiza t ions interested in receivin g AIDS Audio Update or participating in the production or di stributi on of the series may contact th e address list ed above or call (21 3 )65.6-0860. Gay Games Torch Passed To International Board SAN FRANCISCO - San Fr ancisco Arts and Athletics , ruling body of the Ga y Games since their inception in 1982, has passed the torch to its succeeding board which will be known as The Federation of Gay Games . The Federation's primary function will be "to foster and augment the self-respect of gay women and men throughout the world and to engender understanding from the non-gay world . through the medium of non competitivel y oriented cultural and athl e tic events promoted as 'The Gay Games."' Following the dream of the games ' founder, Tom Waddell, · the Federation will continue to emphasize inclusiv eness in all future Gay Games so that all participants may exercise their personal best, whether in sports or the arts. The new Federation's board is . - --- ··-- - - -- - --- - comprised of 40 Lesbians and Gays from regional, national, and international sporting, cultural and supportive organizations who are dedicated to ensuring the continued integrity of the Gay Games. While the _world anticipates GGIII hosted by Canada next year, this new council has already begun the task of determining the focatiori. for GG IV in 1994 . Organizations and individuals desiring mo.re information about the Federation should call (415)566-1015 or write 584 Castro St., Suite 343, San Francisco, CA 9411;1. New Public Information Director Named At NGLTF WASHINGTON, D.C. - Gay rights activist and lO-year communications professional Robert Bray has been named public information director at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force . Bray succe eds Urvashi Vaid , recently appointed NGLTF executive dir ector. Bray was communications director at the Human Rights Campaign Fund , where he h e lped increase public · awaren e ss of that organization ' s political programs and activities . Bray was instrumental in generating nation.al media atte!ltion around the Circle K conv eni~nce store company ' s d ecision last y ear to drop from its h ealth plan p e ople with AIDS who contracted th e disease from "personal life-style" decisioi:s, The resultin g e dito r ials , media debates and demonstrations helped pressure the company to reverse its · discriminatory policy. Lutheran AIDS Hearings Signal Greater Church Involvement OAKLAND, Cal. - Hearings have been held by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) at which people with AI0 Sr ·and AIDS experts were asked to assist in creating church policy . The results of these hearings will be used by ELCA Church and Socie ty Commission to formulate policy proposals that will be submitted for Church appro val. A hearing in San Francisco includ e d testimony from representative s of the Mayor's Task Forc e on AIDS', the school district, Bayview Hunter ' s Point Foundation, hospital chaplins, . and various groups involved in direct service to peopl ~ with AIDS. "We are simply continuing with the tradition, as old as the Church itself, of trying to respond with compassion to all those in need," explained Michael Pozar, Convenor of the Commission's AIDS Task Force. "This action is somewhat late in coming, but the need is clear and the Church leaders ar e very supportive ." . Bishop Lyle Miller, who was scheduled to be present for much of the hearings, said , "We want to hear from those who are personally engaged with this tragic illness and not make policy decisions i_n a vacuum." Light From A New Torch · BOSTON - In June of 1990 a dance tour called ""Light From A New Torch: Dancing to Vancouver" will begin its cross continent trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Vancouver, Br.ilish Columbia, the site of Celebration '90: Gay Games III and Cultural Festival, an. event expected to draw over 10,000 athletes and artists from ·around the globe during the week of August 4 -11 . The tour will be historic both in its format and in its assemblage of gay and le sbian dancers and choreographers □ from diverse demographic and artistic backgrounds · to share the cre o.' ive process. As the tour proceeds from Boston, dancers and choreography will be add ed through improvisation and collaboration to the tour's ''seed dari.ce" which will be performed in each · city . The "seed dance" will grow until it becomes an evening concert for preformances at the Cultural Festival in Vancouver . The theme of the "seed dance" is relationships .- between people, ideas, situations. "We, the choreographers and dancers, wiH be exploring th e communication, or lack there of, which takes place in our lives," states tour artistic director Jeffry Pike of Boston . "The speed of communication systems today brings about the potential to be overwhelmed by the information around us. People shut down and shut out. Through it all, the basic relationships between people must still exist and be nurtured . We will examine the need to not close off ourselves. " The tour is still searching for dancers, choreographers and presenters. Anyone interested in inform a tion about or being a part of Light From A New Torch can write or call Jeff Pike, P . O . Box 515 - Kenmor e Station, Boston, MA 02215 or call (617) 876-7612 . GAY GA1\1ES EDITION The Lesbian and Gay ALMANAC and EVENTS of Preserve the Past Prepare for the Future And Never Again Say ... ' If Only I'd Known .' Only$9.95 Available at local bookstores or send $9.95 plus $1.50 postage ($11.45) to: ENVOY ENTERPRISES 740 N. Rush St. Suite 609 Chicago IL 60611 "A Stunning Achievement" A 36-page Gay Games Section detailing the history of the Garnes and providing gold-winning scores of Gay Garnes I & TI, plus a preview of the 1990 Gay Games III The Gay/Lesbian Yea r in Review Arts & Entertainment. Books, Health Issues, Laws & Legislation, Organizations, Politics, Women's Issues.-Filled with graphs & charts! Event of' the Year Stonewall 20: A Generation of Pride, honors the 1989 Gay/Lesbian Pride Celebration and provides a host of facts and statistics about gays and lesbians, their lifestyles, and how attitudes have changed in the 20 years since the modern gay rights movement began. Events orl990 Almost 500 upcoming gay/lesbian events, including rodeos, concerts, cruises, conventions, sports events, religious gatherings, women's niusic festivals, tours and trips, conferences and meetings, social extravaganzas, plus much more. November/December 1989 a News briefs NGL TF Challenges Dannemeyer On Federal Youth Suicide Report WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a letter delivered to Preside _nl Bush, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force sharply challenged an attempt by Congressman William Dann emeyer (R-CA) to persuade the White House to repudiate sections of a Department of Health and Human Services report that addressed lesbian an d gay youth suicide issues. In a September 7 letter to President Bush regarding the Report of the Secretary's Task Force on Youth Sukide, Rep. Dannemeyei asked the President to "affirm traditional · family values by denouncing the portion of the report that deals with homosexuality." Dannemeyer stated in his letter to the President that he h ad previously asked . Dr. James Mason, Assistant Secretary of HHS, to denounce aspects of the report dealing with homosexuality. Wrote Dannemeyer, "I suggested to Dr. Mason th at he will need to decide whether he will side with . traditional family · values or the Na ti ona l Gay and Lesbian Task Force." Rep. Dannemeyer also sta ted that the HHS report and "pub lic school programs such as Project 10 in the Los Angeles Unified School District simp ly add legitim acy to the heretofore crime of child molestation." Responding to Dannemeyer's letter, NGL TF's Urvashi Vaid wrote to President Bush, urging him to place "moral leadership" over "prejudice and moral posturing," and to vigorously implement the recommendations of .the report. Sixth International Conference On AIDS Seeks Community Recommendations SAN FRANCISCO - Seeking to assure that community needs for in formation on the developing science of AIDS are (i "[IS articles are often compellingly wn·uen and thoughtprr;, vok ing . as a magll.zine handling difficult subj ect matter. Open Hands is to be co mmended for its results. ·• -judges' comments from Reconciling Ministries with Lesbians & Gay Men Associated Chureh Press 1988 Award of Merit Program Open Hands , the only national Christian magazine focussing on the concerns of lesbians and gay men, is now in .its fifth year of publication·. Each issue of Open Hands addresses a particular concern of gay/lesbian Christians with: • feature articles by national/local church leaders • ideas for congregational ministries • worship and spiritual growth resources • news from Reconciling Congregations and other ministries with lesbians and gay men. Annual subscription {four issues)-$16 BACK ISSUES AVAILABLE, "Be Yf. Reconc·iled" (Summer 19851 "A Matter or Justice"' (Winter 19861 "Our Families .. (Spring 19861 "Our Churches· Policies" /Summer 198(>1 "Images of Healing .. (Fall 19861 "Homophobia and the Church" (Winter 19811 ' "Minorities within a Minority'' (Spring 19811 "An Emerging Community" !Summer 1981) Single issue-$5 "Sexual Violence" !Fall 198i) "Sexualit y and Spirituality" !Winter 1988 1 "Building Reconciling Ministries·· (Spring 198.HJ "Living and Loving with AIDS" (Summer (9881 "Raising Reconciling Children" (Fall 1988) "Sexual Ethics" (Winter 1989) .. Called to Create .. !Spring 19891 __ Please send me a one-year subscription to Open Han.ds @ $16. __ Please send me a copy of each of the back issues marked above. 0 Enclosed is my payment oI $ __ _ . _ . D Please bill me. _. _ I ·.may want to receive Open Hands, please send me a sample issue. Name __ __ _ _ _ __ _ ____ ___ _ _ __ _ _ ~ -- - -- Address _____ ___ ____ _ __ _ ____ __ __ _ __ _ _ City _ _ __ _ __ _ __ _ __ _ _ St.ate __ _ _ __ Zip - - ~ - Open Hands • P.O. Box 23636 • Washington, O;C. 20026 PubUshed by Affirmation: United. Methodists for ~bian / Ga)' Conceflls met, and to assure express ion of a public policy agenda responsive to the needs of HIV infected people, the · Sixth International Confenence on AIDS has embarked on an unprecedented community outreach program. With this program, conference organizers hope to · include peop le with HlV infection, Lesbians and Gay men, women, people of color, people of the third world , AIDS service providers and activist organizations in the planning process of the meeting. The Conference, attended by over 12,000 AIDS researchers and service providers from · throughout the world , will be held in San Francisco from June 20 to 24, 1990. The th eme of the Sixth h:,ternational Conference on AIDS is "AIDS in the · Nineties: From Science to Public Policy." Conference .orga ni zers are working to design a program that emphasizes presentation of the highest . quality science on AIDS, considers the implications of scientific advances on AIDS for public policy, and closely examines the compl e x interface between science and political activism as they relate to AIDS. Recognizing the imp ortance of community input from throughout the world, th e Conference has mailed Community Outreach Surveys to 1,100 AIDS organizations internationally. □ A lr ead y, the Conference has played an important ro le working with scientists and activists to crea te a more en lightened public policy on AIDS. In April of this year, the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service enforced its restriction on ent ry by HIV infected travelers by detaining Hans Paul Verhoef, a Dutch citizen. Conference organizers and community groups joined in an effort to move the federal government to change this medically unjustified policy. The resulting campaign brought medical experts and the political community together to call on Washington for change, and led to a major shift in INS re gula tions. HIV infected travelers to the United States may now obtain 30 day waiyers to enter the United States for four purposes: visiting relatives, seeking medical treatment, conducting business, and attending conferences. The Sixth Internat ional has continued to press for a further broadening of this policy to include HIV infected tourists. It has protested .two incidents in which it appeared the new policy was not bein g properly carried out. And on August 1, a letter from the INS provided furth.ur assurances that the new regulations will be cons isten tly and, in some cases, flexibly administered. You spend only this much of your advertising dollar to reach a Second Stone reader! •Readers in every state across the USA ... and in many foreign countries '" . • An ad this size costs less than 2¢ per reader! •No charge for layout, composition, proofs •A unique opportunity to reach il precisely defined audience •State zoning available for pre-print inserts •Each edition circulated for up· to four months •Reach the NEW Gay & Lesbian market in the USA! · THE SECOND S10NE Box 8340 • New Orleans, LA 70182 II THE SECOND STONE . .,- ... Cover Story . · An Ex-Gay's Story "No Desire To By Robert Mcknight Contributing Writer Some ex-gays who say their sexual conversion is only one part of a broader religious conversion show a tendency to .witness that change similar to straight people who undergo a borncagain experience and turn evangelical. The following is one conversion account, tha.t of John Smid, a counselor at California-based Love in Action ex-gay ministry. Smid, once married and with two children, turned to gay life when he was 24. "I was ecstatic. I decided it was the missing piece t6 the puzzle of my life," Smid said . "I was in a place I could talk freely about my sexual desires. I found a group of men I could talk to about my feelings -- where men were open, caring and concerned." He left behind the wife and family he started five years before, at age 19. He said marriage was more than anything else a way to escape. He didn't do anything separate from his wife. He built his life COVER STORY From Pagel Penningion's latest book, Ex-Gays: There Are None, was published in August. Gays may spend years in counseling determined to slough off what they feel are unhealthy or immoral desires, Pennington said. They may force themselves to repress homosexual tendencies by selecting a career · not normally compatible with a ' gay lifestyle. They may choose heterosexual marriage, she said. No amount of counseling, or the change ministries, ultimately offer Gay men or Lesbians desired resu It, she entirely around her. "I was very hungry for friendship," he said. His upbringing was Nebraska mid-western, and that's where he continued to make his home. He eventually met a gay man and life started to change . . "I felt I could relate to him in many ways. I felt that was it, what I'd been looking for all my life;" Smid said -- even though his sexual experience with this man ended after their first encounter. But he met others. One was a 35-year-old who had been living gay for a number of years, Smid said. He told Smid that Gays just don't settle into spousal relationships with other men, so he might as · well not pursue the idea. Smid said he rebelled against that advice and began what he called a determined effort to start a monogamous relationship and make it work. He consistently failed. His partners couldn't adhere to that standard. Eventually, Smid said even he couldn't. said. "They're still as gay as ever. In truth', if a homosexual never again sleeps with another homosexual, they're still gay," Pennington said. Pennington was raised in the Assembly of God . and, as a change minister, counseled reluctant homosexuals from 1963 to 1968. After she left that vocation, Pennington says she took another 10 ye-ars to swing around to her current beliefs: that sexuality is not a. matter of choice and that Gays can be beloved of God as much as straights. And that people who think they can change .their sexuality are as doomed to disappointment as people who think they c~n change Go Back" "I rationalized that by saying that since this relationship isn't working, it's OK because I'm looking for someone to settle with. As long as I was looking for someone, it was OK," he said. One of his lovers had a sister whom Smid said was Christian. His first reaction was mocking. Later, he met another woman who was Christian. "I was very hungry for friendship." "She really believed in a God who wants us to enjoy our lives. I just hadn't iho ·ught that enjoyment could be God-ordained. Eventually, she invited me to her church. The people were joyful and really excited about being there," Smid said. • "Those feelings didn't quite go along with my lifestyle. I hadn't ever been the color of their eyes, .she said. Change Ministries Say It Is Possible The basic change ministry claim, on the other hand, is that sexual conversion can be genuine because people really do have a choice. The belief is based on church notions of free will and selfdetermination. The Spring, 1989 issue of The Exodus Standard includes an article by Jack Hickey on Tony Campolo and Campolo's book, 20 Hot Potatoes Christians Are Afraid To Touch. The Standard is published by Exodu ·s International, an umbrella group for convertold that homosexuality was wrong. I just had a feeling that things weren't mixing right ." Then came a crucial time, a moment of realization Smid said reminds him of the Biblic~l episode when the enlightened Adam and Eve first realize their nakedness. "I went to revival with my lover's sister. By this time I'd had several relationships that were really painful. I had a sense the Lord said, 'Then you just don 't have to feel like .that anymore.' "I know it changed my heart. I was never embarrassed about my gay experience'. Everyone close to . me knew I was . homosexual. For the first time the next day I felt an embarrassment. "All of a sudden I was aware of my sin," Smid · said. From that point on, there was a constant awareness that homosexuality alienated Smid in subtle and sometimes blatant ways · from other important facets of his life. Y ~t he was not sion ministries. In his chapter on homosexuality, Campolo writes, "More and more research suggests that in a great number of cases, if not in an overwhelming majority, homosexual orientation is inborn." Hickey's change ministry response is simple. "His (Campolo's) chapter on homosexuality has sent shock waves through ex-gay ministries across the country. How could this man, who many of tis respect as a Christian leader, come to this conclusion?" Hickey asks. Hickey later remarks that Campcilo's assertion gave him "deep concern." The free choice was available to him, said November /December 1989 □ ready to give it up. "For the next two years, my relational struggles just got worse and worse and worse. I met one guy, and from the moment we met we really took to one another. He was a Christian, raised · · in a pastor's house. I thought the answer was to have a Christian lover." That didn't work. Neither did an alternative he tried pursuing at the same time. "About two years later I said do not want this anymore. It's just been a disaster . I'm just sick of it. I left my last lover. I joined my church's single group," Smid said . · Members did not know he was gay, since he had started hiding that two years before, when homosexuality had started being an embarrassment. "The men in the group were emotionally · charged and interested. , They hugged, they prayed. All that I had really looked for, 1 could have without sex. I · didn't have any desire to go back," Smid said. Kevin Oshiro, a convert of the Love in Action ministry in San Rafael, Calif., and now himself a counselor for the ministry. "I've come out of the lifestyle myself. You have · to believe that · Jesus can change you and wants to change you, if you submit yourself to his Lordship," said Oshiro. Similar testimonials are easy to find. The ministry answered a request for more information with several items titled "Testimony of the Month," where converts recount their change experiences. "My parents warned my younger sister and I (sic) about the dangers of men, SEE COVER STORY, Page 11 a -------.,----.,...,..,.,..,~::--~;:,,--,:-----------------~-------~.,--.,----------- -, Celebrating the lives of our friends and their accomplishments is a way of . paying reverence to their memories, and it was such devotion that led Mark Barker into my life. By an almost uncanny set of circumstances we first came to know each other through our correspondence; he had written to _ me many times with unbridled enthusiasm about a legacy of unusual art he had inherited from his friend Robert Leone. IT WASON A WARM.HUMID evening last June that Mark and I first met face-to-face, and we both looked forward to sharing some time to discuss Mark's plan for celebrating the life of his friend . The balcony doors to his hotel room were thrown open, letting damp breezes rustle the curtains. Beautiful bird song was our background "music" as a .flood of memories returned to Mark . "Theirs was a friendship that had developed and grown during the wild, restless days of the 1970s, when we all innocently could never have imagined that one day a disease would be devastating our community ... taking so many people we love. Prior to this, Robert Leone had grown . up in a traditional Catholic family, typically serving as an altar boy, and attending parochial schools. His early years were emeshed in his faith, and this spiritual aspect of his life carried over into his later years, finding expression in a number of ways, most notably his art. At times I could read .the emotion in Mark's eyes as he discussed their years of deep friendship, and their years of work to establish a health club in Los Angeles. Both were proud of their eventual _success, much of it -due to Robert's magnetic personality. Even though Robert became a successful businessman, he still consid- From A Sincere Eye Art Inspired By The Light Within BY MICHAEL BLANKENSHIP ARTIST ROBERT LEONE'S "INFINITE ACQUAINTANCE" (Original in color; copyright 1988 by · The Paintings' Co .) ered himself foremost to be an artist. He thought of his art, which had come naturally to him, as a Godgiven talent, and just as God gives new spiritual birth to believers so that we may be called "God's Ghildren", so also Robert considered his paintings to be his "children," having given birth to them from his own soul and imagination. His commitment to his talent never ceased, and each finished work was a cherished possession , a gift from God. I HAD ANXIOUSLY AWAITED seeing examples of Robert's work ; and when Mark brought out the photographs I knew instantly that the art work was a reflection of Robert's own personality, both magnetic and spiritual. It has a mysterious ethereal qua]ity, and reGurring symbols of his faith are present in many works. There is no set way of defining Robert's works. I'm sure twenty people would have twenty different interpretations, and all the perceptions would be accurate, but I know that all would find universal spiritual qualities. The art truly has unlimited appeal. Most of his figures are androgynous beings which of course is a spiritual way of viewing people in general (''There is neither male nor female, for we are all one in Chirst." Gal. 3:28.) As I looked at the colorful works certain things stood out in my mind. In one,God is depicted as a supernatural being larger than the planets and yet blending with the universe (''The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows God's handywork " Ps. 19:1.) A halo encompasses the head, and the eyes are stem yet understanding. In THE SECOND STONE another work a partial face is disolving into a halo, perhaps illustrating Robert's own blending with the spiritual world. In several of the works rays of lights, like lazers , are projecting from the eyes of the portraits ("The light of the body is the eye, if therefor e your eye is sincere, your whole body shall be full of light." Matt . 6:22.) In another a golden lily is growing within the head (mind?) of the figure, and a cross is seen in the background. Several times a trinity - is portrayed, once with hearts on · either side, in another entitled The Realization of Harmony the haloed trinity is emerging from a beautiful · blue (lotus?) blossum. Below, single female and male figures , perhaps angelic beings in ancient apparel, are represented supporting these symbols of holiness and purity. In another of these fascinating pieces a large cross with the head of Christ at it's center is part of a seemingly transparent head, while irridescent teardrops fall into a cloudy landscape where planets grow and bloom on stalks with leaves. UNDENIABLY THE MOST impressive work, at least from the Christian perspective, is the beautiful face of Christ entitled Infinite Acquaintance. As in all of Robert's portraits, the eyes are the central focus of the art. In this instance, the eyes at first glance appear to be angry ; a feeling enhanced by the red aura around the figure, but closer examination reveals a look of total compassion .. Christ looking with love and authority on his people. The royal purple background only enhances the beauty of this piece, and amazingly the combination of red and purple fit together perfectly. Michael Blankenship is a freelance writer from Roanoke, Virginia. His work has recently appeared in The Advocate. For information on prints of Robert Leone's art write to The Paintings Co., 2519 Griffith Park Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90039. - ~esbian & Gay Male Couples Meet Differently Lesbian couples are likely ·to meet tinder different circumstances than those common for gay-male couples, ,ccording to preliminary results from 1 survey of same-sex couples. Lesbian :ouples most often met through friends or at work, while male :ouples met at bars more often than my other way. selected preliminary results based on 812 respondents , representing 390 lesbian couples and 273 gay male couples . The su rvey drew about 1600 · responses in all. introduc tion s, were responsible for the meetings of 28 percent of the · lesbian couples and 19 percent of the men. l /2 years or less; half the men had been together 5 years or less. More than one in five of th e le sbian couples met at work, but fewer th an five percent of the men did. - The survey is directed by Stevie Bryant and Demian, who hope to publish the results . The "how they met" question was 1mong more than a hundred put to ;ame-sex couples in a national study ~ndertaken last year by Partners: The \Jewsletter for · Gay and Lesbian :ouples. The publication has issued While 24 percent of the men met in a bar, the venue is becoming less prominent as a meeting spot. The new er the relationship, the more likely the couple had met at a social event instead. Friends, an encluring source of Despite the youth of the respondents - averaging 35 years for women, 37 years for men - Lesbians had been together an average of 5 1 / 4 years and Gay men averaged 7 1/2 years . Whi le. several couples had been together longer than 40 years, many of the relationships were only recently started. Half .of all the women surveyed had been together 3 "When data entry is complete, we will be able to draw an up-to-date picture of the families being created by gay and lesbian couples," says Demian. To receive a summary of final results, when available, send a stamped, self-addressed business envelope to PartI)ers Survey Resuits, Box 9685, Seattle, .WA 98109. COVER StORY, From Page 9 especially strangers. The message I heard was, 'Don't trust men. You'll only get hurt,"' writes a woman who says she grew b eyo nd lesbianism. After a period of desper ation, then religious conversion, th e woman writes, "I knew I couldn't go back to my lover. My lesbianism just didn't fit in with my new relationship with God,:' she writes. How They Change About 25 percent of the gay Christian population at any one time is so vexed by what has become for them a painful sexual dilemma that they seek help from a change ministry, Penningto ·n said : Many are associated with Exodus International. As of July 1989, Exodus claimed 40 "referral agencies." These agen ci es, Exodus claims among other things, have existed for at least two years, have a board or governing body · which can change · the group's le;,dership, and have directors who have not engaged in homosexual behavior for at least two years. They have names like Exile Ministries, Hyperniken Ministries (hyperniken is Greek for 'conquer') -and Freedom at Last. In addition, Exodus counts 22 "affiliate agencies," which meet less stringent standards than the referral agencies. Though groups work differently, the basic program puts an individual within a support network of others trying to escape homosexuality and of counselors. Most don't charge anything, though they suppport themselves partly with sales of books and cassette tapes , Pennin gto n said. Members spend about 10 hours a week going to church services and counseling, but much more of their time is spent reassuring one another. "Mainly it's a program of prayer. They don't do anything reall y different. They study the issues all people do. There is a healthy aspect to it ," Pennington said. Counselors know some gay Christians resent ·their ministries, said John Smid, director of Love in Action's · house ministries program. Those who demand the freedom to live gay should grant the freedom not to, he said. "! know from the Bible that homosexuality is not the best that God has to offer . But so many Gays are willing to say, 'This is the best I can have. This is the best I can do.' Are we willing to say, 'Whatever · it takes, Lord, I want your best?' "Are we willing to give up halfway through the race? I believe anyone can leave homosexuality behind if they want to . • Are there some who can't change? No. But there are many who won't. Not everybody's going to want to change," Smid said. A Therapist's Opinion Sex therapist Dr. Mark Schwartz said some are willing to change and some have, though he doesn't make it his business to direct change. "When someone comes in unhappy with homose xuality, they could · become happy with it, or b ecome more .-at. ease with heter .osexuali ty. "In truth, if a homosexual never aga~n with sleeps anothe r homosexua C they're still gay." "I don 't feel any need or prejudice to help you become heterosexual. If people (originally discontent with homosexuality) later find themselves con tent with homosexuality , I would not term that a failure. "I try to show there are many alternatives and choices," Dr . Schwartz said. He said he had little knowledge of church affiliated change ministries, though some of his clients were vetemns of those programs. Nor was he particularly critical of their apptoach. "Psychotherapy and r eligion are not that far apart . They're both ways of changing people's behavior," he said. · But dysfunctional behavior is almost always rooted in the same causes, whether the person is · straight or . gay, Dr. Schwartz said. "If you have a problem wit h intimacy, you'll have it with a man or a woman. P eo ple tend to blame the problem on thei r object choice. They think the issue -is homosexuality and the issue is really intimacy and commitment," he said. Smid said he learned to set aside homosexuality when he learned how to have good same-sex friendships. ·· He said he learned to acknowledge the need for good male friends. At the same time, he learned he · could do that without having sex. . And as for sex: "I know it's there and available . But relational addiction was my biggest weakness," Smid said . He said he doesn't stiffer from that anymore. Change -- Where The Heart Js? The change, Smid said, is not simply or even mainly a change in the way he responds to men and women. It involves a total change in the self and its response to God. Conversion goes b~yond sexual conversion - it's a total conversion of the November /December 1989 heart, the same as any born-again experience. · The born -again conversion experience is key and also helps explain why change ministries are almost spley the province of fundamental is{, born-again churches, Pennington said. She said she is not aware of any serious . effort by the Catholic Church to develop any change programs. The possibility for change is not fully acknowledged by Ca tholics," writes Dr. Joseph Nicolosi in The Exodus Standard. Nicolosi is director of the Thomas Aquinas Psychological Institute in Encino, Calif. "! don't know of any ex -g ay ministries that aren't supported by fundamentalists, " Pennington said . And the emphasis 6n conversion gives the newer change ministries a positive aspect, Pennington said. "They're talking much more about the redemptive aspect," she said, rather than talking just about sexuality. Conver .ts attest that their new .sexuality is just one part of a new identity Jesus gives them . But, she said, they still haven 't gotten past a notion that sexuality is a make-or-break .factor when the issue is salvation. "Their theology is screwed up because they say sexuality is what saves you or condemns you. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can qo that," she said. m Church & Organization News · Church Celebrates 18th Anniversary River City MCC of Sacramento, California; pastored by Rev. ·Elder Freda Smith, has . celebrated its 18th anniversary with a week long schedule of worship and festivities .- Rev. Troy Perry, Moderator _for the Board of Elders of the UFMCC was scheduled to attend . "This is a momentous and historical occasion for our church, " said Rev . Elder Smith . -The Latest Issue Financial Crisis At MCC/Los Angeles LOS ANGELES - The Metropolitan Community Church of Los Angeles is reportedly facing a financial crisis which could end its service for babies A friend for the journey. Subscribe today to THE SECOND STONE. YES, I want to receive The Second Stone, the national newspaper for Gay and Lesbian Christians ... send me: [ ] One year (6 issues) for $12.60 [ ] Two years (12 issues) for $23:00 [ ] Three years (18 issues) for $32.00 Name ......................................................................... . Address ...................................................................... . City, State & Zip ..................................................... . . Check here if you prefer plafn envelope for mailing: I ] Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of your first issue. Add $8.00 per year for postage in Canada and all other foreign countries. U.S. currency only: Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 with AIDS and also i-esult'in a loss of facilities for Samaritan College. Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson, pastor of the church and member of the Board of Elders of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, is leading a drive to raise $400,000.00 for the Los Angeles church, which is the birthplace of the lJFMCC. Contact MCC/LA, 5879 West Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232. Dignity/USA Has New President Pat Roche of Dignity /Seattle has been elected to succeed Jim Bussen as president of Dignity/USA. The group celebrated its 20th anniversary over the Labor Day weekend during its national convention in San Francisco. Over 600 people attended. The convention made progress in the area of removing ambiguity from Dignity's statement of position and purpose concerning se xual relations and approved a sexual ethics document which local chapters had been working on for more than two years. · Mennonite And Brethren Lesbians Meet For Historic Retreat Fifty Brethren and Mennonite lesbian, • bisexual and supportive women recently gathered for a historic retreat . . It was the first time that Brethren and Mennonite Lesbians had ever rriet formally as their own group for support and discussion. Women of diverse ages, races, sexual preferences and experiences enjoyed formal and informal times of sharing. The highlight of the retreat was the sense of community and belonging that grew out of being with Lesbians from the same religious tradition. Many women felt that sexuality and spirituality, two integral aspects of their Jives, have been polarized. Th ey have not experienced the church as a hospitable place but do not generally find support and com,monality in the secular lesbian community either. Participants affirmed the need -to unite the different pieces of their lives and found that being with other Mennonite and Brethren Lesbians was a powerful and meaningful way to make the connection . A common comment throughout the weekend was, "This retreat is like church to me ." Discussion also focused · on how Mennonite and Brethren Lesbians want to relate to the larger church. Some thought it important to com1I1unicate their concerns to the broader Mennonite m THE SECOND STONE □ and Brethren communities. Others were not interested in formal dialogue with the church but did want to maintain ties with other women from their faith heritage. For information on future activities write to the Brethren/Mennonite ' Council for Lesbian and Gay Concerns, Box 65724, Washington, D.C. 20035. · Five Dignity Chapters· Affected By Action Of California Bishops Archbishop Roger M. Mahony of Los Angeles and twelve bishops of dioceses in Southern Ca'lifornia have prohibited priests from celebrating Masses sponsored . by Dignity chapters · in the Province of Los Angeles. The provincial area is larger than the Los Angeles Archdiocese and also includes the diocei1E!S of Orange, Sa n Bernardino, San Diego, Fresno and Monterrey. · The decision affects five chapters in Dignity Region IX: Los Angeles/ Westside, Long Beach; San bi ego, and San Gabriel Valley. The statement initiated by Mahony said their action stemmed from Dignity's repudiation of the Church's "clear and con.slant moral teaching" against homos exua l acts, according to a story appearing in the Los Angeles Times. · The recent dir ecth,e follows Mahony's earlier edict not to allow Masses to be held · on property owned by the archdiocese,. an action also .taken by ' other U.S. bishops. In his letter to the diocesan and religious order priests of the dioceses included in the Los Angeles Provinciafate, he advised them of the ban and stressed that the bishops "had no other choice" but to institute the order against celebration of Masses fo;, the organization in any setting or for any reason. What made his move all the more unexpected, at least at this time, is that members of Dignity chapters in the Los Angeles archdiocese and other . diocesan officials had been meeting recently in ongoing q.ialogue . The archbishop 'had assured them that he would try to take no action until after 1 the groups national convention in San , Francisco since he was aware that the Los Angeles chapters were dialoging with other chapters in Region IX. . All area chapters continue to sponsor . regular functions. Jack Stafford, president . of Dignity /Los Angeles reported that he was even greatly encouraged when another chapter member noted that the action of the , archbishop has liberated the group and they no longer have to live with false , hopes and expectations. -Dignity/USA Newslette~ Calendar ,The following announcements have been submitted by sponsoring or affiliated groups. NAEYC Annual Meeting NOVEMBER 2, The Gay and Lesbian caucus of the National Association for the Education of Young Children will hold its annual meeting . The Westin ·Peachtree Plaza in Atlanta, Georgia is the setting. For the past five years the cauc us has served as a networking forum for lesbian and gay members of NAEYC and their friends . In 1988 the N AEYC addecj "sexual orientation" to its previou sly establish ed nondiscrimination policy after the 1987 caucus urged the govern ing board to consider such a m6ve. Steve Shuman of Boston, Mass ., is 1989 caucus chair. Persons wishing more information or who may be interested in contributing to the agenda may contact him at 520 Commonwealth Ave., #416, Boston, MA 02215, (617)266-7439, or may check with him at the hotel during the conference . The me e ting begins at 7:00 p.m . The caucus is open to anyone. "Revival" Musical Ministry NOVEMBER 5, Christ Chapel of Long Beach ,NOVEMBER 10-12, Christ Chapel of the Desert, Palm Springs, and NOVEMBER 17-19, Living ·communion , Portland: After two and a half years at Community Gospel Church in Houston, "Revival " is gearing up for a full time mini stry. Settlement Ends AIDS Bias Case SAN ' FRANCISCO - National Gay Rights Advocates has won a settlement in the · amount of $62,746.38 against Raytheon Company for ' AIDS discrimination . The settlement follows a landmark ruling on July 7 by the California Court of Appeal making employment discrimination against people with AIDS ill ega l in California. Ignoring the ad vice of its own doctors, Raytheon refus ed to allow John Ch adbourne, a quality control an alys t, to return to work after lea rning he had AIDS in 1983. Chadbourne died of AIDS-related complications in 1985. "Revival " is a unique ministry team including a trio specializing in "South ern Gospel" music. They have prod¼lced two tapes and will soon start on a third to~ released in January. For informa tion on this musical group , . their appearances or ·tapes, write to Revival, P.O . Box 7357, Houston, TX 77248-7357. NGLTF Creating Change NOVEMBER 9-12, Th e National Gay & Lesbian Task Force's Creating Change conference for grassroots activists and gay and lesbian organizations w ill feature keynote addr esses by Perry Watkins, Vito Russo and Suzanne Pharr. Activities include a demonstration calling for an end to discrimination against Gay men and Lesbians in th e m ilitary and a day-long in stit ut e on fund raising. Over 400 activists from all over the country are expec ted to attend . The Holiday Inn, Bethesda , is the location. Workshops will b e int erpreted for the hearing impaired and the facility is wheelchair accessible. Fees for the Fundraising Institute range from $75.00 - $125.00 and for the conference itself, $50.00- $125.00. Contact NGLTF Creating _Change, 1517 U Street NW, · Washington, DC 20009. Ministering To The Lesbian and Gay Community NOVEMBER 10, The Hawaii Council of Churches offers a worksho p for cle rgy only. Forum leader will be Chris Glaser, author of Unc ommit\g Calling, A Gay Man's Strugg le to Serve the Church. For information write to Hawaii Council of Churche s, 1300 Kailua Road, Room B-1, Kailua, HI 96734. · Casa de Cristo Weekend Seminars· NOVEMBER 17 & 18, "How To Give Away Your Faith" JANUARY 26 & 27, "Christian Relationship Encounter" · and MARCH 30 & 31, "Women and St. Paul." This dynamic church in Phoenix, Arizona offers weekend education and inspira tion opportuniti ,es. For information contact Casa de .Cristo Evangelical Church, 1029 East Tumey , Phoenix, AZ 85014 or call (602)265-2831. Damien· Ministries PWA Retreats NOVEMBER 13-16, Chicago, II., DECEMBER 11-14, Annapolis, Md., Damien Ministries, a community of Catholic men and women, both lay and religious, sponsors·retreats for People With AIDS . Each retreat is free •to · PW As, their care partners, significant others, families and friends. PW As who apply early are eligible to have their travel expe nses paid in ful l.· Contatt Damien Ministries, P.O. Box 10202, Washington, D.C. 20018 or call (202)387-2926. The Book and Beyond ... John McNeil! DECEMBER 10-11, The Stony Point Center hosts the author of Taking a Chance on God. "The Book and Beyond" is an opportunity for readers to meet authors in a conversational setting. For information contact Tylka Vetula, Stony Point Center, Stony Point, NY 10980 or call (914) 786-5674. A Nite To Unite For The 90's FEBRUARY 20, 1990, The Delaware Lesbian and Ga y Health Advocates AIDS Committe presents :B,oberta Flack in concert at the Grand Op era House, 8:00 p.rn. Also featured will be The Nylons and D_.C.'s rock-acappella group, Betty, in this concert to benefit AIDS programs. Ticket information is available through the Grand Opera House Box Office, (302)652-5577 or by calling DLGHA, (302)652-6776. Women's Thanksgiving Cruise □ NOVEMBER 17-24, l22!l, Robin Tyler Productions presents a seven night women's Thanksgiving cruise to the Mexican Riviera on the SS Bermuda Star , a magnificent lu xury vessel that has all the spaciousness and ambiance of the classic era cruise ships. Join ov.er 800 ot,her women from all over the world on the high seas on a cruise from San Diego .to Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan. For furthur information, write to Robin Tyler Productions, 15842 Chase St., Sepulveda, CA 91343 or call 1-818-893-4075. Robin Tyler is now producing two of · the major women's music and comedy festivals (7th Annual Southern and 11th Annual West Coast) as well as this cruise, ~ereby producing the high es t number of national women 's .events. SEND EVENT NOTICES TO: CALENDAR, THE SECOND STONE, P.O. BOX 8340; NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 STONY POINT CENTER The Book and Beyond ... JOHN McNEILL December 10-11 Taking a Chance On God Book 11.nd Beyond ... provides an enviro nment where an author can be in conv ersation with his/her readers. llte authors are seic<:ted upon their lite!'ary contribution as it addresses contemporary issues of justice and peace . lt"is hoped that the read ers will have read Taking a Chance on God so that 1he time together may be direc~ to expanding upon the ideas presented in the book . M~ lnformatio!'ICl0ftlad'fylka\'ctul■ Stony Point Center . Stony Point, NY 10980 (914) 786-5674 ROBIN TYLER PRODUCTIONS presents LUXURY, ELEGANCE & ROMANCE ON 11IB HIGH SEAS! 11IB FIRST 7-NIGHT WOMEN'S THANKSGIVING CRUISE TO 11IB MEXICAN RIVIERA! Saturday, November 17th to Saturday, November 2~th, 1990 from $795.00 to $1595.00 • $250 deposit will hold your place (Check or M.O.- MasterCard or Visa accepted for balance after deposit) Call or Write NOW! Space is Limited FROM SAN DIEGO, CA to CABO SAN LUCAS0PIJERTO VALLARTA & MAZATtAN Join 800 woman from all over tha world on a beautiful first class ship sailing toward exotic destinations. SPECIAL DISCOUNT AIRFARES AVAJIABLE • PRE & POST CRUISE DISCOUNT HOTEL RATES For rese,vations or additional information or to receive COLOR BROCHURE write ROBIN TYLER PROC>UCTIONS, 15842 Chase St., Sepulveda, CA 91343 or call 1-818-893-4075 9am-5pm (Pacific Ti_me) Mon.-F.ri. or Fax: 1-818-893-1593. No .vember/December 1989 DJ Closer Look Prayer Is The Strategy For 'Spiritual Warfare' By Rev. Samuel Kade& . Contributing Writer For centuries, Gay -men and Lesbians have been denied access to the good .news of the gospel. Yet in our generation, God has raised up a faithful few who have diligently studied the scriptures to both show themselves approved unto God, and who searched the scriptures daily . to see whether these things were so. Over the last few decades, the Gay and Lesbian community has come to a new understanding of what it is to be gay and Christian; two very compatible states. We nave been led by the Spirit of God _to a revelation of what it means to be a eunuch, a foreigner, a strang~r to the established faith community as recorded in Isaiah 56. Those eunuchs (those whose sexuality or orientation was outside the heterosexual family model) are not cut off from God. But to those who · will take hold of God's covenant, God will give a name to them that is better than that of sons and daughters (the traditional heterosexual faith community). (see Is. 56:4-5) To have a name better than that of sons and daughters d_oes not give us license to be boastful , proud or arrogant. Instead it calls us to even Did you receiv~ copy of TSS through a city promotion? :~~~~"o~t;ri~;,i :rc~inon you may have received through special one•time-only promotions in your area. Subscribe NOW to continue receiving THE SECOND STONE. We'fl keep you up to date on· important news and issues ... and we'll · keep you thinking and exploring through our features and columns. Fill out and mail the subscriber form in this issue! ts This Your Last Issue? Renew NOW ii lhe expiration date on . your address lallet is 1"2/89 Ill greater responsibility. Philippians 3:2 in the KJV says "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of concision ." The word concision in Greekis katatome. It means .false circumcision as opposed to true circumcision. It means mutilators, and a cutting away ._ Concision is where we get the word concise: to shorten, or cut away whaf is percieved to be extraneous. There are people within Christendom who are of the concision, They will accept us as Christians under the conditions which cut away our core personality. We've met these mutilators, we've debated these mutilators. Sometimes we've even lived with these ·mutilators. Scripture says to beware of them. But if we've been given a name better than that, better things are expected of us. We are not called to fight fire with fire. We are called to get wisdom, and in our getting to get understanding. Many times, those of the concision are well meaning but misinformed. It is by lack of knowledg~ that people are destroyed. They perpetuate their perceptions of Scripture as truth, and no one is set free. More are brought under the bondage of guilt and self hatred. The Christian Gay and Lesbian community finds itself having to tear down years of damage before a new foundation can be laid and a bridge built between the Savior and the lost. In order to witness to the love of God toward us as sinners, to our sisters and brothers, we have . . to do spiritual warfare on their behalf. Otherwise they hear but do not understand; they see but do not perceive . What do we do to win the lost for Jesus Christ? What is our responsibility as servants of the Most High God? A major step in getting wisdom is _to understand Ephesians 6:12. We must realize we are not fighting flesh and blood. We are not doing battle for Gay /Lesbian lives by fighting other people. Those of the concision are people who .pre misguided. They've been brought into subjection by a lie , perpetuated by the originator of the lie, Satan himself. We do not war against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the (spiritual) darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Our responsibility begins in prayer. We do battle through prayer. What do we pray? The question was once asked Jesus by His disciples. The GENERAL ASSEMBLY, From Page 1 buttons. The buttons feature the group's logo which is the Church's symbol superimposed over a pink triangle. Adjacent to the Alliance's booth was a booth sponsored by Open and Affirming Congregations of the denomination. These congre gations have publicly declared their acceptance of Gays anq Lesbians as · full participating members of the Church. Other activities of the Alliance which were sanctioned and scheduled by the General Office of the Church included an Interact Group on Open and Affirming Congregations and an Aftersession which celebrated the . founding of the Alliance. Alliance members conducted an AIDS Prayer and Memorial Service in the General Assembly Chapel. In addition, an Ad Hoc Choir of the Alliance members and th~ir friends sang in the lobby of the Convention Center at the close of afternoon business sessions and members carried a pink triangle banner in an Assembly parade through downtown Indianapolis. Another banner which was loaned to the Alliance by the United Church Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Concerns and declaring "The body of Christ is living with AIDS" was also displayed during the parade. The ·group also hosted a hospitality suite at a nearby hotel and sponsored THE SECOND STONE answer was "Let God ' s kingdom corne, and God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven." We pray therefo 1:,e, that God's will, the same will being done in heaven, become manifest in the Gay /Lesbian community. That the kingdom of God) which is in yo u, come in the Ii ves of others, as they recieve Jesus personally themselves. We pray that God's kingdom . come in them, in their . hearts, and that blinders to that good news be .removed. We pray also whatMatthew 9:38 states. Asking that God will send forth labor ers, including me, into the Gay/Lesbian community. · Send forth laborers, including me, for how can they believe if they 've never heard. How can they hear unless someone tells them the good news of Jesus, and how can someone . tell, unless they are sent? Send ' forth, Lord! Pray Colossians 4:3; that God . would open doors to the ministry of the Word. Pray also for the church at large. Pray that the ey es of the church will be opened to the truth of the Word. (Ephesians 1:17-23) Because Jesus uses the Word of God to wash His church, to cleanse it and make it a bride without spot or wrinkle. an informal dinner at a ·1ocal gay restaurant. Delegates to the General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution committing the Church and its members to treat persons with AIDS and ·ARC as the children of God and to "act as instrumen .ts of God 's compassionate love and tender care where the seeds of fear, prejudice and alienation have been sown." The delegates also. approved by a lesser margin a resolution calling for an ecumenical partnership with the United Church of Christ · which ordains openly lesbian and gay clergy. During debate on the resolution, ·some delegatesvoiced opposition to the [J Currently, the rift between churches · of traditional mores, and those who have been given a better name, is a very large . wrinkle indeed! This is not acceptable. But the wrinkle will not disappear by badgering traditional churches . Strife breeds more strife. It will be removed by prayer, fasting and showing love . Pray for the church at large, and show forth love, but do battle with the real enemy on the spiritual front. Jesus has given to us the ministry of reconciliation, and a name better than that of sons and daughters. By God's grace and powel" let's run the race . set before us. Victory is assured ·in the end. God bless you! . Rev. Samuel Kader is cppastor and co-founder of Commu11.ity Gospel Church in Dayton, Ohio. He is also on the governing Board of Elders of Community Gospel Fellowship. Rev. Kader also has pastored Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) Melbourne, Australia; MCC Dayt on Parish, Dayton, Ohio; and was the founding pastor of Reconciliation MCC in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Ple has been active in Gay rights , and a spokesperson for the Gay/Lesbian community since 1975. resolution because of the United Church's ordination policy. With headfiuarters . in Indianapolis, tne Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has over one million members in approximately 4200 congregations throughout the United States and Canada. Over 8700 voting and hon-voting delegates participated in · the General Assembly. The 1990 retreat of GLAD Alliance will be in Kansas City from October 5 through October 8. · Persons interested in more information about the organization may wrti~ · to P.O . Box 19223, Indianapolis, IN 46219-0223. Families The Fine Line Between Faith And Presumption ·,was A Promise From · God Broken? ~By Rev. Sylvia Pennini:ton i Colum7:isl_ , Lilia and her brother Ray were always very close, although as , adults she lived in Oregon and he lived in Texas. They were also both i gay, and both Christians. Only two ' years ~eparated them in age. · · In July, 1987, Ray called Lilia to tell her -what family and friends of Gay f men most dread to hear - he had '.AIDS. She tried to be strong and r reassuring to him on the phone and as '.,~oon as she hung up, she let all of her I emotions, shock, disbelief, fear, pain, 1 and grief surface. . As Lilia puts it, pme "fell apart" and was unable to f work the rest of the day and the next. Twenty-two months later, Ray died. · You niay not like or agree with my , Christian perspectives at this time, 1 but _ I think the things we say to PWA family-members needs to be thought ! through and handled carefully. • No one going through the death and i dying of a beloved friend or · relative ; has an easy time, but, as so often f happens, situations involving horriolsexuals have added stress and ' heartaches, . Lilia had a prayerful day after IR.ay's phone call. She turned to the ' Holy Spirit -as her comforter and teacher. She searched Scripture for a f word from God. In the third chapter ,of Acts Lilia read about the man, '.crippled from birth, who sat at the gate beautiful at Solomon's Temple, ' begging alms. Two of the disciples : reached out to him and the -crippled -man rose up and walked. As Lilia 1 read about this she began to wonder if (the scripture was a promise to her that God would heal her brother. ISoon she began to think it was and 1held fast to ''God's promise." I During the long months that 1followed, Lilia's heart broke time ;a11d again as she shared her brother's ;stress. Shortly after Ray's diagnosis i his lover of several years left. He ,couldn't deal with the AIDS r situation. Ray seriously contem: plated suicide. With his lover gone, Lilia became Ray's confidant. Lilia's . treks to Texas began. . Ray worked at the Post Office and · due to losing some sick time, he told his supervisor that he had AIDS. The pressure was on. Despite some r who were sympathetic, most of his : fellow workers did not like being around an AIDS person. Their mistreatment became so bad that Ray : finally relented and agreed to go for medical retirement, although : premature . In August of 1987, Ray applied for disability and was denied. The reason given was that he could still do ·some kind of work. In between bouts of illness, he started to pick up dishwashing jobs. His savings dwindled away and Lilia helped whenever she could . She sensed a grov.ring anger over the injustices he suffered. His illness progressed , but the disability he was denied in August, 1987 was not granted to him until April of this year - six weeks before he died. There were no family support groups in Ray's area and Lilia had no one to talk to or with whom she could work through her raging emotions. Ray 's hospital times were among Lilia's hardest spots. Some of the staff were distant and obviously upset about handling an AIDS person. They double-gloved, masked, and touched him hesitantly as though he was poisonous, a modem untouchable. Lilia would get very angry and sometimes felt as though she wanted to smash the nurses. In March; 1989, Lilia and a very emaciated Ray att.ended a three day Christian retreat in Oregon. There was a great moving of the · Holy Spirit as the people gathered together in prayer, praise and worship. Ray became a central focus of prayer. Among the retreat group, most believed in faith-healing. Ray was anointed with oil and prayed for with the laying on of hands. There was a great deal of reassurance lo Lilia to accept Ray's healing by faith. At the close of the retreat, a tearful, joyful Lilia "testified" to Ray's healing. God had done it. Her brother would live. Everyone seemed to rejoice with her. I sat and cringed. I don't doubt that God can and does miraculously heal some people, but in my own earlier Christian years with the Assembly of God and Foursquare Churches, I went through a great deal of searching on the healing issue, for, if I was to be.honest, I saw very few miracles of physical healing during a fifteen year period of seeing so many prayers and so many promises of God's healing . - and seeing also that most people still died of their ailments. I just wanted to know the truth. My love for the Lord was not based on miracles, healing or prosperity. I can 't say that I have a real understanding of illness, pain or suffering in our world. ·r just know they exist and my God is sovereign . It is still God's world. I know our God never leaves ·.or forsakes us, and is with us in every circumstance and situation; always there to comfort and assure us. Through modern science and technology many more people are healed today than ever before in history. Through our medical progress, whole illnesses can · be healed, as in plagues, smallpox, diptheria and someday soon, we hope, AIDS. Meanwhile we can depend on emotional and spiritual healing, just as Ray was definitely touched during our retreat. I, for one, . have learned to seek God's will for a person's life . Unless we believe that the Lord has revealed a miracle to us, we must be careful not to hold forth positive words of God's healing for an individual. After the retreat, Ray's condition became worse. He was paralyzed, but Lilia still held on the the certainty of Ray's healing . It was shocking to her when an Episcopal priest visited Ray in the hospital and Ray, seeming quite at peace , told the priest what order of service he wanted at his funeral. Lilia's grief at Ray's death was greatly compounded as she not only suffered her ioss of Ray - she also · suffered the temporary loss of God as she felt God had not kept His promise to her, and she turned away. Her loss in the months to come was Ex-Gays? There Are None Lambda Christian Fellowship is pleased to announce a new book . by Rev. Sylvia Pennington - an examination of ex-gay ministries - what they do - what they don't do. You'll meet people who, only through God's grace, have survived and stopped trying to be ex-gays, because, in truth, there is no such thing as an ex-gay ,:erson. Now Available From Lambda Christian Fellowship .r. 0, Box 1967 Hawthorne, CA 90250 $15.00 plus $1.50 for postage and handling. California residents add 6% sales lax: November /December 1989 □ unbearable. Thankfully, Lilia has been able to sort out her confusion. There is a very fine line between faith and presumption . In our community today we're faced with, on one hand, offering hope and assurance to AIDS people and, on the other hand, helping people deal with the reality of death and dying . There are no pat answers, just a hope · that each of us will prayerfully and carefully interact with the families of AIDS people. ARE YOU MOVING? The Post Office will not forward The Second Stone. You must notify us for uninterrupted service if you move. Please notify us_ four weeks in advanc_e for uninterrupted delivery. Send both old and new addresses. If possible attach mailing label in space provided. PRINT NEW ADDRESS N u 0 ~ . Send completed form to· THE SECOND STONE Box8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 II AT LAST. ·A MONTHLY.TRAVEL MAGAZINE THAT TELLS YOU ABOUTRAVEL Discover .... OUR WORLD Gay Travel Magazine MEMBER [G]I\ 1 Year Subscription __ _ ....... . TIU,~.Miccu.- , only$44 We've finally come out! We're the Monthly International Gay Travel Magazine. Month by month, we invite you to visit with us and discover an exciting world available to gay men and lesbian travelers. Enjoy color photos of a romantic hotel in Spain, a rustic resort in California, a trendy hotel on the English Riviera, an elegant Victorian mansion in San Francisco, a magnificent French chateau, and more! Investigate gourmet restaurants, intimate bars and glittering nightspots. Acquire first hand knowledge, travel tips, and up to date information from gay travel agents, and tour operators . .You get all this at the special subscriber rate of only $44 for one lull year (12 issues). That's a saving of 25% off the newsstand price. Act now! Discover OUR WORLD today! MAIL TO: OUR WORLD PUBLISHING, 1104 North Nova Road, Suite 251 Daytona Beach, Florida 32117 USA (904) 441-5367 0 Yes! Please start my subscription for 1 year (12 issues}. i have enclosed my check or money order for $44. (U.S.A.) Sample copy $4.95. Canada, Mexico, Overseas (surtace) • US $52 Europe (airmail) • US $70 Pacific (airmail) US $80 . First issue mails in 4-6 weeks in plain sealed envelope. Our subscnber list is kept confidential. (please print) Name ______________ ~--. c-:---- - - -,-- - Address, __________________ - ____ _ _ -------------------,-cc ·-' Code ______ _ Country ________________ ~--------- Travel □ "Gay Twenties" Mighty Wurlitzer Finds New Home At B & B One of the Mighty Wurlitzer Organs of the 1920's, constructed for the movie palaces arid · the world of silent movi es, has found a new home at a popular Bed & Breakfast. The one -of -a-kin d organ console in the 'Italian Renaissa nce' · sty le, (out of about 4000 built by the Wurlitzer company) was con stru cted for the Wurlitzer promotional material s and was orig inally insta lled in 1928 in the Portland Para mount Theatre in Portland, Oregon. In 1978, the organ was fully restored, combined and enlarged with additional pipes from the Liberty Theatre organ in Portland, and . install e d in a res taurant in Denver, Colorado. At that time ; the organ was the largest theatre organ in the world, boasting 3000 pipes as well as many drums, harps marimbas and even a piano. In 1988, Pikes Peak Paradise Bed & Breakfast , owned by Martin Meier and Tim Stoddard, purchased the instrument ·and have proceeded with plans to install the organ in their Bed &· Breakfast home, located near Pikes Peak in the Rockies west of Colorado . Springs . They are a Christian couple who also own and operate a national mailorder .book service which specializes in materials for Gay Christian people. Pikes Peak Paradise welcomes Gay and Lesbian · guests . Furthur information can be obtained by calling 1-800c 728-8282. CLASSIFIED First Ten Words FREE! I - Business or personal - The Second Stone classifieds really work! Please see the order form on the classified page. Each additional word, 35¢. 20 word minimum. Offer expires 12/1/89. THE SECOND STONE Travel New York City Pilgrimage By Cynthia A. Marquard ind Danni Munson :ontributing Writers The Big Apple is an exciting place to . •isit at any time, but it is doubly so now ts the year of the 20th anniversary of the ,tonewall R iots winds down. The Actual Place, like so many other >laces of momentous historical sig tificance, is not nearly as grand as some >f us may have conjured it to be in our maginations. Christopher St. at the site >f the former Stonewall Inn runs along a iny wedge of · tree-filled park called ,heridan Square, where - one can stand tuietly and contemplate the events of that atefu] night in June I 969 that sparked the nodem Gay/LeSbian rights movement. It vas here that the Gays gathered and began o fight back after the police raided the bar. The city has just renamed that block of :hristopher St. "Stonewall Place" in tonor of the event. Outside the actual site ,angs a ·1arge black sign with the word Stonewall" in white vertical letters. But he building · now houses a Chinese estaurant. We . could not help thinking ,ow appropriate it. might be for the ,uilding to someday house a gay/lesbian nuseum. ·, A new museum did, in fact, open ece1'iiiy in New York City, and laid claim ~ being the first museum in the United :tates devoted to gay/lesbian history. It ontaiils books, periodicals, and memoabilia, and is housed in the Lesbian and ,ay Community Center at 208 W . 13th :t. The Center itself is a major focal point or New York's gay/lesbian culture. It . osted an impressive ·art show in elebration of Stonewall 20. It's worth - 1hile stopping in to see what's going on. Another place worth stopping in is, of ourse, the Metropolitan Museum of Art -rr Fifth Ave . Plan to spend the better -art of a day browsing through its ollections, representing art froin 5,000 ears ago to the present, displayed in an rea equivalent to four city blocks. The rnseum store also has posters and other terns that make great souvenirs of your ·isit. .. Afterward, if the weather is good, take a troll through the adjoining Cel)tral Park, , huge area oftree-li _ned paths, grassy open reas, and a Jake in the heart of Manhattan. le aware that the paths twist and wind hrough the park, and it's fairly easy to ose your way . Also, after dark, the park s not particularly safe for anyone--gay or . traight. If you are into -modem art, New York :ity has some of the best collections in he world housed in the Museum of .fodem Art on west 53rd St, the Whitney ,rr Madison Ave ., and the Guggenheim on ~ifth Ave. . New York Cit/has rich offerings of To Stonewall music, from the New York Philharmonic · and the Metropolitan Opera, to the excellent Gay Men's Chorus. The-chorus performs during Gay/Lesbian Pride week and at several other times during the year . Theater, however, is what many people go to New York for . Broadway plays are often the main attraction. Seats are pricey, though, so if you don't have a burning interest in a particular play or musical, try standing in line at Hot Tix. Here you can get substantial discounts on performances that have seats available for that night. There is quite a bit of gay/lesbian theater -in New York, also. WOW Cafe features lesbian skits. For a listing of plays with gay or lesbian themes, pick up copies of New York's gay/lesbian news publications . Unlike papers in other cities, they are not · free. You may purchase the New York Native for $2.00 or the new weekly magazine Out Week, for $1.50, at A Different Light bookstore on Hudson St. in Greenwich Village. New York offers a well rounded menu of community activities, including religious services. There are two chapters of Dignity . Dignity/Big Apple has services at the Lesbian & Gay Community Center on Saturday nights; Dignity/New York, at St. John's in the Village on Sunday night . The Metropolitan Community Chur f ~ _meets at 7:00 p.m. Sunday evening, and the Jewish Congregation Beth Simchat Torah at 8:30 p.m . Friday nights. If you'd like more information about community events going on during your visit, call The Center at 212-620-7310. To get your bearings in this big city, we recommend a guided sightseeing tour . An _organized bus tour is good for giving first-time visitors a quick overview of New York. There are also harbor tours that take you around the Hudson and East rivers. Or , you can take a ferry over to Sta ten Island on your own. Don't .forget to pay the recently renovated Statue of Liberty a visit, and take time to see the Immigration Museum on Ellis Island. If you like to shop, New York is the place. All the fabulous and fabled designers are on sale here at the legendary stores. Drop by Bloomingdale's, Bergdorf Goodman, and take a tum around the shops in Trump Tower. The center of New York City's gay/lesbian scene is in two neighborhoods, Chelsea and Greenwich Village . Most of the city's gay restaurants and nightspots are located here . . There are many cozy restaurants down in the village--little places where you can stop in and be surprised-sand delighted--by the excellent food. Almost any restaurant in the _ are.a . is a place where Gays and Lesbians can feel comfortable. But there are some particular favorites among those that cater mainly to a non-straight crowd. A Stray Cafe in the Village is a romantic, intimate place to take a special someone or to celebrate an anniversary. One of the livliest restaurants is Claire, between 19th and 20th on 7th Ave. This place is best described as very "Key West," with conch shells in the window, a green and salmon-pink decor, and baskets of fresh flowers everywhere . The menu features at lea~ half a dozen fresh fish entrees. Another, more casual spot, is the Paris Commune, which one wag describes as being done up in early Marxist decor: bare · brick walls and hanging lights with green metal shades. The food and service, however, is anything but proletarian. Dinner is -served beginn~ng at six. Like. much of the city's gay/lesbian life; New York's four gay guesthouses are clustered in the Chelsea-Village area. All are convenient to nightspots and restaurants and all cater to both men and women. At the northern edge of Chelsea is Colonial House, 318 W. 22nd St. It is a 19th century row house on a qμiet treelined street. Most of the rooms are small and share a bath. With rates beginning at $50 as of mid-1989, it represents a real accommodations bargain for New York City. Chelsea Pines at 317 W. 14th St. is located in a busier area, but is · very convenient to public transportation . Most rooms have shared bath and some have airconditioning. Like Colonial House, it is clean and simply furnished and will appeal to budget -minded travelers . Chelsea Muse, the newest guesthouse, is an 1840s townhouse still under renovation, Antiques and period furn iture give this guesthouse a feeling of Old New York. The most upscale of the guesthouses is Incentra Village House at 32 8th Ave., right in the heart of the Village. First built in 1841, it has been lovin~ly EL MIRASOL VILLAS A Prfrate Resort Jlotel Discover !!!!I magic ... ••• 14·hy so many of our guf'sts uturn yrn r ofter Jeor. , ·.,.uo r "'Tlte forour-.pech•I -.:i-.:cullon pm .. ·ka~t- 1800 } ~\2 7-2 98 5 525 Wann Sands Drive Palm Springs, CA 92264 (619) 327-5913 In CA (Color Bro<luu-r ,.po,. nquul ) N ove-mber / :December . 1989 □ restored by the present owner. The sitting room has a grand piano, the guest rooms all have private bath, air conditioning, and all but one has a working fireplace. Rates are in the $100.00 per night range. Women who want a safe arid homey room can find one at a bed and breakfast apartment in the East Village . A room for single or double rental is available in a sunny book-lined and plant-filled apartment. Call: 212-598-4174 . Of course, there are many fine hotels on the· upper East side near Central Park. One of the newest and finest is The Peninsula, a completely redone old hotel. Rates begin at about $250 per night. The opportunity for adventure and enjoyment are only limited by the imagination. New York City is just as mythical and alluring for Gays and Lesbians as it is for any other segment of the population. Cynthia A. Marquard is the owner/ manager of Envoy Travel, Inc., in Chicago and vice-president of the International Gay Travel Assn. Danni Munso_n is the editor of Gay/Lesbian Events of 1989. J.:i,;, ·, ~·-i··, !~;~,.:~~ '\7'- ~;:-~-~~) .. ·-{J ' ', ~ ;, . ·nJand§ C/nn . A Gay Country Inn .. , On lOObeautifullCrCSwith DOOi, hex tub, skiing and more. Innkeepers Judilh Hall and Grace Newman iuvitc you to write or call for a ~hurc . P. 0. Box 118 SL . Bethlehem, NH 03574 (603)" 869-3978 "the "other" place under the . sun ... :t~~ft ::.~~~ ~JC~:ch •Pool & cozy Jacu:ul •Fr« continenta l b r eakrast Write or call for brochure. 120 E. Atol St., P. 0. Box 2326 South Padre Island, Texas 78597 . (512)761-LYLE Air connections via American Continental- Soutbwe.st II Videos · Ill Emmy Awarded To Independent Film About AIDS Living With AIDS, a film documenting a community's compassionate support for a 22 year-old man before his AIDS related death, was awarded an Emmy for Outstanding News and Documentary - Program Achievement by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Produced and directed by Tina DeFeiician 'tohio, the film made its broadcast premiere last summer on "P.O.V.", the acclaimed series of non-fiction independent films on public television. his lover and others close to Todd reveal emotional and practical implications of a man's final weeks of life. As the film concludes with a moving candlelight memorial for the thousands of people who have died oLAIDS we hear .Todd's words, "Just don't tum away from us." "P.O.V ." executive producer Marc N. Weiss applauded the TV Academy's recognition of Living With AIDS. "This award under , scores our belief that the media musi vigilantly keep the AIDS crisis in the public eye," he said, "whether it's a report on the need for decent health care and human services or a personal story of courage and struggle. · Living With AIDS is a shining example of one filmmaker's effort to fulfill that critical responsibility. We're very proud that we were able 'to premiere the film on 'P.O.V ."' Living With AIDS tells the story of Todd Coleman, a young San Francisco resident afflicted with Karposi's Sarcoma . As his illness progresses, a team of committed individuals come to his aid. _An experienced . nurse supervises his home .care program. A lawyer/volunteer does his wash and household chores. A masseur offers his expertise and declares that this experience has taught him about unconditional love. Interviews .with TELEVISION TRIBUTE - LiviNG WITH AIDS, a moving film about a community that cares for a gay man dying of AIDS, was awarded a National Emmy for Program OiFelicianto11io made the film while still a student at Stanford University. It wort both the Student Oscar and the Student Emmy and has been praised widely by film critics and AIDS experts alike. Living With AIDS is available for rental or purchase from Carle Medical Communications, 110 . West Main Street, Urbana, IL 61801, (217)384-4838. Achievement. · WHAT'S THE BEST Men's magazine the one that deals most honestly with how men relate -to each other, to women, and to kids; the one that's gay-affirmative and opposes sex-role · stereotypes, ... the one that movingly explores men's hurts and joys ... . ON: 1 If you change your mind, just write us I We'll refund the subscription price 1 -- Enclosed:_ S16 I -- - -- - - - -- - - I I ______ __ ____ _ State _ Zip _ _ I l Moll 10: Chan in Men 306 N . Brooks 305A Madison WI 5 7 I --------~--------------- United Church Coalition _Has National Gathering The ninth National Gathering of the United Church Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns (UCCL/GC) was held in Fort Worth, Texas, on the · campus of Texas Christian University. The UCCL/GC has been an officially recognized special interest group of the 1.7 .million member United Church of Christ (UCC) since 1973. It was founded in 1972 by the Rev. Dr. Bill Johnson . Approximately 55 participants attended the Texas gathering. Activities included worship/Bible study on themes of vulnerability, fear, anger, and affirmation, small group discussions, business sessions, social time, and strategizing for General Synod. General Synod, the UCC's representative, deliberative body, meets biennially . · UCCL/GC members worked at General Synod to press the larger church toward full human rights for gay, lesbian and bisexual persons. UCCL/GC was part of a public witness against Texas sodomy laws. Outgoing UCC president Dr. Avery Post was a' speaker at the protest along with Rev. Dr. Yvonne Delk of the Office for Church in Society, Charlotte Taft of the Texas Human Rights Foundation, John Towery, moderator, , South Central Conference, UCC, Frank Deitz of the Texas Conference . of Churches, and Sam Loliger, ,on e of UCCL/GC's two national coordinators. Rev. Jan Griesinger, the other UCCL/GC national coordinator led those gathered in singing Holly Near's "We Are Gentle, Angry People." UCCL/GC members were also ,;J.ctive in urging the UCC to maintain or increase funding for AIDS ministries, displaying _ a large banner in the arena where worship services were held which read "The Body of Christ is_ Living with AIDS." Rev . Dr . Eleanor Morrison was th e keynote speaker at the UCCL/GC banquet, which was attended by 175 people. Certificates were given to new Open and Affirm ing churches, . arid it was announced that the goal of 30 Open and Affirming churches by General Synod 17 had been surpassed. Open and ' Affirming churches are those UCC congregations which welcome gay, lesbian and bisexual people into full life leadership, and employment. · P lans for the tenth National Gathering in the surr1mer of 1990 are underway. For information, write to Rev. Griesinger at the UCCL/GC national office, 18 N. College St., Athens, OH 45701 or call (716)836-7503. II THE SECOND STONE Making Other Plans The Class On · Human Sexuality By David Doorley Columnist That night the class in human sexuality had one addition: Kurt the token Gay man. He had agreed to sp .eak at a university's training program for counselors . on how Gay peop le adjust to society's oppression. He had rehearsed his speech and expected an intellectual discussion afterwa rd with 30 graduate students who were (or who intend to become) counse lors and th erapists. Before his talk, while the class watched an educational film on a gay relationship, Kurt read last week's homework assignment, the students' attitudes .on homosexuality. Here are some of their responses: ·· "I generally view hom osexua lity as something ·n ega tive. I really do not believe it is just another · choice, but an aberration of nature." "Ho mo sexuality is an alternative lifestyle that I do no.t condone. I can accept it, but I do not like it . I do not think this is a practice that is morally right." . "I beli eve it is somebody's own personal sexual _ choice, and I respect that choice. What I d,,o not like are the people who flaunt their homosexuali ty in public . · For examp le, when their mannerism or speaking are exaggerated or when they discuss their sex - lives. This type of beh avior completely turns me o'ff." "I would be disappointed if one of my childt'.en were gay. I view homosexuality as an affliction, rather like alcoholism:" what context it's in if there's a sentence that says , 'I think homosexuality is sick."' Kurt is a nuclear engine er and a friend of mine. I have never seen him lose his temper or even get irritated. Usually he deliberates before he speaks. That night, visib ly shaken, he began to shout. How could they presum e to couns el a gay client? The _ cla ss counterattacked. Why was he angry, defensive, threatened, uncomfortable, "prejud ic ed against heterosexuals? " If any students agreed with Kurt, they rem<!ined s ilent . Many were frowning: The consensus seemed to be: we don't care what you do, just don't expect us to condone it . "Here I am just trying to l ive my life," Kurt says. "I go · in front of this class, and I feel I'm trying to justi fy my exis ten ce. I expec ted therapists to be open-minded . Inst ea d I have to convince them it's okay for me to be alive because I'm gay." · Later, many students said Kurt's anger got in the way of his presentation. Perhaps. The planned exchange of ideas was detonated by his onslaught of pent-up frustration. Kurt now admits that anger doesn't really teach ·anyone anything . . Besides, how much can be accomplished in a two hour class? "They understood whe re -my anger was coming from, but I don't think that anger will help any of them change," Kurt says. Maybe the one who learned the most that evening was Kurt. And the next time he speaks to a class o n human sexua lity -- and there will be a next time -- he will not be so naive to think that counsel ors and therapists are more en light ened . t~an , the rest of the population . The next time Kurt speaks to them, he wants more than tolerance, more than shall ow understandfng and glib responses, mor e than th e silent accep tance of the few . He will ask for more. To achieve that, he will struggle to maintain his c_omposure, believing that more students will u_nderstahd him when they are not forced to defend themselves. The nest time Kurt speaks to a class on human sexuality, he will talk to them personally. He will tell them about the gay bashings he and his friends have endured, about ho w it Classifieds Notice: Prison Correspondence READERS ARE CAUTIONED to follow these guidelines in corresponding with inmates: Do . not send checks or money orders through the mail to inmates. -Do not cash checks. or money orders from inmates. Persons cashi_ng altered money orders are personally responsible for the · difference between the issue amount and the altered amount. Do not reveal personal or confidential information that would be harmful . to you if passed along to your employer, family, etc., or may otherwise be used in ~xtortion. Books & Publications 20% OFF All BOOKS!!! No matter where you find them lfsted or catalogued, we offer 20% DISCOUNT on all Gay/Lesbian titles and authors when you order by mail from LAMBDA_ PASSAGES BOOKSTORE, 7545 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL 33138 (305)754-6900. Please add $2.00 S/H first book, and 50 cents each additional. Florida residents please include 6% sales tax to total order. For complete catalogue, please send $2.00 12/89 Join the nation's ONLY Lesbian and Gay BOOK CLUB. No membership fees. No m_inimum purchases. Send for FREE catalog: □ fe~ls not to be able to show affection for his lover in public, a·bout hidin g his sexuality for fear of losing his job, about his family's negative reactions when he came out. Maybe the class will understand. One therapist wrote this in the following week's assignment: ''Having Kurt speak in class was interesting; however, it struck me as being societally unfair tha t we have to have homosexuals speak about their particular lifestyle. We never invite heterosexuals to specifically speak about their sexual preference." Somebody has to talk to the class on human sexuality. □ LIBERATION BOOK CLUB, P.O. Box 453, Dept 2, South Norwalk, CT .06\356 2/91 CHRISTIAN'NEW AGE QUARTERL y explores the issues arising between Christians and New Agers with authentic information, forthright honesty and, yes, real appreciation for both sides. Penetrating, yet fun, our features . and columns forge a bridge for genuine dialogue. Subs: $9.50/yr. Sample; $2.50. CHRISTIAN'NEW AGE QUAR· TERLY, P. 0. Box 276, Clifton, NJ 07011-0276. TF . Friends/Relationships LONELY 27 yr. old GBM, believer in God, seeks friends for inspirational purposes. A very rare prisoner, confinecj to a cell 23 hours daily, with limited outside communications. Eric. White #93484, La. State Prison, Camp J, Angola, LA 70712 12/89 . General Interest PLEASE, CHRISTIAN Graduate Student needs financial help. Thanks for any help. A. Shirley, Rt. 2, Box 177, Terry MS 39170. 12/89 . Kurt was stu nned , and he was even more disturbed by the comments after the film. Most of the graduate students claim ed to have a liberal atti tude. "I basically don't have any trouble with homosexuality," .the majo rity of them sa id. Classified Order Form Please pla ce my ad in these issues: [] Jan/Feb [] Mar/Apr [] May/Jun [] Jul/Aug [ ] Sept/Oct [ ] Nov/Dec Something in Kurt snapped . Here was a group of professionals trained f6 help others. They said th ey had a positive attitude toward homosexua ls, but what .they wro te seemed to Kurt be lie myths, stereotypes, and hatred. · · Out o f the ,_;ind ow went the prepared philosophical discussion, followed by Kurt's calm demeanor. As . h_e began to re ad aloud the excerpts from th eir papers, the color in his face mounted and his vo ice gi;rew louder. The class became def ens ive. He had taken their comments out of context, tl1ey insisted. He wasn't being fair. He snapped, "It doesn't matter FOR ONLY 35 CENTS PER WORD, your ad can appear in the next edition of THE SECOND STONE. Take advantage of our low cost (bu t high profile) classified section by placing your advertising order today! Mail To: THE SECOND STONE P. O.Box 8340 New Orleans, IA 70182 Name ___________ __ ___________ _ Address __________ _ City/St./Zip ________ _ AD COPY ____ ____ _ -------------------- __ words _X .35= $ __ ~-- 20 word minimum. NI classifieds must be pre-paid . Deadline one mon th prior to cover date. We will mail you a copy of the edition(s) in which your ad appears November/December 1989 CLASSIFICATIONS [ J Books & . Publications [ l Business Opportunities [ ] Employment [ l Friends/Relationships [ l General Interest [ l Mail Order [] Merc h andise [ l Organizations [ l Professional Services [ l Real Estate [] Retreats [ ] Roommates [ ]Travel Parting Thought . , □ Pool Party By Dr. Martin Fowler Contributing Writer what was really nee9ed. When people get walked on and taken for granted, we call them doormats. We criticize people for treating others that way, but we also criticize "doormats" for lacking self-respect. Thus ; as Gay men and Lesbians, we're both ·resentful and a bit ashamed of being trested as though we don't exist. It seems we're acknowledged ·only when someone is trying to step on us . We ar~ then told that we should "tun~ the other cheek", but does Jesus rtaily expect us to submit to abuse and indignities without protest? Jesus asked the invalid with his mat, who had been waiting 38 years for a miracle . cure from the pool of Bethesda, whether he wanted to get well.(!) In n;sponse, the man protested about the abuses he had endured: "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. Whil e I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." (John 5:Z) Jesus told him to rise, pick up his mat, and walk. Cured in that moment, the man did walk and told others about it. The gay Christian handicapped by years of oppression, like the invalid living for that magic dip in the pool, supposes tha ·t when he or she can finally splash in full acceptance, opression will be cured (the "ex-gay" pool being no real option) ... if only those bigots would get out of the way! It is as, though Dignity, Integri ty, Affirmation and the other gay religious organizations were planning one perfectly acceptable pool party for completely accepting and totally accepted Gays . Yet begging for acceptanc e still sounds pathetic . Offering acceptanc e sounds .presumptious and patronizing. Church people earnestly determined to · accepi or to be accepted try to do what's right, . but wind up like disappointed siblings on Christmas morning . No one has given or gotten But while we wait -in need for that miracle dip, Jesus offers us the right gift with a question: "Do you want to get well?", meaning not "Do you want to be straight?", or "Do you want to be ac.:epted?", but rather, "Do you want to be restored to what you were meant to be. befor e you suffered abuse and indignities?" Some of us can't even imagine what that would .be. Yet we must find enoughJaith to say "Yes!" - and then tell others about it. Martin Fowler is a member of the Dallas-Ft. Worth Chapter of Evarig elicals Concerned, He earned his doctorate in philosophy· at the State University of New York. CONFERENCE,From Page 1 planners expect more than 5000 Lesbians to converge ol} that southeastern metropolis for workshops and plenary sessions as well as other related events which may occur concurrently, such as a business and trad e exposition or a national lesbian softbail tournament. The meeting in Portland was the s e cond · such s trategy session, follo w ing a first national meeting which w as held in Durham, North Carolina on the campus of Duke Uni versit y last spring. The Durham gathering resulted from nearl y a year o f smaller regional meetings where Lesbians concerned about th e lack of a . focused national agenda initiated the conc e pt· of a national conference. A third meeting will converte in Kansas City, Missouri from April 27 to 29, 1990, exactly one year before the conference itself . The dat e of the conference is set in 1991 in order to allow for ma ximum accessibility for all Lesbians. Modifications to sit ~s in Atlanta to create _equal access for Lesbians with disabiliti es will require time to work out. Fund r aising activities by both the national planning body and b)' regional organ izations need time to ·effectively ensure that geographical distance will not be an excluding factor. Conference planne r s also have express e d a commitment to make 'this conference a ccessible in all ways to Lesbian s who have previously been under-represented at such event s. The . steering ' committee structure appro ve d by the Portland planning group is reflected in the composition of the interim task comm i ttee, which includes 50% Lesbians of color , 20% Lesbians with disabilities, older Lesbians , young Lesbians, deaf Lesbians, and Jewish Lesbians as well a s representatives from the N ational Office, Atlanta, and the west coast. · Each task committee member . is also exp e cted to work on one of th e nine committees that are working to make the conference a reality: Program , Nurturance, .. Mobilization and Networking, Fundraising, Disabil _ity anci Access, On-Site Planning, Media, Logistics, and Clearinghouse and Educational Action N etwork. In addition to constitu ency and committee representatives, seats on the larger st e ering committee have also been · re served for both representativ es from national organizations and the ten r e gions . into which the country has been div ided. The interim task committee was chosen in Portland with deliberat .e attention to these constituency criteria as well as regional and task -oriented considerations. The members of the interim task committee are Chrystos and Ja·net Spotted Eagle, Joyce Hunter and Carol Cohen, Michelle Crone and Susan Fuchs , Barb Bechdol and Mary Fr a nces Platt, Ka y Ostberg, Man yd Carter, · Sadiqua Bey, Ayofemi Folayan, Julie N e lson, M.P . Schildmeyer, and Stpehanie Jo Kent (paired nam es will share one committee position .) An interim office is locat ed in Albany, New York, where interested Lesbians may write ·to the NLC (at ·P.O . Box 3 057, Alb any , N Y 12203 or call (518)463-1051) fo r information about th e confer ence and .regional or constituenc:y contacts. Pleas e include a stamped, s e lf addressed env elope fo r information. Plans are underway top relocate .the nation al office to Atlanta in the Spri i'i.g of 1990. Search Open For NG RALegal D irec t or National Gay Rights · Advocates, the nation's leading gay civil right s law firm, has begun a nation-wide search for a Legal Director. Founded in 1978, NGRA directs precedent-setting Jaw suits to win co.mprehensi v e civil rights for all Lesbians and gay men. Over 100 attorneys · throughout · the country have supported NGRA's legal program on a pro-bono basis. Richard Rouilard , NGRA's co-founder a nd acting Chair of the Board of Directors expects the or ga nization to recru it an individual with the leadership, energ y and v ision to build upon th e historic achievements of the law firm . Working with N GRA's staff attorneys, the Legal Director coordinates the cooperating attorney program which involves nationally recognized attorneys in the firm ' s litiga~ _ion efforts. Some of the nation's foremo st attorneys have participate d in NGRA's legal efforts, most notably H a r v ard la w prof essor Laurenc e Tribe In terested applican ts should send, by N ovember 15, a resume, writin g sample, a nd cover lett er to: Search Committee , National Gay Rights Advocates, 890i Melrose Ave., West Holl y-_ wood, CA 90069. Women and persons of · color ar e encouraged to apply. Arlene Kochman Appointed SAGE Acting Executive Director Adrian Mayer, Presid ent of SAGE: Senior Action in a Gay Environm ent, announced that the Board of Directors has appointed Arlene Kochman, SAGE's Associate Director for Services as Acting Executive Director . Kochman has a Masters of Social Work, is a Certified Social Worker in the State of November/December 1989 New York, and is currently wor ·k i :,g on a · Doctorat e of Social Work a t Fordham University . She has been a staff member of the organization for o ver 4 years . Other SAGE staff, Michael Rohrer, Cynthia Kessler, Phillip Piro .and Bill Smith; along with a corps of 300 volunteers will continue providing services, advocacy and education . Founded in 1977, SAGE is an advocacy and social servic e agency providing care fo r older gay men, Lesbians an d seniors with AIDS. SAG E also provides education an d advocacy around the issues o f gay aging on a national and international level. · Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone #7 - Nov/Dec 1989 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/d121cb1dc564676a50f988126c950bf1.pdf bf106cd89b1ace17114ef19feabf0908 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone Description An account of the resource Issues of the Second Stone publication. Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 9 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1990 Publication Date The date the issue was published Mar/Apr 1990 Text Any textual data included in the document THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER FOR GAV AND LESBIAN CHRISTIANS $2.25 · ··· Many Gays & Lesbians 'Unreachable' · By Churches' Best Efforts By Jim Bailey Editor Even with the extensive media coverage of recent ordinations of gay and lesbian clergy, many a conservative church-goer would still express surprise that the words "gay" or "lesbian" and "Christian" could be spoken together. What is unsettling is the number of Gays and Lesbians who express a similar surprise, apparently completely unaware of resources that support Gays and Lesbians of Christian faith. Although twenty years have passed since the founding of major Gay and Lesbian ministries, churches and religious groups in many areas are still struggling to find their place in the community. SEE COVER STORY, Page 9 ·11 The 1990 Census: Im Transformation: Tell The Census Bureau The Gay Community Learns To Love Who You Really Are I Commentary by Ivy Young By Bill Urban - I Fr. Joseph Leo Killian, Jr. AIDS Claims First President Of Dignity/USA Father Joseph Leo Killian, Jr. died in late December at the Veteran's Hospital in Westwood , California. In 1969, he was secretary, treasurer and membership director of the committee that was to form the first Dignity group . Two years later, Killian embarked on an outreach program, getting Dignity to participate in the · Cay and Lesbian Pride Parade, arran - ging a retreat at the remote St. Andrews Benedictine Prio r y, and combing the country in search of similar groups. To permit a branch .of the organization to open in Kentucky he created the chapter program still in use, making Dignity a national organization. When . officers were elected for Dignity/ National in 1972, Killian became the group's first elected president. At the end of 1971, there were nearly 200 members. Today there are about 7,000 members in 110 chapters, as well as affiliated groups around the world. Honored at Dignity's 20th anniversary banquet last year, he challenged members to be open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the face of official opposition and reminded them that Dignity 's original Declaration states, "We believe that gay and lesbian Catholics are members of Christ's mystical body, numbered among the SEE KILLIAN, Page 20 Coalition for Traditional Values Gays Rally .Against Conservative Hate Group WASHINGTON, D.C. - Gay and lesbian and . other civil rights groups held a press conference, rally and march . in the nation's capital to confront the prejudice espoused by the Coalition for Traditional Values (CTV) at a CTV symposium entitled, "The National Task Force for the Preservation of the Heterosexual Ethic." Between 500 and 750 Gays and Lesbians rallied against CTV and its leader, the Rev. Louis Sheldon, at a demonstration against homophobia in Washington's Dupont Circle . The demonstration was sponsored by a coalition of D.C.-based gay and lesbian groups, including the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. SEE COALIDON, Page 20 SUBSCRIBE TODAY! ONE YEAR ONLY $12.60! BOX 8340 • NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 P.O. Box 83~0 N!lw OrlNns LA 70182 - - In Our Next Issue: P-FLAG Mother's and Father's Day stories from parents whose love overcame their fears - and the group who helped them do it - Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PA ID NEW ORLEANS, LA PERMIT No. 511 From The Editor "To Champion The Cause Of Homosexuality" AFA Doesn't Want Gays and Lesbians On The Tube There is a continuing perception among many Gays and Lesbians that, for them, being a Christian is impossible. Nowhere is this perneption perpetuated any stronger than through the work of conservative Christian groups as they continue their hate-filled campaigns against gay rights, or anything gay. They say they "love the homosexual, but hate the sin of homosexuality;" but their lie becomes obvious when they find themselves unable to point to a single aspect of their work designed to draw Gays _and Lesbians into the Christian community. - Donald E. Wildmon, Executive Director of the American Family Association said in a recent editorial that his group is doing "what every person in a free democratic society has the right to do, trying to influence our society toward the direction we feel is best." His publication, The AFA Journal, started in 1977 as a one page newsletter with 150 readers . The AF A claims its most recent issue was the first to reach one million readers. revenues of other stores continuing to sell them. The AF A also does not like programs that "champion the cause of homosexuality." Any positive portrayal of a gay or lesbian person or couple or situation is likely to trigger a campaign against advertisers. The AFA wants homosexuality portrayed on television as an immoral life, full of despair. In the February issue, The Journal informed its readers that 43% of homosexuals have 500 or more different partners in their lifetime and that they meet their partners in a city park (77%) or public restroom (31%.) any other image. They're comfortable with miserable .. people meeting anonymous sexual partners in a bathroom or city park once a month or so and troubled by Gays and Lesbians being seen as happy, well-adjusted, successful and committed in relationship. What an odd twist for someone promoting family living! The lesson of Christ was to lead people fr~m despair. The right wing's solution to homosexuality is for it to disappear. It's the only answer they have. They dispute the estimate ·that 10 percent of the population of the United States is gay or lesbian. Okay - let's say that it's In This Issue FEATURES COVER STORY A TRANSFORMATION five percent - or even one percent. That's still a couple of million people. And ex-gay ministries can't change them. Certainly there is no answer for these people in the hate that the AFA displays towards Gays, Lesbians, non-Christians and others. Finally, in an editorial about the December protests at New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral The Journal says, "Our enemies are out of the closet; they are all in the open now." While it sounds like the AFA would like to line up Gays and Lesbians and shoot them, God's call is for love, compassion and reconciliation. For the AF A, this is going to be a tough one. □ The AFA crusades against sex, Page9 violence and anti-Christian bigotry in the media. Their letter campaigns to adverti sers hit television executives where it hurts - iri the pocketbook. Their boycotts against 'retailers of pornographic magazines have been effective in getting magazines out of some stores and hurting the The same -issue also attacked ABC's movie about Rock Hudson saying that the movie "evidences · the suffering that comes with AIDS, yet never indicts the homosexual lifestyle that has made AIDS epidemic." And concerning an episode of Doctor, Doctor, the Journal says that in a "blatant insult to viewers' intelligence" the show spouted the "ludicrous falsehood, 'AIDS doesn 't discriminate' ... No rational mind can truly believe that, yet - the networks continue their campaign to push that lie in family time 'entertainment-' programming." IN TIIE GAY COMMUNITY Page 10._ Letters Granville, North Dakota Masthead Still Not Inclusive Dear Second Stone, Thank you for a newspaper which is always very informative. It is very helpful to my ministry for me to have a news.paper such as yours so that I can find out about news 'The AFA, like so many other right wing groups, is comfortable with homosexuality being dismissed as a life of despair, and very troubled by □ speaking to me, although the masfhad doesn't indicate it . Yours Truly, Rev. Grant Speece Denver, Colorado Reader Corrects Our Mistake affect ing Lesbians and Gays. I do, Dear Second Stone, however, have one small suggestion. In your masthead, could you _ This letter is intended to correct an somehow indicate that your error made recently in your newspaper ·is also for Christians who, newspaper. The Reverend Julian while not lesbian or gay themselves, Rush is not the Senior Pastor of are concerned about the Christian Metropolitan Community Church of lesbian and gay community because of the Rockies . For the past sixteen their friendships with . and ministries years the Reverend Elder Dr. Charles to the lesbian and gay .commu p,ity? l , R. i>,Ar,ehart has ',,been our Senior am a heterosexual, but my ministry is . Pastor and we are very proud of that with people of all sexual preferences . fact. Within the UFMCC, Reverend My friendships with some very A,rehart has .the second longest compassionate Lesbians rtho I first pastorate, second only to the met in seminary has allowed me to Reverend Elder Freda Smith. have a special c9cncern for the civil Thank you for ·your attention to rights of Lesbians and Gays. These this .matter. friendships have also allowed me to In the Service of Christ, discard any theological baggage I once had with regard to Lesbians and Gays. Because of this, I find your news paper Dan Mahoney Assistant Minister COLUMNS FROM THE EDITOR COMMENTARY CLOSER LOOK FAMILIES TRAVEL PARTING THOUGHT DEPARTMENTS LETTERS NEWS BRIEFS - ORGANIZATION NEWS CALENDAR BOOK REVIEW CLASSIFIED fJ THE SECOND STONE Page 2 Page 3 Page 14 Page 15 Page 17 Page 19 Page 2 Page4 _.'q Page 12 Page 13 Page 16 · Page 19 Commentary · · , · □ Tell The Census Who You . Really Are By IzyYoung Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's Families Project As you can see, 1990 ends in a zero. That means it's time for the decennial count, by the Census Bureau, of the entire U.S. population. Ordinarily, the Census Bureau ritual would be of little or no consequence to the lesbian and gay community. But this year things are slightly different. Unlike past national counts, the 1990 census could have a direct impact on some of the issues affecting Lesbians and gay men. For the first time ever, the Census Bureau has added the category . "unmarried partner" to the relationship section of the questionnaire. Expanding the selection choice beyond "ro.ommate/partner" or "roomer/boarder," the new category is, according to some sources, the Bureau's attempt to get an accurate count of the number of heterosexual couples living together without "benefit of marriage." By simple deduction, however, Census officials will also be able to determine the number of same-sex couples living together in committed relationships. That same-sex cou. pies information will be published along · with the statistics on heterosexual unmarried partners. For those of us working in the lesbian and gay families arena, that information could prove vital to the success of our efforts in the future. The Census Bureau has been round I y criticized · for its failure to THE SECOND STONE Newspaper is published every other month by Bailey Communications, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Copyright1990 by The Second Stone, a registered trademark. ISSN No. 1047-3971 SUBSCRIPTIONS, U.S.A. $12.60 per year, six issues. Foreign subscribers add $8.00 for postage. All payments U.S. currency only. ADVERTISING, Display advertising one time rates: Full Page, $595.00; Half Page, $304.00; Quarter Page, $155.00; Eighth Page, $81,00; Sixteenth Page, $42.00. Send inquiries to: Box 8340, New Orteans, LA 70182. Classified advertising is 35 eents per word. EDITORIAL, send letters, calendar announcements, and church/organization news to (Department title) The Second Stone, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Manuscripts to be returned should be accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope. · THE SECOND STONE, an ecumenical newspaper committed to expanding Christian ministry in the Gay community · and to the spiritual growth and development of Gay persons, their families and friends · PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Jim Bailey alert affected groups that the question even exists, or, for that matter, what "unmarried partner" actually means. There has been no outreach effort, no community education, no discussion with lesbian and gay activists in particular, about how best to ensure that the question is understood and answered accurately. The Census Bureau does n(jt perceive, or more likely, does not care that for lesbian and gay couples answering the survey hqnestly involves more than a simple check off. The issue of government intrusion and privacy is a crucial one for many Lesbians and gay men; yet, census officials have ·made no effort to counter the fear and apprehension that could lead to a serious undercount of same-sex couples. · Some .lesbians and gay activists have predicted that as few as ten percent of . those couples affected by the "unmarried partner" question will respond honestly. But, a recent poll conducted by the Washington Blade found that of the couples responding, seventy-five percent said they would answer the question truthfully. Granted, the Blade survey was conducted in a major metropolitan area with a history of gay visibility. Similar results may not emerge from some small town or hamlet. Then again; they might. Our responsibility now is to provide for our community what Census Bureau officials did not - information and education. Our community must be persuaded to put aside the fear of being exposed and answer the Census · honestly. We have nothing to lose by being truthful. The struggle to have our relationships and our families recognized and protected will assume much greater urgency in the decade to come. Accurate statistics gathered from the 1990 Census .could provide us with a small, but important, weapon to help wage that ,struggle. New Report Highlights Homophobic Violence ATLANTA - A new report from the Center for Democratic Renewal ties the rising tide of violence against Gays . and Lesbians to far right and white supremacist organizations that are using anti-gay bigotry to attract new recruits. The report is entitled Quarantines and Death : The Far Right 's Homophobic Agenda. "Gay people have increasingly become the target of bigoted violence," explained Daniel Levitas, executive director of the Atlanta -based CDR. "This report describes the theoretical framework of the far right's homophobic agenda and outlines the basic steps needed to confront anti-gay bigotry." The 40-page monograph was written be CDK research director Leonard Zeskind and Mab Segrest, a long-time hum .an rights activist, who is currently director of research and . publications for North Carolinians Against Racist and Religious Violence, based in Durham. "Homophobic violence challenges all citizens who wish to preserve the fabric of democracy to act," says · Segrest, who serves on the board of directors of the CDR. The Center for Democratic Renewal, formerly known as the National Anti-Klan Network, was founded 10 years ago as the ·nation's principal clearinghouse for information on community-based responses to hate group activity and bigoted violence. Quarantines and Death examines such issues as why gay men and Lesbians have been targeted by far right groups, t.he nature of homophobic violence, and the ideology of the new right and the far right regarding homosexuality, AIDS and civil rights. According to Zeskind, white supremacists believe that AIDS is a "racial disease" carried by Jews and Blacks. "The Christian new right ·maintains it is a punishment sent by God for the sin of homosexuality," adds Zeskind. "Whatever the perception, a steady stream of murders and assaults has been the result." The Center for Democratic Renewal is a non-profit organization with offices in Kansas City, Missouri, Seattle, Washington, and Atlanta, Georgia. The CDR implements programs of research, training, public education, community organizing and technical assistance to counter w.hite supremacy, religious intolerance and homophobic violence. Quarantines and Death is available for $5.00 (including postage and handling) from the Center for Democratic Renewal, P. 0. Box 50469, Atlanta, GA 30302. OPEN and AFFIRMING REGIONAL CONFERENCES 1990 CONGREGATIONS "ONA" Open and Affirming (ONA) congregations in the United Church of Christ · WELCOME gay, lesbian and bisexual people into the church's life and ministry. There are now more th~n 35 ONA churches nationwide. WHAT DO THEY SAY ABOUT BECOMING "ONA?" . ", .. one of the most interesting and worthwhile things we ever did." • "It was the most spirit-filled experience our church has ever been through." COME AND FIND OUT MORE. JOIN IN .EXPLORING and PROCLAIMING GOD'S INCLUSIVE LOVE! For information I registration in your area: ONA '90 - EAST: June 1 - 3 (Worcester, MA) (Write: P.O. Box 403, Holden.MA 01520) ONA '90 - MIDWEST: May 4 - 6 (Chicago, IL) (Write: 1630 West Pierce, Chicago, IL 60622) ONA '90 - WEST: April 29 ° May 2 (Burlingame, CA) (Write: 751 Alameda de las Pulgas, Belmont, .CA 94002) ONA '90 ~resented by the United Church Coalition for LesbiaiVGay Concerns, (UCCUGC) March/ April 1990 ... , • Newsbriefs Vatican Will Let Women Perform Weddings The Vatican has granted the far-flung Roman Catholic archdiocese of Alaska permission for six female parish administrators to officiate at weddings when priests or deacons are not available. The National Conference of Catholic Bishops had asked for such permission at its November meeting, responding to a request from Archbishop Francis Hurley of Anchorage . The Catholic Church "has a history of adjusting to extraordinary situations," Hurley was quoted as saying in a church newspaper. -Associated Press Conservatives Declare "Spiritual Warfare" · On Gay Games VANCOUVER , B.C. - Full page advertisements calling for "spiritual warfare" and attacking the 1990 Gay Games III ran in the Vancouver Sun and Province, identifying those behind the anti-gay ads only as "Christian leaders who live in Gre ater Vancouver." The ads, billed to Robert Birch, pastor of the Burnaby Christian Fellowship in Vancouver , were denounced by mainstream church leaders as well as some fu ndamentalists who are also pro t esting the 1990 Vancouver Gay Games . . Asked about the charges of cowardice in not clearly identifying those respons ible for the ads, a spokesperson said the people who placed the ad "might show their courage in another way in the future ." -Pittsburgh 's Out Lesbian Conference Committee Meets ATLANTA - The National Lesbian Conference interim task committee met here to further define the membership of the steering committee that will guide the planning proce ss for the conference, which is scheduled for April 24 -28, 1991 in Atlanta. Regional planners will be chosen at meeting s which are being organized before the next large national planning meeting. The first steering committee session is scheduled to be I am with You Fear Not! (A Corrective Look at the Lesbian and Gay Clobber Passages) Professionally produced Video-tape Audia.tape & Workbook A new book by the Rev. Brnce Roller Pastor of Reconciliation MCC Grand Rapids, Ml - ~ ' • c.p .n.1 )-I/ZIii THE MESSAGE OF #-1 V V"' U RECONCILIATION VHS Video (90 min.l $24 .95 Al.dio Tape $5.00 • Wondx:d( $5.00 Loving OJrselves $6.95 Add 25% for 5h!pping & harxjlng. Faithful Publications P.O . Box 3701 Grand Rapids, Ml 49501 held in Kansas City, Mo., on Friday , April 27. . The third national planning meeting, to which Lesbians from around the country are invited , will be held in Kansas City the same weekend, April 28 and 29. For information about the conference or to get involved, contact Michelle Crone at (518) 463-1051. HUD Chiefs Shun Family Leave Provision WASHINGTON, D.C. - The two top officials of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently denounced a labor contract that would extend domestic partnership benefits to the federal agency's gay and lesbian employees. Jack Kemp, Secretary of HUD, alo11g with Under Secretary Alfred A. DelliBovi, claimed the contract with the HUD employee union illegally "redefines the family ." The controversy was sparked by a clause in the contract of the American Federation of Government Employees . AFGE's proposed definition of "family" would provide lesbian and gay employees with familial leave benefits identical to the privileges already offered heterosexual workers. The AFGE contract is currently under legal review. According to Barbara · Davidson, AFGE union representative, the portion of the contract allowing employees in non-traditional relationships to receive equal familial leave benefits should stand up to legal scrutiny . NGLTF encourages Lesbia ns and Gays to write HUD and urge the department to include Gays and Lesbians in its familial leave policy. Write to The Honorable Alfred A. DelliBovf, Under Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC 20410 . New Legal Director Takes Reins At NGRA SAN FRANCISCO- David A. Bryan, former executive and legal director of the Texas Human Rights Foundation, moved into the top legal position as Legal Director of Nationa l Gay Rights Advocates. Bryan helped prosecute the Texas Human Rights Foundation's disciplinary complaint against Judge Jack Hampton of Dallas, who was publicly censured last Novemb e r for anti-gay bias . Founded in 1977 in San Francisco, N atio nal Gay Rights Advocates fights for the r ig hts of gay men, Lesbians and , through the AIDS Civil Rights Project , persons with HIV disease . NGRA aggressively pursues impact litigation in employment and .11 THE SECOND STONE □ housing discrimination, family partnerships, reform of sodomy laws, anti-gay violence, and first amendment rights. Imani Temple Will Ordain Women The Rev. George Stallings, a Ca tholic priest who last summer broke with the Roman Catholic Church and formed his own congregation said his church will encourage the ord ination of women and allow birth control and abortion. He also said the lmani Temple will permit optional celibacy , which means priests will be able to decide whether or not they want to marry . Stallings defended his church's stance on birth control and abortion, saying, "The Bible has nothing to say about abortion or birth control. The positions we are taking are not counter-Biblical; they are allowed within the expression of faith." -Associated Press Fathers' Stories Sought Tw o women are collecting short stories written by fathers of gay or lesbian children . The collection of writings will be used to help other families understand and accept a gay son or da1,1ghter. , Thoughts from a . variety of ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds are being sought. Writers may contribute anonymously under a pseudonym . For information contact Ann Davidson, P.O. Box 8265, Sanford, CA 94305 (415)857-1058. Lutheran Churches Face Disciplinary Action SAN FRANCISCO - Bishop Lyle Miller of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Sierra Pacific Synod has filed disciplinary charges against two congregations that ordained gay and lesbian pastors in spite of a church policy against calling "practicing homosexuals." First United Lutheran Church and St. Francis Lutheran Church were charged with "willfully disregarding and violating a criterion for recognition" as a congregation of the ELCA The recently ordained pastors, Ruth Frost, Phyllis Zillhart, and Jeff Johnson, had at one time been found qualified for the ministry by Lutheran Church authorities, but newly developed guid ,. foes by the ELCA require homose xual clergy to abstain from sexual activity . As a result, the local Bishop of the ELCA had refused to ordain the candidates or to recommend them for pastoral positions. -The Lutheran and other reports Newsbriefs , · □ ·Gay Ordination A Top News Story for Lutherans The challenging by two San Francisco Lutheran Churches of a churchwide policy barring practicing Gays and Lesbians from ordained ministry was the number . two denominational news story of the past year according to The Lutheran, the magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The denomination's $15 _million deficit was the . number one story. World's Only Gay and Lesbian Arab Group Seeks Members WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Gay and Lesbian Arabic Society (GLAS) of the U.S., the first such group in the world, including the Middle East, is looking for members and other people interested in Gay Arab issues. GLAS, formed in the nation's capital a year ago, currently has dozens of members around the country. The group is open to Gays and Lesbians of Arabic orgin or descent, and their supporters. To accommodate increasing West Coast interest, GLAS has recently opened a San Francisco chapter. · For more information on GLAS or to become a · member, write to The Arabic Society, P.O. Box 4971, Washington, D.C. 20008. In San Francisco, contact Huda Jadallah at (415) 864-3112: . Farmers Insurance ' Company Faces Gay Discrimination Suit SAN FRANCISCO - A Sacramento Superior Court judge has turned down a request by Farmers Insurance Company to dismiss a lawsuit alleging discrimination against a gay couple. The couple, Boyce Hinman and Larry Beaty, filed the suit after Farmers refused to sell them a joint "umbrella" liability policy. Farmers has taken the position that they will only issue Hinman and Beaty separate policies - at twice the cost - because they are not married. In the suit, the National Gay Rights Advocates contends that Farmers has violated both the Unruh Civil Rights Act and the anti-discrimination provisions of the insurance code. "Boyce Hinman and Larry Beaty have lived together for eighteen years," commented NGRA Executive Director Leonard Graff. 'They own a home, two cars, and all of their furniture together; they share the . common necessities of life and are each others' primary beneficiaries in their wills and insurance policies. Farmers has already issued them joint homeowners and automobile insurance policies. Making them buy two separate umbrella policies, at twice the cost, is, quite plainly, arbitrary discrimination." Robinson New Dean of Samaritan LOS ANGELES - The Rev. Sandra Robinson, Executive Director of the Department of People of Color, Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, has been named Dean of Samaritan College. New Program Targets Young Activists A new education and training program for young lesbian and gay activists has been launched by the California-based Critical Literacy Institu .te in the first national effort to locate and encourage the next generation of gay and lesbian leaders. The New Pacific Academy for Lesbian and Gay Community Service and Activism will open in June, 1990, with a one month intensive training . program at the ·• University of California campus in Berkeley, California. The 1990 "Basic Training" will be offered to 200 young people, 18 to 30 · years old, with demonstrated commitment to social service or political activism benefiting the gay and lesbian community. While no tuition is. required of participants, New Pacific is soliciting donations to . help defray travel costs. For information on attending, presenting a workshop, volunteering in support work, or making a donation, contact Donna Ozawa at New Pacific Academy, 2338 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94114, (415)252-1690. Bon Jovi Sorry For Calling N.Y.Giants 'Faggots' A row over anti-gay comments ·made in Dublin, Ireland, by the heavy metal band Bon Jovi ended when their lead singer apologized to the gay community in · Ireland for his remarks. Ireland's National Gay Federation had asked police · to investigate reports of the remarks, saying they appeared to be a violation of anti-hate legislation passed last year. The comments were made by group member Jon Bon Jovi at a concert in Dublin before a crowd of some 8000 people. The remarks were reported in the national media to have included reference to the National Football League's New York Giants as being "a bunch of... faggots" among other insults. Under the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1988, which came into effect at the end of December, it is an offense to make public comments which are threatening, abusive or insulting and which also are likely to incite hatred of certain groups, including Gays. Following extensive media coverage of the NGFs anger, Jon Bon Jovi issued a statement two days after the concert, saying he felt he owed the NGF an apology. He said he had never intended to arouse any hatred or animosity toward the community and explained that his remarks had been in the context of hearing of his favorite football team, the New York Giants, losing to the Los Angeles Rams. Health Institute Has Toll Free Number The National Institutes of Health has instituted an 800 number - 1-800-AIDS-NIH (1-800-243~7644) in order to make information about studies more readily available to "An indispensable handbook" health care providers and prospective patients. A staff member will be available to answer questions for callers Monday through Friday, from noon to 3:00 p.m. Eastern time. If a patient is accepted for a protocol and enrolls in the study, all· subsequent travel expenses are paid by NIH. In addition, all medical care provided at NIH is free. The National Institutes of Health has provided national and international leadership in the fight against AIDS. Right Wing Produces Slick, Anti-gay Video Jeremiah Films, a right-wing fundamentalist film and video production company has produced an anti-gay video featuring misleading information about AIDS. The company managed to gain access to gay and lesbian organizations by · adopting the phony gay lookalike name of Pink Triangle Liberation . Productions. The video,AIDS: What You Haven't Been Told, contains interviews with leaders of the National March on Washington and · extensive footage of the protest and people with AIDS. -Pittsburgh •s Out AIDS: SHARING THE PAIN A Gulde for Caregivers Bill Kirkpatrick Practical and sensitive guidel.ines for the care of those infected by human immuno-deficiency virus-HIV. "An indispensable handbook ... positive, practical, compassionate, pastorally sensitive and Christian:· -WILLIAM D. HORTON in Franciscan $8.95 paper "Extrem useful" AIS ISSUES Conlrondng tbe Challenge edited by David G. Hallman Drawn from the historic ecumenical consultation on AIDS which included theologians, social ethicists, persons with AIDS; health care professionals, community service representatives and church denominational members, AIDS Issues argues for the churches to take progressive steps and assist the reader to confront the challenge of AIDS with intelligence and compassion. "This book is extremely useful in helping people to identify and become ilWOlved:'-DR. JONATHAN MANN, Director, Global Program on AIDS, World Health Organization $12.95 paper i, fol bool<Slores a d•oct~ from •The Pilgrim Press C 475 Riverside Dr.-10lh floor, New York, NY 10115 March/ April 1 .990 AT LAST. A MONTHLY TRAVEL MAGAZINE _THATELLS YOU:ABOUT TRAVEL Discover OUR WORLD Gay Travel Magazine MEMBER [Gui\ ___ ....... ---- We've finally come out! We're the Monthly International Gay Travel Magazine. Month by month, we invite you to visit with.us and discover an exctti~g world available _to gay men and lesbian travelers. Enjoy color photos of a ro_mantic hotel in Spa_1n, a rustic resort 1n California, a trendy hotel on the English Riviera, an elegant Victorian mansion 1n San Fraoc1sco, a magnificent French chateau, and more! • h nd Investigate gourmet restaurants, intimate bars and glittering nightspots. Acquire first a knowledge, travel tips, and up to date information from gay travel agents, and tour operators. . , You get all this at the special subscriber rate of only $44 for one full year (12 issues). Thats a saving of 25% off the newsstand price. Act now! Discover OUR WORLD today! MAIL TO: OUR WORLD PUBLISHING, 1104 North Nova Road, Suite 251 Daytona Beach, Florida 32117 USA (904) 441-5367 0 Yes! Please start my subscription for 1 year (12 issues). I have enclosed my .check or money order for $44. (U.S.A.) Sample copy $4.95. Canada, Mexico, Overseas (surface) - US $52 Europe (airmail) - US $70 Pacific (airmail) US $80 First issue mails in 4-6 weeks in plain sealed envelope. Our subscriber list is kept confidential. (please print) Name, _ _____ _ ___ _ _______ _ _ -:- ___ _ Address __ _ __ _ __ _ ___ _ ________ __ _ _ _ __ _ ___ __ __ __ __ _ _ _ Code _____ _ Country, __ __ -,---:-:--------------,-------== News briefs Activists Aim For Passage of Federal Gay Rights Bill in 1990's WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force will celebrate on March 25-27 the 15th Anniversary of the introduction of the Federal Lesbian and Gay Civil · Rights Bill with a series of commemorative events designed to increase momentum and awareness of the anti-discrimination legislation. Among other things, NGLTF will launch a massive gay and lesbian constituent post card campaign to increase support for the bill in the U.S. Congress. The objective of the Task Force is to pass the bill during this decade. The bill, officially known as The Civil Rights Amendments Act of · 1990, was introduced into the 94th Congress in 1975 by thenRepresentative BeUa Abzug, the bill's first sponsor . Support for the bill has grown steadily over the years. The act would prohibit discrimination on the basis of affectional or sexual orientation in the areas of housing, employment, credit, public · accomodations and federally assisted progr<1rns. As part of its commemorative post card campaign, NGLTF will distribute thousands of cards to gay and lesbian organizations nationwide. Constituents are asked to complete the cards and forward them to their lawmakers, urging them to cosponsor the bill. · For . more information and to obtain lobbying kits and post cards, contact NGLTF at 1517 U St. NW, Washingotn, D.C., 20009, Attention: 15th Anniversary, or call (202)332-6483. Gays Protest at California Churches Greater Religious . Responsibility, a group of gay activis _ts in the Los Angeles area, claimed responsibility for splattering red paint and posting anti-church posters on church buildings in California. Safe sex posters and red handprints were found on the exterior ·of the Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco building. -The Latest Issue Exhibit Features Lesbian Art NEW YORK - The Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center National Museum of Lesbian and Gay History is currently exhibiting "Works By Lesbian Artists" curated by LAV A (Lesbians About Visual Art). II THE SECOND STONE The exhibit, a national juried show which includes paintings, drawings, photographs, ceramic and mixed media works created by approximately twenty lesbian artists from across the country, runs through March 22nd. For furthur information about LAV A contact Kathryn Kirk at (718) 963-4712: Survey Seeks Info From Black Gay & Bisexual Men LOS ANGELES - AIDS in the United States is disproportionately affecting the Black community, particularly Black gay men, according to the Black C.A.R.E (Community AIDS Research and Edu cation) Project, which is . committed to the fight against AIDS in the Black community . The group is gathering information directly from the community through a national, anonymous survey, the Black Men's Health Survey , of Black gay an9- bisexual men. To parti"cipate in the survey, write to Dr . Vickie M. Mayes, Black C.A.R.E Project, 1283 Franz, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1563 or call (213) 206-5162. . Florida County Extends Housing Protection To Gay Men and Lesbians . Palm Beach County became the first county in Florida to prohibit discrimination in housing, the financing of housing, and public accomodations when the county commission amended its fair housing laws on January 16, 1990. "For the first time since the anti-gay Anita Bryant crusade in 1977, some gay men and lesbian Floridians are able to enjoy equal protection under the law ," said Rand Hoch, attorney for the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council. The Council, along with the gay oriented Atlantic Coast Democratic Club, were the two organizations instrumental in lobbying for tl}e changes in the !aw. A hearing related to the ordmance on January 16 lasted almost four hours . Thirty people spoke in favor of the ordinance, while only 17 opposed it. Speakers from both sides quoted the Bible. Only one member of the clergy spoke against the ordinance, while two rabbis, a Presbyterian minister, an Episcopalian Bishop, and a minister from the Metropolitan Community Church called for adoption of the ordinance. A law prohibiting discrimination against gay men · and Lesbians was approved in 1977 in Dade County, Florida, but it was repealed at a referendum later that year after a bitter campaign mounted by singer Anita Bryant. Newsbriefs ABA To Add Discrimination Protections WASHINGTON , D.C. - Successful lobbying by the National Lesbian and Gay Law Association (NLGLA) caused the American Bar Association to include a ban against discrimination based on sexual orientation in its draft Model Code of Judicial Conduct. Specific protection in the code means that Lesbians and gay men can expect and demand fair treatment in . the judical system. The code applies to judges throughout the country and subjects them to discipline if they violate its ethical canons. It is hoped that this action will send an explicit message to judges that they will be held personally accountable if they discriminate against gay people. Suzanne Bryant, one of Washington's two regional board members for NLGLA said that, "Because Lesbians and gay men have received unfair treatment in the . court system, many have not availed themselves of existing legal protections. Finally, we can expect and demand equal treatment under the law." For more information about the Code changes or the NLGLA write to 14 Beacon St., Suite 720, Boston, MA 02108. Texas Bishop Opposes Ordination Of Woman, Gays Episcopal Bishop Clarence C. Pope of Fort Worth has formed a new synod in the church because he opposes changes such as the ordination of woman and gay people. "We believe our seminaries, bishops and standing committees have not been overly scrupulous ... in screening out some of those whom are inappropriate for holy orders," he said . - Montrose Voice Gay Activist's Home Torched After weeks of vocal opposition from anti-gay Christians, the efforts of gay activists, led by Brad Evans , were successful in allowing the gay play , The Normal Heart, to be presented at the Southwest Missouri State University. As the curtain went up, Brad Evan's home burnt down. Investigators found evidence that a flammable liquid had been poured throughout the house. Evans lost all of his possessions, including his two cats. Some 1,200 people showed up at the college in support of a protest called by the fundamentalist, antipornography group, Citizens Demanding Standards, to denounce the play as "obscene." State Representati ye Jean Dixon protested the work saying its purpose is "to promote the homosexual lifestyle as a viable, legitimate lifestyle." -Latest Issue National Gay Family Registry WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Human Rights Campaign Fund has decided to develop a nationwide family registry program to build grass roots support for the concept of lesbian and gay families. The national group hopes the Registry will play an important role in building national support for domestic partnership laws and changes in federal law to end discrimination against lesbian and gay relationships . "Many · Lesbians and Gays have created true families, with strong . bonds of love and commitment that withstand society's pressure to destroy them, " said Tim Mcfeeley, executive director of the Human Rights Campaign Fund. "While we fight to broaden society's definiton of the family to encompass lesbian and gay relationships, we must provide support and validation to our own community," he said . Lesbians and Gays who would like to participate should contact Kathleen Stoll at HRC in Washington, (202)628-4160. Senate Passes Hate Crimes Act WASHINGTON, D .C. - The U.S. Senate voted 92 to 4 to pass the Federal Hate Crime Statistics Act. Before voting for passage, senate law makers rejected, by 77 to 19, a move by Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC) to attach a four-part anti-gay amendment to the bill. The landslide vote marks the first time in the history of the Senate that the pervasive problem of anti-gay and lesbian violence has been .addressed, the first time gay-positive legislation has passed the Senate, and the first time the gay and lesbian community has defeated Helms on a gay-related issue. The bill requires the U.S. Department of Justice to "acquire data about certain crimes which manifest evidence of prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or ethnicity." Repeal Effort Fails In Georgia ATLANTA, Ga. - The Georgia House of Representatives rejected a move to repeal the state's "ancient statute" that outlaws sodomy . Before the vote, House Speaker · Tom Murphy told the Atlanta Constitution/Journal he didn't "know enough about sodomy to talk about. Believe me, I don't know about it." In response to an Atlanta gay and lesbian demonstration against sodomy laws, Murphy said, "Those gay people, I didn't go around them. I didn 't want to get too close." In its post -vote editorial, The Atlanta Constitution said of speaker Tom Murphy, "Ignorance is a fully plausible explanation for [the sodomy] vote, though it is rio comfort to be confronted so brazenly by a legislator boasting of his stupidity ." Toy's Aren't Us The Vice President of Advertising and Marketing for Toys R Us has apologized to a viewer who complained that the company had sponsored an episode of Thirty Something in which two gay men were shown in bed. Ernest V. Speranza wrote, ''Needless to say, we were very disappointed with the content of the episode in question." Toys R Us, whose Chairman is Charles Lazarus, (461 Fram Road, Paramus, NJ 07652, (210)599-6954) has cancelled future •adverstising on Thirty Something . The American Family Association · has called on its members to complain to other sponsors of the show, American Home Products, (Anacin, Dimetapp) and Beatrice Companies, Inc ., (Hunt, LaChoy, Orville Redenbacher, Wesson.) Toys R Us President Robert Nakasone said the company had nothing against gay and lesbian people and denied that the decision to stop advertising on Thirty Something was connected .to the letters from APA members. ACT UP Protests At St. Patrick's NEW YORK - Some 2000 demonstrators gathered at St. Patrick's Cathedral . to protest . pronouncements by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Vatican that condoms should not be used as protection <1-gainst AIDS. -Baltimore Alternative Andy Rooney Reinstated NEW YORK - CBS News reinstated · Andy Rooney three weeks into a three month susp ension without pay for .aHeg e.dly making anti-gay remarks . Rooney denied making the comments, which were reported in a national gay magazine . Letters to 60 Minutes had been running in favor of Rooney. You spend only · this much of your advertising dollar to reach a Second Stone reader! • Readers in every state across the USA and in many foreign countries • An ad this size costs less than 2¢ per reader! · • No charge for layout, composition, proof s • A unique opportunity to reach a precisely defined audience •State zoning a\lllilable for pre-print in se rts • Each edition circulated for up to four months • Reach the NEW Gay & Lesbian market in the USA! THE SECOND S10NE Box 8340 • New Orleans, LA 70182 March/ April 1990 a Gay Couple Serve As Godparents Walter Baker and Gerald Bowman, a gay couple who marked their 10th anniversary last fall, served as Godparents at the Baptism of Margaret Catherine Twigs Sevco at Christ Episcopal Church in Coudersport, Pennsylvania, population 3000, in the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania. Baker, a member of Integrity, was - :(,'-' elected for a three year term on the Vestry of Christ Church last year in an open election with. six candidates running for four open positions. A year ago, the Vestry elected him to be one of the two delegates to the Diocesan Convention. He was also nominated to the Standing Committee and, although not elected this first time around, continues to Margaret Catherine Twigs Sevco with (left to right) parents Thomas and Margaret Sevco, Godparents Walter Baker and Gerald Bowman, and the · Vicar of Christ Church, The Rev. Herbert Geer McCarriar, Jr. WHAT·'s THE BEST Men's magazine - . the one that deals most honestly with how men . relate to each other. to women. and to kids; the one that's gay-affirmative and opposes sex-role stereotypes .... the one that movingly explores men's hurts and joys . . . ~-- --- --------~ 1, OrQr at no obligation . If you change your mind. jusR~: us I We'll ref und the subscription price I I : Name -- · Enclosed:_ S16 : I Address ____________________ I I City _____________ State_ Zip __ I I Moll to: Chon in Men 306 N. Brooks 305A Madison WI 5 '!,_ .J ---------------------- be active in parish life, serving as usher and lector in tum with others. Bowman, who is also active at Christ Church, was confirmed this past September. He is Vice President of the Coudersport Fine Arts Council. The two are co-owners of the Hotel Crittenden in Coudersport , Both have found satisfaction in the Episcopal Church, through the supportive outreach and welcome by the Vicar; The Rev . Herbert G. McCarriar, Jr., who has for three years presented more people for confirmation/reception than any other priest in the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania. The parents of the baby have been active at Christ Church for more than a year, and were confirmed/received this past September. Thomas Sevco is a hairdresser and Margaret is an English teacher at Coudersport Ar.ea High School. Made "Dumb" Comments, Bishop Says Newly Ordained Priest Fired At the request of the board of Oasis, a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese . of Newark with the lesbian and gay community, the Rev. J. Robert Williams has resigned as its Executive Director. He has also been suspended from performing all priestly functions by his bishop. Williams addressed a conference in Detroit in mid-January sponsored by Integrity/Detroit and a local parish. During his remarks , Williams expressed the view that celibacy was only rarely a positive option, and that virtually all persons' lives would be improved by sexual relationships. He also said that, "Monogamy is as unnatural as celibacy. If peole want to try, OK. But the fact is, people are not monogamous. It is crazy to hold this ideal and pretend · it's what we're doing and we're n bt." Williams was ordained on December 16, 1989 by the bishop of Newark, the Rt. Rev. John S. Spong in a highly publicized service. The intense media attention was based on the mistaken notion that Fr. Williams' ordination was the first of an openly non-celibate gay man in · the Episcopal Church. It was, in fact, merely the first such ordination in the Diocese of Newark. The widespread reporting of Williams' remarks at the conference led Bishop Spong to admonish Williams, calling his remarks "dumb." Williams refused to retract his remarks. He said, "I'm not making a decision to leave the [Episcopal] church unless they force me to leave." But he added, "Before I .., ~ Evangelicals .. 'I(/ loge/her Inc. SUPPORT COMMUNITY & SERVICE FOR Gay & Lesbian Christians In Southern Califomia ... since 1979 Sult., 109-Box.16 79B5 Santa Monica Boulevard West Hollywood, CA 90046 213/656-.8570 ~ got ordained, I was thinking of starting my own church, and that may be something I'll have to do after all, in order to tell the truth." Various bishops have been calling for a church trial for Bishop Spong . Williams has accused Spong of _ "looking for someone to sacrifice to take some of the heat off of him." On January 29, a group of anti-gay bishops met with the Primate of the Episcopal Church, the Most Rev. Edmond Browning. In a release at the end of the meeting, Bishop Browning expressed his "deep regret and sorrow" over what he called "the intemperate and tasteless comments of Robert Williams." However, he also said that "the issues for us as a church are deeper" than the ordination of Robert Williams or "his demeanor, regardless of how very sad that has been." Among the deeper issues he cited were the church's pastoral response to homosexuals and the appropriateness of ordaining them. The board of Integrity, Inc., the nationwide lesbian and gay ministry of the Episcopal Church, issued a unanimous resolution stating its agony over the division among Williams, a long-time Intergrity member and founder of Integrity /Dalla s; Spong, one of Integrity's principal supporters in the House of Bishops; and the board of Oasis, which includes several Integrity members, most notably Integrity's founder, Dr. Louie Crew. Kirn Byham, Integrity's president, said, "The media created Robert Williams and it destroyed him. He was certainly not the 'first openly gay non-celibate male to be ordained in the Episcopal Church.' The other bishops became upset only because there was so much publicity about the ordination. Bishop Spong became upset only because there was so much publicity about Robert's remarks," Business or Personal ... Try a Second Stone dassified Ad II THE SECOND STONE Cover Story Let Your Light Shine How To Get Mo·re Recognition For Your Church Or Group By Jim Bailey Editor The good work your church or group does to impact your neighborhood and entire · community is newsworthy and deserves recognition. Food drives for the hungry, emergency housing you provide for the homeless, disaster relief programs, and important guest speakers or · musical groups are examples of things you do that would interest people beyond your immediate church membership. and information, regular readers may already know about the church or group. Here are some suggestions for reaching new prospects. · The Daily Newspaper group and your activity' in the community. You may be invited to discuss any number of topics including the homeless, AIDS projects, abortion, etc., depending on your ministy. Don't limit your interest to discussions on religion/ homosexuality. (And watch out for "shock" radio and TV shows. Hosts who specialize in confrontation have their minds m;ide up - and so do their listeners/ viewers!) Mosf radio and television stations accept and a,r free of charge Public Service Announcements, PSAs, from non-profit organizations. If sponsoring an event to benefit some community project, you may want to investigate having a PSA produced and aired . Plan well in advance. church councils provides a valuable interface with other clergy and . congregations and displays your willingness to work together for the good of the entire community. Your involvement . in softball leagues, bowling tournaments, etc. keeps the name of your church or group before the community. It gives -others an . opportunity to see that gay and lesbian ministries are just like their own . The Yellow Pages Make sure your church or group is listed in the Yellow Pages. Insist on a heading identifying your special gay and lesbian outreach. Some directories already have such a heading. If your directory doesn't, you may have ask - and you may Leaders of local churches and organizations with special ministries for Gays and Lesbians too often limit exposure of their hard work to the media they are most comfortable With: the local gay newspaper. While this is an important outlet for news Have you met the editor .or religion writer of your daily newspaper? While some writers may not be, receptive to your gay and lesbian focus, most will be very interested in meeting you and learning of your work. Cultivate a good working relationship with the religion writer. Keep him or her informed of your church or group's impact on the community. (But don't bother him/her with in-house news such as council elections, etc.) If your newspaper has a religion page and you can afford a small ad, it may attract new members. Insist on including copy on your special gay and lesbian outreach in the ad. Radio and Television Make local radio and television talk show hosts aware of your church or Some tal e nted individual in your group may want to consider putting together a special program or regular program based in your ministry for community access TV. Community .Events . Participation in area wide organizations such as interfaith • have a battle on your hands. If so, you should consult with a group like the National Gay Rights Advocates or the American -Civil Liberties Union . COVER STORY From Pagel Church and organization leaders may claim that receptivity is a problem, although a bigger problem may be the ineffectiveness of these ministries in making the community aware of their presence and activities. Christian outreach to Gays and Lesbians is all too often targeted toward those who are already aware of resources available to them: uncloseted Gays and Lesbians who take an active part - socially, politically, and otherwise- in the established gay community. But what about the majority of Gays and Lesbians - those who remain closeted to some degree; those who are reluctant to stop at . a bookstore or bar even for the few moments it would take to pick up a copy of the local gay periodical? Ranging in age from high school and college students to people well into careers (which may be jeopardized by their "coming out"), they represent the silent majority of Gays and Lesbians, often scorned by , their uncloseted counterparts. They also represent the gay and lesbian community's greatest potential for development, and for Christian outreach, a particularly difficult challenge. ' Although outreach in the strictest sense - discovery of and contact with a person who is in need of a fellowship of care, support and spiritual growth - is perhaps most effectively done on a personal level by leaders and members of local churches and group chapters, an important task of national church and religious organization execus tives is to bring wide recognition to their ministry on a national level; to stimulate inquiry by Gays and Lesbians who have not seen a community churches' classified ad in the back of the local gay newspaper. Efforts to do this on the · national levei" have ranged from stellar to lackluster. A major outreach effort was scheduled to be launched by The Evangelical Network at its annual gathering in March. According to TEN's chairperson, Rev. Fred Pattison, Senior Pastor of Casa de Cristo Church in Phoenix, Arizona, TAG 2000 (Tell All Gays by the year 2000) will be a bold effort during the decade of the '90s to witness to the gay · and lesbian community across the nation. "The church is foreign to alot of people," Patti~on said. "A goal of TAG 2000 is to challenge people to evangelize within their own communities . We're developing teams to provide workshops to help local groups with their outreach," he said. · TAG 2000 was developed after the larger plan by Evangelicals to "reach the unreachable people of th'e world by the year 2000" left Gays and Lesbians out. TEN's plan now is to bind local churches together in a solid push to witness to the gay and lesbian community . To be successful, however, TEN will have to concentrate now on funding their effort and making TAG 2000 known across the nation . Dignity /USA was successful in running a full page ad in a major circulation national newsmagazine and , making the most of adversity, has drawn media attention to the banishment of the group from Catholic church- owned property across the country. Not March/ April 1990 only has Dignity been successful in mal-:ing their ministry known to the wider public, they have also seen anger over church actions jar formerly complacent gay and lesbian clergy firmly into their comer. Lutherans Concerned of North America will no doubt benefit greatly from their involvement in and support of January's ordinations of a gay man and lesbian couple in San Francisco . The ordinations . received much media attention, including an inordinately long piece on the CBS Evening News. Although the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has resisted the ordinations, the message to gay and lesbian Lutherans is .that they are not alone in the church; that there arli! those willing to push for fairness and inclusivity. As with Dignity, Lutherans Concerned is now is a powerful position to push gay and lesbian clergy and church members from straddling the fence into concerned work. Integrity , Inc. has an active and effective media office. With an increasing number of events occurring in the Episcopal Church signifying a more meaningful place for women, Gays and Lesbians, Integrity is also in a position to garner coverage of their ministry. The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches is largely overlooked by the mainstream media. Though many wo ·uld blame homophobic writers and reporters, the fault may lie with the UFMCC itself which, like their local churches, tends to restrict coverage of their ministry to the gay and lesbian press. News of. last summer's General Conference went only to members of the Gay and Lesbian Press Association, not the nation's 500 plus religion writers and reporters. The conference was . held in a hotel adjoined, by only a few yards of walkway, by St. Paul's d aily newspaper, The Pioneer · Dispatch, yet the conference received no coverage even locally. The UFMCC has depend ed almost exclusivel y on local churches for outreach activity. And local churches have depended on adve r tising and stories in the gay and lesbian press to attract members - a practice which explains, in SEE COVER STORY, Page 11 No Cowardly Spirit A Transformation In Th:_e Gay Community How long, 0 Lord? I cry for help but you do not Jisten! I cry out to you •."violence!" but you do not .intervene. Why do you let me see ruin: Why must I · look at misery? -Habakkuk THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, · the more they remain the same. The world of Habakkuk and the world.we live in today are not -that much different from one another. Just as Habakkuk, we live in a world of wars and pestilence caused by the .social and moral corruption of a society out of control. But a world that allows that same society political control. Habakkuk dares to take issue with God. If God is so -almighty and good, .then why does he aliow eVJi to exist .and the righteous to die.. . I was thrust foto the world of AIDS, unexpectedly in 1982 when a dear ·friend was stricken by a'then -"unknown" and "untreatable" disease. I vividly remember walking into the funeral home to find a closed ·casket placed strategically in an ·archway between two rooms. One ·room was assigned to family -members, the other to his friends. I was very hurt. My friend's death ·should have served as a catalyst to ·bring us together. Instead it was used as a weapon to separate us. There we were - divided by disease and death. His family was shamed by his death. Embarrassed by his ·homosexuality. , On that day it became my mission to .fight - unashamed - the social and political mores of a society so blinded by fear and prejudice that it would refuse to bury its own. Here we are seven years and 60,000 deaths later. It has not been an easy struggle, but like Habakkuk, "I look over the nations and I see and am .utterly amazed." I cast my eye about and see the goodness of God at work. I see a once narcissistic and self-indulgent community transformed. A hedonistic society whose values - once based upon :avarice and greed, changed into a WI BY BILL URBAN community committed to the love and care of their brothers. I see a community renewed in - and strengthened by - its faith. Most importantly, I see how their love and religious spirit has slowly modified the masses. Politicians and religious leaders who at one time were afraid to even say the "A" word, are now openly supporting our fundraisers and assisting us in our causes. Someone once gave me a button that read: "Being gay is not for sissies!" I certainly can vouch for that . Second Timothy reveals to us that, "The spirit God has given us is no cowardly spirit, rather one that makes us strong, loving and wise ." I LIKE TO TELL the story of when my parents arrived at Johns Hopkins and the doctors were explaining my diagnosis to them. I lay severely ill in the Intensiv.e Care Unit and was not expected to live through the weekend. Upon hearing this, my mother exclaimed, "He will not only survive this pneumonia, but AIDS as well!" The doctor, not wanting her to be disillusioned, persisted, "I know your son to be a strong-willed individual, but he has never come up against anything like AIDS before. My mom, fully composed, looked that doctor right in the eye and said, "Well, AIDS has never come up against anything like. my son before." I did make it through that weekend. For weeks thereafter, I laid in my hospital room, frightened . and depressed . Thinking how unfair all this was. I was just getting my life turned around, I had my own newspaper and the life partner I had always dreamed of. It just wasn't fair. I contemplated my next maneuver with a great deal of consideration and discretion. When I became ambulatory, I took a walk to the top to the Hopkins parking garage. Eight stories high . I stared down at the ground for what seemed like .hours waiting for and desperately wanting one reason not to jump , When I had my left leg over the side, the Holy Spirit manifested itself to me. How long, 0 Lord, must I be beat back by political zealots, and you do not listen! I cry out to-you "Discrimination!" but you do not intervene. Why must I look at sickness and death? The Holy Spirit answered me with, "As long as man allows the physical and spiritual devastation of his fellow man." It is for mortals to resolve mortal problems. Allow me to be so bold as to make a comparison from a verse in Timothy which says, "I have been appointed preacher and apostle and teacher, and for its sake I undergo present hardships. But I am not ashamed." The same firery Spirit which came upon me that dismal day in-June of 1987 is with me today. THE NAMES PROJECT QUILT now covers 14 acres and represents the lives of 15,000 men, women and children. One of those quilts, · personally stitched by me, represents the life of a man I once loved. A kind and-decent human , being who never hurt a soul in his entire life, and who died, tragically and painfully, in my arms. I pray for a miracle, but instead I receive smaller blessings one at a time. In 1983 there wasn't much hope for people with PCP, (Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia.) I watched as my once strong and virile partner wasted away to a mere 58 pounds. I sat by his side reciting the rosary, and reading prayers because the machines attached to him did not allow the benefit of speech. I called his family upon his death and was told by his father, "He's your problem now, you handle it."• This man's death was not without merit. For four years following his death I fought for a little known treatm ent known as Areosolized Pentemidine which prevents the onslaught of PCP. Finally, in 1987, Baltimore Medical Institutions reluctantly began prescribing this treatment. Today it is customary practice. Deaths due to PCP are down THE SECOND STONE dramatically. I pray for a miracle, but instead I receive smaller blessings one at a time. I have fought and prayed hard for FDA approval of undergound drugs. Even if combined with other drugs they would at least prolong life. GREAT STRIDES HAVE . BEEN made in science and medicine since 1983, but the political, social and religious fronts still have a long way to go. In his day, Habakkuk faced the Chaldeans. The Chaldeans were a powerful, vicious, cruel and ruthless people. There are no Chaldeans today. We have the Jerry Falwells, theJimmy Swaggerts, the Jesse Helmses, and their supporters. The ignorant and frightened need to see for themselves that people like me are intrinsically good and our mission is simply to spread God's love · -not AIDS. When Iwas growing up and things didn't seem to work out right; I would · complain to my dad that life wasn't fair. He'd say to me, "No son, life isn't always fair. But if you feel that God has given you lemons, well then, make lemonade. You have to do the best you can with what you got where you are." The Holy Spirit l:)as helped me realize that God has spared my life for a reason. I understand that my personal lemon is AIDS and I have to make lemonade. Enough for all to drink. I make lemonade by my public speaking. Speaking serves to educate and sensitize people. It changes public opinion. It allows conservatives, evangelicals and their fundamentalist counterparts to see for themselves, the Holy Spirit that dwells within me . That Spirit of Strength - that Spirit of Love - that Spirit of Wisdom! That same spirit within each and every one of us. Each one of us has been touched by AIDS. Each of us has their own personal lemon to deal with. Look deep into your hearts. You will find a way to make lemonade . Then, when AIDS is eradicated from society as we know it today, we can all say with great pride and Christian love, "We have done no more than our duty," "In Every Classroom" Rutgers Report Examines Lesbian and Gay University Life NEW BRUNS\NICK, - N.J. - A comprehensive study of the lesbian and gay community at Rutgers, released by the Pres.ident' .s. Select Committee for Lesbian and Gay Concerns, places Rutgers on "the cutting edge of universities addressing these issues nationwide," according to James D. Anderson, committee chairman. The committee, which · included Rutgers faculty, staff, students and alumni, studied the entire university, Anderson said. "In Every Classroom: The Report of the President's Select Committee for Lesbian and Gay Concerns, Rutgers University;" includes the -results of a survey of all university employees on various issues impacting the lesbian and gay community . The faculty. and staff survey asked about such issues as harassment and discrimination in the work place and the classroom, as wen · as integration of the .lesbian and gay experience in the academic life of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey . "That's a first," said Anderson. "We don't know of any other institution that has surveyed every single employee," Anderson is associat~ dean and professor with the School of Communication, Information and Library Studies . Kevin Berrill, director of the Campus and Anti-Violence Project' of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, called the document "one of the most comprehensive studies to date of lesbian and gay life on college campuses" and predicted it will serve as a model for other universities throughout the country. The report is among the first to link student life, student policy, employee benefits, curriculum , career counseling, residence life and other universitywide concerns in a broad COVER STORY, From Page,) study of issues impacting the gay and lesbian community, according to Ron Nieberding, committee member, editor of the report, and a university student. The university must ensure an environment in which all members of the community, including lesbian and gay people, can participate and develop intellectually and emotionally, free from fear, violence or harassment, the report said. It also includes a survey of similar efforts under way throughout the country. Offices and programs for lesbian and gay concerns already exist at the University of Massachusetts-Amhe 1st, at the University of Pennsylvania and at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Nieberding said. The report, the result of more than 18 months of work by the committee, recommends that the university develop a similar office, with a least one full-time staff person, to focus on the concerns of the lesbian and gay community and to coordinate efforts already underway at each of _the university's schools .. Other key recommendations include: Developing incentives for scholars to pursue research:on the contributions of lesbian and gay people to science, history, literature and the arts; Integrating the experience of lesbian · and gay people into all relevant areas of undergraduate and graduate curricula; Fighting homophoia with sensitivity workshops aimed at incomipg students, fraternities, sororities, faculty, staff and administration; Creating safe space , not exclusive space but an area where Lesbians, gay men and bisexuals may int e ract without harassment and the threat of hostility; and providing the same personnel benefits and services to domestic partners of lesbian and gay employees as are offered to the spouses of other employees. "No one - whatever their race, sex, .religion, ·color, national origin, ancestry, age, disability or sexual orientation - should be subject to ... treatment that deprives them of their dignity or humanity," the report stated . "It is psychologically healthier for everyone not to hate," said committee member Catharine R. Stimpson, vice provost for graduate -education and dean of the Graduate School -in New Brunswick. "The hater gets hurt by hating ." The report - now goes to Rutgers President Edward J. Bloustein for review. Bloustein, in a letter to Anderson, praised the - "comprehensive scope and high quality" of the committee's work. "The report will be received gratefully and will get the careful and deliberate study it deserves," Bloustein said . The material wili be sent to campus provosts, deans, directors, student leaders and governing bodies throughout the university for furthur study prior to any decision on the best approach to implementing i t s recommendations, Bloustein said . The select committee was appointed by Bloustein in the spring of 1988. He directed the group to study the needs of the gay and lesbian community and to advise the administration on the full implementation of the university's 1981 policy that bans discrimination based on sexual orientation. The - group and its various subcommittees have met more than 70 times since then, Anderson said. The committee's work is part of a larger effort, the Program to Advance Our Common Purposes, begun in 1987 at Rutgers to fight bigotry and intolerance and to encourage a respect for diversity at the university. The lesbian and gay community has been organized at Rutgers since 1969, when a student organization formed shortly after the Stonewall riots in New York City. Today, the Rutgers University Lesbian/Gay Alliance, a student organization, is the second-oldest active lesbian and gay organization affiliated with an American universtiy, Anderson said . The full text of the report is available for $10.00 from the Rutgers University Office of Student Life Policy and Services, va ·n · Nest Hall, Room 301, College A venue, New Brunswick, NJ 08903. Home For Clergy and Religious With AIDS To Open Soon A consortium of religious communities, including the . Redemptorist Fathers and Brothers, the Missionary Brothers of Charity, the Franciscan Friars, and the S,isters of Mercy, are joining the Diocese of Oakland in establishing an innovative national center for clergy and religious with AIDS/ ARC in Oakland, California. · Former Maryknoll Brother Jim Mansmann has been charged with getting the project off the ground . The center will be called Bethany and will house up to three priests/brothers from anywhere in the United States who have been diagnosed in the early stages of the HIV disease. For further information about Bethany, contact Jim Mansmann, P.O. Box 5215, Oakland, CA 94605, (415) 635-6341. -Communication Newsletter part, MCC's dominance in the "openly" gay and lesbian community. It also explains why many closeted Gays and Lesbians are unaware of MCC. For mainstream Christians, evangelizing is a difficult task; in the gay and lesbian community it is doubly so. Substantial emotional barriers have appear ed ov er the past years betwe en those who witness the gospel and those are in need . Most Christians today can hardly make sense of the hateful antics of the Traditional Values Coalition, the oppression of the American Family Association, the rise and fall of Jim and Tammy and the sins of Jimmy Swaggart . Non-Christians , both gay and straight, see these examples as "religion": as what it means to be a Christian . Add to that the fact tha t the church - the oppressor of Gays and Lesbians for centuries - is only now, reluctantly, beginning to address the issue, it is easily seen why non-Christians in general, and Gays and Lesbians in particular,.are not beating a path to th e church doors. Revealing to others that these groups and individuals are not t ruly representative of Christ's teachings is now a necessary par t of outreach . Also, according to Rev. Pattison , outr ea ch in the gay and lesbian community suff e rs - because those not involved in a worship experience perceive those who are as no different from themselves. This "inconsistency in living" is an issue that church leaders are reluctant to address but one that they must face if their ministry is to be seen as credible by the community. It is ultimately an outreach of deed, not word , that will guide a prospect beyond all of the emotional barriers and obstacles that they may see in religion . It is in having some ne ed met, a friendly contact, or warm support in a time of crisis that outreach can make a lasting impression. And that connnection can't be made if national and local church and group leaders fail to ke ep their ministries in a highly visible position. March/April 1990 m Church & Organization News _ Darlene Garner , New Pastor of .. MCC Baltimore Rev. Darlene Garner has been installed as the new pastor of MCC Baltimore. Rev: Elder Nancy Wilson presided over the special ceremony held at St: John's United Methodist Church . Rev. Garner attended Samaritan College in Los Angeles and is currently working on her Master of Divinity at Lancaster Theologcial Seminary in Lancaster, Penn. , : ·. -Baltimore Alternative Southern California Lesbian Catholic Group Meets Lesbian Catholics Together has begun its fourth year as a group and continues to offer monthly home liturgies and paraliturgies in and A friend for the · journey. Subscribe today to THE SECOND STONE. YES, I want to receive The Second Stone, the national newspaper for Gay and Lesbian Christians ... send me: [ ] One year (6 issues) for $12.60 [ ] Two years (12 issues) for $23.00 [ ] Three years (18 issues) for $32.00 Name ......................................................................... . Address ........... '. .......................................................... . City, State & Zip ...................................................... .. Check here if you prefer plain envelope for mailing: [ ] Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of your first issue. Add $8.00 per year for postage in Canadand all other foreign countries. U.S. currency only. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 ._ ______________________ ___ around the greater Los Angeles area. The primary focus remains that of providing spiritual support and growth opportunties not currently offered within traditional Catholic ministries. The group is especially sensative to the issues of woman and homosexuality as they relate to Roman Catholicism. In ad.dition to liturgies and potlucks, LCT also sponsors an on-going support group with an open format and an annual weekend retreat. All women, including current religious, are welcome. For more information and a calender of 1990 .liturgies write to LCT, 19942 Acre Street, Northridge, CA 91324'. Reconciliation MCC , Donates $iOOO GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Four AIDS support organizations have benefited from a $1000.00 donation from Reconciliation MCC. Recipients were People With People With AIDS, the Grand Rapids Minority AIDS Project, the AIDS Foundation of Kent County, and the UFMCC AIDS Ministry. MCC Pittsburgh Celebrates 15th MCC Pittsburgh has been active for 15 years. Mid-Atlantic District Coordinator R. Adam DeBaugh granted charter church status to MCC Pittsburgh in recognition of 15 years of growth and commitment. -Pittsburgh's Out Lutherans Concerned Affirms Support for Bay Area Lesbian and Gay Ministry SAN FRANCISCO - The Board of Directors of Lutherans Concerned/ North America adopted an affirmation of support for the Lutheran Lesbian and Gay Ministry, a newly organized cooperative ministry supported by several Bay Area Lutheran congregations and many individuals through the United States and Canada. The Board also sent letters of commendation to two San Francisco congregations which have encountered disciplinary action by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America by ordaining lesbian and gay pastors without requiring a promise of sexual abstinence, as required by current ELCA clergy guidelines. "Members of our Board were moved to . learn of your support for LLGM and its work," wrote the Board. "Even more, we rejoice in your clear and unequivocal commitment to m THE SECOND STONE justice for gay and lesbian people ." Language of the Lutherans Concerned Board's affirmation of support is identical to the LLGM "Covenant of Support" which has been signed by more than 300 clergy and lay people, except that the paragraph endorsing the ordination of Jeff Johnson has been broadened: "Upon the issue of a call by a congregation of the ELCA or ELCIC, we commit ourselves to suppqrt and participate in the ordination of gay men and lesbian women who are called to and qualified for the ministry of word and sacrament. We further support as appropriate and ilS a gift their lives as celibate individuals or lives in relationship while serving as ordained clergy." New Charismatic Church For Portland Crown Of Praise, a charismatic church with an outreach to the entire community, has opened in Portland, Oregon. Pastor Judy Allen feels that "full gospel" is an appropr'iate description for the beliefs of Crown of Praise and Pastor Juanita Gates said the church is not a "gay" church, that "God calls peop!e to be spiritual beings, not sexual beings." The church is located at 2300 NW 30th Ave, (206) 892-6861 -Just Out · Oregon Church Joins Reconciling Congregations The 60 member Estacada United Methodist Church in Oregon has become the first reconciling congregation in the Oregon-Idaho Conference of the United Methodist Church. Pastor B. David Williams said, "This is God's good news to Lesbians and gay men. Fear and hatred do not reflect intent for his commuity of faith." -Just Out Use Of MCC/ Pittsburgh's Food Bank Doubles MCC/Pittsburgh estimated use of its food bank would double in frequency over the preceding year. Chairperson Rick Varner said, "Through increased publicity, the food bank became better known in the community. More people realized we were available to help and started to call on us." Of the exceptionally supportive community, Pastor Roberta Dunn said, "We are indeed very appreciative of this support be.cause that's what keeps the food bank operating." -Pittsburgh's Out Calendar The following announcements have been submitted by sponsoring or affiliated groups. Southeastern Conference for Lesbians and Gay Men MARCH 22-25, "Working Together to Strengthen Our Southeastern · ·Communities" is the theme of the 15th annual SECLGM gathering to be held at the Raleigh (North Carolina) Civic Convention Center. A wide variety of entertainment events, major speakers, exhibits and workshops will be offered . A large portion of the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt will be displayed. Registration cost for the four day conference is $80.00 if paid before March 20; $100.00 if paid at the conference . A brochure detailing complete information about the conference is available from SECLGM, Inc. '90, P.O.Box 28863, Raleigh, NC 2761H8636r (919) 833-1209. · Palm Sunday Weekend for Gay and Lesbian Christians APRIL 6-8, Virginia Ramey Mollenkott and John McNeil together lead a weekend retreat. Fellowship, bjble study, worship, reflection and healing. Cost including accomodations and meals is$165.00 Contact Beaver Conference Farm, Underhill Ave., Yorktown Hts ., NY 10598 or call (914)962s6033. Conference with John McNeil APRIL 20 & 21, Dignity /Westside in · Los Angeles sponsors a conference for the gay and lesbian community on the topic of discerning God ' s presence in life. The main facilitator will be John McNeil, author of Taking a Chance on God. The purpose of the conference is to provide an opportunity for Dignity members and for Gays and Lesbians outside of Dignity to come together and explore ways to discern God's presence in life. For information, call Dignity/Westside, (213) 871-6930. ... , • More Light Churches Conference APRIL 27-29, Central Presbyterian Church, Louisville, Ky., is the host of this conference, themed "Integrating Sexuality and Spirituality: A Call To The Churches ." Six workshops will be offered. For information call Jim Oxyer, (502) 897-5719 / (502) 569-5005 or Nick Wilkerson, (502) 635-7003/ (502) 568-7590. Changing Church Attitudes? APRIL 27-29, A weekend residential conference in Dunblane, Scotland featuring four noted speakers, Mary Hunt, Norman Shanks, Clare Sealy and Harvey Gillman . The conference will examine the churches' collusion with all that causes discrimniation against lesbian and gay people . A reconvening of a pioneering ecumenical conference held ten years ago in Pitlochry, Perthshire. One hundred participants spent a memorable weekend meeting in Scotland to discuss this important subject. Who would have known the sweeping changes that were to reshape the lesbian and gay community in the decade of the 80s? Open to people of all sexualities and Christian backgrounds. Contact The Secretary, CCA 1990 Conference, 58a Broughton St., Edinburgh EHl 3SA England. Open and Affirming Conferences APRIL 29 - MAY 2, The United Church Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns sponsors a. conference to increase awareness bf the Open and Affirming movement within the United Church of Christ. There are 36 Open and Affirming congregations presently in th 1.7 million member UCC. For information on the Western regional conference to be held at Mercy Center, Burlingame, Cal., contact Rev. Wendy Taylor, 751 Alameda .de las Pulgas, Belmont, CA 94002. Also, MAY 4-6, at St. Paul's Church, Chicago, II. Contact Rev. Talka Kreiensieck, 1630 W . Pierce, Chicago, IL 60622, and JUNE 1-3, at United Congregational Church, Worcester, Mass . Corttact Rev. Ann B. Day, P.O . Box 403, Holden, MA 01520. UCCL/GC welcomes participants from other denominations, as well as UCC pastors, lay people, and conference personnel. For more .information, contact UCCL/GC's national office, 18 N. College, Athens, OH 45701 or call (614)593-7301. ' Sixth Annual Desert and Mountain States Lesbian and Gay Conference MAY 11-13, A six-state Lesbian and Gay conference themed "Growing Together as Lesbians and Gays" will be held at the El Rancho Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Kay Weaver, a major new talent in the gay and lesbian entertainment industry, will be featured in a major concert on the second night of the conference. Steven Tierney, PhD, an activist from Boston, Mass., and Urvashi Vaid, Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, will be the featured keynote speakers. Workshops include Health and Wellness, Politics and the Environment ;: Spritt.tality and Humanism and Racism, Oppression and Privilege. Early registration is $55; $65 at the conference. Contact DMSLGC, P.O. Box 19360, Las Vegas, NV 89132c..()360, (702)791-0083 or (702)737-7780. Conference for Catholic Lesbians MAY 25-28, The Conference for Catholic Lesbians, a national organiz;ition for women of Catholic heritage, sponsors Conference '90, "Power & Empowerment" to be held in Estes Park, Colorado, featuring workshops, liturgies, and entertainment. Contact CCL Conference '90, P. 0. Box 436, Planetarium Station, New York, NY 10024, (212) 562-8922 Men and Masculinity 15th Annual Conference · · · MAY 31- JUNE 3, "Ending Men's Violence: Pathways to a Gender-Just World" is the theme of this conference of the National Organization for Changing Men to be held at Oglethorpe University, Atlanta, Ga . For information , write to: Men Stopping Violence, 1020 DeKalb Ave., #25, Atlanta, GA 30307 or phone (404)688-1376. CMl's 1990 Retreats JUNE 3-6, Co-dependency retreat in Palm Springs, Cal., JUNE 11-14, Embodied Spirituality and Sexuality retreat for men and women at St. Joseph's Retreat House, San Antonio, Texas, AUGUST 17-19, Codependency and Spiritual Wholeness retreat at Weber House, Baltimore, Maryland. For information on Communication Ministries' retreats, write to CMI Retreats, P.O. Box 60125, Chicago, IL 60660c..()125. American Baptist's National Retreat JUNE 25 -27, American Baptists Concerned, a national organization of gay and lesbian Baptists, their families and friends, will hold its second national retreat in the San Francisco Bay Area. The focus of the retreat will be community building among gay and lesbian Baptists. The March/ April 1990 □ retreat facilitator will be the Rev. Dr. Jane Spahr, a nationally known resource person on issues related to the gay and lesbian community. An ordained Presbyterian minister, Rev. Spahr is the founder of the Ministry of Light, a ministry to gay men, Lesbians and their familes in San Anselmo, Calif. The retreat site is Westerbeke Ranch, located north of San Francisco. The retreat will be proceeded -by San Francisco's annual Gay and Lesbian Freedom Day Parade. ABConcerned/SFBA will help with transportation to and from the retreat. Cost is $100.00, which includes two nights lodging and six meals . For information write to ABConcemed National Retreat, 686 Waller St., San Francisco, CA 94117. Thornfield Workshop on Sexuality JULY 9-15, The .highly acclaimed annual training workshop on sexuality at the Thornfield Conference Center in Cazenovia, NY will focus on gender, orientation and lifestyle and their relationship to sexism, heterosexism and homophobia . Designed as an advanced course for both individual and professional growth, the workshop sttracts teachers, students, counselors, clel"gy, hea:ltlfpersonnel and others. Among the noted ·staff are Mary Lee Tatum, nationally-recognized family life educator, lecturer and consultant from Falls Church, Va.; Brian McNaught, consultant and author of the book and video, On Being Gay: and the Rev. Bill Stayton, author, theologian and sex therapist . Registration is limited to 60 persons. For further information, contact Alison Deming, P.O.Box 447, Fayetteville, NY 13066, or call (315) 637-8990. Lutherans Concerned Assembly '90 JULY 19-22, Lutherans Concerned/ North America hosts the largest group of gay and lesbian Lutherans ever assembled. The setting is the campus of University of Illinois at Chicago. "I Ain In Your Midst" is the theme . Assembly '90 marks LC/NA's sixteenth year of working for lesbian and gay understanding within the church.The design and intent of the assembly is to create an atmosphere where people can experience a familiar yet fresh approach to spirituality and community. Facilitator is Rev. Linda Strohrnier. A variety of workshops will be offered. Forinformation write to: Assembly '90, P.O . Box 10197, Fort Dearborn Station, Chicago, IL 60610. . IE Closer Look Whither Thou Goest: A Lesbian Love Story? By Rev, Bruce Roller Contributing Writer In its introduction to the book of Ruth, the PTL Partner's Edition Counselor Bible (King James Version), states, "When Naomi turns again homeward to Bethlehem, bereft of all she brought to Moab, Ruth refuses to foresake her; and, in her determination to stay with Naomi, Ruth . spoke the immortal words which have echoed across the centuries at marriage altars: 'Whither thou goest I will go .. .' Such · an insight into the life of an ordinary family of that ancient day is a' priceless gift." By this statement the ultra-conservative writer has inadvertantly introduced an interesting, and often invisible, highlight to the story of Naomi and Ruth. It is not my intention in any of these articles to be controversial for the sake of controversy so I will be stating again and again that when I speak of lesbian and gay love, sensuality, and sexuality in relation to the people . whose stories are recorded in the bible, I am not saying implicitly that these people engaged in physical sexual expression with each other. (Though I will st~te that explicitly about some of those of whom I write this year.) That the physical expression of sexuality is what makes an individual or relationship homosexual is one of the myths of heterosexism and homophobia. The Reverend Sylvia Pennington has made the truer statement that homosexuality is much more concerned about "with whom one chooses to nest." Notice the special courage of For Work With Gay and Lesbian Youth Leo Treadway Receives Human Services Award Leo Treadway, Ministry Associate of St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran ·church, St. Paul, Minnesota, and past Co -chair of Lutherans Concerned/ North America received a $5000.00 McKnight Foundation Award in Human Services. He was one of ten Minnesotans selected from nearly 200 candidates. Ex-Gays? There Are None Lambda Christian Fellowship is pleased to announce a new book by Rev. Sylvia Pennington - an examination of ex-gay ministries - what they do - what they don't do. You'll meet people who, only through God's grace, have survived and stopped trying to be ex-gays, because, in truth, there is no such thing as an ex-gay rx,rson. Now Available From Lambda Christian Fellowship P . 0 . Box 1967 Hawthorne, CA 90250 $15.00 plus $1.50 for postage and handling. California residents add 6% sales tax. In the award citation, the McKnight Foundation recognized Treadway "for his courage and commitment to improving the lives of gay and lesbian youth who are at risk of exploitation and suicide. Treadway and a number of social service colleagues have established gathering places for lesbian and gay youth between ages 15 and 21 in both St. Paul and Minneapolis. These groups, which meet weekly, provide a supportive atmosphere for youth who identify themselves as gay or lesbian to discuss being "out" in school, relating to_ their parents, how to know if you are lesbian or gay, and how to deal with homophobia, as well as issues of AIDS education. , · The McKnight Foundation Human Serv'ice Awards have been given annually since 1985. They are given, acctjrding to the Foundation, to individuals in Minnesota "who are mak jng significant contributions to the : human services by directly assi*ing others to become productive and I participating members of the com~unities in wh ich they reside. · PATLAR VOICE OF GAV AMERICA MONTHLY NEWSMAGAZINE FREE AT OUR DISTRIBUTION POINTS SUBSCRIPTIONS $35 ANNUALLY SAMPLE(t4Jp<?u~~ 18tr¼Tt~ usA $4 FOR INFO ON ADVERTISING CALL (916) 391-9755 OR 452-0769 PO BOX 22402 SACRAMENTO CA 95822 Naomi, who, rather than staying in Moab to which her late husband had brought her, decided (very independent ly for a woman of that day) to go back to the land of her birth. Both daughters-in-law had apparently become close to their mother-in-law Naomi; · both wept, but it was fairly easy to convince Orpah to go back and try in her own land to find another husband . Her alliance with her mother- in-law was important, but her apparent connection with her family and friends in Moab was more comfortable . Not so with Ruth. It was after Orpah's departure, after much urging from Naomi to do the "sensible" thing and remain in Moab with her family, friends, and familiar customs, that Ruth spoke the words that couples all over the world speak to one another in weddings and other commitment ceremonies, "Entreat me . not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee : for whither 'thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God : Where thou diest, will I . die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so · to me, and more also if aught but death part thee and me, (Ruth 1:16-17) ." Lovers the woi-id over, committing themselves to one another as a result of romantic love, are correctly assessing these words, I think, as the passionate response of a person committing herself for life to another person . The sentiments . need not lose their romantic flavor because they are spoken by one strong woman to another. Of course , because of the economic, political, and religious system in place in Israel at the time reflected in . the book of Ruth, both women seem particularly interested in Ruth's gaining the favor of a powerful man. There are, however, some interesting gleanings even in this. For instance, Boaz (the man Ruth eventually marries) remarks to Ruth how all the people of the city "know thou art a virtuous woman, (3:11) ." (As a teenager reading this passage, I was struck with the 'resemblance to myself. In a , very conservative church I had a very strong reputation for being "a perfect gentleman" on dates with girls!) He further commends · her for not running after the young men, but choosing the older, richer and more powerful Boaz. Ruth "followedst not young men, whether poor or rich, (3:10).'' Earlier when Boaz asked about Ruth "Whose damsel is this?" the servant's reply was essentially, "Naomi 's, (2:5-6)." Certainly in what could only be interpreted as a very sexual situation with Boaz (lying at his feet all night until morning), m THE SECOND STONE Ruth's virtue remains intact; and the reward of the evening is offered to Naomi. "These six measures of barley gave he un to me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother-in-law, (3:17)," Ruth tells Naomi. The result of sexual intercourse between Ruth and Boaz was the birth of a, baby boy Obed who is listed in 4:22 as the grandfather of King David. Notice, however, that the recognition , particularly of the women of the city, was an understanding that Ruth loved Naomi. Hear the · song of the women: "There is a son born [not to Boaz, but] to Naomi, (4:17) ." What have our observations and speculations in this -article shown? Certainly there is no conclusive proof that Naomi and Ruth had a lesbian relationship. In fact, there is no conclusive proof that Naomi and - Ruth were actual people. Some scholars believe that the little story of Ruth was written after the return from Exile to counter some of the harshness of Ezra/Nehemiah's inter-marriage reforms. Some things we have seen, however, that may be of particular interest to lesbian women: 1.) The Hebrew Scriptures include a: wonderful story of loving commitment between two strong, courageous, and independent women. 2.) Ruth is · portrayed as having littl~ romantic or erotic interest in men, and as being deeply identified with and committed to · Naomi . 3.) An overwhelming insight for this ancient book is the realization of the women of the city that Ruth's child is truly Naomi's and Ruth's (excluding the name of Boaz from any of the birth celebration.) The writer of this little book; under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, certainly makes a strong case for the deep, loving, life-long commitment of one strong woman to another. Permit me a question for your meditation. If , after the birth of Obed, Ru th had had to choose between Boaz and Naomi, would she have repeated her statement to Naomi: "Whither thou goest, I will go ... "?? · The Reverend Bruce Roller is pastor of Reconciliation MCC in Grand Rapids, MI . He has prepared a workbook on 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 that is available for $3.50 plus 25% handling and . shipping. This book allows the student to draw conclusions themselves from the Word of God, and has helped many people over the ir fear of condemnation from this passage of Scripture. The workbook is available from Faithful Publications, P.O . Box 3701, Grand Rapids, MI 49501. Families. Holy Unions A Special Start For Gay/Lesbian Couples By Rev. !eylvia Pennington Columnist I remember the first Holy Union which I attended about thirteen years ago. It was a ceremony for two elderly white -haired gentlemen who were celebrating the 37th Anniversary of a union which had started when Cardinal SpeHman secretly married them in his private chambers . At last, that which had been done secretly, could be done openly. As people, most of us have a basic need to "get married." Of course, in the gay community, marriage isn't a -contract between two people and the state in which they live . That doesn't make it any less a commitment to a covenant relationship a relationship, when inviting the Lord to enter into, is called a Holy Union. (A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.) In my early years of public ministry with MCC, I always felt that we never experienced God's presence in our midst as much as we did during a Holy Union ceremony . One of the more joyful aspects oci:ur when parents and family members participate. I remember one dad who stood up and said, "I never thought I could be so happy being the father of the grooms!" Yet this family matter is often the saddest aspect too . I found - it was often impossible to start our services on time, as one member of the couple pleaded for us to wait just a little longer - "My mom said she'd try to come." We'd wait - although I knew it was probably futile . If they weren 't part of the planning, or there early, most likely they wouldn't come. Lack of family participation was so frequently the dark cloud hanging over us amidst the love and joy we · celebrated. This didn't mean that the . non-attending family members had rejected their kids. Often, the family had worked through their initial negative responses and were trying to be as loving and supportive as possible. They'd come a long way - but not to the point where they could handle something as potentially life-time lasting as a "marriage" inferred to them. Balancing that were the people who were there - often making a commitment to be the couple's family in their Jove and support. As I travel most of the tlme now , . the Holy Unions I'm part of are oft~n held in homes in areas where there 1s not a church available, although some wedding chapels are rented. Usually no one is quite sure what to expect. I always include traditional vows so that the whole sense of it being a real wedding in manifested, but as often happens in today's marriages, couples also say their personal vows. It's very important to me that in the gay community our Holy Unions are beautiful, inspiring and done in the best taste we know how to present. The occasion is real - it is a celebration ,' it is a joy - not only to us, but also I believe, to God and the whole Heavenly Host. If there are children, they actively participate in the service - excited little gremlins usually , delighting in their families and the special occasion. Each Hol y Union is as individual as are the people joining their lives together, as each love story is special and the participants "uncloned" but we all have our favorite stories and I'd like to close by sharing the tale of two of _the most unique Lesbians I've met . Last year I received a Christmas card from two women who live in a very small town in Arkansas. They used considerable space trying to remind me who they were . I read their message tearfully - could they possibly believe I'd forget them? From the time of our first phone enco unter, they were "unique ." My sister Jean answered the ir original phone call, then called me to say I needed to hear their story personally, so I called them right away . They'd me t ,-when they were eleven and twelve years old . The eleven year old's dad was the Assembly of God pastor when the twelve year old and her mother began to attend their church. I heard from them 27 years later . Two little Christian girls who were "different." God had done something special with them because they always loved each other rather than boys and men. They'd questioned homosexuality just once and knew that wasn 't them because homosexuals were just sex people but they deeply loved one another. How shocking it was for them, in their late thirties, to meet two other women who also loved each other and considered themselves Lesbians. The Le sbians went _ to work enlightening the tw o unique oneseven to the point of telling them that there were churches where gay people worshipped together, and right there in Arkansas too! Shocking! The almost enlightened unique women made an appointment to see the MCC pastor in Little Rock. I'd been to their church a week before ·and when the Pastor couldn't convince the women, he gave them my first book to read. They read the book and called. They were still shocked to learn that they were Lesbians and not just unique. What's mo re, it had to be wrong because they weren't married. I exp lained Holy Unions to them, told them to pray about it and if they wanted, I'd marry them on my return to California a few months later. One month later, they set the date. I'd be stopping in St. Louis, Mo. the day before the wedding and would have a comfortable day's drive to easily be in Arkansas for a 7:00 p.m. wedding. · Enroute to this unusual Holy Union the car broke down, I kept calling the women as the repairs took much longer than originally stated. Finally, we were enroute, but we'd be a few hours late. We hit torrential rains for hours which slowed us drastically, as we drove slowly with almost zero visibility , We finally found their little town ·and house. It was 4:00 a.m.! The wedding party had sat patiently waiting in their beautifully wedding decorated house. Everything was wonderfully planned . Despite the hour and our tiredness, it was one of the most glorious Holy Unions I'd .experienced. After we ate the wedding cake, we sat and talked until 8:00 a.m. as they still had many questions. Forget them! How could I possibly? A 4:00 a.m. wedding! God did a very lovely thing for two beautiful Christian women . Isn't is always a wonder how much our God does for us! For God's special gay kids, a Holy Union is a very wond erful gift, as two . "unique" wome·n in Arkansas can testify . Rev. Sylvia Pennington is the author of But Lord, They 're Gay, Good News For Modern Gays and Ex-Gays: There Are None. Rev . Pennington's · books ar e available at most gay bookstores or can be ordered from Lambda Christian Fellowship, PO Box 1967 , Hawthorne, CA 90250. Catholic Lesbians To Gather Lesbians from all over the country will gather in Estes Park, Colorado on May 25th to celebrate the 5th national biannual conference sponsored by the Conference for Catholic Lesbians. CCL is a natipnal orgahization _of women who acknowledge the importance ' of the Catholic tradition in shaping their lives, and who seek to develop and nurture a spiritual life that enhances and affirms their identity as Lesbians. The organization wa s formed in 1983 as a result of the historic first conference, which was -held in Kirkridge in Bangor, Pennsylvania in the fall of !he THE previous year . Feminist liturg i es created by members of CCL will be celebrated each day of the conference . Ample free time will be alloted during the course o·f the conference for participants to enjoy the available recreational facilities as well as the - chance to network with Catholic Lesbians from around the country . For further information, write to Conference Coordinator, · CCL, Inc., P.O.Box 436 Planetarium Station, New York, NY 10024 or call Erna at (212) 562-8922. BOOK SERVICE Your Source for Gay/Lesbian Christian Materials Welconie to the expanding world of quality Christian materials for gay/lesbian people and those who car e about them. At THE BOOK SERVICE , we specialize in fast, friendly services and provide materials usually unavailable through other sources. Since the start of this service our distribution has quickly grown to 50,000 plus catalogs. Our primary goals are to provide a source of quality materials to Christian people, support the growth of spirituality in the gay/l e sbian community, support the integration of gay/le sbian people within the traditional Christian community. TO RECEIVE YOUR FREE CATALOG CALL }-800-728-0038 March/ April 1990 Book Review A Shallow Pool . Of Time Fran Peavey, author; Introduction by . Joanna Macy. Santa Cruz, Cal.: New Society Publishers, 1990. 150 p. $11.95, paper; $34 .95, cloth. ISBN 0-86571-166-6. In 1984, AIDS was seen as a "gay cancer" quickly spreading through the homosexual community of San Francisco . Little was widely known about the AIDS virus at the time, and false information and misconceptions spr e ad faster that the disease itself . Social change activist and worldtravelled comedian Fran Peav ey began to keep a journal on the epidemic, explaining to her friends , "It will be interesting to keep track of over time, and interesting to people in the future - just as it would be for us to have a journal of an ordinary person who lived through the Plague ." Four years later, and still working on her journal, Peavey was diagnosed as HIV positive, probably having contracted the virus six years earlier from a contamina .ted blood transfusion. Her journal became intensely personal as she continued to document the epi<;lemic, but now with a new understanding of the disease · and those who ·have it. "I am embarassed by my P!''ejudice, .especially toward gay men.,:: and by my uncaring attitudes '· toward friends who suffered in the early history of the disease," writes Peavey. "It is both tragic and terribly wrong that people already marginalized and oppressed by society are not seen as victims , No one deliberately brought this suffering ori him or herself;'' Her captivating, · sometimes funny and often moving reflections pull us through the denial, anger, fear and deep sense of injustice she has experienced. A Shallow Pool of Time is made up of Fran Peavey's journal through early 1989, together with essays focusing on the social aspects of AIDS as reflected through personal experience. Peavey shares many of her most intimate moments in her ongoing struggle to cope with the fears, questions, lessons and emotional swings that have come ·A Presbyterian Promise "We will work to increase the acceptance and participation in the church of all persons regardless of racial-ethnic origins, sex, class, age, disability, marital status or sexual orientation" - 195th General Assembly (1983), Atlanta, Georgia If this is your promise, too, we invite you to join Presbyterians for Lesbian/Gay Concerns Write to Elder James D. Anderson PLGC , P.O. Box ~8, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0038, 201/846-1510 with the knowledge that she is HIV+. Her captivating , sometimes funny and often moving reflections pull us through the denial, anger, fear and deep sense of injustice she has experienced . Reading A Shallow Pool of Time we share Peavey's s truggles with and insights into issues such as telling friends, family, co-workers and others; asking for and giving support; deciding what and whom to believe, and where and how · to find informat ion; facing ·both the possibility of death and the disheartening popular equation of HIV+ with AIDS with death ; exploring the dimensions of safe sex; reassessing personal and social responsibility; and discovering both the types and potential limits to socia l hysteria . It is an important book because it allows us to gain an inside awareness and understanding of the experiences of individuals who ?.re HIV+, while at the same time dealing with the iinpact of AIDS and AIDS hysteria on society as a whole . Many readers will remember Peavey's humorous and .insightful first book Heart Politics . Known worldwide as the "Atomic Comic," Fran Peavey has long been involved in grassroots politics as a comedian, teacher and activist . Catherine Maier, Coordinator of the Women 's Services Program, San Francisco AIDS Foundation, notes that "Building on her losses, Fran chooses to look to the future with hope and to live with lov e and understanding for others and for herself. A Shallow Pool of Time will touch everyone who rea:ls it." Susan Griffin calls A Shallow Pool of Time "a de e ply moving soul-journey rich with insight, complexity, and courage ." · Faith, Love, AIDS, and the Catholic Church An Angry Young Poet's Discourse With God Thomas O'Neil, author. Illustrations by Ty Wilson. New, York, NY: Indulgence Press, 1989. 107 p. $5.95, paper. ISBN 0-9622398-0-1. · Sex With God is an odyssey through gay New York of the 1980s, a quest through its "stand a:nd stare" bars and other pickup spots until the poet ultimately finds his future lover . En route, Thornas O'Neil puts the story in a religious perspective: the love he seeks is condemned by the church he loves. As a result , he rages against it and calls God directly into account. The title comes from the book's opening poem, which . ends: "There is nothing in the world/ like talking/ sex with God ." In one of the book's most angry outbursts, O'Neil takes o.n Card inal John J. O'Connor for closing . down , masses organized and attended by gay men in New York City. In "Mass Confusion," he writes : "Seems the man who wears/ the most expensive gowns in town/ wants to fortify the gates of Heaven/ against thos e femmes who ·exchange th .e sign of peace on 13th Street./ Mass may now be . offered/ again in cata combs, they say ... " It's the closed church doors that .seem to trouble O'Neil the most, particularly in the age of AIDS. In "Open the Door: An Anthem," the re ader joins AIDS sufferers in front of ·a church : Open the door God Here on these steps to an elusive Heaven Your altar boys are now grown up and, felled by the Love Disease, have come home to die ... Open the door God Surely You remember what death was like, the seering flesh, Your cry to Heaven: Why have Ypu forsaken us? Thomas O'Neil Most shocking is O'Neil's subsequent description of the end of the world, followed by two outrageous post scripts that close the book. H e then graciou s ly gives God the last word - and in the literal sense of ''The Word" - but the ' biblical quote, lineated in the form of a poem, is stinging and pointed. Cl e arl y, O'Neil's grudge is not ex clusively with the Catholic Church, but with Scripture, too. With God. THE SECOND STONE Travel Where To Stay In L.A. By Cynthia A. Marquard and Danni Munson Contributing Writers Los Angeles is everywhere and yet nowhere. By that we mean it is a sprawling metropolitan area with no real downtown. But there are so many famous attractions sc~tter~d over this part of southern Cahforn1a that a visitor could stay anywhere in the Los Angeles area and be close to something they want to see, yet 50 or more miles from something else. So the big question is, where to make "home base ." The answer for Gay/Lesbian travelers could very well be WEST HOLLYWOOD. Incorporated only five years ago, this new city is one of the gayest spots on earth. We did an in-depth exploration of West Hollywood on a recent trip to Los Angeles . Similar in size _ to Chicago's Newtown area it covers 1.9 square miles. Restaurants here are considered "food boutiques" where each must offer very unique menus. Shaped like a revolver lying on its side, this area is bounded by Hollywood on the East and Beverly Hills on the West. Its often called "Creative City". The fomous Pacific Design Center, where -many design professionals have offices and where it is said "creativity gets down to business," is in the center of the city. Where To Stay We stayed at the new Ramada West Hollywood, the area's hottest new and very gay-friendly property, with 177 upscale rooms. The hotel is all done in black and white with · vivid primary colors for accent .. If you want to impress your travelmg · companion, order one of the loft . suites. They contain on the first floor, full living rooms with wet bar/bath and pull out sofa. In addition you climb to the loft where there is a king bed and remote control TV. Those with contacts in Hollywood will like the fact there is a telephone in all bathrooms and call waiting on every phone. Room rates start at $69 dollars per night, with the loft suites going for $159 per night. The hotel also provides complimentary membership to the largest health club in Los Angeles which happens to be across the street. ... If you like nothing but upscale hotels, try the L'Ermitage chain. ~e have seven hotels in this 1.9 mile area. These are all totally renovated condo buildings. All have a private pool and jaccuzzi on t~e roof. Y_ou receive a key to the private parkmg lot undernea th the building when you check in. You can enter the_lot and go into the elevator anytime without going . through the lobby I I The movie stars love it ... you might too. If gay/lesbian bed and breakfasts catch your _ fancy we recomme~d Whittier House. Located m Whittier, Calif., it is a stone's throw from West Hollywood by the freeways but has a ~onderf':11 spacious and relaxed settmg. It 1s owned by two lesbians, Laurie and Diane, and both men and women are welcome. Whittier House has a great video library, including the March on Washington tape. The rates are reasonable. They also give one night free for every six booked. Places To Eat All up and down Santa Monica Blvd. are great California eating places . We dined at La Fabula, a Gay owned Mexican restaurant in the 7900 block of Santa Monica. The place was filled with gay and lesbians, and excellent food was served at reasonable prices. The menu was simple--5 entrees--but everyone agreed all were excellent. Next door is the French Market, a great "food to stick to your ribs" place--also gay owned. Roast beef and roast pork dinners were both under 8 dollars, and the waiter brought so much food that is was impossible to join the clean plate club. A romantic stop if you are on a holiday with a lover would be the Rose Tatto on Robertson in West Hollywood. This restaurant and bar acquired this past year by three women is very upscale. One of the owners is Ginny Foat, part owner of _ the Langtry, the world's finest women's guest house in San Francisco. She has taken her experience with the guest house and applied it to the restaurant and bar at Rose Tattoo. The main room of the restaurant is done in rose, beige and black and kept softly lit. the "other" place under the sun ... :i~:~r.:~ts~' M; ~x~:=cb • Pool & ·cozy Jacuz::r:I •Frc-c contlnental bnakfast Write or call for brochure. 120 E. Atol St., P. 0. Box 2326 South Padre Island, Texas 78597 (512)761-L YLE Air connections via American Continental Southwest Things To Do West Hollywood also has many events geared to gays during the year. The most famous is the fabulous Gay /Lesbian Pride parade the last Sunday of June. Halloween is also an occasion for a big celebration . Santa Monica Boulevard is shut down as more than 40,000 people stroll the avenue, most of them in outrageous costumes. From January 1990 though March, the West Hollywood City Hall will feature an exhibit of 20 women artists, culminating in a grand Women's History Month Celebration. You can request a calendar of events from the very gayfriendly City Hall, 8611 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood CA 90069- 4109. All in all we found WEST HOLLYWOOD a great place to get a taste of Los Angeles. And by the way, their favorite saying is: "No one walks in Los Angeles; everyone walks in West Hollywood." So take your best sneakers and have a look around. Cynthia A. Marquard is the owner/manager of Envoy Travel, Inc., in Chicago and vice-president of the International Gay Travel Assn. Danni Munson is the publisher of The Lesbian and Gay Almanac and Events of 1990. March/April 1990 P. 0. Box 118 SL Bethlehem, NH 03574 (603) 869-3978 □ Lesbian and Gay -Chdstian Movement U.K. Group Target of Church Harassment In November, 1987, at a General Synod meeting of the Church of England, an Evangelical priest, Tony Higton, put · forward a resolution asking the Church to declare that "homosexual acts are sinful in all circumstances" and that clergy must adhere to this belief as a condition of remaining in the ministry. This action over two years ago was the first salvo in a debate and controversy that continues to rage in the United Kingdom and the Church of England. A 1978 Report of the Lambeth Conference of Anglican Bishops had given hope to Gays and Lesbians in the Church, stating "Today we do not expect everyone to conform to a norm - a sort of _average humanness - but rather to rejoice in variety; so the status and rights of homosexuals are being reconsidered." On August 4, 1988, the Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops meeting at Canterbury reaffirmed this position and called for "each Province to reassess .. .its care for and attitudes towards persons of homosexual orientation ." In practice, - however, Gays and Lesbians in the Anglican Church were heading for some setbacks. Although Higton's resolution w11sn't _ adopted, a motion that said "homosexual genital acts" fall short of the ideal of sex "within a permanent married relationship" did pass and a resolution supporting all committed relationships, without specifically mentioning homosexuality, was overwhelmingly defeated. The General Synod debate unleashed a torrent of tabloid homophobia. Although only four percent of Britons attend church, the press assumes that people are still interested in whether the vicar is gay. As a result, and on their own inijjgl_tives, various bishops began "gay hunts" to root out offending clergy, to the humiliation of many who had sacrificially served the Church for, in some cases, 30 years and more. England 's Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement was founded (as the Gay Christian Movement) in 1976. It had two parents, a nebulous liberal grouping called Reach and people in the (radical) Student Christian Movement grouped around a . book and a conference called Towards a Theology of Gay Liberation. Soon after it was founded the Vicar of St. Botolph's Church, Aldgate, Christian Study Group Formed An initiative from leading figures in Church life to create an organization for promoting understanding of sexuality and its theological meaning has been launched in England. Over 60 supporters have begun The Institute for the Study of Christianity and Sexuality. The Institute has no official connection with the Church of England. · It brings together an umbrella group of noted Roman Catholics, Methodists, and Anglicans . The Institute sees itself as being the focus for debate around the complex and divisive issues of how the churches should respond to changing expectations in regard to gender roles, a Christian ethic for both opposite and same-sex relationships, Christianity and the ·future of the nuclear and .extended family, sexuality and the- experience of power and the power, potential and symbolism of sex. At a time of unprecedented controversy in the churches, ·with confusing if-not contradictory teachings on many sex-related matters coming from different sections of the Christian community the ISCS is clearly destined to have a crucial responsibility to help heal divisions, engage in research, provide educational .material, and help people become wholly self-accepting while ·remaining God-loving. Canon Rowan Williams, Professor of Divinity at Oxford University and a trustee and founder of the Institute said, "Christian ·churches of all traditions have been very slow in developing any full~scale reflection on how our sexual nature as human beings relates to the whole business of growing as a man or woman and growing in fellowship with God - everything that the word 'spirituality' normally sums up. •:we have had a lot of thinking aboμt the rights and wrongs of sexual behavior; but this has often relied eithbr on a somewhat legalistic use of collf!ctions of biblical texts ·or else on appjeals to 'natural law.' In either case, there has not been .much attempt to connect what has been said with the central affir mations of Christian faith ... " Noted theologian and author Janet Morley, also a trustee, added; "For many years now, Christian feminist women have been exploring a range of issues to do with women's sexuality Rev. Malcolm Johnson, was brave . enough to offer the new Movement a vacant room up a tortuous spiral staircase in the tower of his church for use as an office. It was the kind of space not many would want, despite its location in the heart of London. (Reportedly their literature table was quite visible when the Queen made a visit to St. Botolph's a few years ago.) For 11 years the office operated well. For nearly ten out of those years Rev. Richard Kirker had operated there as General Secretary of the Movement - trying to ensure that most church. leaders and Jots of worried Christians knew where to turn to, and trying to make sure the lesbian and gay communities knew of the Movement's existence. Beyond the homophobia sweeping the Church of England, Britons began hearing of the now notorious Clause 28. Conservatives saw Britian's excellent, widely distributed and often graphic AIDS education materials as "promoting" homosexuality and a measure banning all lo.cal spending for anything supporting gay or lesbian concerns soon gained the support of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and the Conservative Party. and the Christian faith - and this is because our sexuality has historically been used by the church as a reason for excluding us: at times from studying theology, still now often from preaching in church or from leadership positions, or from ordination, and certainly from being present in-any language we use about God. So women can hardly avoid contemplating the connections between our faith and our sexuality, because the latter has so often been presented to us as a handicap. In ISCS we shall want to challenge this perception ." Trustee -Canon Douglas Rhymes said, "A major task of lSCS will be to bring a realistic approach to pastoral issues and counselling. We shall aim for an affirmative and positive view · of sexuality based up.on the needs of the person for stable and loving . relationship, whether opposite or same sex, as the only true basis of a Christian ethic." For information on the Institute for the Study of Christianity and Sexuality, wrjte to ISCS, Oxford House, Derbyshire St., London E2 6HG, England. Im THE SECOND STONE The Bishop of London, Graham Leonard appointed as his Archdeacon a hardline Ulsterman, George - Cassidy. He was given lots of encouragement and a free hand to clean up the Church, starting with the Gays and Lesbians in St. Botolph's . A long-ignored piece of church law was unearthed. Apparently a formal permission (a faculty) had to be granted to allow any part of a church building to be used for anything other than things like worship. The Bishop's lawyers presented the matter to LGCM and to St. Botolph's as being a formality, so an application was made for a 'faculty.' LGCM then discovered that the Archdeacon, urged on by the Bishop, had made a formal objection to the application. The Movement could not find the enormous sum of money required to fight the case. It was unwinable. The judge's view of homosexuality was made clear in private hearings. So in September, 1988,LGCM vacated its home in St. Botolph's with an emotional liturgy of Exodus . At the same time LGCM was gainjng support among City clergy who· had n0t previously realised , how despicable the Church could be in the way it treats Lesbians and Gays . There was, however, one more 11ssault on LGCM. A motion was put before the General Synod that the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement be removed from the Church of England Year Book. Muriel Curtis, who proposed the motion told The Observer. "For me this is a symbolic gesture. I feel we must distan .ce ourselves from people who are promoting homosexuality in schools." With a victory now Jong overdue, LGCM won the right to· keep its name in the Year· Book after a vote by the General Synod. The long conflict within the Church of England has provided no answers. An article in The Times by Cliff Longley summed it up this . way: "If the Church of England had approached the matter in the logical order, it would first have -sought a theology of sexuality which would have answered these objections (to homosexuality) by finding alternative Christian criteria for the moral judgement .of sexual acts . Instead it proceeded as if the problem did not even exist. And so at the end of it no-one is any the wiser ... and some people got hurt.'' -From reports by Kim Byham, Malcolm McCourt , and others. Parting Thought □ Butterflies By Dr. Martin Fowler Contributing Writer In the hymn, "It Is Well With My Soul," one awkwardly constructed verse has us singing, "My sin, 0, the bliss of this glorious thought..." But thinking about sin is no bliss for gay Christians. Because we've been unjustly condemned as "sinners" for so long, thinking about sin only makes us angry. As a result, we're sick of hearing about sins. We want reasons to celebrate life. Several years ago, some talented MCC members made beautiful Easter banners graced with butterflies and balloons. The congregation liked the banners so much that no one wanted to take them down. After several months, the pastor declared that the banners had been on display long enough. The church, she said, couldn't keep celebrating Easter forever. ARE YOU MOVING? The Post Office will not forward The Second Stone. You must notify us for uninterrupted service if you · move. Please notify us four weeks in advance for uninterrupted delivery. Send both old and new addresses . 11 possible attach mailing label in space provided PRINT NEW ADDRESS - ~ Q ~- f (b '< ~ w N ;;· 0 0 0. "' Send co.rnpleled form to: THE SECOND.STONE .Box 8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 and B-ailoons However, sin keeps us from celebrating Easter at all. We're so preoccupied with · the fake · "sin" of being gay that we forget to deal with our real sins. We still lie about who we are arid disqualify ourselves from too many of the joys and responsibilities of life. We complain that living like this is unfair and that it makes us feel lonely and ashamed. But regardless of who's to blame, lying and hiding is not just a miserable way to live. It is literally a sinful way of life because it is dishonest and unloving. And that, strangely enough, truly is a glorious thought. Because Christ can handle real sins. When we repent of lying, Jesus gives us a new courage to be truthful about ourselves. When we repent of hiding, Jesus helps to makes us furious, but facing up to change our fear of responsibility and real sins liberates us to celebrate commitment into real love and care Easter with all the butterflies and for others. Being accused of false sins balloons - forever. Classifieds Books & Publications CHRIST'iAN'NEW AGE c:iUARTERL Y explores the issues arising between Christians and New Agers with authentic information, forthright honesty and, yes, real appreciation for both sides. Penetrating, yet fun, our □ · · features and columns forge a bridge for genuine dialogue. Subs: $9.50/yr. Sample: $2.50. CHRISTIAWNEW AGE QUARTERLY, P. 0. Box 276, Clifton, NJ 07011-0276. TF '90 • 'Power & Empowerment', Memorial Day Weekend, May 25-28, 1990; Estes Park, Colorado. Workshops, liturgies, entertainment. For information please contact CCL-Conference '90, P.O. Box 436, Planetarium Station, New York, NY 10024, (212)562-8922. The Conference for Catholic Lesbians (CCL) is a national organization for women of Catholic heritage. 6190 Cartoon _Show At Community Center NEW YORK - The Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center National Museum of Lesbian and Gay History has announced an exhibition of cartoon art called The Cartoon Show. The exhibit will open on April 12 and will run through May 25 at the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center, 208W. 13th Street in New York City. The Cartoon Show is the most comprehensive exhibition in the U.S. to date of cartoon art drawn from lesbian and gay life. For information about the exhibit contact Mark Johnson at (212) 953-9002. o©Tti SIDES N@W t.ocal, national, & internatiaial news & events, AIDS informatioo, b:::ok reviews & rrore in Maui 's rrai.thly gay/bi/lesbian l'le'«Sletter $10/ year (sant,le issue S1) to BSN SubscriptiCXlS, ro Box 5042, Kahului, Maui HI 96732. ,-A /)c~ j( .,..~ • / EMERGE! A healing journal of EMERGENCE International: Christian Scientists Supporting Lesbians and Gay Men. For information and subscriptions write P.O. Box 581, Kentfield, CA 94914, or call (415) 485-1881. 2/91 Efll>loymert FULL TIME MINISTER with seminary degree, sought for small independent, interdenominational, congregational church with gay/lesbian population. Send letter of application and resume to Pastor Search Committee, P.O. Box 781252, Wichita, Kansas 67278-1252. 4/90 Friends/Relationships GAY MEN OR WOMEN who desire to live the teaching of the Church in a loving way and who are interested in forming a support group for mutual caring and sharing in Sacramento, California area. Write: C. Raphael, P.O.Box &,8, Rough and Ready, CA 95975 4/90 GWM, 5'10", 146, 40s, caring, masculine, tender, desires to network with similar men. Box 18669, Denver, CO 80218 4/90 Organizations THE CO~FERENCE FOR CATHOLIC LESBIANS (CCL) invites you to Conference ~etreats VIRGINIA RAMEY MOLLENKOTT & JOHN McNEIL together lead a weekend retreat 'PALM SUNDAY WEEKEND FOR GAY & · LESBIAN CHRISTIANS' on April 6-8, 1990. If you tend to stay away from the holy celebrations because of their exclusivity, then treat yourself to a Palm Sunday weekend celebration that won1 shut its doors on you. Fellowship, bible study, worship, reflection, healing. Room, Board, and Registration, $165.00. Register by March 20th. Inquire at: Beaver Conference Farm, Underhill Avenue, Yorktown Hts., NY 10598; 914/962-6033 4/90 Situations Wanted 1990 M. DIV. SEMINARY GRAD, evangelical Reformed theology, progressive social vision, parish ministry orientation. Educated m both evangelical (Trinity, Deerfield) and liberal (Iliff, Denver) seminaries. 30 ylo, single,.healthy, will relocate. Seeks parish situation, either staff or sole. Mark Lee, 2466 S. York, Denver, co 80210. 6190 Business or Personal... Try a Second Stone dassified Ad Classified Order Form Please place my ad in these issues: [] Jan/Feb [] Mar/Apr [] May/Jun [ l Jul/Aug [] Sept/Oct [] Nov/Dec FOR ONLY 35 CEN'fS PER WORD, your ad can appear in the next edition of THE SECOND STONE. Take advantage of our low cost (but high profile) classified section by placing your advertising order . today! Mail To: THE SECOND STONE P.O . Box&'340 New Orleans, IA 70182 Name ___ _ --------- Address __________ _ City/St./Zip ________ _ AD COPY ________ _ ----------------------- --- . -------- __ words X .35= $ ____ _ .20 word minimum . All classifi eds m.ust be pre-paid. Deadline one month prior to cover date . We will mail you a copy of the edition(s) in which your ad appears March/April 1990 CLASSIFICATIONS [ J Books & Publications [ J Business Opportunities [ ] Employment [ l Friends/Relationships [ ] General Interest [ ] Mail Order .· [] Merchandise [] Organizations [ ] Professional Services [ l Real Estate [ l Retreats [ ] Roommates [ ]Travel Threat To 0 T~aditional Families'' . Comes ,Fr'om Within By Ivy Young Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's Family Project The "traditional family'': father - breadwinner; mother - ·homemaker; and the children. That construct of the nuclear family defines approximately ten percent of American families today. Ninety percent of us, then, live outside Rev. Lou Sheldon's view of how the world should be. So how do Americans define family? According to a 1989 poll conducted by the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, the majority of those surveyed (74%) defined family, not in a legalistic sense, but by function, as a group of people who love and care for one another. For Lesbians arid gay men that definition is no different. For us, family is a social institution of inclusion, not exclusion. The families we create are not, as Representative William Dannemeyer would have . you believe, " ... filled with despair," On the contrary, in our families there is a keen sense of joy and celebration. Because despite the revages of hatred, ·and in the face of virulent homophobia, we create and sustain gentle and nurturing unions. As for our children, there are thousands and thousands of them in this country who are part of lesbian and gay families: We hope we are teaching our children · the values of love and compassion, not bigotry and hatefulness. We hope we are teaching . our children not just to tolerate, but tq respect. and celebrate tl,,.e diversity of life on this planet. What is happening in many of Mr. Sheldon's "traditional families" in America today? Fifty percent of American marriages e.nd in divorce. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, three to four million women a year are abused by their · husbands . or boyfriends; every 18 seconds a woman is battered by her spouse; thirty percent · of female · homicide victims die at the hands of their husbands or boyfriends. That's four women a day who die as a result of domestic violence. Spousal abuse, according to the U.S. Surgeon General, is the number one cause of injury to women in the U.S. KILLIAN, FromPagel I won't burden you with all the current statistics on child abuse and sexual assault. Here are just a few: according . to a survey conducted by Richard Gelles .and Murray Strauss, more than ten . parents per one thousand said they · beat their child at least once a year. And, ~very year, orie child in one thousand faces a parent with a . wei;ipon. According to the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault, the typical incestuous family tends to be that family which rigidly adheres to traditional family roles and gender stereotypes. And the upstanding, church-going, traditional family man is the person most likely to be a wife and child abuser. · Unfortunately, the statistics I've cited are the reality of what is happening in thousands of homes across the nation. These are not the family values Lesbians and gay men wish to perpetuate. Here are some of the efforts the Coalition for Traditional Values has made in its attempt to "strengthen and support" the family. In California, CTV has urged its followers to oppose a state child care bill similar to the federal measure that garnered overwhelming support in Congress. Does that stance by CTV aid the thousands of working parents in California who struggle daily to find adequate, affordable daycare for their children? Does it strengthen those families? Again in California, the Coalition for Traditional Values vehemently opposes a bill that would recognize Vesper marriages. The idea of Vesper marriage had been put forward as a way to resolve some of the problems faced by, many of our senior citizens. Widows and widowers who find companions to share . the autumn of their lives are threatened with the loss of pensions and other entitlements if they remarry. Vesper · marriage would recognize · the relationships those elders create, while not jeopardizing the benefits they so desperately need. But, CTV says absolutely no. Mr. Sheldon . says he speaks for compassion and righteousness. Where is the compassion in that opposition? Needless to say, CTV cohorts in San Francisco led the charge against the Domestic Partnership Ordinance that was unanimm1sly passed by that city's Board of Supervisors. (The law was repealed by a mere 1700 votes.) What was the danger as perceived by the Coalition for Traditional . Values? The ordinance provided only that unmarried couples, heterosexual and homosexual, could register as a couple and declare their commitment. It also provided bereavement leave and hospital visitation rights to those same committed couples. Is that such an enormous threat? Is Mr. Sheldon's "traditional family" so fragile that it could not survive the mere thought of an unmarried partner visiting his or her lover in a hospital? Finally, I would ask you to think back to other times when the call to defend traditional values filled the air : "Kinder, Kirke, Kuche" (Children, Church and Kitchen) was the cry of fascists in Europe as they exterminated all those who were different . Much closer to home, and unfortunately, not too long ago men like Bull Connor, Ross Barnett, George Wallace and Lester Maddox also urged their followers ,to uphold the traditional values that ·allowed racism and bigotry to flourish in this country. Threats to the American family do not c.ome from the desire of Lesbians and gay ·men to create loving relationships. No, the threat to the family is poverty and economic injustice, ignorance and inadequate education, homelessness and hunger. Let Mr. Sheldon and the Coalition for Traditional Values put what energy and resources they have into combatting these scourages of American family life. We would all ·benefit from that agenda . U.S. Civil Rights .. Chairman In Anti-Gay Symppsium . WASHINGTON, D.C. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force strongly condemned the appearance of U.S. Civil Rights Commission Chairman William Allen at an anti-gay and lesbian symposium, saying Allen's participation is "sad and appalling','' and deeply antithetical to principles of equality and fairness." Allen's pres ·entation, entitled "Blacks? Animals? Homosexuals? What Is A Minority?," was made at the "West Coast Symposium on Homosexuality and Public Policy Implications" in Anaheim, California . The conference was sponsored by the California Coalition for Traditional Values, led by Rev .. Louis Sheldon, a strident fo~ of gay and lesbian civil rights . Sheldon is a proponent of the belief .that homosexuality is an "illness" that should be "prevented and cured ." In the . past, Allen · and the Commission have been strongly reprehended by the civil rights community - in particular the lesbian and gay movement - for their controversia:l stands on various issues. Most recently, Allen was quoted as saying that "the issue of civil rights for homosexuals is open to criminal and psychiatric debate" (MG W Newspaper). . Allen's recent appearance at the symposium sparked a fresh firestorm of ·criticism in ·the national press and on Capitol Hill. Rep. Don Edwards (D-Calif./10), who chairs the Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights, stated in a letter to Allen that his participation in the anti-gay conference "appear$ to· be outside the scope of · the Commission's jurisdiction, and is an inappropriate use of limited Commission resources." Many of Allen',s own colleagues on the Commission rebuked the chairman for appearing at the conference · and called the title of his speech "thoughtless, disgusting · and unnecessarily inflammatory." More than 150 Gays, Lesbians and their supporters demonstrated outside the Pan Pacific Hotel, site of the c'onference, reported the L () s Angeles Times . · people of God." At the interment service at the Wadsworth veteran's cemetary in Westwood, his friend, Fr. Ed Barrett, Jr. of the Veteran's Administration commended Killian's devotion to service, which he called "the essence of Christian life" and called him '"a fine Christian gentleman," one who "rose above the scandal of the organized church" and its exclusion of Gays and Lesbians. COALITION, FromPagel The rally was followed by a march up Connect\cut Avenue to the SheratonWashington Hotel, site of the CTV symposium. the domestic partnership referendum in San Francisco, which lost last November, and the repeal of the Irvine, Calif., gay and lesbian civil rights ordinance. CTV, based in Orange County, Calif., has been the subject of recent articles in the Los Angeles Times and Los Angeles magazine, which called Sheldon the "Son of Falwell." Gay and lesbian activists view the Washington symposium as CTV's bid for national Killian was born April 11, 1940 and is survived by his four sisters and two brothers. CTV has been involved in recent gay and lesbian political fights, in par~cular March / A'.p r ii 1 9 9 0 attention. . · Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone #9 - Mar/Apr 1990 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/394c5bcf769a3e81331b216d5d10df62.pdf f7db4779ce9fcd8affbfa73ff5ee3b2e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone Description An account of the resource Issues of the Second Stone publication. Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 10 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1990 Publication Date The date the issue was published May/June 1990 Text Any textual data included in the document THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER FOR GAY AND LESBIAN CHRISTIANS $2.25 THE . COND TONE MAY !JUNE, 1990 8000 Readers Across The USA Parents Who Are 'Out Of The Closet' Colorado Couple's Lives Changed By Gay Son, Lesbian Daughter By Jim Bailey .illld Dan Grippo Elinor Kirby Lewalien, past president of the Federation of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, and her husband, Tom, had their lives abruptly changed on March 2, 1978. The couple, parents of four children, were sitting at the kitchen table when their daughter, Janet, revealed to them that she was a Lesbian. In the spring of 1981, they discovered that their oldest son, Tommy, was also gay. Recalling that day in 1978, Elinor Kirby Lewallen said her daughter was 27 at the time, out of schoo l and working. '"We really didn't know much about her life," she said. SEE COVER STORY, Page 9 Videos: ,lljl People:. 1111~ Leo Treadway An / . · · lnspiration,'f o Gay & .. , Lesbian Teens of St. Paul m "Common Threads" Sews Up An Oscar Review by Eric Hess Unity Fellowship National African American Church Formed A national religious organization .has been formed to address the specific needs of African American Gays and Lesbians. A rousing worship service held at the third annual National Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Conference and Health Institute in Atlanta marked the beginning of the organization . Rev. Renee McCoy of Detroit , Mich igan , a former Metropolitan Community Church minister, and Rev. Carl Beam, founder of the · Unity Fellowship in Los Angeles will guide efforts to beg in a nationwide network of Unit y Fellows hip Churches. The conference was attended by over 450 Black Gays and Lesbians from across the country. Formation of the church was said to have been the most significant event of the conference. The church, whose the111e is "God is Love and Lo,:.e is Everyone" will fill the need for a pro-gay worship experience closer to the traditions and heritage of the black community. McCoy is the former executive director of t he National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays . She resigned from MCC in midFebruary to begin work on a Unity Fellowship Church in Detroit. Ministry's A Fraud, 1 Ex-Gay Co-Founders · Say Two of the origina l founders of Exodus Internationa l, a network of ex-gay ministries, denounced all such programs during a recent interview with Kurte Wolfe of the Gay Broadcasting System. Michael Bussee and Garry Cooper left the program in 1979 after they discovered that, despite years in the program, their sex ual orientations had rema i ned unchanged. Bussee said he counseled hundreds of people who tried to change their sexua l orientation but knows of none who were successful. Bussee ended years of silence about the failure of ex-gay programs after becoming concerned about the rise of Rev. Lou Sheldon's Coalition for Traditional Values and the "reparative therapy" program promoted by crv. "It doesn't work ," Bussee told GBS. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! ONE YEAR ONLY $12.60! BOX 8340 • NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 P.O. Bol 8340 New Orleans lA 70182 BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PA ID \ In Our Next Issue: 'In Love' With Long Distance NEW ORLEANS. LA PERMIT No. 511 Religious conservatives want ii banned. The gay community says it's free speech and safe sex. The multi-million dollar telephone sex business - the phone bill's only part of the cost. Psychiatrists reveal the hidden toll next lime in The Second Stone. F1_9om The Editor ' Mailing List Secrecy A-Stubborn Obstacle their mailing lists to secrecy and therein lies the marketing nightmare we've struggled with for two years . Almost all of a publication's subscription sales take place through a direct mail appeal. Access to mailing lists is critical to the success of a subscriber-supported publication. Leaders of national gay and lesbian Christian organizations have sworn We have asked groups for a · one-time use of their tnailing lists to send members a sample ·copy of The _ _ Second Stone in a plain envelope Letters Americus, Georgia Habitat for Humanity Says It Doesn't Discriminate Dear Second Stone, This is in response to your article in the January /February edition concerning "A Giver's Guide." Millard Fuller, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity, has asked me to . - respond to you on his behalf. We appreciate people sharing their thoughts and concerns with us, as you have, through your article, over the issue of gay and lesbian hiring practices of Habitat. We are hopeful that you will give us the opportunity to clear up the misunderstanding that has occurred concerning Habitat's hiring practices . First, let me state that Habitat does not discriminate in its hiring decisions on the basis of sexual orientation or preference . In _fact, Habitat has employees who are homosexual. In addition, Habitat does not discriminate in its selection of volunteers on the basis of sexual orientation. The confusion has arisen because of Habitat's policies with respect to the sexual practices of its employees and volunteers, both heterosexual and homosexual. The Other Side asked in its survey whether the fact that someone was openly gay or lesbian would in any way affect our hiring or selecting of that person, to which Millard Fuller responded "yes". This response was given because all _ volunteers who serve at our Americus headquarters individuals. The policy of celibacy and fidelity helps to avoid conflict - within the Habitat community. (For the same reason, Habitat forbids smoking in volunteer houses . ) Moreover, in the case of international volunteers, the policy of celibacy and fidelity is needed in order to avoid offending the sensibilities of the communities and cultures in which Habitat serves . (Again , for the same reasons, Habitat has policies which restrict the consumption of alcohol and tobacco - by international volunteers.) These policies are applied uniformly to all Habitat volunteers, both homosexual and heterosexual, and all volunteers must be willing to accept these policies . The paid staff at · Habitat are urged to follow similar rules . Millard's affirmative response to the question posed by~ ~ Side was not because of a discriminatory policy regarding sexual orientation, but because of Habitat's policy · of celibacy for all single volunteers and fidelity for all married volunteers. I would like to add that Habitat does not ask its volunteers about their sexual preferences or practices before they come to volunteer in Americus nor does Habitat try _ to "convert" them to certain religious beliefs while they are serving here . We only ask that while they are here, whether for three months, six months, or a y ear, the volunteers respect our policies . Also , please understand that Habitat does not seek to actively monitor people's sexual behavior - far from it . When Habitat does become aware that with a letter stating that the paper is sent compliments of the group who owns the list . Since we have committed not to copy the list, the mailing would be no different than receiving something from the group itself : whatever way possible . Best regards. In Christian partnership, Karen L. Higgs Executive Vice President We welcome you to share your views, opinions, feelings and experiences In This Issue FEATURES COVER STORY COLUMNS FROM THE EDITOR COMMENTARY INNER PATHS CLOSER LOOK FAMILIES 1RAVEL PARTING THOUGHT DEPART1\1ENTS LETTERS NEWS BRIEFS PEOPLE We need to reach new readers · to continue our success. I urge you to contact your national leader on our behalf. The 90' s won't hold much promise if we're going to be too scared to even meet each other. with our re~ders. Send letters to: - LEITERS, The Second Stone, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. All letters must be original and signed by the writer. Clearly indicate if your name is to be withheld. We_ reserve the right to edit. □- Page9 Page2 Page 3 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page.19 Page 20 Page 2 Page4 Page 10 , are expected to follow certain sexual practices. During their time in Americus, married volunteers are expected to be faithful to their marriage vows and single volunteers are expected to be celibate. Similar rules apply to our overseas volunteers. _ someone is violating · Habitat's rules, we try to work with the individual to see if he or_ she can continue as a ·volunteer within th e framework of Habitat's polici es. CHURCH & ORGANIZATION NEWS Page 11 The reasons for this policy are many. First, the policy is rooted in the Christian background of Habitat for Humanity. In addition, it reflects the practical concerns of any volunteer organization. While in Americus, volunteers live in group houses with as many as twelve other B Finally, Jet me assure you that it is the Board of Directors' firm policy to comply with all applicable Jaws regarding employment practices, and we do not knowingly violate any such laws . I hope that this will alleviate any concerns you may have about Habitat and that your readership will be able to continue to support Habitat in CALENDAR BOOK REVIEW VIDEOS ESSAY CLASSIFIEDS THE SECOND STONE · Page 12 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 20 Commentary □ Keeping The Best; Throwing Out The Rest _Gay Couples -Redefine Traditional · Family ByJimRoche Contributing Writer My teenage daughter finally asked me the big question , "Are you and David going to get married?" I said we hoped to, pretty soon. We just hadn't worked out all the details. Then she asked, "Whose " going to wear the dress?" I hear comments like that all the time . When I speak on gay issues at colleges and universities someone inevitably asks. me a similar question, like, "Well who's, you know, dominant?" The list of questions that would amuse you goes on and on. Gays and Lesbians, it seems, are a real mystery to most people. What we do , how we act, what we think and feel. But a more important point ·is that so many ·· peop l e seem to think of a relationship , gay or straight, as something inherently unequal. Opposites attract is the theory I guess. And that's why so many gay and lesbian people don 't want to have anything to do with ma rriages or weddings or anything similar. Because it just seems to reflect the ISSN No. 1047-3971 THE SECOND STONE Newspape r is published every other month by Bailey Communications, P. 0 . Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Copyright 1990 by The Second Stone, a registered trademark . SUBSCRIPTIONS, U.S.A. $12.60 per year, six issues. Foreign subscribers add $8.00 for postage . All payments U. S . currency only. ADVERTISING, Display advertising one time rates: Full Page, $595.00 ; Half Page, $304.00 ; Quarter Page, $ 155.00; Eighth Page, $81.00; Sixteenth Page, $42.00. Sen d inquiries to: Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 . Classified advertising is 35 cents per word. EDITORIAL, send letters, calendar announcements, and church/orga nization news to (Department title) The Second Stone, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans , LA 70182. Manuscripts to be returned should be accompan ied by a stamped, self addressed envelope. THE SECOND STONE, an ecumenical Christian newspaper committed to informing the gay and lesbian community. PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Jim Bailey MARKETING DIRECTOR: Eric Hess CONTRIBUTORS: Rev Bruce Roller, Rev Sylvia Pennington, Cynthia Marquard, Danni Munson, Dr. Martin Fowler, David Rickey, Robert McKnigh~ Jim Roche, Michael Blankenship, Dan Grippo, Dr. Louie Crew , John-Michae l Olexy, Dr. Buddy Truluck, Chris Glaser. worst that heterosexual relation ships have to offer - inequality and oppression. So, why would two gay men or two lesbian women want to have anything to do with one of the most oppressive and hierarchical systems around? As a couple there are certain things that my lover David and I want to share. Time together. Interests . Friendships. We already share lots of things, but because we're gay we can't shar~ some things without a hassle. Like health benefits. Legal rights to belongings, property and so on. If one of us were to become ill the other might not be included in choosing a ·doctor or hospital or treatment. Those decisions might be relegated to "immediate family members." We might not even be allowed to visit each other. More immediately, I was hoping to take college courses this summer, but can David and I as a couple count on being able to use married student housing at any college I might go to? Or would we, because we are gay, be forced to live separately? In other words, if I want to go away to -school and want the same services as other students get, I might not be able to get them. For us going away to school as a couple would be more difficult and costly because we are gay. Now there are legal ways around most, but not all, of this. Wills, powers of attorney and probate forms. But after all is said and done it would still be a relationship that is legalized in spite of the community we live in instead of with its help. It's still second class citizenship no matter how you look at it. Slowly we are beginning to get our rights here and there across the country. But there is a growing number of people who oppose our rights to state sanctioned or church sanctioned relationsh ips. Why do they make life harder for us because we're gay or lesbian? What's threatening to people who oppof,e actions like the San Francisco domestic partnership act, church recognition of gay relationships and so on? They feel we gay and lesbian couples threaten the "institution of family." But how can we threaten family because we want to be a family? Sounds sort of crazy, doesn't it? Our idea of family; one that many gay and lesbian people accept, is one that is in direct opposition to the status quo. Traditionalists see family as a pre -established pattern into which each individual fits. In a family you have and know your place. First and foremost it's a male dominated structure. Father - breadwinner . Mother - caregiver. Stereotypes? Yes, but those stereotypes are what elected George Bush and Ronald Reagan. People voted for these guys because even if the myth of the American Family isn't true, they wanted it to be true . No wimps here! Bush and Reagan stand for the status quo definition of family. And our concept of family, the gay and lesbian concept, is one in which we easily switch ro les and often do it for what appears as no other reason than fun. Taking this lightly, as we sometimes do, is even more upsetting to traditionalists . We switch roles, we make up new ones and we relate to each other from the same role or no role at all. It's a concept of family based upon mutuality. Equality. Individuality. Every day we break down those hierarchical, male dominated structures by the way we act and interact together. Just by being equal we threaten the basis of those structures, testing the limits of sexual identity and what sexual roles and stereotypes have to offer. Gay couples can be both masculine and feminine. Same with lesbian couples . We act like men, and we act like women. Sometimes we act like something in-between. We totally destroy the boundaries that traditionalists rely on to keep the present system of "family" going . We are a threat to the family . A threat to its oppressive male oriented foundation. But in spite of what marriage and family has grown to represent to many of us gay and lesbian people, marriage, church unions or domestic partnerships demonstrate that we can keep the best of relationships going while we toss out what isn't 5>f any value. As time goes · by and gay and lesbian · relationships in all their different forms are recognized by city and state governments, churches and organizations like the California Bar Association, we will help redefine marriage. Redefine relationship. What I hope people will learn from watching us is that we bring more to relationships than the roles we are supposed to play, or the clothes we're supposed to wear. A Presbyterian Promise "We will work to increase the acceptance and participation in the church of all persons regardless of racial-ethnic origins, sex, class, age, disability, marital status or sexual orientation" - 195th General Assembly (1983), Atlanta, Georgia · If this is your promise, too, we invite you to join Presbyterians for Lesbian/Gay Concerns Write to Elder James D. Anderson PLGC, P.O. Box 38, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0038, 201/846-1510 May/June 1990 D Newsbriefs Stendahl Rebuke d By Lutheran Bis hop Bishop Herbert W . Chilstrom of the Evangelical Lutheran Chu _rch in America has rebuked religion scholar Dr. Krister Stendahl for his public support of the ordinations of a gay man and lesbian couple in San Francisco. Stendahl is a retired bishop of the Church of Sweden and is chaplain at Harvard Divinity School. Chilstrom rep ! oached Stendahl for involving himself "in the affairs of another church. " -The Lutheran Celebration '90 Festival Chorus Seeks Singers The Celebration '90 Festival Chorus, scheduled to perform at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Gay Games III in Vancouver, Canada, is seeking singers. The Chorus is open to Gays, Lesbians, and their parents and friends. Directors are striving for an international mix in membership, as well as a balance in voice-part and gender. There will be a registration fee of $45 .00 which will cover the cost of sheet music, rehearsal tapes , and performance shirts . Other expenses - trav el, lodging and food - will be the individual's responsibility. Th e Chorus has received endorsement and support from the Gay and Lesbian Association of Chorus e s (GALA), the Celebration '90 Board of Directors in Vancouver, the Colorado Athletic Exchange, and the Federation of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays . For organ izational and financial purposes the Celebration '90 Festival Chorus is a special project of the Denver Chapter of Parents FLAG. Deadline for registration is June L To register or for more information, contact Celebration '90 Festival Chorus, Box 61388, Denver, CO 80206 or call (303)331-2306. Oasis Board Seeks Executive Director The Board of Directors of The Oasis, a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of · Newark, New Jersey, with gay and lesbian people, their families and friends, is seeking a full time I am with You Fear Not! (A Corrective Look at the Lesbian and Gay C lobb er Passages) Professionally produced Video-tape Audio-tape & Workbook A new book by the Rm Bruce Roller Pastor of Reconciliation MCC Grand Rapids, MI -~ c.p /'LI ,-,fl{/! THE MESSAGE OF _.{t{.I V .,.. c_/ RECONCILIATION VHS Video (90 min.l $24.95 At.do Tape $5.00 • Workbook $5.00 Loving Osselves $6.95 Add 25% for shipping & handing. Faithful Publications P.O. Box 3701 Grand Rapids, MI 49501 Executiv e Director. Applicants mus t be an o rdained Episco pal priest wi th experi e nce w ith an d conn ection to the lesbian and gay community both in and ou t side the chur ch and have a positi v e understand ing of gay and le sbian sexuality. Interested persons may respond to: Se arch Committee, Box 101, Roseland, NJ 0 7068. A ll responses will be confidenti al within the Board of Directors. 'Honesty' Chapter Formed In Texas FORT WORTH, Tex. - Gay Southern Baptists here have formed a local chapter of Honesty , a group started in Louisville, Kentucky, last year to seek equal treatment and equal rights in church and society for gay, lesbian and bisexual persons. .Group spokesperson David Reed said, "We would like to see full integration of Gays and Lesbians into all aspects of church life, including ordination." Reed holds a MDiv from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Wor'.h , "There are gay people · at the seminary right now, but they are having to live a very cloistered life," Reed said. "Some are living irresponsible lives because they can't be celibate ." - Western Rec~rder Tulane Law School Starts National Gay Legal Journal NEW ORLEANS, La. - Students at Tulane Law School have announced the publication of a new national journ al entitled Law & Sexuality: A Review of Lesbi an and Gay Legal illYtl• The publication is the first law journal in the country to focus exclusively on homosexuality and the law. The publishers say it is especially exciting to have such a journal started in Louisiana, which has the harshest sodomy statute in the country and no sexual orientation nondiscrimination statutes at the local level. The major purpose of the journal is to keep the community informed of legal developments in the area of lesbian and gay rights, as well as to encourage more creativity in analyzing these issues. Law & Sexuality will include theoretical and practical articles by academics and practitioners, as well as a large "recent developments" section written by students. The journal will be p 'ublished initially on a yearly basis, II TH E SECOND STONE □ wit h the intent of expanding to a more frequent basi s in the future . Th e first issue w ill be published in June of 1991. - Tulane Law Sch ool has commi tted $6000.00 toward getting the journal off · the ground, an amount roughly half of what i s ne cessary . Th e students are committed to raisin g the additional funding through a nationwide appeal to members of the lesbian and gay community. For information about Law & Sexuality contact Nicki McCraw o r Joyce Cain at (504)865-5970. For subscription information, or to make a contribution, contact Catherine Hancock, Law & Sexuality, Tulan _e Law School, 6801 Freret St., New Orleans, LA 70118. TWA Gay Rights Claim Settled SAN FRANCISCO - On the eve of filing a lawsuit over gay couples ' rights against Trans World Airlines, Inc. (TWA) in the Superior Court of California, ·. National Gay Rights Advocates (NGRA) and its cooperating attorneys, Raymond Wheeler and Anne Zinkin of the prestigious San Francisco Jaw firm of Morrison & Foerster, reached a settlement of the dispute. The case against TWA arose out of the airline's initial denial of a refund to a gay m·an under its family emergency guidelines. The would-be plaintiff, Tony A. Hurd of San Francis co, had . purchased a nonrefundable, super-saver roundtrip ticket from TWA. On the day that Hurd was to travel, his partner of eleven years, Joel Gerughty, had a heart attack and was hosptialized. As a result, Mr. Hurd cancelled his planned trip. TWA normally grants refunds of non-refundable or special fare tickets which are not used because of a family emergency . When Hurd wrote tb TWA asking for a refund on the grounds that he had cancelled the trip because of a family emergency he was initially denied such a refund , In response to NGRA's demand, TWA tendered a full refund to Hurd and a letter of apology for the delay in processing the request. Writing on behalf of TWA, its senior vicepresident and general counsel Mark A. Buckstein indicated that future determination of who constitutes immediate family will be based on an evaluation of facts and circumstances of each situation. The company will not discriminaie against gay couples if the circumstances otherwise merit a refund. Newsbriefs Gallup: Sex-related Issues Most Important Facing Church Pollster George Gallup Jr. said in an interview with Christianity Today that "sex-related issues are going to be among the most important issues facing all churches in the foreseeable future . Abortion, AIDS, premarital sex, homosexuality, all those are all going to be at the vortex of the problems confronting all churches." -Religion Watch Campus Violence Topic Of Newsletter WASHINGTON, D.C. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's Campus Project has published a newsletter that addresses the pervasive problem of anti-gay and lesbian violence, harassment and defamation at U.S. colleges and universities. Titled "Organizing for Equality," the NGL TF provides a background on campus violence and harassment and itemizes examples of atta cks, graffiti, arson and death threats against gay and lesbian students. The newsletter also provides strategies for stopping anti-gay violence and profiles organizing efforts at select campuses. Copies of the newsletter and strategies for fighting back are available for $1.00 from NGLTF, 1517 U St. NW, Washington, DC 20009, Attention: Campus Project or call (202)332-64{33. Alabam\ 'Episcopalians Rej~t Ordination {)f Gays The Episcopal Dioces~ of Alabama passed a resolution con~mning ordination of gays to the pri~hood. A · resolution barring discrf~ination against persons with AID~ also passed. -Alabama Forum General Motors, Chrysler Cars For Heterosexuals General Motors has adopted a policy of not advertising on television shows that portray Gays and Lesbians, according to th e Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation . GLAAD is also angry with Dodge over a new print ad for the Ramcharger 4X4 truck, which says the rough truck can't deal with pansies . GLAAD urges expression of □ op1mon to Chairman Roger Smith, General Motors, 3044 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit, MI 48202 and (about the Ramcharger advertising) to J. L. Hickey, Manager, Corporate Advertising, Chrysler Motors, 12000 Chrysler Dr., Highland Park, MI 48920; '' "Woodies" Changes Policy To Include Same-Sex Couples WASHINGTON, D.C. - Following negotiations with the Gay and Lesbian Activist Alliance (GLAA), the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) and other gay rights groups, Woodward and Lothrop Department Stores (Woodies) agreed to grant discount cards to the partners of both gay and non-gay employees, add "sexual orientation" and marital status " to its Equal Opportunity policy, and said it would advocate for similar benefits elsewhere in the retail industry. Great ~esponse! Last December, Woodward and Lothrop denied gay sales clerk Duane Rinde a spouse discount card for his lover, Robert Teir, based on marital status. "Woodies agreement to change its policy to one of inclusion of its entire workforce is a breakthrough for the recognition of lesbian and gay relationships and the diversity of American family life," said Ivy Young, NGLTF Families Project Director. "The central issue was more than just shopping discounts," said Young. "When black students sat down at the · Woolworth ' s lunch counter in the early days of the civil rights movement, the issue was not hamburgers and fries . Well, this struggle with Woodies was not about their white sale, it was about gay and lesbian equality and fairness ." Joining GLAA and NGLTF in pressuring the parent company to change its policy were the Alexandria Gay Community Association, Arlington Gay & Lesbian Alliance; Human Rights Campaign Fund and the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club. "Frankly, I believe Woodies - in addition to wanting to do the right thing - realized there are thousands of gay and lesbian consumers who shop and work at their stores ," said Robert Bray, NGI::'I'F public information director. " "It was in their best interest to be on the good side of gay economic clout." May/June 1990 \ '' 'Ihat's what a Second Stone advertiser tokl us recently. And we hear that more and more these days. 1bat's because The Second Stone reaches readers where many other gay and lesbian publications can't. Like public and university libraries. We don't carry advertising or editorial content that would put us behind the counter. We're up front - in plain sight! For businesses offering products and services t.o the national gay and lesbian community, we're an exciting new marketing approach! Reach new customers in every state across the USA. The Second Stone offers a variety of in-column ad sizes with frequency discounts. We offer spot and full color. We'll lay out your ad at no charge and we'll get it right - we'll send you a proof to make sure. The Second Stone will also insert your brochure, flier or catalog in our mailing. It doesn't cost as much as you think. You can reach a paid coast to coast readership for about what you'd pay to advertise in one local free distribution gay newspaper. And ... to mail your insert in The Second Stone costs less than mailing it yourself! You won't know till you try it. The potential sales you lose while you're thinking about advertising cannot be recaptured. If you're thinking you've paid too much for advertising that hasn't worked ... you're probably right! But you haven't tried The Second Stone. SECOND STONE You'll be pleased with the results. Call I-504-949-5625 for advertising assistance. II Newsbriefs Bishops Say Gay Ordinations Threaten Lutheran Church Unity Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America adopted a "pastoral statement regarding the unity of the church" with regard to pastors and associates who participated in the ordinations of three openly gay pastors . The statement read, in part, "As bishops of the ELCA, we are deeply distressed over the challenge to the unity of this church that has been posed by those who have recently engaged in the irregular ordinations of urtapproved candidates in San Francisco." -The Lutheran NGLTF Director Challenges Bush During Speech WASHINGTON, D .C. - President George Bush's first major address on the AIDS health crisis was interrupted by Urvashi Vaid, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, who · stood up during the presentation and urged the President to do more for people with AIDS. Bush spoke to a gathering of about 400 business and labor leaders at a conference sponsored by the National Leadership Coalition on AIDS held at the Cystal City Gateway Marriot Hotel just outside Washington. During the speech, Vaid, who sat in front of the President, stood and held up a sign that read, "1:alk Is Cheap - AIDS Funding Is Not" and "Remember Gay People With AIDS." Bush paused during his speech to address Vaid, saying, "Let me say something about this. I can understand the concern that these people feel. And I hope if we do nothing else by coming here, I can help them understand that not only you care, but we care too." After the speech Vfid sajd, "It is commendable that the President PATLAR VOICE OF GAV AMERICA MONTHLY NEWSMAGAZINE FREE AT OUR DISTRIBUTION POINTS SUBSCRIPTIONS $35 ANNUALLY SAMPLE(l4Jp~U~S)8tn~tt~ USA $4 FOR INFO ON ADVERTISING p O ':6} mw?ilt~lt~~48W~~22 mentioned anti-discrimination protections. And his rhetoric was certainly more compassionate than anything former President Reagan ever said ." · Survey Results: Don't Show Gays On Television According to -National _II. International Religion Report. 55 percent of American adults believe that televisions scenes even suggesting, though not actually showing, homosexual ac !ivity should be cut. The survey was featured in Parents magazine and conducted through random telephone interviews with 1,004 people. -Religion Watch Massachusetts' Anti-Gay Foster Care Policy Reversed Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis announced on April 4 that the state policy which effectively banned Gays from becoming fost er parents would be reversed. The new state policy will no longer include sexual orientation as a factor in the placement of children in foster homes. David Lafontaine, lobbying director of the Massachusetts Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights, said, "This is an extraordinary victory for direct action groups and legal advocacy groups alike who have protested this discriminatory policy since 1985." Right-wing Preacher Portrayed In Gay Soap Opera WESTMINSTER, CA . - Secret Passions, the new gay soap opera being seen on cable systems across the country, features an unpleasant character named Rev. Arthur Dimsdale based on the real life Rev. Louis Sheldon , leader of the anti-gay Traditional Values Coalition. The American Family Association is watching the gay soap closely. The show's producer is David Gadberry. -Outlines Presbyterian Group May Be Censured Some commissioners to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church/USA are expected to offer resolutions at a national church gathering in Salt Lake City the week of May 29 to censure Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns. An overture being considered in the presbytery of Detroit scolds PLGC for handing out "non-Christian, secularly .produced and PLGCendorsed - brochures promoting homosexual practices ... " The overture calls for PLGC to be rebuked and directed to refrain from distributing brochures and any other "unwholesome , un-Christian" brochures at the General Assembly, Synod, Presbytery, and local church functions as well as any public or private function under the name PCUSA. -More Light Update Red-Neck Aussies Get MCC AUSTRALIA - The Metropolitan Community Church has set up worship in "red-neck country at Dorroughby, near the New South Wal e s township of Lismore, " according to Outrage. In a press release, MCC described Lismore as "well-known for the anger and intoleranc e shown to minority groups - black Australians, Lesbians and gay men . This area is sorely in n eed of a chur ch which has the courage to preach love and reconciliation, to counter the hatred and divisivene ss already evidenced," the group wrote. The MCC may be reached at 011-61-66-895-105. Pamphlets Available for Lesbian and Gay Youth BOSTON, MA. - A unique and affirmative series of pamphlets designed for young people who are questioning their sexual orientation is now available. The two pamphlets, entitled "I Think I Might Be A Lesbian/I Thing I Might Be Gay ... Now What Do I Do?" were produced by the Campaign to End _Homophobia, a national network of people who work to end homophobia through information· sharing and education . The pamphlets were designed by two sexuality educators based on thei r conversation with young Lesbians and gay men; quotes from the young people are sprinkled throughout the text. The peer education aspect is thought to be one of th e leading factors in the success of th e project. Although there has been some negative response from conservative · religious organizations, almost 100 THE SECOND STONE □ other organizations have requested permission to reprint the pamphlets for distribution. For more information on the Campaign to End Homophobia, or for copies of the pamphlets, contact Cooper Thompson at (617)868-8280. Sherre Boothman Tapes Available Faithful Publications has announced the release of a four audio tape album featuring the preaching/teaching of the Rev. Dr. Sherre Boothman, President of Samaritan College in Los Angeles . . The .,ninety minute tapes include five complete sermons and the highlights of a workshop on Roots of Homophobia and Misogyny in Western Christian Tradition . The tapes were recorded live in Spiritual Renewal at Reconciliation MCC in Grand Rapids, Michigan . The set is available for $12.95 plus $3.00 postage and handling from Faithful Publications , P. 0. Box 3701, Grand Rapids, Ml 49501. Rev . Boothman has designated her royalties on the album to Samarit an College. Gay/Lesbian Literature Catalog Announced Elysian Fields Booksellers has announced the release of their 39th catalog containing fifty pages of over 1600 works listed by subject, author and title. Copies of the catalog are available for $2.00 from 80-50 Baxter Ave., Ste. 339, Elmhurst, NY 11373. Encyclopedia of Homosexuality Published NEW YORK - The Encyclopedia of Homosexuality, the first reference work to bring together, summarize, interrelate, and synthesize all of the past and present scholarship on the subject, has been released. Coverage includes male and female sexuality and reaches beyond questions of physical sexuality to examine the effects of hemophilia and homophobia on literature, art, religion , science, law, philosophy, society, history, and virtually every field of human endeavor. Edited by Wayne R. Dynes, Hunter College, City University of New York, the Encyclopedia is interdisciplinary, transhistorical, and cross-cultural. It is available from Garland Publishing , 136 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016, (212) 686-7492. Newsbriefs Republican Woman Suspended From Church Duties HARRISBURG, PA - Rosemary McAvoy, a Republican candidate for the House of Representati ves in the Pennsylvania legislature, says she has been suspended from two leadership positions in the Roman Catholic congregation she attends because she supports abortion rights . Monsi gnor Leo A. Beierschmitt, pastor of St. Catherine Laboure Parish in Harrisburg, told McAvoy in a lett e r that he was suspending her from her posts as head of the parish school board and as church lector, or reader, "until we reach reso lution of th e matter ." · McAvoy said , "I got a strong indication that they would have preferred that I change my stance on abortion or just don 't run ." -Baltimore Alternative U.K. Nuns Distribute Condoms As part of last year's World AIDS Day, two nuns from the Community of St. John the Divine helped hand out condoms in England. Sisters Monica and Iona said, "We are here because we a r e human beings _caring for other human beings . W e believe in the whole ministry of healing and we don ' t discriminate again s t anyone." -Outlines International Community Invited To Celebrate Life In The Midst Of AIDS SAN FRANCISCO - A unique interfa i th event will be held here for the delegates of the Sixth International C o nference on AIDS and the larg e r community . To be held at 8:00 p .m . on June 21 in Grace Cathedral, "A Celebration of Life", sponsored by Th e San Francisco Interreligious Coalition on AIDS and the Episcopal Diocese of California's Commi s sion on AIDS, will allow people to affirm the resilience of life in the H IV epidemic. Weav ing togeth er stor ies and mu sic from a var iety of sp iritu al traditions, th e p rog ra m will be par ticip a tory and int eractive . "We hop e that this w ill pro vide an o pportunity to heal so me of the rifts ca used by the highly polit ica l · a tmo s phere aro und this d is eas e," sa id Bob N elso n, chai r of the Coali tion , "We i nten d that this will b ring toge th er m e dical pers onn el, a cti vi sts, ser vic e providers, and people with HIV from around the world in a positive, life affirming way ." The location is served by public tr ansit and is handicapp ed acces sible . The service will be signed for the hearing-impaired . Artists Sought For Pride Week Show Artists are wanted for Omaha, . Nebraska's Gay and Lesbian only art show to be held during Gay and Lesbian pride week, June 17-23. Art (any media) must be gallery quality. For details and submission information contact TryANGLE Art Show, P. 0 . Box 3512, Omaha, NE 68103, (402)345-0279 New Toll Free Number Helps Gays Who Are Moving A toll free number has been established to provide free and confidential information to Gays and Lesbians who are relocating . Callers will be referr ed to a Realtor familiar with th e local gay community in any particular metropolitan area. The number, 1-800-673-9093, will be operational every day from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p .m., EST. . Artist Keith Haring Dead At 31 Keith Haring, the N ew York graffiti artist who went so far a s to open his own store, The Pop Shop, to sell tee shirts ; post ers, buttons and jackets which carried his own style of images , died February 16th at his Manhattan home of AIDS related illnesses . Haring, who for the past few years had m a de si g nificant contributions to AIDS related activist groups, began his car eer by drawin g his cartoon like char a cters _on blank ·subwa y posterboard s. At 19 he fled his hom etow n o f Kutzt o wn, Penn ., and mo ve d to N ew York's East Villag e. There he bec ame a reg ular fixture in that n eig hborh o od' s art and gay subcultur es . Along w ith Jean-Mich el Basqui a te, ano ther g ra ffiti artist , ·he breach ed the w all bet wee n th e subc ultures o f the Eas t Village world of dru gs , t he at re , p olitic s, av an t-garde art and commer cia lis m. A ft e r being arrested for defa cing p ub lic property wh ile pa intin g a s ub way work he began to quic k ly mo ve up in the art wor ld. H is wo r k incl uded posters aga inst crack and ones promoting city read ing programs fo r children . He painted deteriorating school buildings with stud ents · and put up a major work on the Berlin wall. During the past few years his work took on the task of educating peopl e about HIV . His images are now seen on everything from tee shirts to magazine ads. About the commercialization of his art he said, "If commercialization is putting my art on a shirt so that a kid wh o can't afford a $30,000 painting can buy one , then I'm for it ." Pittsburgh City Council Approves Gay Rights Amendment Pittsburgh's City Council approved an amendment to the city code which would add Lesbians and Gays as a prot e cted class regarding discrimination in employment, ho using, and · public accommodations . Pittsburgh joins Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Penn ., and nearl y 60 other cities which h a ve legislation prot e cting the civil rights of lesbian/gay citizens . The bill had failed by a 4-4 vote in 1988. In the council election since that vbte, three of the four members who voted in favor of the amendment in 1988 were returned to o ffice, while only one of the four who voted ag a inst the 1988 amendment was returned to office . May/J un e 1990 □ Western Union Loses Gay Account The Huinan Rights Campaign Fund (HRCF) has announced that it will no longer use Western Union to deliver "Speak Out" constituent messages to Capitol Hill, a decision that will cost the communications firm $350,000 this year . Armand Ertag, a Western Union employee in San Francisco, sought damages against the company for harassment and intimidation he experienced at work . Rather than address the specific allegations in Ertag's suit, Western Union has sought to have the gay rights ordinance overturned . ,. ~Evangelicals I/iii '#/ loge/her Inc. SUPPORT COMMUNITY & SERVICE FOR Gay & Lesbian Christians In Southern California ... since 1979 Sultt:1 109-Box 16 7 9B5 Santa Monica Boulevard West Hollywood , CA 90046 213/656-8570 i.. ~ Dignity/USA Calls Oi, American Catholic Bishops To Dialogue WASHINGTON, D.C. - Dignity/ USA, an organization of gay and lesbian Catholics with 4200 members in 90 chapters nationwide, has called on the American Catholic Bishops to dialogue on issues of grave concern such as AIDS ministry, civil rights, anti-gay violence, sexism, prejudice and homophobia. The invitation comes in the wake of yet another eviction of a Dignity chapter - this time by the president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk. Over the past several years, almost 90% of Dignity chapters have been banned from worshiping on church property. In an open letter to Archbishop Pilarczyk, Dignity /USA president Pat Roche noted that it was especially troubling when the Archbishop "recently started out the new decade with one more in a series of ongoing evictions of Dignity chapters 'by evicting a chapter in his own Archdiocese in the name of "doctrinal consistency." Roche noted that Archbishop Pilarczyk evicted the chapter from their place of worship despite the fact that the chapter had sent him copies of two documents which call for a reconciliation between church leaders and gay and lesbian Catholics, a Call for Dialo&ue which was approved at Dignity's 20th anniversary convention in San_ Francisco last fall and a Letter on Pastoral Care of Gay and Lesbian Persons, which outlines Dignity's positions on a variety of issues of importance to Gays and Lesbians. Roche noted that "at a time when many of our members are· dying of AIDS, others are being victimized by anti-gay violence and still others are being denied their basic civil rights, Church leaders continue to focus on the issue of sexual acts rather than on the dignity of human persons." He said that the bishops are "seemingly unable or unwilling to recognize the incredible pain and suffering this narrow vision is causing." In addition to chapters across the country, Dignity /USA has a national office in Washington, D.C. For information contact Dignity /USA, 1500 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 11, Washington, DC 20005 or call (202)861-0017. Beal Video Limited Artists involved with ' · Q.eath and S.urvival ~ The AIDS Show - _ Based on San Francis- ' -e- - ~7:=.,;. ,,r-.,,~~ ~ :;:~..... '~ ~~--... co's Theatre Rh,inocer~s ·._ .. :'. · ~... . . d$r'"":./f':,• ~ "• _._. , .- • --._ ~........... stage production , this •··· ' ~--;~~- . ...-:q:_., ~ - 1 "' - "'!.. _ _ --:!c · •- thoughtful and thought-provoking documenllliV . c ... -.1.... ._ . ~ "-...- tary deals with the impact of the AIDS epIP" ~ I; ...... ,;.-• ....,. ,; demic on the community most affected by the Mt 1(1!,'; f ., - li:ll.,. llilllt, w disease-gay men. . If& .ti Produced and Directed by Peter Adair Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt 1 Academy Award 1989 Best Documentary Feature ..... Narrated by Dustin Hoffman Music by Bobby McFerrin One of the most acclaimed of recent documentaries, Common Threads presents profiles of five individuals whose stories reflect the diversity and common tragedy of those who have died of AIDS. The film celebrates their unique personalities ·and achievements, interweaving these personal histories with an objective , yet pointed, chrono logy of the epidemic's development. Directed by Robert Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman Produced by Bill Couturie & Robert Epste in & Jeffrey Friedman 85 minutes Color 1989 Personal Copy $49.95 /Profits donated to the NAMES Project Foundation) For more information, write, phone or fax: II and Robert Epstein 58 minutes Color 1986 Personal Copy $39.95 Who Happen -{;/ ~~ to be Gay ~ij - Emmy Award '. LESBIAN & GAY Six professionals dis- 1 PSYCHOTHERAPISIB cuss their decisions to I■- "• lead openly gay lives and how this has affected their relationships with family, friends and colleagues. A film by Dale Beldin and Mark Krenzien 23 minutes Color 1979 Personal Copy $29 .95 To place a credit card order , call (213) 396-4774 . Direct Cinema Limited Post Oftice Box 69799 Los Angeles, CA 90069 Phone (213) 3 96-4774 Telefax (213) 396-3233 ·gg direct ~ cinema. 0 llmlted THE SECOND STONE Hug Your Dragon Once, midway in my journey A dragon appeared within my sight. Fearful, I took flight And when I returned at dawn he was there again, With weapons drawn. Each time I looked into his menacing ei;es He grew in even greater size. We stood there both in battle array Ready for the final fray: For we had long warred with one another A cruel war - brother against brother. Long had he romped through my blood Emptying raw anger in a fiery flood Through my guts, my feet, my finger tips, My brain and ears and tightened lips. I tracked him north and south From East and West Unsuccessfully. And now he stood before my eyes Geared to grab his treasured prize. Forward I moved with tentative pace Resolved to meet him face to face. And as I moved in fitful fright A miracle took place before my sight: With every step I took The dragon shrank another fool. Fear, anger and raw rage Flew from my imprisoned cage. Our arms reached out in warm embrace And smiles wreathed our happi; face. Brother had discovered brother And we were foseph to one another. And as he held me wannly near He whispered in my ear: "I am you and you are me: Once imprisoned, we both are free. Let us hug each other tight Not in darkness but in the light." -JG Heaven' Serenade Jusi as the strings of a harp must first surrnder to the skilled hands of its master before it can send forth · the beautiful music that is its heritage and purpose .. Love that is the offspring of two enchanted souls must surrender to the divine will of God bcfo.-e it can reach oneness and melody with the pure song of heaven ... Otherwise there will only be discord, disharmony and confused sounds. -E.Diaz E. Diaz is a 31 year old inmate serving a life term at Florida State Prison. 'Hug Your Dragon' reprinted from 'Communication' newsletter. .. • • Cover Story □ 'Mom Forever Sad' Because Of 'Lost' Lesbian Daughter Abby Recommends . P~FLAG By Jim Bailey Editor Thousands of parents across the country will be spending Mother's Day and Father's Day for the first time with the knowledge that their son or daughter is gay. For some, the celebrations in their honor will be as joyous as ever, but for other parents the days will be filled with anger, guilt, denial and anguish. addition to providing this mother with some accurate information about homosexuality, Abby recommended she get in touch with a group called the Federation of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. By the end of the next week, P-FLAG had received over 3000 letters from mothers and fathers. P-FLAG was formed in 1982 by parents of Lesbia~s and Gays who had come together to creat .e a national structure for the growing number of counseling and support groups for parents of Gays. The Federation now has over 200 local chapters and contacts in all 50 states. Its purpose is to help parents, friends and other family members of Lesbians and Gays maintain loving relationships. children. It is through · the work of local chapters that the three broad goals of P-FLAG are attempted: building bridges between family members, educating society in an effort to offer accurate information about homosexuality and reducing all forms of discrimination. Although many parents con\inue to have a difficult time dealing with the homosexuality of their offspring, the focus in recent years has shifted to a fear and concern for the health of their children . P-FLAG's job has been furthur complicated by the AIDS crisis and now chapters must constantly contend with the sorrow and pain of many parents who have children with AIDS. and daughters to its increasing political role of lobbying for gay rights, additional AIDS funding and anti-violence measures, P-FLAG's unique function is growing in importance and impact. P-FLAG President Paulette Goodman, in accepting a humanitarian award from New York's Human Rights Campaign Fund said, "I want to .see justice . I want to see equality in my lifetime," as she called for increased efforts to mobilize the estimated 50 million parents of gay and lesbian Americans. "Society has to listen to mothers and fathers who speak out on behalf of their children," she said. Through participation in local P-FLAG chapters, more and more parents are finding resolution to sometimes years long conflicts. "Memberships in our Federation continue to arrive," Goodman says. "It looks like we are growing nicely." A despairing mother wrote Dear Abby that she had "lost" her only daughter when a friend from college called to tell her that her daughter was a · Lesbian . "Mom Forever Sad" had unwittingly sent her daughter off to a "college nicknamed 'Lesbian U'"where she had quickly forgotten about her childhood sweetheart and "bonded" with the other girls there. In Group chapters provide individual c~unseling and regular support group meetings. They also serve as a liaison to their communities, churches and synagogues, civic organizations and the government to make them aware that there are parents of gay people wh~ support and seek equal . justice for their_ The group recently launched the Family Aid Project, a national AIDS program providing a nationwide network to connect family members with emotional and other support services . The project was awarded a $25,000 grant from the Public Welfare Foundation. From its most basic role of helping restore love and resolve conflicts . between parents and their gay sons For information on P-FLAG send a large, se lf-addres sed, stamped ( 45 cents) envelope to: Family Chapter and Support Office, P.O. Box 20308, Denver , CO 80220. COVER STORY From Pagel "It was totally unexpected. My first reaction was to say, 'We'll help you get counseling."' Three weeks later, Lewallen had abdominal surgery and, during her recovery, received a visit from the wife of her church bishop . . By that point feeling the need to talk about her daughter, she confided in her visitor. More fortunate than parents who are never able to discus s or resolve their private ·turmoil, Lewallen learned ear ly that being able to seek and share support was the beginning of accepting and loving a gay son or daughter. The bishop's wife told Lewallen that she too had a gay son. "It created a bond between us," Lewallen said. "I had someone to talk to." Two years lat er, at a Methodist Church Convention, Lewallen reached another milestone when she gathered the courage to . reveal to a group meeting her daughter's homosexuality. "I stepped in, trying at first not to be noticed, and ending up telling the group I was the mother of a Lesbian. I started to cry. The women in the room were wonderful, supportive and war!fl," she said . It was the beginning of a transformation for Lewallen. She was seeing her personal grief tum into a concern for the pain and injustice that Gays and Lesbians experience. She saw firsthand the repression of the closet. "As a gay person comes out to parents," she said, "all of a sudden, like a rush of mighty wind, the door is slammed and it is the parents Who are now in the closet." During Lewallen's cancer surgery in 1981, her brother and his wife came to Colorado and stayed at Lewallen 's home . She had asked someone to "de-gay" th e house because her visitors knew nothing about her son or daughter. The Gay and Lesbian Community Center Cookbook was overlooked, however, and daughter Janet's recipes were featured prominently throughout. Lewallen's brother and his wife later asked about Janet's participation in the cookbook. The days of hiding were coming to an end . Lewallen saw an ad in th e newspaper for Parents and Friends of Lesbian and Gays, P-FLAG, and went to a meeting which she described as a "tremendous experience." "I met a young woman who had been fired by her church for being a Lesbian. I was struck by the injustice of it - here was this church missing out on th i s wonderful person . Her May/June 1990 story helped me move out of my pain and get involved." It wasn't long before Lewallen was going on speaking engagements for P-FLAG and in 1982 she went to her first P-FLAG national convention, where she was elected to the board. By 1988, ·she was national president of P-FLAG. She appeared on Sally Jesse Raphael and was appointed · to the United Methodist Annual Conference Task Force on AIDS Ministries . · Lewallen said, "Who would have thought a post-war bride of the 40's, along with her husband, contributing four children, two of whom happen to be gay, to the Baby Boom in the Fifties, giving her energies in the Sixties to being a Cub Scout Den Mother, a Brownie Troop Leader, as well as a faithful member of three PTA's . simultaneous ly, and at the same time an active Christian leader in her church, ·would be marching in the late Eighties for what is indeed the simplest message in the world ... our children, as created, and nourished, are accepted, loved, indeed cherished." Tom and Elinor Kirby Lewallen have two other sons who are very accepting of Janet and Tommy. "One year Tommy brought his lover home for Christmas," said Lewallen. "The whole family felt comfortable. All are welcome at our Christmas table." Lewallen stepped down as president of P-FLAG but, even though now in her 70's, continues to speak for the group. Tom Lewallen is currently on the national board of P-FLAG and is president of . the Denv.er chapter . He has been supportive of his wife's activities and accompanies her on speak ing engagements. "There SEE COVER STORY, Page 15 People Leo Treadway Twin City Teens Have A Frie ,nd Indeed Growing up in New Jersey in the 1950's, Leo Treadway knew the pain of being gay, alone and isolated. And now Treadway, Ministry Associate of St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church (ELCA), St. Paul, Minnesota, works tirelessly to save young people fromfeeling the desperate loneliness of being a gay or lesbian teenager with no one to turn to. Treadway and other concerned colleagues have established gathering places for lesbian and gay youth in St Paul and Minneapolis. Through their participation in "Lesbian and Gay Youth Together" or "Teen Age Gays of Saint Paul", young people have a safe place to talk things over, to find support and encouragement, and to meet friends. Trcadway 's work was widely recognized last year when he chosen to receive the McKnight Foundation Award. "I was amazed to be nominated, and even more surprised to actually receive the award," he said. "That award, specifically for my work with gay and lesbian teenagers, is pretty much a break through for our community." What can you do? Your best friend has just told you, "I'm gay." ;; ~f!<') ~ ' .- ; -ffL~OUfr~.-u . -• • II' YOU WANr MORE IHFORltlATIOH HF.l. Pl.lr,IE 122-8661 H;lpline poster developed for gay and lesbian teenagers. Treadway was one of ten recipients of the award, given since 1985 to Minnesotans who arc making significant contributions to the human services . . Almost 200 people were nominated. In nominating Treadway for the award, Linda Dahlen, Co-President of St. Paul Reformation Church, said that Treadway had "spent countless hours counseling and giving emotional and spiritual support for young people who arc dealing with very painful issues. For over thre e years, every Sunday, he and other adults have met with gay youth to provide support and act as a positive role model and resource person. Many gay youth are kicked out by their families when . they reveal their orientation ... Leo has personally kept many off the streets." Paul A. Tidcmann, Pastor of St. Paul-Reformation called Treadway "an amazingly compassionate person in his ministry with all sorts of people, not the least of which have been lesbian and gay youth." Treadway has been active in peace and justice issues for over 15 years, serving as Chair of the Minnesota AIDS Quilt Project, a member of the Gay and Lesbian Community Action Council and a member of the Governor's Task Force on Hate Crimes. He has also affected the lives of young people by acting as a counsultant to the Minnesota Department of Education in developing its programs for "students at risk". "It takes a considerable amount of courage to be an openly gay man in our society," Dahlen said . "Because of the work Leo does, criticism and even _ death threats have been rec eived by anonymous callers." Of his days growing up in New Jersey, Treadway said in an interview last year with Twin Citi es GAZE reporter Robert Jacobson that there "was only one kid in my town who was rumored to be queer, and of course, I was too scared to go within ten miles of him. Treadway concealed his feelings through school, the army and even a marriage before moving to the Twin Cities in 1975 to begin his life fully as a gay man. In 1982, he founded the Wingspan Ministry of St. Paul Reformation Church, a ministry of □ LEO TREADWAY ... and friend support for gay and lesbian Lutherans who .have experienced neglect or outright rejection at the hands of the church . Wingspan creates a bridge for those who want to return to the •. 617( ~/N OAIR O' I ,. ·- . -~ .. ... from the Lesbian & Gay Youth Together brochure . church and spans the gap between gay and non-gay persons and communities . · In accepting the McKnight Foundation Award Treadway said, "Even five years ago, I think that working with gay and lesbian teenagers would not have been ·happening in this area. But I think _the tide is turning today, and it is in part due to the efforts by many individuals, far beyond myself, whose love and support relieves teenagers, who have begun to work small miracles in our churches, in our schools, and our broader community." It is said that Leo Treadway tends to fuss, by nature, and is seldom content with things the way they are. He lives in St. Paul with his two cats, Squeaker and Kohlrabi. Gay & Le.sbian Community Action Helpline: (612)379-6390 THE SECOND STONE Church · & Organization News Ordination of Women Focus of Conference An international grassroots movement of women and men committed to the ordination of Roman Catholic women to a renewed priestly ministry has taken shape. The Women·s Ordina tion Conference is made up of women and men who believe that the Church. in fidelity to its Gospel mission, must be equally open to the full participation of women and men in its ministries. The group publishes a bi-monthly newsletter, sponsors workshops, seminars, conferences and. think-tanks on local, regional and national levels and operates a clearinghouse of research and information. For information write to WOC, P.O. Box 2693, Fairfax, VA 22031-2693 or call' (703)352-1006. New Kinship Chapter For Dallas/Fort Worth A new active chapter of Seventh-day Adventist Kinship International has formed in the Dallas/Fort Worth area . The chapter is the result of the groundwork of Floyd Poenitz and David Morris . For information on being part of this group contact Floyd Poenitz, P.O. Box 38454, Dallas, TX 75238 or call (214)373-8484. Tucson Church To Host NGPA Co-founder Rev . William H. Carey, co-founder and presbyter of the National Gay Pentecostal Alliance, will be guest preacher at Casa De La Paloma Apostolic Church in Tuscon, Arizona, on July 1st for morning and evening worship. The National Gay Pentecostal Alliance, headquartered in Schenectady, New York, was founded in 1980. Its various departments operate an audio tape ministry, a correspondence Bible school for ministerial training, and foreign missions in Akwa !born State, Nigeria. Casa De La Paloma Apostolic Church is :i member of NGPA. It is pastored by NGPA West Central District Elder, Rev. Sandy Lewis . For more information contact Rev. Lewis at Casa De La Paloma Church, P.O. Box 14003. Tucson , AZ 85732-4003 or call (602)323-6855. NGP A may b e reached at P.O. Box 1391, Schenectady, . NY 12301-1391 or (518)372-6001. SDA Kinship Seeks Recipes For AIDS Benefit Cookbook Seventh-day Adventist Kinship International is developing a cookbook to raise money for the Kinship AIDS Fund . Michael McLaughlin and Hal Jobe are coordinating the project. Vegetarian recipes are sought, as well as chicken, fish and beef dishes. The book is geared toward cooking dishes for two or three people that are quick and easy to prepare. Send your favorite recipes to: Hal Jobe, c/o Kulinary Komer P.O. Box 5049, Montclair , CA 91763. Phone Home, Says Restoration Church SAN DIEGO - The Restoration Church of Jesus Christ, a small pro-gay sect of Mormonism, has announced a new "800 Line Ministry" for Gays and Lesbians. Elder Rand Laurent of the church·s Quorum of the Twelve said in a press release that "the purpose of this line is to reach out to religiously disenfranchised people who have been rejected from their own denomination for any reason and allow them a place to come home to, with a spiritual family to nurture them ." The church fs over four yea'rs old and has nine congregations, called "families," in California, Houston, Phoenix, Albuquerque, and Independence, Missouri. For information, phone 1-800-677-7252. . Evangelicals Concerned/Denver Asked To Change Group Name An anti-gay social service agency in Denver has asked Evangelicals Concerned to stop using that name for their group . The agency, Evangelical Concern of Denver, Inc. has registered vaiiations of the name and is threatening legal action. Steering committee members are seeking an "appropriate response" to the challenge. The anti-gay agency is associated with ex-gay ministries. SDA Campus Outreach Hotline Seventh-day Adventist Kinship International has installed a toll-free hotline for gay a nd lesbian SDA college students. The hotline, 1-800-4-GA Y-SDA, operates from 6:00 p.m. to midnight, Pacific time, Monday through Friday. The line is answered by a network of volunteers. May/June 1990 Subscribe Today. And You'll Never Be Without A Friend For Your Journey. The Second Stone will inspire you, keep you informed, and put you in touch. YES, I want to receive The Second Stone, the national newspaper for Gay and Lesbian Christians .. . send me: [ ] One year (6 issues) for $12.60 [ ] Two years (12 issues) for $23.00 [ ] Three years (18 issues) for $32.00 Name ......................................................................... . Address .......... : ........................................................... . City, State & Zip ....................................................... . Check here if you prefer plain envelope for mailing: I ] Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of your first issue. Add $8.00 per year for postage in Canada and all other foreign countries. U.S. currency only. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 m Calendar The following announcements have been submitted by sponsoring or affiliated groups. Open and Affirming Conferences APRIL 29 · MAY 2, The United Church ·Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns sponsors a conference to increase awareness of the Open and Affirming movement within the United Church of Christ. There are 36 Open and Affirming congregations presently in th 1.7 million member UCC. For information on the Western regional conference to be held at Mercy Center, Burlingame, Cal., contact Rev. Wendy Taylor, 751 Alameda de las Pulgas, Belmont, CA 94002. Also, MAY 4·6, at St. Paul's Church, Chicago, II. Contact Rev. Talka Krciensicck, 1630 W. Pierce, Chicago, IL 60622, and JUNE 1-3, at United Congregational Church, Worcester, Mass. Contact Rev . Ann B. Day, P.O. Box 403, Holden, MA 01520. UCCL/GC welcomes participants from other denomin• ations, as well as UCC pastors, lay people, and conference personnel. For more information, contact UCCL/GC's national office, 18 N . College, Athens, OH 45701 or call (614)593-7301. Sixth Annual Desert and Mountain States Lesbian and Gay Conference MAY 11-13, A six-state Lesbian and Gay conference themed "Growing Together as Lesbians and Gays" will be held at the El Rancho Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Kay Weaver, a major new talent in the gay and lesbian entertainment industry, will be featured in a major concert on the second night of the conference. Workshops include Health and Wellness, Politics and the Environment, Sprituality and Humanism and Racism, Oppression and Privilege. Early registration is $55; $65 at the conference. Contact DMSLGC, P.O. Box 19360, Las Vegas, NV 89132-0360, (702)791-0083 or (702)737-7780. Conference for Catholic Lesbians Fifth National Gathering MAY 25·28, The Conference for Catholic Lesbians, a national organization for women of Catholic heritage, sponsors Conference '90, 1B "Power & Empowcrmcnt" .to be held in Estes Park, Colorado, featuring workshops, liturgics, and cntc~tainmcnt. Keynote speaker is Mary E. Hunt, noted theologian and Co-Director of Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual. Workshop offering include feminist theology, homophobia, ecology, . relationships, spirituality and social justice, among others. There will be special sessions focusing on aging, lesbian mothers, sexual and substance abuse, lesbian nuns, women in management and opportunitcs to meet and network with other women. Contact CCL Conference '90, P. 0. Box 436, Planetarium Station, New York, NY 10024, (212) 562-8922 Men and Masculinity 15th Annual Conference MAY 31 · JUNE 3, "Ending Men's Violence: Pathways to a Gender-Just World" is the theIT]e of this conference of the National Organization for Changing Men to be held at Oglethorpe University, Atlanta, Ga . For information,write to: Men Stopping Violence, 1020 DeKalb Ave., #25, Atlanta, GA 30307 or phone (404)688-1376. Evangelicals Concerned Eastern Region Connection JUNE 1·3, Kirkridge, situated high atop the Appalachian Trail in the Eastern Pennsylvania mountains, will be the setting for the 11th Annual Evangelicals Concerned Eastern ConnECtion. Since 1980, the conferences have been life changing experiences for hundreds of gay men, Lesbians, and friends who are responding with trust to God's love and who seek to live thankfully and faithfully under God's grace and peace. Keynote speakers arc Dr. Ralph Blair, Rev. Marchicnc Rienstra and Dr. Stanley Rock. Cost is $150.00. For information contact: Dr. Ralph Blair, 311 East 72nd St., New York, NY 10021. GLPCI 11th Annual Conference JUNE 1-3, Gay and Lesbian Parents Coalition International presents a conference for gay and lesbian parents and their children. The Hyatt Regency in Crystal City, Virginia is the setting. There will be workshops, social events, and a look at the famous and no-so-famous Washington monuments. Children will attend a special conference of their own. Keynote speakers are Urvashi Vaid, Michael Applebee and Eric Marcus. For information call Dennis at (301)990-0638 or Randy or Ron at (301)990-9522 or write to GFC/QC P. 0. Box 19891, Washington, DC 20036-0891. CMl's 1990 Retreats JUNE 3·6, Co-dependency retreat in Palm Springs, Cal., JUNE 11-14, Embodied Spirituality and Sexuality retreat for men and women at St. Joseph's Retreat House, San Antonio, Texas, AUGUST 17-19, Codependency · and Spiritual Wholeness retreat at Weber House, Baltimor e , Maryland. For information on Communication Ministries' retreats, write to CMI Retreats, P.O. Box 60125, Chicago, IL 60660-0125. Advance Northeast '90 JUNE 7-10, Living Communion Ministries host Advance '90 sponsored by Advance Christian Ministries. The theme is " ... for the maturing of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ ." The setting is a rustic, wooded and secluded camp in Washougal, Washington, just outside Portland. Four exciting days of renewal, worship, fellowship and fun . For information, contact Advance Christian Ministries, 4001•C Maple Ave., Dallas, TX 75219 or call (214)522-1520 or (214)943-8081. Woman Journey JUNE 22·29, A retreat for lesbian religious who are exploring sexual identity issues, lead by Jeannine Gramick, SSND, co-founder of New Ways Ministry, and Mary Tobias Hagan, CSJ, director of Rockhaven, the scenic House Springs, Missouri, setting for the retreat. Limited to ten retreatants. Confidentiality is · assured . For information contact: Mary Tobias Hagan, CSJ, 7621 Rivermont Trail, House Springs, MO 63051 or call (314)671-3623. American Baptist's National Retreat JUNE 25 •27, American Baptists Concerned, a national organization of gay and lesbian Baptists, their families and friends, will hold its second national retreat in the San Francisco Bay Arca. The focus of the retreat will be community building among gay and lesbian Baptists. The retreat facilitator will be the Rev. THE SECOND STONE Dr. Jane Spahr, a nationally known resource person on issues related to the gay and lesbian community. An ordained Presbyterian minister, Rev. Spahr is the founder of the Ministry of Light, a ministry to gay men, Lesbians and their familcs in San Anselmo, Calif. ·The retreat site is Westerbcke Ranch, located north of San Francisco. The retreat will be proceeded by San Francisco's annual Gay and Lesbian Freedom Day Parade. ABConccrned/SFBA will help with transportation to and from the retreat. Cost is $100;00, which includes two nights lodging and six meals. For information write to ABConcemed National Retreat, 686 Waller St., San Francisco, CA 94117. Seventh-day Adventist Kinship Kamp meeting JULY 1-8, SDA Kinship International sponsors its 11th annual Kamp-meeting. Procter Conference Center near Columbus, Ohio, is the setting. For information contact: Kamp-meeting Coordinator, P.O. Box 292609, Columbus, OH 43229 or call (213)876-2076. Evangelicals Concerned Western Region Connection JULY 6-8, San Francisco State University is the setting for the 11th Annual Evangelicals Concerned Western Region gathering. Keynote speakers arc Dr. Ralph Blair, Beverly Barbo, Michael Buffce and Gary Cooper. "Jesus The Light Of The World" is the theme. For information write to: Conference Coordinator, P.O. Box 12551, Seattle, WA98117. Thornfleld Workshop on Sexuality JULY 9-15, The highly acclaimed annual training workshop on sexuality at the Thornfield Conference Center in Cazenovia, NY will focus on gender, orientation and lifestyle and their relationship to sexism, hcterosexism and homophobia. Designed as an advanced course for both individual and professional growth, the workshop sttracts teachers, students, counselors, clergy, health personnel and others. Among the noted _staff are Mai:y Lee Tatum, nationally-recognized family life educator, lecturer and consultant SEE CALENDAR, Page 15 . Inner Paths . □ Why We Stay In The Church By Chris Glaser Contributing Writer At sunset one New Year's Eve I made my traditional trek along the cliffs and sands of Santa Moriica beach. I often "retreat" there, but this annual visit takes on special significance. I use the sun's setting on the final day as a natural prompter to reflect on the departing year. This year the shore was cold and rainy. It reflected my mood. This had been the year that my first book, Uncommon Callin~. was published and warmly received. I had enjoyed many celebrations around that event, and believed the book would make a difference in the church's attitude toward Lesbians and Gays. I should have been rejoicing. Instead I had feelings of sadness, grief, and anger . A recent event ·was coloring my perspective. A few weeks before, a church committee on which I served debated the ordination of Lesbians and Gays. Denied ordination as a minister a dozen years ago because of my sexual orientation, I have nonetheless proven myself a faithful layperson, serving in a· variety of cap11cities. Ironically I now served on this committee which oversaw the Welcome, Chris · Glaser CHRIS GLASER Ed note: The author of this column, Chris Glaser, is well known to th e gay and _ lesbian Christian community . He is a graduate of Yale Divinity School and the author of two books: Uncommon Calling - A Gay Man's Struggle to Serve the Church. and Come Horne! Reclaiming Spirituality and Community as Gay Men and Lesbians, both from Harper & Row. We welcome him as a regular contributor to The Second Stone. preparation of candidates for the ordained ministry. In our work, committee members shared our own faith struggles, creating intimacy . So I heard this discussion as a conversation among spiritual comrades. But suddenly those for whom and with whom I had worked well found themselves divided. Some expressed anger that the issue had even been brought before us. Others claimed there wasn't time to sort its ramifications and make a decision, _as if this were a new concern. One decried it as an initiative of "the homosexual lobby," though that was not its source . The anger and fear now expressed that homosexuality would be divisive to the church had not been their experience: after all, I as a gay committee member had not proven divisive at all, but rather, (as one conservative member had told me in a previous meeting) I had contributed to the cohesiveness of the group. What now truly seemed divisive was the homophobia expressed. A motion for the committee to endorse ordination of Lesbians and Gays was defeated. I felt devastated. The . San Diego General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church flashed before my mind's eye. It was there in 1978 that a ban on gay ordination was put into effect. The feelings released by that blasphemy against the Spirit's leading welled up afresh within me. But these were not strangers who voted against Gays and Lesbians. These were "friends" who had used me and my gifts in a variety of ways only to once again "love the gifts, hate the giver." Driving home, a scream forced its way out of m e . I did not consciously decide to scream, but when it came, I thought, "That felt good. I think I'll do it again." And I did. It was more a scream of pain than of anger. Then an overwhelming grief followed. As I walked now in light drizzle along the beach, grey-blue waves crashing on my left, the setting sun trying to pierce the gloom before me, I thought of that incident and of my role as the eternal gay activist in the church. I had been fee ling more coerced and predestined than called. W i th the many opportunities afforded me to speak up for lesbian sisters and gay brothers, I cannot conceive that my ministry is my choice. I've cooperated, but God called the shots . Crying, I shook my fist at God in anger. Why me? The sun struggled to offer more light . A sudden insight made 'me laugh . If I were a nongay or even closeted parish pastor, I would've missed the grandeur and the passion and the compassion that characterizes the spirituality of gay and lesbian Christians and those nongay Christians whose spirituality is gracious enough to embrace us. As it is, I am able to communicate (sacrarnentally as well as in word) with people for whom Jesus Christ is not merely a belief but a living spirit embodied within them. I am surrounded by "so great a cloud of witnesses" to which homophobia or the closet would have kept me blind. I believe my experience is not unlike many of you who have similar callings. As ossified as the church may be as an institution, it is still where we may most easily meet others attempting to embody Christ. During a visit to Indiana a couple of months ago, I breakfasted with a minister who was questioning his commitment to the church. I reminded -him, were it not for the church, he and I would never have met and enjoyed the spiritual community we shared . "Yes, we would have," he said, "through PLGC (Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns)." "But there would be no PLGC were . there no Presbyterian Church!" I laughed. Whatever our Christian tradition or denomination, God has used ·our oppressor to awaken us to ·our own spiritual community. If God can use the church for such a divine purpose, no wonder we still hold onto the hope that the church may become yet more responsive to the Spirit's leading. United Methodists Gather To Discuss Lesbian/ - Gay Ministries SAN FRANCISCO - About 200 persons concerned with ministries with Lesbians and gay men in the United Jv[ethodist Church gathered here for the seccmd national convocation of Reconciling Congregations. Reconciling Congregations are local United Methodist churches that pledge to welcome Lesbians and Gays as equal members of their churches and to continue studying what it means to be a truly inclusive church. Among the lay and clergy participants at the convocation were representatives of most of the 44 existing Reconciling Congregations and of several potential Reconciling Congregations . Also present were delegates from United Methodist's five Reconciling Conferences, annual conferences that have joined with Reconciling Congregations in · expressing their public commitment to lesbian/ gay ministries. In addition, participants included observers from denominational boards, from Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, and from the More Light movement, a Presbyterian effort · parallel to the Reconciling Congregation Program. The convocation's theme was "Renewing the Vision: Parables of Hospitality, Healing and Hope," with the Rev . Arthur Brandenburg, a district superintendent in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, as keynote speaker and plenary leader. .A new 16-mernber board for the Reconciling Congregation Program was selected. It is chaired by the Rev. Kirn Smith of Bethany United Methodist Church of San Francisco. The vice chair is the Rev. Finees Flores of .Albany Park UMC in Chicago, with Carolyn Pell of Wesley UMC in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, as secretary and Reva Anderson of Central UMC in Toledo as treasurer. Brandenburg noted that he was surprised at the size and power of the movement. "I came to San Francisco expecting fewer than half as many people as participated. The excitement and spiritual commitment of all the participants was almost unbelievable ." The first national convocation of reconciling congregations was held in Chicago in March 1987. A third convocation will be held in 1992 or 1993. Business or . Personal... Try a Second Stone Classified Ad May /June 1990 Closer Look Jonathan and David A Very Special Friendship By Rev. Bruce Roller Contributing Writer Though homophobes throughout recent centuries have written exclusively of their relationship as one only between the closest of friends, and have indeed offered David and Jonathan as a role model for righteous friendships, (that's the way I heard it in Sunday School!), some very good reading is now available about the definite romantic relationship of David, Israel 's greatest ruler, and Jonathan. Among these newer works are Tom Homer 's 1978 book Tonathan Loved David: Homosexuality in Bible Times and Fred Pattison's essay Tonathan Loved David! To see that no other friendship in the pages of Holy Scripture .is described as thls one is, one need only look to the passages themselves. For instance, it certainly sounds like love at first sight when we read the passage in 1 Samuel 18:1, "After David had finished talking with Saul (Jonathan's father), Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself." Very seldom in the Hebrew Scriptures is ANY relationship described in this . manner! Dare we venture into the epistles and see Paul echoing the phrase in teaching about heterosexual marriages? "In this same way, spouses ought to love each other as Announcing a NEW, Revised and Greatly Expanded Edttlon of Our Much-Re"'elled Booklet Christians and Homosexuality In the last five years, we've SCJld tOOusands i.pon thousards of these oook~ts. featuring soma of the best articies available anywhere on Sc~ure and homosexuality, with a he~ful guide to a wide variety of organizations ministering in a Christian way in the gay and lesbian community. Now we've revised, updated, aoo great~ axpaooed the booklet, adding a host of new articles and features, including ·A Crisis of Pronouns: •Living with AIDS," •Reading the Bble Through Gay Eyes: a provocatNEI look at whethe; ordination i3 rooted in heterossxist thiri(ing, and more. ORDER NOWI Single ccpias, $4.50. 10-99 copies, $3.00 each. 100 or moro, $1.50 &ach. No charge for shii\>lng. Order from The Other S~•. :JOO W. Apsley, Phiiada~hia, PA 19144. A wond,r/uf rssource/ m their own bodies ... For this reason one will leave their own parents and be united to their spouse and the two will become one flesh ... Each one of you must love your spouse as you love yourself, and your spouse will admire you, (Ephesians 5:33)." For two to become one person is the Pauline expression of marriage. The Evangelist Mark quotes Jesus as using this expression of marriage (Mark 10:7-8), "So they are no longer two, but one." As in any relationship, the feelings the two people share for each other result in some action. 1 Samuel 18:3 records the spontaneous covenant _between Jonathan and David, and it shows the reason (not political gain, protection, or any of the other usual reasons for a covenant in the Hebrew Scriptures, but) "because Jonathan loved David as himself." The covenant pledge was a particularly intimate and vulnerable one. "Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt." It sounds like Jonathan was willing to give everything to David. Of Michal, Saul's daughter, Scripture says, as it does of Jonathan, that she loved David (1 . Samuel 18:20), and Saul gave her to David as Ex-Gays? There Are None Lambda Christian Fellowship is pleased to announce a new book by Rev. Sylvia Pennington - an examination of ex-gay ministries . what they do - what they don't do. You'll meet people who, only · through God's grace, have survived and stopped trying to be ex-gays, because, in truth, there is no such thing as an ex-gay {X3rson. Now Available From Lambda Christian Fellowship P. 0. Box 1967 Hawthor ne, CA 90250 $15.00 plus $1.50 for postage and handling. California residents add 6% sales tax. his wife. Of David, however, it is only recorded of this union that "he was pleased to become the king's son-in-Jaw, (18:26)," an obvious allusion to this political marriage. Michal and Jonathan compete in the · Biblical story in thwarting their father's plan to kill David. Because of his love for David, Jonathan warns David of a murder plot (19:1-7), and is the source of temporary reconciliation between his .father and his lover. In 19:11-17 Michal aids in David's escape from the murderous Saul. Jonathan, however, is shown as taking a firm stand with David, while Michal lies to her father, saying David threatened her to make her cover for his escape (v.17). In chapter twenty the plot of this romantic story thickens . David takes his life in his hands to return to his lover Jonathan, and explains to him that Saul is aware that Jonathan and David are lovers, and that for this reason Saul will not tell Jonathan hls plans for killing David. With this explanation Jonathan replies in words reminiscent of Ruth's to Naomi, "Whatever you want me to do, I'll do for you, (20:4)." Again Jonathan speaks with more emotion than someone being loyal to a friend when he says, "If I had the least inkling that my father was determined to harm you, wouldn't I tell you? .(v 20:9)." In case we have previously .missed it, "Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself, (20:17) ." Most gay and lesbian lovers can relate to the family disturbance their relationships exacerbate. At one point in our story "Saul's anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, 'You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don't you know that you have chosen the son of Jesse (David) to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you? (20:30)." The end of this family argument has Saul hurling his spear at his own son to kill him, (20:33). "Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger; oil that second day of the month he did not eat, because he was grieved at his father 's shameful treatment of David, (20:34)." After Jonathan warns David to escape, " ... they kissed ea ch other and wept together - but David wept the most, (20:41)." This was the last meet ing between the two lovers in this life. Truly this is a trag ic Bible THE SECOND STONE □ story of a homosexual love to rival Romeo and Juliet. The lament of David over Jonathan's death is recorded in 2 Samuel 1:25-26, "How the mighty have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights. I grieve for you Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me . Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women." The Rev. Dr. Sherre Boothman, President of UFMCC's Samaritan College in Los Angeles, points out that this very statement on its surface speaks of a sexual relationship since at this point in Israel's history (though not at other points of Israel's history) women were considered chattel, and reference to the love of women would . be primarily sexual in connotation . But, someone may be objecting, David and Jonathan were both married (David, several times) and David was at least once sexually involved with a beautiful woman, Bathsheba! How could these two men have been in a sexual and romantic relationship with each other? I need only remind people of Kinsey's research in the United States in modern times, or to point to the experience of many of the readers of this column who are ambisexual or who, though primarily gay or lesbian, are or have been in sexual relationships with people of the other gender. As in all these columns this year, I have no personal ax to.grind. I am not invested in the sexuality of these relationships; but it would seem to me that one of the most .beautiful love stories (and to me sexual and romantic expression is a joyous part of that love) in the Hebrew Scriptures is the heart-rending, heart-warming story of Jonathan and David, who loved each other from first sight, through death. The Reverend Bruce Roller is pastor of Reconciliation MCC in Grand Rapids, MI. He has prepared a workbook on 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 that is available for $3.50 plus 25% handling and shipping . This book allows the student to draw conclusions themselves from the Word of God, and has helped many people over their fear of condemnation from thi s passag e of Scripture. The workbook is available from Faithful Publications, P .O. Box 3701, Grand Rapids, MI 49501. - , ' Families □ Mother's/Father's Day Thanks May Go To Someone Else ByDr. Buddy Truluck Columnist What is your earliest memory? Playing with other children in the yard? Going to Sunday School? Getting a spanking? Watching your parents fight? My earliest memory is my mother holding me in her lap and reading to me out of a big Bible story book. The pictures in the book still stand out in my memory. The one I remember best is the boy Samuel, who had on a robe just like mine . The only thing missing was my bunny rabbit bedroom shoes. Christian faith was given to me in a warm, loving and positive way . This makes me even · more different than the fact that I am an openly gay Christ ian minister. Many Gays and Lesbians have not had such a positive experience with their parents or with religion . If you have, tell your parents how grateful you are . One of the Ten Commandments says "honor your father and mother that . Welcome, Dr. Buddy Truluck Ed. Note: Buddy Truluck is a former Southern · Baptist pastor with an extensive teaching and writing background. Presently this energetic Bibl e scholar is teaching a series entitled "The Bible As A Friend of Lesbians and Gays" at San Francisco's Golden Gate MCC. He was ordained in 1953 by the First Baptist Church in Clinton, South Carolina and completed his career with the Southern Baptist Church 20 years later at the First Baptist Church of Columbus, Missis sippi. He was educated at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He will be a regular contributor to The Second Stone . your days may be long in the land ." The promise of long life for honoring parents is the same as the promise for keeping the Commandments of God. The reason for this connection is that the law of God was given to the children through their parents (Deuteronomy 5 & 6). But all parents are not "honorable." Some do teach love and acceptlfnce, but others teach rejection, self-hate and prejudice. Rejection by family can be devastating to young Gays and Lesbians. I have known of gay young men 15 or 16 years old who were thrown out of their own homes by their parents when they were discovered to be gay. I know of one young man whose father threatened to kill him if he ever came back home. Another turned to his father for advice and was told to put a gun to his head . Jesus knows and understands that you did not choose your parents or other re latives. They were given to you. You do not have to be responsible for or carry the guilt of others who misunderstand and reject you . Jesus was misunderstood and rejected by his relatives. Mark 13:21: "His own kinsmen heard and went out to take custody of Jesus; ·for they said Jesus has lost his senses." Jesus redefined the meaning of family, just as he gave fresh new meaning to love, prayer, life and service. Jesus looked about on those who were sitting around him and said in Mark 3:34-35: "Behold my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother. " Jesus selected his own spiritual family. So can you. Gay Pride is also celebrated this time of year. The self -respect that my parents taught me lies back of my pride in who I am, which includes being gay. I came out to my parents years ago , and they have been just as supportive and encouraging as before. My father will be ·80 years old and my mother 79 this summer. Ten years ago, my parents spent a year as Southern Baptist missionaries in Ma lawi in East Africa setting up a printing and publishing ministry. They are still active leaders in my home town Baptist church . My parents made me feel good about myself . They still do. Whether or not your p a rents encouraged and loved you, other women or men may have cared about you. Perhaps you had an older friend along the way who help ed you face and accept being gay or le sbian. Did someone help you to come out and feel good about yourself both as a homosexual and as a Christian? Mother's /Father's Day is a good time to get in touch and say, "THANK YOU!" You cannot go back and change how you were treated as a child . If you received love, pass it on. If you didn't, then determine with God 's help to love and build up the CALENDAR, From Page 12 from Falls Church , Va.; Brian McNaught, consultant and author of the book and video, On Bein~ Gay; and the Rev. Bill Stayton, author, theologian and sex therapist. The director of the Thornfield Workshop on Sexuality is psychotherapist and educator Alison Deming. Registration is limited to 60 persons . For furth er information, contact Alison De ming, P.0 .Box 447, · Fayetteville, NY 13066, or call (315) 637-8990. Tenth National Gathering of UCCL/GC JULY 10-15, the United Church of Christ Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns meets at the University of Southern California for its tenth national gathering, themed "Spirit Becoming Flesh Becoming Spirit" . Cynthia Winton -Henry and Phil Porter are the keynote speakers. Nationally respected AIDS and arts activist Michael Keams will perform his one person play, "Larger Than Life" which explores love, loss and the unpredictability of life. For information write to UCCL/GC, 18 N. College, Athens, OH 45701. Lutherans Concerned Assembly '90 JULY 19-22, Lutherans Concerned/ North America hosts the largest group of gay and lesbian Lutherans ever assembled . The setting is the self-esteem of people around you. Think of someone who needs you to be the nurturing and encouraging "parent" that they never had. One of the best ways to feel good about yourse.Jf is to help others feel good about themselves! "Let us pursue the building up of one another." -Romans 14:19 campus of University of Illinois at Chicago. "I Am In Your Midst" is the theme . Assembly '90 marks LC/NA's sixteenth year of working for lesbian and gay understanding within the church.The design and intent of the assembly is to create an atmosphere where people can experience a familiar yet fresh approach to spirituality and community . Facilitator is Rev . Linda Strohmier. A variety of workshops will be offered. For information -write to: Assembly '90, P.O . Box 10197, Fort Dearborn Station, Chicago, IL 60610. Community Gospel Fellowship General Conference AUGUST 23-25, Beautiful Camp Manison , outside of Houston, is the setting for Community Gospel Fellowship's annual conference. A great time of fellowship is promised. Cost is $68.00. For informa _tion, write to Community Gospel Fellowship, P.O. Box 66158, Houston, TX 77266 Thanksgiving Cruise NOVEMBER 17-24, Robin Tyler Productions presents a seven night women's Thanksgiving cruise to the Mexican Riviera on the 55 Bermuda Star . For furthur informaiion, write to Robin Tyler Productions, 15842 Chase St., Sepulveda, CA 91343 or call 1-818-893-4075. SEND EVENT NOTICES TO: CALENDAR, THE SECOND STONE, P.O. BOX 8340, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 COVER STORY, From Page 9 are not a Jot of fathers willing to do that," she said. family. Our issue is really about love and acceptance. How dare the fundamentalists rob us of the definition of the word "family ." It is their homophobia, not homosexualty, . that destroys family ties." Of those in the church who would reject Gays and Lesbians, Lewallen said "I believe that we need to go in th e direction of a stronger emphasis on the May/June 1990 m Book Review Bridges Of Respect Creating Support for Lesbian and Gay Youth By Ken Wens Reprinted with permission from PLGC's More Light Update, Box 38, New Brunswick, NJ 08903 Katherine Whitlock, author; Rachael Kamel, editor. Philadelphia: American Friends Service Committee, 1988. 97 p. $7.50 paper. ISBN 0-910082-13-8. Buy many copies of this book and see how much change you can effect by presenting copies to your local secondary school principals for their guidance departments, to your School Board Superintendent for expansion of the health and sexuality curriculum and its careful and complete AIDS education, to every administrator of social services and support groups for youth, to your pastor and church youth fellowship advisors . The thirty-eight pages of introductory context are the most quotable and specific description I have seen of the emotional isolation and self-est e em struggles of lesbian and gay youth, the hostility and harassment an .d lack of supportive networks they experience, and the climat e -changing help which can be given through public advocacy, inclusive education, training of professionals, crisis intervention and emergency services, programs of outreach and of enforcing responsible standards of nondiscriminatory conduct. The concluc!_ing fifty -eight pages of resources is an annotated distillation of the most useful organizations, projects, printed and audiovisual materials available in the United States for meeting the caring and health and legal and student and social services concerns of youth buffeted by homophobia. The emotional crisis is up front right from the start. "(Violence) can be inflicted with words and actions or through silence, indifference and neglect, wounding ·a young person's h eart and spirit" \p.4) . Sandra Brawders, speaking at the Presbyterians for Lesbian & Gay Concerns Eastern Regional Conference in New York , put the equation this way, referring to gay Presbyterians who testified for equality of Back Issues NOW AV AILABLE .. .in case you missed them! A great . way for new subscribers to find out what we've been up to! All orders shipped promptly by first class mail. · Outreach .. .is the light under a bushel for Gays & Lesbians? Newbriefs, travel & book review. More from Bruce Roller, Bill Urban. Dr. Virginia Uribe's program for gay teens under attack by religious conservatives. Plus ... are you supporting causes that discriminate against Gays? A change of.heart? Ex-gay ministries say there is another choice ... an ex-gay's story. More from Martin Fowler, Michael Blankenship. After the AIDS death of her son, Beverly Barbo set out to change church attitudes towards Gays. More from Louie Crew, Sylvia Pennington. To order send $2 .25 plus 65 cents per issue for first class postage . (Foreign orders add $1.00 per issue.) Issues prior to #6 are SOLD OUT. PLEASE SEND ME ...... COPIES EACH OF [ )#6 [ ) #7 [ )#8 [ ]#9 Name .. .... ..... .. . .... .. .. . . .. .......... .. ..... .. ...... ..... . ... .. . Address .. .. . . .... ..... .. .. .... .. ... . .... ......... . . .. . .. .. ........ . Ci ty, State & Zip .... ....... ..... . .. .......... .. .......... .. .. .... . membership privileges at the 1978 General Assembfy in San Diego: "They confronted the Church on a one to one million basis and said, 'I am dead because I am gay."' Young people have a poignant. vulnerability, "They cannot take for granted the safety of family, religious community, youth groups or community centers" (p.12). Gay and lesbian youth need dignity, support and respect in their lives now, from the people and the communities that are important to them. Motivation for action comes from sensitivity to the personal crisis confining lesbian and gay youth. "It is unrealistic to dismiss the problem of isolation by saying that young people who are gay and lesbian will eventually find their own way to adult gay /lesbian communities. For most of these young people, such communities seem a world away. Gay and lesbian youth need dignity, support and respect in their lives now, from the people and the communities that are important to them. Neither does it make sense to wait for the emergence of a large visible community of lesbian/gay youth before we begin to provide all these resources. Over time, youth still in hiding will come out and sympathetic adults must be accessible to them when they do . In the meantime, the very presence of such services will send a message of acceptance to all young people and their families" (p.14). So much for the mandate to get moving in this area. The Quaker writers state their rationale without apology, "Societal institutions are seldom pleased to have the boat rocked. Yet that is precisely what we are advocating. We are seeking to make room for lesbian and gay youth in structures perme a ted with homophobia. We are proposing new recognition of the dignit y and worth of young people w ho are THE SECOND STONE homosexually oriented. That is a powerful form of boat -rocking in a society that has failed to affirm the humanity of these youth, much less consider their claim to human dignity, equality and freedom " (p.37). If there is an omission in this extremely useful primer and reference guide, it would be a chapter on the church's bridges with gay members and the gay community. Pages 46-57 in the Resources section survey the organizations in each denomination supportive of gay concerns and the more outstanding materials developed from religious sources. But what about some comment on how homophobia is fueled in the local congregation? What can we point out that is operative in the churches young people experience, for their clarity and their resistance? One thing might be to say that until we are at home with ourselves, our relations with others will be distorted and distorting. The most obvious form of distortion is projection, which happens all the time in our churches and our world. When we have unexplored darkness within ourselves we get preverse relief by projecting that darkn ess outward on some "enemy " (usually people who are simply different from us). It is a futile effort to flee our own shadows by despising, and sometimes destroying, the people on whom we project them. Insofar as churches encourage their members to make a rigorous solitary inward spiritual journey, they can be therein committed to withdrawing one's projections and to being open to the possibilty of love. The other thing we might say, in such a chapter on church homophobia, is to be aware of when congregatlons are preaching a theology of a God who is not pleased with you as you are . I owe this insight to Virginia Mollenkott. She says that patriarchy preaches an inclusive God who tells us that only by changing your basic nature from homosexual to heterosexual can you be acceptable to God. You ar e not supposed to esteem yourself as you are - that is sinful pride, to be repented of (and a lot of congregations are mad e up of women so socialized that th e y don't esteem themselves in the firs t place). Very conveniently the power group tells the oppressed to embrace their oppression a bit mor e. Remember, buy se veral copies of the book. It will open your adult eyes . Videos □ Commo n Threads: Stor ies F rom The Quilt Quilt Document ary Wi ns Oscar H;yEricHess Contributing Wri ter We live day to day sometimes not fully realizing what it means to be alive or what it means to be human, but every no w and then we take the time to look closely at what each of these things mean . These and many other thoughts come to mind when viewing the Academy A ward winning documentaty, "Common Threads: Stories From The Quilt ." The documentary, which is accompanied by the special vocal talent of Bobby Mcferrin, is not so much the story of the quilf as it is the . story of the people whose voices are still heard through the quilt -- those who have died as a result of AIDS and those whose lives they touched . "Common Threads", narrated by Dustin Hoffman, tells the stories represented by five of the thousands of panels that make up the quilt, which has toured the United States and was unfolded on the White House lawn. This brilliant film tracks the political and social effects of AIDS, but never loses sight of the human condition of the disease and the basic message, "too much love is gone ... too much tragedy ... too much loss ." The docum entary take s us into the li v es of a hemophiliac ch ild , a intravenous dru g user, a gay father, a gay couple and a gay activist whose message is that there is a continued need to press foward in our fight for funding and care. Each story is unique in its own way . We learn how AIDS does not discriminate, how our government did not respond to the epidemic until the disease crossed over into the heterosexual community,. and how many lives have been touched by this tragedy . "Common Threads: Stories From The Quilt" was produced by Rob Epstein, who won an Oscar for Best Documentary in 1984 for the "Times of Harvey Milk." The 80 minute film tells its story with quiet sen$itivity . We understand the reality of the issue by listening to those who have had to deal with the devastation of AIDS. At the end Vito Russo, one of those who shared his story says, " We want to see an end ... (a day) when we can stop adding panels and put this thing away . Some day this will be over ... Some day there will be no such thing as AIDS and we will remember that there was a terrible tragedy that we survived ." Lesbian/Gay Religious Denounce Coalition Traditional Values Groups ·For Symposium Representatives of ten national lesbian/ gay religious organizations have issued a public statement rejecting the premise of a symposium entit led "The National Task Force for the Preservation of the Hetero- · sexual Ethic" held in Washington, D.C. that depicted homosexuality as "intrinsically unhealthy, unnatural or immoral." The symposium was sponsored by the Coalition for Traditional Values, led by Rev. Louis Sheldon. The statement was written and coordinated by Rev. Ken South of the United Church Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns. Signers of the statement included Rev. Jan Griesinger, United Church Coalition for Lesbian/Gay ·Concerns; George Plagianos, Axios/Eastern Orthodox Christian Gay Men and Lesbians; Jim Anderson, Presbyterians for Lesbian/Gay Concerns; Rev. John W. Lynndorus, United Lesbian and Gay Christian Scientists; Rev. William H. Carey, National Gay Pentecostal Alliance and Lighthouse Christian Fellowship; Marge Doyle, SeventhDay Adventist Kinship International, lnc.; Barrett Brick, World Congress of Gay and Lesbian Jewish Organizations; Jim Souder, Brethren/ Mennonite Council for Lesbian and Gay Concerns; Pat Roche, Dignity/ USA; and Kim Byham, Integrity, Inc . The statement declared that coalitions from all major faith group s are united "with one voice in saying that we see no inconsistency between our sexual orientation and our faith traditions-:-" - Waves AT LAST. A MONTHLY TRAVEL MAGAZINE THAT TELLS YOU ABOUTRAVEL Discover . .. . OUR WORLD The International Gay Travel Magazine MEMBER _lfll'\_ We've finally come out! We're the Monthly International Gay Travel Magazine. Month by month, we invite you to visit with us and discover an exciting world available to gay men and _lesbian travelers. Enjoy color photos of a romantic hotel in Spain, a rustic resort in California, a trendy hotel on the English Riviera, an elegant Victorian mansion in San Francisco, a magnificent French chateau, and more! Investigate gourmet restaurants, intimate bars and glittering nightspots. Acquire first hand knowledge, travel tips, and up to date information from gay travel agents, arid tour operators. You get all this at the special subscriber rate of only $44 for one full year (12 issues). That's a saving of 25% off the newsstand price. Act now! Discover OUR WORLD today! MAIL TO: OUR WORLD PUBLISHING, 1104 North Nova R.oad, Suite 251 Daytona Beach, Florida 32117 USA (904) 441-5367 0 Yes! Please start my subscription for 1 year (12 issues). I have enclosed my check or money order for $44. (U.S.A.) Sample copy $4.95. Canada, Mexico, Overseas (surtace) - US $52 Europe (airmail) - US $70 Pacific (airmail) US $80 First issue inails in 4-6 weeks in plain sealed envelope. Our subscriber list is-kepi conlidential. (please print) Name _____ _ ______ _ _ _ _ _ ___ ___ __ _ Address. _____ _ ___ _ __ __ __ _ ___ _ _ __ _ _ _ ___ __ __ _ __ _ ___ _ __ __ _ Code _ ___ _ _ Country __ __ __ _ _ ___ __ _________ _ __ _ May/June 1990 m Essay . □ Don't Seek God With Spiritual Eyes Closed BY TERISSA THOMPSON Contributing Writer Do you ever find that the harder you try to do right, the further yOll feel from God? The tendency toward a legalistic approach to God has been a strong influence since religion began. And it is not limited to formally imposed legal codes, but often appears in systems of rules we invent or adapt for ourselves. This seems to be the natural human approach to our awesome and perfect God . A noted Christian author and speaker defines religion as any set of practices designed to achieve communication or unity with the Most High God. He goes on to point out that the word "religion" comes from a root meaning bondage. Thus , he alleges, religion is literally a return to bondage. (Gal. 2:4, 4:3, et al) In Jesus' time the Pharisees were noted for detailed regard for such a system, strictly interpreting and observing Jewish law , particularly sections pertaining to tithing and ritual purity. Their code consisted of 613 laws go _verning even such According to the gospel writers, concern for the smallest detail of the law was more important to the Pharisees than a right spirit, a pure heart for God, or compassion toward a fellow human being. activities as the use and washing of utensils and all manner of personal hygiene (Mark 7:3-4). Throughout - the one that deals most honestly with how men relate to each other. to women, and to kids; the one that's gay-affirmative and opposes sex-role stereotypes, ... the one that movingly explores men's hurts and joys · ... ~-- --- --------~ 1 □ ON: 1 Order at no obligation. If yciu change your mind, just write · us 1 1 , We'll refund the subscription price! : Name _________ -=_-=_-=_-:: __ Enclo .sed: -~ ~ I Address __ _ _ _ _____________ _ _ I I City ______ -,-- __ ____ State_ Zip __ I l Moll to: Chon in Men 306 N. Brooks 305A Madison WI 5 7 I ----- ·------------------- the Jewish community the Pharisees were highly esteemed for their knowledge of scriptural law and their devotion to its perfect execution. Their meticulous devotion to these laws was, in their way of thinking, essential for right standing with God. According to the gospel writers, concern for the smallest detail of the law was more important to the Pharisees than a right spirit, a pure heart for God, or compassion toward a fellow human being . Their obedience was unmatched. Yet for this kind of heartless obedience Jesus repeatedly rebuked these religious experts. Consider our Lord's own treatment of the law. He associated with outcasts and even ate with them! He healed on the Sabbath and allowed His disciples to pick grain ( apparen tly violating the fourth commandment!), infuriating the administration. And still He says, "I did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it." (Matt. 5:17) Surely Jesus understood the law in a much greater sense than mere outward obligation when He said, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, .or to do harm, to save a life, or to destroy it?" (Luke 6:9) IN SPITE OF JESUS' STRONG teaching, the majority of our Christian religion seems to be as restrictive and as fruitless as the Pharisees' plodding through Judaism! Most of us were taught from a very early age what we must do and what we must not do .to gain God's favor. The rest heard some version of the law eventually. What God likes and dislikes, how He likes it and how much, and what He will do if it's wrong, are decreed and enforced as law by parents, preachers, and police. The Bible is allegedly brimming with the rash consequences . we face for failing to uphold any part of the law. (Nonbelievers often tell me this is the main thing they "do not like about 'Christianity."') Understand that I am not just referring to laws issued by authorities, but to practices we fashion for ourselves as well! For instance, we certainly should pray, read the Bible, and seek Christian fellowship, yet these can become pointless exercises when the emphasis transfers to the activity itself. Habitually doing what we should do solely because it's what we should do may be a symptom of legalism. Have you ever found that a "tried and true" formula suddenly ll THE SECOND STONE doesn't seem to produce the feeling of the presence of God that it used to? God will ·not allow us to "conjure" Him up _ through any set of procedures. Paul issued harsh rebukes to societies which sought to return to the bondage ' of the law, and Jesus spoke His most passionate words against such ritualistic practices in the Jewish religion. Yet this misguided piety continues to flourish. And here is where pharisaism falls short: It is a cognitive, rational structure which targets the mind - that is, the natural man. lt seems to make sense, appealing to logic and our human sense of justice. Ironically, this may be where the attraction lies for its followers. A law "written on stone tablets" is physical and tangible. However, it does riot teach In spite of Jesus' strong teaching, the majority of our Christian religion seems to be as restrictive and as fruitless as the Pharisees' plodding through Judaism! a personal Jesus, but points to a distant God . And the mind set ·on controlling the flesh through the law is indeed set on the flesh. That mind is hostile to God (Rom. 8:6-8)! Ask yourself, "Do I want religion or do I want God in my life?" God is not a theoretical abstract . He is a spiritual reality (John 4:24). Millions are unwilling to explore spiritual dimensions, preferring to "seek God" with their spiritual eyes closed. If we nurture our spiritual health (that is, our relationship with Christ), all our other attitudes and actions will begin to fall in line with God's will. I am not advising disregard for law. I urge you to · consider your own individual response to God's call to obedience, but not to let that response become so fast - so rigid - that you miss knowing the infinite God. With a single mind let us seek Jesus. Travel Enjoying The . Hidden Hawaiis By Cynthia A. Marquard and Danni Munson Contributing Writers Who hasn't dreamed of being in an isolated tropical paradise with that special someone? The splash of a waterfall in a ferny grotto; miles of deserted white sand beaches; the strange calls of exotic birds high up in the rainforest canopy. We recently went off in search of just such isolated pieces of paradise in the Hawaiian Islands. And we found several places, . well off the beaten path, that cater to gay men and lesbiari ·or are at least are quite gay frietrdly . On the Big Island The island of Hawaii, the largest of the islands, has several h i dden resorts perfect. for those who want to get away from it all, or at least most of it. The Big Island has two main areas . The Hilo .area--which is less touristy, close to the Kilauea Volcano, lush with tropical flowers and other vegetation--is also pretty rainy. The Kailua-Kona area is· fairly congested with hotels and big resort , properties set like oases · of greenery amid the moonscape of black lava flows frozen on their way to the sea . But here, the sun always shines. Needless to say, most of the secluded vacation properties for gay men and lesbians are in the Hilo area . One exception is a male-only B & B, the R.B.R. Farms in Captain Cook, a ' small town up the mountain from Kealakekua Bay, where Captain Cook met is death in 1779 . Today the bay is known for its excellent · snorkeling. For women only, there is the secluded Butterfly Inn, watched over · by two very hospitable l esbian owners who are genuinely concerned about providing the best in comforts and · amenities to their guests; including fresh papayas and bananas : grown in their large and private garden. The house has two guestrooms that share a living area, kitchen, and ·bath . But the main attraction is the steam house, a genuine wood-fired, Finnish hot-rock sauna. Outside the steam house is a tub that serves as a cold plunge and a large jacuzzi. The Butterfly Inn is located fairly close to one of earth's great natural wonders, an active volcano . Science tells us that the eruptions of molten rock are caused by a hot spot deep in earth's mantle that, like a blow torch, heats the rock below Kilauea. Legend tells us that it is the work of the ancient Hawaiian fire goddess .Pele. Whichever truth one subscribes to, this volcano is not to be missed . It can be viewed first hand in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. At the end of a ride down Chain of Craters~oad ; rangers indicate where to park ai;:id allow visitors to walk out on the newly formed rock, stepping over cracks from which steam is still rising. The oozing lava we were able to see looked like a little pink paw . inching out of a crevice . Beyond, and off limits to tourists because the area is so dangerous, we · could see great clouds of steam rising where the main river -of lava was pouring into the sea at a rate of 35 miles per hour. Many guests of the But.terfly Inn come to see the volcano at night, when one can get a true sense of this fire from within. Men wanting to stay near the volcano should consider a night at Volcano House, an old hotel in the national park near the Visitor's Center . Near Upolu Point, at the extreme north end of the Big Island, is a gay friendly B & B in the tiny town of Hawi (population 700) . Hale Anvenue consists of a 70-year-old main house with two guestrooms and adjacent house with an additional two rooms situated on one-third acre. There is also a jacuzzi. Snorkeling is excellent on the beaches a short drive ·away . Huliaule'a is the most hidden of the Big Island's hidden Hawaiis. It sits on a remote hillside in the Hilo . area and off the beaten path of ci~ilization. Electricity comes from its own generator, which is turned on · only at certain times of day. This creates a unique lamp-lit environm ent at night that can be very romantic. Daytime views from the veranda are stunning. Breakfast is provided, but guests do not have kitchen privileges. they must dine out in Hilo . Kalani Honua bills itself as an "ocean ranch" and · is the location of the annual Camp Camp-It-Up summer camp for gays and lesbians. The 1990 camp is scheduled for one week beginning August 13. There are · other gay /lesbian gatherings planned .for March 13, April 18, and April 21. The property is a large complex of lodges on an isolated stretch of coast near Hilo . There is a gift shop and restaurant on the grounds ... Undeveloped Molokai This part of Hawaii is so hidden that it would not appeal to everyone. There is a trade-off for quiet, undeveloped areas. The reason - Molokai is the least developed of the islands is that it lacks the one thing most people go to Hawaii for: beautiful, swimmable, white sand beaches. And it has been traditionally a taboo area, because this is where the Hawaiians sent the lepers. There is a famous leper colony, .still active today, on the remote Kalaupapa Penins11la, accessible only by boat or plane . Main street in Molokai's one major town is reminiscent 'of a rural town in central Iowa . There are so few stores that each of them--drugstore, grocery, hardware store, Post Officeare named on maps of th e island. And like many rural areas, Molokai is very agricultural, with lime orchards, pineapple plantations, and cattle ranches . .The island has two distinct areas: the east end has -tropical rainforests and the west . end has rolling savannahs. The east erid has poor beaches because there the ancient Hawaiians built fish ponds, walled areas along the coast used for trapping fish. The · walls disintegrated , and today they trap muddy runoff from the mountain, turning the beaches to muck . So the main attraction in the east end is the Halawa Valley, with a twisting, narrow road through the rainforest. Park near the end of the road and hike through the jungle to Moaula Falls, where you can take a swim . But during periods of heavy rain, beware of high wnter in two creeks · you have to cross to reach the falls. □ The west end has beautiful white sand beaches, but there is no coral reef beyond to tame the crushing power of the waves. Anyone trying to swim there would be likely to drown. But the beach is almost totally deserted and is a wonderful place to walk or sunbathe. And at Papohaku Beach Park, you can camp for $3.00 per night . There are no gay resorts or bars on Molokai. Most visitors stay at resort properties near the main town of Kaunakakai. Guests can walk to town from the Pau Hana Inn, which is also the least expensive with rooms starting at about $40 per night. The Hotel Molokai has the best restaurant, open to .the ·sea, and there .is usually entertainment in the evening. Part II of •the Hidden Hawaiis will .appear in our next issue. Cynthia A. Marquard is the : owner/manager of Envoy Travel, Inc., in Chicago and vice-president of the International Gay Travel Assn. Danni Munson is the publisher of The Lesbian and Gay Almanac and Events of 1990. P . 0. Box 118 SL Bethlehem, NH 03574 (603) 869-3978 the "other" ,Plact under the sun ... Write or call for brochure. 120 E. Atol St., P. 0. Box 2326 South Padre Island, Texas 78597 (512)761-LYLE Air connections via American Continental Soutbwesi DJ Parting Thought □ Jesus Has AIDS And Lives On Valencia Street By John-Mkhaei Olexy Contributing Writer I was substituting as a driver for "Project Open Hand", the group that provides a bag lunch and hot dinner to people with AIDS . My "runner" Bill, who _del~ered the meals while I stayed m my double-parked car, was from Wisconsin and new to San Francisco . We worked with a computer listing of the names and addresses and any special meal requirements . Bill looked up at his list as I pulled up in front of a weary building on Valencia Street. "One regular lunch, one special dinner for Jesus" he said asche jumped out of the car. --As- ne- disa'ppeared up the side stairs to an apartment over the liquor store I looked at the listing, Jesus, pronounced 'J-Ieysous", a rather common Spamsh name, was on the listing. Wisconsin Bill pronounced it ARE YOU MOVING? The Post Office wi ll not forward The Second Stone. You must notify us for uninterrupted service if you move. IJ Please notify us four weekS in a(t vance for un interrupted delivery. Send both old and new addresses . lf possible atlach mailing label i n space provided . PRINT NEW ADDRESS ~ g ~ i (0 -< i ~ Send comp leted form to : THE SECOND STONE Box8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 as most English-speakers do - "Jesus." Well, _that certainly would drive the Fundamentalists wild, I thought. Jesus has AIDS and is living on Valencia Street. I put it aside as Bill popped into . the car and I pulled out into the traffic to continue our deliveries. The following Saturday my friend Frank and I were working our own regular "Open Hand" route. We were going to a party later, so we hurried along, sometimes both of us leaving the car and delivering to save precious minutes. I hurried down the hallway of a building on 17th Streef and pounded on a door. My mind was on the party. The door opcred slowly. I flinched when I saw the figure in the darkness. He was a young man, but now looked so very old . He still had the face of a choir boy, an old, emaciated choir boy. The beautiful face was now covered completely with lesions. I prayed that he didn't see my reaction. He was too weak to carry his meals into the apartment, so I took them into the kitchen. Looking back, I let myself out. "God bless," I called over my shoulder. I scurried down the hall, went around the corner and fell against the wall. Frank would have to wait. The party would have to wait. I was already haunted by that choir boy face. I breathed deeply as tears rolled down my face. Crossing myself, I whispered a prayer l sometimes say which was written by Basil Hume, the British Cardinal. He calls it his prayer of incompetence. "Lord, l don't know what to make of all this . Or what to do . Lord, be with _ me and give me strength." Later that night, after dropping Frank off, I drove to the top of Twin Peaks to the point that looks out over the city. I thought about the choir boy on 17th Street, and Joe on Corbett, and Tim on Douglas. I just couldn't do it any more. I thought it was too much . It hurt too much, this delivering. I was tired of crying. I was tired of seeing young, lesioned, old men. After a long period, mysteriously, somehow that quotation from Matthew came into my mind . "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my breathren, ye have done ·it unto me." The choir boy on 17th Street, Joe.on Corbett and Tim on Douglas were all really Jesus. When I brought the bag lunch and Classifieds Books & Publications CHRISTIAN'NEW AGE QUARTERLY explores the issues arising between Christians and New Agers with authentic information, forthright honesty and, yes, real appreciation for both sides. Penetrating, yet fun, our features and columns· forge a bridge for genuine dialogue. Subs: $9.50/yr. Sample: $2.50. CHRISTIAN'NEW AGE QUARTERLY, P. 0. Box 276, Clifton, NJ 07011-0276. TF GAY MEN OF AA: First-Hand Accounts. New release! $12.95 plus $1.30 shipping and handling. 27 personal recovery stories. The Other Publishing Co., P. 0. Box 2151 Dept 23, San Diego, CA 92112. Write for free catalog. 6/90 EMERGE! A healing journal of EMERGENCE International: Christian Scientists Supporting Lesbians and Gay Men. For information and subscriptions write P .0. Box 581, Kentfield, CA 94914, or call (415) 485-1881. 2/91 Friends/Relationships GENTLEMAN, mid-fifties, young looking, 5'8", 125 lbs, seeks same, compatible, empathetic, the hot dinner to these guys · I was actually bringing a meal to Jesus. It's true. He said it h imself. It's right . there in the Bible on the night stand by the · bed. Would I be able to deal with this terrible illness every Saturday? Sure. Certainly . How often do you get to see the faces of Jesus staring at you from the doorway? How often can you get to see Christ's wounds? After all, it's quite true . Jesus does have AIDS and does live on Valencia Street . John-Michael Olexy serves as Senior Warden of . Trinity Episcopal Church Parish in San Francisco and. writes for the parish journal, The Word Made Fresh. from which this article is reprinted. □. affectionate, for companionship, friendship and pen pal. Please reply: Leander, Box 3183, Manchester, NH 03101. 6/90 Organizations THE CONFERENCE FOR CATHOLIC LESBIANS (CCL) invites you to Conference '90 - "Power & Empowerment", Memorial Day Weekend, May 25-28, 1990, Estes Park, Colorado. Workshops, liturgies, entertainment. For information please contact CCL-Conference '90, P.O. Box 436, Planetarium Station, New· York, NY 10024, (212)562-8922. The Conference for Catholic Lesbians (CCL)"is a national organization for women of Catholic heritage. 6/90 Situations Wanted 1990 M. DIV. SEMINARY GRAD, evangelical Reformed theology, progressive social vision, parish ministry orientation. Educated in l)oth evangelical (Trinity, Deerfield) and liberal (Iliff, Denver) seminaries. 30 y/o, single, healthy, will relocate. Seeks parish situation, either staff or sole. Mark Lee, 2466 S. York, Denver, CO 8021 O. 6/90 Classified Order Form Please place my ad in these issues: [ l Jan/Feb [] Mar/Apr [ l May/Jun [] Jul/Aug . 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For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone #10 - May/June 1990 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/e865674dee987d957e8eb472c65fd66c.pdf 85f1eb2c1874f07230b4c8ceed750b28 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone Description An account of the resource Issues of the Second Stone publication. Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 11 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1990 Publication Date The date the issue was published July/Aug 1990 Text Any textual data included in the document THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER FOR GAY AND LESBIAN CHRISTIANS $2.25 THE COND TONE · 8000 Readers Across The USA iSSUE #11 .. . T~L~PHONE FANTASY: A New H~ng-up? ; • •> ; •• • .h . • • . •• • ··••• ~• • • •'• • •• > • • , ••• l -'\ .. ,- ,~ t _, ~ \ . - .. I•• - /, ;;... A . ., ' 1,. I ~ ""I .. ~ . . • ' • ' ' • ~ ' ' • .. I .. •. \ '{ t t .. ~ :: -- .. ~ ' ' • I ' - Some Callers Discover A Hidden Toll: Addictive Behavior By Robert McKnight Contributing Writer Photos of handsome, well-built male models serve , quite effectively, as the attention compellers. The full page advertisements for telephone fantasy lines dominate the pages of People: many gay magazines and newspapers. The provocative ads generate millions of dollars in toll charge profits for what is one of the biggest businesses catering to gay men. The alluring names for the 900 or 976 prefix telephone numbers promise a wide variety of good times. "Any scene you want!" says one ad for a live-talk, fantasy phone sex service. The lure can cost - phone bills, for example, can hlt home with charges in the SEE COVER STORY, Page 9 Videos: Joe Steffan Takes The U.S. Navy To Coun m No Need To Repent: The Ballad of Jan Griesinger By Peter Warn Forces In Episcopal Church Unite To Support Ordaining Lesbians And Gays NEW YORK - A gro up of persons from a wide range of social justice ministries have joined together in an effort to let the Episcopal Church 's hierarchy know that the ordination of known Lesbians and gay men has long occurred in the church and should continue . The group, calling itself the Task Force for Continuing Lesbian/Gay Ordination, is composed of members of the Episcopal Women's Caucus, Integrity, the Urban Caucus and other groups. The Task Force's goal is io coilect signatures from bis hops, priests and laypersons who have participated in ordinations of openly lesbian . and gay persons or who would be willing to do so. The signatures will be subm itted to the Church's House of Bishops at its annual meeting in September. Another group, Episcopalians United for Revelation, Renewal and Reformation, has submitted 3100 signatures opposing the ordination of an openly gay man in the Diocese of Newark last December and calling for the censure of The Rt. Rev. John S. Spong, Bishop of Newark. The Task Force's letter said, "It is time for Episcopalians to stand up and insist that the issue here is not Jack Spong or any one ordinand. The issu e is faithful response to the movement of the Spirit in ou r lives and in our Church'.' Forms may be obtained from the Task Force for Continuing Lesbian/Gay Ordination, P.O. Box 5202, New York, NY 10185, or by calling Integrity, (718)720-3054. No Gay Pastor, Says Western Pennsylvania Methodists The Board of Ordained Ministry of the Western Pennsyl vania Conference of the United Methodist Church has adopted a highly restrictive statement that disqualifies from ordination any persons "who verbally acknowledge themselves ... to be emotionally, mentally, spiritually or physically practicing as a homosexual..." including those who are celibate . The clergy appointment system in the United Methodist church guarantees an ordained pastor a church. A source said the board felt that no chu rch in Western Pennsylvania would want a gay past o r. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! ONE YEAR ONLY $12.60! BOX 8340 • NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 I BULKRATE UPAoroGE NEW ORLEANS, LA PERMIT No. 511 '-- ===:--==== =====-~. Letters Albuquerque, New Mexico Abortion Not A Gay/Lesbian Issue Dear Second Stone, My credentials are excellent as a gay activist and determined feminist, who is a Catholic priest in good standing. I say this because I am disturbed by an article in your latest " edition (May/June 1990). I refer to the lead article under "Newsbriefs": "Republican Woman Suspended From Church Duties." The report is that a woman politician's public role in her Catholic parish is threatened because of her stand in favor - of abortion . That the article appears in your paper indicates to me that you include "abortion rights" among rights guaranteed to gay and lesbian people as homosexuals by the Gospel of Jesus. I do not believe this is an issue · that directly concerns gay /lesbian rights. On the contrary, it further divides our already fractured community . It also Jumps all Gays and Lesbians into one easily identified target for those of the Religious Right who focus on abortion. I do not even think that ordination of women as women is a gay /lesbian rights issue; this is a human and Christian rights issue. My point is that by adding extraneous messages to our "platform " we stray from the basic issue: gay men and lesbian women are acceptable to God as we Christians understand God. I am making a political statement, not a theological one here - knowing full well that I'm touching several volatile buttons in many people. We're awfully nervous in America today. Sincerely, (Rev.) N. F. Thompson, O.F.M. Minneapolis, Minnesota Personal Contact Best Outreach Dear Second Stone, I write with two concerns. I am glad that Rev. Grant Speece of Granville, North Dakota (see 'Letters', TSS, March/ April, 1990) has a special concern for the ministry needs and civil rights of Lesbians and gay men . However, lesbian and gay periodicals are not the place that will benefit from his views on inclusivity . We _ did not evict ou.i:selves from Christian com-;;~ nities, the communities evicted us . This created a need for spiritual sanctuary. The Second Stone is one of B those sanctuaries . I hope and pray that Rev. Speece in confronting inclusivity in his denomination's press and in his church, because until we are welcome in all churches, we will need our sanctuaries. I also hope you will not dilute The Second Stone 's ministry by including concerned heterosexuals in the masthead. My second concern is in regard to your analysis of the outreach efforts of lesbian and gay ministries. I appreciate that you bring this issue "out of the closet." We are not reaching enough people fast enough. We must move from building and maintaining sanctuaries to the empowerment of those who have not yet heard the Good News of our birthright to God's grace . Throughout your article you show great faith in the mainstream media as a primary ou treach tool. I do not feel that the use of this important tool, or lack thereof , is at the core of · the ·problem. From the first Christian churches to present, organized efforts to do as Christ commanded - make disciples of all nations and feed God's sheep - has been done first through hurnan contact followed by public documentation, not the other way around . You are critical of UFMCC fro not publicizing last summer 's General Conference. Have you considered ihe implications of such publicity? MCC's core leadership is concentrated in one area - thousands of lesbian and gay Christians are all in one hotel doing God knows what. (We know what it is about but THEY think we are infesting the hotel and the city with disease and immorality .) Stuff happens. There is a time for risks ,!nd a time for safety. example of organized human contact on a large scale. Human contact is risky, sometimes clumsy, often frustrating. It is also energizing, joyous and affirming . It is how a handful of people let the world know of the resurrection nearly 2000 years ago. It is how our faith will become action . Sincerely, Sue Read Habitat Evaded Homophobia Issue Dear Second Stone, Regarding Habitat for Humanity ... I am surprised you published that Jong winded letter which dances In This Issue FEATURES ' COVER STORY COLUMNS COMMENTARY INNER PATHS CLOSER LOOK 1RAVEL PARTING THOUGHT DEP ART1\1ENTS LETTERS NEWS BRIEFS ·PEOPLE □ around the issue of homophobia. ' Since gay people cannot legally be married, what does Habitat do- with lifelong partners/lovers/mates? Must they also remain celibate? If so, this is the same brick wall we face elsewhere. Sincerely, Jeff Halvorsen We welcome you to share your views, opinions, feelings and experiences ·with our readers. Send letters to: LETTERS, The Second Stone, P. 0 . Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. All letters must be original and signed by the writer . Clearly indicate if your name is to be withheld. We reserve the right to edit. □ Page 9 Page3 Page 13 Page 14 Page 19 Page 20 Page2 Page4 Page 10 Another criticism is that MCC draws only "out" Lesbians and gay men, since it relies heavily on advertising in the lesbian and gay press . I do not recognize this from my experience . I personally know a few mainstream pastors who long for the kind of passion and growth that MCC is blessed with. Among my friends and acquaintances, word of mouth and personal invitations are far more valuable than the media. I initially heard about MCC, Dignity, Integrity, Lutherans Concerned, etc., from friends at a time when I had one foot in the closet and the other in New Age. I would never have considered looking in a lesbian or gay paper for church services since the concept was so foreign to me. CHURCH & ORGANIZATION NEWS Page 11 I find the TAG 2000 effort by the Evangelical . Network an excellent CALENDAR BOOK REVIEW VIDEOS ESSAY CLASSIFIEDS THE SECOND STONE . Page 12 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 20 Commentary □ Gay And Lesbian Couples: Is Monogamy A Requirement? By Sean L Avezy Contributing Writer The words "Sex Prophet" screamed from the cover of Outweek Magazine, along with a photograph of the recently ordained, yet already controversial, Reverend Robert Williams .. The openly gay Episcopal priest had come under fire for his outspoken comments on sexuality. The issue raised by Williams, during a particularly sensitive time in the history of lesbian and gay Christian liberation, is whether or not monogamy should be a requirement for same-sex marriages. As a gay man, I pray for discernment to gain a clearer understanding of how to express my God-given sexuality in a manner which is consistent with the Gospels of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Indeed, God created me with freedom · to make choices, including sexual ones, the resulting actions which, if I am to be honest in my spiritual journey, must be put to the litmus test ISSN No. 1047-3971 THE SECOND STONE Newspaper is published every other month by Bailey Communications, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Copyright 1990 by The Second Stone, a registered trademark. SUllSCRIPTIONS, U.S.A. $12.60 per year, six issues. Foreign subscribers add $8.00 for postage. All payments U. S. currency only. ADVERTISING, Display advertising one time rates: Full Page, $595.00; Half Page, $304 .00; Quarter Page, $155 .00; Eighth Page , $81.00; Sixteenth Page; $42.00. Send inquiries to: Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Classified advertising is 35 cents per word. EDITORIAL, send letters, calendar announcements, and church/organization news to (Department title) The Second Stone, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Manuscripts to be returned .should be accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope. THE SECOND STONE, an ecumenical Christian newspaper committed to informing the gay, and lesbian com• munity. PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Jim Bailey MARKETING DIRECTOR: Eric Hess CONTRIBUTORS: Rev Bruce Roller, Rev Sylvia Pennington, Cynthia Marquard, Danni Munson, Dr. Martin Fowler, David Rickey, Robert McKnigh~ Jim Roche, Michael Blankenship, Dan Grippo, Dr. Louie Crew, John-Michael Olexy, Dr. Buddy Truluck, Chris Glaser. of Christianity: whether or not they obey Jesus' commandments; ''You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind " and "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Therefore, the issue - monogamy within a committed relationship versus sex outside of a committed relationship - boils down to which position is more consistent with Christian love - of God, self and others. John McNeil writes extensively on God's will for our gay sexuality in his theologically liberating book, Taking A Chance On God. The former Jesuit priest articulates his understanding in a gentle, non-judgmental manner, one which I feel is consistent with Jesus' teachings. McNeil differentiates between two ty pes of sexual expression - Alpha and Omega sex . He writes, "Alpha sex involves using one's partner selfishly to obtain one's own sexual sat isfaction . This kind of sexua l activity never results ·in true intimacy and provides no escape from loneliness; on the contrar y , it intensifies ·loneliness . Clients h ave told me many times that their se nse of isolation only increased after an all night orgy in a gay bathhouse." He continues, "Omega sex, on the other hand, occurs when there is a comp~te fusion of sensual and personal love. Each partner is a source of pleasure for the other, and each can experience pleasure only by being _a source of pleasure . for the other. Most of us find ourselv es at some place between the two gardens, aspiring to omega sex, practicing alpha sex, but hopefully growing daily in our ability to integrate our sexual activity into our capacity for love ." McNeil concludes, "I still feel that a committed, faithful loving relationship as the ideal context for all human sexual expression is based in the nature of being human. I do not see this as imposing a heterosexual norm on gay people. I believe that we are dealing with a fundamental need built into human nature that has to do with the development of trust and love and the greatest possible development of psychic maturity and health. Sexual activity can only reach its perfection as a loving, joyous · play within such a context." The Reverend Canon Gene Robinson, in his address "The Church as Teacher ", -which was delivered to the "Our Church Has AIDS" Conference, sponsored by ·the National Episcopal AIDS Coalition, elaborates on why sex is only 'right' within a committed relationship. Robinson says "'Right' is shorthand for - over time, we have discovered that this way of doing things preserves the spirit of 'loving self and loving your neighbor as yourself."' · He continues, "having sex outside of marriage or a committed relationship is 'wrong' because time has proven that the chances are very good that you, your sexual partner, or both, will wind up getting hurt in some way . Lovemaking makes you vulnerable - in so many ways. Not just vulnerable to diseas e, but to damage to one's self-esteem, disappointment, and feelings of incredible loneliness in the midst of the most intimate physical connection two people can have!" Robinson concludes, "The Church affirms and believes in abstinence ·not because it was given as a commandment on Sinai, but because 'love of self' and 'love of neighbor' commend it." On January 13, at a symposium in Detroit, co-sponsored by the Task Force on ~ ay and Lesbian Concerns of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan, Robert Williams addressed the issue of same-sex relationships, an already hot topic within the Episcopal Church . "Monogamy," he said, "is as unnatural as celibacy. If people want to try, OK. But the fact is, people are not monogamous. It is crazy to hold this ideal and pretend it's what we're doing, and we're not!'" Williams sentiment, sadly, is exactly what many people want to hear, as it justifies their unChristian sexual behavior. Thus, it didn't surprise me one bit to see him glorified as a "sex prophet" in the gay media . The emphasis on sex ·within our culture, a celebration of lust, not love, is understandable - it's much easier to focus our energies ori finding quick sex than it is to build loving relationships - with God, ourselves, and others - that will ultimately lead us out of our loneliness. McNeil writes that "recent psychodynamic theory recognizes that the basic human drive is not toward pleasure, but toward intimacy ." Recognizing that our lust drive is really a love drive makes us gay men seem much gentler, indeed! As I grow daily in Christian love - for God, for myself, and for others, I realize more and _m.Q_J:~. J l:i'a.t my sexuality is a precious, and extremely powerful, gift, one which 1 only want to share with someone I love, within the context of a committed relationship. Indeed, the question is not whether monogamy should be a requirement for Christian lesbian and gay marriages, but rather why that is even an issue in the first place! Sean L. Avery is an undergraduate psychology major at UMASS/Boston and is currently working on his first novel, New Order. PATLAR VOICE OF GAV AMERICA MONTHLY NEWSMAGAZINE FREE AT OUR DISTRIBUTJON POINTS SUBSCRIPTIONS $35 ANNUALLY SAMPLE(~Jp<?~s)gtr¼Y~~ USA $4 FOR INFO ON ADVERTISING po it} &i1~l§lt~lt~~t82cr~~a22 The Other Publishing Company's Lesbian & Gay Recovery Bookstore "Things They Never Told You In Sunday School" A Primer fur the Christian Homosexual by David Day $7.95 (For A Limited Time) "This book should be read by anyone who takes the Bible seriously. Although this book focues on homosexuality, it is a gift of lil,eration for all people who wish a deeper understanding of the BiJ,le's teachings on sexuality. This book is a must for all gay lll!d lesbian Christians, their friends lll!d their ft,mili,s." Sherre Boothman, President , Samaritan College Shipping & Handling: 10% of Net Order, Minimum, $1.25., Maximum $5.00 California residents add 7.25% Sales Tax. No Credit Card Sales. For information on quantity purchases and discounts, call (800) 733-1283. The Other Publishing Company P.O. Box 2151, Dept. 95 • San Diego , CA 92112-2151 July/ August '1990 El Newsbriefs Educators Pass Resolution To Protect Gay Youth At its 1990 annual meeting, the Association of Supervision and Cutriculum Development, a national educational association of 135,000 curriculum leaders and administrators, the membership unanimously adopted a resolution on student sexual orientation. In part, the resolution reads, "Schools should demonstrate respect for the dignity and worth of all students and all students should be treated equitably. ASCD opposes discrimination and supports policies and programs that promote equity . Therefore, ASCD urges its members to develop policies, curriculum materials, and teaching strategies that do not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. ASCD encourages schools to provide staff development training and materials to enable educators to bet,ter work with this at-risk student population." Dr. James Sears, author of Growing up Gay in the South and editor of Empathy, has been working for the past two years to insure passage of this resolution. Following the adoption of the resolution by educators representing every state in the nation, Sears stated "This is a significant victory. For the first time, a major educational organization has linked the providing of at-risk services to those students affected by the discrimination and harassment of gay youth." There are now three major national educational associations - NEA, AFT, and · ASCD - that have passed resolutions on this issue. According to Sears, "These resolutions are critical. They give educators and parents credibility when they speak at small town school board meetings and parent associations. They also tell gay youth, 'You're not alone."' Iliff Grads Protest At the commencement ceremony of the -Iliff School of Theology in Colorado many graduates, faculty, staff, students and guests planned to carry lavendar and white carnations in protest of sexist ordination policies in various denominations. White carnations were to be carried in solidarity with women denied ordination in the Roman Catholic and other churches solely on the basis of being female. Lavendar carnations were to be carried in solidafity with gay and lesbian people denied ordination in many denominations, including the United Methodist Church, with which Iliff is related, A Presbyterian Promise "We will work to increase the acceptance and participation in the church of all persons regardless of racial-ethnic origins, sex, class, age, disability, marital status or sexual orientation" - 195th General Assembly (1983), Atlanta, Georgia If this is your promise, too, we invite you · to join Presbyterians for Lesbian/Gay Concerps Write to Elder James D. Anderson PLGC, P.O. Box 38, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0038, 201/846-1510 solely on the basis of their sexual orientation. Mark Lee, chairman of the Gay and Lesbian Concerns Committee of Student Senate, said, "Many students and faculty invest themselv<?s in the lives and training of gay people at school, but once gay people graduate from school...they face rigidly homophobic denominational policies," The protest was coordinated with similar actions at other seminaries under the umbrella sponsorship of In-Carnation, a collective of gay and lesbian persons from seminary communities across the nation. -Out Front Women Approved For Ordination Leaders of the Anglican Church of Ireland have given final approval to the ordination of women as priests. Anglkans in England, Scotland and Wales do not allow women to be priests. About 1000 women have been ordained to the priesthood in onequarter of the 27 Anglican churches, most of them in the United States, Canada and New Zealand. The Church of Ireland has 410,000 members, most of them in the British province nf Northern Ireland. -Baltimore Alternative Breakthrough SettlementI n Landmark AIDS DiscriminationC ase SAN FRANCISCO - In the first case of its kind, a settlement has been reached which prohibits an insurance company from discrif!l,inating on the basis of sexual orientation. The Employment Law Center and National Gays Rights Advocates announced in a joint press conference that the settlement was filed in San Francisco Superior Court. The lawsuit, National Gay Rights Advocates v. Great Republic Insurance Company, charged the insurance company -with attempting to avoid underwriting of policies for those presumed to be at risk for AIDS by denying coverage to unmarried men who work in "occupations that do not require physical exertion ... such as florists, interior decorators , and fashion designers." ' Under the terms of the settlement, the company is prohibited from using a supplemental questionnaire targeted to single male applicants - and specifically prohibited from using sexual orientation . in the determination of insurability. II THE SECOND STONE □· · · . . . '. Jo Anne Frankfurt, EL'e attorney .· : who negotiated the· s·et11ement, stressed that "this settlement sho.tiid . send a loud and clear message• to thi . · fnsurance industry that discrimc . ination against gay males will not. be · tolerated." Episcopal Left Links Hands With Lesbian/GayG roup In an unusual display of solidarity among progressive religious groups, ten Episcopal Church organizations, including Integrity, the lesbian and gay justice ministry of the Episcopal Church (and of- the Anglican Churches of Canada and Australia) planned to meet in St. Louis at the end of June. Integrity was scheduled to hold its own convention as part of the "Under One Roof" Conference together with various other social,. justice and pastoral networks of the Church. More than 550 people attended the · first "Under One Roof" Conference · three years ago, with Integrity having .the largest number of participants. MarlboroT arget Of Boycott Gay activists have called for a boycott of Marlboro cigarettes, a product of the Philip Morris Company. The company is the largest corporate contributor to the re-election campaign of Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC), the Senate's most powerful and influential enemy of gay causes, and a vehement opponent of progressive AIDS legislation. C_hurch's Participation In Vaccine Test An 'Empty Gesture' Archbishop Roger Mahoney of Los Angeles sent letters .to priests and religious asking them to volunteer in experiments for Dr. Jonas Salk's experimental AIDS vaccine, an act that has been denounced by many gay and lesbian activists as an empty gesture that sharply contrasts with the Catholic Church's homophobic stance. The Salk Institute had been seeking nuns to volunteer for the tests. Salk told the Chicago Tribune that there is only an infinitesimal chance a trial volunteer could be infected with HIV. -Pittsburgh's OUT Newsbriefs Methodist CommitteeS tudy Continues In its continuing research the United Methodist Church General Conference Committee to Study Homosexuality has now heard testimony from a number of groups including the Transforming Congregations Program (a newly founded program in California of UMC churches supporting Gays and Lesbians who attempt to change to heterosexual or celibate lifestyles), Methodists For Social Action, the Reconciling Congregations Program, Affirmation, and others . The group has also heard from scholars regarding homosexuality and the Bible. National Lesbian/ Gay Health Conference Set WASHINGTON, D.C. - The largest annual conference concerning lesbian and gay health issues is expected to draw over 2000 attendees when the 12th National Lesbian and Gay Health Conference and 8th National AIDS Forum convenes in Washington, DC, July 18-22. This year's conference will f,cature more than 300 presentations dealing with such issues as substance abuse, lesbian health care, mental health and lesbian and gay youth issues. The AIDS Forum will be divided into medical, educational and psychosocial tracks. Richard !say, MD, of Cornell Medical School and author of Bein~ Homosexual: Gay Men and Their Development will co-facilitate a pre-conference institute entitled "Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy with Gay Men." MFSA Names 1990 Award Recipients A prophetic North Carolina pastor, two Baltimore Conference congregations, and the Episcopal Initiative on Drugs and Violence have been chosen to receive the Methodist Federation for Social Action's (MFSA) annual social action awards for 1990 . . The Rev. Jimmy Creech, pastor of Fairmont United Methodist Church in Raleigh, .North Carolina, has received wide publicity for his leadership role in an ecumenical clergy group which has organized to oppose violence against the gay and lesbian community. In 1989, other local clergy from Raleigh banded □ together to contribute $8000 to help make up the shortfall in his local church budget resulting from withheld pledges. The two congregations receiving the award are Dumbarton UMC, Washington, D.C., and St. John's UMC, Baltimore. Both have nationally-recognized ministries uniting consistent social outreach with a strong spiritual base. The two congregations are sanctuary churches for Central American refugees and also Reconciling Congregations, meaning they have openly declared themselves to be fully inclusive in their ministry with gay and lesbian persons. The award to the United Methodist bishops' special drug-related initiative was presented to Bishop Felton May and the fourteen churches of the Anacostia section of Washington, D.C. and nearby Maryland which are partners in the model project. Bishop May has been given a special assignment to coordinate this initiative on behalf of the entire United Methodist Council of Bishops. Reform Group Says Gay Rabbis OK The Central Conference of American Rabbis broke with 4,000 years of Jewish tradition by approving a resolution urging that no restri ctions be imposed on qualified gay and lesbian Jews who want to become rabbis. Conceding that Jewish tradition is squarely against homosexual behavior, a 17-member committee never theless proposed the resolution on an issue that has agonized liberalto- mode rate churches for decades. The recommendation came after a four-year, sometimes contentious, study of homosexuality and the rabbinate . Some estimates have said as many as 10 percent of U.S. Reform rabbis are gay. Reform Judaism, the largest and most liberal of the three main branches of Judaism, is the first large religious body to approve admitting Gays to their clergy. Statewide Domestic PartnershipL egislation Introduced Legislation validating Domestic Partnership relationships has been introduced in the Illinois General Assembly, the first attempt to enact such laws on a statewide basis anywhere in the United States. -Cruise Subscribe Today. And You'll Never Be Without A Friend For Your Journey. 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Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 July/ August 1990 J. - - • rNewsbriets-.,., . .-,_;,':.,-,~-.,,,,oi,·~.,..,....,.,...,)_Jf!;~';~-··- .--~"""-~-··:· --,·=·-· .. ·t· "'•.•-·---~- ·-· .... _ .• ,. □ EC/Denver Forcr·' To Change Name .. The St e e r i n g Co mm ittee o f Evang elicals Conc erned/D enver has dec ided to change the name of their group rath er than face a legal battl e wi th Evangelical Concern of Denver, Inc., a fundamentalist group which includes an ex-gay ministry among its . programs . Responding to a ceaseand- desist letter, EC/Denver has adopted the new name of Evangelicals Concerned West ern Regional Fellowship, Inc. Princetc . .i Jn iversity Bars Anti-Gay Recruiters PRINCETON, N.J. - Organizations that discriminate against Gays and Lesbians, including the U. S. military, will _ not be allowed to use Princeton University facilities in their recruiting drives under a new policy announced by the school's president. '"The university must adhere to its own fundamental principled ,. commitments . with respect to equal opportunity/' said University President Harold Shapiro. Two years ago the school amended its statement on equal opportunity to include a promise of equal treatment for Gays. NGL1F Seeks Interns WASHIN GTON, D.C. - Int erns in tereste d in wor kin g on hard hitt ing, fast-moving , excitin g gay and le sbian issues in the na tion's capital are being encouraged to apply for a N ational Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGL TF) internship. NGLTF is accepting int ern applications for the remainder of 1990 in its Washington , D.C., office. Interns are not paid, but they have the opportunity to work on a variety of projects of national importanc e, including : legislation and lobbying, media advocacy, demonstrations and events, hate crimes, campus, domestic partnership/family and other issues. For more information, contact Mary Martone, NGLTF Intern Coordinator, at (202)332-6483, or write her at 1517 U St., NW , Washington, DC 20009. Registrations F.or . GayGamesm Surpass Expectations VANCOUVER - Over 5000 athletes from 23 countries have registered to compete in 29 different · sporting events during Celebration '90: Gay Games III and Cultural Festival to be held in Vancouver from August 4-11. People of all ages, colors and sexual orientation will compete. "When we began pl a nning Celebrat ion '90 fou r years ago, we based our pro ject ions on 4000 a thletes," said Mark Mees, executive director of Celebration '90. " And just to put this into pe rspective, the 1988 Calgary Winter Olymp ics r egistered less than 2000 athl etes. That means we've a lre ady doubled tha t figur e and have also surpas sed the 1989 B.C. Summer Games figur e for registe red athletes. The Gay Games and Cultural Festival was founded a former U.S. Olympic decathlete, the late Dr . Tom Waddell . Fundamentalists Attempt To Halt Gay Games Fundamentalist Christians have opened an office in Vancouver to stop August's Celebration '90, Gay Gam es III, through "intercessory prayer activity," according to Angles. In a letter · to supporters, Robert Birch of Burnaby Christian Fellowship said Vancouver may be hit with an earthquake if the games .go ahead as planned. - Baltimore Alternative Sheldon Leads Def eat Of Hate Act Less than 24 hours after President Ge.orge Bush signed the National · Hate Crimes Statistics Act, funda . mentalists convinced the Mod esto , Cal., City Council to reject a hate crimes ordinance because it included sexual orientation as one of its protected classes. During a hearing before council April 24, the proposed ordinance met opposition organized .and led by Lou Sheldon of the Anaheim, Cal., based Traditional Values Coalition. Sheldon told the council that homosexuality is a choice, "like smoking cigarettes," and didn't deserve legal protectiens . HRC member Quincy Hamilton, the principal author of the proposal, said, "If people who smoke cigarettes were being beaten up in our park s, whether we agree with smokin g or not, we'd still want to protect them from violence. -Pittsburgh's OUT Bishops Open Door For Talks With Dignity WASHINGTON, D.C. - Dignity/ USA has received a somewhat favorable response to their invitation THE SECOND STONE to dialogue w ith the Ame ri can Catho lic Bish ops . In respon se to a letter from Dign ity Preside nt Pa t Roche asking for di a logue on impo rtant matter s of g r a ve concern to gay a nd lesbi an Cat holics, Archbisho p Dan iel E. Pilarczyk expre ssed "ma ny rese rvations" about such a mee ting du e to, among · other things, "fundamenta l differences between the bi shops of th e United States and Dignity ." Non e theless , he said in a le tter to Roche, "I am open to the possiblity of such a meeting ... " and requested Dignity officials first meet with the General Secretary of th e Natio .nal Conference of Catholic Bishops, Monsignor Robert N. Lynch. Canadians Launch Impetus Network The Justice and Peace Committee of Our Savior's Lutheran Church , Regina, has launched Impetus: A . Justice and Peace Newsletter. The publication introduces "a national Canadian Lutheran network committed to social justice, world peace, the integrity of God's Creation and a more just and ·inclusive church." For information on 'the newsletter, write to Impetus, Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 190 Massey Road, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canad a, 545 4N5. New Purple Circuit Directory Published LOS ANGELES - Artists Confronting AIDS announced the publication of a new edition of The Purple Circuit Directory, which lists ·gay and lesbian theatres and kind red spirits throughout the United States, Canada, and England . Edited by Bill Kaiser, The Directory is designed to help playwrights , producers, and other theatre professionals and audience find each other . To receive a copy of The Directory send a contribution in any amount to ACA, 684 1/2 Echo Park Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90026 with a self-addressed stamped legal size envelope with 25 cents postage. Artists Confronting AIDS was founded by Michael Kearns and James Carroll Pickett in 1984 to respond to the effects of AIDS on th e arts community and art on the AIDS community. The Purple Circuit promotes quality gay and lesbian theatre through networking via The Directory and The Purple Circuit Hotline at (213)250-1413 which lists shows in California and other information of interest to the gay and lesbian theatre-going community. ..... I Newsbriefs Gay Rights Protest At Boston Church About 1000 gay rights demonstrators staged a noisy but peaceful protest outside Holy Cross Cathedral as 11 priests were ordained inside. The protest was held to oppose "Cardinal Law's interference in public policy as well as his opposition to AIDS education," according to a statement. - Associated Press National Hotline To Collect Data On Hate Crimes WASHINGTON, D.C. - A natiqnal hate crimes hotline, set up to collect information on crimes of bias but which originally refused to take "gay bashings" and religious-related reports, is now tracking such crimes following pressure from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Officials at the U. S. Department of Justke, which operates the hotline, had . claimed that because sexual orientation is not included in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the department was not "mandated" to collect s1,1ch information. A bill now in. Congress, the Federal Gay and Lesbian Civil Rights Act, would amend the 1964 act to include sexual orientation. Peri Jude Radecic, NGL TF anti-vioJence project director said, "We were initially outraged that the national hate crimes hotline was hanging up on survivors of anti-gay attacks. Victims of bashings were being further victimized by bureaucratic runaround. However, we are pleased the Justice Department moved quickly to fix the problem and open a dialogue with gay and lesbian activists. Lesbian and gay victims of hate crimes are urged to call the national hotline at 1-800-347-HATE. The hotline is open 24 hours, seven days a week. For information on the NGL TF gay rights bill post card campaign, call (202)332-6483. Anthology Announces Call For Entries St. Sebastion Press is now accepting entries for its 1990 Anthology of gay and lesbian authors and illustrators. The Anthology will be a collection of stories, poems, essays, illustrations and photographs that encompass the theme of the quality of life of Gays and Lesbians in today's culture . The 1990 Anthology is intended to provide a politically sensitive and visible forum in which the artistic vision of Gays and Lesbians may find expression. All entries must be original and previously unpublished work that reflects the theme of the competition. The contest has two categories: writing and illustration. The writing category includes prose, poetry and essays . Manuscripts must be typed, double spaced. The illustration category includes any readily reproducible two-dimensional format such as drawing, photography, painting, and printmaking. Entries should be sent in a 35mm slide format. A jury will be drawn from the St. Sebastion editorial staff along with independent professional writers, artists and editors from the lesbian and gay community. Work will be selected for its thematic releva nee and artistic quality. A top cash prize of $1500 will be awarded to one work in each entry category. A $100 honorarium and an a/p letterpress copy of the Anthology will be awarded to all other successful entrants. Entries may be . sent no later than November 15, 1990 to St. Sebasticin' Press/ 714 Portland Ave. 5., Minneapolis, MN 55415. Discipline Panel To Review Lutheran Church Charges SAN FRANCISCO - Two ELCA Lutheran churches charged with violating church policy against ordaining "practicing" Gays and Lesbians as pastors are being reviewed - by - a church discipline committee. If the charges are sustained, the two congregations could be censured, suspended or expelled from the ELCA. A decision was by late June was expected. Donald C. Knutson, Co-Founder Of NGRA, Dies SAN FRANCISCO- Donald C. Knutson, prominent San Francisco attorney who co-founded National Gay Rights Advocates and was a co-founder of Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom, died April 19 of complications from AIDS. "San Francisco is a better city · because Don Knutson made his home here," said Mayor Art Agnos. Knuts.on was the author of Homosexuality and the Law. by Haworth Press (1980), and editor of the Journal of Homosexuality Special Issue on Homosexuality and the Law. He is survived by a brother, Thomas, of St. Paul, Minnesota, a sister, Joan Younghans, also of St. Paul, and a large family of friends . Gay Catholic Priest Elected To European Parliament Of the 518 elected representatives to the European Parliament from the 12 member states of the European Community, only one, Holland's Herman Verbeek, is openly gay, according to Capital Gay. Vcrbeek, who is also a Catholic priest, was elected to office as an openly gay candidate in June, 1989, representing the Dutch Green Left party. "I stood for the European Parliament because ... the lesbian and gay movement has to be there, at the . center of these newly emerging .power structures, if it wants to get our demands accepted," Verbeek said. -Baltimore Alternative New Lesbian · Periodical To Debut KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Words of Our Own, a new quarterly magazine making its debut in September, will showcase works by Lesbians , for Lesbians. The magazine will include short stories, novellas, serials, book reviews, interviews, poetry, humor, essays and reviews of women's music and vacation spots. Words of Our Own hopes to· encourage Lesbians to write by publishing and by promoting their works in a tastefully done, high visibility magazine and to further enhance lesbian culture and pride by making these works available nationwide. Material is being accepted for the December, 1990 edition and may be sent 1o: Words of Our Own, P.O. Box 5131, Knoxville, TN 37928-5131. For subscription information, write to P.O. Box 52721, Knoxville, TN 37950-2721. AIDS Claims GLAAD Co-Founder NEW YORK - Gregory Kolovakos, a writer, translator of Latin American lite rat ure and director of t he literature program of the New York State Counc.il on the Arts, died of AIDS on April 16th at his home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He was 38 years old . In 1985, Kolovakos co-founded GLAAD - Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation - with a handful of other cultural and political leaders including Jewelle Gomez, Barry Adkins, Allen Barnett, Bruce July/ August 1990 □ Michael Gleber!, Hall Offen, Marcia Pally, Darrell Yates-Rist, Arnie Kantrowitz, Vito Russo and Jim Owles. Kolovakos joined the Board of Directors of New York's Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center in 1987 and was elected co-chair in 1990. With writer and editor Paula Martinac, he founded "In Our Own Write," the Center's reading series that showcases emerging gay and lesbian authors, giving particular attention to writers of color. Kolovakos is survived by his partner of many years, Bruce Becker. Memorial donations can be made to the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center in New York and will go toward establishing the Kolovakos Memorial Lectures on Lesbian and Gay Liberation, a quarterly program that will bring prominent gay and lesbian speakers from around the country. 'Common Threads' ,Video Available , "Common Threads: Stories From. The Quilt", a moving film which won an Oscar for Best Documentary is now available in VHS format for home use . The video can be purchased for $49.95 from Direct Cinema, P.O. Box 69779, Los Angeles, CA 90069-9976, (213)396-4774. Rev. Freda Smith Awarded Honorary Doctorate SACRAMENTO, Cal. - Rev. Elder Freda Smith, Vice-Moderator of the Universal ·Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches and pastor of River City MCC was given an Honorary Doctorate from Samaritan Theology Seminary, the educational arm of the UFMCC, on June 8th. Rev. Smith will be celebrating her 19th year as pastor of River City MCC, which has just moved into a large new building to accommodate its growing congregation. .Palash_Appointed NGRAStaff Attorney Andrea Palash, a member of the Board of Directors of the AIDS Legal Referral Panel in San Francisco, has been appointed National Gay Rights Advocates newest staff attorney. The announcement was made by Richard White, Chair of NGRA's Board of Directors .. Ii -. I Gr''e at Response! '' 1hat's what a Second Stone advertiser told us recently. And we hear that more and more these days. lbat's because The Second Stone reaches readers where many other gay and lesbian publications can't. Like public and university libraries. We don't carry advertising or editorial content that would put us behind the counter. We're up front - in plain sight! For businesses offering products and services to the national gay and lesbian community, we're an exciting new marketing approach! Reach new customers in every state across the USA. The · Second Stone offers a variety of in-column ad sizes with frequency discounts. We offer spot and full color. We'll lay out your ad at uo charge and we'll get it right - we'll send you a proof to make sure. The Second Stone will also insert your brochure, flier or catalog in our mailing. It doesn't cost as much as you think. You can reach a paid coast to coast readership for about what you'd pay to advertise in one local free distribution gay newspaper. And ... to mail your insert in The Second Stone costs less than mailing it yourself! You won't know till you try it. The potential sales you lose while you're thinking about advertising cannot be recaptured. If you're thinking you've paid too much for advertising that hasn't worked ... you're probably right! But you haven't tried The Second Stone. SECOND STONE You'll be pleased with the results. Call1 -504-949-5625fo r advertising assistance. First Lady Barbara Bush On Gays: 'We Cannot Tolerate Discrimination In what many are praising as the latest in a series of indications from the White House that freedom from discrimination is a growing priority for the Bush administration, First Lady Barbara Bush has written a supportive letter to Paulette Goodman, President of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. Mrs. Bush, in response to a personal letter from Goodman, wrote, "we cannot tolerate discrimination against any individuals or groups in this country." The letter was written on White House stationary. It is the first time that any member of a first family has spoken out against discrimination against Gays and Lesbians. "Thank you for you~ letter and for sharing your work with the Federation of Parents and Friends of · Lesbians and Gays, Inc.," wrote Mrs. Bush. "You sound like a caring parent and a compassionate citizen. Regarding discrimination, Mrs , Bush wrote, "Such treatment always brings with it pain and perpetuates hate and intolerance. I appreciate so much your sharing the information about your organization and attitudes. Your _ words speak eloquently of your love. and compassion for all gay Americans and their families." UMC Bishop Asked For Statement Of Posit\pn On Holy Unions Leaders of Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian/Gay Concerns and the Reconciling Congregation Program have asked United Methodist bishop Joseph Yeakel for a written statement of his position regarding a local church's blessing of holy unions between same-sex couples. In a meeting with leaders of Dumbarton UMC in Washington, D.C. in mid-May, Bishop , Yeakel indicated his l opinion that Dumbarton was barred by United Methodist Church law from celebrating the holy union of a lesbian couple who are members of that congregation. Dumbarton had earlier adopted a congregational policy affirming holy unions between same-sex couples. "A number of Reconciling Congregations and other United Methodist congregations have been blessing unions between gay or lesbian couples for many years now," Business or Personal... Try a Second Stone Classified Ad according to Rev. Kim A. Smith, chair of the board of the Reconcil,ing Congregation Program. "This is the first public indication we have heard from a United Methodist bishop that · such a congregation policy is contrary to church law. We seek to engage · in dialogue with Bishop Yeakel and other United Methodist bishops concerning this important ministry in which many congregations · are involved." Judy Cayot and Randy Millet; co-spokespersons of Affir .mation: United Methodists for Lesbian/Gay Concerns issued a statement reading, "The position Bishop Yeakel seems to have taken raises grave ·concerns among gay and lesbian United Methodists. We have witnessed great strides in making United Methodist congregations a home for Lesbians and gay men over the past several years. We fear this situation may only reinforce the widely-held belief in the lesbian/ gay community that they are not welcome in the United Methodist Church." The Reconciling Congregation Program is a growing national movement of 44 United Methodist congregations which have publicly declared that they welcome the full particjpation of Lesbians and Gays. Affirmation is a national organization of gay and lesbian United Methodists and their familes and friends. II THE SECOND STONE Cover Story From Pagel hundreds of dollars, -said Dr. Greg Lehne, a doctor of psychology at Johns Hopkins sexual disorders clinic in Baltimore. "For some men, information that comes through the ears is more interesting than information that comes in through the eyes," said Lehne. For those men, Lehne said, phone sex offers a kind of pornographic excitement. It's not a visual medium, but it's just as effective .as pictures are for people who respond to visual stimulation. Before the video age, people watched movies; four-color magazines and video tapes came next. Now, there's the telephone for the two-way fantasy phone call. "The only thing that's changed is the technology that conveys the fantasy," Lehne said. · Getting in touch with that fantasy is why people call, but reasons why they have phone-satisfied fantasies in the first place ._ generally break down into two types, he said .. Some men's circumstances make phone sex their one apparently safe outlet, while others turn to it because of phsychological factors that exclude other outlets, Lehne said. In either case, the patient's problem doesn't necessarily involve his homosexuality. "It doesn't mean they're ~nhappy about being gay," Lehne said. "In some cases, people have no sexual outlet." A person may, for example, fear physical contact because of contagious diseases, be involved in a relationship, or live in a small, isolated community, he said. Phone-sex advertising copy often promises discreet billing, so users don't have to worry about the name of the phone fantasy company showing up on what may be the family phone bill. · Some men who lead active gay sex lives may use phone fantasies for just another type of experience, said Dr. Roy Berko, a counselor in private practice in Baltimore. "There are some very normal people who turn to this outlet among other outlets. You don't have to be depraved, or deprived, to turn to this. It's not necessarily limited or limiting," Berko said. Indeed, for some men the telephone experience is virtually unlimited, he said. "It offers people out there willing to satisfy any fantasy you want. "You can say things on a telephone which you might not be able to say face-toface. Even though there's a person on the other end, the telephone is inanimate. No one knows who you are," he said. Nor do they know what you're like Berko said. "If you have any physical _defo~ity, or anything you perceive as a defect, you can't be rejected. It's safe. it' eliminates the possibility of rejection," he said. "Some people can become very addicted to this, just like people get addicted to food or religion," Berko said. But he's careful to point out that not everyone who has high phone-sex bills has a problem. "It's not like all these people are sick. P~ople go to New York and spend $50, $60, $80 to see a play. Is that sick?" he asked. The patients who see three-figure bills are "differentiated from a lot of people who -never lose control over that kind of calling," said Lehne. Whatever factors may explain a particular individual's behavior, he seeks treatment for the. same basic reason people go to therapy: dissatisfaction. "The main reason they seek therapy is they go out of control with the calling and have very high phone bills," Lehne said. Treatment includes helping the patient get past his limiting circumstances or solving the deep-seated problems that caused the behavior, Lehne said. "Dial-a-porn is big business," wrote the U.S. Supreme Court last year in upholding a federal ban on interstate phone-sex communications. "While diala- porn services are a creature of this decade, the medium, in its brief history, has been the subject of much litigation and the object of a series of attempts at regulation," commented Justice Byron White in his majority opinion. The ruling didn't address phone-sex businesses that service callers within a state. In the absence of numbers -- for example, how many phone-sex businesses operate around the nation, how many callers they draw - the volume of advertising in most gay publications may be more evidence that dial-a-porn is big business. But some Rublications have declined sex-oriented advertising. "I was 'at an International Gay Travel Association conference in Key West (Fla.), and someone asked me how I could publish without gay sex ads," said Wayne Whiston, publisher of Our World, a gay travel magazine. Whiston carried a full-page phone-sex ad in two recent issues, but said those were the only ads of that type he had carried in the magazine's 18 months of publication and that he planned not to run them again in future issues. He said that a number of the magazine's male readers complained. That was surprising, Whiston said, because he had expected that if anyone would object, it would be the magazine's lesbian readers. "But every one of them was from men," he said. "'If I want that kind of advertising, I know what kind of magazine to get,"' was a typical complaint, he said. The response was consistent with market research Whiston said he had done · on the gay sroNEWAt.l. RIOrs July/ August 1990 □ market. "We decided that there are plenty of magazines for that advertising. We're not prudes or anything, but the research we'd done on gay travel showed it has changed drastically in the last few years. There are a lot more I couples, for example," he said. -Although phone sex is pornography in a new form, Lehne said that he doesn't think it poses any substantially new issues for the gay community. It probably doesn't keep people closeted more or make the coming-out process any harder than does using more traditional f.orms of pornography, Lehne said. ''The most important first step is meeting other people. You need to develop a reference group," he said. But fantasy phone lines, like every type of pornography, don't connect with reality. "I don't think it at all helps people come out," he said. BY ANDREAN ATALIE - , I People Joe Steffan Fights Homophobia Out Of The Navy And Into The Courts Under other _circumstances Joe Steffan would be aboard a United States Navy submarine by now. That's where he wanted to be. And that's where the Navy wanted him to be - before he told his superior officers that he is a gay man. BY PETER WARN / :J..ilcr :· , _,: , ,ng $110,000 to educate Joe Steffan at the U.S . Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md ., the Navy expected him to be prepared eventually to assume command of one of its nuclear-powered submarines . The acknowledgment that he was gay took Steffan off the track that was supposed to lead to his earning th ~ u: alted rank of submarine coff-..J, hl1 ider. Steffan is now suing the Navy in the federal court of appeals in Washington, D.C. for readmission to the Academy, which he left six weeks short of graduating. Steffan also is asking the appeals court to declare unconstitutional the military's prohibition against homo sexual officers or enlisted personnel. Arguments in the case are scheduled in November. In the suit, Steffan charges he was forced to resign because of the Department of Defense's policy excluding Lesbians and gay men from serving in any branch of the military. The Navy maintains that Steffan's resignation was voluntary . Military officials defend the exclusion of gay people, which they say is needed -to ensure the country's defense operations are not hampered. "If you read the policy, the wording is almost exactly the same wording as was used in the memoranda the military once used to exclude blacks and women," Steffan said. "The military's argument is: a -prejudice seems to exist, so to prevent unrest we will keep out the victims of that prejudice . It's always been an inherent American ideal that you don't sacrifice the rights of one group for another. And yet that is what's taking place . The military doesn't want to educate people ." Educating people is one of Steffan's goals in challenging the military's policy. "I didn't anticipate the level of publicity that would surround the case," Steffan said . "But I think in terms of public awareness the attention has accomplished a Jot to help improve public perception of these issues. I feel good that I did it, and we're going ahead with it because I think it's telling people they don't have to lie back and take it and be ashamed for being gay." The journey that led Steffan to federal court and ·national publicity started when the Naval Investigation Services launched an inquiry into rumors about Steffan's sexuality. Similar investigations lead to the discharge of about 2,000 military personnel each year. · Steffan heard about the secret inquiry and chose to discuss it with the Academy's commandant . In the course of their conversation, the commandant asked Steffan is he is gay . Steffan answered yes. After a subsequent hearing in which Steffan was found to have "insufficient aptitude" to serve in the Navy, Steffan resigned on April 1, 1987. He went from being a respected Naval cadet entrusted to command a battalion of 800 other cadets to being a civilian. Steffan, 25, has since earned his economics degree and now works as a computer consultant. He is preparing a proposal for a book about his experience and plans to attend law school in the fall of 1991. He said he anticipates his case taking up to six years and reaching the United States Supreme Court before it is settled . Steffan said he has been prepared for the glare of the spotlight to which he will likely be subjected during the long legal battle. "The attention is very cyclical," he said. "It's sort of like a roller coaster in a lot of ways because it seems to hit a peak when there's a new development in the case and then it drops off before peaking again . But I think I've become a little more able to withdraw myself from it. I'm still involved in the case but I'm beginning not to let it affect me one way of another." Steffan's parents, who live in his □ JOE STEFFAN hometown of Warren, Minn., also have been helped through this experience by the media's coverage of the case. "I think the overall effect of the publicity has been positive," Steffan said. "I don't think they realized how accepting people are about homosexuality and how supportive people can be." Steffan is convinced he will win his case. His fellow cadets at the Academy were supportive, and he believes that - should he decide to resume his career at Annapolis - his naval comrades will respond positively as well. "There might be some tension at first, but I can guarantee people are going to do their jobs and the mission is going to be accomplished," Steffan said. "I think people always respect someone who's willing to stand up for himself." Thrown into a glaring spotlight and faced with the prospect that the glare will last for several years, Steffan remains committed to pursuing his lawsuit as far as is needed; He said he's encouraged by a recent Gallup poll that showed 60 percent of Americans believe gay people should be allowed to serve in the military. And he said he thinks his case has helped fuel the current wave of controversy that has several colleges considering whether to kick military ROTC programs off their campuses. "It's not always fun, and it's not always easy, but it's always worth it; because what we have lo do is educate people, and this case is helping do that," Steffan said. 'Tm very convinced that the military policy will change, and on the day it changes all this will have proven to be worth it." -Reprinted with pennission from The Empty Closet THE SECOND STONE .... . I Church & Organization News Ground Breaking CeremoniesF or MCC/DC MCC of Washington, D.C;, plans to break ground for their new church building in late July. It is the first time any Metropolitan Community Church has planned and buHt its own building . Rev. Elder Troy Perry and Rev. Elder Don Eastman are scheduled to participate in the ground breaking ceremonies and festivities. Ex-Jehovah's Witnesses Groups To Meet The leaders of two national support netwo rks for gay and lesbian exJehovah's Witnesses have announced plans for their 1990 conferences. Reach Out!, of Portland, Oregon, will host a one-day conference on Saturday, August 25, 1990, in Portland. The members of "A Common Bond", based near Pittsburgh, will meet on Saturday, September 15, 1990 in Houston, Texas. The groups were organized in the late 1980's to foster a climate of mutual support and to promote dialogue among Gays and Lesbians who have been excommunicated from the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society - the governing organization of Jehovah's Witnesses - because of their sexua Ji ty. Unlike some religions who condemn homosexuality but welcome the homosexual, Jehovah's Witnesses tolerate neither. Beside Gays and Lesbians, .this strict religious order consistently excommunicates, or disfellowships, thousands of Witnesses each year for offenses ranging in severity from tobacco usage to open disagreement with the sect's doctrines. Witnesses who wish to remain in good standing with the faith - including family members - are required to shun all those who are disfellowshipped. "Coming out of the Jehovah's Witnesses was like a fantastic breath of fresh air," says Sharon Tyner, founder of Reach Out! 'The blessings have been ten-fold. I read the books I want, go into any house of worship I want, and am free io express myself without fear of reprisal." "We received many favorable comments about last year's ACB conference," said Dan Restid, founder of "A Common Bond". "Since Jehovah's Witnesses are relatively small in comparison to other religions, the disfellowshipped Gays and Lesbians are few and far between . Our two groups have instilled a sense of belonging to two hundred disfellowshipped Gays and Lesbians. We are no longer alone." Participants at the conference will have the opportunity to share their common backgrounds. For futher information on conferences or to receive either group's newsletter contact: Reach Out!, Box 1173, Clackamus, OR 97015 or A Common Bond, P.O. Box 405, Ellwood City, PA 16117. First Reconciled CongregationIn Canada King of Glory Lutheran Church, Saskatoon, has become the first Reconciled in Christ Lutheran congregation in Canada. Pastor Jim Halmerson said that after. a "great discussion" more that 80 percent of the voters said "yes." Brethren/Mennonite Join To 'Connecting Families' Mennonite, Church of the Brethren, and other parents and family mern_bers asked their lesbian and gay children and siblings to join them in a "Connecting Families" retreat sponsored by Laurelville Mennonite Church Center near Scottdale, Pennsylvania. Families shared histories of how they worked to accept each other through the process of "coming out." Parents and family members have gathered previously in two retreats sponsored by the Mennonite Church's Listening Committee on Homosexuality Concerns. Gay and lesbian Mennonites and Brethren have gathered in conferences sponsored by the Brethren/Mennonite Council for Lesbian and Gay Concerns. This was the first gathering which intentionally brought both groups together. A similar conference is planned for April, 1991. Information is available from Laurelville Mennonite Church Center, Route 5, Mount Pleasant, PA 15666 or Brethren/Mennonite Council for Lesbian and Gay Concerns, P.O. Box 65724, Washington, OC 20035. Rev. Bruce Roller Elected To Post GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Rev. Bruce Roller of Reconciliation Metropolitan Community Church has been elected chair of the AIDS Resource Center Board. The Center, formerly known as the Grand Rapids AIDS Task Force, is the oldest organization in the city dedicated to AIDS educational and support services. "I am honored to be elected at this point in the history of the Center," Rev. Roller said. Agape Acres Ministry Moves Agape Acres Ministry (Living Communion Ministry, Inc.) is moving from Michigan to a new mission in Oregon. The ministry may now be contacted at P.O. Box.12222, Portland, OR97212. Healing Service At Crescent Heights United Methodist Crescent Heights United Methodist Church, a Reconciling Congregation located at 1296 North Fairfax in West Hollywood, Cal., has · announced a special monthly service of healing following ancient Christian liturgies . 'This is not a service seeking instant healing of illnesses," said Rev. Torn Griffith. "Rather, it is a time when we gather to pray that God will give us a wholeness and unity of our bodies, our minds, and our souls." For information call (213)656-5336. New Apostolic Church For Tucson Casa de la Paloma Apostolic Church has announced the opening of their new church facilities at 1122 North Jones Blvd. , Tucson, Ariwna. The church, pastored by Rev. Sandy Lewis, Elder of the West Central District of the National Gay Pentecostal Alliance, bills itself as a "Bible-believing, Pentecostal assembly with a primary outreach to the gay and lesbian community. The church is an affiliate of the National Gay Pentecostal Alliance, headquartered in Schenectady, NY. Interested persons may contact the church at (602)323-6855 or may write to Casa de la Paloma Apostolic Church, P.O. Box 14003, Tucson, AZ 85732-4003. Mississippi Prime Timers Meet Prime Timers, a social/recreational club for Gulf Coast gay men .over 40 will meet on July 14th in Biloxt Miss. For information write to Prime Timers, P.O. Box 59071, Jackson, MS 39284. July/August1990 □ RedeemerM CC Celebrates1 0th Redeemer Metropolitan Community Church of Flint, Michigan celebrated its tenth anniversary in April. The church is located at 1665 North Chevrolet A venue. Alpha & Omega Announces Challenge 2000 Alpha and Omega Christian Fellowship, a participant in T AG2000, is attempting to develop an unending, international prayer chain. The group is seeking individuals who will commit to 15 minutes of scheduled prayer each day. Contact the fellowship at P.O. Box 11634, Eugene, OR 97440. Grace Covenant Fellowship Begins Ministry Grace Covenant Fellowship, an evangelical Christian church with a special ministry and outreach to the lesbian and gay community of Allentown and the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, was scheduled to begin services in May. The church is located at the corner of 10th and Chew in downtown Allentown, phone (215)740-0247. Bryon Rowe is pastor and Thom Ritter is minister of music. Pastor Rowe attended Samaritan College and has served the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches at the local, district and international levels. Pastor Ritter attended United Wesleyan College in Allentown and has.served as Director of Music in the Presbyterian Church. Grace Covenant Fellowship's church building will house a lesbian and gay community center for Alle~town and the surrounding area. r .., ~ Evangelicals I/;;' '(/ ·1 iJgethe1I·n c. SUPPORT COMMUNITY & SERVICE FOGR a&yL esbCiahnr istians InS outheCranl ifom..s.i ain c1e9 79 Sult" 109-Box 1,:; 7985 Santa Monica. Boulevard West Hollywood, CA 90046 ~ 213/656-B570 ~ m Calendar Thef ollowinga nnouncemenths ave been-submittebdy sponsoringo r affiliatedg roups. Seventh-day Adventist Kinship Kampmeeting JULY 1-8, SDA Kinship International sponsors its 11th annual Kampmeeting. Camp Procter Conference Center near Columbus, Ohio, is the setting. Featured speakers include Dr . Sylvia Hacker. For information contact: Kamp meeting Coordinator, P.O. Box 292609, Columbus, OH 43229 or call (213)876-2076. Evangelicals ConcernedW estern Region· Connection JULY 6-8, San Francisco State University is the setting for the 11th Annual Evangelicals Concerned Western Region gathering . Keynote speakers are Dr. Ralph Blair, Beverly Barbo, Michael Buffee and Gary Cooper. "Jesus The Light Of The World" is the theme. For information write to: Conference Coordinator, P.O. Box 12551, Seattle, WA98117. Tenth National Gatheringo f UCCUGC JULY 10-15, the United Church of Christ Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns meets at the University of Southern California for its tenth national gathering, themed "Spirit Becoming Flesh Becoming Spirit". Cynthia Winton-Henry and Phil Porter are the keynote speakers. Nationally respected AIDS and arts activist Michael Kearns will perform his one person play, "Larger Than Life" which explores love, loss and the unpredictability of life . . For information write to UCCL/GC, 18 N. College, Athens, OH 45701 or call (614)593-7301. ThornfieldW orkshop on Sexuality JULY 9-15, The highly acclaimed annual training workshop on sexuality at the Thornfield Conference Center in Cazenovia, NY will focus on gender, orientation and lifestyle and their .relationship to sexism, heterosexism and homophobia. Designed as an advanced course for both individual and professional growth, the workshop sttracts tea_chers, students, m counselors, clergy, health personnel and others. Among the noted staff are Mary Lee Tatum, nationally-recognized family life educator, lecturer and consultant from Falls Church, Va.; Brian McNaught, consultant and author of the book and video, On Bein& Gay; and the Rev. Bill Stayton, author, theologian and sex therapist . The director of the Thornfield Workshop on Sexuality is psychotherapist and educator Alison Deming . Registration is limited to 60 persons. For further information, contact Alison [)eming, P.O.Box 447, Fayetteville,NY 13066, or call (315) 637-8990. Evangelical Women's Caucus JULY 19-22, Challenges in the 90's for Women of Faith: The Ninth Biennial Cm}ference of the Evangelical Women's Caucus. To be held at North Park College and Theological Seminary in Chicago . For information contact : EWC International, P.O. Box 209, Hadley, NY 12835 or call (518)696-2406. · LutheransC oncerned Assembly '90 JULY 19-22, Lutherans Concerned/ North America hosts the largest group of gay and lesbian Lutherans ever assembled. The setting is the campus of University of Illinois at Chicago. "I Am In Your Midst" is the theme. Assembly '90 marks LC/NA's sixteenth year of working for lesbian and gay understanding within the church.The design and intent of the assembly is to create an atmosphere where people can experience a familiar yet fresh approach to spirituality and community. Facilitator is Rev. Linda Strohmler. A variety of workshops will be offered. For information write to: Assembly '90, P.O. Box 10197, Fort Dearborn Station, Chicago, IL 60610. CMI's1990 Retreat AUGUST 17-19, Codependency and Spiritual Wholeness retreat at Weber House, Baltimore, Maryland. For information on Communication Ministries' retreat, write to CMI Retreat, P.O. Box 60125, Chicago, IL 60660-0125. Community Gospel Fellowship General Conference AUGUST 23-25, Beautiful Camp Manison, outside .of Houston, is the setting for Community Gospel Fellowship's annual conference. A great time offellowship is promised. Cost is $68.00. For information, write to Community Gospel Fellowship, P.O. Box 66158, Houston, TX 77266 · First Annual Rhythm Fest AUGUST 30 • SEPTEMBER 3, Lookout Mountain is the setting for a festival 'of women's music, art and politics. Activities include music, comedy, theatre, dance, crafts, sports, workshops, camping, swimming, square dancing, films, videos, political tent and speakers. For information write to Rhythm Fest, 604 W. Chapel Hill St., Durham, NC 2770!. ReconciliationM CC Campmeeting 1990 SEPTEMBER 13-16, Reconciliation MCC, Grand Rapids, Michigan, sponsors a gath1c~ng for "Powerful and Positive Me~ ges" featuring two dynamic speakers, Rev . Delores P. Berry, co-founder of the National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays and an organizer of the first Gay and Lesbian March on WashhJgto,n, and Rev. Elder Freda Smith, who has appeared on local and national television in the United States and Canada as a spokesperson for numerous gay rights activities . Cost is $35.00. For information write to Reconciliation MCC, P:Q. Box 1259, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Brethren/Mennonite Convention OCTOBER 5-7, "Building Our Community: Strategies for the 90's" is the theme for the Brethren/Mennonite Council for Lesbi,m and Gay Concerns international convention to be held in Philadelphia, Penn. Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, author of numerous books on theological, feminist and gay /lesbian issues, will keynote the conference. For more information write: BMC Conference, Box 65724, Washington, DC 20035. Kansas City GLAD Event OCTOBER 5-8, The Gay, Lesbian and Affirming Disciples Alliance, an organization of laity and clergy of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada, holds its 1990 conference at the Tall Oaks Conference Center, THE SECOND STONE □ near metropolitan Kansas City. Themed "Lift As We Oimb", the event will be keynoted by Rev. Jan Griesinger, Co-moderator of the United Church Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns. Optional workshops on gay and lesbian parenting, liturgy, creative movement, coming out, and health and nurture are planned. Strategy and organizational groups will discuss regional and local GLAD chapter development, Open and Affirming Congregation development and preparing for the denomination's 1991 General Assembly in Tulsa. Early registation fee of $90.00 includes dormitory lodging and all meals except Saturday dinner. For more information or to register, write to GLAD, P.O. Box 19223, Indianapolis, IN 46219-0223 or call Randy Palmer, (309)755-2498. Third Annual 'CreatingC hange' Gathering NOVEMBER 9·12, Lesbian and gay activists from around the nation will meet in Minneapolis for the National . Gay and Lesbian Task Force's third· annual Creating Change conference, The Holiday Inn Me.trodome is the ,, , setting. The conference will feature leading activists from the national and grassroots gay and lesbian scene, prominent and provocative speakers ,.. 42 skills-building workshops, social events, organizing sessions and mo{e .. Plenary speakers will be Barbara Smith, black lesbian feminist writer and activist, Dr. C. T. Vivian, civil rights activist and Center for Democratic Renewal chairman and Kate Clinton, popular feminist humorist. Early registration is $120.00 Contact NGL TF, 1517 U St. NW, Washington, DC 20009 or call (202)332-6483. Women's ThanksgivingC ruise NOVEMBER 17-24, Robin Tyler Productions presents a seven night women's Thanksgiving cruise to the Mexican Riviera on the SS Bermuda Star, a magnificent luxury vessel that has all the spaciousness and ambiance of the classic era cruise ships . . For furthur information, write to Robin Tyler Productions, 15842 Chase St., Sepulveda, CA 91343 or call 1-818-893-4075. SEND EVENT NOTICES TO: CALENDAR, THE SECOND STONE, P.O. BOX 8340, . NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 Inner Paths □ Sexuality In The Pulpit Hy Chris Glaser Columnist A Jetter from friends who serve as a clergy couple described an exchange betw een their four year old daughter and ' her mother . In the bathtub, playing with squeeze toys, the girl explained, "This one's having a baby!" The mother, playing along, asked, "ls is a boy or a girl?" Her daught er replied, "Neither. It's a minister!" I remembered this story when I was told the comment of a former parishioner, a gay man who apparently viewed me as appealing in the pulpit. He explained to a mutual friend that the advantage in attending a new church led by a homely pastor was that people never had "those thoughts" about the pastor and could better concentrate on the sermon! I believe that these stories humorously reveal society 's need to separate ministers from sexuality. Despite our search for charismatic qualities in spiritual leadership, we ignore the . erotic component that charisma often entails. But we ignore it to our own pc,ril. In her book, Is Nothing; Sacred? When Sex Invades the Pastoral RefationSfil. 12. (Harper & Row, 1989), Rev. Marie Fortune documents a case study of a pastor's sexuality gone awry as he ·' : sexually exploited and manipulated female parishioners. The congregation's inability to discuss sexuality became complicity with the minister's _ destructive behavior. On the other hand, we pay too much attention to the minister's sexuality when it comes to ordaining those who, in a sexist and homophobic society, seem to symbolize sexuality: women , gay men, and Lesbians. A male-dominated society has often misplaced the responsibility of heterosexual men's sexual urges upon women. For example, in swimming attire, why are women's breasts considered more sexually provocative than men's chests? Yet breasts must be covered arid che sts need not be . As another example, how often have female victims of rape (whether by strangers, dates, or husbands) been dismissed as sexually provoking their own victimization? A heterosexually-dominated society whose blatant sexual imagery is touted in everything from advertising to love stories frequently condemns gay and lesbian selfdisclosure as "flaunting." "Why do you need to ~y an ything about y our sexuality ?" we a r e as ked, "I d on ' t need to talk about mine. " Even if the Ia tter were true, the reason we ne ed to affirm our sexuality is that it is a minority experience less oft en pub licly represented. A sexphobic culture, while titillat ed by sexuality , reacts negatively toward affirmation or cel ebration of it. Ordination of women, Lesbians, and ga_y men, who seem to incarnate sexuality, might be perceived as an undesirable affirmation or celebration of sexuality. Unprovidentially, I believe that women's ordination initially gained acceptance in some churches by the percept ion of female ordinands either as "just like men" or as asexual: in other words, abandoning the sexuality assigned to them. U npro vide ntiall y, I believe that lesbian and gay ordination will gain acceptan ce by the perception either of homosexual ordinands as "just like het e ro s·ex uals" or as asexual: si mi la rly abandoning the affirma tio n of sex uality implied by our self-identification as "lesbian" or "gay. " For the sake of an inclusive ; egalitari an church, this may be good . But for the sake of the affirmation of sexuality within the context o f spirituality, this may run counter to God's unique call of Lesbians and gay men to incarnate the integrity of sexuality and spirituality for the church . Sexuality and spirituality drink from the same well : eros, that force which passionately connects us - wi th on e another, with God . Though called as Christians to gov ern e ro s with agape , agape is limp with out the prim ordial urge of eros. When we fals ely b elieve we .can separate eros a nd ag ape is _when we give occasion for eros to find expression outsidci the_ param e ters of agape. When we r ecognize that eros, agape, sexuality , and spirituality are intergrall y related, we can better affirm and celebrate our own integrity. Then the pulpit . will be less of a closet. Chris Glaser is a graduate of Yale Divinity School and the author .of two books: Uncommon Cal/ini' - A Gay Man 's StrUi'i'le to Serve the Qm.r£lL and Come Home! - Reclaimini' Spirituality and Community as Gay Men and Lesbians, both from Harper & Row. MFSA To Assist Gays Secure Full Pastoral Services As an act of support for the sponsorship of. a ho ly union of a lesbian couple by Dumbarton United Me thodist Church of Washington, D.C., the Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA), an independent church-wide network of United Methodist social activists founded in 1907, has offered to help link lesbian and gay Un i ted Methodists across the denomination with United Methodist congregations and pastor s willing to provide them with "full F/lstoral services ." The Methodis f , Federation for Social Action executive committee made its offer public at the May 20 Sunday morning service of Dumbarton UMC following a week of public disagreement between Dumbarton church and Bishop Joseph Yaekel over the congregation's intention to hold the holy union within the church building . In light of strong ep iscopal disapproval, including the threat of charges against the Dumbarton pastor , Rev . Man-King Tso, the Dumbarton congregation has worked out an arrangement whereby the holy union service will be held in a Presbyterian church and will be conducted by a lay member of the Dumbarton church. During the sharing time of the worship service the lesbian couple, both members of Dumbarton UMC, invited all other members to their covenant service. Federation executive George McClain stated . to the Dumbarton congregation that the Federation action "was inspired .by" the public witness of the Dumbarton church to assist le sbian, gay and bisexual United Methodists across the denomination in having available to them all pastoral services, indudin g holy un ions and non-discriminatory counseling. McClain called the earlier decision to award one of its 1990 Ball Awards for outstanding social action to Dumbarton during that week "providential." Back Issues NOW AV AILABLE ... in case you missed them! A great way for new subscribers to find out what we've been up to! All orders shipped promptly by first class mail. Outreach ... is the light under a bushel for Gays & Lesbians? Newbriefs, travel & book review. More from Bruce Roller, Bill Urban. , Dr. Virginia Uribe's program for gay teens under • , attack by religious conservatives. Plus .. .are you supporting causes that discriminate against Gays? A change of heart? Ex-gay ministries say there is another choice ... an ex-gay's story. More from Martin Fowler, Michael Blankenship. After the AIDS death of her son, Beverly Barbo set out to change church attitudes towards Gays. More from Louie Crew, Sylvia Pennington. To order send $2.25 plus 65 cents per issue for first class postage. (Foreign orders add $1.00 per issue .) Issues prior to #6 are SOLD OUT. PLEASE SEND ME ...... COPIES EACH OF [ ]#6 [ ]#7 [ ]#8 [ ]#9 Name . . ............. . .. . . .. . .. ...... ... .. .. ........ .. ......... .. ... . Address ... ..... . . .......... .... .. ... ... .. . .. .... .. .......... . . .... . City, State & Z ip .. .... .. .... ...... ........ .... .. .......... .. .... .. July/August1990 111 Closer Look How Women Disciples Changed The World B_y Dr. Buddy Truluck . Contributing Writer Judaism was totally a man's world. Women in the synagogues were neither seen nor heard. They were required to sit behind a screen whenever the Law was read for fear that angels (thought always to be present at the reading of the Law) might be seduced. Women could not read the Law or speak in the synagogue or be a rabbi or the student of a rabbi. They could noi go to the synagogue during th e menstrual flow. Women could not be Priests, Pharisees, Scribes or Sadducees. When a woman had a baby, she was "unclean" for.a month. If the baby was a girl, she was "unclean" for two months! A woman was the property of her husb and. Jesus set women free from being property and recogn ized them as persons. The leap from property to person was carried even further when Jesus made women into partners. From property to person to partner was the gift of Jesus to all women who believed and followed Jesus. Jesus talked to women, like the woman at the well in John 4, and touched and healed "unclean" women, like the woman with the flow of blood in Luke 8:43-48. Jesus went much furth er than talking and touching. Jesus called women to be disciples (Luke 8:1-3), taught Mary as a rabbi teaching a student (Luke 10:38-42), first appeared after the resurrection to a woman, and gave to a woman the glorious mission of being the first to proclaim the gospel of th e resurrection of Jesus from the dead (John 20:11-18). Women were part of the waiting group on which the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost (Acts 1:14; 2:1-6) and were included among the first preachers who gave witness to Jesus. Women were prominent in the ear ly churches as leaders and ministers . A woman, Phoebe, was called by Paul in Romans 16:1 "the minister of the WHAT'S THE, BEST Men's magazine the one that deals most honestly with how men relate to each other, to women, and to kids; the one that's gay-affirmative and opposes sex-role stereo1ypes, ... the one that movingly explores men's hurts and joys . . . ~-- --~ 1 1 OrQr at no obligation . If you change you r mind. jus w~: us I We'll refund the subscription price I I : Name --'--------------- Enclosed: _ S16 I Address ____________________ _ l City I Moll to: Chon in Men 306 N. Brooks 305A Madison WI 5 --------------------- church at Cenchrea," which is the same word for "minister" (diakonos) Paul used to describe himself and Christ in Romans 15:8,25,27,31 as "minister" to the Gentiles! The role of women in the life and ministry of Jesus and in the early church literally "changed the wor ld. " Misguided and incorrect translators and prejudiced Bible scholars have been able to obscure the true role of .women in the triumphant spread of Christianity in the first century world. It is a story of incredible linguistic acrobatics and astounding willful igriorance and distortion of the words and message of the Bible. Simple honesty and integrity as well as Christian love and common sense demand that this misuse of the Bible against women be challenged and corrected. From Luke 8:1-3: "Jesus began going about from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the rule of God; and the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna the wife of Chuza , Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who were ministering (Greek word: "diakonoun") to them out of their possessions." . In describing the crucifixion , Matthew 27:55-56 spoke of these women: "And many women were there looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering (Greek:"deaconing") to him; among whom was Mary Magdalene, along with Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee." It is clear that women followed Jesus, listened to the instructions as disciples, did their part in support of the group, and stood with Jesus to the end. The most revealing passage on women as disciples is in Luke 10:38-42 where Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha. "Mary was listening to the word of Jesus, seated at Jesus ' feel." These few words announce the most dramatic revolution in the role of women in the history of the human race! Martha was busy with much serving (Greek: "diakonos"). She complained that her sister did not do her sha.re of housework. Jesus replied that "Mary had chosen the good part, .which : shall not be taken a way from .her .. ". Ever since, well meaing but wrong "sisters" have tried to t<!ke i3Way what Mary had in those few world, changing moments! . Mary "sitting at Jesus' feet'' .is the most dramatic evidence that she.M'.a~ a disciple. "Sitting at . the .feet'.' , j?, used in Acts 22:3 to describe Pa,ul as 9 discjple at the great rabbi Gamaliel: Just as the rabbi, alway s, sat to , teach; the student literally "sat at the feet of" the teacher to listen and learn. as a disciple . ' The sight of Mary in the posture of a disciple to a rabbi was 'very threatening to her sister Martha. The words of Jesus to Martha were intense: "Martha! ·Martha! You are anxious and bothered about so many things." Th.en Jesus added that nobody would be allowed to take away Mary's freedom to become a disciple . But the church has been trying ever since! OURWORLD The Monthly International Travel Magazine For Gay Men and Women Features and color photos of gay and lesbian hotels. resorts, tours, trips and events. 1 year (12 issues) - S 44 (USA). S 52 (Worldwide) Sample copy - S 5. OUR WORLD PUBLISHING 1104 North Nova Road, Suite 251 Daytona Beach, FL32117 USA Tel: (904) 441-5367 m THE SECOND STONE Angry At Bush Over 'Gay Issue' Fundamentalists Retain Hold On Southern Baptist Convention NEW ORLEANS, La. - Rev. Morr is Chapman, fund amentalist pastor of First Baptist Church of Wich ita Falls, Texas, was e lected president of the Sou thern Baptist Convention during the group's annu al meeting in mid-Jun e at the Louis iana Superdome. Chapman garner ed 58 percent of the more than 38,000 ballots cast. The conservative Chapman was elected to the dismay of moderates and lib erals who had hopes of stopping the denomination's 12-year swing to the right with the election of Rev . Daniel Vestal, moderate pastor of Dunwoody Baptist Church in Atlanta. Messengers to the convention proposed a resolution to voice opposition to all efforts by gay activists "to gain civil rights protection status for homosexuals on the basis of sexual preference ." The resolution, along with 11 others proposed by the Resolutions Committee could not be considered by messengers due to lack of a quorum on the final day of the convention. Another proposed resolution asked Congress and President Bush to "set standards which would prevent the funding of highly offensive, morally repugnant and sacriligious 'art,' or, if such is not done , cease funding the National Endowment for the Arts." Presence Of Gays At White House Angered Baptists Although the White House had sought and received an invitation for President George Bush to address the South ern Baptist Convention, Bush later declined tne invitation aft er many Ba ptists were angered at the presence of gay and lesbian activists at a White House ceremony. The activists were present to witness the signing of the Federal Hate Crimes Statistics Act, an event which marked the first tim e legislation that includes sexual orientation had ever been signed into .law by a president and the first time openly gay and lesbian leaders and activists had ever been invited to such a White House event. Southern Baptist Convention Christian Life Commission Executive Director .Richard Land reportedly complained in a letter to Bush that the invitation of Gays to the ceremony "provides an implicit White House approbation of their lifestyle and it is something no previous administration has done." Urvashi Vaid, Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force said, "The fact that Pre sident Bush invited gay and lesbian organizations and act ivis ts into his home to witness the signing of this important bill is a major a dvanc e for gay and lesb ian political vis ibility and effectiveness ." About 150 extre mely diverse people attended the signing, includ ing liberal Democrats from Congres s, conservative Republican s, gay rights activists and advocat es for people of color, religious and other groups. Regarding the gay and lesbian activists, Land complained to Bush, "The White House should not be giving its sanction and implicit approval to such groups." Before signing the bill, Bush made a ten minute speech calling for a "society blind to prejudice, a society open to all." The President explained hate crimes covered by the bill, mentioning crimes committed because of "sexual ·orientation ," and added, "the faster we can find out abortt these hideous crimes, the faster we can track down the bigots who commit them ." The U.S. Senate passed the bill on February 8, 1990, by 92 to 4 after defeating an attempt by Jesse Helms (R-NC) to attach an anti-gay amendment to the law. Former South ern Baptist Convention President Jerry Vines and other Baptist leaders reportedly discussed revoking their invitation for Bush to speak .to th e group. The Florida Baptist Witness reported that Vines, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Fla., asked that Bush consider the Baptists' objections to gay issues in his decision whether or not to speak at the convention. Doug Wead, Bush's liaison to religious organizations advised the Baptists that Bush had indeed declined the invitation because of a schedule conflict. Wead acknowledged that the "gay dispute" was part of the discussion, however. Denomination 'Losing Momentum,' Report Says Membership statistics cited by the Southern Baptist Convention are thought to be largely inflated. Although officials claim the denomination has 14.9 million members, they also acknowledge that about half the members do not attend church anymore. The Wall Street Journal reported in April that membership losses and financial cutbacks are being attributed by many to the continuing battle between fundamentalists an d moderates. Enrollment a t the six Southern Baptist seminar ies has fallen 14 perce nt since 1985, the Journal reported. Rev. Daniel Vestal said that some churc hes may leave the Southern Baptist Conv ent ion and align them selves with the more moder a te American Baptists . Postpone Altering Policy On Gays Presbyterians Vote Against PLGC SALT LAKE CITY - Although Pr esbyterians were striving for unity and harmony during their 202nd General Assembly, the assembly voted to take away semi-official church status from several ·Presbyterian organizations including Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns. Newly elected Moderator Price Henderson Gwynn III of Charlotte, N.C., said the 2.9 million member church must stop internal fighting if it is to reverse the exodus which has claimed a third of its memb ership during the past 25 years. The more than 600 commissioners to the annual meeting voted to postpone action on altering church position on homosexuality until 1991 when a report is due from a special task force on human sexuality. Several of the denomination 's 177 presbyteries introduced ov~rtur.es to . suspend PLGC for distributing gay-supportive phamplets to high school and college youths at a -church m eeting. A PLGC chapter in Pittsburgh had unsuccessfoly fought to block an overture from the Redstone Presbytery saying that the presbytery should reverse its judgement on homosexuality as it has reversed previous policies on slavery, divorce and women's roles in the church . The vote to take away church status from PLGC, if approv ed by a majority of the regional presbyterie s, would remove the right to be officially represented at church meetings . PLGC Communications Secretary James D. Anderson said, "These overtures seek to cut off ... dialogue and to remove people and groups who disagree with the General Assembly policy from the church, all in the name of 'decency, order, peace, and unity of the church."' In reference to the phamplets Anderson said that the overtures "seem to be based ·on the ignorant notion . that information, even affirmation, makes people lesbian or gay ." After reviewing . the phamplets a straight; 21 year old man said, "the reaction of the church in general distresses me greatly. It appears that a large portion o.f the chutch will not allow others to disagree with them iind still remain a valid part of the church. I celebrate differen.:es in opinion as long as all opinions · are respected. I condemn intolerance." D.C. Mayoral Candidate Slams Black Gays WASHINGTON, D.C. - John Ray, a black candidate for mayor of the nation's capital, made several anti-gay and lesbian remarks and advocated heterosexuality for the black community at a meeting sponsored by the D.C. Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance. In his remarks to about 30 gay and lesbian activists, Ray, an at-large member of the D. C. Council, said, heterosexuality "is the best wayoc for the black community. Ray also said he would not advocate for domestic partnership legislation now being proposed for D.C. residents. Ray's statements were "untenable, out rageous and a vicious assault on Lesbians and gay men - particularly black Lesbians and gay men - who live in Washington, D.C." said Ivy Young, NGLTF Families Project director . Young likened Ray's comments to recent anti-gay statements made by Martin Luther King III, who subsequently apologized to the gay community after considerable pressure from local activists and widespread media attention. "In his staunch and seemingly blind support of 'traditional values,' Mr. Ray has . debased and invalidated : the family life of thousands of D.C. residents . He suggests that if black Lesbians and Gays live their lives ; openly they are somehow damaging : the African-American community," said Young. "Our sexual orientation does not put us at odds with our community's quest for freedom." July/August1990 m -- --- --- Book Review The Poisoning Of Eros Sexual Values In Conflict By Michael Blankenship Contributing Writer Rev. Raymond J. Lawrence, Jr., author; Limited edition (500 copies) available from the author: 217 Mountain Ave., S.W. #11, Roanoke, VA 24016. $19.95, hardback. Everyone has seen those clever Ii ttle tracts that boldly stale on th<' front "WHAT JESUS HAD TO SAY ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY," then An angry young poet'S intimate discourse with God on faith, gay love, AIDS and the Catholic Church's controversial stand condemning homcsexuality. "Sardonic, sophisticated ... There is so much to be enjoyed here, this reviewer ex.b.ons readers to add Sex With God to their list of gifts for special friends." - Lambda Rising Se~ With (jocC By Thomas O'Neil illustrations by Ty Wil1-or1 Send $5.95 plus $1.50 for postage and handling to: Indulgence Press, P.O. Box 965, Dept.V, N.Y., N.Y., 10023. Add 50¢ forN.Y. State orders. when you open it up it's blank on the inside. But a recent book entitled The Poisoning of Eros by Raymond J. Lawrence, Jr., presents the view that perhaps Jesus did make a statement about homosexuality in his own way. Lawrence convincingly makes the point that in Matthew and Luke, Jesus is portrayed as being toleran I of a relationship between a centurion and his "boy." The story involves a centurion whose "very precious" slave or "boy" was ill and near death. Hearing about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders with the request that Jesus come and save the young man's life. The elders pressed the request to Jesus by saying "he deserves this favor from you for he is a friend of our nation, and it is he who built us our synagogue." Jesus went with them, but while he was still a distance from the house the soldier sent messengers to ask Jesus just to say the word to make the boy better because the centurion felt unworthy to have Jesus under his roof, or to approach him in person. When Jesus heard this he Bookso f Faith,H opea, nd Affirmatiofno rG ayM ena nd Lesbians COMEH OME! l?echiming spirituality and Community as Cay Nen and lesbians CHl?/SC lAS.!JI? "Powerfusle, nsitivea,n dp rovocati.v.e. . Glasesrt andsi nsideh iso wnh umanity as a gaym alea nd hearst hew ordo fG odt hrought he BibleC. hristian, sgaya nd straightn, eedt hisb ooki f we aret o be the bodyo fC hrist."-The Rt.R ev.John ShelbyS pon,g EpiscopaBl ishopa, uthoro f living in Sin.?A BisbopR et/Jinl,r H11maSn e.rualff), UNCOMMCOANL LING CHl?IGS lAS.il? Paperback/1, 0.!}5 Thec ompellingco, urageouas,n d deeplyp ersonasl toryo f one man'ss truggleto reconcilew hoG odc reatedh im to be-a gay man-with whom God called him to be-a minister. Paperbac/k1, 0..95 TOUCHINOGU RS TRENGTH l!JeE rotica sP owera ndt /Jel ove qf God CAJ?J'.H!J.I!?JY WAJ?f) "Magnificen..t.. T hew holeb ookt estifietso t hem ysticaelx perienceth ati s at theh earto fb othr eligiouasn ds exual ife. Weh avek nowna longt imet hat God'sp oweri s Lovea nd nothinge lse,b ut we forgoto, ftene nough,t hat this power necessarileym powertsh e loverso f God.C arterH eyward brings this out with feminist anger and strength, with hilaritya ndc larity." -Dorothee Sollea, uthoro f {!/Waarn d/ ,ow Paperbad/,1 2.95 Availabalet yourl ocalb ookstore. In Canadaa vailablteh roughH arperCollinBso okso f Canada. ACCEPTINOGU RSELVES J'beT tueftJe-SJtoeupr neyq f Recovery Ji-omA ddictionfa r GO)'M en and lesbians SH.!JPPABl?.l JK ONfA!Al?S The first book to interpret1 \velve-Stespp iritualitya nd wisdomf org aym en and lesbiansb attlinga lcoholisma nd other druga ddiction". I hopet hat its healingg loriesw ill reachm illions.-"N ed Ror em Paperbac/k8, ..95 AIDS J'bes pirituaDl ilemma JOHN. !JF. O/?JVNAJ'O . Spirituali nsightf or peoplew ith AIDSt,h eir familya nd friendsa, nd the clergyw hoc ounselt hem." Thisi nforma tive,s ensitivbe ooki s·exactlyw hat'sn eededt o answert he witchesb' rewo fi gnorancep,r ejudiceh,a lf-truthsa,n dw hole liese vokedb yt hew ordA IDSF.o rtunatoIs a therapisto g ay ands traightt,o t hosed yingo fA IDSan dt hoseb yt heg raceo f Godm oref ortunate.-"W illiam SloanC offin Paperbad/,8 ..95 Harper San Francisco A Divisiono f HarpcrCo!linPsH blishers was amazed, telling the crowd that followed, "I tell you, nowhere, not even in Israel, have I found faith like this." The messengers returned to the house to find the boy in good health. The Luke version refers to the young man as a "slave," but the Matthew version in each instance refers to him as "boy" (pais), which Lawrence emphatically states in the GrecoRoman world connoted a catamite or youth in a homosexual relationship. Of course, during this period such pederastic relationships were quite common . They were seen as mentor/protege relationships which in addition to being physically sexual, inducted the young into the world of men, the patriarchial culture which denigrated women. Many men felt that love with a young boy was purer, and better than that with a woman. Lawrence further states that during the early Christian era the practice of pederasty was declining as Roman aristocratic families were increasingly protective of their young men. Hence the pederastic tradition was increasingly assigned to slaves. Lawrence gives his free translations from Luke 7:2 as: "a centurion there had a slave, a catamite who was very precious to him ... ," this being the way reader /hearers of the first century, given the language used, would have unquestionably interpreted the story. Luke reinforces that impression by characterizing the boy as "very precious" to the soldier. According to Lawrence, "it is not enough to say that Jesus was merely tolerant of this apparent pederastic relationship," he was so impressed by the man's faith that he miraculously healed the young man, allowing this relationship, which must have been loving in the sight of Jesus, to continue. Without a doubt we can all see the wide gulf that separates the modern world from the world of the early Jesus movement. Today we can readily see the inequity and abusiveness necessarily associated with such relationships . In my opinion, because in this · one instance Jesus blessed the most common form of homosexual relationship of his day, it is unthinkable that today such relationships, even with the element fo sincere caring and love, would or should be tolerated. But, I think this story should give encouragement to all gay Christians, if Jesus willingly blessed this sort of union, how much m THE SECOND STONE □ more would he bless our own loving, committed relationships between "equals." Lawrence also paints a picture of a very sensuous Jesus, especially at the last supper, where Jesus (literally translated) disrobed and tied a towel around his waist to wash the feet of the disciples. The book states that the washing of feet, rather than being a humbling, or degrading act, "always carried overtones of sexual intimacy." This act "demonstrated an appreciation for and a loving care for each other's bodies." While I immensly enjoyed the liberal qualities of Lawrence's book, which in many ways is even more radical than Spong and Countryman, I admit I was irritated to find on page 35 that he had translated the Greek word "arsenokoitoi" as "those guilty of homosexual perversion." I was appeased somewhat to find that later on page 98 he uses the more appropria le (Boswell) interp'retation of "male prostitutes" for the same word. I decided to get to the bottom of this, so I paid a visit to Rev. Lawrence. When I pointed out the conflicting interpretations he was genuinely surprised, and apologetically said that the first instance was an oversight on his part, that he had used someone else's translation. Rev. Lawrence told me during our conversation that he had attended the MCC in Houston and had even considered membership, so I know from this personal contact that he is both affirming and accepting of Lesbians and Gays . Unfortunately, this positive stance doesn't quite come across in his section on homosexuality. This part of the book has more of a "tolerant" tone than that of total acceptance . He characterizes homosexuality as a "beloved affliction" that is "off the mark of what is commanded." Yet, at the same time, I cannot deny the numerous favorable aspects of this portion of the book.- Rev. Lawrence candidly admitted to me that his book was not directed to Gays and Lesbians, but that he wanted "to do for the heterosexuals what John Boswell did for the homosexual community." I feel that this book, with it's well-researched documentation, has liberating qualities that would appeal to all Christians, regardless of sexual orientation . It is well worth reading and owning. Videos Courage, Strength and Vision No Need To Repent: The Ballad of Rev. Jan Griesinger By Tw Bailey · Editor C .hurch has always been part of the fabric of life for the woman who . is the subject of the film portrait "No Need To Repent: The Ballad of Reverend Jan Griesinger" a well crafted work by Ann Alter. The film premiered at .the Berlin International Film Festival and the Chicago Lesbian & Gay International ·Film Festival. "She takes on hard issues and she doesn't give in very easily. "I grew U:p not . knowing the word 'lesbian'," says . Rev. Griesinger, an ordained ,minister .· in the United Church of Christ and National Coordinator of the Unite\i Church Coalition for Lesbian/Gay ;Concerns. "I managed to make '. it all the way . through . college . ··without ·ever knowing any Lesbians." But that changed in the autumn of 1976 when ·she .was visiting.friends in California. "They had .some kind o·f . women's music on the record .player. Something about that musk ... brought me into some kind of full awareness ... that I had fallen in love with a friend," says Rev. Griesinger. "I don't feel like I work for the church as an institution. I work for people." "No Need To Repent" glimpses back through the use of home movies to a young woman growing up in an upper middle class Midwestern family . The oldest of four children, Jan Griesinger was a gifted student and enjoyed playing the piano in her church. She studied religion and philosophy at DePauw and fought in the Civil Rights movement. And she got married. "I got up and cooked five days a week," she says of .her typical middle class marriage. "I made a lunch for him to take to work." But her ma.r.riage .unravelled as her interest in social · justice grew . - a sharp contrast to the quiet home life her husband sought. Of coming to terms with her sexuality, Rev. Griesinger says, "I went through a period I . think like □ ·Rev. Jan Griesinger .. .featured in "No Need To Repent." Ballad's creato.r ... Ann Alter most lesbian and gay people where worrying about it was the most painful thing. That let me know how important it was to .deal with it." · "They belieye her when she says 'I am a Christian."' Regarding her work in the United Church of Christ and United Campus Ministry, Rev. Griesinger says, "l don 't feel like I work for the church as an institution. I work focpeople." An unidentified woman speaking of the Ohio Conference of the United Chur.ch of Christ says, "There are July/ August 1990 people who see homosexuality as a sin. And therefore they have trouble with Jan. But even there I have not heard anyone attack her integrity. Or her honesty. Or even her faith. They believe her when she says 'I am a Christian.'" Says Carol Kuhre~ of United Campus Ministry, "She ta"es on hard issues and she doesn't give in very easily." "No Need To Repent" also offers a personal glimpse of Rev. Jan Griesinger's life with other women at the "Susan B. Anthony Memorial UnRest Hornet _her farm .in · rural Appalachia. Ann Alter's film features original music composed and performed by Jeanne Donado. The .film .is available for sale or rental from Women Make Movies; 225 Lafayette St., Suite· 212, New York, NY 10012, (212)925-0606. m f Essay KeepS tandingF irm Freedom To Love A Gift Of God By Dr. Buddy Truluck Columnist Thean nual lesbian/gay pride celebration in San Francisco is called "Freedom Day" Parade. Close to half a million people are in the city for this special day. Gay men and Lesbians fight for freedom from gay bashing, prejudice, unjust laws, religious persecution, job and housing discrimination, and a long list of other forms of homophobia. Progress toward freedom has been slow but steady. Freedom to love and to express love regardless of sexual orientation has not come easy. Freedom from self-hate, internalized homophobia, anger, and the self destructive forces that have tormented Gays and Lesbians has been even slower to come. Jesus Christ to the rescue! During this summer season of focus on our national Declaration of Independence, lesbian and gay Christians also celebrate personal victories and freedom in Christ. Jesus said: "The truth will set you free" and "I am the truth." (John 8:22 and 14:6) Paul added: "It was for freedom that Christ set us free: therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery ... For you were 'called to freedom." (Galatians 5:1 and .13) The word "yoke" was often used by Jewish teachers for "the Law". Jesus set us free from the bondage of legalistic and · destructive religion. Jesus came "to proclaim release to the captives ... to set free those who are Survivors Urged To Report Attacks downtrodden." (Luke 4:18) David grew up in Argentina where his parents were Southern Baptist missionaries. While a student at college, David drove to Mexico to get some cheap drugs. The Mexican police caught him and charged him with selling drugs. David faced six years in jail. His parents took emergency leave from their work and returned to the United States to try to help David. David was released several months later and joined the church were I was pastor. In jail, David realized what a mess he had made of his life. He turned to Christ · and committed his life to follow and serve Jesus. David said, "That was when I got my freedom, not when I was released from jail!" David went to many 'Battle Against Bashers' Pressed At Local Level WASHINGTON, D.C. - Violence, harassment and attacks against gay men and Lesbians are "widespread" and continue to "plague the nation ," says a national report on anti-gay crimes released ·by ·the Nationa l Gay and Lesbian Task Force. · The fifth annual NGLTF "Anti-Gay Violence, Victimization and Defamation" survey reports 7,031 incidents - ranging from harassment to homicide - against gay men and Lesbians in 1989. The incidents were documented by 119 organizations and individuals in 40 states and the District of Columbia. Of the incidents, 2,322 were acts of vandalism, ,intimidation and physical violence and 4,709 were verbal harassment. · About one percent (75) of the incidents reported were directed against churches affiliated with the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches. The Where Do The States Stand On Hate Crime? Prepared by the Narional Gay and Lesbian Task Force May, 1990 ■ Hate crime laws that include crimes based on sexual orientation (9 states and the Dis!rict of Columbia ) [ill Hate crime laws Iha! exclude crimes based on sexual orientation (13 states) remaining 80 percent (5,627) occurred in other contexts. Overatl, 1989's total of 7,031 episodes is slightly lower than the 7,248 reported in 1988. "Last year the nation's lesbian and gay community celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Stonewall riots which sparked the modern gay rights movement .," said Kevin Berrill, Director of NGLTF's Anti-Violence Project and , autho r of the report. "Although we have made remarkable strides towards freedom since Stonewall, we remain a community under siege, battling an epidemic of bigotry and violence." The report was presented at a press conference in a House of Representatives office building. Bcrrill, joined by other civil rights, law enforcement and . Congressional leaders, including Senator Alan Cranston, called for a "major battle on the state level against bashers and bigots" to end · homophobic, racist, anti-semitic and other hate crimes. The NGLTF report indicated that orily nine states, the District of Columbia and seven cities have hate crime laws that include sexual orientation . Hate crime laws in thirteen states exclude anti-gay crimes. As of May 1990, legislation that addresses anti-gay violence is under considera tion in Flor ida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington. Im THE SECOND STO N E □ churches and ·schools to give his testimony of freedom thro.ugh Jesus Christ from drugs and despair. He returned to college and then to seminary in Argentina. He is now a career missionary in Paraguay. Freedom to love, freedom to live a full and meaningful life, and freedom from despair and death are the gifts of God through Jesus Christ. The fear of homosexuality both against and within Lesbians and Gays can be conquered by the perfect love of Jesus. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, for fear is torment, and the one who fears in not perfected in love. We love because God first loved us ." (1 John 4:18-19) Freedom from fear is the freedom to love. Every Monday morning, I help lead a worship service for gay prisoners at the San Francisco jail. The prisoners sing hymns, join in prayer, share in Bible study, and celebra te holy commun ion. This time of Christian fellowshi p and worship gives the inmates a few moments of freedom and hope in an othe rwise drab and totally controlled existence. These services have been offered for several years and are part of an openly gay chaplain ministry to the prisoners. Every visit to the jail reminds me that Jesus Christ gives a kind of freedom that can be experienced in no other way. Does your local county jail offer Christian ministry to gay inmates? If not, you can try to star t something. Contact me and I will pu t you in touch with people who can help . Prisons of ignorance, illiteracy, fear, suspicion, hate and prejudice can be opened through Jesus Christ.Freedom from the deadly depression and dep ~ndency often associated with AIDS can be found in Jesus Christ . Even freedom from sin and death is the gift of God through Jesus. Romans 8:2: "Life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death." Paul declared in Romans 8:21 the ultimate hope for Christian freedom tha t gay and lesbian believers shar e: "The creation itself also will be set free from slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God." Buddy Truluck is a former Southern Baptist pastor. Presently - this energetic Bible scholar ·is teaching a series entitled "The Bible As A Friend of Lesbians and Gays" at San Francisco's Golden Gate MCC. He was educated at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky . Travel □ Enjoying The · Hidden Hawaiis By Cynthia A. Marquard and Danni Munson Contributing Writers Part II of the Hidden Hawaiis Kauai and Maui The great thing about Hawaii is that no two islands are alike. Kauai, the Garden Island, is the lushest of the the islands and it also has the greatest amount of rainfall. Maui has more of a desert island feel to it, because it gets very little rain. Both are delightful to visit, and both have some spectacular hidden spots just for gay men or lesbians. One of the top-ranking gay resorts in the world is located on Maui, the remote and beautiful Hana Plantation Houses, near the small town of Hana . There are four plantation houses on the main property and two beach houses situated on a secluded black sand beach . These units provide various wonderful amenities: one has a private waterfall, another a tropical bath garden with jacuzzi, one is a studio cottage, another is a threebedroom house. There is something on this five-acre property to suit almost everyone. Electricity is provided by solar power, so gentlemen take note: your hair dryer might not work properly--but here, who needs it anyway! The main town on Maui is Lahaina, once a sleepy fishing village built around the wharf, now a busy tourist spot. There is a gay friendly B & B here, The Aumakua Inn. There are no exclusively gay bars, but Bettino's at 505 Front St. hosts a predominantly gay clientele during the mid to late evening hours. While shopping in Lahaina, stop by gay-owned Tropical Art Ware at 658 Front St. for handcrafted jewelry and crafts from around the world, but especially for toe rings. The owners custom-fit toe rings, and reportedly do it very well. On Kauai there are two secluded gay /lesbian accommodations, both near Anahola Bay. Mahina Kai is a B & B beach villa with guestrooms surrounding a beamed -ceiling living room. There is also a two-room apartment available. A terraced garden with a fountain and tropical fruits overlooks Anahola Bay. Guests are provided with sarongs and bikes and snorkeling equipment is also available. So is nude sunbathing, either on the private grounds or nearby Donkey or Secret beaches. The Anahola Beach Club consists of an older Hawaiian home with three guestrooms and a bunk house for larger parties . The property is located on the beach. Full breakfast and "sunset refreshments" are included. Hidden Spots On Oahu It might seen strange to speak of hidden Hawaiis on the island that is home to the high-rise city of Honolulu and the belly -to-belly crush of Waikiki Beach. But it is surprisingly easy to find peace and quiet once you leave that congested Honolulu area . Rent a car and drive 30 or 40 miles from Honolulu, especially on the road to the Polynesian Cultural Center. You'll find dozens of little palm-tree studded parks and white sand beaches, almost deserted. Take along a woven grass beach mat and a cooler, and you're set for the day. Gay men and lesbians can even find a place to stay away from the Waikiki crowd. The Windward Oahu B & B is a luxurious home with a swimming ·pool and ocean views in Kaneohe. The one guest room rents for $50.00 a day--a great bargain for Oahu. Of course, there's hidden and then there's hidden, and there are several gay /lesbian establishments tucked away behind thick foliage even in the heart of Waikiki. Since most Write or call for brochure. 120 E. Atol St., P. 0. Box 2326 South Padre Island, Texas 78597 (512)761-L YLE Air connections via American Continental Southwest Business or Personal... Try a Second Stone Classified Ad people land here coming from the mainland, it's good to know about these hideaways. First of all, there's Hula's, an indoor-outdoor gay bar dominated by an enormous banyan tree. Stop in after dark for a mai tai and enjoy the festive streamers of tiny lights sparkling down from the branches. Tucked away in one of the little shopping "alleys" in the gay Kuhio District is a great little shop called Pet Boy. Here you can pick up original-design T-shirts, gay /lesbian books and magazines, and other trinkets. Then have a memorable sandwich at Hamburger Mary's. Not only is the fare quite good, it's also fun to watch straight tourists who wander in suddenly realize they're "off the beaten path." Next door is the small men's bar, Dirty Mary's . And . just up the street, hidden behind a barrier of tropical foliage, is the gay/lesbian Hotel Honolulu, a great place to get over jet lag before moving on to another island or to spend an entire vacation in Oahu. For a listing of what's currently going on, plus up to date bar guide, pick up copies of Hawaii's two gay/lesbian publications: the monthly Island Lifestyle Magazine or Gay Community News. Cynthia A. Marquard is the owner/manager of Envoy Travel, Inc., in Chicago and vice-president of the International Gay Travel Assn. Danni Munson is the publisher of The Lesbian and Gay Almanac a11d' Events of 1990. P. 0. Box 118 SL Bethlehem, NH 03574 (603) 869-3978 OUR WORLD The International Gay Travel Magazine Month by month, we invite you to explore the exciting world of travel available to gay men and lesbians. Each month we help you to discover the multitude of interesting hotels, inns and resorts that welcome the gay traveler. Enjoy articles and color photos of a romantic hotel in Spain, a secluded retreat in Hawaii, a manor house in the English countryside, a Greek pension overlooking the sea, a rustic resort in Colorado, and more -all catering to our lifestyle! Plus, every month, regular departments provide you with valuable information on gay events and festivals, travel updates and tips, interviews, and the latest gay trips and tours-sail the Caribbean on a private yacht, join an expedition to Nepal, cruise the Mediterranean on a luxury liner or fly to Sydney for the Gay Mardi Gras. .__ __ _____ __, Whatever you're looking for, let OUR WORLD be your ticket to adventure. 1 year (12 colorful issues) only $ 44 (in the USA) - US$ 52 (Worldwide). First issue mails in 4-6 weeks in plain sealed envelope . Sample copy US$ 5. · Mail To: Our World Publishing 1104 North Nova Road, Suite 251 Daytona Beach, Florida 32117 USA TEL: (904) 441-5367 July/ August 1990 II Parting Thought □ But There's A Lot Of Mopping Up To Do The Gay Revolution Is Over l!y Larry Hallock Contributing Writer "I bring you fascinating news," wrote columnist Paul Varnell a while back: "the Gay Revolution-is over. P.S. We won." Varnell's optimism annoys fellow gay activists who'"splutter and wave their arms about wildly," citing a litany of injustices and inequalities: job firings, lack of protected civil rights in many cities, denials of child custody, anti-gay violence, people dying of AIDS, and more. But Varnell still claims we have won, that the "revolution" is over, that we should recognize ourselves and enjoy the fact of our victory. The columnist defines victory . "Winning any war," he says, "means that the power, the set of engaged ~-;~;;y" '"" The Post Office will not forward The Second Stone. You must notify us for uninterrupted service if you move. Em Please notify us four weeks in advance for uninterrupted delivery . Send both old and new addresses . If possible attac h mailing label in space provided . PRINT NEW ADDRESS en O ► 2 * ~ i ! ~ Send completed form to: THE SECOND STONE Box 8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 side and that your enemy has lost its ability to initiate major new hostilities. Winning any ideological war, which is what the Gay Revolution has been, means that the intellectual impetus and moral legitimacy has shifted to our side and that our opponents more or ·less know it and are intellectually and morally maybe still operational but running on empty. The victory has occurred primarily in the realm of ideas or consciousness," he says (borrowing from Fukuyama), though it "is as yet incomplete in the real or material world." · "But the victory is real, " says Varnell, "and the remainder, however enormous a remaind er it may be, is simply a sort of mopping-up operation, solidifying the victory." Varnell is right . In 1970 I wallowed in self-disgust and apologetically phoned a Seventh Day Adventist pastor for help to make it through the night. Today, with dignity and self-esteem, 1 phone SDA pastors across the country in my role as Kinship church liaison and I have their ·respect. Scores . of prominent pastors and teachers have listened carefully and now minister to us in ways we find nurturing. In th e late 60s I sojourned an emotional desert in Adv entist schools, where in my wildest fantasy I never dreamed of others' affirmation, never hoped for someone to love. During a recent AIDS conference I wandered through the campus of Columbia Union College and admired the handsome young men and women I saw in the classrooms. All colors together. Many of them gay. (Today they know that!) I reminisced about my own college days and wished for a few romantic memories, the kind I couldn't make then, but which those CUC kids now can it they but create a way. A single generation separates the undreamable from the do-able. When my youngest friends tell me how hard it is to be gay on an Adventist college campus today, I remind them of what it was like when they were born, and inform Classifieds Books & Publications CHRISTIAN'NEW AGE QUARTERLY explores the issues arising between Christians and New Agers with authentic information, forthright honesty and, yes, real appreciation for both sides. Penetrating, yet fun, our features and c;olumns forge a bridge for genuine dialogue. SubS': $9.50/yr. Sample: $2.50. CHRISTIAN'NEW AGE QUARTERLY, P. 0. Box 276, Clifton, NJ 07011-0276. TF EMERGE! A healing journal of EMERGENCE International: Christian Scientists Supporting Lesbians and Gay Men. For information and subscriptions write P.O . . Box 581, Kenlfield, CA 94914, or call (415)485-1881. 2/91 Employmer1 . EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · For growing national organization engaged in peer support, education and advocacy . . Candidate should have extensive experience in fundraising, organizational and fiscal management, program development, media relations and familiarity with gay/lesbian concerns. Parenting background desirable. Send cover letter, resume and salary requirements to: Federation them that SDA Kinship knows supportive staff members on nearly every Adventist campus in North America. From now on, I'll be more emphatic . I'll tell them the revolution is over ! They deserve to know it; they deserve to understand it . And yes, I'll also tell them they have a lot of mopping up to help with. Larry Hallock writes 1or Connect ion, the newsletter of Seventh Day Adventists' Kinship International , Box 3840, Los Angeles, CA 90078 □ of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, P.O. Box 27605, Washington, DC 20038. 8/90 . Friends/Relationships GWM, 6'.2", 165 lbs., youthful 37, brown hair, mustache, masculine, smoke and drug free, varied interests, fun, honest, quiet, caring and very relationship oriented. Seeking similar Christian friends preferably in Mobile, AL or vicinity. Rob, P.O. Box 16424, Mobile, AL 36616. 10/90 General Interest GAY/LESBIAN CATHOLIC Traditionalists · Gay is great! "Dignity" is fine. BUT do you really/secretly miss the "old" pre-Vatican II church, liturgy, devotions, etc.? TridenlinJl/ Tradilior,alisl Gay Catholics unite, write for support: Catholic Tradition - B. Gatzke, P.O. Box 9631, Minneapolis, MN 55458-9631. 10/90 Business or Personal... Try a Second Stone Classified Ad Classified Order Form Please place my ad in these issues: [] Jan/Feb [] Mar/Apr [ l May/Jun [] Jul/Aug [] Sept/Oct [] Nov/Dec FOR ONLY 35 CENTS PER WORD, your ad can appear in the next edition of THE SECOND STONE. 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Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 12 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1990 Publication Date The date the issue was published Sept/Oct 1990 Text Any textual data included in the document R THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER FOR GAY AND LESBIAN CHRISTIANS $2.25 TONE _8000 Readers Across The _USA _ Teens, Young Adults Swelling Ranks Membership In Hate Groups Is Rising By Jim Bailey Editor _ _ If -everything went as _., · planned, the "body count" - the number of people . oblile rated by the blast - would be many. Indeed, the, · "kill zone" - the location in which the blast would · - ,_,._ Calendar( de~·troy the most lives - tj.ad. been meticulously -selected following underctiver reconnaissance. ft is not a military offensive on some distant shore . The mission would not be executed by frighte- ned ,, camouflage-clad 1, teenagers with pa-inted faces blindly following the barks of a commanding officer. Although terminology like "body count" and "kill zone" may conjure up black and white images of a late sixties news SEE COVIHl STORY, Page 9 -- - Two Dads: DJ m An Indian Summer ~ Washington Couple Full Of Actlvity - -- I·- Adopt A Son " . By Matt Nagle . ! Two Churches Face Expulsion Lutherans Given Five Years To Overturn Church Policy Two -San Francisco churches will be expelled from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in five years if a policy barring Gays and Lesbians from ordination cannot be overturned by that time. That is the ruling of a discipline committee investigating charges filed by Bishop Lyle Miller against First United Lutheran Church and St. Francis Lutheran Church. The churches had ordained a "practicing" gay man and lesbian couple in spite of a churc hwid e prohibiti ng such action. The churches are ·now under suspension. While under suspension, the congre gations cannot send voting lay delegates to synod assemblies. Over 100 members of Lutherans Concerned/North America demonstrated outside the national headquarters of the ELCA in Chicago to protest the decision to suspend the churches. A spokesperson representing LC/NA said, "This decision is an act of violence against gay and lesbian people, clergy and non-clergy alike. · The church continues to devalue our lives, our relationships and our presence in the church. We call the church to repentance for its lack of vis_ion and courage, for its postponement of justice and for its irrelevance in the lives of Lesbians and gay men hungering for righteousness and truth." Gay and lesbian church members have turned their attention to the two national church assemblies and numerous churchwide council meetings and synod assemblies that will be held within the next five years as opportunites to get the SEE LUTHERANS, Page 18 Gays Want Close Senate Scrutiny of Judge Souter Gay activists are calling for close Senate scrutiny of Supreme Court nominee Judge David Souter's commitment to the protection of individual liberties enshrined in the U. S. Constitution. The Senate confirmation hearing is scheduled for September 13. The concern arises in light of Judge Souter's concurrence with a 1987 New Hampshire Supreme Court opinion which excludes Gays and Lesbians from qualifying as adoptive parents. The New Hampshire House of Representatives had sought the Supreme Court's opinion of the constitutionality of a bill specifically "excluding SEE SOUTER, Page 18 SUBSCRIBE TODAY' ONE YEAR ONLY $12 60 1 I BOX 8340 • NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 I BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE - PA ID NEW ORLEANS, LA PERMIT No. 511 ' From The Editor Thanks, Joe The Story Of A Good Nay-baa I had the opportunity of speaking to the Religion Newswriters Association this summer. They held their annual meeting in New Orleans a few days before the Southern Baptists met in the Superdome . I was excited about the opportunity to meet and chat with religion writers from some of the nation's largest daily newspapers. Their clear understanding of the issues facing gay and lesbian Christians and their fair and objective reporting on those issues is critical in presenting the general public with accurate information on our struggles in society and the church. During the course of my address, I wanted to demonstrate the rejection, hostility and injustice Gays and Lesbians suffer at the hands of many so-called "Chris tians ." I thought about my friend Joe, who was at the time I was speaking laying seriously ill in the Veterans Administration Hospital a few blocks from the hotel where the RNA was meeting. He had been hospitalized at that point for a month, suffering from thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, a very rare blood disease. During the Mardi Gras season of 1989, Joe was walking with a friend through the French Quarter when he was confronted by one of the hundreds of fundamentalist Christians who come to canvass the Quarter during Mardi Gras every year. Perceiving Joe to be gay, this person taunted him, saying; "Thank God for AIDS." I shared only a few more thoughts about this incident with the RNA, which I'll. come back to, but let me give you the rest of the story . Joe and I first met in late 1984, when he bought the house next door to me. First he was my neighbor (that's pronounced nay-baa if you live in some of New Orleans' naybaahoods for too long) and then he became my friend . He was the first gay man I ever dared allow myself become friends with. He was comfortable with himself, so much so that he was overly self-confident. You could take him or leave him. And he could do the same with you. Corning out at age 13 in an all-male school probably had something to do with shaping that attitude . On Christmas eve the year Joe moved next door, I was sharing time and gifts with family and friends, including a straight friend with whom I had experienced a long and enjoyable friendship, his new girlfriend, and an old high school girlfriend of mine, who was in the throes of a painful divorce. My friendship with Mike had changed from one of almost constant companionship to an occasional phone call or rare get together. But I was happy for him because I had watched him search for so long for the relationship that was finally becoming a reality for him. I think Mike believed that I might help Dondra through her divorce and the two of us would get together and all would live happily ever after. In a room warm with the presence of a flickering orange fire, a Christmas tree decorated with handmade ornaments, and filled with the love of family and close friends, I felt an intense loneliness. The wan I had carefully been erecting around me for 12 years cracked a little that night. During the next year, Joe helped me demolish that wall altogether. He sho.wed me how to simply be myself. Take me or leave me. has brought a scattered and unfocused group together to work with singular purpose. It's focused church attention, negative and postive on being gay and it's jarred closeted gay clergy and church officia!s from secrecy into action. Many years from now, when the pain and suffering of our sacrifice and loss today is a memory, we will underst and these days as a time when we learned we could finally love ourselves because we had learned how to love others. Professor Jon Bailey, the director of the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles In This Issue FEATURES COVER STORY HE'S GOT TWO DADS COLUMNS FROM THE EDITOR COMMENTARY FAMILIES CLOSER LOOK 1RAVEL DEPARTMENTS LETTERS NEWS BRIEFS □ says, 'AIDS is our Passover. It's the fire this community has got to go through to come of age. As horrible as it is, AIDS has given us life and pride,' says Professor Bailey. "Thank God for AIDS," I repeated i'1 closing my talk to the RNA. 'To a fundamentalist Christian, those were words uttered in hate . But even in those cutting words, we find hope and reason to rejoice." □ Page 9 Page 15 Page2 Page4 Page 10 Page 14 Page 19 Page3 Pages " ~ Evangelicals It was during a chilly winter evening out and about with Joe that I ran into a man with whom I had worked at a weekly newspaper a few years earlier. And the next Christmas eve (same living room, CHURCH & ORGANIZATION NEWS Page 11 11.' 'II/ logethSJ' Inc. SUPPORT COMMUNITY & SERVICE FOR Gay& Lesbian Christians In Southern California ... since 1979 · Su/t0 1O9-Box 16 7985 Santa Monica Boulevard West Hollywood, CA 90046 ~ 213/656-8570.., ---. - ----·--11:1' liiil . same orange fire, mo.re handmade ornaments) this man, Eric, and I exchanged · gold bands and made a commitment that is now almost five years stronger. I may not have the love, fulfillment and happiness that I experience today if not for Joe. That was his gift to me. Joe passed away on June 28th. "It's hard to see why anyone would thank God for AIDS," I told the RNA. "But then I think how AIDS CALENDAR ESSAY BOOKS CLASSIFIEDS THE SECOND STONE Page 12 Page 13 Page 16 Page 20 Letters Sacramento, California River City MCC Not Media Shy Dear Second Stone, MCC's are truly a diverse group with varied experiences. We have no such apprehensions, as expressed by Sue Read (Letters, Jul/ Aug '90) about using the mainstream media, although we do not neglect the other options either. We had over 500 Lesbians and Gays in conference at the Beverly Garland Hotel, and publicized the event in the Sacramento Bee and the very conservative Sacramento Union, without adverse effects. We advertise on the "Religion Page" of the Bee weekly, right next to our fundamentalist critic, stating up front that we have a ministry to Gays and Lesbians, and have had nothing but positive feedback. Indeed, we are finally overcoming the "gay church" label and have become the Christian church ministering to Gays. We also have news releases in the smaller local and neighborhood papers as well as the gay press. When we install the dedication plaque on our church in September, it will be Sacramento's first, specif- ISSN No. 1047-3971 THE SECOND STONE Newspaper is published every other month by Bailey Communications, P. 0 . Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Copyright 1990 by The Second Stone, a registered trademark. SUBSCRIPTIONS, U.S.A. $12.60 per year, six issues. Foreign subscribers add $8.00 for postage . All payments U. S. currency only. ADVERTISING, Display advertising one time rates: Full Page, $595.00; Half Page, $304.00; Quarter Page, $155.00; · Eighth Page, $81.00; Sixteenth Page, $42.00. Send inquiries to: Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Classified advertising is 35 cents per word. EDITORIAL, send letters, calendar annoWICements, and church/organization news to (Department title) The Second Stone, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Manuscripts to be returned should be accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope. THE SECOND STONE, an ecumenical Christian newspaper committed to informing the gay and lesbian community. PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Jim Bailey MARKETING DIRECl'OR: Eric Hess CONTRIBUTORS: Rev Bruce Roller, Rev Sylvia Pennington, Cynthia Marquard, Danni Munson, Dr. Martin Fowler, David Rickey, Robert McKnigh~ Jim Roche, Michael Blankenship, Dan Grippo, Dr. Louie Crew, John-Michael Olexy, Dr. Buddy Truluck, Chris Glaser, Rev. Gail A. Van Buren ically mentioning the gay and lesbian community. No more "hiding our light under a bushel." Sincerely, Lynn Strawbridge Publicity/Outreach River City MCC Boston, Massachusetts Monogamy Significant To Growing Number Of Gays Dear Second Stone, Thank you! Your publication is an answer to prayer! I am thrilled to be able to read a publication exclusively for Christian Lesbians and gay men. The Second Stone is long overdue. In particular I want to thank Sean L. Avery for his outstanding article (July/ August '90) on monogamous relationships. This is the first article I have read that boldly says "Yes" to the significance of monogamy . I, too, believe, as a Christian I need to "express my God-given sexuality in a manner which is consistent with the Gospels of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." God has blessed me with the partnership of a wonderful man. Our unofficial vows say, "for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance." I believe we are a part of a pioneering minority that is growing! Thank you, James Ellibene New York, New York "Sex Prophets" As Wrong As Fundamentalists Dear Second Stone, I appreciated the article "Gay and Lesbian Couples: Is Monogamy a Requirement?," which appeared in Issue #11 (July/ August 1990). It is interesting, I think, how the "sex prophets" on one side of the spectrum in Christian thinking seem as seduced by a dualistic notion of body and spirit as the fundamentalists on the other side of the spectrum. For the fundamentalists, the body, quite . simply, is evil and must be transcended. The sex prophets, in contrast, correct this fundamentalist misconception by proclaiming the body as good, only to slip back into it again by reducing the body to a sort of pleasuring machine , a dull, blunt instrument with no purpose bey ond short-term, physical gratification . As Christians, I believe we are called to be whole human beings, which includes the integration of our sexual activity into our capacity to love. I agree with John McNeil that a committed, faithful, loving relationship is the ideal context for doing this. Sincerely, Kendall W. Zellmer Baltimore, Maryland Article On Steffan Out Of Place Dear Second Stone, The article on Joe Steffan, "Out of . the Navy and Into The Courts " in your July/ August issue was excellent. The implications go beyond Mr. Steffan as his actions will undoubtedly be felt not only throughout the Armed Forces but in the Courts as well. Mr. Steffan has become "hot" material and, in evidence of this, a letter attributed to him was enclosed in re-election campaign mailouts of Gerry Studds. However, as a newspaper with a religious focus, I found no reference to Mr. Steffan's religious leanings or what part the church has played in his life. Was there something edited out, or is there no religious bent intended? If so, then may I ask why this article would appear in The Second Stone? Newsworthy, yes. Religious, no. Respectfully, Thomas J. Meyers Roanoke, Virginia Where Are Pro-Lifers At Adoption Time? Dear Second Stone, The letter from Rev. N . F. Thompson in the July/ August issue did, as he predicted, make me very nervous. His opinion was that abortion rights should not be an issue for homosexuals because it fractures the gay /lesbian community. The point I would like to make here is that abortion rights is not the issue at all, the real issue is that ALL people should have the sovereign right to do as they wish with their own bodies. In my own state it is a felony for me to make love to my lover of eleven years, so I fully sympathize with women who are denied their right to their own bodies. Since when did the lesbian/ gay community become so ingrown and September/October 1990 □ self-serving that we have failed to support other oppressed segments of society? Gays and Lesbians of all races were in the forefront of the fight for civil rights for Black Americans , and Lesbians have always been the leaders and champions of the Women's Movement. I am not just a gay man with a narrow agenda for gay rights, I am also a Christian, sensitive to the inequity, abuse, and neediness I see in the world. If we as Christians don't reach out to fight oppression, then we have failed to keep Jesus' commandment to love others . In my view pro-lifers are only pro-birth. If they were truly interested in the quality of life for all God's children then the focus of their combative attitudes should be destroying prejudice and selfishness in this nation. Of all the tens of thousands of children available for adoption each year there are two major groups: black children, and those who are physically, emotionally, or mentally inpaired. Where are all the compassionate white pro-lifers who would accept a black child into their homes . There are none. Where are all the pro-life parents who would accept a child with special needs into their families. There are none. I think these people honestly think that every embryo will develop into a perfect white child. It doesn't work that way. Of course, there are any number of gay and lesbian couples, with stable, durable relationships, who would love to adopt a child of any race, but surely the pro-lifers would object to this as well. The real Christian calling for us is the fight for justice and the education of these twisted zealots who, in their blind obedience of the religious leadership, would take away individual -rights, not only for abortion, but also for the sexual expression of the readers'hip of this paper. As part of the oppressed Body of Christ, we're all in this together. Sincerely, Michael Blankenship We welcome you to share your views, opinions, feelings and experiences with our readers. Send letters to: LETTERS, The Second Stone, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. All letters must be original and signed by the writer. Clearly indicate if your name is to be withheld. We reserve the right to edit. ■ Gay Terrorism? Dragging The Unwilling Out Of Their Closets ByMe1 PahJ Contributing Writer Gay liberation. I should really say something about the progress of the gay liberation movement, how wonderful it is to be gay, how far we have come, and how, with a little more time and organization, most of our goals are within striking distance. It so happens I believe all of that. But that isn't what I am compelled to write about. The theme of gay liberation - and black liberation and women 's liberation, for that matter - is the right to make choices about one's life, and the right tc;, be whatever one wants to be. Rather than believing diversity to be a liability, we consider it a benefit. Rather than glorifying conformity, we glorify individuality. The theme of gay pride is rightfully: Dare to be Gays Get Second White House Invita tion WASHINGTON, D.C. - Despite a conservative backlash following the appearance of gay and lesbian activists at the Hate Crimes Bill ceremo ny at the White House last April, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force was invited . back for the pr eside ntial signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26. The ADA, a legislative priority for NGLTF, extends broad antidiscrimination protections to handicapped persons, including people with AIDS and HIV. The bill prohibits discrimination in public services, transportation, public accommodations, telecommunications and private sector employment. Peri Jude Radecic, NGL TF legisl a tive director and an ADA lobbyist, represented the Task Force at the signing ceremony. The Human Rights Campaign Fund, along with other AIDS and civil rights groups, also sent representatives . I am with You Fear Not! (A Corrective Look at the Lesbian and Gay Clobber Passages) Professionally produced Video-tape Audio-cape & Workbook A new book by the Rev. Bruce Roller Pastor of Reconciliation MCC Grand Rapids, Ml -~ - cp nJ )-/J'l{JI THE MESSAGE OF ~ V v-- (./ RECONCILIATION VHS Video 190 min ) $24.95 AL.dio Tape $5.00 • Wlrid'x:lok $5.0 0 UMng 0..Wsetvss S6.95 Acti 25% fer shi~ng & harding. Faithful Publications P.O. Box 3701 Grand Rapids, MI 49501 yourself. Imagine my mortification, then, to learn that some gay activists, falsely so called, have taken it upon themselves to engage in a new sport called "outing." The game, which is actually a variation of another game called "up roar," consists in dragging the rich and famous out of their closets and publicizing the homosexuality of celebrities just because they are celebrities . Now, while I enjoy gossip as much as the next person, I am entirely in sympathy with celebrities who believe that their status as celebrities does not make their private lives the world's business. It is fun to speculate on who is and who isn't, but the bottom line is that the theme of our movement is that people have the right to make choic es. A choice not to come out of the closet is every bit as valid a choice as the choice to shout from the rooftops. Conformity for the sake of conformity is just as evil regardless of whether it is conformity to the expectations of straight society or of gay terrorists. Just as women's liberation means that a woman who wants to be a full-time homemaker and mother has the same right to make that choice as the woman who wants to be a rocket scientist, and just as black liberation means that a black who wants to be a janitor has the same right to make that choice as the black who wants to be a physician, so gay liberation must - it can be no other way - mean that the choice to remain quiet is as valid a choice as the choice to be public. The bottom line here is that an individual enjoys a fundamental right to make decisions about his or her own life. Others may not agree with those decisions, they may urge a different decision, they may even believe with some plausibility that those decisions are socially harmful. But after all of that has been said, the bottom line is still that each individual has the full right to make decisions about personal sexuality: when and how and in what manner it will be expressed . I wish that every gay person would be public about his or her sexuality. It would do wonders, both for the movement and for their own self esteem. I have never met anyone out of the closet who regretted that decision. If I had my life to do over again, I would come out five years before I did. But having said all of that, there are many gay people who II THE SECOND STONE have reasons that they consider entirely valid for remaining hidden. Those who engage in outing will argue tha .t there is no right to be a hypocrite, and that there is a duty to expos e hypocrisy. But where is the hypocrisy in deciding not to share a certain portion of one's life with the rest of the world? All of us have things about ourselves that we keep private. Except with close friends, I won't talk about how much money I make in a year, my health, or the details of my sexuality. Those parts of my life are private. Other people don't consider those parts of their lives private, and will cheerfully tell anyone who wants to know how much they make, the details of their recent operations, and what exact ly it is they like to do in bed . In both cases, a choice has bee n made: I view those parts of my life as private; others don't. Am I a hypocrite for not announcing ·10 the world my annual salary? Hypocrisy consists of actively perpetuating a lie, of saying one thing and .doing another. I think if (God forbid) Jesse Helms or Bill Dannemeyer or Jerry Falwell were gay, a good argument could be made for exposing that fact, not because of a notion that a celebrity's sex life is public property, but rather because those gentlemen have actively declared war on the gay community, and it is proper to return fire when fired upon. And therein lies the difference: a gay person, whether a celebrity or not, who is quietly minding his own business has the right to live his life as openly or quietly as he likes. A gay person, whether a celebrity or not, who has actively declared war on the gay community, should expect that all's fair in love and war, and our movement combines both. I publicly implore those who have anointed themselves to babble about private matters which are none of their business to find some more constructive place to channel that energy, The gay celebrities have done nothing to deserve this treatment, and our movement has done nothing to deserve this treatment. Don't expect respect for your own privacy if you aren't willing to respect that of other people. Mel Dahl is a regular columnist for Patlar Magazine, P.O . Box 22402, Sacramento, CA 95822, from which this commentary was adapted. Newsbriefs : □ Baptists Call For End To NEA The Southern Baptist Christian Life Commission will call for abolishment of the National Endowment for the Arts unless the U.S. Congress takes action which · will prohibit the funding of obscene, highly offensive, morally repugnant and sacreligious art, said Richard Land, CLC Executive Director. -Baptist Press Boycott Of Philip Morris Products Gains Momentum The gay and lesbian community's boycott of Marlboro cigarettes has reached another product of the Philip Morris Company, Miller Beer, the top selling beer in gay bars across the country. Gay activists have called for a boycott of Philip Morris products because of the company's financial contributions to Senator Jesse Helms. "We asked Miller representatives lots of questions about their self-proclaimed support of the · gay and lesbian community," said Bruce Monroe, president of the Dallas Gay Alliance. "But we found that it was not so much a commitment to our community as it was marketing strategies to sell more beer. We need Miller to stand up to Jesse Helms and let the country know that bigotry and hatred will not be tolerated by corporate America," he said. Miller has tried to avoid a national boycott, saying a decision to boycott in Dallas was merely a "local service problem," but activists claim that the incentive to include Miller has been brewing for several weeks and that Miller's time had run out. 'Lord's Balloon Company' Wouldn't Float Sodomy Law Repeal Message (319)354-3471) rejected their order . In a letter from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's Privacy Project Director Sue Hyde, Balloon House manager Lynn Griebahn was asked to explain "this outright act of censorship by your company." Griebahn replied, "Because we are Christians, we do not print any material that is lewd, offensive, racist, immoral, wicked or evil. It is our opinion, from reading the word of God, that homosexuality is immoral, lewd, unclean and unrighteous. Because the Lord owns this business, we cannot accept business which displeases Him ... Homosexuality is your game and it is filthy, disgusting and wrong. And you know it's wrong." In Iowa City on June 23 for that community's gay and· Jesbian pride rally and march, Sue Hyde quipped at the rally, "I was not aware that the Lord owned a balloon company or any other earthly commercial concern. If He did, however, I feel confident that He would consider this display of bigotry filthy, disgusting and wrong. And Lynn Griebahn knows it's wrong." Seventh-day Adventists Rule Out Women Preachers INDIANAPOLIS - Delegates to the 55th world conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church voted to accept a commission's report that ordaining ,omen would be disruptive to the world church and should not be allowed. During a two-hour debate before the vote, many of those supporting the ordination of women referred to Ellen White, an early church leader thought by some Seventh-day Adventists to be a phophet. -Associated Press · Navratilova Poor Role Model, Says Court A Christian-owned and operated Former Grand Slam winner Margaret company which fills orders for Court said that Wimbleton champion customized balloons refused to print Martina Navratilova is a poor role several hundred balloons intended t0 model for aspiring professional tennis raise visibility for the Georgia players because she is a lesbian. Privacy Coalition's campaign to "She is a great player," Court said, repeal that state's sodomy law. The "but I'd like to see somebody at the Privacy Coalition planned to float top whom the younger players can their sodomy repeal-message at the look up to. It is very sad for children Atlanta gay and lesbian pride march to be exposed to it." and rally a-Hhe-erid-of-iune:--'fhe-~ - Court said that Navratilova is a Coalition's-balloon plans were burst, "nice person" whose life had "just however, when the Balloon House gone astray." (918 Dearborn~IOF.il City, IA 52240 -Associated. Press Subscribe Today. And You'll Never Be Without A Friend For Your Journey. The Second Stone will inspire you, keep you informed, and put you in touch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YES, I want to receive The Second Stone, the national newspaper for Gay and Lesbian Christians.;.send me: [ ] One year (6 issues) for $12.60 [ ) Two years (12 issues) for $23.00 [ ] Three years (18 issues) for $32.00 Name ....................................................................... Address ........... '. ....................................................... .... City, State & Zip ...................................................... .. Checkh ereif youp refepr laine nvelopfeo rm ailing[ : ] Pleasea llow6 -8 weeksf or deliveryo f yourf irsti ssue.A dd$ 8.00p ery earf or postage in Canadan da ll otherfo reignc ollltries.U .Sc. urrencoyn ly. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 September/October 1990 II Newsbriefs Dignity Appearance Protested Carrying a sign that read "Compassion, Yes - Dign ity, No," six members of a Knights of Columbus chapter recently picketed a Grosse Pcinte, Michigan, church's Sunday Masses. The group was protesting the appearance, earlier this year, of a guest speaker from Dignity. The six protesters were froin the St. Francis Knights of Columbus, and were at St. Ambrose "to inform the parishioners of the true teachings of the Catholic Church regarding homosexuality," according to Earl Amoyette, the group's spokesperson . "Dignity must not be given a platform in the Catholic Church," asserted Amoyette. Reaction of the Parishioners at St. Ambrose to the picketing was mixed - some took the picketer's fliers while others took issue with the "outside agitators" being at the church. Newsletter Out For College Students WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Campus Project of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has released a new edition of its newsletter, Organizing For Equality . The publication includes a questionnaire on campus policies, the 1990 hate crimes reporting form and the updated Film Resource Guide. The newsletter, authored by NGLTF Campus Project Director Kevin Berrill and intern Bryce Avery, may be ordered by sending $1.00 to NGL TF Campus Project, 1517 U St., NW, Washington, DC 20009. Rhode Island Bigots React Discrimination against Lesbians and gay men is correct because of their lifestyle, members of a group of churches and conservative organizations said in denouncing a gay rights bill in the Rhode Island legislature. · The group, calling itself the Coalition to Preserve Traditional Values, demonstrated at the Statehouse, and promised a grassroots lobbying campaign during the final weeks of the General Assembly in an attempt to kill the bill in the House. "I think when it passed the Senate, people woke up," said the Rev. Joseph Green of the Gospel Temple Assembly of God in West Greenwich. The measure passed the Senate 24-22. It prohibits discrimination based on "sexual orientation" _in housing, public accomodations, employment and credit. Judith F. Ryder, president of Eagle Forum of Rhode Island, and other CLASSIFIE First Ten Words FREE! I - Buiiness or personal - The Second Stone classifieds really work! Please see the order form on the classified page. Each additional word, 35¢. 20 word minimum. " members of the coalition lambasted the legislation as a way to force employment of homosexuals, even by religious schools and service organizations, even though the bill specifically exempts religious groups. "We know there are many homosexuals- working in these jobs now and as long as they are afraid of discrimination because of their behavior, they won't act up," Ryder said. Religious people also would be forced to hire gay people in their businesses, charged the Rev. David K. Gadoury of the Cranston Christian Fellowship. The reply from legislative backers was equally sharp. " I think they definitely are mounting a scare campaign and a hate campaign," said Representative Linda Kushner, D-Providence, who has sponsored the bill in the House. The Senate-passed bill is broader than legislation that passed the Rhode Island House in 1988 and 1989, but died in the Senate. That bill applied only to credit and public accommodations. -Cruise Network Created For Individuals, Families Affected By HIV/AIDS Citing a need for support within the church for persons who are HIV positive or living with AIDS, a group of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Mennonites, Brethren, and concerned individua ls has started a continent wide hotline . The "Brethren/ Mennonite Connection" is for any individual who feels isolated or needs additional support in dealing with AIDS. "HIV+ individuals, persons with AIDS, and their relatives need a group to which they can turn for information, emotional and spiritual support, and other kinds of assistan~e," explained Urbane Peachey. ·:he group's facilitator and senior pastor of Akron Mennonite Church . "One should not need to go through this traumatic experience in isolation. We want lo let families in our churches know there are groups where it is safe to discuss the situation." Doris Kolb, a public health nurse in Lancaster, initiated the group in November, 1988. Kolb called the group together at the request of her friend, David Dutcher, who was living with AIDS at the time. After Dutcher's death the following January, the group continued to meet THE SECOND STONE □ and explore ways -in which it could respond to AIDS. The group hopes to expand its knowledge of individuals across the country who can provide emotional support to those in similar situations. If an individual is in need o.f basic information about AIDS, he or she will be referred to the closest local resource. The phone number for the "Brethren/Mennonite Connection" is (717)393- 7140. All calls are stictly confidential and a caller need not give his or her name. Massachusetts Gay Rights Law Spared Ballot Challenge The state supreme court has ruled that the Massachusetts Gay Civil Rights Law will not be subject to referendum on the November, 1990 ballot. The court ruled that the law was ineligible for the referendum process because of an amendment to the law which exempts religious organizations. Attorney General Jim Shannon ruled last December that a referendum would be unconstitutional. The ruling was brought before the Supreme Court and upheld by a 5-2 vote. The Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Civil Rights Bill was signed into law by Governor Michael Dukakis on November 15, 1989, after a seventeen year struggle. The day after the signing, a group called "Citizens for Family First" began a campaign to repeal the law. CFF gathered over 60,000 signatures, partly through disseminating misinformation about the nature of the law and about gay people in general. Their campaign was effectively put to an end with the court ruling. Give Gays 'Careful and Broadminded' Welcome, Catholic Church Says A leaked draft of the Roman Catholic Church's new "universal catechism" refers to homosexuality as "an offense to the dignity of marriage" but urges that Gays not be discriminated against. The document suggests that persons with homosexual-drives be given a "careful and broadminded" welcome in the church, but emphasizes that sex between same-sex friends "degrades friendships." -Outlines ;Newsbriefs UFMCC Seeks National Council Membership The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Churches is making a second application for affiliation with the National Council of Churches. The UFMCC made its initial application in 1983 when the Council membership voted to postpone its decision indefinitely. The vote was taken after some denominations threatened to leave the Council if the UFMCC was admitted. -Religious News Service Gay/Lesbian Community Center For Dallas The Dallas Gay Alliance has announced the formation of a steering committee to undertake a capital funds campaign to purchase the MCC Church building in Dallas. Plans call for the building to house most DGA functions and serve as a center for Dallas' gay and lesbian community . Only two other major cities, New York and Los Angeles, have a self-owned gay and lesbian community center. Gay/Lesbian Veterans Form National Organization Gay, lesbian and bisexual veterans from throughout the country met in Washington, D.C., and formed a national organization to continue their fight to end the military's policy of discrimination based on sexual orientation. The group unanimously elected former Staff Sergeant Miriam-Ben Shalom, whose 15 year legal challenge against the military policy was rejected by ·the U.S. Supreme ·court in February, to chair the organization . Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Veterans of America will work to support student and faculty groups on university and college campuses in opposing the continuation of Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) programs and military recruiting on campuses which have policies of non-discrimination. The veterans .will also continue to work with the Military Freedom Project and Congressman Gerry Studds to lobby Congress and the Department of Defense to repeal DOD Instruction 1332.4, which contains the discriminatory policy, and amend sections to the Uniform Code of Military Justice which are discriminatorily enforced against Gays, Lesbians and bisexuals. The group plans to establish a "Witch Hunt Strike Team" to help organize resistance wherever and whenever witch hunts ·occur. Ken Veterans, based in Fort Worth, Texas, called the formation of such a strike team "vital." Huntington ' s organization was born out of necessity when a vicious witch hunt started at Carswell Air Force Base last year . "They literally put people in rooms the size of closets, gave them paper and pen and told them they could go when they'd written a confession and named names," said Huntington . "We called everyone we could think of, and no one could help." For information on the Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Veterans of America write to 1350 North 37th Place, Milwaukee, WI 53208, or call (414)342-6543. ACT-UP: Remove Bishop From AIDS Alliance HOUSTON - The local chapter of ACT-UP wants Bishop San Pedro removed from the board of the Greater Houston AIDS Alliance. A demonstration was planned to "zap" the Sacred Heart Cathedral during the International Summit of Industrial Nations to protest the church's stance to AIDS, homosexuality, women's issues, condoms and birth control. Catholic Group Wants IDs For Gays/Lesbians A group of Catholic parents in Queensland, Australia says Gays and Lesbians should be required by law to wear visible identification and be counseled on "the depravity of their actions." The call for ID cards is part of a 10-point program presented by the Queensland Association of Catholic Parents. The group does not have official church backing. -Associated Press Hong Kong Lifts Old Taboo On Gays Sex acts between same-sex consenting adults have been decriminalized in Hong Kong, ending one of China's oldest taboos and opening the way toward a broader interpretation of human rights in the British crown colony. The new ordinance, which passed by a margin of 31-13, removes all "criminal penalties relating to homosexual acts committed in private by consenting men who have reached the age of 21," and extends to men and boys protection from sexual exploitation similar to that afforded women and girls by criminal laws. The new law does not mention relations between women. -Knight-Ridder Newspapers Falwell Targets HRCF In Helms Fundraising Letter Rev. Jerry Falwell has targeted what he calls "the political committee of the homosexual activists," the Human Rights Campaign Fund, in a recent letter supporting the reelection of Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC) . The founder of the now-defunct Moral Majority lashed out at several other tagets including the National Endowment for the Arts and the American Civil Liberties Union . Describing J:Ielms as a "friend who is very dear to my heart, " Falwell praised the North Carolina Republican for his opposition to taxpayers' money being used to fund controversial and homoerotic art. Integrity Founder Begins Fast In a letter to the Most Rev. Edmond L. Browning , Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Dr. Louie Crew, founder of Integrity, advised that he will no longer receive communion "until the Episcopal Church makes all sacraments available to lesbian and gay persons." Crew said that fewer than one-tenth of one percent of all Episcopal Church congregations have listened to the issues facing Gays and Lesbians and that he looked forward to the time when the governing body of the church, the General Convention, no longer stages exclusion. He invited heterosexual Christians to join in his fast. "Experiencing the denial of a sacrament - even if just once or twice a year and even if only voluntarily - heterosexuals will sample the hunger and spiritual malnutrition which the Church now systematically imposes on a11 Lesbians and gay people," Crew said. · He _ aske.d _Bishop Browning's blessing on "the millions of persons whose exclusion the Church now underwrites, expecially those whom September/October 1990 □ our unlove drives to loneliness, depres .sion, suicide, lethal sex, and all other forms of abuse." Crusading UMC Pastor Without Church The Rev. Jimmy Creech, who received wide publicity for his participation in a 1988 Gay Pride parade in Raleigh, North Carolina, is now a pastor without a church. Rev. Creech gave his final sermon on June 24 at Raleigh's Fairmont United Methodist Church. He had requested reassignment by his denomination after facing petitions demanding his removal. Since his appearance in the parade, Fairmont's donations had dropped and about 20 members had quit. He was reassigned as pastor of two rural churches but was rejected by both church congregations . Rev . Creech said, ''The two churches had second thoughts about it and asked that I not be appointed. My future is uncertain." -Cruise Boothman Resigns From Samaritan Rev. Sherre Boothman, credited as being a building force behind Samaritan College, the educational arm of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, has resigned as President of the college in order to devote all of her time to her ministry as pastor of MCC in the Valley. Rev. Sandra Robinson continues as dean of Samaritan . Author Shilts Seeks Military Interviews Best-selling author Randy Shilts is seeking interviews with lesbian and gay military personnel for a new book to examine the issue of Gays in the armed forces. Shilts is the National Correspondent of the San Francisco Chronicle and author of And The Bllnd Played On: Politics, People & The AIDS Epidemic and The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life & Times of Harvey Milk. "I can't think of an issue that more clearly illustrates the human damage created by prejudice than what goes on in the military," Shilts said. Shilts asked that people interested in providing information for his project write him at the San Francisco Chronicle, 901 Mission St.,-- San ..... Francisco, CA 94103 or to leave a message on his voice mail at (415) 777-7220. a '' Great Response! '' '!bat's what a Second St.one advertiser told us :rerently. And we hear that more and more these days. That's because · The Second Stone reaches readers where many other gay and lesbian publications can't. Like public and university libraries. We don't carry advertising or editorial content that would put us behind the counter. We're up front - in plain sight! For businesses offering products and services to the national gay and lesbian community, we're an exciting new marketing approach! Reach new customers in every state across the USA. The Second Stone offers a variety of in-column ad sizes with frequency discounts. We offer spot and full color. We'll lay out your ad at no charge and we'll get it right - we'll send you a proof to make sure. The Second Stone will also insert your brochure, flier or catalog in our mailing. It doesn't cost as much as you think. You can reach a paid coast to coast readership for about what you'd pay to advertise in one local free distribution gay newspaper. And ... to mail your insert in The Second Stone costs less than mailing it yourself! You won't know till you try it. The potential sales you lose while you're thinking about advertising cannot be recaptured. If you're thinking you've paid too much for advertising that hasn't worked ... you're probably right! But you haven't tried The Second Stone. SECOND STONE You'll be pleased with the results. Call 1-504-949-5625 for advertising assistance. £,-¢;K Pontius' Puddle CERTAINLY Tl-IE PASTORAl. SEl'RC~ COM\'\lnll: CONSIOEl<ED FEMALE AWL\CAITTS. 13ITT" NOi-iE MIT OUR l<\/1.\N QUALll=ICA1\0N. It's Easier To Question In the shadow of the redwoods which reminded me that yesterdays can never be forgotten as we live today and look forward to the joys of tomorrow, alongside the ducks quietly preening themselves, their heads tucked beneath their wings in modesty. I look into the neatly mfrrored sky which has reached down nnd touched this murky lake lifting my gay spirit higher than it's been before. The quiet of the day is a gift to my troubled heart torn three times this year by infatuation . disguising itself thinly as first love. Once the vow that tempers such impetuosity has been breached, the fabric of my life has unraveled and I sit here with multicolored, loose ends in hand. Can I juggle these two balls or must I cease to play this game wtih other men's hearts, with my vowed life? Can I pray, confident that a heart listens allowing me to forgive myself when I stray because with Him there is no need to forgive? Can I live my vowed life and still be totally for and with another or will the forced duality destroy what has so long been cherished? It would be easy to play games in the dark; . it would be easy to cut corners with my brothers; it would be easy to lie to myself -that's been done before. So here 1 set -questioning is so much easier than finding answers but for the first time I'm living the quesiions and not setiling for the glib answer- / am hurting but I'm confident that now · there is a cure and it lies with the men who share my journey with me. -ETS from Communication Newsletter II THE SECOND STONE Cover Story From Pagel broadcast, two nations are not at war. And everything did not go as planned . A three month investigation by the FBI foiled the carnage planned for Seattle's gay and lesbian community by two Aryan Nation white supremacists, who had hoped for a massacre in their calculated bomb blast of a popular disco on a crowded Saturday night in May. The two men were arrested en route to place the bomb. Although hateful sexist, racist and homophobic jokes can fill a packed comedy club with sidesplitting laughter these days, some people aren't laughing. Just beyond the degradation that so many find amusing lies the dangerous attitude that some people are worth less because they're different - ali attitude that has for decades been the central focus of a variety of hate groups. Membership in organized hate groups has been increasing over the past ten years, according to Sociologist Dennis Kalob of Loyola University. The rise in membership of such groups accounts only in part for the apparent rise in hate crimes, cautions Kalob, because most hate crimes are commi tied by individuals not affiliated with hate groups. "Although the Ku Klux Klan docs not have the numbers it did in the 1920's, membership appears to be on the swing back up," Kalob said. "There may be as many as 20,000 people active in hate groups, but for every one person actively involved there may be ten supportive." The rising number of people affiliating with hate groups may be the result of more sophisticated recruitment techniques, according to Kalob. Once promoted mainly by personal contact, the KKK now seeks members through magazine articles, distri- One Community's Response: bution of circulars, and even cable televisions shows. In Bossier City, Louisiana, the KKK was successful in distributing over 5000 fliers at the city's municipal complex . Appearing on the flier was an argument, written over 30 years ago, that black people are genetically closer to apes than to white people . Although rhetoric about the inferiority and immorality of othe_r people is still part of the KKK's message, much of today's Klan material is toned down, with more emphasis placed on electoral politics . Kalob said that young people in their teens and early twenties are ripe for recruitment into hate groups, with the neo-Nazi skinheads being the fastest growing wing. "Some come from families with bigoted attitudes," Kalob said, "and others, who may have just become alienated from their family, school, jobs, and society, come from average American homes. They are frustrated at their position in life. With job prospects rather limited, they have genuine problems in their lives. When someone involved in a hate group tells them that their problems are the result of blacks on welfare or Jews controlling too much wealth, in the absence of any other solution, they latch on to the group that purports to have the answers . Young people today will be lucky to maintain the ·standard of living of their parents. As conditions become more desparate for working class youth, they become very vulnerable to purveyors of this ideology ." Although the April signing of the Hate Crimes Statistics Act (the first legislation ever signed into law specifically mentioning Gays and Lesbians ) is a significant victory for the gay and lesbian community, Kalob cautions against being too optimistic. "The problem with this greater visibility," he said, "is that it has strengthened □ some folk's attachment to these groups. Remember, they are looking for some sort of power in their lives. Th e government is now acting more agressively toward them. The attention may serve to strengthen the core group. They're under attack and they're going to circle the wagons." Kalob said that the real solution is in educating people about the various individuals that make up our diverse society . "The underlying socio-economic problems must also be dealt with. People are living in desparate times," he said. Church Perpetuates Attitudes of Hate Toward Gays A visiting missionary from France recently described what he called the "sad state" of the Catholic Church in that country . He SEE COVER STORY, Page 18 Birthplace Of The KKK Says "No More!" ByJimBailey Editor The townfolk of Pulaski, Tennessee are not exactly accustomed to seeing network news camera crews milling about. So it was with great excitement that residents of this small, economically depressed city south of Nashville near the Alabama border gathered around their television sets on the evening of Friday the thirteenth of October, 1989. "We're on the news! We're on the news," ten year old Lisa called out to her family as ABC Evening News anchor Peter Jennings announced that the 7600 citizens of Pu0laski were being honored with the "Person of the Week" award, one of the rare times the honor went to an entire community. Lisa was too young to fully understand what was happening in Pulaski. On the previous weekend the white supremacist Aryan Nations, Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazi skinheads marched through town to honor executed Confederate spy Sam Davis. The scant 200 or so participants, including well known Georgia bigot J. B. Stoner, marched through a ghost town. '!'he people of Pulaski just didn't show up for the march . Businesses around the town were closed . Instead of encountering anti-Klan protesters, the marchers met only a prominent display of neatly tied bright orange ribbons all around town. The message: "Hate doesn't thrive here anymore." A frustrated skinhead told a Nashville television reporter, "We're here for unity. But there's nothing to unify with." Pulaski is the birthplace of the KKK. Walk through town and you'll come across a building upon which these words are inscribed: "Ku Klux Klan, Organized in this the Law Office of Judge Thomas M. Jones, December 24, 1865." It is through association with this Christmas Eve gathering 125 years ago that Pulaski has even since been labeled a racist town. Several years ago, in what has become an annual rally, white supremacist groups march in protest ·on Dr. September/October 1990 Martin Luther King's birthday. With the newly organized march to honor Sam Davis, Pulaski citizens had had enough. So on Saturday, October 7th, 1989, the people of Pulaski took a stand against hate. A proud Hal Stewart, Pulaski's mayor, hopes that the nation will sec the town differently now and that the image they ' ve had to struggle with for so long will dissipate. "It just shows it a community will unite, they can get things done," the mayor said . "I'm just so proud of the people of Giles County ." The mayor was also quoted at the time of saying that he had received a call from a frightened Washington state resident asking for advice on handling white supremacists groups, only seven months before neo-Nazi skinheads came up with a plan to bomb a popular Seattle gay disco. Despite Pulaski's bold public statement, the legacy of prejudice lives on powerfully there and throughout the South, according to an article in The Witness written by Rev. Scott A. Arnold, rector of Church of the Messiah in Pulaski. "It is true that the racism of the lynch mobs of just a few years ago has all but disappeared," he writes, "but the silent racism which has replaced it is just as murderous to the spirit." ·11 Families □ Get Set To Explore Our Families! Hy Rev Gan A. Yan Duren Family Editor This past July another dear friend died from AIDS complications. As always, it was devastatingly sad. Recently, I went to see the movie, "Longtime Companion." I was overwhelmed once more with grief for all the lost friends and loved ones. One of the striking and important messages of the movie was how one particular segment of the gay community formulates family. As the new editor of Second Stone's Family and Relationship columns, the topic of how gay and lesbian people form families is of prime interest. In the movie, at the memorial service, one friend eulogized David's classiness by telling of David's willingness to accept his friend's new lover, "Immediately, from the beginning, David brought Fuzzy into the family!" Have you ever had the experience of walking with a friend and encountering a stranger, you both look at the stranger, then at one another, and say almost simultaneously, "Think they're family?" Family has long been an euphonism for describing other lesbian or gay folks. Just how many configurations of family there are for us is probably unknown. During the next several issues I would like to explore some of them. I'd like to hear from you about your own family system or style and share your comments with other readers. Once there was another family, Scripture tells us, the male parent was a king. Saul was his name. Saul had a son named Jonathan. One day Saul and Jonathan met a young shepherd/warrior named David. From the beginning, they took David into the family. Jonathan loved David, Scripture says. But there was friction in the family. Saul was jealous of David and of Jonathan's relationship with him. After much heartbreak and battling, Saul and Jonathan both died. David's lament for them is recorded in II Samuel 1:17-27. As I grieve over the deaths in my family of friends, I can relate to how Thinking Of You.. . A gift subscription to THE SECOND STONE let's someone know how much you care ... and it's a gift that keeps on giving ... all year long. What a nice way to say so much to someone you love! Please send a gift sub- Nam.e.. ..................................................... ............. scription and card to: Addre.s.s.. ............................................. .......... CityS, tate& Zip.. ............................................... Nam.e.. .....................................................N..a. .m.e.. ...................................................... .................. Address................................................................A..d..d. re.s..s. .......................................................... ..... . CityS, tate& Zip.................................................C ityS, tate& Zip.. ................................................ . 1 enclose $ ............... for: [ J One gift• $12.60 YOURN AME... ..................................................................... ......... [ ) Two gifts • $23.00 f J Three gifts • $32.00 ADDRES...S... .................................................................... ... CITY,STATE&Z.I.P... .............................................. .. All gift subscriptionmsa iledin a plaine nvelopeA. dd$ 8.00p ery earl or postagefo r eachs ubscription outsideth e USA. Welcome, Rev. Gail Van Buren Rev. Gail V. Van Buren, M.Div., is the new Family Editor for The Second Stone. Rev. Van Buren is an ord~ined minister in the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches. Readers are encouraged to write her with family and relationship concerns, challenges and triumphs . (c/ o The Second Stone, Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182.) Rev. Van Buren · resides in Virginia with her spouse and two dogs. David must have felt at the senseless deaths of Jonathan and Saul, of the terrible waste of God's anointed. I feel angry that our young lesbian and gay family must suffer all this loss. Yet, I also know that in many ways AIDS has given us a way to show all the world our families: the loving care lovers have shared, the Gail A. Van Buren obituaries left behind from all the longtime companions. With a grief that is too big for any of us to bear alone, we need families to help us unravel this mystery - to work, love, grieve, but most of all to live together . I share with you my lament based on David's lament for Jonathan and Saul. A Lament: The Gay and Lesbian Community Grieves After the death of Paul, when we had returned from the March on Washington, we lamented over Paul and Jonathan, his lover, and we all said, "This should be taught to the people of America. It should be written for all to see:" Your glory, 0 America, is slain upon your high places! How the mighty have fallen! Tell it not in Arcadia, Florida, publish it not in the streets of Kokomo, Illinois- Lest the daughters of the red-necks rejoice, Lest the sons of the pharisees exult. You mountains of West Virgnia, of Colorado, of California • Let there be no dew or rain upon you, no upsurging of the deep! For there the hearts of the beaufiful were mistreated, The body of Paul not anointed with oil. Yet, from ridicule of the judges, From the fists of the fag-bashers, The head of Jonathan turned not back, and the word of Paul returned not empty. Paul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles; They were stronger than lions. Sons and daughters of America, weep over Paul, Who clothed you brilliantly in scarlet, over Jonathan, who put ornaments of gold in your hair. How the mighty have fallen! How the migh ty have fallen in the midst of AIDS! Jonathan lies slain upon your high places . We are distressed for you, our brothers - our sisters; Very pleasant have you been to know. Your love was wonderful to see, Passing the love of Adam and Eve. How are the mighty fallen, How the beauty of life is perishing! THE SECOND STONE Church & Organization News Lutherans ·Concerned/South Carolina Meets Lutherans Concerned of South Carolina, a society of gay, lesbian and non-gay Christians is now holding regular monthly meetings. The group welcomes all who will "work to foster a climate of understanding, justice and reconciliation among all people." For information write to P.O. Box 90537, Columbia, SC 29290. Truluck New Pastor of Golden Gate Rev. Dr. Buddy Truluck has been installed as Senior Pastor of Golden Gate Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco. Truluck is the second pastor of the church, which was founded in 1982 by the late Rev. Elder James E. Sandmire. Rev. Chuck Larsen, Chaplain to the San Francisco Police Department, has served as interim pastor since Rev. Sandmire's death a year ago. Dr. Truluck was a Southern Baptist Pastor for 15 years and was Professor of Religion at Baptist College of Charleston, South Carolina, for eight years. He wrote adult Sunday School lessons for Southern Baptists and is author of A Fresh Look: The Bible As Friend of Lesbians and Gays. to be published soon . Truluck graduated from Furman University and has three degrees from the Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, including Doctor of Sacred Theology. Since 1981, Truluck has been with MCC and was on the staff of First Metropolitan Community Church of Atlanta, Georgia, until December of 1989, when he joined the clergy staff of Golden Gate MCC. Speaking of the future, Truluck said, "Golden Gate MCC can lead the way in telling the world the good news of Jesus Christ. San Francisco is the whole world in one city. This new beginning for the mission of Golden Gate MCC to include all people of every race, age, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, and religion is one reason why the future is ours." Dignity Chapter 15th Anniversay Dignity /Central Pennsylvania celebra led its 15th anniversary in mid-July. The chapter is central Pennsylvania's oldest continually operating lesbian and gay organization. -The Alternative MCC/Dallas To Build New Church Facility The Metropolitan Community Church of Dallas, in conjunction with its 20th year anniversary, has announced the construction of a new 1200-seat facility . The 2000-member congre gation is the largest of the UFMCC's 308 churches around the world. The new church building will be located on Nash .Street in Oak Lawn. Completion is scheduled for early 1991. Rev. Michael S. Piazza is pastor. MCC/Detroit Has New Home The Metropolitan Community Church of Detroit has purchased a new church building. The first service in the building, located in Roseville at - 18000 Glendale, was scheduled for mid-July . River City MCC Dedicates New Church Building The River City MCC, Sacramento, was scheduled to celebrate its . 19th anniversary and dedication of its new building, located on the corner of Broadway and 3rd Avenue, during festivities planned for September 7-9. A concert, barbecue picnic, street fair and dramatic presentation was planned, as was a service conducted by the Rev. Delores P. Berry. For information call (916)454-4762. Parsonage Seeks Executive Director The Parsonage, an organization of the Diocese of California and a Jubliee Ministry of the National Episcopal Church, is accepting applications for its newly created position of Executive Director. The Parsonage in located in San Francisco and serves the entire Diocese. Its ·newsletter has a national circulation of 1400. The Parsonage is a ministry called to advocate justice for gay /lesbian people and to witness to the Godliness of lesbian/gay love. Candidates should have experience in gay/lesbian ministry and advocacy inside and outside the Church, strong administration skills, ability to attract and train volunteers and an ability to articulate Christian theology and witness in the light of lesbian/gay experience and faith. Laypersons and clergy are encouraged to apply. For more information and an application, write to Deborah Frangquist, Chair, Search Committee, The Parsonage, 555-A Castro St., San Francisco, CA 94114. The application deadline is October 1. Bruce Garner New Integrity Chief Bruce Garner of Atlanta has been sworn in as Integrity's ninth president, succeeding Kim Byham of Guttenberg, New Jersey. Garner, a native of Atlanta served two terms as president of AID Atlanta,Jnc:, one of the largest AIDS service organizations . in the country. He served as Integrity's National AIDS coordinator and represented Integrity on the planning team for the Second National Episcopal AIDS Conference. Raised a Baptist, Garner was confirmed in the Episcopal Church in 1965, and has since been an active member of various parishes . HVCC To Sponsor Fall Ball The Huron Valley Community Church of Ann Arbor, Michigan will □ repeat its highly successful "Spring Fling" chemical-free dance for th e lesbian and gay community. The "Fall Ball" is tentatively scheduled for October 20th. For information call (313)434-1452. Ex-Gays? There Are None Lambda Chrisffan Fellowship is pleased to announce a new book by Rev. Sylvia Pennington - an examination of ex-gay ministries - what they do - what they don't do. You'll meet people who, only through God's grace, have survived and stopped trying to be ex-gays, because, in truth, there is no such thing as an ex-gay fl]ISOf1. Now Available From Lambda Christian Fellowship P. 0. Box 1967 Hawthorne, CA 90250 $15.00 plus $1.50 for postage and handling. California residents add 6% sales lax. A Presbyterian Promise "We will work to increase the acceptance and participation in the church of all persons regardless of racial-ethnic origins, sex, class, age, disability, marital status or sexual orientation" - 195th General Assembly (1983), Atlanta, Georgia If this is your promise, too, we invite you to join Presbyterians for Lesbian/Gay Concerns Write to Elder James D. Anderson PLGC, P.O. Box 38, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0038, 201/846-1510 September/October 1990 m Calendar . Thef ollowinga nnouncementhsa ve □ beens ubmittedb y sponsoringo r affiliatedg roups. 13th Annual Affirmation General Conference SEPTEMBER 7-9, Affirmation, the national organization for gay and lesbian Mormons will meet in Scottsdale, Ariwna. UFMCC leader Rev. Troy Perry will be the keynote speaker for the gathering, themed "Let Our Light So Shine." A variety of workshops will be offered including "Child Custody Issues for Gay People." For information write to Affirmation Conference, P.O. Box 26488, Tempe, AZ 85285-6488 or call (602)396-6950. Reconciliation MCC Campmeeting 1990 SEPTEMBER 13-16, Reconciliation MCC, Grand Rapids, Michigan, sponsors a gathering for "Powerful . and Positive Messages" featuring two dynamic speakers, Rev. Delores P. Berry, co-founder of the National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays and an organizer of the first Gay and Lesbian March on Washington, and Rev. Elder Freda Smith, who has appeared on local and national television in the United States and Canada as a spokesperson for numerous gay rights activities. Cost is $35.00. For information write lo Reconciliation MCC, P.O. Box 1259, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Affirmation Fall National Meeting SEPTEMBER 14-16, Christ United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C. is the setting for the 1990 meeting of Affirmation. 'To Everything A Season ... A Time To Grow" is the theme of the gathering, hosted by Mid-Atlantic Affirmation, The. meeting will be a special time of reflection and renewal and a celebration of the history and future of Affirmation. For information write: National Meeting, P.O. Box 23636, Washington, DC 20026. Second National ANIN Conference SEPTEMBER 16-18, The Second AIDS National Interfaith Network HIV/ AIDS Ministries Conference II will offer opportunities for persons committed to HIV/ AIDS ministries to learn, share experiences, dicuss mutual concerns, strengthen networking relationships, consider advocacy strategies, worship together and nurture and inspire one another. The Bismarck Hotel, Chicago, is the setting. Faith Temple's Advance SEPTEMBER 28-30, Faith Temple in Washington, D.C. sponsors a three day event themed "Advance to Wholeness in Christ" for the gay and lesbian community lo discover and celebrate wholeness in spirit, sexuality and individuality. The National 4-H Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland, is the setting. Workshops include Sexuality and Scripture, Relationships and Ministry in the Black Gay and Lesbian Community. Fee of $90.00 includes food, housing and transportation during the conference. For information contact Faith Temple, c/o 1313 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005, or call (202)544-2766. Advance '90 OCTOBER 3-8, The Community Gospel Church of Houston, Texas hosts Advance '90 sponsored by Advance Christian Ministries. The program through October 5th is designed for pastors and their partners. October 5-8 is the fifth annual Advance Weekend. For information write to Kris Waggoner, cf o 4001-C Maple Avenue, Dallas, TX 75219 or call (214)522-1520 or (214)943-8081. Brethren/Mennonite Convention OCTOBER 5-7, "Building Our Community: Strategies for the 90's" is the theme for the Brethren/Mennonite Council for Lesbian and Gay Concerns international convention to be held in Philadelphia, Penn. Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, author of numerous books on theological, feminist and gay /lesbian issues, will keynote the conference. For more information write: BMC Conference, Box 65724, Washington, DC 20035. Kansas City GLAD Event OCTOBER 5-8, The Gay, Lesbian and Affirming Disciples Alliance, an organization of laity and clergy of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada, holds its 1990 conference at the Tall Oaks Conference Center, near metropolitan Kansas City. Themed "Lift As We Oimb", the event will be .keynoted by Rev. Jan Griesinger, Co-moderator of the United Church Coalition for Lesbian/ Gay Concerns. Optional workshops on gay and lesbian parenting, liturgy, creative movement, coming out, and health and nurture are planned . .Strategy and organizational groups will discuss regional and local GLAD chapter development, Open and Affirming Congregation development and preparing for the denomination's 1991 General Assembly in Tulsa. Early registation fee of $90.00 includes dormitory lodging and all meals except Saturday dinner. For more information or to register, write to GLAD, P.O. Box 19223, Indianapolis, IN 46219-0223 or call Randy Palmer, (309)755-2498. Second National Conference On Lesbian and Gay Legal Issues OCTOBER 5-8, Sponsored by the National Lesbian and Gay Law Association, the I..avcndar Law II Conference will feature experienced panelists from around the country who will provide insight into the struggle of Lesbians and gay men for fundamental civil liberties, and equal rights to personal affairs, employment, government services, public accommodations, health care, along with many other issues of concern to the community. Nationally known lecturers and authors will present substantive workshops and will provide insight into instituting change. Registration fees are on a sliding scale by income levels. Special reduced rates are available for students and low income practitioners. Registration materials can be obtained by contacting Conference Co-Chairs Jeff G. Peters and Abby R. Rubenfeld at P.O. Box 120795, Nashville, 1N 37212-0795. Third Annual 'Creating Change' Gathering NOVEMBER 9-12, Lesbian and gay THE SECOND STONE activists from around the nation will meet in Minneapolis for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's third annual Creating Change conference. The Holiday Inn Metrodome is the setting. The conference will feature leading activists from the national and grassroots gay and lesbian scene, prominent and provocative speakers, 42 skills-building workshops, social events, organizing sessions and more. Plenary speakers will be Barbara Smith, black lesbian feminist writer and activist, Dr. C. T. Vivian, civil rights activist and Center for Democratic Renewal chairman and Kate Clinton, popular feminist humorist. Early registration is $120.00. The Chicago Resource Center has provided a grant to help fund a scholarship program for people of color and people with disabilities. Contact NGLTF, 1517USt. NW, Washington, DC 20009 or call (202)332-6483. Women's Thanksgiving Cruise NOVEMBER 17-24, Robin Tyler Productions presents a seven night women's Thanksgiving cruise to the Mexican Riviera on the SS Bermuda Star, a magnificent luxury vessel that has all the spaciousness and ambiance of the dassic era cruise ships. Join over 800 other women from all over the world on the high seas on a cruise from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan. For furthur information, write to Robin Tyler Productions, 15842 Chase St., Sepulveda, CA 91343 or call 1-818-893-4075. Robin Tyler is now producing two of the major women's music and comedy festivals (7th Annual Southern and 11th Annual West Coast) as well as this cruise, thereby producing the highest number of national women's events. SEND EVENT NOTICES TO: CALENDAR, TiiE SECOND STONE, P.O. BOX 8340, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 1991 Gayellow Pages Released The 18th edition ofthe USA/Canada Gayellow Pages has been released by Renaissance House. Copies are on sale at most gay, feminist, and alternative bookstores, or may be ordered by mail from Renaissance House, Box 292, Village Station, New York, NY 10014. USA cost for discreet first class mailing is $10.00. Essay □ Jesus and Self-Esteem Biblical Primer On Coming Out By Dr. Budc!y Truluck Columnist Who can I tell? What if my parents find out? Will I lose my job if my homosexuality is discovered at work? Does this cut me off from God? These are some of the most crucial and perplexing questions faced by Lesbians and Gays. "Coming out" means to admit and accept the fact that you are homosexual and to tell at least one other person. Coming out can involve a lot of uncertainty and stress and can take a long time. It can be planned and voluntary or sudden and involuntary. Later stages of coming out can take a lifetime and can include letting your family . know, going to openly gay places, telling your friends, identifying with the lesbian/gay culture, openly living with a lover, telling your boss and co-workers, and becoming an activist for lesbian/ gay causes. You cannot decide whether or not to be homosexual. You can only decide how you will handle it. The Bible offers help in handling every aspect of life. How can the Bible be a friend of Lesbians and Gays in handling the stress and decisions of coming out? Begin with your firm conviction that "God didn't make no junk!" Selfhate, denial and low self-esteem are persistent enemies of the "love, joy and peace" that God promised. You cannot come out to God. God already knows every,.thing about you. The "Serinon on the Mount" in Matthew 5,6 and 7 is about being honest with yourself, honest to God and honest with others. Self acceptance begins with being willing to face and admit the truth about yourself. Self awareness and self acceptance are the basic aims of both modern psychotherapy and the Sermon on the Mount! Just as you cannot "love your neighbor as yourself'' until you love yourself, you cannot be honest with · others until you are honest with yourself. "To your own self be true" is the preface to all meaningful programs of recovery from addition. The Twelve Step Program in Alcoholics Anonymous begins with "We admitted ... " Denial is the deadly enemy of recovery. Denial deprives the individual of the first step towards a full and meaningful life. Denial says NO to the t:~th by saying NO to the self. Living is the closet is a life of fear and deception. In the closet, you learn to lie to those you love the most to "protect them from being hurt." You lie to your parents, to your Gay/Lesbian Mormons To Meet In Arizona SCOTTSDALE, Az. - Affirmation, the national organization serving gay and lesbian Mormons, their families arid friends, will hold its 12th Annual Conference September 7-9, 1990. In announcing the conference theme and individuals who have accepted the invitation to par.ticipate as speakers, panelists, and entertainers, the planning committee expressed enthusiasm for the overall program and anticipated attendance. "We wanted to. create a weekend agenda with diversity," said Co-Chairman Keith Johnson, "and each guest will bring to the conference a wealth of personal experience, spirituality, and insight that will address a broad range of issues of importance to gay and lesbian Mormons. Co-Chairman Irwin Phelps added that "this conference builds on the successes of previous conferences and we welcome . all, both members and non-members who are interested in attending." "Let Our Light So Shine" is the official Affirmation Conference theme and workshops, panel discussions, and addresses will expand to this overall ·concept. The keynote address will be delivered by The Rev. Troy D. Perry, foun<;ler of the .. Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches. Carol Lynn Pearson, author, actress and poet will perform her critically acclaimed one woman show, "Mother Wove the Morning." See Calendar. Business or Personal ... Try a Second Stone Classified Ad family, and to your closest friends "to protect them from being hurt." Or is it just the easy way out to protect yourself? Lying becomes a way of life. Later, after you come out, it's hard to quit lying. You are addicted to lying. You lie to your Jover "to protect him or her from being hurt" too. No matter how you slice it, the closet is a lie. Jesus met the issue head on . "Let your word Yes mean Yes and your No mean No. Anything beyond that is evil." Does that seem extreme and harsh? Not if your goal is to become like God! Remember that the demands of Jesus are not hard: they are impossible! What is not possible for you is possible with God. The New Testament says everywhere that the love that makes life new and wonderful for believers is given by God. Jesus rejected violence and deceit and chose the way of love and truth. The word hypocrite is from the Greek word for "mask" and means to wear a mask or pretend to play a part that is not the real you. "Hypocrite" is one of the few words that is exactly the same word in Greek and in English and was Jesus' harshest label for religious leaders who were dishonest, mean, unjust, insensitive, judgmental of others and blind to their own faults. Psychiatrist Harry Stack Sullivan concluded that what people fear and avoid most fo life is a clear and honest look at themselves. What do you fear seeing in yourself? What forms of denial have you developed to protect yourself from the real you? Have you come out? What did it cost you? Have you stayed in the closet? What has that cost you? Buddy Truluck is a former Southern Baptist pastor. Presently this energetic Bible scholar is teaching a series entitled "The Bible As A Friend of Lesbians and Gays• at San Francisco's Golden Gate MCC, where he serves as p~tor. He was educated at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Back Issues NOW AV AILABLE ... in case you missed them! A great way for new subscribers to find out what we've been up to! All orders shipped promptly by first class mail. Outreach ... is the light under a bushel for Gays & Lesbians? Newbriefs. travel & book review. More from Bruce Roller, Bill Urban. m Dr. Virginia Uribe's program for gay teens under attack by religious conservatives. Plus ... are you supporting causes that discriminate against Gays? A change of -heart? Ex-gay ministries say there is another choice •.. an ex-gay's story. More from Martin Fowler, Michael Blankenship. m Aft.er the AIDS·death of her son, Beverly Barbo set out to change church attitudes towards Gays .. More from Louie Crew, Sylvia Pennington. To order send $2.25 plus 65 cents per issue for first class postage. (Foreign orders add $1.00 per issue.) Issues prior to #6 are SOLD our. PLEASE SEND ME ...... COPIES EACH OF I )#6 [ ]#7 [ ]#8 [ ]#9 Name ...... ... .. ... . ...... . . . .... . . . ...... ..... : ................... . Address ......... . ............................................ · . . ... . City, State & Zip ..................... .................. .. .... ..... . -'~· Septe -m ber / October 1990 II ;,Closer Look The P rophe t J erem iah and Hi s Scr ibe, Baruch Longtime Companions l!y Rev. Bruce Roner Contributing Writer Was the prophet Jeremiah gay? As I have written before in the introduction to this series of articles , I do not have enough information · .. about the ancient Biblical characters about whom I write this year to say what any of their gender orientations may have been. Instead I write my reflections about some of the people in the Bible who . help to tell the story of the relationships of gay and lesbian people. Jeremiah is one such person. The prophet Jeremiah has revealed his personal life and struggles to us in greater depth and detail in Scripture than any other Hebrew prophet. Jeremiah was a priest from Anathoth, an unpopular prophet whose ministry must have made him seem quite eccentric and certainly dangerous to his comtemporaries. Jeremiah never married. Jeremiah 16:1-4 records that the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah saying, "Yo.u must not marry." "For this is what the Lord says about the sons and <laughers born in this land and about the women who are their mothers and the men who are their fathers: 'They will die of deadly diseases. They will not be mourned or buried but will be like refuse lying on the ground. They will perish by sword and famine, and their dead bodies will become food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the e<1rth."' Jeremiah's willingness to obey God's command not to marry certainly does not signal that he is gay. It does , however, place him firmly in the tradition of modern gay and lesbian Christians whose refusal to follow oppressive traditional religious beliefs about who and when to marry, sets us apart as targets for further attempts at oppression and judgment from our peers. The "confessions" of Jeremiah, in which he exposes the deep spiritual - the one that deals most honestly with how men relate to each other, to women, and to kids; the one that's gay-affirmative and opposes sex-role stereotypes, . . . the one that movingly explores men's hurts and joys . . . ______________ State_ Zip __ I Moll to: Chon 1n Men 306 N Brooks 305A Madison WI I ------~------------------ and theological struggles in his spirit make him perhaps the most human of the Hebrew prophets. Reading these in Jeremiah 11:18-23; 12:1-4; 15:10-21; 17:12-18; 18:18-23; and 20:7-18, one is struck by Jeremiah's honest feelings about God, his ambivalence toward his calling, his frustration with his enemies, his pain at being a "prophet of doom." The anguish of his spirit is evident throughout his writings. Indeed he is rightly called the "weeping prophet." His honest, questioning loyalty to God, however , continually makes him courageous in his service to God. Jeremiah's loyalty to God is nearly matched by the service to Jeremiah of his. closest companion and faithfu I secretary, Baruch. Baruch is seldom spoken of in fundamentalist circles . Little is known of him . In fact, nothing unrelated to the life of Jeremiah is recorded about this faithful man, though it is possible that Baruch was responsible for. the final compilation of the book of Jeremiah itself. If God ever overcame obstacles to put two people together in a longterm committed relationship, Jeremiah and Baruch are the perfect examples. Jeremiah had only four "friends" of whom we are told in his book. Certainly his introspective and · self-critical manner was not conducive to long and happy friend- PATLAR · VOfCE OF GAY /\MERICA MONTHLY NEWSMAGAZINE FREE AT OUR DISTRIBUTION POINTS SUBSCRIPTIONS $35 ANNUALLY SAMPLE 1 t'Jp~~s)itT¼~~k usA S4 FOR INFO ON ADVERTISING po c~k mW?llJ~~~-t62cl}?~~22 Business or Personal ... Try a Second Stone Classified Ad m THE SECOND STONE □ ships. Yet Baruch remained with him even accompanying him on the long road to exile in Egypt (43:6-7). Jeremiah 45 makes clear that Baruch shared to some extent the anguish and calling of Jeremi ah , and Jeremiah 43 :3 indicates that Ba ruch was recognized, not just as Jeremiah's scribe and companion, but as someone with a great influence on Jeremiah. Some hostile leaders seemed to think that Baruch was the power behind the u tteranccs of the great proph et. It was Baruch that Jeremiah trusted faithfully to write the utterances that eventually made up the book of Jer e miah (36:4-32). Not only was Baruch faithful to write the prophetic words that he certainly knew would be deemed treasonous, but he willingly went to the temple and read the words, finally reading them again in the presence of the king's highest officials. He was willing to risk his life for his friend Jeremiah . Jeremiah also trusted him with his personal business, giving him a deed of purchase to deposit for safekeeping for Jeremiah (32:11-16). Is the story of Baruch and Jeremiah so often untold because it has so many lessons in loving and intimate companionship between two people of the same gender? In sermons and lessons where faithfulness is the central idea the story of Baruch's lifetime commitment to the prophet Jeremiah seems a perfect illustration. Nobody knows if there was ever physical or "romantic" expression of the commitment of Jeremiah and Baruch, but for affection, shared interests and concern, faithfulness to death and beyond (if Baruch was indeed the compiler of the current book of Jeremiah), trust, and oneness, there is no question that these "longtime companions" were an inspiring couple. The help us to tell and hear our stories as gay and lesbian believers . The Reverend Bruce Roller is pastor of Reconciliation MCC in Grand Rapids, MI: He has prepared a workbook on 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 that is available for $3.50 plus 25% handling and shipping. This book allows the student to draw conclusions themselves from the Word of God, and has helped many people over their fear of condemnation from this passage of Scripture. The workbook is available from Faithful Publications, P .O. Box 3701, Grand Rapids, MI 49501. Two Dads Washington CoupleAdopt A Son BY MATT NAGLE For the first eight years of his life, Gene was passed around to various families through Washington state's foster care system . Gene is slightly developmentally disabled, afflicted by fetal alcohol syndrome. Instead of being given love and attention during those years, Gene was given drugs that kept him sedated during the day, but awake and hyperactive at 4:00 a.m. He wasn't hugged when he needed it or talked to when he wanted it. He was just another face in the system . Then, in 1989, Gene's life changed when he was legally adopted by Michael and David Serkin-Poole, his two new Dads. "It really is possible," said David. "There was a little more paperwork we had to go through, a few more hoops we had to clear, but we did it. We dotted every 'i' and crossed every 't' and we did it ." "We've always wanted a child, " Michael said . "We have the time, the resources and the support system. There are a lot of kids out there who would be great sons and daughters and given the amount of Gays and Lesbians in this country, we could empty the entire foster care system." The Serkin-Poole's adoption may have been the first time in Washington state and the nation that two gay men have adopted a child not related to either adoptive parent. However it is difficult to be sure of this. According to Shelly Cohen, the Serkin-Poole's attorney, and attorney Eric Watness who also works on adoption cases, adoption records and paperwork arc sealed and closely guarded by the courts. Therefore, even attorneys are not allowed to dig through the records for research. "All we know is what we hear or read about," Cohen said. Gay and lesbian adoptions in themselves are nothing new, but so far, the market has been cornered by Lesbians and in every case known by Cohen and Watness (of which there are 11), the child was the biological child of one pa rtncr or one pa rtncr was artificially inseminated and she and her partner co-adopted the child. Cohen said that even though the Serkin-Poole's adoption was not difficult, it may be too early for other gay male couples to run out and expect to be able to easily adopt children. "The Serkin-Poole's were the perfect test case," Cohen said. David is a ' < The Serkin-Pooles: Michael, Gene and David Cantor and director of education at a local synagogue and Michael has worked for years with developmentally disabled adults. Therefore, it was natural for Gene to be placed with them. Despite the statistics, the Serkin-Pooles firmly believe that gay and lesbian couples can adopt children in Washington state and Michael and David hope that they will set an example for others . "Washington is one of the few states where same sex adoption is possible," David said . "From .a legal standpoint, Michael and I are single. But the law says two single persons may adopt a child if it is in the best interest of the child. It d oes n ' t specify sex; it just says two single persons." Gene loves having two Dads. "They're fun. They play Nintendo with me," he said as he hugged Michael. Gene plays baseball on a special olympics team and his parents belong to the PT A. · "We were real comfortable adopting a child who doesn't fit ' the norm,' w hatever tha t is, " David said. "We were comfortable with a wide range of possibilities in age and disability. There are tons of children out there if you are willing to take a non-infant. There are so many children in foster care just being bounced around." With the Serkin-Poole's open minds and hearts, they were able to adopt Gene in nine months (just like a pregnancy , joked Michael.) The majority of straight couples ha ve been known to wait years wading . through the adoption process in search of that "perfect child." As a direct result of living with Michael and David, Gene no longer has a need to be m edicated . "He's on his last medication now ," Michael said. "We're willing to manage his behavior without medication by using positive reinforcement and a lot of love and attention he never got being in a foster home with 11 or 12 kids." Gene is also working with a speech therapist . "When he first came to us, all he could do was point and grunt/ David said. "He couldn 't even speak a full sentence:" No w, Gene talks up a storm. An occupational therapist is helping Gene gain dexterity in using his hands. He is learning to read and write and is revealing a creative nature . For Father's Day, Gene and his classmates made their fathers a booklet entitled "The Important Thing About My Dad ." But Gene has two Dads so, since the title page on the cover of the booklet was computer printed for all the children, Gene's teacher helped him pencil in an "s" September/October 1990 on the end of the word "Dad." Another interesting aspect about this family is that Michael and David had their last names legall y changed. "We did that as a way of getting around the issue that we cannot be legally married," David explained . "A symbol of family in this society is to have the same last name, so that's why we did that because it felt as close as we could get to signifying this is one family." Serkin was David's last name and Poole was Michael's so they just combined the two with a hyphen . Gene's last name is also Serkin-Poole. Both Michael and David were impressed with the support th ey received from Gene's foster hom e, his teachers and the court system throughout the adoption. The two were investigated thoroughl y, but "I think all couples should be investigated that closely," David said . " If alJ parents went through what we did , it would be great . We would have a lot less child abuse and children put in unfit homes." David said he and Michael, among other things, were put through psychological evaluations and home studies that they passed with flying colors. "We had social workers from the state representing us and Gene, writing up th es e glowing repo rts about us, that this is the best place for the child . Certainly, Gene had a tough beginning in life, and needs parents to give him attention and love," David said. "Even Gene's two teachers went to court with us prepared to testify for us, but it never came to that," Michael said. Gene has been accepted by Michael and David 's families, too, although Michael 's parents were initially shocked . "I told my mother for a year we were adopting, but she wasn' t listening. She never thought is was going to happen . So one day I called and said, 'It happened! He's in our house!' And she said, ' Who's in our house?' And I said, 'Our son!' 'What son?' And she still believes I told her for the first time . But she's great no w and she loves Gene . David's immediate family liv es in Los Angeles , and they, too, embr ace d : Gene from th e moment they sa w him. "It was a real nice experience," David said. "That unconditional love ." Of cou rse, the Serkin-Poolcs took their son to Disney Land and d id "that whole tourist thing," accord ing SEE ADOPTION, Page 20 m , Books □- . Miracles, She Claimed . Immodest Acts, The Life of a Lesbian Nun in Renaissance Italy By Michael Blankenship Contributing Writer Certainly one of the most fascinating books I've read is one entitled Immodest Acts, The Life of a Lesbian Nun in Renaissance Italy, by Stanford University history professor Judith C. Brown. It is a book that takes the entire spectrum of the church's oppression of homosexuals J\11 angry young poet's intimate discourse with God on faith, gay love, AIDS and the CaLholic Church's controversial stand condemning homcsexuality. .. S:mlonic, sophiSlicatcd ... There is so much to be enjoyed here, t his reviewer ex.hons rcaJcrs lo add Sa With God to thei!" list of gifLs for special friends." -Lambda Rising Se~ Witfi (jocf Dy Thomas O'Neil Ulustrations by Ty Wi.l!-or, Send SS.95 plus $1.50 for postage and handling to: Indulgence Press, P.O. Box 965, Dept.V, N.Y., N.Y .. 10023. Add 50¢ forN.'(. State orders. during the Reformation and puts a face on it, making it a personal account that brings our history to life. The transcripts on which this book is based were discovered, purely by chance, by Brown while researching some other aspects of Florentine history, and the account which she has produced reads with the flow and excitement of a historical novel. Her well-researched introduction "Sweet, 1exy and tlQpemeful, Secret Matter affirm, a tranacendeolAl ·vi,ion of being gay," M.,1,Tl,.._,c.,,,1',i,,W,..,.<llf--:.O, ... sci1mcs fiction as conlempora,y religious myth. n!:~n~~ "C::r~~:i~f gay spiritualities, was a friend & student of Joseph Campbell. ~ !hi, delitnvl, ~~PJ.::ii:=;;,~j~: to gay e~rience & 9ives lhe world o new hero in o ·.~~~e o~I :~~~,! thotfe~ Story of Creation 01 yoo always woniad it k>ld. .. . o ouli 1lolemenl of gay spiritual cooKiousnen in a poge-fvrning plot you'H foll in IO¥e wiln ,. ..• a book from the heart ••. ■ J.o a very intriguing, captivating rud." o-..c..i..., ...,....~.• 1Anoa.,-, Avoilobi. ct you loeol booksfo!9 Of by molfl om lberty Soob:, 1014"BN.Lomor,Aurih.TX78703. s.ndS10+Sl.50P&.H(Texaw odd81ol'clX. Ore onVlso/MC OYOf. Cole008281279. A Provocative New Look at Sexuality and the Church LIVING IN SIN? A Bishop Rethinks Human Sexuality John Shelby Spong • Should the chu rch receive homosexua ls into its fellowship and support responsib le, committed gay and lesbian coup les? • Should the w idowed be allowed to form intimate re lationship s without remarrying? • Shou ld congregations publicly and I iturgically witness and affirm divorces? In his most controversial book ever, Bishop Spong calls for a new moral vision to empower the church with a more inclusive teaching about equal, loving, nonexploitative human relationships . Addressing the concerns of real people in real situations, he w rites with candor, courage, and compassion. Paperback, $9.95 Available at your local bookstore. Also available from HarperCollins Canada Ltd. iM1i1 HarperSanFrancisco - A. Division of H:uperCollinsPNblisbm offers a concise history of the Christian church's stance toward "the sin which can not be named." This leads into the lifestory of Benedetta Carlini, an impressive and controversial sixteenth century nun, who could possibly have achieved sainthood, had not her secret been revealed. Benedetta's life began in a remote mountain village to the north of Florence.· Her birth was a difficult one, and fearing that both mother and child might die, her father _ beseeched God to spare their lives, prqmising to dedicate the child to the religious life. Almost miraculously both survived, and the newborn girl was named Benedetta, meaning blessing. At the age of nine she was taken by her father to become a member of the Theatine Community, a group of religious women organizing their own convent at that time. Benedetta was placed in this newest of the local religious institutions because dowries at the more prestigious convents were too expensive. This might seem shocking by today's standards, when free choice is very much a part of an individual's commitment to the religious life. But, at this time when women had no power and few options for their lives, they did as their families (fathers) directed. Many unmarried or widowed women entered the convents, not out of any sort of religious conviction, but merely as a way of survival. Women were also · taught that only through suffering could they attain spiritual purity, so we find them in the book literally flagellating themselves with short whips . Sister Benedetta's first years with the Theatines were unremarkable, but about the age of 23 she started having mystical visions which drew the attention of the other nuns. Her visions began as beautiful meandering through highly symbolic gardens, but these rapidly progressed to nightmares of being savagely beaten by gangs of handsome young men. It soon became apparent to the Mother Superior that Benedetta was being seriously disturbed by these supernatural apparitions, and it was at this time that she assigned a young companion named Bartolomea to assist when Benedetta's visions would violently erupt during the night. This unwittingly gave II THE SECOND STONE Benedetta the means to act out her erotic visions. After the visions had become somewhat commonplace, other marvelous things began to occur, which were always witnessed and corroborated by Bartolomea . While visions and trances were considered to be miracles of a sort, it was when Benedetta received the stigmata, the signs of the holy wounds of Christ, upon her body that the church officials took notice. The stigmata was a miracle of another sort, and demanded an appropriate elevation in rank . She was immediately appointed to the position of Abbess. As her control increased so did the miracles. "By the direction of Christ" she planned an elaborate wedding ceremony in which Christ took her as his bride. Later as a sign of the wedding a golden "ring" appeared on her finger. She was abo allowed by the Bishop to preach to the other nuns while under the influence of a male angel named Splenditello (as long as the masculine traditions were upheld .) And, while there is no explanation as to what was happening over the skies of the convent, a "comet" came to rest over the convent for several days . Jealous competition, of course, can ruin even the best laid plans, and such was the case with Benedetta . During an investigation of the supposed miracles some of the fellow nuns revealed what they had seen while peeking through her keyhole. The wounds were self-ipflicted, and the gold ed "ring" received a little help with a pinch of saffron. Bartolomea was brought forward to testify and she told how Benedetta, under the power of Splenditello, had repeatedly embraced her, speaking words of love, and forced herself upon her "until both corrupted themselves." Considering the fact that this had been occuring for a period of two years, as least three times a week (as the investigation revealed), it is amazing that the horrified Bartolomea had not reported these attacks sooner. Benedetta's charade had come to an end, and what followed was a 35 year imprisonment, the terrors of which we can only imagine. And while her many miracles were explained away we're still left with ·one small mystery: exactly what was the "comet" that halted for several days over the convent? The Ca regiver s' Journey First Guidebook For AIDS Caregivers Mel Pohl, M .D ., Deniston Kay , Ph.D. , and Doug Toft, authors ; Hazelden, Center City , MN. 249 pp. $9.95, paperback. The Caregivers' Tourney: When You Love Someone with AIDS, is the first AIDS resource to explore the question, "What about the caregivers?" The authors address the feelings and experiences common to AIDS caregivers, such as guilt, sham e, fear and ang er and loss of health, friends, family relationships and jobs . The authors draw parallels between coping as as AIDS caregiver and Secret Matter recovery from chemical depen de ncy and apply the same idea s used in recovery from chemical dependency to AIDS caregivers . "We can suffer emotionally from th e presence of AIDS in our loved ones much like the perso n who lives with an alcoholic or other addict," write the authors. "That suffering is real and is intensified by two kinds of relationship problems: trying to control our loved ones' lives and well -being, and basing our serenity on their serenity." The Caregivers' Tourney offers · a solution through interdependence or "the art of loving New Gay Sci Fi Novel Secret Matter is a gay science fiction roma nce with a delightfully positive message, a cap tiva tin g and moving plot, and an unforgettable alien. The new novel by Toby Johnson has just been released by Lavendar Press. When aliens arrived from space, Kevin Anderson had no idea the Visitors' real reason for coming to Earth would ever affect him. He was, after all, just a young architect fresh out of college. But one bright summer afternoon at Lands' End, Kevin met a Visitor. And hrs life was never the same again. As Kevin uncovered layer after lay er of the secrets of the Visitors' lives, the secret about his own life he'd been hiding even from himself became more obvious and more compelling. And he began to realize that his telling the truth about himself might help the Earth discover the truth about the Visitors - before it was too late. Secret Matter is a delightful romantic comedy with an 'Wha t Did Miss Darrington See?' Wins Lambda and Readercon Award s What Did Miss Darrington See? An Anthology: of Feminist Supernatural Fiction, edited by Jessica Amanda Salmonson and introduced by Rosemary Jackson, has been honored with two awards. The book received the Readercon Small Press 1990 Award for Best Anthology, followed by a Lambda Literary Award in the lesbian sdence fiction category, presented June 1 at the American Booksellers Association convention . The 24 entertaining and haunting stories collected in What Did Miss Darrini:ton See? make available a literary tradition that has long been overlooked. Included are stories from the United States, from England , and, in translation, from Latin America . Many of the authors' names are familiar - Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, Olive Schreiner, Anne Sexton, Joanna Russ, and · Luisa Valenzuela, for example . Others less well known are now accessible to the modern reader . Whet her writing about supernatural phenomena or applying the techniques of magic realism, allegory, and surrealism, these diverse talerits focus on female cha racters and treat a variety of traditional themes in inventive and provocative ways. without being consumed ." Outlining the tools used by such self-he lp groups as Al-Anon, The Caregivers' journev takes readers through the initial shock of the AIDS diagnosis, through the stages most caregivers commonly experience, to acceptance of what is happening to them and their loved one. The book covers codependency and interdependence , coping with HIV illness, learning about AIDS, dealing with misin formatio n, going beyond the facts and working with th e multitude of feelings the caregiver has. This coping process is captured undercurrent of dramatic tension and suspense, the right touch of science fiction, and, as fans of Toby Johnson will recognize, just the right measure of mystical wisdom to make this a novel you'll long remember - and feel a pang of fondness and pride. Secret Matter combines the gay and science fiction genres into a satisfying hybrid that 's bound to appeal to gay readers and science fiction fans. E mpathy is a journal that d eserves our .>upport for th e o riginal and creative work it does an the inte res t of truth and justice. .f. Rev. Malcolm Boyd, author of 23 books including Are You Running with Me,jwu?, Take Off the Masks, and Gay Priest · E mpathy provides a mui:h~needcd a nd welcom ed communication link for persons involved in education about homophob ia. At its best it will kee p us informed and in much, supponed and challenged, excited a nd pro ud. ;,f. Brian McNaught, lecturer and author of On Being Gay: Th oughts on Family, Faith, and Lov e September/October 1990 □ at the beginning o(eac h chapter in· vignettes tracing t he real - life journeys of three families - a gay couple, an extended Latin o family and a heterosexua l coup le - living with AIDS. These stories dispe l myths about who gets AIDS, and shed light on the challenges common to all AIDS caregi vers. For laypersons or prof essional s, this boo k sends an empowering message to its readers: tha t th ey are not alone in their struggles, and that they can take care of themselv es whi le cari ng for someone w ith AIDS. Unlike many of the nove ls in the science fiction sections of lesbian and gay bookstores which earn their place simply by having a gay charac ter somewhere in the plot, Secret Matter skillfully an d surprisingly incorporates t he issues of sexual orientation directly in to the science fiction premise of the plot, SEE SECRETM ATIER ,Page20 - Empathy vfn Interdisciplinary journal for Persons Working to End Oppression on the Basis of Sexual Identity PUBI.ISHED TWICE A YE.AR, EMPATHY INCLU DES SCHO V.RLY E.SSAYS, PROSE AND POET RY, PRACTITIONER ARTICL£S, ANECDOTA L ESSAYS, AND RESEARCH REPORTS AS WELL AS ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAl'H IES FOR RESOURC E MATERIALS, RECENT RESEARCH AND BOOKS. THE JOURNAL SERVES PEOPLE WORKING IN EDUCATION, COUNSELING , HE.AL TH CARE, SOCIAL WORK, COMM UNITY ACflVlSM, AND THE MIN ISTRY NATIONALLY AND JNTERNATIONAUY. One year (2 issu~s) individua l subsc ription s10 (sis institutional ) Make checks payable to Gay and Lesbian Advocacy Research Project (GLARP) arid mai l to: · Empathy, PO Box 5o85, Columbia, SC 29250. m Conventions May Skip Sodomy Law States Episcopalians Fight Sodomy Laws Integrity . the lesbian and gay justice ministry of the Episcopal Church, has called upon the denomination to refuse holding its triennial General Conventions in states with so-called "sodomy" laws. At its national convention in St. Louis, held in conjunction with the Under One Roof Conference which brought together various Episcopal social justice and social action ministries, Integrity passed a resolution calling "upon the General Convention of the Episcopal Church to honor its commitment to full civil equality for Lesbians and gay men and to oppose heterosexism by meeting only in states .which do not have 'sodomy' laws, beginning with the 1994 General Convention." Luther King, Jr. Holiday while saying nothing about the fact that many of us attending the convention will face possible criminal charges for what we do with our life partners in the privacy of our hotel rooms," said Fr. Woodrum. "It would be highly appropriate for the Episcopal Church to play a role in abolishing 'sodomy' statutes," Woodrum said, "since its parent, the Church of England, played a significant role in their institution . It would held redeem the church for its years of persecution of Lesbians and gay men." England abolished its "sodomy" statute in 1967, with the full support of the Church of England. The Church's Assembly (now called the General Synod) first called for repeal in 1957 . The Archbishop of Canterbury, Arthur Michael Ramsey, said in the House of Lords debate on the issue in 1965 that not all sins are properly given that status of crimes . Lutherans Release AIDS Report The resolution, authored by Integrity's outgoing national treasurer, the Rev. L. Paul Woodrum of New York, was a response to the perceived hypocrisy of the General Convention repeatedly calling for civil rights for Gays and Lesbians since .1976, but continuing to meet in states which palpably deny those basic rights. OAKLAND, CA. - A report just released here and in San Francisco marks the first time that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has developed a strategy for responding to the AIDS epidemic, either on the local or national level. The report, prepared by the Sierra Pacific Synod's Living With AIDS Task Force, calls on the church to be an example and lead the way in protecting the rights and dignity of people with AIDS. The report is designed to equip the church in Northern California and Northern Nevada to deal with AIDS in a variety of ways that include public policy advocacy, education, provision of direct services, and a welcoming attitude to all those affected by the disease. The Sierra Pacific Synod will begin implementing the recommendations contained in the report by declaring that members of the clergy or employees of the synod who contract the disease will be protected from discrimination in the church's employment policies. The report also calls on the national church to adopt the same policy . Michael Pozar, head of the Living With AIDS Task Force, said, "I'm so proud that our report is already being implemented in this important way. An epidemic of fear and discrimination is growing right along with the AIDS epidemic and this synod has made a resounding proclamation that it will be an example of courage and love in the face of this tragedy." Other important recommendations contained in the report · call for promoting AIDS education in grades K-12, establishing universal access to health care for all people, having congregations "adopt an AIDS agency" by raising funds and supplying volunteers, providing housing to benefit homeless people with AIDS, clearly affirming that AIDS is not a curse from God and creating more skilled . nursing facilities for people with AIDS. The report is the result of a two year process of study and public hearings at which people involved with the AIDS epidemic testified as to how the church could best respond to the disease. "It angered me that the Episcopal Church came very close to canceling the 1991 convention in Phoenix because of Arizona's lack of a Martin COVER STORY,FromPage9 said the churches are opened for two occasions: weddings and funerals. In most Christian churches in America, the church is open to Gays and Lesbians only for one of those occasions. Many feel the church is undeniably responsible for sewing the seeds of hate toward the lesbian and gay community. Jimmy Swaggart once told his Baton Rouge, Louisiana, congregation and worldwide television audience that scripture says Gays and Lesbians are worthy of death. And indeed many hate crimes committed against Gays and Lesbians do end in death. But the church remains the greatest single potential catalyst for changing attitudes of hate and disgust toward Gays and Lesbians, attitudes which could be boldly challenged LUTHE RANS From Pagel ordination policy overturned. Bob Nelson, a spokesperson for Lutherans Concerned of San Francisco, said that making the change will take much work on the local, synodical, and national level. "We cannot just sit back and wish things to happen our way. Or worse, pretend that they already have," said Nelson . "We, all of us, have to energetically m work toward our goal of total inclusivity . We have to become the 'militant homosexual lobby' that Jesse Helms is always ranting about." Nelson said there is a variety of ways individuals may influence change in the church including getting involved in a local congregation, speaking up at conference meetings and synod from America's pulpits. But the impact of the religious right continues to be felt, with fewer resources being directed toward the needs of the hungry, the homeless and the sick, and more attention and donation dollars being !}irected toward boycotting television shows, labeling records, censuring the arts, and lobbying against "threat groups" like Gays and Lesbians. assemblies, op ening dialogue with local candidacy committees and becoming a part of Lutherans Concerned . Nelson urg e d gay and lesbian Lutherans to come out. "Perhaps the single most important thing our church needs to und er stand is that we are not the perverts some think we are," he said . THE SECOND STONE Gay and lesbian activists hope for passage in this decade of a federal law protecting the · rights of Gays and Lesbians . But, as many black leaders will now attest, almost 30 years after the passage of the bill protecting the civil rights of African-Americans, much of the hate towarp blacks in this country still simmers . The church, rather than taking the lead in changing racist SOUTER FromPagel homosexuals from foster parentage, adoption, and as operators of all types of child care agencies." The House avowed that the purpose of the bill was "to protect children rather than to punish homosexual conduct." Although the opinion upholds, to an extent, the right of Lesbians and gay men to serve as licensed childcare attitudes over the past three decades, continues to be one of the most segregated institutions in America . There is little doubt that the church, which could, in the decades to come, play the largest role in changing the hateful attitudes that lead to gay bashing, will, itself, be the most vindictive basher. providers and teachers, it denies the right to become adoptive parents . "Gay men, Lesbians, people wi th AIDS and HIV and other Americans cannot afford any further erosions of our rights by the U. S. Suprem e Court," said Urvashi Vaid, Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Travel □ Tucson: Reminder Of The Old West By Cynthia A. Marquard and Danni Munson Contributing Writers . Although it is home to the University of Arizona and the site of several deluxe resorts, Tucson has managed to retain the feel of a good old western town. In and around Tucson you can experience 18th century Spanish Missions, visit western movie sets, explore the desert and its wildlife, yet also play golf or tennis or just lounge around the swimming pool. The city also has a respectable amount of gay/lesbian night life. So for those seeking a vacation at some place other than the usual gay /lesbian resort areas, such as Key West or Provincetown, Tucson is worth a try. The Spanish Past What is now Tucson was first settled in the late 1600s by Spaniards, and the area most definitely reflects the early Spanish influence. With the settlement came Spanish priests, who built missions of adobe brick. One of the best preserved examples of an old Spanish mission is San Xavier de! Bae (White Dove of the Desert), about seven miles outside Tucson. Unlike so many historic landmarks crowded by other buildings in urban settings, San Xavier stands alone, starkly white, on acres of open desert. The mission here was established in 1692 and the present stnictu°re was built between 1783 and 1797. There is iI'credibly ornate bride-and-plaster work on the external facade, behind the altar, in the sanctuary. Visitors can listen to lectures on the history of the mission every day except Sundays, then leisurely enjoy the building and its surroundings, which include a replica of the Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine. We also enjoyed the concessions outside operated by members of local Indian tribes. We sampled Indian fried bread prepared on a small metal stove under a primitive lean-to made of spiny Ochoa branches. Across the way from San Xavier there are several Indian-owned shops where we found excellent examples of Navaho and Hopi silver jewelry. Reliving the Wild West Another major attraction in the area is Old Tucson, a replica of an 1860s town, recalling the days of gunslingers, cowboys, and shoot-outs. Old Tucson is part amusement park, part movie set, and part outdoor museum. It has been the location for many famous western movies and TV programs, including Rio Bravo, El Dorado, High Chaparral, and Little House on the Prairie. Anyone even a little bit interested in how westerns are made will enjoy the guided tour of the sound stages at this "Hollywood of the desert." The dusty main street is flanked by wooden sidewalks. Interspersed with replicas of old west institutions, such as the dentist's office, jail, and other buildings, are shops where you can buy souvenirs, jewelry, and even models of-guns. There are also several restaurants. Visitors can also enjoy a ride through a haunted mine shaft and a mini-train trip around the property to view the outdoor movie sets. Exploring the Desert One of the truly remarkable museums in the world is the AriwnaSonora Desert Museum. The museum is really a zoo, botanical garden, and earth sciences exhibit. The exhibits are all designed to present the wildlife of the desert-from mountain lions and birds to snakes and lizardsin their natural settings. Docents are readily available to explain what you are looking at. Museum visitors are also invited to gaze out over the Sonora Desert and imagine how in 1540 the Spanish explorer Coronado and his troops marched up from Mexico and across this vast expanse of sand and desert. On the · day we visited and engaged our imaginations the temperature was well above the 100 degree mark, and Coronado's trek thus seemed all the more impressive . Surely they didn't wear those vest of metal armour. Besides the museum, there is ample opportunity around Tucson to experience the desert. . The drive to · the "other" place under the sun ... :t~J.5 ~=-~i~ \iest:cb •Pool A co:r:J J•uzzl •Free c011tlu11tal bnakrut Write or call for brochure. 120 E. Atol St., P. 0. Box 2326 South Padre Island, Texas 78597 (512)761-L YLE Air connections via American Continental Southwest the museum is through Saguaro National Monument, a forest of giant cactus. You can also go a few miles outside town and take a walk along the hiking trails in Sabino Canyon, a lovely park area. Good hiking boots _are recommended, and be sure to take along · plenty of drinking water. Dehydration can happen very quickly in the dry desert air, and you might not even feel thirsty. Tucson Dining For those who enjoy Mexican food, Tucson promises many gustatory delights. There is a unique "wherethe- natives-go" spot in the downtown area called El Minuto. It is named for a soup made of cows stomachs. Try some, if you dare . All the food is good and quite inexpensive. La Fuente (The Fountain) is a less casual restaurant where you can listen to a full mariachi band while enjoying a before-dinner cocktail and cheese crisp (a large flour tortilla smothered in melted cheese and flavored with green chiles, if you like). This style of cheese crisp is a Tucson original. To find out what's going on when you visit Tucson, pick up a copy of the local paper, The Observer. Cynthia A. Marquard is the owner/manager of Envoy Travel, Inc., in Chicago and vice-president of the International Gay Travel Assn. Danni Munson is the publisher of The Lesbian and Gay Almanac and Events of 1990. P. 0. Box 118 SL Bethlehem, NH 03S74 (603) 869-3978 OURWORLD The International Gay Travel Magazine Month by month, we invite you to explore the exciting world of travel available to gay men and lesbians. Each month we help you to discover the multitude of interesting hotels, inns and resorts that . welcome the gay traveler. Enjoy articles and color photos of a romantic hotel in Spain, a secluded retreat in Hawaii, a manor house in the English countryside, a Greek pe!l5ion overlooking the sea, a rustic resort in Colorado, and more --all catering to our lifestyle! Plus, every month, regular departments provide you with valuable information on gay events and festivals, . travel updates and tips, interviews, and the latest gay trips and tours-sail the Caribbean on a private yacht, join an expedition to Nepal, cruise the Mediterranean on a luxury liner or fly to Sydney for the Gay Mardi Gras. ~--------~ Whatever you're looking for, let OUR WORLD be your ticket to adventure. 1 year (12 colorful issues) only $ 44 (in the USA) - US$ 52 (Worldwide). First issue mails in 4-6 weeks in plain sealed envelope. Sample copy US$ 5. Mail To: Our World Publishing 1104 North Nova Road, Suite 251 Daytona Beach, Florida 32117 USA TEL: (904) 441-5367 September/October 1990 m Classifieds Books & Publications CHRISTIAN'NEW AGE OUARTERL Y explores the issues arising between Christians and .New Agers with authentic information, forthright honesty and, yes, real appreciation for both sides. Penetrating, yet fun, our features and columns forge a bridge for genuine dialogue. Subs: $9.50/yr. Sample: $2.50. CHRISTIAN'NEW AGE QUARTERLY, P. 0. Box 276, Clifton, NJ 07011-0276. TF EMERGE! A healing journal of EMERGENCE International: Christian Scientists Supporting Lesbians and Gay Men. For information and subscriptions write P.O. Box 581, Kentfield, CA 94914, or call (415)485-1881. 2/91 UNIQUE STUDY PACKET: Thinking It Through: United Methodists Look at the Church and Homosexuality. Useful for all denominations. 120 pages covering homophobia, theology, AIDS ministries, further resources. $10.00 postpaid from the Methodist Federation for Social Action, 76 Clinton Ave., Staten Island, NY 10301. 12/90 ARE YOU MOVING? The Post Office will not forward The Second Stone. You must notify us for 1,minter'rupted service if you move. Please notify us four weeks in advance for uninterrupted delivery . Send both old and new add resses. If possible attach mai lin g label in space provided. PRINT NEW ADDRESS N i, 0 0 1l' Send completed form to : THE SECOND STONE Box8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 Employmert THE OTHER SIDE, a Christian magazine of peace and justice issues, has a staff opening in Fredericksburg, Virginia or in Philadelphia. Good administrative and writing/editorial skills needed. Excellent benefits. Contact Dee Dee Risher, 300 W. Apsley St., Philadelphia, PA 19144 (215)849-2178. 10/90 Friends/Relationships GWM, 6'2", 165 lbs., youthful 37, brown hair, mustache, masculine, smoke and drug free, varied interests, fun, honest, quiet, caring and very relationship oriented. Seeking similar Christian friends preferably in Mobile, AL or vicinity. Rob, P.O. Box 16424, Mobile, AL 36616. 10/90 GWM, 6', 155Ibs., 37, brown hair, blue eyes, masculine, Lutheran, self-employed freelance writer, seeks penpals across US and friends in or near Minnesota. Relationship oriented. John, P.O. Box 39033, Minneapolis, MN 55439-0033. 10190 GWM Baptist, 29. Would like religious Baptist penpals for friendship and letter writing. C. Hunter, P. 0. Box 1923, SLC, UT 84110. 10190 DO YOU SHARE our avid interest in the performing arts? Interested in US/Canadian travel to see opera, theater, dance? Write us. Chuck and John, 666 Broadway, Rochester, NY 14607. 10/90 SECRET MATTER, From Page 17 and in so doing reveals insights about traits and virtues that characterize lesbian and gay people in the present real world. Toby' Johnson, 45, is a cultural activist working to create positive lesbian and gay identities. A gay-iden _tified psychotherapist , he was trained in San Francisco during the 1970s when modern gay-oriented therapy was deyeloped. General Interest GAY/LESBIAN CATHOLIC Traditionalists · Gay is great! 'Dignity' is fine. BUT do you really/secretly miss the 'old' pre-Vatican II church, liturgy, devotions, etc.? Tridentine/ Traditionalist Gay Catholics unite, write for support: Catholic Tradition • B. Gatzke, P.O. Box 9631, Minneapolis, MN 55458-9631. 10/90 LISTENING .. .LEARNING ... LOVING. Parents F.L.A.G./Detroit's 30 minute video about parents learning about homosexuality and their relationships with their sons and daughters is ADOPTION, From Page 15 to David . David and Michael said, however, that gay men give them the least support. "We understand their shock, but we don't understand their insensitivity," Michael said. "One man curled his lip after we told him we adopted a son, and he said, 'Why would you want to?' I can't imagine him doing that to a heterosexual woman. Some have been supportive and some have congratulated us, but as a group, gay men have not been supportive." Michael's hypothesis of w hy gay men respond negatively to child adoption stems from our centuries of being conditioned to believe that we can never have children . "It's embedded in our heads," Michael said. " To some degree, I bought into that as well. It's a consciousness thing we just have to get over." David and Michael celebrated their ninth anniversary on July 4. (Gene celebrated his ninth birthday this month, so Michael said he tells people he and David had to get married.) Bringing Gene into · their lives has made their relationship much stronger. "But we had a strong relationship to begin with," David Classified Order Form □ now for sale for $17.00 ppd. Mail to Parents FLAG/Detroit, P.O. Box 145, Farmington, Ml 48332. 10/90 Real Estate Key West women's bar/deli priced at $299,000. Owner negotiable • land, buildiQQ, and business. BENDER-TAN IS ERA REAL ESTATE. (305)296-6200. 12/90. Try a Second Stone Classified Ad said. ''That was something we really had to consider: if we were stable first . I don't think an unstable relationship is going to be made more stable when you have a kid. "With all the investigations, the home study, the social workers, the probing, we had to reflect where exactly we are in our lives. It was a really good process. It made us think about ourselve s and who we are as a couple ." "Parenting is harder than I thought it would be," Michael said. "Try to imagine the harde st and double it." A question the Serkin-Pooles hear often is, "Isn't it going to be confusing having two dads?" Their answer: "There are a lot of things that are confusing to a child struggling to grow up in a hostile world. Nowadays, families come in a lot of different con figur athns. We believe the essential elements of love, commitm ent and respo nsibility are more important than deciding which version. of faniily is 'correct.' We plan to surround our child with Jots of people who share that conviction." Matt Nagle is a staff writer for the Seattle Gay News, from which this article is adapted. FOR ONLY 35 CENTS PER WORD, your ad can appear in the next edition of THE SECOND STONE. Name ____________ _ Please place my ad in these issues: [ ]Jan/Feb [] Mar/Apr [ l May/Jun [ l JuVAug [ l Sept/Oct [ l Nov/Dec Take advantage of our low cost (but high profile) classified section by placing your advertising order today! Mail To: THE SECOND STONE P.O.Box&'l40 New Orleans, I.A 7018.2 Address _________ _ City/St./Zip _______ _ AD COPY _______ _ ----------------- -------------------- --------------- __ words X: .35= $ 20 word minimum. All classifieds must be pre-paid. Deadline one month prior to cover date. We will mail you a copy of the edition(s) in which your ad appears September/October 1990 CLASSIFICATIONS [ l Books & Publications [] Business Opportunities [ ] Employment [ l Friends/Relationships [ l General Interest [ l Mail Order [] Mercha .ndise [ l Organizations [ ] Professional Services [ l Real Estate [ J Retreats [ ] Roommates [] Travel Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone #12 - Sept/Oct 1990 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/58e7dcc96fc12dbcf992e673a1789d54.pdf e6c83d9a9bbca9ed0d0426451bcc993f Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone Description An account of the resource Issues of the Second Stone publication. Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 14 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1991 Publication Date The date the issue was published Jan/Feb 1991 Text Any textual data included in the document THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER FOR GAY AND LESBIAN CHRISTIANS $2.25 _COND TONE '8000 Reade rs Across The USA · ISSUE#14l ·o~t,CI.~, ; Brought new understanding to campus J- ~:. ·.· _,--::-.. ,:.-:;,._ . _;;,:"' ·, ·, : · - .< .. .... -.. . •... .. " . .. i~r•.::v:ir:tr~~; took was lot " · ~bmtione to initia t~ some• °'" ':(tfu6:g," Ca,rcia says, "};ven i ' :)"though I'm go.ne now, I @W ' .. •··,knpw th~: educa tio nal .pro• J: \ ,.,'ckss'has c◊ntinued. I n,ade. a he ,, .. 'sEE<:OVER STORY, Page 9 Archdiocese gets stiff fine for evicting Dignity chapter MINNEAPOLIS The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has been fined because it e vi cted a chapter of Dignit y /USA from the Newman C ent e r at th e University of Minnesota. In the conclusion of a three-year legal battle, a three-member panel of the Minneapolis Commission on Ci v il Rights ordered the archdiocese to pay a $15,000 ci v il fine to the city of Minneapolis and $8,500 in punitive d_a mages, plus $10,850.3 8 in legal fees, to Dignity/T win Cities. "When y ou th ink about 32 peo p le agai n st an a busi ve, patr iar chal instit b tion , it's · a w onder fu l dec i si on," sai d Emma Es.kelson, Dignity/ T w in Citie s Pr e sident and fo rme r Ben edictine nun in a in t er vie w wi t h Equal Time . "The who le process wa s ve ry p ainful to m e b ecau se 1 had invested 25 ye a rs in th e church, but lesbian and gay Cat holics h ad to stand up a nd say to the world th a t w e 're good peopl e and w e're not going to take it anymore." In addition to th e civil fine, the archdiocese was ordered to "cease and de s ist from its discriminatory co nduct " a gainst Di.gnit y. An archdioc e san official said that the ruling probably will be appealed to the state Court of Appe als and, if necessary, to the stat e Supreme Cou r t. Dignity member Brian McNeil welcome d such a challenge . "The p rospect of a n appeal by the Archdioce se do e sn't fri g hten - me, b ut ex cit es m e, " he said. "In fact I welcom e th e ap p ea l, in a way, be cause it will give Dignity a g reat au d ience for telling our st ory." Dignit y /US A president Pat Ro c he sa id of th e a c ti on, "Thi s s or t of sp i ri tua l violence tha t the church has con d on ed ca n lead others to conclude th a t it' s oka y to ki ck Lesbians a n d gay people SEE DI GNITY, Page 9 Lesbian booted from church; files damages suit LINCOLN, Neb . - A lesbian woman who was publicl y denounced as immor a l in front . of a congregation of more th an 1,000 members is seeking damages from the Indian Hills Community Church . Beth H a ld w a s seeing a church counselor who revealed to church elders Hald's lesbi a ni sm . The church bo a rd sub sequently initiated di sciplinary procedures, claiming that handling cases of unrepentant a nd deliber a te sin is a key belief of the church . Hald was excommunicated by church pastor Gil Ru gh. - Lincoln Star SUBSCRIBE TODAY! ONE YEAR ONLY $13.00! BOX 8340 • NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PA ID NEW ORLEANS, LA PERMIT No. 511 Con1mentary · ·- - - A plea for a less hasty response Just say no to the new age? By Catherine Groves Editor, Christian •New Age Quarterly My pastor loves to tell the story of a Bible camp counselor, who asked a :roomful of eager faces, "How many of you believe everything the Bible s~ys is true?" All hands shot up into the air. "Good! Now how many of you have read the Bible cover to cover?" - Well, we all can guess that not a hand braved up at that one! And the story may make us chuckle, because \,\'e recognize that human tendency to b:oast our belief in one thing or another before · we really know what t~at belief requires of us ... or even is. ·Jn like manner, Nick Warner's cover s(ory in the November /December isJ;ue , "New Age Has Firm Foothold in Gay /Lesbian Community" strikes ":Dear Second Stone, vision and . Christianity are not antithetical, especially in view of the shared import of spiritual values over worldly concerns. Perhaps Rev. Warner's alarm, that New Age ideology "appears to be quite compatible with Christian teachings," points to the common ground he overlooked. Simply put, both Christians and New Agers recongnize that life's meaning is not found in the trivial pursuits of this world, but is located in the spiritual · truths. That's not to say that Christians and New Agers do not articulate these truths differently. They do. And some of these differences can be irreconcilable, especially depending on one's denominational persuasion or the extremes of the New Age range in question. But the concern that New Age teachings may be somehow catching : Recently I've noticed a trend towards articles by those who :attempt to justify their own unchristian lifestyles and unbiblical .:beliefs through human rationalizations and corruption of the truths of God's Word. I am especially disturbed by the two -classifieds for the "Christian" New Age Quarterly and Emerge! :surely you do not accept the New Age nor "Christian" Science as truly Christian?! I realize that a publication like The Second Stone must be open to variations in Christian doctrines, but I know just as well that Christians have to draw the line somewhere ... me as the same theme in reverse. As Christians we are often quick to "just say no" to the New Age movement without fully understanding what it is. Appearing in the same issue, Christian•New Age Quarter/y's ad voiced a quiet statemwt that there might be another way to approach fhis topic. Perhaps there is reason for Christians and New Agers to tpgether explore their differences and their similarities, for we might have something to learn from and about one another. : But, in .this case, a quiet statement is t'.)ot enough. And as editor of <:;hristian •New Age Quarterly, I ~ense it is, in a way, my responsibility to clarify some of the points Rev. W;irner raised. : Contrary to the quoted claim of P<:n,iglas _Groothuis, the New Age A Second Stone Reader Christians unawares is obviously not a problem caused by the New Age movement's ·existence. The accountability for knowing one's Christian faith enough to discern what is Christian and what is not - and this applies whether we're talking about the New Age movement or the American Dream or any paradigm - rests squarely on the shoulders of the Christian. 1 agree with Warner; we do live in a pluralistic society. And We welcome you to share your views, opinions, feelings and experiences with our readers. Send letters to: LETTERS, The Second Stone, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. All letters must be original and signed by the writer. Clearly indicate if your name is to be withheld. We reserve the right to edit. hence, lest our mature Christian faith be no more responsible that than of the cager beavers at Bible camp, each Christian must know what he or she believes. And that, by the way, is one of the most valuable benefits in an active dialogue between Christians and New Agers. One not only learns in firsthand and ungarbled form what New Agers believe, but too can view one's own faith system more clearly in the contrast. Or as Clarence Thomson noted in "Revelation And Response: What The New Age Can Teach Us" (The Catholic World, In This Issue FEATURES COVER STORY MASK COLUMNS COMMENTARY FAMILIES CLOSER LOOK 1RAVEL PARTING THOUGHT DEPARTMENTS 'NEWS BRIEFS . □ May/June 1989), "Let's grant obvious New Age faults ... But let's also look at what the New Age can teach us ... we can become conscious of the weakness or our paradigm - thanks to the New Age." True, Deuteronomy forbids . consultation with mediums . But Deuteronomy lists many other prohibitions - from, "You shall not wear cloth of two different kinds of thread, wool and linen, woven together" (Deut. 22:11) to "Life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, SEE COMMENTARY, Page 15 □ Page9 Page 18 . Page2 Page 10 Page 14 Page 19 Page 20 Page3 CHURCH & ORGANIZATION NEWS Page 11 CALENDAR Page 12 ESSAY .Page 13 'BOOKS Page 16 CLASSIFIEDS Page 20 SECOND STONE Newsbriefs No "Spouse Pass" For Gay Amtrak Employee WASHINGTON, D.C. - A gay employee of Amtrak has filed a complaint that charges the U.S. railroad transportation giant with · discrimination in its rail pass benefit program. The charge, filed on December 12 with the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights, asserts that Amtrak discriminates against its gay and lesbian employees by denying them free passes for their domestic partners whi)e providing passes for spouses of heterosexual married workers. Richard Wilson, an 11-year veteran of Amtrak, filed the complaint after his request for a free rail pass for his lover, David, was rejected last May. Wilson says Amtrak's denial of certain employee benefits on the basis of sexual orientation of marital status is a violation of D.C's Human Rights Act. "This is but one more example of the · discrimination faced by non-traditional families;" said Ivy Young, director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Families Project. "Employers must change their ,, ISSN No. 1047-3971 SECOND STONE Newspaper is published every other month by Bailey Communications; P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Copyright 1991 by Second Stone, a registered trademark. SUBSCRIPTIONS, U.S.A. $13.00 per year, six issues. _ Foreign subscribers add $10 .00 for postage. All payments U.S. currency only. ADVERTISJNG, For display advertising information call (504)899-4014 or write to: Box , 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. EDITORIAL, send letters, calendar announcements, and church/organization news lo (Department title) Second Stone, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70i 82. Manuscripts to be returned· should be accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope . SECOND STONE, an ecumenical Christian newspaper committed lo informing the gay and lesbian community. PUBLISHER/EDITOR: ·Jim Bailey CONTRIBUTORS: Rev Bruce Roller, Rev Sylvia Pennington, . Cynthia Marquard, Danni Munson, · Dr. Martin Fowler, David Rickey, Jim Roche, Michael Blankenship, Dan Grippo, Dr. Lcuie Crew, John-Michael Olexy, Dr. Buddy Truluck, Chris Glaser, Rev. Gail A. Van Buren. Kevin Gcpford □· policies to match the reality of family life ih this country. It's important that Lesbians and gay men take a stand, be visible and challenge the disparities they face every day oh the job." Lesbian Reporter Files Suit Against UPI, Christian Broadcaster WASHINGTON, D.C. - A lesbian reporter has filed a groundbreaking $12.5 million lawsuit in federal court charging ·United Press International, her former employer, · with job discrimination and a Wisconsin radio .talk show host and a Christian radio network with harassment and invasion of privacy. Julie Brienza had worked for UPI for three years when she was dismissed from the wire service after radio talk show host Vic Eliason and his Wisconsin Voice of Christian Youth complained to UPI management that Brienza had misused the . company's telephone lines and message se"rvices while writing a freelance story for The Washington Blade, a gay newspaper. -Baltimore Alternative Methodist Panel Considers Revising Church Policy Toward Gays SAN FRANCISCO - Members of a national Methodist panel say most clergy and laity testifying at public hearings on homosexuality want to soften the denomination's stand that the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian tea·ching. "Many of the people who testified have experienced the oppressive nature of the church," said Kevin Higgs, an Alabama youth minister and member of the United Methodist Church's Committe ·e to Study . Homosexuality. Members of the panel held a three day meeting in late November in San Francisco, one of a series of meetings being held throughout the nation. Although some committee members said that support of easing the church's stand is overwhelming, others questioned whether those who testified at hearings reflected the opinions in the pews. They cited a recent survey of Methodists showing that 80 percent support the current policy. · -AssQciated Press . Subscribe Today. And You'll Never Be Without A Friend For Your Journey. Join thousands of lesbians and gay men who've embarked on an inward journey. Through the pages of The Second Stone, an ecumenical Christian newsmagazine, you'll be challenged, inspired, angered and encouraged. Meet brave men and women who are confronting social injustice and religious bigptry. Explore family and relationship issues. Enjoy our engaging features and columns, newsbriefs and book reviews. Our national calendar puts you in touch with life-changing retreats, com; munity-building conferences, and the nicest 'people you'll ever meet! The Second Stone will inspire you, keep you informed, and put you in touch. .•.Y . ES , ...N.~. ..~:.. .:~ .:..:~. :..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::. Begin my subscription to Address ............................................................ ...... l~c::.~~l::r::.:~.•10.! 0 City, State& Zip. ......................................... . .... ;[ ) Two years (12 .i .. uea) for $25,O(j '.en.dchll~~'ftlll~plail~lorfflllling:I JPINlit~Hwek$tor~ot ·'f'N'_,. .. ( ] Three yeara (18 iuues) for $36.00 : iUUe. 1Pt..m11~1~ ..:leSi IO.O)per,-.b~. u.sc. vmincyf1•!1., Mail To: SECOND STONE, Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 THANK YOU for your subscription! Januar:Y/February 1991 • Newsbriefs . • Auburn Shuns Catholic Scholar Charles · Curran has held several visiting professorships since he was fired from the Catholic University in Washington, D.C. Curran challenged papal decrees on contraception, abortion, ·and homosexuality. He lost his job after the Vatican ruled him unfit to teach. Curran thoug-ht he had been offered Auburn University's chair as an eminent scholar of religion. Auburn President James Martin quashed the tenured position offer, but Curran accepted the one-year stay as a visiting professor. -Birmingham • News/Alabama Forum Gay Virginia Minister Gives Up· Pastorate RICHMOND, Va. - The interim minister at Tuckahow Presbyterian ' Church said he was forced to resign his pastorate and give up his ordination because he was gay. The -Rev. Donald R. Martin, who had been at the church for about eight rrionths, said his sexual orientation became known to the Chief executive · of area Presbyterians, the Rev. William S. Morris, who told Martin io resign, which he did during services on Sunday, November 25, "I was told by the executive presbyter to take the steps to terminate my employment," Martin said . -Associated Press MCC San Francisco Firebombed Molotov cocktails were thrown through windows of the sanctuary of · MCC San Francisco late during the evening of November 16. Fast action by a person who had heard the glass breaking and a quick resporise from the fire department limited the property damage and prevented the fire from destroying the church and spreading to other buildings. A spokesperson for the city's arson investigation unit said nooneclaimed responsibilify for the bombing and that no threats had been made prior to the incident. Police have no suspects or motives. Every Day Is Coming Out Day! DlTH HARING lfCOD LOGO T-SHIRTS $16.00 100% ·COTION. 4-COLOR LOCO ON WHTIE M. L. XL. XXL .$30.00 100% COTION, 4-COLOR LOGO ON WHITE M, L. XL POSTERS $111.00 24"X28" . 4-COLOR LOGO GREETll'fG CARDS ~ 1.l!O S"X7'.'. 4.COLOR t.000 , Bu.NK.INSIOE BU'ITONS $ 1.00 l r/2~ SQUARE, B/W STICKERS $ .OIi rx:,t B/W. PURPLE On sale at retail outlets around the country or simply order by mail I Pleue •end me: , _ T-sHIRTS, me(s) \ __ _ SWEATSBIRTS, llae(a) __ . _ '-'--POSTEllS _GREETl!fG CARDS _ BU'ITOIIS . _;,__&nCKBRS --•llalldllq: ' $3.00 for ftrsl shirt . or sweat or poster:, $ 1.00 foT each shirt 01" sweat after the first $1,00 for buttons, stickers. or cards O $16 .00 each. ......................... $ _ O $30.00 each •.••... ,., ..•.•.•.•....... $ _ O $111.00 ea!'h. ........... , ............. $ _ 0 $ l.llO each. ....... _____ $ _ o $ 1.00 each. ........ ............... .. $ _ o $ .05 each. ... ............ .. ; ....... $ _ . Sub-totu $ _ . _ Shlpp!DC Total $ __ $ __ ~E·~---- ---,~1kR:_E-:_S-S_-.Z-I_P:-:-:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::.= ~H~~t:'.:.=======-_::-:::'-:_::"--:"_:_-:_: -__-;-E_XM_P-_.- :-r- a _- _- _- _- _- _- _- _- _- _- _- _- _ SICNATURE __ ~------~-~- 70I' more laforma.doct, pleat• write or cd: Nlliload Comtnc01 d: Dq. P.O. Boa 8349, Santa re, ~ ~. 50CS-982-2558 or 1~ Groups May Rally For MLK Holiday In Arizona Arizona voter's failure to recognize the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. as a state holiday is causing concern for the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches and the Epis~opal Church (USA). Both church bodies will be gathering for national conferences in Phoenix this year . UFMCC Rev. Elder Don Eastman said that his church was reviewing options in protesting the action, which may include participating with the Episcopal Church in a rally at the State House in which South African Bishop Desmond Tutu is scheduled to appear. Healy Regrets Kicking Dignity Out Former Georgetown President .. Father Timothy Healy, now president of the New York Public Library, said he regrets the decision he made to remove Dignity/Washington from -Georgetown in 1987. Healy did so under orders of Cardinal James Hickey of Washington, discontinuing weekly Masses held there for 15 years. "For the first time in rriy life as a priest, I felt what I was doing at that altar was obscene ... I wondered what had happened to my church," Healy said during a lecture at New York's Fordham University School of Law. -Dignity/USA AF A Calls For K-Mart ·Boycott The Tupelo, Mississippi-based American Family Association called for a boycott of K-Mart stores in a recent issue of its newsletter, the AF A Journal. K-Mart owns the Waldenbooks chain, which the AFA said recently added "homosexual porn" to its stock. Both gay and Christian activists have previously credited the AFA with successful manipulation of advertisers and, in one instance, with the cancellation of a rerun of an episode of thirtysomething that showed two gay men in bed together. ~Out · Catholic Bishops: "Homosexuality Not Lifelong Learning" that homosexuality "is not freely chosen" and therefore, "is not sinful," however the church still disapproves of "physical expression of homosexuality. -The Sentinel Florida Bishop Wants Canon Law Against Gay/ Lesbian Ordination Episcopal Bishop John Howe of Central Florida has announced his intention to take the issue of ordaining Gays and Lesbians to this year's churchwide General Convention. The bishop plans to submit a resolution to turn a 1979 General Convention resolution . declaring that it is "not appropriate for this church to ordain a practicing homosexual" into a canon law of the church. -Episcopal News Service Gay Chorus Dropped From AIDS Benefit An Episcopal church in Orlando canceled plans to allow its' cathedral to be used for an AIDS benefit because one o( the groups scheduled to perform was a gay chorus. "l don't believe it's proper at this time for a homosexual group to promote its own cause by offering itself to benefit AIDS," said Harry Sherman, dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Luke. -Washington Blade Students: Professor Uses Classroom As Personal Pulpit CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - An Austin Peay State University professor uses his classroom as a pulpit to preach ag;1inst homosexuality and promote his own religious beliefs, some students say. A handout from a psychology course taught by John D. Martin reads: "Plagues are sent from God because of evil. AIDS is a plague sent from God because of homosexuality. Homosexuality is evil." Martin admitted he has little Freely Chosen" patience for those who disagree with U.S.· Catholic Bishops have stated in him and said his detractors represent a 100-page document · entitled a minority of "sick, immoral "Human Sexuality - A Catholic students." Perspective for Education ~ncl. _ _ ~Associated Press SECOND STONE Newsbriefs Protest Noisy But Peaceful At St. Patrick's NEW YORK - Hundreds of demonstrators opposed to the Catholic Church's stand on abortion and AIDS education protested outside St. Patrick's Cathedral, but obeyed a court order not to disrupt Mass. The December 9 rowdy but peaceful demonstration came a year after the pandemonium in which 113 activists were arrested. -Associated Press New Book Speculates Martin . Lμther King's Sexuality Secret tapes made by the FBI in 1964 "might lead to the conclusion" that MarHn . Luther King Jr. and his deputy, Ralph D. Abernathy, had a gay relationship, a new book alleges. The book, Breaking Barriers, a memoir by veteran columnist . Carl T. Rowan, recounts a conversation Rowan had with the late Rep. John J. Rooney (D-N.Y.), the same year the tapes were made. Long-time FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, himself said to be gay, had told Rooney that the FBI had "at least 15 reels of tape" about sexual "entertainment" and conversations between King and Abernathy that might lead to the conclusion that there was a gay relationship between the two ministers. -BLK Magazine Photography ·Exhibit Explores AIDS Experience Images From The Front: Photography Challenging AIDS is on exhibit through January 31 at the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center National Museum of .Lesbian and Gay History, 208 West 13th Street, in New York City. The exhibition of photographs and works of related media seeks to explore the scourge of AIDS refracted through the lens of the photographic artist. Showcasing a wide array of photographic styles and artistic points of view, the exhibition includes works of photojournalism, portraiture, abstract imagery and mixed media. The experiences of anger, confrontation, desperation , compassion, hope, loss and love are all eloquently evoked through thE work of the artists. Ohio Priest Forced From Parish Father Robert Apking, an openly gay priest living with AIDS, who was forced to leave St. Christopher Parish, Vandalia, Ohio, said members of the parish raised objections to his public discussion of his sexual orientation and health. He resigned as pastor of Corpus Christi, Dayton, in 1988, retiring in good standing and was invited to Vandalia to help as an assistant. Apking apparently ignited the protest by a newspaper interview . Following his departure from St. Christopher, Apking praised Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk and the. diocesan personnel office for their sensitive handling of the situation and awaits another .assignment. -Dignity/USA Activists Leaflet Gay 'Cure' Program Members of the Pittsburgh activist groups Cry Out!/ ACT UP passed out informational leaflets in that city to pedestrians and individuals entering a church to attend a program apparently designed to "cure" homosexuality . "Love yourself for who you are, not what society tells you to be," read one of two leaflets, which included names and telephone numbers of local organizations that deal with gay, lesbian and bisexual issues, as well as youth concerns. The Covenant Church had billed the program, called Dunamis, as "healing for individuals that have experienced any type of sexual brokenness." The church was charging participants $110. -Pittsburgh's Out Facility To Be Named In Honor Of Rev. Carl Bean The Los Angeles AIDS Healthcare Foundation has announced that its South Central hospice facility will be named in honor of Rev. Carl Bean, the founder of the Minority AIDS Project, Unity Fellowship Church and Dignity House . Bean is now widely regarded as one of African-America's most articulate advocates on behalf of people of color with AIDS. The Carl Bean AIDS Center will be located in the West Adams district of South Central Los Angeles . -BLK Magazine Brooklyn Bishop Reaffirms Stand On Dignity Bishop Thomas Daily has said that a chapter of Dignity /USA has no official status in hls diocese and will not gain it . "I believe that homosexuals must not be ordained . Homosexuality is a basic disorder, and the candidate for priesthood should not be involved in any kind of basic disorder ." Daily, former bishop of Palm Beach, Florida, also said "Safe sex is chaste sex ... People who use condoms are not acting in a truly human fashion ... to be in control of their animal nature. To give in to passion is wrong and contrary to what really makes us human beings. People do not ·have to have sex. People can be continent. People can be pure . People can be chaste." -Dignity / USA Gay/Lesbian 1991 Almanac Available "Preserve the Past; Prepare for the Future" is the theme of The Gay & Lesbian Almanac and Events of 1991, just out from Envoy Enterprises. In addition to a complete review of 1990, which includes developments □ in education, law, the medfa, religion, politics, women and minority concerns, a.nd many other areas, the Almanac also contains a complete calendar of events scheduled for 1991. The Almanac is available for $9 .95 from local bookstores or through the publisher, Envoy Enterprises, 740 N. Rush St., Suite 609, Chicago, IL 60611. Collective Seeks Work By Women The Conditions Collective is accepting submissions for an anthology of new writing by women on the topic of women and censorship, to be published by Cleis Press . The collective will consider poetry, fiction, analytical essays, novel excerpts, interviews, drama, journal entries, correspondence excerpts, and translations on this topic . How does censorship relate to the issues of race, class, age; relationships, sexuality, women in prison, women with . AIDS/HIV, and women 's and lesbian movements? Submissions (typed, double-spaced, up to fifteen pages) may be sent (with an SASE) before June 1, 1991 to: Conditions, 247 Liberty Ave., Jersey City, NJ 07307. OURWOPJD The International Gay Travel Magazine Month by month, we invite you to . explore the exciting world of travel available to gay men and lesbians. Each month we help you to discover the multitude of interesting hotels, inns and resorts that welcome the gay traveler. Enjoy articles and color photos of a romantic hotel in Spain , a secluded retreat in Hawaii, a manor house in the English countryside, a Greek pension overlooking the ·sea, a rustic resort in Colorado, and more -all catering to our lifestyle! · Plus, every month, regular departments provide you with valuable information · on gay events and festivals, travel updates and tips, interviews, and the latest gay trips and tour-.sail the Caribbean on a private yacht, join an expedition to Nepal, cruise the Mediterranean on a luxury _liner or fly to Sydney for the Gay Mard! Gras. ~---- - ---- Whatever you're looking for, let , OUR WORLD be your ticket to adventure. 1 · : 1 year (12 colorful issues) only $ 44 (in the USA) - US$ 52 (Worldwide) . First issue mails in 4-6 weeks in plain sealed envelope. Sample copy US$ 5. Mail To: Our World Publishing 1104 North Nova Road, Suite 251 Daytona Beach, Florida 32117 USA TEL: (904) 441-5367 January/February 1991 'In the past, the achievements, triumphs, and defeats of gay m.en and lesbians were not only hidden from history, most were lost for all time. This must never happen again."-Danni Munson, editor, The Gay & Lesbian Almanac and Events of 1991. A CHRONICLE OF CURRENT - ·---- _-::- .. ·c :: .. =:·=- 4 I TIIE liAl " & L E SBIAN i ' .i ALMANAC I'll. GAY/LESBIAN HISTORY This vo lume records for history: '"" EVENT s Of --=--1991 = • The rise of a gay/lesbian movement in Eastern Europe • Celebration 90: Gay Games III and C ultural Festival • The latest research and statistics on AIDS • The fight to end military discrimination against gays and lesbians • The controversial practice of o uting • The progress and setbacks in re ligion A Colendar of Upcoming Events Hundreds of 1991 gay/lesbian events from cruises to concerts, from rodeos to music festivals, and much more. Plus listings of birthdays of falllous gays & lesbians. . Availbable at local bookstores or from the publisher Send 9.95 plus $2.00 postage and handling to: ENVOY ENTERPRISES 740 N. Rush St. Suite 609 Chicago IL 60611 E mpathy is a journal that deserves our support for the origina l a~d creative work it does in the lnteres~ of truth and justice . . • •. - .+- Rev .. Malcolm Boyd, author of 23 books · including Are Y.ou Running with Me,]esus?, Take Of/the Masks, and Gay Priest E mpathy provides a. much-needed and welcomed co mmunication link for persons involved in education abo ut homophobia. At its best it will k eep us informed and in touch, supported and cha llenged, excited and proud. ff- Brian M c Naught, lec1urcr aQd author of On Being Gay: Thoughts on Famiiy, Faith, and love Empathy v1n Interdisciplinary Journal for Persons Working to End Oppression on the Basis of Sexual Identity PUBLISHED 1W1CE A YEAR, EMPATHY INCLUDES SCHOU.R.LY ESSAYS, PROSE AND POETRY, PRACTITIONER ARTICLES, ANECDOTAL ESSAYS,. AND RESEARCH REPORTS AS WEL,L AS ANNOTATED BIBUOGR.Af>HIES FOR RESOURCE MATERIALS, RECENT RESEARCH AND BOOKS. THE JOURNAL SERVES PEOPLE WORKIN ,G IN EDUCATl?N, COUNSELING, HEALTH CARE, SOCIAL WORK, COMMUNl1Y ACTIVISM, AND THE MINISTRY NATIONAJ.LY _AND INTERNATIO NALLY. Oney.ear (2 issues) individual subscription s10 (s15 institutional) Make checks payable to Gay and Lesbian Advo cacy Resea rch Project (GLARP) arid mail to: . Empathy, PO Box 5085, Columbia, SC 29250. Unitarian Universalist Association publishes Welcoming Congregation Program Manual The Un i tarian Universalist Association's Office of Lesbian and Gay Concerns has published The Welcoming Congregation Program Mqnual , a resource designed to help congregations of all denominations interested in becoming more affirming and welcoming of gay, lesbian and bisexual persons. Offering a wide variety of background material, program ideas and workshops, the manual is the most .extensive resource available to congregations striving to be more inclusive. The backbone of the -program manual is a ten-session adult Study Guide and accompanying readings. The sessions are designed to ·help adults examine their attitudes, beliefs, experiences, and emotions about persons of a different sexual orientation. It is a positive, nonjudgmental curriculum that challenges its participants to gain more inclusive perspectives. The Office of Lesbian and Gay Concerns has been contacted by more than 170 congregations interested in ' using the program, and it expects participation to increase within the next 18-24 months as congregations hear feedback from those already working with the program. Adopted at the UUA's 1989 General Assembly, The Welcoming Congregation Program affirms the Association's commitment to the dignity and rights of gay, lesb ian and bisexual persons and to their full inclusion in the denomination. As its overriding mission, the UUA seeks to "affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person." For more information on The Welcoming Congregation Program, contact the -Rev. Scott Alexander, Director of the Office of Lesbian and Gay Concerns, Unitarian Universalist Association, Boston, MA 02108, (617)742-2100. Essence magazine won't run ad for black gay/lesbian function WASHINGTON, D.C. The National Gay and Lesbian Tas k Force has joined other organizations around the country in criticizing the refusal of Essence Mngazine to honor its advertising contract with the Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum. "This is a breach of contract. This is discriminatory. This type of action hurts the African American community," said Ruth Waters, Co-chair of the organization, explaining why black Gays and Lesbians have filed suit through the New York Human Rights Commission against Essence Communications. The organization received notice from Essence last ·November stating the magazine would not run an ad , "'I lifii+J Evangelicals G' 'I(/ loge/her tna. BIBLE STIJf1( GROUPS . SOCIALS • WORKSHOPS • RETREATS Hiv I AIDS SUPPORT GROUP PASTORAL CARE & COUNSELING FOR Gay & Lesbian Christians In Southern California ... since 1979 Suite 109-Box 16 7985 Santa Monica Boulevard West Hollywood. CA 90046 '" 213/656-8570 , from the group, even though they had already contracted and paid for the insert. The ad was a "visibility" ad which included a variety of photos and an appeal for Lesbians and · Gays to attend BGLLF's fourth annual conference in Los Angeles February 9-18, 1991. "This action by Essence Magazine's executive offi c er, Ed Lewis, is raw hypocrisy and blatantly homo phobic," said Ivy Young, Families Project Director for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "If you pick up a copy of Essence magazine today you will find advertisements for Coca-Cola, a company ·many African-Americans are boycotting because of its on-going tics to apartheid . Why hasn't Mr. Lewis pulled those ads?" Deborah Johnson, BGLLF's New York spokesperson said that "it's too late for us to place the ad elsewhere even if we had the money to re-design it. Fewer black people will get wo rd about the world's largest a nnual black conference for Lesbian s and Gays . This conference will address issues vital to the black community such as AIDS, women's health strategies, and leadership development ." For information on the conference, contact BGLLF, 3924 W. Sunset Blvd ., - .. - . _ ~ , Suite #5, Los Angeles, CA 90029. :: 1•~ - --- ----- --------- --- -S-E_C_O_N_D_S_ T_O_N_E~ - -- - -------------- --- .Leaders plan :cooperatiot1:-iri . gay/lesbian_m inistries . · '' A first-time gathering of leaders of programs advocating inclusiveness for gay, lesbian, an d bisexual persons within mainstream religious denominations took place in late October in Chicago. The programs represented were More Light (Presbyterian Church, USA); Open and Affirming (United Church of Christ), Reconciling Congregation (United Methodist), Reconciled-in-Christ (Lutheran), and Welcoming Congregation (Unitarian Universalist Association). The five programs represent a grass roots movement which flas led more than 200 congregations and other church groups to declare their welcome to and affirmation of all people, regardless of sexual orientation. -Of the five programs, only two - the Open and Affirming and the Welcoming Congregation Program are recognized and supported by their official denominations. common print and video educational materials for congregational studies; designation of a nationwide inter- · denominational "Reconciling Day of Worship;" ecumenical collaboration in the publication of Open Hands, the Reconciling Congregation Program's magazine of resources for ministry ; and a future national assembly of all ·local churches that officially ·welcome Lesbians and gay men. "In our meeting together this :. weekend we discovered how much we have in common across denominations," said Rose Smith, former Reconciled-in-Christ Program Director. "Each of us has seen the reluctance of congtega tions and church leaders to address issues related to Lesbians and gay men. At the ·same time, we have all witness .ed the transformation of individual and congregational lives through the journey which led to their .Great Respon~e! "This is the fastest•growing and ·most vital local church movement in the church today;" said Mark Bowman, coordinator of the Reconciling Congregation Program. "These 200 congregations have taken steps far beyond what their denominations as a whole have been willing to do. They are inviting , other congregations to affirm their ministry with gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons and are challenging the larger church to be faithful to the Gospel mandate to reach out . to all persons ." · · The leaders identified several areas for cooperation · and ' mutual · support including: development of . declaration of openness." The program leaders agreed to meet again in November, 1991, to assess their progress and to plan additional cooperative efforts. For information on programs contact: More Light, c/o Jim Anderson, P.O. Box 38, New Brunswick, NJ 08903. Open and Affirming, c/o Ann Day, P.O .. Box 403, Holden, MA 01520. Reconciled-in°Christ, c/o Brian Knittel, 2800 Buena Vista Way, Berkeley, CA 94708. Reconciling Congregation, c/o Mark Bowman, P.O . .Box 23636, Washington, DC 20024. Welcoming Congregation, c/o Scott Anderson, 25 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108, Literary Award Nominations Open Lambda Book Report has opened nominations for the Third . Annual Lambda · Literary Awards. The awards, recognizing excellence in gay and lesbian writing and publishing, will be presented during a gala banquet inNew York City on Friday, May 31, 1991, during the American Booksellers Association Convention. The public is invited to nominate their favorite gay and lesbian books · of 1990 in 18 categories. Books must have a 1990. copyright date in order to _be eligible. Nominating ballots must be returned 'to Lambda Book Report offices by February 15. Five finalists in each category will be announced nationally on March 1. Then 90 judges from across the "The field of gay and lesbian country, representing a .broad · publishing is continuing • to grow and cross 0 section of the entire lesbian and · diversify as we get into the 1990s,'' gay literary community, will select a said Jane · :Troxell, · editor of the single . book in each · category from sponsoring publication. ''The Lambda among the . finalists. . _Literary .Awards program, with its ' "':'.' . . . . . . ·ever-increasing numbe r of categories For.f1;1r\her information or to req1.1est ,, ap.dawardsptes~nteg,isdesigned "4i ' a• ~a .llot, contact l ambda _ Book t~flect :the adv.ances, :.made by ' ovr . ~~ptf.rt., 1625''.Cormec H~u! ;Aven ,1,e1, ~,,},,~II.~l ':~itY:,4.Wi~g.th e J 9.80's and · to _· ,,.~ ;·,~a ~~Jn&.tqn; _Pf , _2(1()(),19~~:p1r0 ~ : i ]?rCJll\O~t; the . well "\illing, of g!IY· iii}?";,<~~}! : Hw;;. aR)J~~~ 1:1<ne at' ~?~2) . ,;';,:}~sl?ianlite rt ~re-in ' th e:newdecade : · . 4,, 62-~:24. >'.~.7' , > ~ · · ,, · · \;; ..;..;{ ·~, .; ··•,1¥f: ·' • . ,. • ·, ' --· -"~ ~., • -.. ' i;-1.;,1.;i,>,., ' ..,.. .; ;, ;,·,./.'.,.,· .:. : .,,.:· · ·~·\:;:,,: ;{:;i~n·~a~¥l''!Feb' ;4j; h i~~<1 ·• (~f;:'.:,::~j83~]-~·~:,~ ~~;-:~L~~-~~·- Ii,;.~~1 ·;·,)~:~~ :-,;;~2~i;~.:~~-. .L _,,. ', . '' That's what a Second Stone advertiser told us recently. And we hear that more and more these days. That's because Second Stone reaches readers where many other gay and lesbian publications can't. Like public and university libraries . We don't carry advertising or editorial content that would put us behind the counter. We're up front - in plain sight! For businesses offering products and services to the national gay and lesbian community, we're an exciting new marketing approach! Reach new customers in every state acro~s the USA. Second Stone offers a variety of in.column ad sizes with frequency discounts. We offer spot and full color. We'll lay out your ad at no charge and we'll get it right - we'll send you a proof to make sure. Second Stone will also inse~ your brochure, flier or catalog in our mailing. ·: It doesn't cost as much as you think. You can reach a paid coast to coast readership for about· what · you'd pay to advertise in one local free distribution gay newspaper. And ... to mail your insert in Second Stone costs. · less than mailing it. yourself! You won't know till you try it. The potential sales you lose while you're thinking about advertising cannot be recaptured. If you're thinking you've paid too much for advertising that hasn't worked ... you're probably righi! But you haven't tried Second Stone. · ·SECOND STONE .You'll he pleasedw ith there sults. Call l-504a899-40J4 for advertising assistance. -~- sroNEWAt.t. Rtors Jde CLASSIFIE First Ten Words FREE! I - Business or personal - The Second Stone classifieds really work! Please see the order form on the classified page. Each additional word, 35¢. 20 word minimum. P-FLAG begins program to fight youth suicide Right 0 wing religious and political ' leaders who wave the banner of · ''traditional family values" are a ; major impediment to overcoming the j teen suicide problem, according to a ; parent-church-educator coalition l that announced a prevention program ; focused on gay and lesbian youth. ' The project, "Respect All Youth," is , being undertaken by the Federation of : Parents and Friends of Lesbians and · Gays (P-FLAG), with financial assistance from the United Thank Offering Fund of the Episcopal Church and the Pride Foundation of Seattle . The project is designed to develop and furnish training materials to youth workers, according to Paulette Goodman , President of P-FLAG. · . Government studies show that lesbian and gay teenagers are three , times as likely to attempt suicide as other young people, primarily because of the stigma society places on them. Nevertheless, California Republican Congressman William Dannemeyer recently prevailed upon Louis Sullivan, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human · Services, to disavow the studies, and the important information contained therein, in the interest of "traditional family values." P-FLAG volunteer Mary Griffith, a Northern California mother . of four, recalled that her gay son, at her urging, resorted to prayer and "reparative" therapy with religious counselors in the v.ain attempt to become heterosexual. At the age of 20, convinced that he was evil in the eyes of God, he threw himself off an overpass and into the path of an on-coming semi-truck. His suicide would not have happened, his mother is now convinced, if there had been programs at school arid elsewhere that "could have offset what he was told by me at home and by others in our church ." Her goal, she said, is to help other parents avoid the tragedy that 'befell her family, "because I have learned in the most painful way possible that ignorance, hatred, bigotry, and prejudice lead to violence and tragedy for Gays and Lesbians and their families. And I have learned that love, honesty, support, and acceptance of diversity of God's creation are the values that lead to health, wholeness, and self-esteem for our children ." Conference set for youth workers The · issues, lives, needs and problems facing lesbian and gay youth will be the focus of a one-day conference, "A Matter of Justke and Compassion: Serving Gay and Lesbian Youth II" to be held in Des Moines, Iowa on March 1. As professionals who dei!I with youth are becoming more and more aware of the unmet needs of some of their clients, many are recognizing that they d.o not have adequate resources to deal with issues surrounding se~ua!'orientation . These youths and their needs are at risk for enhanced difficulties with adolescence. Federal reports on youth suicide in 1988 indicated that up to 30 percent of adolescf?nt suicides are directly correlated to difficulties adjusting to . a homosexual orientation, In addition to these troubling · factors, gay and lesbian youths are at increased risk for. substance abuse and The second, in what organizers hope will be an annual conference, is an attempt to . give youth service providers · an , intensive and interactive educational fonim on the needs of gay , lesbian and bisexual yout _hs. The conference's stated objectives include discussing the status of homosexuality in . today's society, providing a forum in which professionals can discuss personal and professional issues in a safe environment, helping participanis examine society's myths and fears relating to homosexuality, consider innovative methods of education for schools, religious organizations, and community organizations and to learn about further resources available for professionals as well as for youth and their families . dropping out. The conference will be held at the As helping professionals become Hotel Ft. Des Moines , CEUs will be more acquainted with the facts available, For registration surrounding gay, lesbian and bisexual information contact Claire Hueholt youths they are becoming aware that at (515)279-2110 or (515)277-1454 or 10 percent o( those they serve fall . Susan Jellinger at (515)280-7004, Ext. into this category. Many have felt . _ 125,_or write to: A Matter of Justice underprepared by traditional and Compassion, 4211 Grand Ave., instruction to deal with these youths Des Moines, IA 50312. effectively , , SECOND STONE Cover Story Gay SDA student speaks out on campus COVER STORY, From Pagel significant impact." Pacific Union College, a Seventh-day Adventist liberal-arts college located in Napa Valley, Calif., was the training ground where Garcia discovered his leadership skills. As he began to disclose his sexual orientation on campus, he used his skills to challenge the popular myths about gay and lesbian people. By the end of his fourth year at PUC Garcia had helped establish a hotline at the campus church for students with concerns .about their sexual orientation . He was open on campus about his sexual orientation and addressed numerous classes. "I worked on outreach through education," Garcia said. "I confronted homophobia and tried to educate people on homosexuality from a Christian perspective. When I was done, I felt like I left PUC respected :" That summer he moved to Washington state to pursue a master's degree in social work from Walla Walla College, also a Seventh-day Adventist college. "I went to Walla Walla with the intention of duplicating the program at PUC, but I managed to go far beyond that objective, even though I only had one year to do it," Garcia said. the student newspaper, the Collegian, was the medium Garcia used to come out to the student body. Buried in the middle of a letter to the editor he wrote, "As a gay student on an Adventist cam.pus, I DIGNITY, From Page 1 around. This, in turn, can lead to physical violence ." The panel upheld the church's constitutional right to bar the group from using the center's chapel for masses and other religious services, but said the portion of the object to ... " The letter was written in response to a homophobic article that appeared in -the previous week's edition of the Collegian. This was not Garcia's first gay activism at Walla Walla College, however. He had met individually with the . college president, the vice president for student administration and other · campus leaders. Buried in the middle of a letter to the editor he wrote, "As a gay student on an Adventist campus, I object to ... " "My experience told me to get involved with school activities and with the faculty. This was my primary objective," Garcia said. "I spent the summer building my credibility. In September they knew I was Dan Garcia, and only later did they learn I was gay - after their opinions of me were already formed." With Garcia's input, an ad hoc committee on gay issues was formed. This committee, which met regularly, included the vice president of student administration, the campus chaplain and the department head or a representative from the health service, building used for nonreligious activities must comply with the city's ordinance prohibiting discrimination. -From Associated Press and Equal Time substance abuse . program, social work, · theology, counseling center, the dorm ~. itories and the campus church. Three of these people had previously spoken at spiritual retreats sponsored by SDA Kinship, !}n organization for gay and lesbian s~venth-day Adventists. Garcia was invited to make class presentations in the social work and health science departments. He took one to two class periods to talk about his personal perspective of homosexuality; the myths and stereotypes ab .out homosexuals, religion and homosexuality, how homosexuality is not a secular issue but an issue confronting the church , and what homophobia is and how to change it. "I went in to talk about my experiences, what I have seen my challenges and my future," Garcia said. "I did not know what to expect, but a Higher Power was definitely at work, and I was able to stand my ground when people challenged me. "Once the presentations were over, students often rallied around me against the challengers . They were ·able to see homosexuality wasn't a religious issue but a human issue, and they would say 'you're not understanding.' It was really fun to see them defend me before their peers.'' . Garcia was invited by the social work department to organize a forum on homosexuality . · This forum was sanctioned by the school administration and was actively promoted by the vice · president . for student administration, who sent letters to both students and faculty urging them to attend. The Collegian . published an article announcing the forum as well as a follow-up report the next week. The forum, held on a Friday afternoon, January/February 1991 attracted about 75 students, faculty, administrators and commuriity people. It included .personal testi- , mony by Gays and family members of · Gays. Darold Bigger, senior pastor at the. campus church, addressed the religious issues of homosexuality. The program ended with a question and answer period. That spring WWC held a health fair on the front lawn of the campus. The social work department, with Garcia's assistance, made arrangements for the Walla Walla Mental Health Department to have a booth. Along with their own materials, they agreed to display the SDA Kinship quilt for AIDS victims and to hand out materials on "It's important for them to know that the Danny they held in their hands, the Danny who went to Seventh-day Adventist schools all his life, that Danny is gay." AIDS, Kinship and the quilt. SDA Kinship inadvertently caused the only major conflict between Garcia · and the school administration. "~ got a scholarship from Kinship, but it wasn't included on the program during recognition day," Garcia said. "I contacted the administration to ask why, because I felt it should be listed just like every other scholarship." □ One of the _big surprises came from tlle social work def!artment head Wilma Hepker, ·w:fio volunteered to go with Garcia when he spoke ,to the administr<!,hon · .- .an action that elicited _ an immediate response from the school. · "They called . _an emergency board meeting, and by the end of the day they had written me . a personal letter, signed by the president, explaining their reasons fo·r not publishing the scholarship ." Garcia decided not to pursue the matter, feeling it might undermine the progress he had made . "I had a good relationship with all the faculty I encountered," Garcia said. "Once the faculty saw that the dean of students supported what I wanted to do, then they were positive too." The year ended dramatically for Garcia. Less than a week before graduation he broke his leg. "I didn't know if I could walk across the stage," he said. "But I did it because it was a statement that a gay student could come here and make a difference. People had to notice me." Garcia, 26, now works as a psychologist and social worker in a state hospital in Napa Valley . He works with severely mentally disturbed patients in · individual therapy, case management and group therapy . "I love it," he says. He says he is still trying to find his place in the Seventh-day Adventjst church where he grew up. Part of his goal is to educate them on homosexuality and what the church can do for the gay and lesbian co~unity and for people suffering with AIDS. - . "Pacific Union College is ortly an hour away from here , · ·and Walla Walla College . h~d SEE COVER STORY, PageJ8 < ilJ Families □ The forgotten AIDS sufferers: out of every situation . I tend toward realism. But, the two of us together were able to keep things on a forward trend, re-evaluating our hopes and sorrows on a daily or weekly basis. The caregiver must respect the PW A's attitude toward illness, whether it is passive or active. The attitudes of family and friends also have impact. For example, Ron and I often felt subtle pressure from friends that the polite thing to do when one has a terminal illness is to suffer and die, especially when one comes close to death on several occasions . This concept has a strong influence because there were times when we have felt that the next thing to do was to wait for death. We have had _ to fight <;a_reg~vers • the ones who struggle before - and long after - their beloved's death The Rev. Ron Bergeron, fbrmer pastor of the Metropolitan Community . Church of Ottawa, Ontario, died on July 8, 1990, from complications associated with AIDS. He , was 49. The life, love, and faith he shared with his mate, Carol Richer, inspired many. Here, Carol Richer tells how he made it - and he offers guidance for caregivers. BY CAROL RICHER The Diagnosis I had been in a monogamous relationship with Ron for about two and a half years when Ron began feeling some unusual fatigue and experiencing frequent infections. A diagnosis was finally made which required the knowledge of Ron's HIV status. The result of the HIV testing came back positive, and we were told that because he had a very low T4 count he could expect to get very sick during the next six months, perhaps with pneumocystis carinii or some other opportunistic infections . All thi.s occurred about -four years ago ,md was a big shock for us as a couple . We were now dealing with a chronic disease . AIDS altered the social, psychological, and financial aspects of our lives and also the way we related to each other . It meant trying to adjust in a world which had seemingly come to a halt. Dealing with this situation has changed my life completely. We had to examine every facet of our beings: our relationship, our attitudes, individually and as a couple, our communication skills, our feelings, and our day-to-day planning. The Attitudes First, how is the person with AIDS (PWA) dealing with the diagnosis? What was their attitude toward life before the diagnosis and what is it now? Did they formerly communicate feelings and can they now? Were they able to deal with life's realities before? How are they dealing now? Is he or she able to maintain hope in the face of life's difficulties, including this diagnosis? The main caregiver is somebody who cares so much as to decide to share this journey with the other person, usually a spouse, close friend, parent, or sibling . I insist on the word "decide" because we all have choices. This was to me the first step of joyfully accepting this specific challenge on our journey together. The main caregiver must look into the realities of his or her relationship with the PW A, his or her own attitudes toward life, his or her ability to communicate feelings, his or her own feelings about the diagnosis . Then this caregiver must be willing to adapt to everyday changes and challenges . Family and Friends Friends and extended family members may choose to be involved and loving, or not to deal with the situation at all . As time passed, I realized that, for a good number of people, it is easier to forget what is happening than it is· to act. I sincerely think it is - human nature to put difficult situations aside in the hope that if one puts them aside long enough, they will go away. Even though Ron and I were very involved in the lesbian and gay community and with the church which Ron pastored, I realized that there were not too many people I could count on; and by the same token, sensed myself feeling left out by many and betrayed by the non-commitment. Although a painful eye-opener, it is, in fact, very hard for many to deal with a chronic health situation - with death and grieving - and, confronted with this situation, it is easier to choose not to deal with it - and even to pretend that nothing is going on! In our situation, it has been interesti _ng to see how both of our families have reacted . Family members often have a hard time dealing with a sibling's death, sexuality, and the social pressures because these topics touch a very intimate part of their lives. As main caregiver, I had the difficult task of evaluating just what the family needed to be told - and when . I've had to decide the importance of letting family members know just how sick Ron was at times, and of evaluating how badly Ron needed to see various family members. This interpretation is, at times, like walking a thin line between overreacting or under-estimating. tooth and naii "in order to keep on going in as normal a way as possible . The conclusion and attitude we both came to is : You are fully alive until the moment you stop breathing. This is a phrase that has kept us going many times and has inspired us to appreciate special moments, and to look forward to projects and days ahead. It gave us energy for life's activities and for the sorrows that Ron and I often felt subtle pressure from friends that the polite thing to do when one has a terminal illness is to suffer and die ... come with the inevitable grieving over the loss of a loved one. And, Continuing the grief is not just something that Relationship happens at the point of death, it The relationship between the happens with every change and loss caregiver and the PWA will, of in life. One's choices are constantly COurse l'nfluence our . 1 limited; there is ongoing Joss. , caregiver ro e. Although the diagnosis and con- For Ron and I, one of the most diftinuing illness brings alterations, for ficult subjects to talk about at first the 1:1ost.part the relationship was his death. We are just not - Continues along th I . trained to think in terms of death for esame meas ~fore the illness. It is therefore very us at a young age . We grew by talkimportant to try to understand what ing about his eventual death and has been going on before the diagnosis were able to come to terms with wills and to examine how this affects the funeral arrangments, a memorial ' future of the relationship. ..service, and the meaning of death for The caregiver's attitude needs to be both Ron and me. I must say that in line with that of the PWA • !hrough this very basic commun- , 1.e., 1catio bl t h the caregiver needs to be able to . . n, we were a e o c ange our adjust with the hopes and d-istresses- ~ ---- ~titudes to"'.ard death and it just did felt by the PW A on a day-to-da not _seem as fmal anymore. Communbasis. This is not easy. Ron wa:;; an icatmn made us able to discuss every optimist who always makes the best __ _ SEE CAREGIVER, Page 18 SECO,ND STONE Church & Organization News Overlake MCC At New Location Overlake Metropolitan Community Church, Bellevue, Washington, recently celebrated its third anniversary in conjunction with moving to a ne\V, more convenient worship location - First Congregational Church, 6745 108th N.E., downtown Bellevue. A. Austin Amerine is pastor. -SGN Church Launches Bond Issue King of Peace MCC, St. Petersburg, Florida, has begun efforts to raise $700,000 through a bond issue to purchase and renovate a new church home. The bonds are being sold by prospectus only. For inf6rmation, contact the church at (813)323-5857. Garner Exits MCC Baltimore The Rev. Darlene Garner, who was installed as pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Baltimore last January announced during church services on November 25 that she was resigning . Garner said in a letter to church members, "my experience with var ious parts of the church over the past five months indicates clearly that if the current members of the congregation are ever to reconcile with one another and with the Board , the pastor must leave. " -Baltimore Alternative Seattle Church Wins National Recognition For AIDS Ministry . _flymouth Congregational Church, , Seattle, Washington, has received a · national award for its pioneering work in providing housing for those with HIV/ AIDS. The 1,000-member United Church of Christ congregation was given a distinguished service award by the AIDS National Interfaith Network, meeing in Chicago, for a program that "puts a human face on AIDS that most religious people, indeed, most Americans, refuse to acknowledge or embrace. The AIDS National Interfaith Network, formed in 1988 and holding its second annual .convention, brings together religious people who are operating successful programs to educate the public about the AIDS epidemic and to help those who have HIV/ AIDS. lt represents 85 Catholic , Protestant and Jewish interfaith organizations, ranging from local congregations to national · denominations . Its New York City headquarters are in the offices of the United Church Board for Homeland Ministries, the domestic mission arm of the 1.6 million-member United · Church of Christ. Plymouth Church has worked in the Seattle area to find affordable housing for low income people with HIV/AIDS. -SGN Samaritan Moves Samaritan College has moved to new offices. The college is now located in the same building as the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches. The new address is 5300 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 306, Los Angeles, CA .90029. Evangelicals Open Bible Institute The staff and Advisory Council of the Evangelical Bible Institute have announced the opening of a full-time Bible School in the fall of this year , where people can study the Bible in a · gay /lesbian affirming atmosphere. Although EBI has existed for several years, it has offered only occasional weeknight courses and weekend seminars. EBI's curriculum is acceptable to all evangelical denominations. Financial assistance is provided to students proving need. Assistance with housing and work study is also provided. For information, write to Chuck Shamblin, Evangelical Bible Institute, 1029 East Turney, Phoenix, AZ 85014-4402. Dignity/Los Angeles · To Dedicate New Center After years of struggling to find a permanent home, Dignity /Los Angeles will dedicate its newly-purchased Dignity Center in a special ceremony on January 26. Located at 126 South Avenue 64 in Highland Park, the open house will include a tour, a dedication of a building plaque, strolling musicians and singers and refreshments. Following this event, the founding chapter of the International Dignity Gay and Lesbian Catholic Movement will celebrate its twenty-second year of existence at a banquet to be held at the Sheraton Town House at 2961 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. Founded in 1969, the Los Angeles mother-chapter met in offices, and even a funeral parlor, before being allowed by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to hold meetings and eventually liturgies at the Newman Center, a Catholic facility at Los Angeles City College, from 1973 to ·1988, when they were asked to leave due to upcoming renovations of that facility. The group then went to St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Hollywood in June, 1988, where they remained for exactly one year. The pastor there evicted the group, reacting to Los Angeles Catholic Archbishop Roger Mahony's pastoral letter to all facultied priests within the Archdiocese to cease saying Mass 'for all Dignity chapters within his . jurisdiction. The Southern Conference of Catholic Bishops met . and ·concurred .with the Archbishop's wishes. It was the Wes.t HoUywoo ,d Presbyterian Church which gave the group a home from Jurie, -1989, until : the first liturgy in their present • newly-purchased home· in1 Highliinif • Park. · The facility, bt1ilt in 1904, consists of a large congregation room with patio and gardelll! on the first level and . a second story containing offices, meeting - rooms · and . a (ull . kitchen. A separate cor:ripound ·contains a Iate-inodel one-bedroom house with patio, which the group rents out. Dignity Center/Los Angeles at 126 South Avenue 64 in HighiandPark · Business or PersonalTrya Second Stone Classified Ad! January/February 1991 II Calendar The following announcements have been submitted by sponsoring or affiliatedg roups. MCCLong Beach Charismatic Conference '91 FEBRUARY 8-9, "Go With the Spirit" is the theme of the MCC Long Beach Charismatic Conference. Speakers include Rev. Eria Duncan, Rev. Grant Ford, Rev. Samuel Kader, Rev. Phyllis Mann, Rev. Duane Moret, Rev. Dr. Dusty Pruitt, Ms. Rosalind Rinker, Rev. Nori Rost and Ms. Sandra Turnbull. Workshops include "Healing the Inner Child," "Spiritual Gifts" and "Your Job on Earth." For information contact MCC/Long Beach, 1231 Locust Ave., Long Beach, CA 90813. PLGC Midwest Winter Conference FEBRUARY 8-10, "When Sexuality and Spirituality Meet'' is the theme of Presbyterians for Lesbian & Gay Concem's winter conference. St. Benedict Center, Madison, Wis., is the setting. Cost is $65.00, which includes all meals and two nights lodging. For information contact Ellwood Carey, 3817 Portage Ave., #2, Madison, WI 53704 or call (608)244-0894. Family Matters! Ministry with Lesbian and Gay Christians FEBRUARY 9, Three denominations in metropolitan New York · will hold a day-long educational event at Park Avenue Christian Church. Workshops will be offered for clergy and lay ministers. Dr. Edwina Hunter of Union Theological Seminary will lead the worship. This event grows out of monthly meetings of the United Church Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Concerns, the Gay, Lesbian, and Affirming Disciples Alliance and American Baptists Concerned in New York. For further information call Will Leckie, (201)592-8805. Just Say Yes: A Call To Thrive FEBRUARY 15-17, a conference to bring together gay, lesbian and bisexual seminarians and divinity school students. The Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, Mass., · is the setting. Cost is $30.00. Keynotespeakersscheduled: Carter Heyward, Chris Glaser, Ir_ene Monroe and (tentatively) John Boswell. In addition to the several workshops scheduled, there will be a session on developing strategies for change in seminaries, the church and beyond. For information, contact Michael Musolf, 99 Brattle St., Box 30, Cambridge, MA 02138 or call (617)547°7629. 1991 Institute Of The Son FEBRUARY 18-21, The Evangelical Bible Institute and the Missions Task Force of Casa de Cristo Church, Phoenix, Arizona, present a time of learning, sharing, equipping and growing as Christian workers. The theme of the program is "Back to Basics." Cost'is $15.00, which includes materials and meals ; Housing for out-oHowners will be provided by members of the Casa congregation. For information contact Casa de Cristo Church at (602)265-2831 or write to EBI, 1029 E. Tumey, Phoenix, AZ. 85014. Annual T-E-N Weekend FEBRUARY22-24, The Evangelical Network sponsors its fourth annual gathering . . Each year the T-E-N Weekend gives evangelical groups and individuals the opportunity to gather together in a non-denom- . inational environment for the purpose of learning and growing together. Casa de Cristo Evangelical Church, Phoenix, Arizona is the setting. The theme is "Leadership in the Local Church." Scheduled to speak: Bro. Ken Coulter, Pastor Rada Schaff, Ron Burcham, Jan Sayre, Bro. Fred Pattison, and others. Registration of $20.00 includes Sa.turday meals. For information , contact T~E-N, P.O. Box 16104, Phoenix, AZ. 85011, or call (602)265-2831 or (602)849-5883. LGCM 1991 Annual Conference APRIL 13, England's Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement holds its annual conference. Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, London, is the setting. For information write to LGCM, Oxford House, Derbyshire St., . London E2 6HG, UK. Brethren/Mennonite Families Retreat APRIL 12-14, The second retreat for the parents and families of lesbian, gay and bisexual persons. The retreat, sponsored in part by a support . network of Brethren/Mennonite parents with lesbian or gay children, will be held at the Laurelville Mennonite Church Center in western Pennsylvania. Write to Rt. 5, Boxl45, Mt. Pleasant, PA 15666 or call (412) 423-2056. Spiritfest New Orleans MAY 24-27, Grace Ministries sponsors a Christian gathering at Holy Redeemer Retreat Center, LaCombe, Louisiana. The retreat center, a former Redemptorist seminary, is beautifully situated on 110 acres of forested land on the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain. Cost is $100.00 per person. For information write to Spiritfest '91, P.O. Box 70555, New Orleans, LA 70172-0555. National UCCL/GC Gathering ~ 23 -26, The United Church Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns' National Gathering 11 immediately precedes the United Church of Christ General Synod 18 in Norfolk, Virg inia. The setting for the gathering will be the Old Dominion University campus in Norfolk. Connecticut UCCL/GC is planning the three day event, which will offer opportunities for single persons and persons in relationships to explore ways we are family: the family we're in now, the family we came from, the family we would wish for . Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, author of Is The Homosexual My Neighbor?, will be the featured speaker . For information write to: UCCL/GC, 18 N. College, Athens, OH 45701 or call (614)593-7301. NABWMT Convention '91: Living, Loving and Working Together JUNE 23-30, The Detroit Chapter of Black and White Men Together hosts the 1991 convention of the National Association ofBlack and White Men Together, an organization formed ten years ago to break down racial barriers between gay people and provide a multiracial political and social forum. The NABWMT is an umbrella organization for over 25 chapters nationwide. Conveption '91 will explore the many ways we relate as gay people and examine SECOND STONE □ methods to unify the gay community. Workshops will be presented on interpersonal relationships, health issues .and AIDS awareness, bridging cultural differences and many othe _r issues. The Hotel St. Regis is the setting. For information write: BWMT /Detroit, Convention '91, P.O. Box 24-8831, Detroit, MI 48224. connECtion '91 JULY 4-7, the first joint Evangelicals Concerned Midwest and Western Region conference. The campus of the University of Denver is the setting . The conference will include keynote addresses, workshops, small group interaction,prayer, and socializing. Participants will fellowship with gay and lesbian Christians from across the United States and learn more about the integration of sexuality and spirituality and discover new ways to love God, others and self. To show off Colorado's natural wonders, the weekend will feature a half-day trip into the Rocky Mountains. For registration information, contact Scott at the ECWR office, (303)830-2823. Our Heroic Journey: Building A Healing Circle AUGUST 26. 29, A special retreat of celebration for gay and lesbian ministers. This retreat will tap the very special experience of the Holy Spirit that every gay and lesbian minister has to learn to utilize to strengthen and celebrate their lives. The Weber House, Baltimore, Maryland, is the setting. Limited financial assistance is available. For registration information, write to CMI Retreat, P.O. Box 60125, Chicago, IL60660-0125. Dignity/USA Convention '91 AUGUST 29-SEPTEMBER 1, The Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. will the be setting for Dignity /USA's tenth biennial convention. Themed "Many Gifts, One Spirit," the convention program will feature presentations and workshops that reflect the diversity of Dignity's national community . For more information write: Convention '91, Dignity /USA, Box 29661, Washington, DC 20017. SEND EVENT NOTICES TO: CALENDAR, SECOND STONE, P.O. BOX 8340, NEWORLEANS, LA 70182 Essay Healing the loneliness By Dr. Buddy Truluck Columnist Wheni was 10 years old I was smaller than my playmates. My most vivid memory of playground games was being the last ,one chosen for a team. I was left out a lot of the time. Sometimes one of my friends would feel sorry for me and see to it I was on their side. Being little in size made me different. In the tiny world of the childhood playground, being different meant being alone. Later, when I began to realize I was gay, I felt even more isolated and left out. I felt that I was the only one in the world like me. I felt cut off from God. You may have felt some of the same thing. I was a Christian, a pastor and later a Bible professor. Finally, I was rejected by the church. By 1981, I was openly gay, living in Atlanta, going to gay bars and feeling like wallpaper. I felt ignored and left out there too. I drank to be social. At first, alcohol tasted really awful. Then I got used to it and drank as a habit and as a way to deal with frustrations and disappointments. I became alcoholic for several years. I finally went with a friend to a gay Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, took a white chip and became sober. Five months later, I tried drinking again and lost control. I went back to AA, took a white chip and started over again. By the grace of God and "one day at a time" I have been sober since August 8, 1989. 1 thank God for the , wonderfully supportive lesbian and gay friends in and outside of MCC who have loved me and accepted me. I don't feel left out anymore. As Senior Pastor of Golden Gate MCC in San Francisco, I have been given a wide open door of opportunity to demonstrate the inclusive power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Lesbians and gay men often feel , rejected, ,abandoned and left out. God's love revealed in Jesus Christ cuts through this isolation and loneliness. Romans ·15:7 calls you to "accept one another, just as Christ also accepted you to the glory of God ." John 3:16 says that God loves the world~ which surely includes you an,d me. The inclusive power of the gospel was stated by Paul in Romans 1:16: "I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to every one who believes." Accepting yourself and feeling good , about yourself are part of God's gift of love to you in Jesus Christ. Your mission to continue the work that, Jesus began depends upon your ability to love yourself. You cannot include others in your life if you are not able to include yourself . Self-esteem is not only God's gift to you through Jesus Christ; it is also the basis for reaching out to others to lift them and love them into feeling good about themselves too. "Love your neighbor as yourself" requires first that you love yourself. Jesus said in John 13:34, "I give you a new commandment that you love each other as I have loved you." That yerse could also say "accept each other just as I have accepted you." How do you feel about yourself today? Accepting yourself and feeling good about yourself are part of God's giffof love ... The gay and lesbian community is a . wounded people. Some churches have maintained a persistent and unrelenting attack on Lesbians and Gays that belittles and ridicules their worth before God and their right to serve God in the church. The gospel that Jesus intended to be inclusive and healing has been distorted into a cruel -weapon of fear and anger by these Bible abusers and religious terrorists. Nobody has the right to undermine your self respect as a gay person. Fight back with the truth. God loves you . You don't have .to be afraid or alone anymore. \ \ Buddy Truluck is a former Southern Baptist pastor. Presently this , energetic Bible scholar is teaching a series entitled "The Bible As A Friend of Lesbians and Gays" at San Francisco's Golden Gate MCC, where he serves as pastor. He was edU<;:ated at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, 'Kentucky. □ :J[owers. 9Lre~ c[ The little boy went first day of school He got some crayons and started to draw He put colors all over the paper For colors was what he saw And the teacher said ... What you doin' young man I'm painting flowers he said She said ... It's not the time for art young man And anyway flowers are green and red There's a time for everything young man And a way it should be done You've got to show concern for everyone else For you 're not the only one And she said ... Flowers are red young man Green leaves are green There's no need to see flowers any other way Than the way they always have been seen But the little boy said ... There are so many colors in the rainbow So many colors in the m.ornin' sun So many colors in a flower and I see every one Well the teachers aid. ..Y ou're sassy There's ways that things should be And you 'II paint flowers the way they are So rq,eat after me ... And she said ... , Flowers are red young man Green leaves are green There's no need to see flowers any other way Than the way they always have been seen But the little boy said ... There are so many colors in the rainbow So many colors in the mornin' sun So many colors in a flower And I see every one The teacher put him in a corner She said ... lt 's for your own good And you won't come out 'ti/ you get it right And all responding like you should Well finally he got lonely Frightened thoughts filled his head And he went up to the teacher And this is what he said ... and he said , Flowers are red, green leaves are green There's no need to see flowers any other way Than the way they always have been seen Time went by like it always does And they moved to another town And the little boy went to another school And this is what he found The teacher there was smilin • She said ... Painting should be fun And there are so many colors in a flower So let's use every one But the littl~ boy painted flowers In neat rows of green and red And when the teachera sked,him why This is what he said ... imd he said Flowers are red,,green leaves are green There's no need to see flowers aniTotherw ay Than the way they always have been seen -copied January/February 1991 :II Closer Look Gays .:and the church: poor imitators By Rev, Bmceltoller Contributing 'Writer · Moshof ,',the gay and lesbian , · people cfknow feel much the same , way about the traditional Christian ,·.;church that we Jee! about our parents. We love them for giving us _life, for helping to establish in us some basic .. beliefs, for showing us ways to relate to the world around us. We love them •· for _the protection they offered us in • our early . development, and we· appreciate the good qualities we saw (and see) in them. On the other hand we often feE\l that they gave us, in many ways, .. an unrealistic view of the world and of life. _We are angry that they often place upon us expectations that are beyond our capabilities, and sometimes we feel threaten ·ed with abandonment, neglect, and outright hostility when we express our differing ways of looking at life, The Rev. Dr. Sherre Boothman, speaking at Reconciliation MCCsome time ago remarked on her amazement that lesbian women and gay men would even want to be in the church. When the Christian church has been such a bastion of persecution, such a ~earer of false witness against us, such a perpetrator of the violence done to us, why would we be drawn toward the church at all? Excellent · question! ·In these columns during 1991, I would . like to explore from Biblical bases the varying relationships that gay and lesbian people establish with (and without) the organized church. The topic, incidentally, was. suggested to me by my spouse of 17 years. Rick is a former altar boy in •the Roman Catholic Church who left the church with the advent of ·vatican II because of the loss or' mystery · and tradition when Latirt masses became rare. He was·.ordained a deacon in the UFMCC at the .third General Conference, and left the church soon after because of a violent split in his local congregation .. · In . retrospect he feels disillusioned because nobody at that point showed · him the way to a personal Christian commitment. When l met him he was nominally involved in Dyanetics and other Science of the Mind philosophies. Within a year he had experienced a dramatic evangelical A Presbyterian Promise "We will work to increase the acceptance a.1d participation -in the church ofaHpersons regardless of racial-ethnic origins, . sex, class; age, disability,m arital sui.tuso r sexual orientation'.' ~ · 195th General Assembly{f983), · Atlanta, Georgia. If ·this is your promise, too, we invite you · to join conversion while watching a TV evangelist. Soon after he was introduced to charismatic worship and received his prayer language on a Greyhound bus alone on his way to visit a friend in Virginia. For ten years he was involved with · me in independent ministry to gay and lesbian people, and for five years now has been actively involved ·in UFMCC in the focal church and at District and Fellowship levels as well . It seems as we share our stories that most of us have approached God and the church through many doors, and have often been denied entry into -the community of believers because .of our gender orientation. Briefly in this introductory article I offer a Biblical understanding of the frequent failure of the traditional church to act in a godly manner toward gay and lesbian people. Ephesians 5:1 ·offers this gem of advice near the middle of some wonderful practical advice on how to live out our new Christian lives in everyday existance: "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children." · Children are not always good imitators of their role models. Witness playing house: little girls and boys dressed up in daddy or mommy's clothes think . they have made themselves look very much like · the adults they eumlate: But the Clothes are too big, the images caricatures, the ca_refully guarded gender roles often blurred much ' to the parent's chagrin. The children really seem poor imitators of the ad .ults in their lives. In years to come, however, as most psychologists and pastoral counselors will iell you; the conscious and subconsc;ious imitation of our parents becomes a major factor in how we live our lives and how we relate to one another, .I find hope in this analogy. Picture the church as children seeking to . imitating of God is being used by God to transform us into the image -of Jesus Christ, so that our "play," our poor. imitation, is . becoming a ·shaping factor in how we live and love and relate .to ourselves, each other, _and our world. · So convinced am I of these things that now in my 25th year of ministry - 17 years of that primarily to gay . and lesbi;m people O I continue to urge We caricature God who chooses to identify with "the least of these" and express God as rejecting all who do not fit a certain social/ cultural/ economic role. the church's oppressed to look for ways to relate to the community of believers. "Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is, but rather . ,encourage one another the more as you see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25) In this year's series of articles we will examine more closely some ways people have chosen to do this. I'd like to hear your story as a way of continuing _ to research this. What has your faith walk been like? .Where has it taken you? How do you currently relate to the community of faith? You may direct your remarks to the address below. . . ' • ·. · imitate the God who breathes life The Re'l!erendB ruce Roller is pastor ' into us, and doing it rather badly. We of Reconciliation. MCC in Grand Presbyterians. for caricature God who chooses . to Rapids, MI. He has prepared a Lesbian/Gay_ Concerns· _ ·,:_W' rite to Eldel'l8IJ,l~QS; ¥de~n . · :,;·:P :t.OC;:1\:0Box~ 8., ~~:wB runswick:N, t ._;;~i::0',.:~; }:5 ~903;~33J~t784-l5§1- 0~. . ;::;,,, ,,. f'~. . - :' :·:.:;;-,. ( ~:~i~t identify wiih "the lea~t of these" workbook on 1 Corinthians. 6:9-10 amfexpress God as rejecting all who that is available for $3.50 plus 25% do not fit a certain • social/ handling and shipping: · This book : cultural/ernnomic role. . . God's allows the student t-o, draw ?c lothes" are much too big for . us - conclusions themselves; fr~ the . ,, l' ''&:JQrs: ways to far above OW'· W:ays, Word of God; and. has: ~~lpeil ,ria'!y 1,. "imppssible tq fin4. out excep f ·at . peaple ov.er . _their • .: ,f~ ,!:-, of \ifJ,1 !iYfatfi'oto:'Usb-y t~ J!Ji:>Splyir it iQ,• ," · condemnation frodJ this>, p: a'SStfB"o f .' .,:>,e v~r ;t n,~r~isfi'ig "' ·s pJ~.ii4 o r -i' <»' · Scr{pture. The w/Jrkfi{]o'j.sk : atfailabl.e :_ .~! ,si~jidf~g( . ~n, :2'.f~t .. ;af.d .. ,from Faithful Publicat Joi ," RO. Bo~.- · ..:~ r2:~evr -,~e' :·slciwly t :,O~f · ~ ,o~'-' "6658,,G, rand R_apidsM, l 185M:·. . COMMENTARY, From Page 2 hand for hand and foot for foot" (Deut. 19:21) - that, for better or worse, today we as Christians do re-examine. If New Agers are decried as relativistic - and, granted, they often are - isn't quoting Deuteronomy· 18:9-14 in support of anti-New Age sentiments while refusing to marry your widowed sister-in-law (for which cause Deut. 25:9 commands stripping of the sandal and a spit in the face) the more insidious relativism because of its hypocrisy? But mediums arenot the point. Anyone who thinks that the New Age movement is about channeling, or crystals, or astrology has mistaken the "glitter" for the substance. There are many, many New Ag<;?rS who practice none of the glitter and are New Agers nonetheless. In my experience, while some New Agers consider God "an impersonal force," most express love and dedication to the personal God. While it's true that few New Agers acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, many do see him as an active Person and not just "Christ Consciousness." And moreover . there are New Age Christians, individuals who, as Warner puts it, "think that they can easily follow both paths" and certainly do not qualify as "relatively uninformed Christians." I should know for I'm one of them. So if the gamut from channeling to "I am God" is neither universal to nor definitive of New Agers, then there must be something more pivotal and basic to the New Age movement than any item to which Rev. Warner's article alluded. At essence, the New Age vision is a philosophy which cares deeply for the integrity of all things and persons, observes the spiritual truth applicable to each episode of life, and seeks to practice the highest good consistently. And in that, there is nothing at odds with Christian faith. Yes, there are many New Age practices and beliefs that the Christian might find contrary to the teachings of their church or their denomination's interpretation of Scripture. And many New Agers unintentionally feed the dispute by making one or another New Age belief the center of their own understanding. A good example of this is Groothuis' "resurrection or reincarnation" - a major source of contention between New Agers and Christians and rightly so! The majority in both "sides" believe their unc1crstanding to be correct and so there is need to differ about it. Good! As Christians let's differ with New Agers on this point (or any other we find an offense to our faith) and do so strongly and confidently, yet open to listening to their equally strong and confident rebuttal. But let's not go throwing babies out with the bath water by ignoring the larger context of positive spiritual ground we indeed do share. Let's differ where At essence, the New Age vision is a philosophy which cares deeply for the integrity of all things and persons, observes the spiritual truth applicable to each episode of life, and seeks to practice the highest good consistently. And in that, there is nothing at odds with Christian faith. we differ and agree where we agree. Let's be bold enough, versed enough in our Christian faith, to know we can discern the differences and the similarities: • I must admit I am incredulous that one could think to imply that the New Age vision is in any way "amoral." True, there is no "central ethical base," if by that a set of moral regulations is meant. But that hardly makes for amorality. Instead, in the New Age context, this necessitates a consistent discerning and applicatlon of the highest good possible to each circumstance. It mandates that we see each new situation with clarity and respond with the course of action best for all involved. Moreover, the New Age way places complete responsibility for one's choices on one .self, so there's no escaping the need to act with the utmost of integrity at each turn of events. But let's look at the Sermon of the Mount (where, incidentally, three items of Deuteronomy were discarded.) Wasn't Jesus making much the same point? Yes, there are Laws, but it's not enough to follow them with precision. One must practice the substance and meaing of the Law, not just the letter. What? You're angry with your neighbor? You're as liable to judgment as if you had killed him! What? You lust after your neighbor's mate? That's the same as adultry! "Unless your justice exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees" - who were, after all, exacting in each jot and tittle - "you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 5:20) And the New Ager would agree! That's why there is no "quick answer" morality for the New Ager. The letter of the Law is nothing - ethical rules and regulations of themselves are empty - but the meaning and substance is absolute. .And the meaning and substance of true values shine even without their evident rule form in the New Age movement. Could that be why Gays and Lesbians sometimes find the New Age vision appealing? Not because they "who have often felt powerless and· disenfranchised" are lured by the New Age movement's "very lack of a central ethical base"... which "removes most, if not all, prejudice against gay and lesbian lifestyles," but because Christians who are gay and lesbian have a ministry of proclamation uniquely suited to their experience? That proclamation? Look at the substance, not at the letter! In the name of a literal interpretation of Scripture's moral mandates, Gays and Lesbians have suffered the dehumanizing attitudes of those Christians who would · practice nothing less than fastidious adherence to the Bible ... without any inclination to fully grasp what the Christian faith is about! Those who are concerned about the Christian message know that its meaning and substance is antithetical to discrimination on the basis or sexual orientation. But that's not what the literally read words of Scripture would indicate. We are all too familiar with those passages which appear to condemn homosexuality, so let's skip the quoting of them. We are all too familiar how the letter kills, but the spirit gives life. And so, taking the responsibility for our decision to speak even against the literality of Scripture if we must, we of the proclamation say that the substance of Christianity demands full inclusion for Gays and Lesbians. And when Christians who are gay or lesbian sec New Agers who also, in all issues of spirituality, invoke the meaning and substance, well, maybe that's a shared bond that runs a whole lot deeper than a contentious focus upon our differences. Yes, Christians and New Agers arc often January/February 1991 radically different in practice and. belief. As Christians we cannot , nod in agreement to all New Age beliefs. The accountability for knowing one's Christian faith enough to discern what is Christian and what is not... rests squarely on the shoulders of the Christian. But as Christians with that special proclamation God has entrusted to us - "Wake up! It's the meaning and substance that counts!" - we cannot but notice New Agers as those who too tread that path. As the Lord Jesus has said, "Judge not by appearance, but give just judgment" (john 7:24). And to that, 1 say, amen. Catherine Groves is editor of Christian*New Age Quarterly: A Bridge Supporting Dialogue. For information, send SASE to P.O. Box 276, Clifton, NJ 07011-0276. Sample issue, $3.50. Catherine welcomes your inquiries or thoughts. Ex-Gays? There Are None LambdaC hristianF ellowshiips pleasedto a nnouncae newb ook by Rev.S ylviaP enningto•n a n examinatioonf ex.gaym inistries• what they do • what they don't do. You'lml eetp eoplew ho,o nly throughG od'sg raceh, aves urviveda nds toppedtr yingt o be ex-gaysb, ecausei,n truth,t here is no such thing as an ex-gay ,:;erson. Now Available From Lambda Christian Fellowship P. 0. Box 1967 Hawthorne, CA 90250 $15.00p lus$ 1.50f or postagean d handlingC. aliforniare sidentsa dd 6% sales tax. m Books About Courage - . Life of helplessness brought knowledge of compassion By Michael Blankenship Contributing Writer The only thing wrong with Mickey C. Fleming's recent autobiography, About Courage, is it's cover and format. The photo of a handsome, young black man (Fleming, himself) in an open red robe on the cover of this small paperback gives it the appearance of a sleazy gay novel. But this is one book that can't be judged by its cover. Once I started the book I was immediately drawn into a world that both fascinated and repulsed me, a world and life totally foreign to my own. His life began in poverty in rural North Carolina. Prior to his birth, his mother's boyfriend had deserted •_.. a s telling a testament to the courage of the human splril .. as has come my way." --Huston Smith, author of The ReligiaM of Man -16 full-color reproductions of the widely acclaimed "Panels of Love" paintings_ Plus artist/author Tom Grummon's detailed account of hi• own discovery of new depths of love, faith and splrl1ual support From a man living each day with his own lif&. threalaning disease. · A book that inspires hope to th~ facing - their own reality. And a beautiful gift from friend or family to someone who needs assurance. Each painting based on selected passage from the Old or New Testament. -Available in bookstores or from Los Hombres Press, Dept SS, 739 5th Ave., Ste. 28, San Diego, CA 92101. $19.95 plus $1.50 postage and handling .. CA residents add 7% tax. Check, Money Order or Visa/MC. Phone orders: 619/688-1023. I am, with You Fear Not! (A Corrective Look at the Lesbian and Gay Clobber Passages) Professionally produced Video-tape Audio-tape & Workbook A new book by ,he Rev. Bruce Roller Pastor of Reconcilia1ionM CC Grand Rapids, Ml (/J/Uu'nlJI ~ -~ V - (/ AECONCtUATION VHS Video (90 min.l $24.95 Al.Dia Tape $5.00· • Ylcridxx>k $5.00 t.o,.;ng0xselves$6.95 Adj 25% f()( 5hiWing& han:1ing. Faithful Publications P.O. Box 6658 Grand Rapids, MI 49516 her to have the baby on her own. Living in squalor with relatives she managed to keep the family together, but by Mickey's second birthday her unstable mental health forced her to abandon her children. Fleming's half-brothers and sister were shipped off to Washington, D.C. to live with relatives but, being an illegitimate child, Mickey was rejected by his mother's family and forced to enter an orphanage. I am amazed that anyone could survive the abuse he suffered in the orphanage. . By age eight his feminine beauty had captured the attention of the older boys, who sometimes fought over his affections "I know now that the true texture of my being is not the color of my skin or my sexual condition or my social position in life, it's my soul. The inner man. This is liberating knowledge. This is inner healing ... " and who eventually took turns repeatedly raping him. He also endured frequent beatings and was constantly tormented because of a speech impediment he had. He was placed in a number of foster homes. At one, he was dressed as a little girl and taught to dance for the amusement of his caretaker. And, at another, he often sneaked into the room of the daughter of his foster parents and dressed in her clothing. He made himself up, with the help of a towel for a wig, to look like the girl he felt lived inside himself. He pleaded with God to miraculously make him a girl. He was a confused, damaged child. Religion had been an important part of the lives of all of his foster lrf.·., • . i.~ SECOND STONE □ Mickey C. Fleming families, and he was exposed to a variety of religious experiences. So it was only natural that during these formative years he would question God about the hardship in his life. He. wanted to know why he wasn't like the other boys, why he couldn't have a real Mom and Dad, and why the world was so cruel to him. He was hurting. His religious experiences all had one thing in common: a negative view of homosexuality. He carried the guilt of his sexual feelings from his earliest sensual yearnings and, to add to this burden, he was distressed by his fear of inherited mental illness. Gang violence was rampant on the streets of D.C. and during his high school years Fleming had no alternative but to try to adapt to his environment by assuming some stereotypically masculine characteristics. He learned quickly that if he was careless in his dress and didn't smile too much he got beat up less often. Any other way would have been suicide. His struggle to make something of his life continued on a roller coaster course. For every good thing that came his way it seemed that something equally bad, or worse, would happen . He eventually left the foster home program and, through a government agency, entered college. During his college years he finally came to grips with his sexuality and fell in love, only to have his lover impulsively marry a woman. God spoke to him through a church service he accidently stumbled into. Mickey could see an image of himself when he heard the words of Jesus about eunuchs, yet he was so frightened by the penecostal experience that he swore he'd never set foot in a church again. SEE COURAGE, Next Page Books ~-□ Different Mothers: Son & Daughters Of Lesbians Talk About Their Lives "America has gone baby crazy," Because Rafkin relies on oral writes Louise Rafkin in Different Mothers: Sons & Daughters of Lesbians Talk About Their Lives. "And Lesbians are certainly not exempt: we're smack in the middle of our own 'gayby' boom." In Different Mothers, 38 "children" (ages 5 to 40) come together to tell us about r;rowing up in lesbian families. COURAGE, From Previous Page He graduated from college with a degree in interior design, but was fired from his first job for being a disruptive influence: the other employees spent too much company time harassing him. They taunted him with words like "fancy nigger faggot," and left obscene notes at his work station . He sought out his mother and moved with her into a small apartment. He · histories and personal narratives, the voices of the children - and their most compelling concerns - are startlingly clear. Speaking about peer pressure, closets, custody issues, families, sexuality, coming out, school and friends, · fathers and co-moms, the authors of Different Mothers examine cleaned her and dressed her up, but her mental illness continued to surface, usually at the most inappropria te times. He again realized the need for God's direction in his life, yet he was severely criticized . at .his baptism for having a "Holy Ghost" experience _in a conservative A.M.E. church. Undaunted by the numerous obstructions life had thrown across his path, his life experiences consequently leveled off when, Andrea Natalie's Cartoons On PBS Documentary Selections from Andrea Natalie's new lesbian cartoon book Stonewall Riots will 'be featured in the PBS documentary "Funny Ladies," a film about ·women cartooiiis ts' projected to be broadcast in February, according to Venus Press. Andrea Natalie founded the Lesbian Cartoonists Network in September of 1990. The network now !fas over forty members, including Alison Bechdel (Dykes to Watch Out For), Leigh Dunlap (Morgan ·•·Calabrese), Rhonda Dicksion (Lesbian Survival Manual), ·Roberta Gregory, Kris Kovick, Noreen Stevens and Jennifer Camper . Lesbian cartoonists from around the world forward ideas and information to Natalie and receive back a quarterly free newsletter packed with a variety of articles, from syndication to fan mail, written mostly by the cartoonists themselves. The cartoonists are extremely enthused, saying · they feel less isolated and invisible and more informed. They are already talking . about having an informal convention, forming a guild or group syndicate, and producing an anthology. PATLAR·· VOICE OF ~y AMERICA MONTHLY NEWSMAGAZINE FREE AT OUR DISTRIBUTION POINTS SUBSCRIPTIONS $35 ANNUALLY SAMPLE(~8P~~~ 1gtrrirUoSAi $4 FOR INFO ON ADVERTISING :.. CALL 1916) 391-9755 OR 452-0769 PO BOX 22402 SACRAMENTO CA 95822 The Other Publishing Company's Lesbian & Gay Recovery Bookstore . Things They Never Told You In Sunday School . APrimer for the Christian Homosexual by David Day, $7-95 (for a limited lime). "This book should be read J:,ya nyone who fakes the Bible seriousAllyth.o ugh this book locuse&o n homo- 11exualityit, i s a gilt of liberationt or all people who•~ a~ u~la~ of the 8!b1~8's . on 11exuali.t.y T his book is a mustf or al gay and lesbianC hri81ianSth, eir friendsa nd their families. Shsm, Boothman, Presiden~ Samaritan Col/eo8 Also A vallable I'm Looking For Mr. Right But I'll Settle For Mr. Right Away·. AIDS,T rue Love, the Pwls of Safe Sex,a nd& other SpirilllalC oncernso f the Gay Maleb y · Gregory Flood, $7 .95 Shipj,ing & Handing, 10% of Net Order; Minimum$,1 .25, Maximum$ 5. Calfomia raeideamdd 7s. 25% Sales Tax. Visa & MaatarCarado capled ff ordeirs accompmliedb y cardI I, Exp Dalll, & Signatu18o f cardH ofdaf.F or inlonnationo n quanitityp urd,Ma .. ..i disoounlB, !'Ill( 800} 733-1283. The Other Publishing Company, P.O.· Box 2151, DepL S-5, San Diego, CA 92112c2151 the essential questions children of Lesbians confront. One boy, the child of two now-divorced co-mothers, concludes, "The hardes t thing about my life right now is that both my moms are vegetarians!" And a seven-year-old girls predicts, "I maybe want to be a dentist, but I don't know if I want to be a Lesbian." · through his trust in God, he found self-worth. He learned to love himself. He sums up his experiences in the following words: "I know now that the true texture of my being is not the color of my skin or my sexual condition or my social position in life, it's my soul. The inner man. This is liberating knowledge. This is inner healing. I have known the feeling of helplessness, (therefore) I know compassion." He seems happy at last. He has found a job and his mother is improving. This book about this courageous life is well worth searching out and reading. It should be an inspiration to our Chri stian community, and especially to Gays and Lesbians of color who contend with the Different Mothers is the<.osequel to Rafkin's best-selling EiDifferen t Daughters: A Book by Molhers of Lesbians (1987). In fac:t, Rafkin decided to compile Different Mothers after numerous requests from women she met while traveling rsacross the U.S . speaking to au di ences of Lesbians and their families. additional obstacle of racism. I do hope, however, that another publishing company will have the foresight to acquire this title and give it the treatmen t it deserves. AT LAS'TJ • AN INCLUSIVE DEVOTIONA.iJ ~;a-T LAST! The R·oad to Emmaus Joseph W. Houle, ed. : ! EMMAUS PRESS . . l P.O. Box 7.0434 I WashingtonD, .C. Z0024-0434 I (202) 468-3816 i 416 pp. •paperback• $12.95 (plus $?.00 for postage & h:mdling)I Discounts available on quantity _orders. · At last! A Christian devotional for all people - the young and oltir,,the male and female; the lesbian, the gay man, and the heterosexual; the singlcrt he married, and the celibate; the Asian, the Black, the Hispanic, the Native ;\Im!dcan, and the White; the physically strong and the physically challenged. ·contributing authors of Tbe Road to Emmaus - including Sr.Je:innine Gramick (Homosexuality and tbe Catbolic Church), Fr. Robert Nugent.(Stat.-W.oftbe Cross for Persons with AIDS), ·and the Rev. Larry Uhrig (Sex Positive) ~ are a blend of men.and women, laypersons and clergy, Black and White writers. Special care has been taken to make this devotional inclusive in llmguage, tone, and content . Its underlying message is that the Gospel is gOO<nIe wStfora ll people. AT LAST! • AN INCLUSIVE DEVOTIONAi,!. • AT LAST! . · ·Jan ·uary/February 1991 Ill / MASK Yukio Mishima, the great author from Japan who has written many works about gay life, once wrote an autobiographical novel entitled Confessions ofa Mask. A ve'ry apt title because many Indonesian gay men feel it is desirable or essential to wear a mask CAREGIVER, From Page 10 treatment, hope, distress, or future plan. It made us able to work through anger and sadness, and to cherish the meaning of our relationship. Living with AIDS is an emotional roller coaster . For myself, the feelings went from anger, to despair, to sadness, to joy, and back to anger again. I found that I had a hard time grieving, and that my feelings were not always in touch with Ron's. As time went on I found I had less and less .energy, both physically and emotionally, to even deal with my feelings. I'd play mind-games with myself: if everything was going well I would think that it always would; yet, as caregiver, I had to constantly COVER STORY, - a mask which projects them as heterosexual men who love women. By wearing a heterosexual mask, most gay men feel they are safe, protected from scorn or mockery from the heterosexual majority when they talk · about Gays. stay in iouch with reality - remaining positive in the short term and balance that with the long term reality of AIDS. This brings me to the subject of self-care. I did not have all the answers and often feft guilty for taking care of myself. There is always the feeling that the caregiver is not the one who is sick, so therefore shouldn't be needy . Yet, the irony is, I think the caregiver needs a lot of support and help. I often felt like saying, "I need to be taken care of too. I need somebody to hug me and boost me up. I too have needs." I only hope that in sharing my feelings and needs with others the door to solutions may be opened . People wear the mask because they are afraid their families will · cut them off, reject them or even kill them (the last possibility nearly happened to someonewho wrote to the Lambda Indonesian.) People wear the mask because they are afraid that their close friends will avoid them or because they are afraid they will lose their jobs, which provide them with respect. People wear the mask because they are afraid of being painted as sinners by certain religions . People wear the mask because thay want to be considered ""normal" - to have a spouse and children and project the image of the "ideal" family; to live alone is too frightening to them . Some wise people can wear "their heterosexual mask but still live a gay life. Unfortunately, the mask often turns into shackles and people are afraid to live out their gay natures. All of t)leir actions are limited because they are so afraid of being found out. Afraid of this, afraid of that, until finally they suffer, their longing to love and make love is unreqtiited ... We must recognize that wearing a mask restricts us and blinds us . We The role of caregiver, although difficult, is one which puts one in touch with the real world and helps I often felt like saying, "I need to be taken care of too. I need somebody to hug and to boost me up. I-too have needs." one to redefine one's value system, to discern between the important and futile in life. It lets one know that become jealous and envious - where are the heterosexuals who have to wear a -mask, who have to hide their natures as lovers of the opposite sex? Our. sense of justice is offended and overthrown. H heterosexuals can - state their love, even have it _institutionalized in marriage, why can't we? When we reach that level of awareness ; the mask we wear suddenly feels oppressive and stifles us. That is the moment when freedom can be achieved - the moment when we say to ourselves and to the outside _world: "Enough of the play-acting! Now I want to be myself." And believe it, especially for those who hate falseness and dishonesty, an open gay life is far more healthy than a life behind the stifling mask. D. Oetomo, the author of this article, lives and· writes in Indonesia. "Mask" first appeared in~ newsletter, P.O. ·Box 5058, Columbia, . SC29250 every day is worth living to its fullest, and that it is in giving of ourselves that we grow and learn of the true meaning of life. I know that I will never be the same as before this experience; something has happened which will alter my life from now on, and this, although painful, is_ a very positive journey. Ron wrote for his memorial service, "Prince of life - Jesus - my Savior teach me to find in death your invitation to "Corne, follow me.' '. Rid me of my fears and strengthen every sinew of my being, to accept in death - others' or my own - new life and presence in your love. Let me make of 9eath itself, a gift. Let it be a reaching out to you ." FromPage9 students from my home church, but I don't really believe the church knows I'm gay," Garcia said. "I worked as a youth leader before -I went to college, and when I came back home they asked me to do it again . I said 'no' because I have to 'let them know I'm gay first. "It's important for them to know that the Danny they held in their hands, the Danny who went to Seventh-day Adventist schools all his life, that Danny is gay." Garcia says he has a dream of continuing outreach to his church at large. "I envision going They were able to see homosexuality wasn't a religious issue but a human issue ... around to different colleges and talking with students. God has given me a gift of talking to people and handling crowds , I'd.love to do a circuit of churches arid · colleges," Garcia said. "My ministry isn't over yet, and I'm sure the opportunity will come in God's time ." Kevin Gepford is a recent graduate of Southern College of Seventh-day Adventists in Collegedale, Tenn . He works as a newspaper reporter in North Georgia and is editor of SDA Kinship Connection, a publication of SDA Kinship International which serves gay and lesbian Seventh-day Adventists worldwide. THE SECOND STONE Travel . □ In demand: Gay/lesbian crui•s es growing in popularity By Cynthia Marquard and Danni Munson Contributing Writers The number of cruises for gay men and Lesbians has been growing rapidly over the past few years. Like e-veryone else, Gays and Lesbians have come to realize that a cruise represents great value for their vacation dollars. The passenger ship serves as hotel, restaurant, and transportation--all for a single prepaid fare. Then there is the comfort of shipboard travel: Unpack once, and you're set for the rest of the trip. Instead of rushing from buses and taxis to airports or trains, relax in a deck chair and let the oceanliner carry you effortlessly from port to port. For the health-conscious, these ships provide a variety of exercise opportunities , from jogging areas around the decks to health clubs, swimming pools, and exercise rooms. There usually are exercise classes and aerobics on deck. Then, of course, there is always the opportunity to burn off calories by walking or swimming while in port. The calories come from the wonderful gourmet meals for which ships are noted--prime rib, lobster tails, chocolate mousse and baked Alaska. And all food is included in the price of the cruise. The first gay cruise was organized in .1974 by the Islander's Club of New York City. Then came RSVP's "Cruise to Remember," which attracted a mainly male crowd. The first operation to enter the women's luxury cruise market in a really big way was Olivia Records. They chartered a large passenger liner and filled a ship with Lesbians for the first time in 1989. The success of their first time out to sea prompted them to do it again in 1990 under the name of Olivia Cruises. Also in 1990, Robin Tyler Productions enter~d the cruise market with a women's trip along the Mexican Riviera over the Thanksgiving holiday week. The gay /lesbian cruise schedule for 1991 is even more exciting. 1991 for Cruises Women Olivia Cruises is offering two allwomen's sailings. Both of these are four-day cruises to the Bahamas: • A Vale .ntine's Cruise from February 11 to 15, 1991. • A Summer Bahamas Cruise, from . July 22 to 26, 1991. The ship is the 55 Dolphin IV, which will hold 600 women. It sets sail from Miami with stops in Key West, Nassau, and Blue Lagoon, a private island perfect for swimming and sunning. There will also be adventure cruises available to women in 1991 through Womantrek. These trips are open to all ·women, gay or straight, and are aboard motor yachts or sailing vessels: • Galapagos Island Cruise, from January 12 to 24, 1991 • Caribbean Yacht Cruise, departing for eight days on Feb. 16, 1991 A new entry in the women's cruise market cames from Sea Safari Sailing of St. Petersburg, Fla. They are offering two women's sailings in the Gulf of Mexico in 1991 aboard the catamaran Inanna: • Superbowl on Tampa Bay, from January 25 through 27 • Women's Gulf Cruise, from March 29 through April 7 1991 Cruises for Men The largest gay /lesbian cruise operator is still RSVP Travel Productions. Although all RSVP cruises are open to women, the percentage of women who book these cruises is very low. There are nine RSVP cruises or cruise combinations available: • Tropical Caribbean, February 17 to 24, from Miami, with stops in St. Martin, Martinique, Antigua, and San Juan. • Deep Caribbean, February 24 to March 3, from San Juan, with stops in Barbados, Guadeloupe, . Tortola, and Miami. • Western Caribbean, March 3 to .10, from Miami, with stops in Jamaica, Playa del Carmen, and Cozumel. • 14-Day Tropical and Deep Caribbean Combo, February 17 to March 3. • 14-Day Deep and Western Caribbean Combo, · February 24 to March 10. • 21-Day Grand Caribbean Combo, February 17 to March 10. , • Mexican Riviera, March 23 to March 30, from San Diego, with stops in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta. •. French Canada, June 29 to July 6, from Montreal, with stops in Quebec City; Portland, Maine; Provincetown, and New York City . • Adventure Cruise, October 27 to November 3, featuring snorkeling, SCUBA diving, wind sailing, and other water sports from St. Petersburg, to Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, and Honduras. Advance/Damron, a new team composed of Advance Travel and the Damron Company, are offering three adventure cruises for men aboard yachts or sail boats: • New England sailing and cycling trip, June 16 through June 20. • Greek Islands cruise aboard the yacht Doubleforce, September 1 through 7. • Windjammer Cruise to Polynesia, from October 7 through November 2. Oceanliner, Yach t, or Sailboat? Reflecting the growing popularity of gay /lesbian cruises is the growing variety of types of cruises aboard either oceanliners, motor yachts, or sail boats. There are a number of important differences among the cruise experiences. The first is the size of the vessel. Oceanliners range upward in size from about one city block in length; the smallest carry about 200 and the largest about 1,200 passengers; the average is 600 to 800. Sailing ships and motor yachts are much smaller, usually accommodating Jess than 100 passengers--sometimes much less. The catamaran Inanna has only two cabins. Sailing ships offer the most adventurous cruising experience and a feeling of being closer to the sea than do liners or motor launches. When sailing vessels cut through the water, their decks are often tilted and sometimes at a fairly steep angle, depending on the speed of the ship, the velocity of the wind, and the set of the sails . Oceanliners, being under power, plough straight ahead through the waves. In rough seas, they might pitch a bit, but most large liners have stabilizers to prevent sideways roll and provide a pretty smooth ride. Motor launches are somewhere . in between, being less at the mercy of the wind than a sailing ship, but offering a rougher ride than an oceanliner. Ports of call are also different for liners, yachts, and sailing ships. The smaller the vessel, the greater the January/February 1991 In addition to gay cruises, there are regularly scheduled voyages aboard other passenger liners on which many gay men. and Lesbians would feel comfortable. But choosing the right cruise and making all the other arrangements--air transport to the port from which the ship sails, transfers, side trips before or after, hotel accommodations if necessary-can be tricky. There are gay/lesbian travel agents especially equipped to give you invaluable advice that can save you time and money in arranging your cruise--and this advice costs you nothing. These agents, through the International Gay Travel Association (IGTA), keep in close touch with the gay and lesbian cruise operators, in addition to providing all other travel services. Cynthia A. Marquard is the owner/manager of Envoy Travel, Inc., in Chicago and vice-president of the International Gay Travel Assn. Danni Munson is the editor and publisher of The Lesbian and Gay Almanac and Events of 1991. /.J'· ~--''"'t,, J·J"~ - ,~.,':r, ~-<_-, ~G 0-, " ~ / . hlan~ GJnn A Gay Country Inn •.. On 100 beautiful acres with pool, hot tub, skii~g ~nd more. Innkeepers .Judith Ha1l and Grace Newman ir1v!tey ou to write or call for a brochure. P. 0. Box JlS SL Bethlehem, NH 03574 (603) 869-3978 the "other" place undtr tht · sun ... :iid'~t='- ~~~ \i~,:::ch •Pool & c:01:yJ acuzzi •FrH c:oatlaental bnakfast Write or call for brochure. 120 E. Atol St., P. 0. Box 2326 South Padre Island. Texas, 78597 (512)761-LY LE Air connections via American Continental Southwest ' l · Parting Thought □ Join the c ·hristian Coalition Against Mixed Fabrics Ed. No·te: This issue's parting thought is reprinted from The Light of Christ, the newsletter of Lutherans Concerned/Los Angeles. It was written by Sister Polly Esther. Sin! Perversion! Ungod liness! These are the words that come to mind when I see such disrespect for the Laws of God as is flaunted shame lessly on the streets every day. American society is in moral decay and it is because we tolerate people who engage in blatant disrespect for God's law. 1 am of course referring to the immoral transgression of the Biblical Law clearly stated in Leviticus Chapter 19, Verse 19: "Neit her sha ll a garment mingled of different fabrics come upon thee." No com m andment could be more d irect or easy to understand. Yet you can see people out on the streets every day, shamelessly wearing flanne l ~ h ;~;;: ae<ylk The Post Office will not forward The Second Stone. You must notify us for uninterrupted service if you move. . . Ba Please notify us four weeks in aOvance for uninterrupted delivery . Send both old and new addresses. If possible attach mailing labe l in space provided. PRINT . NEW ADDRESS t 2 ~ f Cl) '< ~ (ti N ;; · (') g_ <1> Send completed for m to: THE SECOND STONE Box 8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 blended with cot ton, and all manner of other sinful combinat ions one could imagi n e in a nightmare. Satan certainly has a stranglehold on the fash ion industry. And what's even worse - these Godless garment-makers flaunt their perverse m ixed fabrics in front of children. (I've even heard that some of them like to dress children in mixed fabrics, but this sin is just too , perverse for further elaboration ... and of course, all peop le who wear mixed fabrics have a secret or overt desire to dress children in the same way.) during prime time I might add.) Clearly our country is in a state of moral decline, and I hope you will. join me in my campaign to dress Classifieds · Books & Publications EMERGE! A healing journal of EMERGENCE International: Christian Scientists Supporting Lesbians and Gay Men. For information and subscriptions write P.O. Box 581, Kentfietd, CA 94914, or call (415)485-1881. 2/91 "WONDERFUL DIVERSITY," "Heartily recommended," "Philosophically inlriguing," "Excellent." Why do reviewers highly'esteem CHRISTIAN'NEW AGE QUARTERLY? Great articles and lively columns make this bridge of dialogue between Christians and New Agers as entertaining as it is substantive. America properly. Please support me and my Christian Coalit i on Against Mixed Fabrics. And remember , God is on our side. Bless you. □ Organizations HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT JOINING A MONASTERY? Have you ever thought of becoming a religious? Do you have strong religious convictions? Have you ever felt that because of your life style religious life would not be agreeable to you? If you have answered YES to any of the above questions, we would like to hear from you. Let us know how you would feel about living in a religious community life. A group of gay religious Brothers living and working together in the world, with strong religious ideals helping and caring for one another. Please write to: Now let's suppose that a mixed fabric-wearer wanted to become a foster parent. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts would allow it! I know it is shocking, but there are no questions on the application referring Satan certainly has a stranglehold on the fashion industry. . Subscribe for only $12.50/yr. Or sample us for $3.50. CHRISTIAN'NEW AGE . QUARTERLY, PO Box 276, Clifton, NJ. 07011-0276. TF Ecumenical Order of: The Brothers of The Mercy of God, Suite 212/341 East Center Street, Manchester, CT 06040. 2/91 to this sin. No one asks if the child will be exposed to mixed fabrics or DISCOVER THE RELATIONSHli' between spirituality and therapy -Book- For information SASE: Box 201, Cape Collage, ME 04107. 2/91 WRITER SEEKS INFORMATION on Upstairs Lounge fire in New Orleans in 1973. Many MCC members involved. 32 killed altogether. I want to write character portraits as part of my book. A 215-page first draft is already being reviewed by an editor, but there are still · 'might even be coerced into wearing them. We should spend tax dollars to study the effects of mixed fabrics on impressionable children, though I am · several people about which I know very little. THERE IS A LITTLE KNOWN tradilion of Catholic Christianily more ancient than Orlhodoxy or mainstream Catholicism, yet contemporary in its approach to psychospiritual unfoldment and completely non-exclusionary. SI. Thomas Free Catholic Apostolate, an apostolically valid Catholic Communion, invites Gay and Lesbian Christians to participate in open sacramental worship and eucharistic fellowship. Involvement in pursuing Holy Orders is also warmly welcomed, irrespective or race, creed, sex or affeclional disposition. Weekly masses Sundays at 1 :00 p.m., University of Pennsylvania Christian Association Chapel, 3601 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA. For information call (609)231-1469 or write: STFCA, Box 610, Rancocas, NJ 08073-0610. 2/91 . sure it has a negative effect. And what of our so-called leaders? Just the other day I saw the Rev. jerry Falwell on national television wearing a cotton-poly blend! And all this talk of scandal - who cares what goes on behind · closed doors w·hen these men casually flaunt the Word of God in front of everyone (and Any info or photos would be helpful. Johnny Townsend, 4804 Pike Dr., Metairie, LA 70003. 2/91 Employment ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR for lesbian/ feminist agency, beginning March. Salary: $22,000-$26,000, benefits. Write for information: Kinheart Personnel Committee, 2214 Ridge, Evanston, IL 60201. EOE. 2/91. Classified Order Form FOR ONLY 35 CENTS PER WORD, your ad can appear in the next edition of SECOND STONE. Take advantage of our low · cost (but high profile) classified section by placing your advertising order today! Mail To: THESECONDSTONE P.O.Box8340 New Orleans, IA 70182 Name ____________ ~ Address __________ _ City / St./Zip ________ _ AD COPY ________ _ --------------------- --------- -----·---------------------------------- __ words X .35= $ 20 word minimum. All classifieds m.ust be pre -paid. Deadline one month prior to cover date. We will mail you a copy ofthe.edition(s) in which your ad appears January/February 1991 Try a Second Stone Classified ·Ad Please place my ad in these issues: [] Jan/Feb [] Mar/Apr [.] May/Jun [] Jul/Aug . [ ) Sept/Oct [ ] Nov/Dec . CLASSIFICATIONS I ] Books & Publications [ ] Business Opportunities [ J Employment [] Friends/Relationships [ ] General Interest [ ] Mail Order [ ] Merchandise [ ] Organizations [ l Professional Services [ l Real Estate [ l Retreats [ ] Roommates [ ]Travel Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone #14 - Jan/Feb 1991 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/35ea355f0a337de3b3fb491c445d14f6.pdf a044800c8e998ba13f50a28f1c5f6f3a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone Description An account of the resource Issues of the Second Stone publication. Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 15 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1991 Publication Date The date the issue was published Mar/Apr 1991 Text Any textual data included in the document THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER FOR GAV AND LESBIAN CHRISTIANS $2.25 TONE 9500 Readers Across The USA ... ' ISSUE #IS I JOSEPH HOULE Road for Emmaus editor had many forks, bumps and detours Bf Michael Blankenship Contributing Writer Joseph Houle has a gently persuasive way of drawing groups of people into intimate spiritual discussions about themselves and the obstacles they face in BOOKS: their lives. His workshops at various conferences always have a waiting list. It is a rejuvenating experience for those present. A quiet , reticent group of church folk may beeorne highly emotionally charged while tensions and frustrations are being released, but by the end of the session there is a new sense of spiritual freedom and peace. Houle, editor of the daily devotional The Road To SEE COVbll STORY, Page 9 m Rev. Troy Peny's Don't Be Afraid Anymore Reviewed by Michael Blankenship Ill AIDS AND THE POOR Whowillcare? By R. Anthony Espinoza Task Force issues statement opposing Persian Gulf war WASHINGTON, D.C. - Concerned about the impact of the Persian Gulf war on domestic programs, especially the diversion of funds and attention from AIDS and health care, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has publicly opposed the Gulf wa r. Although the Task Force does not oppose "the brave individuals fighting on the front lines for our country," a position paper . authorized by the group's board of directors explains a deep concern "that this war will allow our political leaders to ignore the pressing problems faced by the gay and lesbian community." The Task Force also expressed concern over the treatment of gay and lesbian soldiers fighting the war. "The war highlights again the military's discriminatory policy against Lesbians and gay men, and the role the military plays in perpetuating . our second-class status ... The Pentagon has told gay and lesbian soldiers they will be discharged if they are lucky enough to survive," the statement read. SEE WAR, Page 9 War resisters ponder military's anti-gay policy The war in the Persian Gulf has brought to higher visibility the plight of gay and lesbian soldiers who are serving in the Gulf in spite of a Defense Department policy barring them from active duty. Many of the over 2000 military professionals who have filed for conscientious same color as everyone else's." According to Larsen , military cases are ar isin g where Lesbians or gay men are agreeing to activate to the ·Persian Gulf only if the military acknowledges "their . right to engage in same-sex practices." objector status have added ,,....,,..,..,..._,,_ .... ---,- .... ...,. the military's treatment of homosexuals to the.fr protest against the war. The Crescent City Star reported that Erik Larsen, the first Marine reservist to refuse to serve in the Gulf, described to a church gathering how Gays are booted out of the military with no benefits but "when war comes around their blood is the SUBSCRIBE TODAY! ONE VEAR ONLY $13.00! BOX 8340 • NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 1-·" U.S. POSTAGE PA ID NEW ORLEANS. LA """" '" Commentary :And what's wrong with being angry? : ByJjmRoche each other at all. I get complaints : Contributing Writer from lots of people about my anger . "You can't talk from anger," they say. : As my friend Jame~ and I were "They'll never understand or listen if .. :,leaving New York' Lesbian and Gay we're yelling at them," others say. : ·Community Center a few· mon·ths ago; · Or, "How can you ha ve dialogue -:: : :a large crowd mulled around _ in _the when you 're so angry?" Give me a :. <street. Several people w ere there · break . '.screaming, hollering and crying :out · . Anger has never been easy to deal ::their anger at what they had heard . with, but the time comes when we all ; At a community forum we had all ;listened to some incredible things : from the city's mayor, the -tnan · who ; had called himself . our friend . :,Almost every :campaign pr-0mise had · ,,been broken. I turned to Jame s ·and :;was surprised by his reaction to all :) his, 'Why are gay people so angry?" · ·:he asked . Angrily I said to him, . •"Apparently you didn't hear that : people are dying. People ' are , homeless . People are being beaten in '. the street by thugs every night!" ; Well, that didn't help becau se he ; still doesn't understand why ·people : are so angry. He . still doesn't : · understand why I'm angry : He was :·: confused by what he heard .· in · the · street. He wanted to ·talk ·to the · mayor. "Why doesn 't everybody just ; sit down _ and t~lk things out?" was what he wanted to know. I wanted to . know what was wrong with him. To · me, to be able to sit by and listen to . the kind of political crap we had just . heard and not get angry, well, you have to be emotionally stunted . Maybe he is. A lot of people seem to be these days. Those who are angry - not just upset, mad or perturbed - but really · wrathful and scream, holler and rant about it, and those who seem to avoid . their anger, don't want to understand Letters . Petersburg, Virginia New Agers Aren't Christians ,;We must never lose touch with the .fact tl)a,t !;111 ~erious human moral activity, especially , action for social change, takes its bearing from the rising power of human anger." must. That doesn 't mean controlling it. As incredible as it seems, when we talk about oppression, injustice and unfairness, we try not to get angry . We try to keep "cool heads " and "our wits about us ." Most importantly we keep our places, stay in our right roles and don't overstep our bounds. Dialogue has these rules, you see. People aren't ready for anger because when we're angry the rules no longer apply. One thing anger does is put a □ have space in the classified column for their cult . They are not Christians, pure and simple. sudden and complete stop to systems . which artificially restrict what we can think, do, say or act on . Angry people are dangerous people if you get in their way because angry people want to make changes. Angry people will go to extremes. But since whert has calling for justice not been a dangerous act? · In a recent article in th e Times John Pareles writes that many people have a hard time dealing with the anger expressed irt a Jot of rap music. "When pop singers g et earnest, the mess a ge is likely to be · about compassion and charity rather than anger, r esistance ·or' placing blame, Not so with rap music." And not so In This Issue FEATURES COVER STORY . AIDS AND -THE POOR COLUMNS COMMENTARY FAMILIES ESSAY TRAVEL PARTING THOUGHT DEPARTMENTS LETTERS NEWS BRIEFS □ with the newest wave of gay and lesb ian activists, who aren't interested in compassion. Aren't interested in charity. They are interested in anger , resistanc e and placing blame . It's the anger . they want heard . Anger, they think , is legitimate in and' pf itself. Forget compassion. Drop ·this charity crap. I'm angry! Earnestly angry. Who has permission to be angry? H's okay for people who have been oppressed, physically attacked, ignored by their elected representatives and discriminateed against for years . Unless, of course, SEE CO:M!VffiNT ARY, Page 15 □ Page 9 Page 14 Page2 Page 10 Page 13 Page 19 Page 20 Page2 Page3 Dear Second Stone, Thank you for Second Stone. It has helped me and many others learn very much more about the gay Christian community . CHURCH & ORGANIZATION NEWS Page 11 I've been getting your newspaper for : a couple of years now and this is my : first letter to the paper . I feel I : cannot let the issue of "New Agers" : slip by without me saying something about it. It's very simple . We Christians profess that Jesus Christ _ is 9ur Lord, Saviot, and . God. New Agers do not profess this and · anything less than professing that about Jesus Christ is not being a Christian . So there is :no way that New Agers can all themselves : . Christia~s and they . should J.1Qt even :B Yours in Christ, Thomas B. Croft We welcome you to share your views, opinions, feelings and experiences with our readers. Send letters to: LETTERS, The Second Stone, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. All letters must be original and signed by the writer. Clearly indicate if your name is to be withheld . We reserve the right to edit. CALENDAR BOOKS CLASSIFIEDS SECOND STONE Page 12 Page 16 Page 20 - Newsbriefs Gay Evangelicals Poster Columbus, Ohio Churches Two members of the gay /lesbian affirming Christ United Evangelical Church turned an evening of distributing church fliers to local gay bars Into "a reenactment of the posting of Martin Luther's '95 Theses."' With some help from an all•nighl . copy center, they enlarged their fliers (which advertised the church as "a group of Gays and Lesbians preaching salvation through the shed blood of Jesus Christ") to poster size. The two taped the posters to the front doors of 17 downtown churches. Reactions the next morning ranged from condemnation (said one Sou them Baptist pastor, "You're the Antichrist! I , hate Gays and Lesbians!") to adulation. One Lutheran minister, moved to tears, took the pos.ter to his congregation and preached on the ·courage of gay Christians willing to take a stand for their faith. -StonewallU nion Reports ISSN No. 1047-3971 SECOND STONE Newspaper is published every other month by Bailey Communications, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70 I 82. Copyright 1991 by Second S1,mc, a registered trademark. SUIISS::RIPTIONS, U.S.A. $13.00 per ye~. six issues. Foreign sub scribers add $10.00 for postage. All payrncnLS U.S. curri.:ncy only. ADVEtrf!S[i\'G , For display advcnising information cal.I (504)899-4014 or write Lo: Rox 8340, New flrleuns, LA 70182. EDITORIAL, send lcucrs, calcndur annc;:,unc~mcnt:sm, d church/organization TTC\\ :- lo (Departmen t till~) Second Sterne, I'. 0. !lox 8340, New Orleuns, LA 70182. Manusc,ipls Lo be returned sliould be accompanied by a s1ampc<l, self addressed envelope. SECOND STONE, an ecumenical Christian ncwspupcr commitlcd to inrorfning dtc guy and lesbian com~ muni1y. PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Jim Bailey CONTRIBUTORS: Rev Bruce Roller, Rev Sylvia Pennington, CynU1iu Marquard, Danni Munson, Dr. Manin Fowler, David Rickey, Jim Roche, Mich•cl lllnnkcnship, Dun GripJx>, Dr. Louie Crew, John-Michael Olexy, Dr. Ruddy Truluck, Chris Gl,cscr, Rev. Gail A. Yan flurcn. Kevin Gcpford Only One Pink Panther, Says MGM □ New York City's volunteer gay and lesbian anti-violence patrol, the Pink Panthers, is being sued for $100,000in ' dam4ges by MGM Corporation for copyright Infringement in its use of the Pink Panther name and panther paw print logo. MGM claims it is supporlive of gay and lesbian rights, but that the use of the Pink Panther name is "tarnishing or blurring" its reputation in the eyes of the public. The Pink Panther patrol was formed last year by ~eral members of New York's Qu!!Cr Nailon as a reaction to a dramatic increase in hate crimes against Gays and Lesbians In the city. The group has caJ.led for a demonstration at MGM's New York headquarters, pickets at theatres showing MGM films and phone zaps against the giant corporation. Gay Ordinations Top Story, Says The Lutheran The ordinations of gay and lesbian pastors by two San Francisco congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Amercia was the denomination's top news story for 1990, according to The Lutheran magazine. Both churches were suspended from the ELCA for violating church policy. Insurance Company Recognizes Domestic Partners WASHINGTON, D.C.- Firemen's Insurance Company, one of America's oldest business firms, has become the first insur;mce company in the nation to file a homeowners policy change that recognizes domestic partners. By redefining who Is insured, the new endorsement extends to domestic partners the automatic coverage rights enjoyed by spouses and relatives of homeowners policyholders. Firemen's offers homeowners coverage to apartment renters and owners of dwellings and condos in D.C. and the states of Maryland and Virginia. "We will have the first homeowners policy in the insurance industry that will serve the diverse and changing lifestyles of today's society without sacrificing the privacy needs of the individual," said Dick Edwards, president of Firemen's. Attention: Periodical Librarians •Complimentary Review Sample Please display this copy of Second Stone on your periodicals table. •A Valuable Resource For students of theology, religion, sociology, psychology ... For church leaders... For Persons With AIDS and those involved in caretaking and counseling of PWAs ... And for all gay and lesbian readers and their families. • Second Stone Is Indexed By Integrity Indexing, P.O. Box 33094, Charlotte, NC 28233-3094. • Unrestricted Access Second Stone contains no advertising, photographs or editorial content that would require "behind the counter'! maintenance. • Order Through Your Subscription Service Second Stone is available through major subscriptions services including EBSCO and FAXON. • Or Order Direct 1 year, 6 issues, only $18.00. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 - SECOND .STONE March/April 1991 II Newsbriefs Quakers Fire Lesbian Minister DES.MOINES, Iowa· Members of the Friends Church at West Branch have dismissed their lesbian pastor under pr .essure from the state's Quak .er leaders. The Rev . Del Coppinger of Oskaloosa, superintendent of the Iowa Yearly Meeting of Friends, said, "In 1977 the Yearly Meeting representatives took the position that homosexuality is a sin. Therefore, if we have a minister who admits to living what we consider to be a sin, that is not something we could accept." "I didn't put it in my resume that I was a lesbian," said Rev . M. Elizabeth Hannon, 27. "My partner of six years wa~active in the church from the beginning. Some people put that together and some didn't. I had decided if anyone asked that question, I would be open and honest." Last summer a member of the church asked "that question" and Hannon gave an honest answer. The member took the matter to the Ministry and Counsel, which eventually revoked Hannon's certification. -TWN Adventist Women May Withhold Tithes A tr~st fund has been established by the Adventist Women's Institute to hold tithe monies of people who choose to withhold their financial support of the Seventh-day Adventist Church until it revokes its policy of gender discrimination with regard to ordination of women. A WI said it established the trust to accomodate a growing number of its supporters who want to continue paying tithe, yet do not feel the y can conscientiously support th e church while it maintains an official policy of discrimination. The money in the escrow account will be released when a church conference ordains a woman • and that conference is likely to receive the money. AWI chair Iris Yob said that if no woman is ordained by the year 2000, the situation will be reconsidered. Every Day Is Coming Out Day! T·SHIRTS $16.00 100% COTTON. 4-COLOR LOGO ON WHrra M. L XL XXL SWEATSHIRTS $30.00 ' 100% COTTON. 4-COLOR LOGO ON WHrTl:: M. L XI., POSTERS $15.00 24"X:2Q, ◄ -COLOR LOGO GREETING CARDS $ 1.50 ~ncr. ◄·COLOR LOGO, Bl..ANKINSIDE BUTTONS $ 1.00 I l/:2. SQUARE, B/W STICKERS $ .05 l"X2"8/W . PURPI...E KEITH HARING NCOD LOGO On sale at retail outlets around the country or simply order by mall I Pleue send me: _ T-SHIRTS. size(s) __ _ SWEATSHIRTS, slze(s) __ _ POSTERS _ GREETING CARDS _ BllTTONS _ STICKERS SbJpp~ & lau.dllat: $3.00 for llrst shirt. or sweat or posters $l.()0 for each shirt or sweat after lhc first $1.00 for buttons, stickers, or cards @ $16.00 each ....... ................... $ __ @ $30.00 each .......................... $ _ @ $15.00 each ... ....................... $ _ @ $ 1,50 each ........• •.•..•••......•.. $ _ @ $ 1.00 each ..... ..................... $ _ @ $ .05 each ..... ................. .... $ __ Sub•total $ Shipping $ Total $ __ ~~E'- - --------,~~RES-5=====-=-~z=ip-::__-::__-::__-::__-::_-::_-::_-::_-::_-::_-::_-::_-::_-::_-::_-::_-::_-::_-:__~ Hi~:.=================--FAX_-::_-_-_-EXP-. -DAn: __ ---------~---_ --_ 51GNA11JRE _ __ _ ___ _ ___ _ For more Information. please write or call: Natio n al Coming Oat Day. P.O. Boz: 8349, San~• Te. NM 87504, 505-982 -2558 or 1-800-445-NCOD AWI is a lay organization for women committed to Adventism and their advancement in Adventist work . It is considered to be among the more activist of similar groups. Church employed _ women are not among its active membership. For information on the group write to AWI, P.O. Box 25794, Santa Ana, CA 92799-5794. -SDA Kinship Connection Cyprus Archbishop Wants Gays Excommunicated The archbishop of the Cypriot Orthodox Church, which counts 77 percent of the population of Cyprus among its membership, has announced a major anti-gay campaign, according to the International Lesbian and Gay Association. · The announcement follows acceptance by the European Human Rights Commission of a legal challenge to Cyprus's male sodomy law . His Beatitude Chrysostomos said he would promptly excommunicate all known Cypriot homosexuals and homosexual sympathizers, and refuse to bury any Gays or gay-rights supporters who die. - Chrysostomos singled out Cyprus Gay Front Liberation founder Alexander Modinos, who is the plaintiff in the case before the European Commission. -Baltimore Alternative Religious Talk Show Outlines Attack On Pittsburgh's Gay Rights Law The gay and lesbian community is "actually trying to control civilization as we know it and basically silence the voice of morality, the voice of Christianity and the voice of common sense," according to the Rev. · Jeff Henzler, a member of the Citizens for Pittsburgh, a group working for the repeal of that city's gay rights amendment. Henzler appeared on an edition of Focus on the Issues, a religionoriented half hour talk show broadcast on WPCB-1V Cl:iannel 40, a Greensburg-Pittsburgh religious station . • Henzler stated that Citizens for Pittsburgh would circulate · petitions in an attempt to collect 20,000 signatures to force a referendum on the gay rights amendment onto the II SECOND . STONE May primary ballot. -Pittsburgh's Out Lesbian Soldier Approved For Gulf Duty □ LOS ANGELES • A lesbian Army reserve member simultaneously sought combat duty, came out of the closet, and won tentative approval to serve in the Persian Gulf, The Washington Post has reported. Spec. 4 Donna Jackson, 25, got approval from her Ford Ord company commande r to go to the Middle East with her hospital unit, the daily said, despite US military policy against homos~xuals being assigned to active duty. "I want to serve my country and go to war, but I also want them to know who I am," Jackson said . "I want to be honest about it." -Pittsburgh's Out Conservative Group At Harvard Targets Campus Gays Conservative students at Harvard . University who covered the campus in blue squares have angered Gays who have adopted as a symbol the pink triangle homosexual men had to wear in Nazi Germany. Members of the Association Against Learning in the Absence of Religion and Morality (AALARM), a student group formed last spring, chalked blue squares on sidewalks in Harvard Yard and around major campus buildings . Posters proclaimed that the blue squares represent "faith, family, country and community." AALARM leader Adam Webb described the group as pro-heterosexuality and pro-traditional values. Members hope to bring Oliver North to campus and start their own publication. -Associated Press Task Force Moves WASHINGTON, D. C. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the country's oldest and preeminent national gay and lesbian civil rights organization, has moved to new, larger offices at 1734 Fourteenth St, NW, Washington, DC 20009-4309. The phone number, (202)332-6483, remains unchanged. Formed in 1973 by seven leading lesbian and gay activists in New York, NGLTF has grown to its current staff of 15 and has 17,000 members nationwide. Newsbriefs Ollie North Attacks AIDS Service Agency Ollie North waged an attack on the Gay Men's Health Crisis center in a recent fundraising letter. The letter stated that the government had given the center money to "produce a comic book depicting in explicit detail a sexual encounter between two homosexuals." The letter continued, "With government funding filth like this, it's an outrage that new taxes are even being considered." GMHC spokesperson Carissa Cunningham said that the center had not had federal funding in two years. Meanwhile, North, along with James Dobson, endorses Summit Youth Ministries, a college founded by David Noebel, the anti-gay, antirock music successor to anti-communist crusader ,Billy James Hargis. He and Hargis founded American Christian College in 1970 but in 1974, after four male students accused Hargis of seducing them, Hargis resigned and Noebel took over. Noebel regularly refers to homosexuals in his lectures as "fairies," "queers'.' and "fruits." -EC Record 48 Lesbian Couples Tie The Knot On Mexican Cruise Ninety-four Lesbians were united in a special holy union ceremony conducted by Rev. Troy Perry of the Metropolttan Community Church. _ Robin Tyler Productions of Los Angeles arranged a weeklong lesbian cruise to Mexico and Tyler had planned her own ceremony on board with her life partner, Tracy Michaels. Tyler was besieged by other couples who wanted to cement their relationships as well. The next day the other 47 couples were united on the ship's deck by Rev. Perry. -Seattle Gay News Gay Methodist Minister Will Challenge Church NASHVILLE; Tenn - In the first challenge of its kind to the United Methodist Church, an openly gay minister has demanded that he be placed in a ministry, and that the church lift its 1984 ban on Lesbians and Gays. Writing to Bishop George Bashore and to the Western Pennsylvania Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, the Rev. James Hawk called on the church to " ... put away old myths, stereotypes, and fantasies about lesbian and gay people." Hawk said that he has received strong moral support from Lesbians and Gays around the couuntry since he came out. In particular, he said, a number of closeted ministers have called him to wish him good luck. "That really surprised me, " said Hawk. -Gay Community News Daily Newspaper Publishes Domestic Partners Notices A Washington state newspaper serving a community of 54,000 has become the first mainstream daily newspaper to begin publishing domestic partners notices. Editors of the Everett Herald changed a wedding and engagement announcement section to a "Celebrations" section that will carry domestic partners and holy union announcements. Herald Managing Editor Stan Strick said that an announcement had been requested by a lesbian couple. "It came in the normal form of an announcement, and we had no good reason not to approve it. .. " -Equal Time Steffan Case Reopened In what crusaders against homophobia in the military see as a clear sign that the military's discrimination against lesbian and gay Americans is soundly under attack, the U. S. Court of Appeals reopened the case of Joseph Steffan, a navy cadet who was forced to resign in 1987 after he came out of the closet. A lower court had dismissed Steffan's suit after Steffan refused to answer questions about whether he'd ever had gay sex. But the appeals court said the dismissal was a mistake because the Navy's case against Steffan was based only on Steffan's statement that he was gay. Whether Steffan ever had 51:;xt,h e court said, was not an issue, due to the original framing fo the case. 0 Baltimore Alternative Gay/Lesbian Twins Sought For Study Gay or . lesbian same-sex twins are being sought to . participate in an extensive Northwestern University research study. Ross A. Goldman, principle research coordinator, describes the Department of Psychology study as the largest new being conducted in the United States on the development of sexual orientation. He said subjects are being sought who are gay or lesbian and who have a twin of the same sex, either fraternal or identical, and without regard to the co-twin's sexual orientation. Potential subjects are asked to call Goldman collect at (708)491-4239 to schedule a telephone interview. P-FLAG Pole CMI Journals Available The 1990 Edition of the Communication Ministry Journal is now available. The Middle Years: What's The. Difference? looks at the. midlife experience through the eyes of religious and priests who have committed themselves to the Gospel as they try to integrate their gay and lesbian identity, its loves, tensions and challenges. The latest of the CMI Journal has 84 pages of reflection, journey sharing, commentary and poetry. Back issues of the CMI Journal are also available. Nurturing The Gift: Gay & Lesbian Candidates in Seminary & Religious Formation, the 1988 □. : Journal, contains personal and . pastoral essays exploring the isst es. · facing both qirectors and their candidates in the post-Stonewall era. · AIDS - Specter of Fear: Call for. Concern, the 1987 Journal is a collection of pastoral responses - one, of the first to emerge within the Catholic Church, challenging bot1{ dioceses and religious congregations 1 to look at the evangelical response provoked by the AIDS crisis. To order the CMI Journals, send US check to P.O. Box 60125, Chicago; IL 60660-0125. Journals are $7.50 each for nori CMI subscribers. Add $20.00 for a subscription to Communication newsletter. Gay Man A 'Point Of Light' WASHINGTON, D.C. - Elliot Schneck was the 315th American to be honored by President George Bush as a "Daily Point of Light." Schneck, of San Francisco, is an openly gay person with AIDS who volunteers at the San Francisco AIDS· Foundation hotline and the People With AIDS switchboard, and regularly addresses students at the · University of California Medical Center. OURWORLD The International Gay Travel Magazine Month by month, we invite you to explore the exciting world of travel available to gay men and lesbians. Each month we help you to · discover the multitude of interesting hotels, inns and resorts that welcome the gay traveler. Enjoy articles and color photos of a romantic hotel in Spain, a secluded retreat in Hawaii, a manor house in the English countryside, a Greek pension overlooking the sea, a rustic resort in Colorado, and more -all catering to our lifestyle! Plus, every month, regular departments provide you with valuable information on gay events and festivals, travel updates and tips, interviews, and the latest gay trips and tours-sail the Caribbean on a • private yacht, join an expedition to Nepal, cruise the Mediterranean on a luxury liner or fly to Sydney for the Gay Mardi Gras. ~-----------' Whatever you're looking for, let OUR WORLD be your ticket to adventure. 1 year (12 colorful issues) only $ 44 (in the USA) - US$ 52 , (Worldwide). First issue mails in 4-6 weeks in plain sealed envelope. Sample copy US$ 5. Mail To: Our World Publishing 1104 North Nova Road, Suite 251 Daytona Beach, Florida 32117 USA TEL: (904) 441-5367 March/ April 1991 II .. "In the past, the achievements, triumphs, and defeats of gay men and lesbians were not only hidden from history, most were lost for all time. This must never happen again."-Danni Munson, editor, The Gay & Lesbian Almanac and Events of 1991. ------~~~ --~===;--i 1 TIit: CiAY & L[SHIAN != ALMANAC ,I ''" EVENT s Uf 11_ ---1991= . I A CHRONICLE OF CURRENT GAY /LESBIAN HISTORY This volume rec ords for history: • The rise of a gay/lesbian movement in Eastern Europe • Celebration 90: Gay Games III and Culrural Festival • The latest research and statistics on AIDS • The fight to end miliurry discrimination agains t gays and lesbians • The controversial practice of outing • The progress and setbacks in religio11 A Colendar of Upcoming Events Hundreds of 1991 gay/lesbian events from cruises to concerts, from ·rcxleos to music festivals , and much more. Plus listings of birthdays of famous gays & lesbians. Availbable at local bookstores or from the publisher Send 9.95 plus $2.00 postage and handling to: ENVOY ENTERPRISES 740 N. Rush St. Suite 609 Chicago IL 60611 E mpathy is a jo urnal that deserves our suppon fo r the ori ginal and creative work it d oes m the interest of tru~ a nd justice. •f. Rev. Ma.lcolm Boyd, author of 23 books including A.re Yo11 Running with Me, fesus?, Take Of/th e Masks, :md Gay Priest E.mpathy provide5 ,1. mul' h-n«Ji:J and wdcomcd communi ca rio n ·Jink f,ir persons involved in cduc.uio n abou t homophtihia. At its [)(:sc it will keep us informeJ and in tuuch, supported a nd challenged, excited and proud . ~ Brian M..:Na.ught, le..:turcr and author of On Being Gay: Thoughts .on Family, Faith, and Love Empathy L.An Interdisciplinary Journal for Persons Working to End Oppression on the Basis of Sexual Identity r u BI.ISH EO TWJCE A YEAR, EM PATHY INCLUDES SC H OU. RLY ESSAYS. PROSE AND POETRY, PRACTITIONER ARTICLES, ANECDOTAL ESSAYS, ANO RESE.AR.CH R.EPOllTS AS WELL AS ANNOTATE D !IIBU OGRAPH l"ES FOR RESOURCE MATERIALS; RECENT RESEARCH AND BOOKS. THE JOURNAL SERVES PEOl'LE WORKING IN EDUCAT ION , COUNSELING, HEALTH CARE, SOCIAL WORK, COMMUNITI ACTIVISM, AND THE MINISTRY NATIONALLY ANO INTERNATIONALLY. One y.ear (2 issu es) individual su bscrip tion s10 (sis instituti onal) Make checks payab le_ to Gay and Lesbian Advocacy R esearch Project (GLARP ) alld mail to: Empa1hy, PO Box so8s, Columbia , SC 29250. Newsbriefs Lambda Sues Over Catholic Hospices NEW YORK - Lambda is suing the state health commissioner and the state Public Health Council over their funding of Catholic residential health care facilities for persons with HIV. The Catholic homes refuse to distribute condoms and abortion information, and tell homosexuals that their lovemaking is sinful. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants violated the Constitutional separation of church and state, subverting recognized public health guidelines to accomodate the sectarian interests of a religious group. -Baltimore Alternative Gay/Lesbian Films Available From Frameline SAN FRANCISCO - Despite Helmsinspired criticism of its annual NEA grant , Frameline - organizers of the annual San Francisco Lesbian and Gay Film Festival - have released their first distribution catalog, which offers over 60 lesbian and gay films and videos for rental. New acquisitions include "Extramuros," an extraordinary lesbian nun drama starring Carmen Maura. Frameline is the nation 's only organization solely dedicated to the promotion , exhibition, funding and distribution of lesbian and gay film and video. Frameline came under attack last summer by Jesse Helms, the American Family Ass <>Ciation and the 700 Club, who were opposed to the organization'$ NEA funding. For a free Frameline catalog call (415)861-5245. NCOD Provides Coming Out Brochures SANTA FE, NM - National Coming Out Day is making available helpful materials for individuals and community groups. "Guidelines for Obtaining Local Media Coverage," "Starting Your Own Support Group," "Coming Out Day Events," "Ideas For Coming Out," and "Coming Out As A Community" are but a few of the rapidly growing collection of useful handouts available at no charge. "Our promise to be a resource for community activists is well under way," said Lynn Shepodd, Executive Director of National Coming Out Day . "The single most powerful act II SECOND _ STONE □ we gay or lesbian people can do is to take our next step in the coming out process. NCOD's job, in part, is to support us in doing that effectively, Providing support materials is just part of that effort." To obtain materials, or to get more information about being an Official Sponsor of National Coming Out Day, call (505)982-2558 or 1-800- 445-NCOD. Exhibit Reflects Strength Of African American Lesbians "Keepin' On" - Images of African American Lesbians, an exhibit reflecting the strength and creativity of the African Amercian Lesbian community, past and present, private and public, is available for viewing through April 11 at the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center , 208 W. 13th St., in New York City. The exhibit is presented by the Lesbian Herstory Archives and the National Museum of Lesbian and Gay History. "New York in June" Seeks Memorabilia NEW YORK - The Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center National Museum of Lesbian and Gay History has announced an exhibit entitled "New York in June: A History of The Lesbian and Gay Pride March." The museum is conducting a search for historical matter that would be relevant to the exhibit. Providi11g a historica l overview of New York's Lesbian and Gay Pride marches .over the last 21 years, ,the show will include banners, placards; flyers, posters, costumes and related memorabilia. Groups or individuals who possess materials they feel would be appropriate, and are interested in their being included in the exhibit should call (212)620-7310. Banned Books Publishes New Catalog Banned Books, the Austin, Texas-based gay and lesbian bookseller, has published a catalog of new titles and authors. For a free catalog and bookstore list send a first-class stamp to Banned Books, Dept . 5591, #292, P.O. Box 33280, Austin, TX 78764. Saul (Robert Gately) confronts Jonathan (Charles Comstock) in MCC-K~as City's production of David and Jonathan. PhotoA: ngieR inn David and Jonathan Theatre company stages Biblical love story David and Jonathan, a new play written and directed by Dan Grippo, is being staged by the MCC Theatre Company, an outreach of the Metropolitan Community Church of Greater Kansas City. The play . brings to life events covered in the Old Testament book of 1st Samuel, including the fall of Israel's first king, Saul, and the covenant between David, Israel's second and greatest king, and Jonathan, Saul's son. ''The relationship between David and Jonathan was clearly a deeplyfelt love relationship," Grippo said. "What is significant about the relationship is~that it holds up for lesbian and gay people a model of a nobel and loving same-sex relationship from the very heart of the Judeo-Christian tradition, which has too often been the source of condemnation and persecution of same-sex love." Grippo, who has a graduate degree in religious studies, cites several passages from the Bible that reveal the special quality of the relationship between David and Jonathan . When Jonathan first meets David, " ... the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul... Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David ... " (1 Samuel 18:1-4). When Jonathat dies; David laments over his body with these words: "I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan... Your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women." (2 Samuel 1:26). With passages such as these there can be no doubt that the two men had a deep and special love for one another," said Grippo. "And for such passages to have survived in the bfblical traditi'on is an indication that for the people of the time there was nothing shameful about this public expression of same-sex l_ove and devotion." The play is about more than David and Jonathan's relationship, said Grippo. ''It is also a story of war and peace in the Middle . East, which unfortunately is quite timely given the tragic events unfolding there. For performance information, call (816)753-1921 and for information about use of the play call (913)648-0107. Catalog Lists Gay Books Paths Untrodden, a gay owned and operated mail order book service for gay men has released its 1991 catalog, listing hundreds of titles in 83 different subject areas. Included in the catalog is a special tribute to pioneer gay bookseller Ed Drucker who for almost 20 years operated Elysian Fields Booksellers until his recent death due . to complications from AIDS. The catalog, a 48 page bibliography, is available for $3.00 from Paths Untrodden, P.O. Box 459, Village Station, New York, NY 10014-()459. ,, .. Great Response! '' 1hat's what a Second Stone advertiser told us recently. And we hear that more and more these days. That's because Second Stone reaches readers where many other gay and lesbian publications can't. Like public and university libraries. We don't carry advertising or editorial content that would put us behind the counter. We're up front - in plain sight! For businesses offering products and services to the national gay and lesbian community, we're an exciting new marketing approach! Reach new customers in every state across the USA. Second Stone offers a variety of in-column ad sizes with frequency discounts. We offer spot and full color. We'll lay out your ad at no charge and we'll get it right - we'll send you a proof to make sure. Second Stone will also insert your brochure, flier or catalog in our mailing. It doesn't cost as much as you think. You can reach a paid coast to coast readership for about what you'd pay to advertise in one local free distribution gay newspaper. And ... to mail your insert in Second Stone costs less than mailing it yourselfl You won't know till you try it. The potential sales you lose while you're thinking about advertising cannot be recaptured. If you're thinking you've paid too m"~h for advertising that hasn't worked ... you're probably right! But you haven't tried Second Stone. SErDND STONE You'll be pleased with the results. Call 1-504-899-4014f or advertising assistance. March/ April 1991 a Task Force, local groups launch campaign to counteract violence WASHINGTON, D.C . A nationwide effort to document and counteract violence against Lesbians and Gays has been launched by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and community-based groups fighting the growing problem of homophobic harassm ent and attacks. The "Campaign to Count and Counter Hate Crimes," encourages and assists local efforts to document anti-gay incidents, educates lesbian and gay people on how to resist violence, and advocaies for vigorous official response to the problem. Groups in Boston, New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, the District of Columbia, Alexandria, Va., and other cities released their violence statistics for 1990. Some community and campus-based groups also announced their plans for counteracting anti-gay incidents in their areas. NGLTF Mrongly encourages other gay and lesbian groups to participate In the r:.,$P._o,n tius' Puddle campaign. "As the nation's lesbian and gay communities continue to make progress toward equality, freedom and visibility, we are increasingly under attack," said Kevin Berrill, NGL TF Anti-Violence Project director.' 1'As the number of anti-gay attacks climbs, we've seen a corresponding increase during the past year in the level of rage in our community. This year, our goal will be not only to highlight the problem, but focus on safeguarding our lives and communities." For more information on the campaign, write or call the NGLTF Policy Institute Anti-Violence Project at 1734 14th St., NW, Washington, DC 20009, (202)332-6483. CLASSIFIE First Ten Words FREE! I - Business or personal - The Second Stone classifieds really work! Please sec the order form on the classified page. Each additional word, 35¢. 20 word minimum. Rev. Jimmy Creech chosen as coordinator Raleigh group awarded grant The Raleigh Religious Network for Gay and Lesbian Equality has received a grant of $2500 from the Southeastern Conference for Lesbians and Gay Men · '90/Raleigh Steering Committee to extend its outreach. The funds were generated by the Southeastern Conference for Lesbians and Gay Men held in Raleigh last March and were made available to groups in the Raleigh area whose work benefits the gay and lesbian community. The grant will provide initial salary support for a part-time Outreach Coordinator, a position Rev. Jimmy Creech has been chosen to fill. Creech, a United Methodist • minister for more than 20 years, is a founding member and formecro nvener of RRNGLE and a board member of the AIDS Service Agency of Wake County, Inc. He lost his pastorate at PATLAR VOICE OF GAY AMERICA MONTHLV NEWSMAOA21NE FREEA T OUR DISTRIBUTIONP OINTS SUBSCRIPTIONSS3 5A NNUALLY ($-45O UTSIDE USA! SAMPLE COPY S3 I OUTSIDE USA $4 FOR INFO ON ADVERTISING Po 11i~ki 1Wlllt~it~~g 2c~t~822 , ""I ~ Ev1111gtJl/c11/s Iii,''#,/ loge/hN 11te: fflOlES TIJOCYA OUPS !OCIAIJ• W!lRK$HO•P RSE TREATS HIV/ At()$ SIIPl'OAGt ROU/1 l'ASIORACLA /IaE C OUNSELll/0 FORG a&yL esbCiahnr istians InS outheCranl ifor.n.s.i ian c1e9 79 61111• 109·80,r ftl ?1185 S•nr• Mon!Otl BOUltlVnrcf w ... , Hollywood, CA 110046 i.. .213/656-8570 ~ Fairmont United Methodist Church In Raleigh last June as a result of controversy over his support of gay rights. . His primary tasks as Outreach Coordinator will be making direct contact with area clergy, organizing a speaker's bureau, and producing a comprehensive gay/ lesbian resource guide for the Raleigh area. RRNGLE is an ecumenical network of clergy and lay persons active since 1987 In challenging homophobia, providing educational events, and encouraging the acceptance of Lesbians and gay men by faith communities and society at large. Its members Include parish clergy, campus ministers, professors and lay members of local Episcopal, United Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Catholic, Jewish, Unitarian, Lutheran, United Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ and Metropolitan Community Church congregations. Film Festival Announces Twelve City Tour NEW YORI< • The New Festival, Inc., producers of the annual New York International Festival of Lesbian and Gay Film, has embarked on a twelve city tour. A 10 day exhibition is planned for each city with a gala opening night to benefit a local gay host organization. The Spring Tour circuit includes stops in Houston, (March 1-10), Washington, D.C., (March 15•24), Boston, (April 5•14), and Atlanta, (April 19 - May 2). For more information on The New Festival National Gay and Lesbian 1991 Film Tour call (212)966-5656. Cover Story Joseph Houle puts readers on The Road to Emmaus COVER STORY, From Pagel Emmaus and director of Emmaus House of Prayer, knows well the obstacles one may encounter on a journey of the spirit. He grew up Catholic, and started seminary in the ninth grade during a time when the Catholic Church had a 12-year program for young men who felt the early call to become priests. Houle attended seven years of the seminary program before applying to enter a monastery. His preliminary psychological tests revealed that he had a tendency toward homosexuality. During one qf his interviews he was asked if he was homosexual, and he honestly answered that he was attracted to men but had never acted upon the impulses. He was accepted into the monastery with the stipulation that he would be ousted if his sexual urges got to be a problem. In the monastery he started seeing a . psychiatrist about his "problem," but stopped when he became involved in a one-time encounter with another cleric. He eventually told a confessor about his encounter only to have the priest break his seal of confession and tell the novice master about Houle's admission. The WAR, From Page 1 The NGLTF said that in a matter of days the military had spent the equivalent of the entire 1991 Federal appropriations for AlDS and, in a matter of hours, the same amount as the 1991 appropriations for the Ryan White AIDS Resource Emergency Act. The Task Force said that every war the United States has fought in the 20th Century has proven hostile to movements for social change and social justice. The next day they asked him to leave. He didn't resist. He decided to attempt to lead a heterosexual life, and the next year he married . Says Houle, "I thought if I accepted that I was homosexual then that path would lead me to a life of isolation, loneliness "I thought if I accepted that I was homosexual then that path would lead me to a life of isolation, loneliness and exclusion from society and family. I wanted to be part to the larger community." and exclusion from society and family. I wanted to be part of the larger community." The marriage failed at the end of five years. It was at this time statement concluded recalling Dr. Martin Luther King's position against the war in Vietnam. " . . .! knew that America would never invest the necessary funds or energies in rehabilitation of its poor so long as adventures like Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money like some demonical destructive suction tube," King st<1.ted. "So I was incre<1singly compelled to see the war as an enemy of the poor and to attack it as such ." that Houle decided to explore his sexual feelings and learn what being honestly and openly gay might offer . In early 1976 at the insistent urging of a friend he attended his first Metropolitan Community Church service in Pittsburgh. He didn't want to have anything to do with church, but he went so his friend would stop badgering him. He ended up staying with MCC because for the first time he felt God's love in a personal sense . He says, ."Growing up I never thought of religion or spirituality as a personal relationship with God." Drawing from his past experiences, and his acceptance as a gay man within MCC, he says that he never felt any private strife about being homosexual and Christian. It was during his four year tenure as pasto r of MCC Pittsburgh that he embarked upon a new course of spiritual training at The Institute of Formative Spirituality at Dukane University . The studies taught the science of spirituality: how to sift through religious traditions and elements to find what is authentic and foundationally spiritual in origin . He was also trained to teach and do counseling in small groups . After his graduation in 1983 he floundered for a while, not feeling comfortable with his role as pastor, yet knowing that God had called him for ministry. He lived his last year in Pittsburgh at a Catholic House of Prayer, and he thought that creating a similar program might be a good direction for his efforts within the UFMCC. He thought of this new ministry as "a place for individual retreat, with a structure outside . of local congregations. " From his background and training he felt that he could bring to this new March/ April 1991 - - - --- - - -- - - - -- --- --- - - ·-- - - -~ ministry a perspective "of looking at the Christian walk through the lens of spirituality and the whole ·aspect of contemplation and mysticism." Monasticism had taught him to slow down, "to be aware and attentive of everything that is happening at each moment, rather than rushing through life." He also found a special power at work in his prayer life . He could see results in others and in himself. As he says, "Things ha·ppen in prayer; that is a ministry . Results come when ·we really invest ourselves." Houle now lives with his lover, Robert, and Robert's nephew, Scott. They are all working together as a family to build Emmaus House of Prayer. As a part of this buiiding process the "If the gospel really includes all people, then it is crucial, I think, to talk about · the gospel with language that reflects that truth." ministry has developed and published The Road To Emmaus, an inclusive language devotional. When asked to explain inclusive language, Houle stated, "If the gospel really includes all people, then it is crucial, I think, to talk about the gospel with language that reflects that truth. Language is very, very powerful. When I see a list of segments of the population, and gay is left out of that, I feel left out just by the fact that it is not stated, even if it's not □ negative. Inclusive language reflects the fact that God's love embraces everybody: men and women, heterosexuals and homosexuals, and people of all races and ethnic bac)<.grounds . In the devotional we adopted a policy of inclusivity where there was no assumption made about _the gender, sexual orientation or the race or ethnic background of the reader. 'We tried to say things in a way that anyone would be able to hear as good news without having to translate, 'Oh, yes, that might apply to me too, even though it doesn't say it.' There are some meditations there that focused on the black people's experiences, some about Hispanic exper 0 iences, some about people who are physically challenged. We tried to incorpora ·te experiences through those lenses as well.'' .Although Boule had initially wanted to do the book himself it was later decided that it might be .more interesting to include different writers . Among the 12 contributors to the book is Jeannine Grammick, an author well known to the lesbian/gay Christian community. When asked how they got Grammick to participate, Houle said, 'We called her! I had not met her, but we told her about the project, and she said, 'Sure.' The same with Bob Nugent, whose latest book is Stations of the Cross For Persons Living With AIDS. We also included the work of many people who have never been published before, ordinary Christians that have something to offer to the community." Houle confirmed that most of the writers are gay and lesbian Christians; the others are persons committed to working for equality and justice for homosexuals. But he SEE COVER STORY, Page 18 ii Families · □ The truth shall set you free By Rev. Gan A. Yan Buren Family Editor Q ne of the functions of church communities is that of storytelling. The Gospel is a story that we love to hear and to tell, over and over again. We have exposure to the wonderful faith stories of Abraham, Sarah, and their descendents . We frequently know or learn about the faith journeys of famous Christians, modern and historical. Furthermore, we each have our own faith story to tell. "Who do you say that I am?," and, yes, He then swore them to secrecy until such time as He was ready to reveal Himself to the world. (Mark 8:29-30) The introduction to Mark given in the NIV Study Bible suggests that Mark may have been responding to persecutions among Christians by Rome. He was writing to encourage these believers, preparing them for sufferings they might face by corning out as Christians! To do this, Mark simply told them Jesus' own story in a "simple, succinct, unadorned yet vivid account of Jesus' ministry, emphasizing more what Jesus did than what He-said." (NIV, p. 1491.) There are always consequences of corning out, no matter what · one is "corning· out" about - being Messiah, being Christian, or being gay or lesbian! In the final analysis, we can choose to follow Jesus as a role model for our own coming out as who we are as Christian people who are lesbian and gay . Jesus was, first and foremost, always Himself, doing exactly what God called Him to do . He healed and reached out to all who came to Him, never holding back out of fear of discovery. But, Jesus did choose to take control of the circumstances - the time and place of self-disclosure. It certainly must have looked bleak when Jesus stood before Pilate and admitted, "Yes, it is as you say; I am the King of the Jews." (Mark 15:2) Yet, three days later, Jesus had His most dramatic corning out ever when He rose from the dead! Corning out is a little like that for us, like rising from the dead . That is how Jesus continues to come out to individuals today - one by one. That is how we each have learned the truth about Jesus' identity. That is how we must share in truth-telling about ourselves . The next time you decide to come out to a friend or foe remember these words of Jesus: that you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free! (John 8:32) For -this issue of Second Stone, I have the opportunity of introducing you to a writer who has given the gift • of courage to many parents who have decided to face the truth about their child's sexual orientation, Robert Bernstein. He shares with us some of this thoughts on the benefits of corning out. How did we come to know Jesus Christ? How has knowing Christ changed our lives? Where are we going spiritually? A)l these stories are part of our community of faith. Whenever we enter into a. new friendship, one of the early ways we begin to bond is by sharing our life story with our new friend. How much we share, where we place emphasis, and what we leave out is all determined by the nature of the friendship we are hoping to form. Why weren't you more like Moses? As lesbian and gay people, there is an added dimension to our stories. We must continually make decisions about whether or not we want to disclose our sexual orientation, i.e., "come out." It is rather .absurd that discriminatory practices on the part of the heterosexual majority have placed us in this position and, in fact, one comment frequently heard when we do come out is, "Why do you have to flaunt it? I never have to make a big deal out of being heterosexual!" {Have you noticed that this remark is usually followed by walking away hand-in-hand with their oppositesex partner, affectionately greeting hubby or wifey, pulling out a wallet full of pictures of the kids, or mentioning their recent engagement?)! As gay and lesbian people we even celebrate "National Coming Out Day." This may be an absurd day by heterosexual standards, but for us, it is consciousness-raising. It offers death-dealing blows to stereotyping. It is revolutionary and it is lifegiving to all. Our Savior did some modeling for us, using various methods of disclosing His true identity to those around Him. The Gospel of Mark offers several glimpses of how Jesus handled His own "coming out" as Messiah. First, He came out slowly. Secondly, He refused to let others, who did not love Him, force Him to come out before He was ready. (Mark 1 :24-25) His approach among His clnsest friends was to ask them, ByR oberAt .B ernstein Contributing Writer It was last October, as I pondered the significance of Coming Out Day, that I came to realize that I am prejudiced. I have a bias toward gay and lesbian persons. I think they often tend to be better than other folks. Like most who are opinionated, I am convinced that my particular prejudice has a basis in reality . In this instance, it's a spiritual reality and it relates to what Coming Out Day is all about. For, more precisely, the full force of my bias is reserved for a special class of Lesbians and Gays - those who are out of the closet and have discovered the far-reaching significance of the simple phrase, "I am what I am." As a general rule, I have observed, these are people who are apt to be more creative and talented, more warm and generous, more joyous .and more caring - in short, more truly alive than most of us run-of-the-mill heterosexual types. And the explanation, I have concluded, is contained in the rationale behind Coming Out Day. When my daughter came out to me, I was spared much of the trauma that parents ordinarily experience under these circums tances, by virtue of the fact that I had already long suspected she was a lesbian. So I was able to tell her sincerely that I was pleased by her revelation, because it eliminated an important barrier between us and allowed me to feel closer to her. But it was only later, as I watched her bloom and mature; and as 1-met scores of other fine young gay people, Emotional health, they say, is the inner peace that comes from shucking o-μr "false self" - those conditioned notions of who we are or "should" be - and working toward a fuller acceptance of our "true self," or who we actually are. To the extent we distance ourselves from our inner reality, we stunt our spirits and hobble our souls. that I gradually came to realize the tuller psychological significance of the coming out process itself . The qualities I so admired in these young SECO .ND STONE people, I came to believe, were a function of hard-wrought selfhonesty, of their willingness to take the risk, in a hostile society, of being wholly and openly themselves. The point is made in a traditional Hassidic story about a Rabbi Zusya, which echoes in the writings of Martin Buber and other theologians. The rabbi, it seems, went to heaven expecting to be asked, "Why weren't you more like Moses?" but was asked instead, "Why weren't you more like Rabbi Zusya?" All human beings are manifestations of God, the story seems to say, and our challenge is to be ever more fully ourselves. Psychologists tE1ll us something similar. Emotional health, they say, is the inner peace that comes from shucking our "false self" - those conditioned notions of who we are or "should" be - and working toward a fuller acceptance of our "true self," or who we actually are. To the extent we distance ourselves from our inner reality, we stunt our spirits and hobble our souls. At best, though, the process of self-acceptance is difficult and neverending. And it becomes frightfully complicated when society viciously condemns some important aspect of who we are . So, virtually by definition, the gay person who is comfortable with his or her gayness has already overcome some of the more daunting obstacles on the path to maturity and fulfillment. A dramatic illustration of all this - SEE COMING OUT, Page 15 Church & Organization News New Group For Christian Lesbians Christian Lesbians Out Together CLOUT - is tentatively planning a large gathering the first weekend of November, 1991. The new group is "committed not only to struggling against forces of sexism and misogyny and heterosexism and homophobia, but also against racism, antisemitism, classism, ableism, clericalism and other structures of domination that foster injustice." For information write to CLOUT, Box 758, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130. Ohio Methodists Form Support Group Gay and lesbian • Methodists have begun forming a support group in Columbus, Ohio. The group meets on the first Friday of the month. For information call Judy, (614)262-9750, or Rocky, (614)262-9791. Williams Appointed Assistant Pastor Rev. Kathi Jo Williams has been appointed Assistant Pastor of the Good Samaritan Parish of Metropolitan Community Church in Toledo, Ohio. Williams was formerly the pastor of Emmanuel MCC of Cleveland. Mental Health, Chemical Depe'ndency Program Opens The Open Quest Institute has opened a new program, the first of its type in the nation, specifically designed for the treatment of gay and lesbian patients with mental, emotional, or chemical dependency problems serious enough to warrant hospital care. Treatment is provided by a predominantly gay and lesbian team. "Our program meets a long neglected need," said Donald Levy, Executive Director. "Often gay and lesbian patients in ordinary treatment programs are treated to large doses of homophobia not only from fellow patients, but from the hospital staff members as well. Frequently, while trying to grapple with difficult, real problems, they are subjected to efforts to change themselves, and even suffer outright harassment." The program, which accepts patients from all over the United States, is offered at Manor West Hospital in Los Angeles . Patients and those close to them can also seek help directly be calling the Institute's 24-hour crisis intervention line, 1-800-444-9999. The Institute also serves as a training facility. It provides internships to psychotherapists and, to date, has trained over 150 gay men and lesbians . Persons interested in the internship program may call 1-800-664-5000 for more information. Gay/Lesbian Bicyclists Unite Pacelines is ihe three-year-old international newsletter for lesbian and gay bicyclists . The purpose of the publication is to promote bicycling among Gays and Lesbians and to encourage visits from one group to another. Pacelines was founded in Italy in 1987, and is now published in the USA. Featured in the 10-page bi-monthly newsletter are reports of bike events in the USA and elsewhere and a listing of all upcoming events. A directory of gay and lesbian bicycle clubs worldwide (43 so far!) is also included. Annual subscriptions are US $15.00 for all countries. For information, write to Bob Bland, 43 Upton St., Boston, MA 02118. NYC Group For Transplanted Southerners Over 560 Southerners living in the New York City area are enjoying the company of a new group which celebrates aspects of Southern culture which its members love and miss while they work to curtail the intense homophobia which causes many gay and lesbian Southerners to leave the South. "We help many new arrivals from the South find their bearings in New York by providing opportunities for them to make friends of similar background ," said David Gilbert, founder of the group. For information, or to receive Southerners latest newsletter, write to P.O. Box 881, Church St. Station, New York, NY 10008-0881 or call (212)674-8073. Business or PersonalTry a Second St.one Classified Ad! Subscribe Today. And You'll Never Be Without A Friend For Your Journey. Join thousands of lesbians and gay men who've embarked on an inward journey. Through the pages of The Second Stone, an ecumenical Christian newsmagazine, you'll be challenged, inspired, angered and encouraged . Meet brave men and women who are confronting social injustice and religious bigotry . Explore family and relationship issues. Enjoy our engaging features and columns, newsbriefs and book reviews. Our national calendar puts you in touch with life-changing retreats, community- building conferences, and the nicest people you'll ever meet! The Second Stone will inspire you, keep you informed, and put you in touch. ···YES , ..... N~.:.: . .' . .' .. :.:.:.:.:.:.:.: . .-........ :.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.: .. · .. :.:.:.:.:: Begin my subscription to .Address ................................................................. . f~~~~~r~~?,l}.! {::m.oo City, Stare & Zip .............................................. . [ J Two years (12 i ■sues) for S25.00 O«li:.bir,• i youP""'plainl!Miopalor~: I I P".t.-,",,,w&-3...S torM,wyolp.•lr.! { J Three yea ~ (18 issues) (or $36.00 .-. 1rt,m11Dllli ~ ~ 510.00 ps l'Wll lot poMl9t. U.S. wrrwr,cy ctft . • Mail To: SECOND STONE, Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 THANK YOU for your subscription! March / April 1991 m Calendar Thef ollowinga nnouncementhsa ve beens ubmittedb y sponsoringo r affiliatedg roups. Gay/Lesbian Civil Rights MARCH lS.-17, A Century of Catholic Teaching on Social Justice, sponsored by Dignity/ Austin (Region Seven Spring Conference). Cost is $49.00. Concurrent with the 1991 March on Austin for Gay /Lesbian Civil Rights. Pat Roche, president of Dignity /USA is featured speaker. For information call (512)467-7908 or (512)444-4853. Affirmation Spring National Meeting APRIL 5-7, Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian and Gay Concerns gathers for its national meeting. Valley of the Moon, in the beauty of California wine country is the setting. For information contact Affirmation, P.O. Box 1021, Evanston, IL 60204. Brethren/Mennonite Families Retreat APRIL 12-14, The second retreat for the parents and families of lesbian, gay and bisexual persons. The retreat, sponsored in part by a support network of Brethren/Mennonite parents with lesbian or gay children, will be held at the Laurelville Mennonite Church Center in western Pennsylvania. Write to Rt. 5, Box 145, Mt. Pleasant, PA 15666 or call (412) 4.23-2056. Rescue The Perishing APRIL 12-14, Casa de la.Paloma Apostolic Church, Tucson, Arizona, hosts a series of revival services and workshops. Rev. William H. Carey of Schenectady, New York, a Presbyter of the.National Gay Pentecostal Alliance and pastor of Lighthouse Apostolic Church, will be guest preacher. For information .call Rev. Sandy Lewis, (602)323-6855, or write Casa de la Paloma Church, P.O. Box 14003, Tucson, AZ 85732-4003. LGCM 1991 Annual Conference APRIL 13, England's Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement holds its annual conference. Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, London, is the setting. For information write to 1B LGCM, Oxford House, Derbyshire St., London E2 6HG, UK. National Lesbian Conference APRIL 24-28, "Diversity, Solidarity, Empowerment" is the theme of this conference for, by and about Lesbians. Nearly 5000 Lesbians are expected to gather in Atlanta for workshops, caucuses, plenary sessions, strategy meetings and cultural events. The five day conference, open to women only, will include a film and video festival, workshops reflecting the broad theme of the conference, a market place for unique lesbian arts and crafts, and more. The Atlanta Civic Center is the setting. For information write to NLC, P.O. Box 1999, Decatur, GA 30031. 1991-More Light Conference MAY 3-5, 1991, "Different Gifts, but the Same Spirit" is the theme of the 1991 Presbyterian More Light Conference, to be held in Rochester, New York. A warm weekend of spiritual enrichment and personal connections is promised. The keynote address will be given by Dr. Letty M. Russell, Professor of Theology, Yale Divinity School. Cost is $60.00. For more information, call Chris Bensch (716)473-0192 or Lee Fischer (716)442-5117 or write: More Light Conference, c/o Downtown United Presbyterian Church, 121 North Fitzhugh St., Rochester, NY 14614. Spiritfest New Orleans MAY 24-27, Grace Ministries sponsors a Christian gathering at Holy Redeemer Retreat Center, LaCombe, Louisiana. The retreat center, a former Redemptorist seminary, is beautifully situated on 110 acres of forested land on the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain. Cost is $100.00 per person. For information write to Spiritfest '91, P.O. Box 70555, New · Orleans, LA 70172-0555. National UCCL/GC Gathering JUNE23 -26, The United Church Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns' National Gathering 11 immediately precedes the United Church of Christ General Synod 18 in Norfolk, Virginia. The setting for the gathering will be the Old Dominion University campus in Norfolk. Connecticut UCCL/GC is planning the three day event, which will offer opportunities for single persons and persons in relationships to explore ways we are family: the family we're in now , the family we came from, the family we would wish for. Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, author of Is TheH omosexuaMl y Neighbor?, will be the featured speaker. For information write to: UCCL/GC, 18 N. College, Athens, OH 45701 or call (614)593-7301. SDA Kinship Kampmeeting JUNE 9-16, The Seventh-day Adventists Kinship International annual gathering will be held at Menucha Camp just outside Portland, Ore. For inforination write to Box 3840, Los Angeles, CA 90078-3840. NABWMT Convention '91: Living, Loving and Working Together JUNE 23-30, The Detroit Chapter of Black and White Men Together hosts the 1991 convention of the National Association of Black and White Men Together, an organization formed ten years ago to break down racial barriers between gay people and provide a multiracial political and social forum. The NABWMT is an umbrella organization for over 25 chapters nationwide. Convention '91 will explore the many ways we relate as gay people and examine methods to unify the gay community .. Workshops will be presented on interpersonal relationships, health issues and AIDS awareness, bridging cultural differences and many other issues. The Hotel St. Regis is the setting . For information write: BWMT /Detroit, Convention '91, P.O. Box 24-8831, Detroit, MI 48224. Fifth Annual Golden Threads Celebration JUNE28 -30, Lesbians from all over the United States and many foreign countries will gather at the Provincetown Inn in Provincetown, Mass ., for the annual Golden Threads celebration. In existence since 1985, Golden Threads is a worldwide social network of Lesbians over 50 (and friends, no lesbian is excluded.) Entertainment will be provided by Janice Perry a.k.a. GAL. For information contact Christine SECOND STONE □ Burton, Golden Threads, P.O. Box 3177, Burlington, VT 05401-0031. Embodied Spirituality & Sexuality JUNE24 -28, St. Joseph's Retreat House in San Antonio, Texas, is the setting for this retreat for gay clergy and religious. The retreat received such outstanding reviews last year that it is being offered again, thoroughly .revised and improved. For information write to CMI Retreat, 127 Oblate Dr., San Antonio, TX 78216. connECtion '91 JULY4- 7, the first joint Evangelicals Concerned Midwest and Western Region conference. The campus of the University of Denver is the setting. The conference will include keynote addresses, workshops, small group interaction, prayer, and socializing. Participants will fellowship with gay and lesbian Christians from across the United States and learn more about the integration of sexuality and spirituality and discover new ways to love .God, others and self. To show off Colorado's natural WOI\ders, the weekend -will , feature a half-day trip into the Rocky Mountains. For registration information, contact Scott at the ECWR office, (303)830-2823. National Lesbian & Gay Health Conference JULY24 -28, Up to 1200 lesbian and gay health professionals are expected to congregate in New Orleans for the 13th National Lesbian and Gay Health Conference and 9th National AIDS Forum. The conference provides an opportunity for health care providers and caregivers to discuss issues of importance to the lesbian and gay community. It also gives health professionals of diverse disciplines an opportunity to learn, exchange ideas and contribute to new thinking about the needs and well being of the lesbian and gay community. For further information contact the National Lesbian and Gay Health Foundation, Inc., 1638 R St NW #2, Washington, DC 20009 or call (202)797-3708. SEE CALENDAR, Next Page Essay Hearts »..rC. lu:isJlI.as...._-'----CoI uni nist A couple of songs from the fifties awaken memori, !s of the death of Ronnil•. He was the first person around my age I knew to die. The songs arc unrelated to him, but they came on the radio immediately after I learned of his death, and so they are forever associated with him. It's like remembering where you were when Kennedy was assassinated. My parents had never shield ed me from death. But death was some• thing that happc'!led to old people, particularly relatives. It· didn't happen to people i11 the second grade, as I was, or in the third grade, as Ronnie was. Ronnie's heart was too lar ge. Literally. He had an adult-sized heart in a chikHizcd body. It kept him out of school fot periods of time. It kept him from playing like "normal" kids, His ()illy hope was opcn•hcart surgery, in the days when such operations were experimental and rare. The night before his surgery, he CALENDARF,ro m Previous Page Dignity/USA Convention '91 AUGUST2 9-SEPTEMBERT.1h,e Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C, will the be setting for Digt;tlty /USA's tenth biennial convention. This event brings together delegates, members and friends for a gathering that matches no other in the Dignity datebook. Themed "Many Gifts, One Spirit," the convention program will feature presentations and workshops that reflect the diversity of Dignity's national community. Social events will add to the excitement. Convention topics will be organized into five areas of interest: AIDS Ministry, Removal of Barriers to Women, Support for Human Rights Laws, Anti-Gay /L esbian Violence, The Primacy of Conscience and the Right to Dissent. For more information write: Convention '91, Dignity /USA, Box 29661, Washington, DC 20017. Our Heroic Journey: Building A Healing Circle AUGUST 26 • 29, A special retreat of demonstrated that his largeness of heart was more than physical. A kid in his ward who was afraid of the oxygen tent in which he was to sleep needed reassurance. So Ronnie climbed in his bed to show him there was nothing to fear. The · surgery the next day was a "success." We had all been praying for hitn at my Christian school. His mother and my mother both taught there. We left school that day rejoicing that cvcrythit1g had gone well. But by th(• time we arr ived home, a phone call had come to report that Ronnie's body, exhausted by the trauma, had given out. My mother ran to her room to cry. That's when the songs came 011 the radio. I wondered what it was like for Ronnie in heaven. I remembered something I had intended to give to Ronnie that would now remain with me. I felt guilty that I hadn't gotten it to him before his death. A friend, whom I will call Ron, has just learned that he has tested positive to HIV anribodies. He's been part of a New York-based medical study for years, but only . celebration for gay and lesbian ministers, This retreat will tap the very special experience of the Holy Spirit · that every gay and lesbian minister has to leam to utilize to strengthen and celebrate their lives. The Weber House, Baltimore, Maryland, is the setting, Limited financial assistance Is available . For registration infor mation, write to CMI Retreat, P.O. Box 60125, Chicago, IL 60660-0125. Parents FLAG 10th Annual Convention OCTOBER 11•14, "Celebrating the Tewels in our Crown" is the theme of the tenth annual gathering of the National Federation of ·Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. Charlotte , North Carolina is the setting. To reteive registration materials, when available, write to Charlotte Parents FLAG, 5815 Charing Place, Charlotte, NC 28211. SEND EVENT NOTICES TO: CALENDAlt, SECOND STONE, P.O. BOX 8340, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 , recently asked for information regarding his HIV status. Now he knows he's been infected for as many years as he has participated in the research. When he lived in New York, Ron's lover developed AIDS. They moved to New England, so that his lover could return to his roots and so that their time -toge ther could have a semblance of peace. The New York Times was reporting at the lime that I pray for him every day, specifically praying that he will not develop AIDS or ARC. I wonder what it is like for him to deal with his fears without faith. His heart hc\S been so badly mangled by_ the church, that the eschews all that it represents. lovers of persons with AIDS were often found to be uninfected, The Times was too delicate to exp lain why: that is, that the uninfected were those who took the "activ<!" rather than "passive" role in sexual intercourse. Ron has a larger than normal. heart. Figuratively. Just as he could not abai1do11 the one he loved because he had AIDS, he could liOt resist loving him i11 intimate ways, Because of the Times' non-explicit articles and the general lack of information at the time, they engaged in sex that today wou ld be called "unsafe." I heard a respected therapist say recently that the only generalizations he could make abmH male vs. female sexuality is that women need things to be good before sex; whereas men use sex to make things good. Whether or liOt the first statement is tru~ for women, the second sta tement March/April 1991 □ seems true of men. !11 a world of homophobia and hcterosexism, it is not surprising that gay men would climb into bed to make things better. Even AIDS or HIV-infection might cause us to comfort one another through love-making. And so with Ron. Presently, Ron's health is fine. I pray for him every day, specifically praying that he will Mt develop AIDS or ARC. I wonder what it is like for him lo deal with his fears without faith. His heart has bc{)n so badly mangled by the church, that he eschews all that it represents. Despite his spiritual cynicism, we arc friends. And I have something I would like to give him, before .. , Something that grieves me deeply in comparing these two experiences of bodily frailty is that the church would look upon Ronnie as an innocent victim of circumstances, but it would not view Ron In that way. Yet both Ron and Ronnie shared th<! same life -threatening condition: · large11ess of heart. · J<.>sduisd , too. Chris G/.aseris a graduateo f Yale Divinity School and the author cf two books: UncommCona llin·~ A Gau. Man's Stru~:lle to Serve the ~ and ComeH ome·! Reclaimin SJ]iritualiatvn dC ommuniatsll .G.aJMl.e. n and Lesbianbso, th from Harper & Row. Ex-Gays? There Are None LambdCa hrisUaFne llowshiisp pleasetdo a nnouncae n ewb ook by RevS. ylvisP enningto• na n examinatioonf e x.gaym inistrie•s what heyd o• what heyd on1d o. You'mll eept eoplwe hoo, my througGh od'sg raceh, aves urviveda nds toppetdr yingto be ex-gaysb,e causeIn, trutht,h ere is nos uchth inga sa ne x•gay f'3rsal. Now Available From Lambda Christian Fellowship r, o. Box 1967 Hawthorne, CA 90250 $15.0p0l us$ 1.50fo rp ostaoaen d HandlinCg.a lifornrieas idenatsd d 6% sales tax. 111 AIDS and the poor The Grand Rapids Minority AIDS Project began in June, 1988, as a projecto f the InterReligiousF ellowshipin Grand Rapids, Michigan. The focus is on AIDS educationfo r minorities, particularlyH ispanica nd African-Americanp eople, young peoplea, nd chemicallyd ependent people. R. Anthony Espinozaa, uthoro f this article, is the Executive , Director. BY R. ANTHONY ESPINOZA u NABLE TO FIND ENOUGH WORK to provide for his family, Juan felt he had no choice but to take desperate measures. Bidding home and family good-bye, he made off for the United States to work as a migrant fylrm worker. On days he had work, he made enough to buy his day's food, pay rent on his living space, and have something left over to send his family in Mexico . The work was hard and the hours long. Juan often grew tired, almost too tired to go on. So he could work longer and harder and provide better for his family, Juan- along with the other migrant workers - often injected mega-doses of vitamins. Because they were "family," they shared - not just vitamins, but needles as well. Once in a while the workers had an ,especially good week - cause for celebration. As part of such occasions, someone usually passed around a bag and needle. This too, they sharedonce again demonstrating their sense of familia. Juan became ill after a few months . He never considered seeing a doctor. Even if he could have scraped together enough money, his family in Mexico was depending on that money to live. Besides, going to the doctor wasn't his .people's way. In the tradition of his culture, Juan went to the "family healer," his grandmother. She prescribed herbs and teas-and rest to get him back on his feet. On days when Juan was not called into work, or when he was too sick to work, he hitched a ride into town . There he prostituted himself for enough money to make the day's expenses. Finally Juan became so ill that the farm owner called our agency and asked if we knew of a good hospital that would take him. We arranged for a doctor to examine Juan. After the examination, the doctor called and said, "It's too late for Juan to go into the hospital. He'll feel more comfortable spending his last days among people he knows." The doctor was right. Two days later, Juan died of AIDS. Juan's story illustrates the changing face of AIDS in this country. For years we in the United States have thought of AIDS as a "gay white male" disease . Most of our AIDS education, social services, and medical services have been targeted toward thi.s population. The gay white community has come to grips with the need for education. They are getting the word out and behavior is changing. Among other groups, though, many have yet to be reached. One result is that AIDS is no longer primarily a "gay white male" disease. Six years ago, 60 percent of those with AIDS in the U.S. were white. Today, according to the Centers for Disease Control, over 60 percent are people of color. A disproportionate number are poor. As Juan's story illustrates, the poor are often at greater risk of contracting AIDS for several reasons. First, the poor frequently suffer from poor nutrition and poor sanitation . Migrant farm workers like Juan are also exposed to pesticides. These factors tend to suppress the immune · system, reducing the body's capacity to fight off disease. Second, many of the poor lack information about the dangers of AIDS and how it can be transmitted or prevented. For someone who doesn't know, something as innocent as a vitamin injection can bring death. Third, poverty limits access to medical care and may also motivate some to engage in high-risk behavior simply to survive. Fourth, cultural traditions may encourage behaviors that spread the disease or discourage its treatment. What is being done about this? That's the question I found myself asking when I returned from an AIDS conference. 'What are we doing right here in my own community for people of color who have AIDS?" To find out, I began calling local clinics and social service agencies. Time after time, the answer was, 'They don't come to us." "Why not?" I wanted to know. "Well, because we're not geared toward people of color. We're geared toward whites." I witnessed how true that was the first time I accompanied a Hispanic to a clinic for HIV testing. "Oh, we don't have anyone here who can speak Spanish," we were told. "If you had come earlier, someone could have helped youc" When I checked with the other clinic in town that offered testing, they didn't have anyone on staff who could speak Spanish, nor did their staff include even one person of color. To a great extent, people of color who have AIDS are invisible. What can we do about it? Greater investment in education needed AIDS education programs have reached many people, but many people remain uninformed. When I speak at high schools, I find that almost every child knows how to make a baby. Few know how to put on a condom, and even this can not adequately prevent the transmission of AIDS. How can we target education and prevention efforts toward people of color? Our project has found three methods that have proven effective. First, each month we make about ten or twelve public speaking and audiovisual presentations to high schools, church groups, drug rehabilitation centers, and neighborhood associations. Second, volunteers take literature door to door. About 40 percent ofour volunteers are Hispanic, 40 percent black and 20 percent white. We discovered early on that not everyone we give literature to can read it, so we've learned to ask in a non 0threatening manner, "Can you understand this? Can you read it?" When someone can't, the volunteer is .ready to read it and answer questions in the person's own language. People tend to m SECOND STONE deny that they can't read. Putting accurate information into people's hands doesn't necessarily do the job either. We put our phone number on every piece of literature we hand out. People who have read our literature often call and ask, "Will I get AIDS if I do this, or if I do that?" The questions are sometimes bizarre, and the questions are always already answered in the literature. A third method that has worked for us is television. We have a 20-second spot in Spanish giving a bilingual AIDS hotline number to call. Everytime the spot runs, we get several calls. The Spanish spot has been so effective we're now preparing two more spots - .one targeting Blacks and the other Vietnamese. It's not enough to · pull him off the street and send him through a detoxification program. After that, how will he make a living? A major obstacle in the fight against AIDS is the alarming school dropout rate among people of color. In some cities this figure is fast approaching 50 percent of all ninth grade students. Not only are dropouts with low reading skills less able to read literature on preventing AIDS, but few dropouts get good jobs.· Many tum to selling drugs and prostitution for their livelihood, behaviors that put them at high risk for AIDS. A crucial aspect of the fight against AIDS, then, is finding ways to keep young people in school. Medical and social services barriers must come down Like Juan, many people with AIDS never seek medical care because they have no money or their culture discourages it. Others are too proud to walk into a free clinic. When poor people get so sick that they finally go to a doctor or hospital, they are often turned away. This is not always because they lack SEE POOR, Page 18 . ' New computer network helps fight anti-gay bigotry The Gay & Lesb .ian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) has announced that it has established a computer network, GLAAD-Net, to facilitate national activism against anti-gay bigotry by allowing for . increased and more efficient information sharing. GLAAD-Net will be operating under the auspices of GayCom, · a three-year-old national network of gay and lesbian compute~ bulletin boards. The project is being supported by a grant from the New York-based Paul Rapoport Foundation. GLAAD-Net will consist of several components: an intra-chapter message base in which chapter repre- COMMENTARY, From Page 2 they're gay or lesbian. When Queer Nation is out being angry they're called, by others who would rather have dialogue and communication, "Facist Nation." The name Facist Nation doesn't come just from straights. You hear "Facist Nation" today from Gays and Lesbians too. Gays and Lesbians who are as afraid to deal with our anger as they are with their own. For years every time Gays and Lesbians have grabbed the tiniest bit of power and control, in .any situation, they've been called the gay mafia or queer storm troopers. I don't know what Gays and Lesbians are supposed to be if not angry, but heterosexist society thinks that emotions are obviously something we should not have. At least not publicly . Remember the reaction to black anger during the civil rights movement? People referred to angry Blacks derogatorily as tribal warriors, not thinking these people had the right to be angry and show it. Instead, they were as out of control as natives in a Tarzan movie. That's recognized today as a phobic reaction and racist. Remember too the way angry women were once called "unladylike" or "strident" by people we would immediately recognize today as sexist, just as someday the fear of gay and lesbian anger, which is often thought of as proof we are out of control, infantile or at least a group of spoiled adolescents, will be seen as the reactions of neurotic homophobes. Until then they think our emotions are to be closeted . We aren't to be any more publicly angry than we are to be publicly loving. (When we hold hands in public it's again because we are emotionally and sexually out of control, infantile or acting out adolescents after nothing more than the shock effect our flaunting brings sentatives can "discuss" project ideas and implementation; a public files area consisting of GLAAD publications, letters written to defamers, and other background material about GLAAD campaigns; a mechanism which will enable GLAAD chapters to share mailing list data; and . a feedback mechanism allowing the general public to report issues to GLAAD. 'We are particularly excited by the potential of GLAAD-Net to assist us in planning and executing national campaigns in different parts of the country simultaneously," said Karin Schwartz, GLAAD/NY's Deputy Director for Public Affairs. about.) Heterosexual society will tolerate us as long as we are innocuous. Sedate. But our .anger is not to be mislabled and misappropriated by others. Anger denied is depression, and suppressing our anger is one of the ways heterosexism has been able to control so many of us for so long. At a recent Queer Nation action against a church/ cult which claimed to "convert" homosexuals to heterosexuals, we saw bigots controlling Gays and Lesbians by denying, disqualifying and suppressing their anger. .We were told that anyone Heterosexists don't know what to do with angry queers. That upsets their stereotype of the wimpy faggot who can be kicked around. who was angry was not ready to speak. Not allowing you to be angry is one of the techniques used by any good brainwasher. Every time a Gay or Lesbian would begin to speak in this church about their anger at the way society treated them, the subject was changed to love. Jesus' love_. The church's love. "Don't be angry," they were told. "If you're angry, you can't be open to our love." Scary! But don't be confused. You can be fooled into thinking anger is the opposite of love . That they're opposite ends of the emotional spectrum. Anger isn't, nor has it ever been, the opposite of love . Being angry isn't sinful as they would like you to believe. Anger is something important that we must learn to use. "GLAAD's chapter structure is unique for a gay activist organization, and this technology will enable us to get the most from our structure." GLAAD-Net may be accessed at no charge by anyone with a personal computer, communications software and a modem . Callers should . set their communications software to 1200-N-8-1 or 2400-N-8-1 and direct their modem to dial the GayCom node nearest them if known, or else (718)849-1614. Callers should type "GLAAD" when prompted by the computer for their first name, and "INFO" when prompted for their second name. · If a password is required by the local system, the Theologian Beverly Harrision says that "anger is a signal that all is not well in our relationship with others." It's a mode or connectedness, not something that separates us . To . be sure, anger doesn't necessarily lead to right action. I've seen my angry co-conspiritors in Queer Nation do some awfully stupid things when they're angry. Angry people do a lot of stupid things. But as Harrision says, 'We must never lose touch with the fact that all serious human moral activity, especially action for social change, takes its oearing from the rising power of human anger ." Anger b,eaks down those artificial walls of rules and properness that separate us from one another. Anger is closer to love than the absence of feeling we sense in many around us. Anger forces us to react to each other authentically, immediately. It's the job of those we are angry with to correctly choose how to react to our anger - by changing, acting, or maybe simply listening . But to deny the · validity of anger itself as a means of communicating a serious wrong is to oppress our relationships with each other . Anger denied subverts community. Anger acknowledged and nurtured will give us our first glimpse of the power necessary to exercise our deserved freedoms . Heterosexists don't know what to do with angry queers. That upsets their stereotype of the wimpy faggot who can be kicked around . And then there is always the promise from heterosexuals that as long as we aren't angry, as long as we want to talk, dialogue, converse levelheadedly , we can avoid being kicked. Right? They can try to deny us our basic human rights. They can deny us our civil rights. They can try to deny us our dignity. But they are not going to deny me my right to be angry! And let's not deny that right to each other . March/April 1991 caller should type "GLAAD." "We are delighted to the helping gay activism enter the computer age through our collaboration with GLAAD," said Artie Kohn, GayCom's coordinator. "Lesbians and gay men have been using telecommunications technology to interact socially for years, but using it to forward our movement's goals is a relatively new process." COMING OUT, From Page 10 a sort of ultimate Coming Out Day allegory - was recently described to me by a young Seattle man, Geoffrey McGrath . Geoff was once dedicated to the doctrines and missions of the Mormon Church, but he was ultimately excommunicated for his refusal to disavow his homosexual identity. Initially, true to church tenets, Geoff thought of his homoerotic feelings as part of a "rotten core" of his being, from which he sought escape in church activities and-even, at one point, by declaring his commitment to a young woman. His "failure" to outrun his feelings led to thoughts of suicide . Finally, as he put it, he "confronted his rotten core ." He accepted the inevitability of his same-sex orientation, even though he had yet to act on it. Geoff says that coming out to his family was a traumatic experience, even though his parents, as expected, turned out to be supportive. About a week later, "still in the midst of despair about what it might mean for me to be a gay man," he had a strikingly vivid dream. In it, he saw a closet, its door tightly closed but bulging outward f~om inner pressures, and oozing some particularly foul . black viscous fluid from its cracks. Then the door flew open, obviously unable to resist the pressure any longer . The room was filled with a cascade of what Geoff calls "the black ooze." But there in the center of the closet, he could now see what had been obscured by the locked door and the black ooze. It was a large, brilliant, beautiful diamond. Robert Bernstein is editor of The PFLAG Pole, a publication of the Federation of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, and is II frequent contributor to The Washington Blade newspaper in Washington, D.C. II Books □ A history and a legacy . Don't Be Afraid Anymore By MichaeBll ankenship Contributing Writer Troy Perry, founder of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, has recently published his memoirs in an honest, simply-written book entitled Don't Be Afraid Anymore. The book details not only the history of the church, but also much of this nation's gay and lesbian history as well. MCC was founded shortly before the Stonewall riots and it seems that whenever there was work to be done for the gay /lesbian community Troy Perry was there standing up to the opposition and preaching a liberating gospel that included civil rights for all Lesbians and Gays. There are still some people in the homosexual community who feel that Perry has been too political , but I think his approach in this respect could be compared to that of Martin Luther King, Jr. Both worked tirelessly for their ideals of freedom and civil rights for their individual oppressed minorities while never advocating violence in any form. Clearly both have felt that working . politically was an act of "loving their neighbors," wanting the best for their sisters and brothers, as well as themselves, knowing that God would work through their efforts toward a world free of prejudice. Perry's book also encompasses part of his childhood. Growing up in Florida, his fascination with religion blossomed concurrently with his awareness of his sexual feelings. The years of his youth were happy until the death of his father. . His mother found that controlling five fatherless boys, all under the age of 12, was a near impossibility, so she allowed herself to be drawn · into a relationship that would eventually turn abusive. The abuse also extended to Troy who ran away from home after being raped by one of his stepfather's friends. In a spirit that Troy evidently inherited, his mother PANELS Of LOVE • ... as . temng a testament to the courage of the human spirit..as has come my way.• -Huston Smith, author of T!Je Religions of Man -16 full-color reproductions of the widely acclaimed "Panels of .Love• paintings. Plus artisVauthor Tim Grummon's detailed account of his own discovery of new depths of love, faith and spiri1ual support. From a. man living each day with his own lifethreatening diaease. A book that inspires hope to those facing their own reality. And a beautiful gift from friend or family to someone who need~ assurance. Each painting based on selected passage from the Old or New Testament. -Available in bookstores or from Los Hombres Press, Dept SS, 739 5th Ave., Ste. 28, San Diego, CA 92101. $19.95 plus $1.50 postage and handling. CA residents add 7% tax. Check, Money Order or Visa/MC. Phone orders: 619/688-1023. THE OTHERP UBLISHINGC OMPANY'S Lesbian& GayR ecoveryB ookstore ANOTHER KIND OF LOVE! 4TH EDITION, by l'llchartl Woods, O.P. Homosexuality•/·S plrttua lty, Papert:>ack'f,9 5pp,$ 9.95 " ... not only for Catholics, but [by! any person who is searching for answers concerning the ongoing issue of homosexuality and the Church." Re¥erend Troy Perry " ...T hisb ooki s a must primer for gay and lesbianp eople,a nd those who love them. It challengesu s all to a love reflectedi n ea,h other, which is a God-like Love." Jim Suuan, PrNldllllt, DIGNITY/USA Shipping and handling: $2 for the first book, $.50 for each additional Califorruaa nd Canadian residents add 7% sales tax/GST Visa,M asterCard,a nd American Express acceptedw hen order accompaniedb y Card #, Exp Date, and Signature of card Holder. Send to: The Other Publishing Company, P.O. Box 2151, Dept S-391, San Deigo, CA 92112-2151 or place your ciedit card order by phone at l.'800-733-1283. finally packed the family up and departed from the oppressive situation. Perry continued his exploration of religfon with a bent toward Pentecostal churches. He especially felt a calling to the ministry after he felt a prophetic message was given to him at age 13, and by the age of 16 he was a paid evangelist taking his fundamentalist message throughout the south. Knowing that he could never become a pastor in the Church of God without marrying, Troy put his feelings toward men on the back burner and took a wife. It wasn't until after they had produced two sons that Troy's sexual pressure cooker exploded. A jealous expose from a young man in Troy's church led to his excommunication. He tried joining · and pastoring another church from a different Pentecostal denomination, but always the issue of his sexuality came back to haunt him. He and his wife eventually separated and thus began the exploration of this sexual yearnings. After several lonely years and a suicide attempt Perry still felt called ' by God to minister, and after what he describes as "an electric spark in my head" he knew he was to minister to the lesbian and gay community. It was never his intention to start a homosexual church, but rather, a special church that would reach out to those outcasts from other denominations and religions. He took out an ad in The Advocate, giving his home address, asking for gay and lesbian people interested in starting a church to come to his home on October 6, 1968. At that very first meeting, to a congregation of twelve, Perry set forth his three-pronged gospel of Rev. Troy Perry salvation, community building, and Christian social action. The denomination grew from this humble beginning to a church having ministries and works throughout the world: As Perry's book reminds us, the going hasn't always been easy for the church or the lesbian/gay community. Starting in the early 1970s and continuing even now, MCC churches across the country have been the targets of arson and vandalism. Perry intimately describes the heartbreak of having the UFMCC Mother Church, the first MCC building, burned to the ground in 1973. Also in 1973 the MCC in New Orleans lost over half of its membership in a bar fire. The pastor burned to death in full view of other MCC members standing below on the street. In the late 70s Anita Bryant took a huge chunk out of our civil rights with her SEE PERRY, Next Page ForG realte sbian/GaRye adinglo,o kN oF urther! Checoku tj usta fewo f ourt itlesa nda uthor•s.• Underslonding Homosexuality: The Prida & the Prejudica, Roger Biery - 23.95 hb, 15.95 pb Two Woman Ravisited: The Poetry of Jconnatte Foster & Valarie Taylor - 7.95 Draoms of tha Woman Who Loved Sex, Tee Corinne - 7.95 Who Wears tha Tux?, (comic quiz) Julia Willis• 8.95 Thc ContoctsssD ia Young, Antoinette Azolokov. 8.95 Common Sons, .Ronold Donoghe - 8. 95 Foultlines, Ston leventhol • 8. 95 Fairy Talas Mather Never Told You, Benjomln Eokln - 7.95 Silvarwoll, Roger Edmonson - 8. 95 Available from your bookseller or by moill (add Sl .SO postage) Dept. SS91 ~ S.ndf int-classst amp ANm:D·# 292, P.O. Box3 3280 for FREcEa taloga nd OOK8 Austin, TX 78764 bookstore listl SECOND STONE Books Counseling Our Own The second edition of Counseling Our Own: The Lesbian/Gay Subculture Meets the Mental Health System by Chama Klein has . been released. The book documents the development of the gay /lesbian mental health movement and the development of gay /lesbian counseling services within lesbian/ gay communities and in relation to the PERRY, From Previous Page homophobic attacks, but when Bryant's cohort, John Briggs, sought to make homophobia the law in California, Rev. Perry fasted on the steps of the Federal Building in Los Angeles to raise funds to fight the Briggs Initiative. Briggs' loss in the election turned the . tide against anti-gay forces. In 1978 Mayor George Moscone and City Councilman Harvey Milk were murdered in San Francisco. Perry was a friend to both men, and represented MCC at their memorial services. The muderer was later convicted only of manslaughter because he claimed that injesting Coca-Cola and Twinkies .had impaired his thinking! After several lonely years and a suicide attempt Perry still felt c;alled by God to - minister, and after what he describes as "an electric spark in my head" he knew he was to minister to the lesbian and gay community. The 80s brought us the devastation of AIDS, and later the disconsolation of the Supreme Court's Hardwick decision. With the government's inactivity over AIDS, and the new law which allowed states to tell individuals what they can and cannot do sexually in the privacy of their own homes, Troy could see that the civil rights of homosexual Americans were once again being eroded . With these thoughts in mind he started the ball rolling for the 1987 National March on Washington. larger mental health system and homophobic society. In the second edition parallels are drawn between factors leading to the development of gay mental health servjces and the development of AIDS services, as well as key factors in the development of the AIDS epidemic. Also included are statistics and discussion on AIDS and mental He even coined the phrase "For love and life, we're not going back," which showed up on buttons and posters across the nation . The CBS television network reported that 800,000 people showed up to send a message to our government leaders. Earlier, in 1977, Rev. Perry got the rare opportunity to take his message directly to the top leadership of the country . He was one of 14 Gays and Lesbians who were personally invited to the White House by President Carter to speak about their own areas of expertise in the homosexual community . He told the presidential committee, "We merely want the Constitution of the United States to apply to us also . I don't want young men and women who follow me to have to put up with the anxiety and misery millions of us have already endured. There has been enough suffering!" The federal government was hearing us, but in the following decade the _ leadership no longer listened . The suffering continues. Rev. Perry has included a chapter of personal anecdotes. Some of it is fun: his Mae West story is a classic. Some of it is surprising : he discusses his correspondence and eventual meeting with Oral Robert's gay son. Some of it is touching: he tells of meeting his youngest son for the first time in 19 years. And, it's all entertaining. Rev. Perry's! writings are peopled with church and community leaders that many of us have admired and loved over the years . Numerous mini-biographies detail spiritual journeys with a familiarity few possess, touching on the deep commitment these people have had for our common welfare, and the bravery with which they have battled unjust, ·oppressive attitudes and laws. This book is more than just an autobiography; it is hislory. Get this book and devour it the way I did. It's important that gay and lesbian Christians claim and record their part in the ongoing quest for a better world . It's our legacy to those that follow. health. The second edition has a new preface on AIDS and a foreward by Randy Shilts, author of the best-selling book, And The Band Played On. "This valuable book reflects the clear reality of our community's experience over the last decade," writes Shilts, " " if we are to maintain our sanity in these difficult □ times, we will need to depend on each other. Ms. Klein's book educates us not only in how to · build stronger individuals, but a stronger community as well." The book (ISBN 0,.9617216-1-8) can be . ordered from Consultant Services Northwest, Inc., 839 N.E. 96th St., Seattle, WA 98115. Cost is $12.95 plus $1.50 shipping . Publishing resource guide available for lesbian/gay writers Putting Out Books, a small press founded last year, has announced the publication of its first book. Putting Out 1991: A Publishing Resource Guide for Lesbian & Gay Writers is an international publishing resource guide for writers of lesbian and gay material. The guide's international listings, numbering over 260, include book publishers, magazines, newspapers and newsletters that publish material of interest to the lesbian and gay community and/or material with a lesbian or gay theme . Two essays are included in the guide. The first, written by Jeffery Escoffier, a literary agent and publisher of Out/Look magazine, addresses the issues of finding a literary agent and the "do's and don'ts" of contracts between publishers and writers. Also included is an essay by mystery writer Mark Richard Zubro (Why Isn't Becky Twitchell Dead?, A Simple Suburban Murder, The Only Good Priest, St. Martin's Press), which gives . important advice on how an author can promote his published work. For.more information contact Edisol' W. Dotson of Putting Out Books at (415)621-5766. AT LAST!• AN INCLUSIVE DEVOTIONAL!• AT LAST! The Road to Emmau-s Joseph W. Houle, ed. EMMAUS PRESS P.O. Box 70434 I Washington . D.C. 20024-0434 / (202) 468-3816 . 416 pp.• paperback• s 12.9; (plus S3.00 for postage & handling) Discounts available on q~ntity orders, At last! A Christi an dev<.>tional for ail people - the young and old ; the male and female ; the lesbi an , the gay man , and the heterosexual ; the single, the married , and the celibate ; the Asian, the Black, the Hispanic, the Native American, and the White ; the physicall) strong and the physically challenged. Contrihuting authors of Tht Road t o Emmaus - including Sr. Jeannine Gramick (Homosexuality and the Catholic Church), Fr. Robert Nugent (Stations of the Cross for Persons with AIDS), and the Rev . Larry Uhrig (Sex Positive) - are a blend of men anti women. laypt"rsons and clt'rgy . Black and White writers. Special care has been taken to make this devotional inclusive in language, tone, and content. Its underlying message.is that the (;ospd is good news for all people. AT LAST!• AN INCLUSIVE DEVOTIONAL!• AT LAST! March/ April 1991 II And reacts to Gulf war MFSA sets 1992 General Conference priorities ALBANY, CA. • The Methodist Federation for Social Action hi16 approved a platform for action at the 1992 General Conference of the United Methodist Church that calls for full inclusion and full rights for Lesbians and Gays in church and society. The MFSA board's national meeting was held i!l mid-January. In relation to the Gulf war, MFSA acted to assist in equipping UMC pawn and laity for draft counseling and fO promote the conscientious objector choice among United Methodists. MFSA sent messages of support to UMC military resister Sgt. George Moore, now servirig a sentence at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, for refusing orders to Saudi· Arabia, for l"850N of consdepce. The. board also voted ·to join the POOR, From Page 14 inNrance; sometimes it i~ for fear of AIDS'. The staffs of too many medical facilities are still inadequately educated about the disease and unwilling to take risks, especially with the poor. Even opening our doors to the poor, saying, "Come on in, you're welcome,' ' is not enough. We must go where the needs are. Sometimes we don't want to do that. It's not all that pleasant to touch someone who hasn't taken a bath in two weeks. But that's what weJ1lclYne ed to do. One local clinic has received funds to send a health professional out into ,the community, wherever people can be found, to do HIV testing. That's the kind of program that will reach the people who would otherwise be missed . Churches must move beyond condemnation A member of ii family that attended a church here in Grand Rapids tested positive for the HIV virus. The manmi.o ther was in her 80s and had been active in that church for 50 years. The chu1'h's response? Tjley askedth e whole family to leavet he dtun:h. It doesn't have to be that way. When someone associated with the dnm:h tests HIV-positive,t here should already exist within the church such an atmosphere of caring that the person will know that in a pastor or sorne other friend in the fellowship he will find a person he can talk with, someone who will care. II national Religious Coalition 'for Abortion Rights as an action of support for the pro-choice position of the United Methodist Church. • MFSA is asking the 1992 General Conference to add a section to the Social Principles which would support "the institution and enforcement of legislation that protects the human and civil rights of Lesbians and gay men." Arguing that it prevents meaningful s1udy of sexuality by general agencies, MFSA urges action to delete a funding prohibition contained in a church policy. The Federation platform calls for removal from the Soctal Principles of the clause "we do nor condone the practice of homo• sexuality and consider this practice Is contrary to Christian teaching" and Ministering to a person with AIDS begins with listening. Every couple of nights, a black man with AIDS calls our hotline, just to talk. We have no Idea where he lives. He probably calls from a pay phone. He uses drugs and has no concept of how to rnake a When someone associated with the church tests HIV-positive, there should already exist within the church such an atmosphere of caring that the person will know that in a pastor or some other friend in the fellowship he will find a person he can talk with, someone who will care. living except prostitution. He's bitter, he's blaming God, and right now he's not wanting to deal with his anger. All we can provide for him right now is an outlet, someone to talk to; But if he decides to let us do more than listen, our responsibility will become much greater. It's not enough to pull hirn off the street and send him through a detoxification to remove the prohibition against the ordination and appointment of Lesbians and Gays. Finally the MFSA platform calls upon the General Conference to authorize a church-wide study process regarding homosexuality during the 1993-96 quadrennium , based upon the report of the present denomination study committee and materials that have been presented to and assembled by that committee. · Another General Conference priority Is to strengthen UMC promotion of corporate social responsibility. MFSA is urging an addition to the mandate for the General Board of Pensions so as to specifically urge "affirmative Investment" In enUUes which promote affordable housing, program. After that, how will he make a living? These are the tough, practical Issues that pastoral care involves,. For the local church, too, pilstoral care that begins with listening must go on to address practical needs. Regardll?$ of Income, a person who contracts AIDS becomes poorer. At some point, the person with AIDS usually must quit work. Qualifying for SSI or state disability assistance is time consuming. During the months between filing for and receiving . assistance, the church can help with immediate expenses - such as food, rent, and medication. Volunteers can come in to help ~ook or clean, Its response to such a time of need can reveal how compassionate a church really is. The growing number of people of color wit!, AIDS demands a response COVER STORY, FromPage9 further states, "Our goal was to produce a devotional that was not exclusive in the reverse sense of being only for gay and lesbian Christians. I wanted a book that anyone could use, something that straight people would hopefully feel comfortable with also." Says Houle, " I think there is a problem in many of our churches - that we get stuck .on integrating spirituality with sexuality. This is a crucial issue, but eventually the THE SECOND STONE environmental stewardship, and minority-owned businesses. MFSA would also add disciplinary para• graphs mandating promotion of social responsibility by ·conference and local church trustees. In other action, the MFSA, an Independent network of activists founded In 1907, presented ils Lee and Mae Ball Awards to Bishop Leontill(i T. C. Kelly; Rev. Edward Peet of San Francisco, an activist on behalf of senior citizens; Sandra York, of San Jose, California, a UMW leader In the California-Nevada Conference; and St. Paul's UMC or Vacaville, California, a congregation with a noteworthy social outreach. from our society. What is required, I believe, is nothing less than a general overhaul of our society's attitudes and approaches toward the poor so that those already suffering the effects of poverty in the midst of plenty are not fu.rther victimized by Ams. What role should Christians play In this process? By promoting education and prevention efforts targeted specifically toward people of color, by working to remove barriers to medical and soda! services to the poor, and by offering active pastoral care to people with AIDS through our churches and Christian agencies, we as Christians, empowered by God's spirit, can be on the cutting edge of bringing about these desperately needed changes. Reprintedw ithp ennissio.n © R. Anthony Espinoi.a people seek deeper spiritual feeding. This book was an attempt to address that need. The thing that Is most gratifying to me Is that people really use it and find the meditations nourishing. One couple told me that this Is the first time they have ever done devotions together, and several congregations use it as a group meeting tool." When Troy Perry, the founder of the UFMCC, got his copy he called Houle to tell him, "ThisI s just one of the nicest thinge that's come out of the (MCC) Fellowship." Travel □ Camping trips offer fun and adventure By Cynthia Marquard and Danni Munson Contributing Writers Not long ago, a wqman friend was telling us about her first camping experience--at age 72. She had married a recently widowed man with an RV, and off they went on a short trip . But it rained almost -constantly. Knowing what a hard ship cooking outdoors can be in bad weather, we asked how she made out . "Oh, that was no problem," she said. "I just popped a couple of frozen dinners into the microwave oven." Well there's camping and then there's camping. The . lesson we learned from our friend is that you're never too old to start camping, and . nowadays there are camping experiences available to suit any ·1evel of "outdoorsiness." Primitive Camping In the beginning, · the only kind of camping was tent camping. Now it is frequently called __ "primitive camping" and this is· done at "primitive sites." This means tha t the tent sites do not have electricity or water. Campers use flashlights and lanterns after dark and carry water for cooking and washing in a collapsible plastic container that they have filled at a pump somewhere in the vicinity: This is not only the least expensive way to camp, but it brings the campers into close proximity with nature . But it is a lot of work. This is camping as a sport in and of itself. There are variations on tent camping, such as backpacking and canoe camping . Our national forests are wonderful places for backpacking trips. And any good-sized river in America has local canoe-rental companies that will pick you up down-stream after a day or two of paddling and camping on the river bank at night. · Camping with Amenities At a recent RV show, we ran into many lesbian friends-with streaks of gray in their hair-climbing in and out of the fancy rigs with carpeting and color TVs. Pop-up campers, fullsize trailers, and motor homes are becoming ever more popular, not only with maturing lesbians and gay men, but with anyone who's just not into sleeping on the ground. Naturally, the camp sites for RVs require electricity, water, and sometimes sewer hook-ups. In return for the comforts of these traveling bathrooms, kitchens, and bedrooms, there is a higher cost. It obviously costs more to buy a 26-foot motor home than a nylon tent. And the fees at parks can be higher also . For those who would use their camper or RV only two or three times a year, renting sounds better than buying one. But finding a company that rents camping vehicles can be a problem in many parts . of the country- especially the Midwest and Northeast. Hertz experimented briefly with RV rentals, but fourid it was not profitable for them. U-Haul rents campers and motor homes in Arizona, California , Florida, and Wisconsin. Their 20- foot motor home rents for $39.00 a day plus 39 cents per mile. Their 13-foot camper trailers cost $19.95 per day. This gives people the option of flying to their vacation destination in one of these four states and then picking .up a motor home or -rental · car and camper. In addition, there are various local RV sales companies that will rent motor homes or campers. The best thing is to just look around. Where to Camp Frequently, Gays and Lesbians prefer gay accommodations. And campgrounds are no exception. There are a few gay campgounds, but they are not always easy to find. Some are listed in gay /lesbian guide books. The National Parks are very popular with all campers, straight or gay, so reservations for camping space is essential. All National Park reservations are now handled by Ticketron. For parks from Maine to California, the number to call is 900- 370-5566. For Yosemite National Park only, call 900454-2100. There is a fee for each call. State campgrounds are also popular, especially as stops for one or two nights for campers traveling on the road, or for week-end camping trips. One common complaint about state parks, especially on week-ends, is the noise level. There are lots of people who view the campgrounds as one big party area-all night long . For those seeking peace and quiet, the National Forests are a pretty good bet. These usually have only primitive campsites , are somewhat off the beaten path , and therefore tend to attract more nature-lovers than party-goers . Camping with Kids For Gays and Lesbians with childrl'!n, camping can be a great way to get away, either for a week-end or a longer vacation . Private ca mpgrounds, such as KOA, tend to have many attractions besides camp sites. They frequentl y have swimming pools and playgrounds for children. This makes them a good spot for gay men or Lesbians with kids . But we have.found that· the owners of most of these private campgrounds are not exactly gay-friendly. We cannot mention private campgrounds without including the grandest of them all--Fort Wilderness Campground at Disney World in Florida . The Disney representatives are quick to point out that this is not just a campground, it is a total experience. Friends who have stayed there do not disagree . First of all, the setting is quintessential Disney on a perfectly landscaped lake. If you like, you can take a boat from your campsite to the main Disney World attractions . In addition, there are two swimming pools (one a recreation of the Old Swimming Hole), fishing, hay rides ,. campfires at night, and a trading post so campers can buy groceries on the premises. The cost for all this? Trailers already on the site, with two double beds, kitchen with microwave, and a color TV, rent for $165 per night. Camp sites go for $34.00. Not bad rates for an area of the world that tends ~6 be quite costly-and you can cook in rather than spend money eating out. Organized Camping With the rise in popularity of adventure travel, there has been an increase in the number -of organized camping opportunities for Gays and Lesbians. Just about a decade ago, the closest thing to organized camping for Lesbians were the various women's music festivals at which several thousand women set up tents in fields or wooded areas . Today, there are professional tour operators that offer some highly unusual outdoor experien<; es. March/April 1991 Womantrek of Seattle will take women on camping/hiking/biking/ and llama pack trips in various parts of the United States , _ the Orient , and South America. Woodswomen and Women in the Wilderness, both in Minnesota, offer canoe/ camping trips through the pristine U.S.-Canadian Boundary Waters. For men, Adventur e Boun\:f of Boulder, Colo ., offers "tramping · treks" in New Zealand . and other parts of the wo~ld. There are also gay men's social camping groups, such as the Radical Fairi es and the Northwoods Faery Circle, that sponsor.one or more group camp-outs each _year . . See you around the campfire. Cynthia A. Marquard is the owner/manager of Envoy Travel, Inc., in Chicago a7!d vice-president of the International Gay Travel Assn . Danni Munson is the editor and publisher of The Lesbian and Gay Almanac and Events of 1991. P. 0 . Box 118 SL Bethlehem, NH 03574 (603) 869-3978 tll, "otlltr" plac, 11nur du sun ... :t'=.::.:, ff:" ·-•-. ,,...cc.1 1an:1:a1..-..11.r..i - Write or call for brochure. - 120 E. Atol St~ P. 0. Box 2326 South Padre Island, Texas 78597 (512)761-L YLE Air connections via American, Continental Southwest II Parting Thought □ Living within our means Bi P• Mamo Fowler Contributing Writer Nick Warner, in Issue 13 of Second - Stone, is concerned that some gay and lesbian Christians seek relief from their frustrations in various philos o phies ou tside traditional Christianity, but we shouldn't forget that Christianity itself is frus trating. However glorious, it limits us to trusting what we can't see and hoping for what we can't guarantee. It's ·not so strange then that Christians, gay or otherwise, sometimes look for enlightenment to· ease that uncertainty . I love _ teaching philosophy. By appealing to our experience, reason, and imagination; philosophy helps to make ideas clear enough for us to discuss them and to. see their ARE YOU MOVING? The Post Office will not forward The Second Stone. You must notify us for uninterrupted service if you move. Please notify us lour weeks in advance for uninterrupted delivery . Send both old and new addresses. If possible attach mail ing label in space provided . PRINT NEW ADDRESS ~ 2 ~ ~ (D ~ i ~ N ;;· 0 g_ ~ Send completed form 10: THE SECOND STONE Box8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 implications. Yet even if a philosophy does make sense of life or promotes something desirable such as _ world peace, personal enlightenment, or prosperity, it is ultimately only a collection of someone's ideas. It can't Lest we be too smug about Christianity being the ultimate thirst-quencher, we should need Paul 1s warning that believers can't dispense with faith and hope in this life. make a person wise or loving, much less save a soul. Some ideas may live forever, but even the best ones don 't bestow eternal life. We can drink enlightenment and remain spiritually parched. Lest we be too sm u g about Christianity being the ultimate thirst-quincher, we should heed Paul's warning that believers can't dispense with faith and hope in this life. We don't see answers to every prayer and not all suffering will make sense. No matter ·how enlightened we become, we are to rely on what is unseen. Whether we feel' in control or help less, we entrust our lives to Jesus and accept that our most urgent questions may go unanswered. That's a·n itch that philosophy can't scratch. These limitations are frustrating, particularly for lesbian and gay Christians. We want to visualize the world as one community, but we have to love and endure our community of believers (including our "enemies in Christ"). We want to be free of unjust condemnation, but we can't quarantee exactly when or how we will see justice. We can only remind ourselves that our God is just and that we are responsible for treating each other justly; New Age thinking may contain some false ideas, as Nick Warner suggests, but mistaken ideas are not as harmful as our unrealistic expectations of philosophy and of Christian living . If we think and believe "within our means," we can both explore new ideas and mature in our faith. Classifieds ,· □ Books & Publications "WONDERFUL DIVERSITY/ "Heartily recommended," "Philosophically intriguing," 'Excellent.• Why do reviewers highly esteem CHRISTIAN'NEW AGE QUARTERLY? Great articles and lively columns make this bridge of dialogue between Christians and New Agers as entertaining as it is substantive. Subscribe for only $12.50/yr. Or sample us for $3.50. CHRISTIAN'NEW AGE QUARTERLY, PO Bo_x 276, Clifton, NJ 07011-0276. TF Employment THE OTHER SIDE, a Christian magazine of peace and justice issues, has a full-time position in Fredericksburg, Va. or Philadelphia. Good administrative and writing/editorial skills needed. Excellent benefits. Deadline for applications: April 15. Contact Editor Search, 300 W. Apsley St., Philadelphia, PA 19144 (215-849-2178) 4/91. Merchandise FREE CATALOGUE: Featuring gay and lesbian jewelry in 14 karat gold and sterling silver .. Mention this ad for your free copy. Bande' designs, 7102 Castor Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19149 (215)742-9823. 4/91. Professional Services PSYCHOSPIRITUAL THERAPY to rediscover your unique mind/body/spirit connection. Explore attitudes toward living and dyi~g. Reconcile experiences of significant life events - coming out • growing up • hanging in • moving on. Godspace: a ministry of reconciliation and healing. (New Orleans) 891-9879. Rev. Deanne Beverly Aime. 8/91. Try a Second Stone Classified Ad Classified Order Form Please place my -ad in these issues: [ J Jan/Feb [ J Mar/Apr [ ] May/Jim [] JuVAug . 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For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone #15 - Mar/Apr 1991 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/27e8ec67231e4b577426ca7e9cf6fdc2.pdf f54c23c9d04804aa59edfcc2c9f288fb Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone Description An account of the resource Issues of the Second Stone publication. Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 16 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1991 Publication Date The date the issue was published May/June 1991 Text Any textual data included in the document THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER FOR GAY AND LESBIAN CHRISTIANS $2.25 ECOND I M A Y /J U N .E, 1 9 9 1 9500 Readers Across The USA ISSUE .# 161 Radical Religious Right: REBUILD AMERICA! Reconstructionism Execute "unrepentent" homosexuals, say Religious Reconstructionists l!y Skipp Porteous Contributing Writer The goal of the radical religious right of the 1980's was to reconstruct American society according to laws set forth in the Bible. The term for this - Recon- CALENDAR: structionism - has surfaced as a leading, across-theboard, philosophy for the new religious right. While Reconstructionists do not agree on everything, .they have reached a consensus on · many social and moral issues; and many Christians, ~thout their knowledge, are greatly influenced by Reconstructionist philosophy. Three significant and disturbing trends have taken firm hold in the new SEE COVER STORY, Page 9 m Lots of opportunities TRAVEL Savoring French Canada in Montreal By Cynthia Marquard and Danni Munson to connect this summer National AIDS Lobby Days May 24 through June 3 WASHINGTON, D.C. - In the first nationwide effort of its kind, a grass roots army of citizen lobbyists from around the country will meet with U.S. Senators and Representatives at home in their district offices to press for a more compassionate feder al response to the AIDS crisis. From May 24 through June 3, members of Congress at home for the Memorial Day recess will receive requests for constituent visits from people with AIDS, HIV-positive persons, local AIDS community service groups, gay and . lesbian activists, families, and others affected by the disease. National AIDS Lobby Days is also intended to mark a critical point in the AIDS epidemic. "We must remind Congress that June 5th marks the tenth anniversary of the first AIDS cases reported by the federal Ce nters for Disease Control," said Act Up/DC's Robert Warnock . Organizations and individuals intere sted in participating ma y write to Box A -151, 1140 19th St., NW, Washington, DC 20036 for information. Church leaves because of gay UCC congregation A congregation with in the Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ has left the denomination partly because of the acceptance of an openly · gay Minneapolis congregation into fu)l membership . The Minnesota Church in Shore wood, Minn., whic h voted to leave the denomi nation, is the first church to leave the Minnesota UCC in response to the decision by the Eastern Association of the UCC's Minnesota Conference to grant memb ership to Spirit of the Lake s Ecumen ical Community Church. The Rev. Doug Roper said he and his Minnewashta congregation couldn't stay in a denomination with an openly gay congregation . Roper said the UCC has become more liberal in recent years and that his congregation didn't fit in well with the more liberal views. -Cruise SUBSCRIBE TODAY! ONE YEAR ONLY $13.00! BOX 8340 • NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 . . I ooo•u U.S. POSTAGE PAID NEW ORLEANS, LA """"" '" Commentary Catching AIDS at the dentist AIDS education vs. HIV identification H)'JimRoche Contributing Writer Watchi _ng a recent episode of Oprah Winfrey about the attempt, by some, to get the American Medical Association and the American Dental Association to require health workers to take an HIV test and then notify patients about their HIV status, I was scared by the ferocity of the audience. These people on Oprah were angry, confused and just plain out of controL It was like watching a lynch mob building up steam . They seemed convinced that every doctor's appointment, every te.eth cleaning, every minor accident or injury they suffered presented an opportunity, a very good opportunity, for them to get AIDS. To the audience the solution was clear . No matter how small the risk of HIV infection is, it has to be eliminated . They simply refused to hear how small the risk is. They wanted everyone, everyone, they came into contact with tested. Civil rights? Forget them. Right to privacy? No matter. Just solve this problem before we all get AIDS at the dentist. Test everybody so that we can know, once and for all, who all these gay people (oops, we mean I infected people) are. Their information, values and understanding of everything from the Constitution to biology was upside down . As Representative Dannemeyer has said about the crisis, "I'm here to protect the civil rights of the HIV negative:' (Read normal, straight, people.) This new call for mandatory testing (for the time being it has not been adopted by either the AMA or the ADA, but has found support in many state legislatures) is just the most recent of a number of attempts to derail AIDS education and replace it with AIDS identification . That's the important thing here, when right-wing politicians and religious leaders get involved the AIDS issue becomes not just about identifying people, but also stifling the only thing that has had any effect on the progress of curtailing AIDS so far, education. You see, to these right wing religious fanatics AIDS is caused not by a virus, but by promiscuity. Homosexual promiscuity . To this day they absolutely believe that sex causes AIDS. What they're saying is "we don't want to know about or discuss human sexuality , but we do want to know about your sexual Letters . □ Eatontown, New Jersey Make Christianity The Family · Of Love Dear Second_Stone, I was . disturbed by the letter of Thomas B. Croft objecting to New Age Christians. • around excluding others from what is their right either in democracy or in Christianity. Mr. Croft should be working at making Christianity the family of love rather than the club of the elite. orientation ." In New York City, where AIDS has infected one out of seven males in School District I on Manhattan's Lower East Side, there is still no comprehensive AIDS education program. The school chancellors recent move to distribute condoms to students was met with such a homophobic reaction from the right wing that the program nearly dirl.n't pass . It was used as a vehicle for homophobic reaction against New York'~ Harvey Milk School for Gay and Lesbian Youth by members of the School Committee. Board Vice President Irene Impellizzeri attacked In This Issue FEATURES COVER STORY COLUMNS COMMENTARY 1RAVEL DEPARTMENTS LETTERS NEWS BRIEFS □ the program, saying it's real aim was to "teach anal sex" to teenagers . This from the Vice President of New York City's Board of Education. What is it like - elsewhere in America? In less "enlightened" communities? Others in New York marched on City Hall with placards that read, "Stop Fernandez From Teaching Our Kids Gay Sex . " One parent said, "Fernandez is insulting our children by telling them they cannot be educated as to what is right" and Catholic Monsignor Woolsey said SEE COMMENT ARY, Page 15 □ Page 9 Page2 Page 19 Page2 Page3 He tells us what "We Christians profess ... " and seems to forget one of the most important parts of Christianity, the fact that Jesus urged love and forgiveness because none of us is perfect. Mr. Croft has fallen into the classic "us" vs. "them" judgmental trap which Jesus Himself warned us against . By saying that there is "No way that New Agers can call themselves Christian," Croft has _ usurped the positipn of judge, a position Jesus said was that of God alone. In this, how is Mr. Croft expressing Christianity? The New Age is not a monolithic group with one set of beliefs. They are a large group of people that has become labeled under one name - much the same as the gay worJd. Mr. Croft's brash and general condemnation in neither merciful nor enlightened. If he wants to speak for Christ, he should listen to what Christ is saying . CHURCH & ORGANIZATION NEWS Page 11 I find it amazing that Gays, who fully know the bitterness of bigotry, should think it appropriate to go B Sincerely, Matthew Ignoffo We welcome you to share your views, opinions, feelings and experiences with our readers. Send letters to: LETTERS, Second Stone, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. All letters must be original and signed by the wdter. Crearly indicate if your name is to be withheld. We reserve the right to edit. CALENDAR BOOKS CLASSIFIEDS SECOND STONE Page 12 Page 16 Page 20 · Newsbriefs Christians Attack Newspaper's Domestic Partnership Announcements Anti-gay clergy and business people ar_e mounting an attack on the Everett, Washington, Herald because of the daily newspaper's new policy of announcing gay /lesbian commitment celebrations. On December 1, 1990, the Herald became the first mainstream newspaper in the country to implement such a policy. The Hera 1 d reported that a coalition of anti-gay activists has formed with the goal- of forcing the Herald to cease announcement of gay /lesbian unions. The coalition, named WED (We Expect Decency) was formed by Val Stevens, director of a traditional values organization called the Concerned Women for America, and businessman Dan Bovey, working through a network of evangelical churches. Stan Strick, managing editor of the Herald, said the paper will not ,back down from its inclusive policy. The Herald reported, "St~vens said that homosexuals have been gaining a bigger foothold in society, and ISSN No. 1047-3971 SECOND STONE Newspaper is published every other mon!h by Bailey Communications, P. 0. Rox 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Copyright 1991 by Second Stone, a registered trademark. SUilSCRil'TIONS, U.S.A. S13 .00 per y e~. six issues. Foreign sub scrii,;, r, add $ I 0.00 for postage. All paymcnL'i U.S. currency only. ADV~'.RTISING, For display advertising information cal} (504)899-4014 or write lo: Rox 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. EDITORIAL, send ·-Jeuers . calendar announcements, and church/organi~ tion news lo (Department title) Second Stone, P. 0. Rox 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. ManuscripLs to be returned should be accompanied by a sLampcd, self addressed envelope. SECOND STONE, an ecumenical Christian newspaper commiucd to inform ing the gay an~ lesbian community. · PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Jim Railey CONTRIRUTORS: Rev Bruce Roller, Rev Sylvi a Pennington, Cynthia Marquard, Danni Munson, Dr. Martin Fowler , David . Rickey, Jim Roche, Michael Blankenship, Dan Grippo, Dr. Louie Crew, John-Michael Olexy, Dr. Ruddy Truluck, Chris Glaser, Rev. Gail A. Van Buren, Kevin Gepford □ there's not much she can do about it on the national scale. But she · can locally." "She called the outcry a 'groundswell from the mom-and-pop reader of (the) newspaper."' Stevens said the real issue here is "it is abhorrent to Judea-Christian values to imagine a lifestyle that does not reflect the values that our nation was founded on." -Seattle Gay News Fundamentalists Attack President's Pro-Gay Actions WASHINGTON, D .C. - The Virginia-based Christian Action Network has targeted President George Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush in a direct mail fundraising letter asking its supporters to sign a "Sodom and Gomorrah" petition denouncing several of the First Family's recent pro-gay actions. Among the actions outlined in the letter from CAN President Martin Mawyer were the President's 1990 invitation of gay and lesbian activists to the White House signing of the Hate Crimes Statistics Act, his support of that bill, his invitation of gay activists to the signing _ of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Mrs. Bush 's 1990 letter to the president of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays in which she thanked the group for encouraging her to "help change attitudes" about Gays and Lesbians. -Equal Time School Paper's Ad For Gay Support Group Draws Objections WASHINGTON, D.C. - Objections by some school officials to an advertisement by the Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League have prompted an inter-high newspaper to declare its independence. · Editors at The Emblem, which serves students at 15 private secondary schools here and in the suburbs, have informed educators and administrators they will no longer let them review articles 'before publication . 'We make good decisions," co-editor Sandy Nelson told the Washington Post. 'We thought [the ad) was a way to help kids who needed help." -Baltimore Alternative May/June, 1991 , .... ' Attention: Periodical Librarians • Complimentary Review Sample Please display this copy of Second Stone on your periodicals table. •A Valuable Resource For students of theology, religion, sociology, psychology... For church leaders... For Persons With AIDS and those involved in caretaking and counseling of PW As... And for all gay and iesbian readers and their families . • Second Stone Is Indexed By Integrity Indexing, P.O; Box 33094, Charlotte, NC 28233-3094. • Unrestricted Access Second Stone contains no advertising, photographs or editorial content that would -require "behind the counter" maintenance. ! Order Through Your Subscription Service Second Stone is available through major subscriptions services including EBSCO and FAXON. • Or Order Direct 1 year, 6 issues, only $13.00. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 SECOND STONE a Newsbriefs O'Connor: Mayor Dinkins "Disrespectful" In Marching With Gays The Chicago-based Catholic Advocates for Gay and Lesbian Rjghts is outraged by comments made by New York Cardinal John O'Connor, who told reporters that New York Mayor David Dinkins' decision to march with a gay /lesbian group during a St. Patrick's Day PARTNERS Newsletter foc Gay & Lesbian Couples Supportive interviews, news & information six times a year. A resource for same-sex couples since 1986. Sixteen pages , no ads, mailed in a peek-proof envelope. Our confidential mailing list' is never sold or traded. Only $21/yr, or $3/sample. Organizations $32/yr. Overseas US$37/yr. MCNisa accepted. Box 9685 - Dept . SS, Seattle, WA 981()1) (206) 784-1519 parade was "disrespectful." Dinkins gave up the mayor's traditional spot at the head of the parade to march with the Irish Gay and Lesbian Organization after the group was initially denied participation in the parade by its organizers, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, an Irish fraterr{a) group . "It was like marching in Birmingham , Alabama,'' said · Dinkins, who was booed along · the entire route of the parade. "I knew there would be deep emotions, but I did not anticipate the cowards in the crowd. There was fa r, far too much negative comment," the mayor said. -Out Front City Discriminates Against Center, Director Says Homosexual Information Center Director Bill Glover believes Bossier City, La., building inspectors are · trying to prevent him from repairing and returning to his fire-damaged home because he plans to house the Center's materials there. City building and planning officials deny Every Day · Is Coming Out Day! T-8BIR'IS $16.00 JOOM, COTTON, ◄-COLIJR L£XX> ON 'WHITE M. l. XL. XU. $30 . 00 lOOMo COTTON. _-4-cot.OR LOOO ON WHITE M. L. XL P06TDS $15.00 24"Xl6", ◄.CQLORUXlO GlllEETIKG CARDS $ 1.50 5"XT", -4<0I.OR l.000. Bu\NK. INSl DE BUTTONS $ 1.00 l , l/T SQUARE. 8/W STlCDRS $ .OIi 1-X:Z-8 /W. PURl'LE ltllTB IIAIIIIIG KCOD LOGO On ale at retail outlets around the counuy or simply older by mall I ___ , . _T-lllllllml. llze(ol _ _ . e $18.00 eocll. . •.... •••.••..••.•••.••.• $ _ _IIWZATSBlllTS. lllae{o) __ · e $30.00 eocll. •••.•.••••.•••••.••••••• $ _ -- e $15.00 eocll. ••••••••••••••.•.•••.•.•• $ _ ~llllllllmKG CARDS e $ 1.IIO Nell ........ .... _. ............. $ _ _II01TONII e $ 1.00 eocll. . ... ..••••.•..••.... .•.•• $ _ _snamas o $ .011 eac:11 ••.••••..... ••.•. •••••.•.• $ _ · _ ..._ .. _ lkll>-total $ __ 13.00 for fnt shtrt, or ,weal oc -postttS 11.00 foc CKh sh!rt or sweat after lhe first •1.00 for buttona. stkktt:s. or cards Sblppt,,c Total $ __ $ __ NAME. ____ __ ADDRESS __ __ _ _ ______ _ _ ~NES STATE_-cF =l,X=-_-_-_-.:,Zl~P=================== VlSA/MC EXP. DATE _______ _ SIGNA'IURE ____ ___ _ __ _ _ _ For more laronaatloa. pleaae write or call: National Comlq Out Day. P .O. Box 83'9 . Saa.ta re:NM 8 7504 . !SOS-982·2558" 1-~•5 -NCOD that Glo ver is being discriminated against but say that he must rezone his home for commercial use if he wants it to house the center. City Engineer Sammie Kraft said inspectors learned about Glover's plans from a publication sent anonymously to city officials about a year ago. -Shreveport Journal Fundamentalists Target Children's Book ATLANTA - Fundamentalists, led by Nancy Schaeffer's Family Concerns, tried recently to pressure Oxford Bookstore into removing from its shelves one of a series of books for children with gay and lesbian parents. An issue of Family Concerns Newsletter condemned Daddy's Roommate, part . of Alyson Publications' Alyson Wonderland ' series, for showing "Daddy and his roommate sleeping and shaving together." Oxford's gay studies buyer said the store will not drop the line of books . -Southern Voice Companies Misrepresented AIDS ° Cure" New York City Commissioner Marie Green charged two companies with violating the city's consumer protect ion law by misleading people with AIDS and HIV infection in ads ; that promise a cure for· the disease . Advertisements for "lmmune+Plus" claimed that the ''balanced vitamin, mineral and protein product" could restore the immune systems of persons who have AIDS or HIV infection . The ads also stated that at the end of a 180-day study, none of the patients who took the product "remained in the AIDS category," and that results from its use are "nothing short of miraculous." ''The ads exploit the sick and vulnerable," Commissioner Green said, "and are potentially lifethreatening . The Department of Consumer Affairs issued ''Notices of Violation" to True Health, Inc., of Dallas, Texas, and the Hopland Reservation of Hopland, California, which are respectively the manufacturer and distributor of "Immune+Plus ." In addition to citing the Hopland Reservation for the deceptive ads, Consumer Affairs also charged True Health, Inc. with deceptive advertising for claims made on a II SECOND STONE □ promotional videotape · for the product. The videotape features ·a Texas physician, Terry Pulse, M.D., who claims to have conducted the 180-day test proving the efficacy of "Immune+ Plus ." Pulse, a family practitioner, purports to be an internationally renowned AII:>S researcher. But Consume~ Affairs investigator G,eoi:ge De Stefano found that Pulse is · neither a recognized AIDS researcher nor even a physician in good standing. Survey Reveals Anti-gay Attitudes Among College Freshmen LOS ANGELES - Forty-four percent of college freshmen believe "it is important to have laws prohibiting homosexual relationships," according to an annual survey conducted by the American Council on Education and the University of California at Los Angeles. In addition to the anti-gay attitudes, 66.4 percent of the freshmen believe "the best way to control AIDS is through widespread mandatory testing." About 30 percent of the freshmen defined themselves as "born-again Christians," 78 percent support the death penalty, 51 percent think casual sex is "all right," 65 percent said "abortion should be · tegal," and 25 percent think "married women's activities are best confined to home and family." Heyward Joins Protest Against Episcopal Church Seminary professor and theologian Carter Heyward has joined Integrity's founder, Louie Crew, in a protest against the Episcopal Church's abuse of gay and lesbian people . In a letter to The Most Rev. Edmond Browning, Heyward said that she was choosing, for the first time, to direct her sacramental ministry primarily to the nurturance of Lesbians and gay men, especially Episcopalians. "In the spirit of liberation," said Heyward, "this means that the 'preferential option' of my sacramental work (in Holy Communion, Blessings · of Relationships, Baptisms, Burials, etc.) will be for, and with Lesbians and gay men." Crew announced last year that he would no longer receive communion until "the Episcopal Church makes all sacraments available to lesbian and gay persons . -Voice of Integrity , I Newsbriefs Auto Club Agrees To Family Discount For Gay/Lesbian Couples · SEA TILE c In a settlement of a human rights complaint brought by a gay man, AAA Washington has extended its requirements for "associate" membership to include domestic partners and other residents of a "primary" member's household. The discounted associate membership previously had been reserved for the primary member's spouse or dependent children age 23 and under. The change will be incorporated into AM's membership literature and direct mail advertising at its next printing, according to the terms of the settlement. Civil rights attorneys say the settlement is the first in Washington state and one of only a few nationwide to prevent a business from ' discriminating against same-se:><couples. It is believed to make MA · Washington the first and only AAA chapter in the nation to formally accept same-sex partners as associate members. Anti-gay Agenda Set For Episcopal General Convention Traditionalists in the Episcopal Church will join forces at the General Convention in July to fight any move to permit the ordination of openly gay and lesbian priests, to oppose the blessing,of same-sex ·unions, and to speak out against the use of inclusive language in liturgical texts. The Rev. Todd Wetzel, executive director of Episcopalians United for Revelation, Renewal and Reformation said the liturgical texts are heretical, pantheistic, full of liberation theology and the theology of feminists. -Episcopal News Service . Fire Destroys Church, AIDS Prograni Offices SAN JOSE, CA. - A fire in the First Methodist . Chur<;h Building destroyed the offices, food · bank and clothing bank of Hosanna .Church of Praise, a gay ministry, and the offices of Necessities and More, an AIDS emergency assistance program that serves over 145 clients. Pastor Randy Hill lost over 1000 theological books . Computer equipment, programs and data were also lost in the blaze. The Santa Clara Council of Churches has launched an operation to help restore the church. Clothing and food donations are being collected at the Defrank Center, 175 Stocktor, Avenue in San Jose and cash donations, marked "fire relief' may be sent to 24 N. 5th Street, San Jose, CA95112. Plumbers' AIDS Scam Uncovered ROCKVILLE, MD; - KSA Plumbing and Heating, Inc., has been· sued in Montgomery County Circuit Court after allegedly charging fees for "AIDS control" measures that workers told customers were required bylaw. After unclogging a drain for a customer a KSA plumber insisted county regulations aimed at preventing AIDS required him to sanitize a drop cloth and cable "snake" used to clear the drain. -Baltimore Alternative Queen's Chaplain Comes Out The Rev. Canon Eric James, one of the chaplains to the Queen, said that having a homosexual side to their nature has helped leading people in the Church of England. "Many pastors who have become bishops and principals of theological colleges very often have a very strong gay side to their nature and it's a marvelous help in a pastoral ministry," said Canon James. "If we deny ordination to gay people we deny some of our best pastors. Canon James expressed his views on the television program "Out on Sunday: Gay Priests in the Church." -Voice of Integrity Will Presbyterians Act Up At Church ·Assembly? A recent issue of More Light Update, the newsletter of Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns, included an announcement inviting anyone . attending the Church's General Assembly in Baltimore toparticipate in "an informal group called Presbyterian Act Up." Spokesperson Howard Warren said, "If General Assembly does not act favorably in relation to lesbian/ gay orientation issues in the Human Sexuality Task Force report, there are many of us who will not sit quietly by, decently and in order." Readers ·interested in participating can write to Warren at □ 1305 Pennsylvania, Indianapolis, IN 46202 or call (317)632-0123. Write To Gays, Lesbians Around The World Rev. Freda Smith Honored By City International Gay Penpals has published . an updated newsletter listing more than 300 gay men and women from England, France, Japan, Sweden, USSR, Denmark, Australia, Germany, Canada and elsewhere. For a copy of the newsletter send a stam~, self-addressed envelope to I<;;P;-} Ste. 320, Box 7304, No. SACRAMENTO - Rev. Freda Smith senior pastor of the Metropolita~ Community Church and long time gay rights activist has been recognized for her courage at the 1991 Women in History Awards Celebration sponsored by the Sacramento History Museum. Rev. Smith was honored for standing for what she believes in the face of great opposition. ' Hollywood, CA 91603. -Latest Issue United Church Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns (United Church of Christ) UCCLIGC • Support !Or lesbian, gay Ad and bisexual • V0C8CY · people, their For infonnation, contact: R. es families and • . ources friends UCCUGC 18 N. College St Athens. OH 45701 (Tel. 614 / 593-7301) JOIN US IN PROCLAIMIN .G AND CELEBRATING GOD'S LOVE! The Intemati0nal Gay Travel Magazine Month by month, we invite you to explore the exciting werld of tr_avel available to ~ay men and lesbians. Each month we help you to dJScover the multitude of interesting hotels, inns and resorts that welcome the gay traveler. . · Enjoy articles and color photos of a romantic hotel in Spain, a secluded retreat in Hawaii, a manor house in the English countryside, a Greek pension overlooking the sea, a rustic resort in Colorado, and more -all catering to our lifestyle! Plus, every month, regular departments provide you with valuable information on .. gay events and festivals,_ travel updates and tips, interviews, and the latest gay trips and tours-sail the Caribbean on a private yacht; join an expedition to Nepal, cruise th~ Mediterranean _ on a luxury liner . or fly to Sydney for the Gay Mardi Gras. ! ~---------' Whatever y_ou're looking fo~, let OUR ~ WORLD be your ticket to adventure. : 1 year (12 colorful issues) only $ 44 (in the USA) - US$ 52 • (Worldwide). First issue mails in 4-6 weeks in plain sealed envelope: Sample copy US$ 5. Mail To: Our World Publishing 1104 North Nova Road; Suite 251 Daytona Beach, Florida 32117 USA TEL: (904) 441-5367 · May/June, 1991 II E mpuhy is a joumaf.tf.-tiservcs our .ruppon for the originalai creative work it does m the interest of auth:~ustia. •• Rev. Malcolm Bord, ........ of 23 books including An- YoN R.n~,-Zb Mt,]ts•s?, Ta, O/Jth, M,w,and ,C.. •Pri,fl E mf)4.lhy provides .t mu,.~ccJc..J and wckomcd comna.init;Au.t link for persons involved in cdu~uion.a~~t lamuphobia. At its best it will keep us i~ad in touch, supported and chal~-Clllicd and proud. ~ Bij;i;n McNaught. l~nrn)d au11-K-ir of On B~ing Gay: ThoNgMJ. on Fu,ily, faith , 11nd l~ Empathy c.An Interdisciplinary Journal for Persons Working to , End Oppression on the Basis of Sexual Identity rUBl ,ISHEO TWICE A YEAR, EMPATHY IN C LUDES SCHOLo\JU.Y ESSAYS, PROSE AND l"O~TRY, PRACTITIONER AltTICW, ANECDOTAL ESSAYS, AND USEAlmi !llPORTS AS WEU i\S .ANN OTATIU);918UOGR:M'HlfS FOR· USOUR<Ilf.:MMllSB)t;t.lS)'; lBCUINtTJlBSf'AllCH- :ANO M>OKS. THE JOO~U -~l'!OP.l!lrWORXIHG .;JN EDUCATION, CGUMSlil!lHC ; HEALTH CAJtE. SOCIAL WORK). COMMUN11:"' .AC?'MSM, AND ,-[1il!!MINIST1lY r" NATIONALLY - ANP. "IHl1lltffM'IONMJUW . One y.t:ar (Z issues) individual subscription 110 {.s15 institutional) Make checks payable to Gay and Lesbian Advocacy Research Project (GLARP) and mail to: Empathy, PO Box·soss, Columbia, SC 19150. ''In the past, the adtievements, triumphs, and defeats of gay men and lesbians were not only hidden from history, most were lost for all time. This must never happen again."-Danni Munson, editor, The Gay & Lesbian Almanac and Events of 1991. A CHRONICLE OF CURRENT GAY/LESBIAN HISTORY This volume records for history: • The rise of a gay/lesbian movement in Eastern Europe • Celebration 90: Gay Games III and Cultural Festival • The latest research and statistics on AIDS • The fight to end military discrimination against gays and lesbians • The controversial practi~ of outing • The progress.and setbacks in religion A Colendar ot Upcoming Events Hundreds of 1991 gay/lesbian events from cruises to concerts, from rodeos to music feslivals, and much more. Plus listings of birlhdays of famous gays & lesbians. · - Availbable at local bookstores or from the publisher Send 9.95 plus $2.00 postage and handling to: ENVOY ENTERPRISES 740 N. Rush St. Suite 609 Chicago _lL 60611 Newsbriefs Pope Will Issue Letter On Social Problems Pope John Paul II has announced he will issue a new letter to the Bishops on the social problems of the 20th century. Church watchers feel this latest encyclical will include issues of homosexuality, AIDS and birth control. -Cruise Archbishop Replaced Over High Number Of Molestation Cases Pope John Paul II has replaced Newfoundland Archbishop Monsignor Alphonsus Penney; after Penney took responsibility for the fact that 20 priests in his diocese had been charged with or convicted of sexually abusing boys during a 2 1 /2 year period. Monsignor James MacDonald from Charlottestown, Prince Edward Island, is the new archbishop- Baltimore Alternative Cathedral Says Gay Chorus Okay After All The Episcopal cathedral in Orlando, Florida, reversed a decision to cancel an AIDS benefit concert because the Orlando Gay Chorus was to be included. 'The real reason we changed our mind is that we want to express our loving support to the community by the church," said the Very Rev. Harry Sherman, dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Luke. "We are a loving church and not exercising judgment against people. God loves us all. The atmosphere that we created was not a loving one. I'm sorry that happened." -Episcopal News Service Episcopal Diocese Passes Pro-Gay Resolutions The Episcopal Diocese of Michigan, at its annual convention in March, made stror>g steps toward the full acceptance and inclusion of lesbian and gay persons in the life of the _church . In spite of scattered conservative opposition, delegates voted in favor of four pro-gay resolutions which came to the floor. The resolutions condemned the use of sexist and homophobic language, II SECOND STONE □ called upon the people of the diocese to learn more about homosexuality from gay and lesbian people themselves, and also called upon the church to call for the full civil rights of gay persons and to actively seek to include lesbian and gay persons as · full and equal members of the church. Another resolution passed by the convention called for an end to anti-gay policies in the U.S. military. The Rev. Rod Reinhart, chaplain of_ Integrity /Detroit and co-author of the resolutions said, "With these resolutions, the church has said that it is no longer appropriate or right for Christians to use their religion as as excuse for homophobic attitudes, bigoted speech or anti-gay violence.'' Fourth Annual "Creating Change" Conference Announced WASHINGTON, D.C. - Lesbian and gay organizers from around the nation will converge on Alexandria, Va., in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, November 9-12 for the fourth annual Creating Change conference of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Creating Change is the -country's largest skills-building symposium fot gay and lesbian political activists and organizations. The conference, sponsored annually by NGL TF,. will feature more than 60 workshops, as well as cultural events, caucuses, networking sessions, leading activists from the national and grassroots scene and "some of the most electrifying, provocative speakers in the lesbian and gay movement." Last years conference, held in Minneapolis, Minn., attracted more than 700 participants. For information, write or call Brian Albert, Creating Change Coordinator, NGLTF, 1734 14th St., NW, Washington, DC 20009, (202)332-6483. Gay/Lesbian Couples Sought For Thesis . Project Couples who have been together for at least one year and who are willing to respond with honest answers to a questionnair.e are being sought to participate in a graduate thesis. Confidentiality is assured. Interested persons may contact Mitch at (617)524-9206. • I Washington Association Of Churches Issues AIDS Statement SEA TI LE - In the face of increasing numbers of state residents infected and affected by AIDS/HIV, the Washington Association of Churches has called on faith communities to respond _with compassion, education and advocacy. The WAC Board of Directors unanimously adopted a policy statement which reads: "The responsibility of the church is to respond compassionately to persons living with HIV/ AIDS, their loved ones, and those who labor i~ this taxing vineyard. Our challenge is. to do so in ways that promote reconciliation _and healing, without - judgments that separate the people of God from the Body of Christ "The Washington Association of Churches calls upon all faith communities to foster education to prevent the spread Of HIV/ AIDS and the fears and prejudices that often accompany this disease. We exhort clergy and laity to advocate for adequate health care and social services and for · research · toward control and cure. We further call on all churches and other ministries to · provide a strong witness of God's unceasiI1g love by welcoming into fellowship those living with HIV/ AIDS and their loved ones." . Kaposi's Sarcoma Treatment Overview Available The twice-monthly publication AIDS · Treatment News has released a special issue · devoted entirely to the · treatment of Kaposi's sarcoina. The issue, number 1~, covers treatments available now, plus an update on rese atch that could have far 0 reaching implications for future _ anti-HIV and anti-cancer work. The special issue- is said to , be one o"f the most thorough and' ilp ·10 date analyses in print today on · "KS treatments, " "As people with · AIDS live longer, increasing numbers are having to cope with complications of KS and lymphoma," according to journalist Michelle Roland, who . prepared the special report for AIDS Treatment News. According to a recent study in the British Medical Journal, KS and lymphomas are an increasing cause of • _ death for persons with AIDS. The report is available at no charge by writing AIDS Treatment News, P.O. □ Box 411256, San Francisco, CA 94141, or by calling 1-800-873-2812 or (415)255-0588 . Honeymoon Tales Sought By Filmmaker '' ATHENS, OH. - Independent filmmaker Ann Alter and writer /researcher Laine Goldman are -seeking honeymoon tales for their new documentary film, Horizontal Mambo and Other Honeymoon Tales. Currently in the research phase, this feature-length documentary chronicles the romantic passage of the honeymoon and investigates dynamics of a ritual rarely discussed in professional and/ or private life. The research/pre-production phase is funded in part by the Ohio Arts .CQuncil and the ·Center for New Television NEA Region~.! Fellowship Great Resp©nse! program. · Co-directors/producers Alter and . Goldman are asking individuals and couples to share their honeymoon tales - from the traditional to the offbeat. Special attention is being made to contact the physically challenged and people from di{ferent ethnic, religious, geographic, alternative lifestyle and mainstream backgrounds from 12 to 100 years of age. Horizontal · Mambo and Other Honeymoon Tales turns over the "do not disturb" sign and lets the public better understand a rather private celebration. Inquiries, stories and suggestions should be sent to Horizontal- Mambo Productions, P.O. Box 5657, Athens, OH 45701. NYC Gay Men's Chorus on CD "Love _ Lives- On,'' featuring 18 selections from the pops and show tune repertoire of the critically acclaimed 15~voice New York City Gay Men's Chorus has been released by Virgin Record's Variations label in CD and cassette fonnats. It is the first 0t.:several discs the chorus will ma~j~fthe rtew Variations label. fn' '.response to -the ongoing health crisis, a special NYCGMC AIDS Outreach Program has disbursed thousands of dollars to organizations on the front lines in the fight against AIDS. For information call · (212)691-7590. Business or PersonalTry a Second St.one Classified.Ad! May /June, 1991 ,,, That's what a Second St.one advertiser told us recently. --'- And we hear that more and more b days. That's because Second Stone reaches readers where many other gay and lesbian publications can't. Like public and university libraries . We don't carry advertising or editorial content that would put us .behind the counter. We're up front - in plain sight! For busiJJeSSeS offering products and serv• ices t.o the national ·g11.y and lesbian com• munity, we're an exciting new marketing approach! - - Reach new.customers in every-state across theUSA. Second Stone offers a .variety of in-column ad sizes with frequency discounts. We offer.spot and fuU-color. We'll lay out your ad at no charge and ~e'll get-it right - we'll send you a proof to make sure. Second Stone will also insert your brochure, flier or ~gin ow:mailing. It doesn't cost as much as you think. You can reach a paid coastto coast readership for about what _ you'd pay to advertise in one local free distributimgay newspaper. And ... to mail your insert in Second SIODe costs less than mailing it yourself! · You won't know till you try it. The potential sales you.lose while you're thinking about adver- · tising cannot be recaptured. If you're thinking you've paid too m••~h for advertising lhathasn't Work:ed ... you're probably right! But you-haven't tried ~',)!Id Stone. _ SECOND STCNE You'll be p]easedwith the :results. Call 1-504-899-4014 rcir} d_vcnising assisiancc. United Church of Christ strengthens protections for employees with AIDS sroNelYAt.t.R 1ors rov'RF 80'tCOTTIN6 Gl?ANDMl1 's J,/£00/fr'G 8ECAVU USBIANS BY ANDREAN ATALIE CLEVELAND, OH - To protect employees and job seekers who have the AIDS virus, a top body of the United Church of Christ has strengthened the personnel policies of the church's national offices and suggested similar policies to the entire denomination. The actions, including a prohibition of AIDS testing as a pre-employment condition, came at a recent meeting of the church's 44 member Executive Council. The council conducts the business -0f the 1.6 million-member church between biennial meetings of its central deliberative body, the General Synod. The council voted several updates to the manual governing policies and procedures in the church's executive offices, and encouraged the adoption of similar policies by the rest of the church's national and regional offices and its more than 6,300 local congregations in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The revised manual prohibits "discriminatory behavior or harassment" against employees on the basis of "HIV/ AIDS diagnosis or disability." The manual already prohibited such discrimination based on such factors as race, color, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation and disabilities. The prohibition of pre-employment testing for HIV and AIDS comes in a new appendix to the manual, consisting of ''Ten Principles for the Workplace" developed originally by the Citizens Commission on AIDS for New York City and Northern New Jersey. The principles were endorsed by the General Synod in 1989. Among other things, the pririciples require the employer to keep employees' health matters confidential and provide employees with educational material on AIDS. The revision moves a strengthened paragraph on HIV and AIDS irrto the "Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action" section of the manual. Noting that a person with HIV or AIDS "poses no risk of infection to co-workers," it says: "Therefore, a job applicant or employee with HIV disease who is otherwise capable of doing the job will not be discriminated against by the employer or dismissed from employment because of his or her illness." A similar paragraph appeared in the previous version of the manual, but it was qualified (it spoke of "the weight of medical opinion" on the transmission of AIDS} and appeared A PresbyterianP romise "We will work to increase the acceptance and participation in the church of all persons regardless of racial-ethnic origins, sex, class, age, disability, marital status or sexual orientation" - 195th General Assembly (1983), Atlanta, Georgia If this is your promise, too, we invite you to join Presbyteriansf or Lesbian/GayC oncerns Write to Elder James D. Anderson PLGC, P.O. Box 38, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0038,201/846-1510 CAN'T l1AIU?i'? Ir/Ir WO/IL/) rov EYE# WANT MAKRY7 Y if /-1 in a later section on general employment matters. The revisions send a positive message throughout the dtmomination, said the Rev, William R. Johnson, a member of the church's HIV/ AIDS Ministry Implementation Team, which .recommended the changes. "It says to our members that the United Church of Christ's commitment to non-discrimination is. solid," said Johnson, secretary for AIDS Programs and Ministries Coordination with the denomination's United Church Board for Homeland Ministries in New York City. The policies •immediately cover the church's 25 executive · office employees in Cleveland, and are likely to extend to the rest of the more than 300 national church employees there . and elsewhere as other boards of directors within the church adopt similar policies. Johnson said he hoped the policies also would be "a beacon to other denominations" as well. The United Church of Christ is a 1957 union of the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches. Presbyterian study panel: Ordain qualified persons regardless of sexual orientation A study panel of the Presbyterian Church (USA) has recommended that the church not automatically condemn "any sexual relations iri which there is genuine equality and mutual respect." , The church should also accept Le.sbians and Gays as "full participant members," and ordain qualified persons regardless of their sexual orientation and celibate status . The report asks the church's Board of Pensions to provide medical and pension benefits to same-sex couples. Recent surveys indicate that the denomination's laity and clergy overwhemingly oppose the ordination of Gays and Lesbians, The church's Special Task Force on Human Sexuality voted to forward the 200-page report containing the recommendations to the church's General Assembly for a two-year study period. The assembly meets iri June. II SECOND STONE Cover Story _ □ Reconstructionist Gary DeMar: ·,, "Severest penalty" for homosexual acts in "reconstructed'' America On January 4, 1991, Skipp Porteous, author of this issue's cover story and co-editor of The Freedom Writer, appeared as a guest on "Sound Off," hosted by Paul Gonzales on Superstation WSB in Atlanta, Georgia. Gary DeMar, a leading Reconstructionist, was also a guest on the show. The following is an excerpt of the interview. PAUL: Just when you think you've heard it all, you tune into the Paul Gonzales Show and you find out there's a group of Christian people - people that call themselves Christians - who advocate the execution of homosexuals, adulterers, fornicators, and I guess, women who have abortions. SKIP: Jay Grimstead, the head of COR, says, 'The Bible has something like eleven reasons for capital punishment. Murder was one. Homosexuality, rape, kidnapping, were some of the others ." And he said, "The actual punishments we don't have agreement on , ·but we think · that homosexuality, and abortion, and pornography should be outlawed . GARY: Well, I waited this long to see how many, I want to call them lies, but this is misinformation that Mr. Porteous has been sending out. He started off by saying the Coalition . On Revival is a Reconstructionist organization . At first he said it was a "front" for Reconstructionism. I've been involved with the Coalition On Revival since its inception. It is not, and I'm going to repeat, is not a Reconstructionist organization. It does not advocate the things that Mr. Porteous i s saying. SKIPP: OK, you know who Dr. Jay Grimstead is? GARY: Oh, sure. I spoke to him today. SKIPP: Alright. .ls he a Reconstructionist? GARY: No, he isn't. SKIPP: Alright. Well, listen, this is what he told me, and I quote him. GARY : Let me · get something straight . First of all, you have not defined Christian Reconstruction. You have defined certain distinctives that you say are . Reconstructionist thinking . I have written a number of books setting forth detailed definitions of what Christian Reconstruction is. Even my Reconstructionist friends, and others who · disagree with me, point to my books, The Reduction of Christianity and another book I wrote called The Debate Over Christian Reconstruction, as primers as to what Christian Reconstruction is. I have not heard you give an accurate definition of Christian Reconstruction . And yet you've been on the air for an hour and th irty ~five minutes . PAUL: . Why don't you give us a definition? GARY: The definition of Christian Reconstruction .is simply this: That the Bible applies to every facet of life. That means, not just the judicial aspects of life, civil government as one examp le, but self-government, family government, church government, business, economics, every facet of society. The Bible has something to say about each of those things . Now, most Christian Reconstructionists, especially those of us who write, are into scholarly avenue of research . That is, we look at the Bible and we say, what does it say about this particular issue? And then we set forth what we feel the Bible · says about that issue. For example, the execution of homosexuals. We do not believe that homosexuals · ought to be executed. Mr. Porteous claims to have been in the Pentecostal Church and knows the Bible from cover -to cover. The Bible doesn't say th~t. SKIPP: I'm wondering how many pages he's tom out qf the Bible? Listen, this is wha t Dr. Jay Grimstead told me, and I quote him accurately and exactly. He said, "We believe that God has gi ven the Bible as a rule book for all society, Christian and non-Christian alike ." And, he added, "I concur with most of the Reconstructionists matters . I am trying to help rebuild the society on the word of God, and loosely, that w ould be Reconst .ructionist orientation in anybody's book." Then, he also added, "The Bible had something like eleven reasons for capital punishment, and murder was SEE INTERVIEW, Page 13 . COVER STORY, closed if serious offenders Fro~ Page 1 were executed, and if less that after church members had taken dominion over the forces of the world that there would be "no more abortions... education is going to be in the hands of godly people ... prisons will be virtually empty . .. pornographers no longer a group of 180 churches spread across the country . Coppes is an avowed Reconstruct ionist. He agrees that homosexuality .. and abortion should be pun ishable by death, and adds, 'The question is, who is going to set the law system? I think God should set the . law system, not Qian. Those laws · that define the .seriousness of a crime, and are rooted in the moral natu re of God, . are still binding on us. If ·they [homosexuals] don't repent, the Bible says that they ought to be ·put to death. It's just a matter of what former Presbyterian minister, is considered the father of Reconstructionism. Since 1964, the 74 year - old minister has quietly devoted his energies to research, writing, and promoting Christian Reconstructionism. Rushdoony's small organization, Chakedon, has had a great impact on American Christianity . For instance, most of the books on Christian activism appearing in Christian bookstores are written by Reconstructionists . serious criminals worked to religious right. First, a make restitution for their broad doctrinal. consensus crimes; _ ~apital ofrel\ses, has been reach~ i!,l,Ot~e.r to · ·requiring the death penprovidemuch heeded unity. alty, shouid include Second, a dramatic ·shift in unrepenten t homosexuality, political focus has moved abortion, and adultry; the new · religious right's pornography in any form target from national poli- should be eliminated; .tics to towns, cities, schools should •be run by coWi.ties, and states . Third, churches, and property the "troops" are now being taxes should be abolished; recruited and trained . All husbands should be the of this is being accomp- heads of household, and lished through careful women and children should planning and networking. be subservient. It is being carried out through a commitment to decisive action. Reconstructionists believe: God's law, as revealed in the • Bible, should .govern every area of life; local government, not Fejieral . government, should rule; prisions could virtually be Pat Robertson revealed the 'influence that the Reconstructionist mindset had on his own thinking when, iri December, 1984, he told an audience at evangelist Robert Tilton's Word of Faith World Outreach Center in Dallas ·-have any access to the "If they [homosexuals] don't repent, the Bible says that they ought to be put to death. It's just a matter of what God says." piiblic whatsoever, where there is no more of . that stuff on our newstands or any place else. " The Rev. Leonard Coppes is pastor of the Providence Church of Denver, Colorado, and his 100-member church is part of the Orthodox Presbyterian sect, May /June, I 991 God says ." · "Believers have to sta.nd for what they believe is right," Coppes said. 'We're . comm;anded, Jn the Scripture to pray that God's kingdom would come to earth as it is in heaven. And that's my prayer . What we pray for, surely, we're commanded to work for ." Rousas John Rushdoony, a Born again · Christian activism has not . realized its political potential because of lack of unity and organization. While many . doctrinal disputes will '{ never be -resolved, a con- 'l federatjon of new religious :f 'right leaders has made an ·, important and enormous step in this direction. Since 1986, the California-based Coalition On Revival (COR) has SEE COVER STORY, Next Page Cover Story Reconstructionism COVER STORY, From Previous Page labored with little or no publicity. Its founder and National Director is Jay Grimstead, an accomplished networker who advances COR's agenda wiihin a close-knit alliance of new religious right leaders. Its steering committee of 112 well-known Christian leaders is a virtual Who's Who of the born again movement. They represent millions of American Christians, and, collectively, wield more power than any single Christian group in the country. Its steering committee of 112 well-known Christian leaders is a virtual Who's Who of the born again movement. They represent millions -of American Christians and, collectively, wield more power than any single Christian group in the country. According to Jay Grimstead, "COR creates documents that provide the philosophical foundation for action." [There are) " ... a number of items that we think ought to happen ... political involvement. .. educational involvement. .. and well-regulated militias locally." It's Grimstead's understanding that both the county and the state are supposed to have militias, which he calls "local government with force ." ''We believe that God has given the Bible as a rule book for all society, Christian and non-Christian alike." Grimstead adds, "We believe that God has given the Bible as a rule book for all society, Christian and non-Christian alike." And, "I concur with most of the Reconstructionist matters; I am trying to help rebuild the society on the Word of God, and loosely, that would be a Reconstructionist orientation in anybody 's book. Grimstead explained COR's strategy: "For example, in Santa Clara County there are about 14 cities, including S~ Jose, the big city. We think it's very possible, by the year 2000, to have Christians - mature, biblically literate - gain the majority of seats in all the city councils in our county. Plus, the Board of County Supervisors." He added, "That's one step, the political scene. That'll be the easiest." "It's just organization," he continued. "And the facts are, we have enough Christians to totally, politically, by vote, overpower any other groups of minorities, if we would just do it. We have the majority vote. We are the largest minority ." He added, "It is the goal of a number of us to try to Christianize the state of California." "It is the goal of a number of us to try to Christianize the state of California." Fred Clarkson, a Washington-based journalist, agrees that COR is a Reconstructionist front; a way of packaging theo/ political ideas to do effective networking and political bridge building; to build a much more serious and permanent religious right political movement . He says, "The numbers may not be large, as yet, but they don't have to . be. Because if you develop an ideologically committed cadre of well-trained leadership, it doesn't matter what your numbers are, because you've got ministers of congregations . You have people who have a vision for the long haul...yeah, there'll be flakes - but they'll also have some serious contenders who will know how to package themselves to get some county council seats , local sheriffs, and that kind of stuff. There are so few people who vote in those kinds of elections ... you tum out a couple of churches full of people and away you go." Beverly LeHaye is a member of the COR's steering committee . She also heads the radical Concerned Women for America, a group which promotes the new religious right's agenda. Now ten years old, Concerned Women claims more than 600,000 members, making it the largest women's organization in . .America. SECO_ND STONE Like every group in the new religious right, Concerned Women has a detailed plan of action to achieve its agenda; and it, too, maintains that "This battle must be waged at the local level." LaHayes group has effective chapters in every state, and additional political action groups in many metropolitan areas . Their political training seminars are sometimes referred to as "basic training/boot camps ." Local chapters conduct briefings on state issues, and hold meetings and receptions with state legislators. Colorado State Representative Kathi Williams called CWA " a powerful force at the Capitol." Concerned Women has four full-time attorneys on its staff, including Michael Farris, who also serves on COR's steering committee. CWA's legal staff has its hands full as it argues cases · which affect its agenda across the nation. LaHaye's group is hardly the only organization of the new religious right with an active legal staff. In fact, R.J. Rushdoony is a former board member of The Rutherford Institute, a Christian legal organization he helped found. Attorney John Whitehead is the group's National Director - and a COR steering committee member. In 1989, Rutherford handled some 190 cases, with several dozen currently pending. "This battle must be waged at the local level." · Focus on the Family is another highly organized, radical ministry. Headed by Christian psychologist Dr . James Dobson, this California-based organization employs 750 workers, and operates on a $60 million a year budget. · With the aid of a $4 □ million private grant, Focus on Family plans to relocate to Colorado , Springs, ', " •Colorado, in the near future. Dobson, too, is forming coalitions of radical Christian political special interest groups . Although not directly connected to COR, Focus on the Family networks with, and endorses a number of COR affiliates. "Once these .coalitions are in place," Dobson says, "our state legislators will discover they can no longer write off the concerns of conservative Christian families." "Once these coalitions are in place our state legislators will discover they can no longer write off the concerns of conservative Christian families." Having failed in his ventur:e into national politics, Pat Robertson has also switched his efforts to the local arena. In the spring of 1990, he created a · new organization called the Christian Coalition. While Robertson is not personally a member of COR, some of his Regent University staff are members. According to Ralph Reed, the Christian Coalition's executive director, "The Christian community got it backwards in the 1980's. We tried to charge Washington when we· should have been focusing on the states. The real battles of concern to Christians are in neighborhoods, school boards, city councils and state legislatures." Skipp Porteous is co-editor of The Freedom Writer, the national newsletter that defends the •separation of church and state, P.O. Box s'89, Great Barrington, MA 01230. , I Church & Organization News Resource Formed For Mennonite/ Brethren Churches CHICAGO, IL. - A network has been formed of Mennonite and Brethren congregations wishing to be supportive of lesbian, gay and bisexual members of the church. In line with denominational statements encouraging dialogue on this issue, the Supportive Congregations Network (SCN) is a resource for and encouragement to congregations wishing to explore issues of homosexuality and the Christian faith . . The network provides three levels of participation: Exploring Congregations ( churches interested in the issue, just beginning discussion), Accepting Congregations ( churches prepared to accept gay, lesbian and bisexual people as full members) and Affirming Congregations (churches prepared to take on a public advocacy role in support of lesbian, gay and bisexual people in the church.) A resource packet for congregations will be ready by July and representatives of the network will be available for discussion at this summer's Church of the Brethren . Annual Conference and Mennonite Church General Assembly. For information write to Supportive Congregations Network, Box 479241, Chicago, IL 60647-9241. Merrell To Pastor Alabama Church Birmingham Community Church has ordained and installed Rev. Edward L. Merrell as pastor. Merrell had served the congregration as pastoral leader for more than a year. Ann Arbor Church May Affiliate With UFMCC Members of the Huron Valley Community Church of Ann Arbor, Michigan, have met with Judy Dale, Great Lakes District Coordinator for the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches to explore possible affiliation with MCC. Hicks Appointed ANIN President W ASHING10N, D.C. - The Board of Directors of the AIDS National Interfaith Network has selected Bishop Sherman G. Hicks to serve as president. Bishop Hicks is presently the bishop of the Metropolitan .· Chicago Synod of the Eva11geHc~~ -· Lutheran Church in America. Previous positions include Associate Executive Director . and Director of Mission Support for the ELCA and Assistant to the Bishop at the Illinois Synod, Lutheran Church in America. "We're especially pleased to have Bishop Hicks join our inferfaith AIDS efforts in confronting this epidemic," said Rev. Kenneth T. South, Executive Officer of ANIN. "His considerable experien · ,, in helping communities respon · : ve to social change will be an in- iluable contribution to our organiza< ,n." Morning Star Moves To New Building Morning Star MCC, Worcester, Mass., has moved to a new church building at 231 Main Street, Cherry Valley. The New England style building seats over 120 people. The congregation expressed thanks to the Unitarian Universalist Church, which housed Moring Star for eight years. Covenant MCC Celebrates Tenth Covenant Metropolitan Community Church in Birmingham, Ala., celebrated its tenth anniversary with services and festivities in mid February. New UFMCC Ecumenical Director NaJl)ed LOS ANGELES - Rev. Kittredge Cherry has been named Field Director of Ecumenical Witness and Ministry for the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches. Her duties will include handling ecumenical relations at the national and international levels, and editing the UFMCC newsletter, "Keeping in Touch." Rev. Cherry spent the past three years on the clergy staff at MCC of San Francisco. She also has a decade of experience as a professional journalist. Her most recent book; Hide and Speak: How to Free Ourselves for Our Secrets, will be published in July by Harper Collins. She has a Master of Divinity degree from Pacific School of Religion and a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Iowa. Business or Personal - Teya Second Stone ... Classified Ad! Subscribe Today. And You'll Never Be Without A Friend For Your Journey. Join thousands of lesbians and gay men who've embarked on an inward journey. Through the pages of The Second Stone, an · ecumenical Christian newsmagazine, you '11 be challenged, inspired, angered and encouraged. Meet brave men and women who are confronting social injustice and religious bigotry. Explore family and relationship issues. Enjoy our engaging features .and columns, newsbriefs and book reviews. Our national calendar puts you in touch with life-changing retreats, community- building conferences, and the nicest people you'll ever meet! The Second Stone will inspire you, keep you informed, and put you in touch. ···Y'ES, . .·.N.~ :.·..: .~ . :.: .:.:.:.:.:.:.:.::.'..'..'..:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:..'..'..:.:.: Begin my subscription to SECOND STONE for Address.. .................................................. ............. City, Stat.e& Zip. ................................,. .... .... ( J One year (8 issues) Cor $13.00 [ ] Two years (11 iuuu) for$'25.00 a-:t.i.11yw~plli,...,...b'"'""G : { l""-"'1111.,,,M......,111rMwrJol~JV 1.•fr:t l l Three years (18 inuea) ror S36.00 .,..._ II>!:......,_~ aid tio.lXIp ar,....""-~u.s. am!IC'f om,. Mail To: SECOND STONE, Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 THANK YOU foryour subscriptio .n! May/June, 1991 Calendar The following announcements·have been submitted by sponsoring or affiliated groups. 1991 More Light Conference MAY 3-5, 1991, ''Different Gifts, but the Same Spirit" is the theme of the 1991 Presbyterian More Light _ Conference, to be held in Rochester, New York. A warm weekend of spiritual enrichment and personal connections is promised. The keynote address will be given by Dr. Letty M. Russell, Professor of Theology, Yale Divinity School. Cost is $60.00. For more information, call Chris Bensch (716)473-0192 or Lee Fischer (716)442-5117 or write: More Light Conference, cl o Downtown United Presbyterian Church, 121 North Fitzhugh St., Rochester, NY 14614. Spiritfest New Orleans MAY 24-27, Grace Ministries sponsors a Christian gathering at Holy Redeemer Retreat Center, Lacombe, Louisiana. The retreat center, a former Redemptorist seminary, is beautifully situated on 110 acres of forested land on the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain. Cost is $100.00 per person. For information write to Spiritfest '91, P.O. Box 70555, New Orleans, LA 70172-0555. SDA Kinship Kamp meeting • JUNE 9-16, The Seventh-day Adventists Kinship International twelfth annual gathering will be held at Menucha Camp just outside Portland, Ore. For information write to Kampmeeting Coordinator, P.O. Box 6476, Portland, OR 9722~76 or call (503)452-1013. Limited scholarships are available. Gav/Lesbian and Christian: Celebrating the Love of God JUNE 13-16, the annual lesbian/ gay conference at Kirkridge, Bangor, Penn. In this 15th annual event for Lesbians and gay men of all colors, their families and friends, and _ those who minister in support, participants will continue to explore issues of sexuality and homosexuality in the context of Christian faith and practice. For information call (215)588-1793. 1B Gay and Lesbian Parents Coalition Family Reunion JUNE 13·16, The Twelfth Annual Conference of Gay and Lesbian Parents Coalition International will have a "Family Reunion - Texas Style." Separate conference workshops and activities for parents, youth and children. The Hyatt Regency West Houston is the setting. For information write to GLPCI 91, P.O. Box 7537, Houston, TX 77270-7537. "Breaking The Chains That Bind Us" JUNE 19, The Southeast Michigan Ecumenical Gay and Lesbian Pride Celebration will be held at MCC/Detroit. Members of the gay arid lesbian religious community will gathei:_in ecumenical celebration of spiritual unity and love. "Breaking The Chains That Bind Us, Forging The Chains That Unite Us" is the theme. Cont;i.ct Integrity /Detroit, 980 Whitmore #205, Detroit, MI 48203. National UCCL/GC Gathering JUNE 23 -26, The United Church Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns' National Gathering 11 immediately precedes the United Church of Christ General Synod 18 in Norfolk, Virginia. The theme is "Family Life: Sharing the Joy /Healing the Pain." The setting for the gathering will be the Old Dominion University campus in Norfolk. Connecticut UCCL/GC is planning the three day event, which will offer opportunities for single persons and persons in relationships to explore ways we are family: the family we're in now, the family we came from, the family we would wish for. Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, author of Is The Homosexual My Neighbor?, will be the featured speaker. For information write to: UCCL/GC, 18 N. College, Athens, OH 45701 or call (614)593-7301. NABWMT Convention '91: Living, Loving and Working Together JUNE 23-30, The Detroit ~apter of Black and White Men Together hosts the 1991 convention of the National Association of Black and While Men Together, an organization formed ten years ago to break down racial barriers between gay people and provide a multiracial political and social forum. The NABWMT is an umbrella organization for over 25 chapters nationwide. Convention '91 will explore the many ways we relate as gay people and examine methods lo unify the gay community. Workshops will be presented on interpersonal relationships, health issues and AIDS awareness, bridging cultural differences and many other issues. The Hotel St. Regis is the setting. For information write: BWMT /Detroit, Convention '91, P .0. Box 24-8831, Detroit, MI 48224. Embodied Spirituality & Sexuality JUNE 24-28, St. Joseph's Retreat House in San Antonio, Texas, is the setting fot this retreat for gay clergy and religious. The retreat received such outstanding reviews last year that it ls liefng offered again, thoroughly revised and improved. For information wriie to CMI Retreat; 127 Oblate Dr., San Antonio, TX - 78216. · Fifth Annual Golden Threads Celebration JUNE 28-30, Lesbians from all over the United States and many foreign countries will gather at the Provincetown Inn irt Provincetow,n; M.ass,,_ -for-_ the annu.ii Golden Threads celebration. rn· existence since 1985, Golden Threads is a worldwide ~al ~~: .. . . work ·of<Usbillns ·om50 (and friends, no Iesbianois ~xchided.) Entertainment will be provided by Janice Perry a.k.a.GAL. For-information contact Christine Burton, Golden Threads, P.O. Box 3177, Burlington, VT 05401-0031. · · Internati~rial Deaf Lesbian and Gay Conference JULY 1-7, Loew's Anatole Ho tel, Dallas, is the setting for the 1991 International Deaf Lesbian and Gay Conference. Contact the Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf, P.O. Box 225661, Dallas, TX 75222 or call (214)394-6979 (TDD). SECOND STONE connECtion '91 JULY 4-7, the first joint Evangelicals Concerned Midwest and Western Region conference. The campus of the University of Denver is the setting. -The conference will include keynote addresses, workshops, small group interaction, prayer, and socializing. The conference features a unique presentation by New York actor Ron Drurnmond, who will do a dramatic impersonation of Scottish evangelist Henry Drummond's talk on love, The Greatest Thing in the World. Participants will fellowship with gay and lesbian Christians from across the United States and learn more about the integration of sexuality and spirituality and discover new ways to love God, others and self. To show off Colorado's natural wonders, the weekend will feature a half-day trip into the Rocky Mountains. For registration information, contact Scott at the ECWR office, (303)830-2823, or write to P.O . Box 4750, Denver, CO 80204. UFMCC Fifteenth General Conference_ JULY 14-21, AIDS, racism, homophobia, sexism, poverty, peace, social justice and equal rights for same-gender couples are only some of the issues on the agenda of the Universal Fellowship of Metro- . politan Community Church's fifteenth general conference to be held in Phoenix, Arizona. Reflecting the conference's theme, "I Have Opened a Door," church founder Rev. Troy Perry said the• church will open the door for .. discussion of a wide range of issues _ and willfeature a series of wox~~ -~-, -· shops, discussions arufmusic ; Over 1000 delegates and observers are _ expected to attend. ' The f'.ointe _at , Tapatio Cliffs is the ,settiilg . . Contact your local MCC for information or write to UFMCC, 5300 Santa Monica Blvd.,"Ste. 304, Los Angeles, CA 90029 or call (213>464--5100. National Lesbian & Gay Health Conference JULY 24-28, Up to 1200 lesbian and gay health professionals are expected to congregate in New Orleans for the 13th National SEE CALENDAR, Next Page , I Cover Story Reconstructionism woman lie together , they are to be put to death. SKIPP: What the hell do you think that is! GARY: Well, wait a minute. If a guy comes up to me and he says, 'Tm a homosexual," that doesn't mean that he's to be executed. If you understand the scriptures , it says very clearly, if a man comes up to you and says, ''I've murdered somebody," that doesn't mean that person ought to be executed. INTERVIEWF, rom Page 9 one, and homosexuality, and rape and kidnapping were some others." This is what the leader of your group said, Gary. GARY: Well first, he's not the leader of my group, and secondly, you ... SKIPP: What do you mean he's not the leader of your group! You say you're a member of COR. You're on the Steering Committee of the CALENDAR, From Previous Page Lesbian and Gay Health Conference and 9th National AIDS Forum. The conference provides an opportunity for health care providers and caregivers to discuss issues of importance to the lesbian and gay community. It also gives health professionals of diverse disciplines an opportunity to · learn, exchange ideas and contribute to new thinking about the needs and well being of the lesbian and gay community. For further information contact the National Lesbian and Gay Health Foundation , Inc., 1638 R St NW #2, Washington, DC 20009 or call (202)797-3708. Our Heroic Journey: Building A Healing Circle AUGUST 26 - 29, A special retreat of celebration for gay and lesbian ministers. This retreat will tap the very special experience of the Holy Spirit that every gay -,.nd lesbian minister has to learn to utilize to strengthen and celebrate their lives. The Weber House, Baltimore, Maryland, is the setting. Limited financial assistance is available. For registration information, write to CMI Retreat, P.O. Box 60125, Chicago, IL 606(,()-()125. CMI Workshop On Support Networks AUGUST 29, Communication Ministry, Inc., p~nts ''Support Networks for Lesbian and Gay Sisters, Priests and Brothers" at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill (prior to the Dignity /USA Convention.) A panel of religious and priests will . discuss various kinds of support networks, Open to Ca,tholic lesbiaff sisters and gay brothers and priests. Coalition On Revival. GARY: We're talking about Christian Reconstructionism. I'm a member of a number of dHferen_t groups. SKIPP: Well, you're on the Steering Committee of the Coalition On Revival. Jay Grimstead is the head of the group. GARY: Let me explain. The Bible doesn't say that_homosexuals should be executed . What it says is thisc If two men lie together like a man and a For information write to CMI, P.O. Box 60125, Chicago, IL 606(,()-()125. Dignity/USA Convention '91 AUGUST 29-SEPTEMBER1 , The Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. will the be setting for Dignity /USA's tenth biennial convention . Thiseventbrings together delegates, members and friends for a gathering that matches no other in the Dignity datebook. Themed "Many Gifts, One Spirit," the convention program will feature presentations and workshops that reflect the diversity of Dignity's national community. Social events will add to the excitement. Convention topics will be organized into five areas of interest: AIDS Ministry, Removal of Barriers to Women, Support for Human Rights Laws, Anti-Gay /Lesbian Violence, The Primacy of Conscience and the Right to Dissent. For more infor- rnation write: Convention '91, Dignity/USA, Box 29661, Washington, DC 20017. Parents FLAG 10th Annual Convention OCTOBER 11-14, "Celebrating the Jewels in our Crown" is the theme of the tenth annual gathering of the National Federation of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. - Charlotte, North Carolina is the setting. To receive registration materials, when available, write to Charlotte Parents FLAG, 5815 . Charing Place, Charlotte, NC 28211. SEND EVENT NOTICES TO! CALENDAR, SECOND STONE, P.O. BOX 8340, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 PAUL: Oh, so what you're saying, Gary, is if you catch homosexuals in the act, then the Bible says to execute them. GARY: The Bible lays forth the severest penalty. The severest penalty would be capital punishment for two men who publicly engaged in sodomy. Which would mean, that if that law were on the books - which it has been on the books in many states, and probably still is in many states in the nation today . · PAUL: Does it say "publicly" in . the Bible? . . GARY: Oh, you've got to have two witnesses . So, you're going to have at least two witnesses who would come forth and testify against two people who engaged in sodomy . Now, Atlanta is a pretty populous city for homosexuality. I would imagine that most people in this city, probably 99% of them, have never seen two people engaged in sodomy. But, if it did happen, the severes\ punishment that amid come upon somebody would be capital punishment. It doesn't mean that has to be the punishment. SKIPP: By capital punishment, you mean death. GARY: Well, yes. SKIPP: Now, there was a case a couple of years ago, and I believe it was Georgia, maybe it was another state ... GARY: It was Georgia. SKIPP: Two men were seen by the police, because the police came in the house for a differentreason, and saw them having sex, engaging in homosexual activity in bed. GARY: Sodomy . SKIPP: They were arrested . So, you're saying that these two men, according to the Bible, could receive the death penalty? GARY: Well ... SKIPP: Is that what you're saying? GARY: First of all, remember, the Supreme Cour t upheld Georgia's law. Secondly, yes. SKIPP: Secondly, yes! The Bible advocates the death penalty for homosexuals . GARY: No, it doesn't. SKIPP: Homosexual activity, excuse me. May /June, 1991 □ GARY: For example, if a guy raped a seven-year old . He. sodomized a seven-year old boy - the seven-year old boy is innocent. SKIPP: No, no. You said ''two men, two men lying together." GARY: Right. SKIPP: The Bible says they should be executed. GARY: Right._ SKIPP: Alright, so ... PAUL: Wait a minu te, wait a minute. Would you condone that? GARY: Condone what? PAUL: If indeed this movement were to go right by the Bible as you just said a few moments ago, would you advocate two men being caught in a homosexual act being executed? GARY: No. That's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that the severest penalty ... ·PAUL: Wait a minute, now! You said the Reconstructionist movement advocates the Bible being very much SEE INTERVIEW, Next Page r ~ Evangelicals • V" Together ,.,,,. IJl8U sruoGrI IOfJPS SOCIA•tS II Oll«SHOl•'S R ETREATS HIVI AIDSS Cl'POIIGT IIOOP PASIDII'CAAI. REI COIRISELWO FORG a&yL esbiCahnr istians InS outheCranl ilor.r..is ain c1e9 79 Suite 109 -Box 1tl 7985 Santa Mon/Ca Boulevsrtl Weal Hollywood , CA !10048 '" 213/656-B570.., Ex-Gays? There Are None LambdaC hristiaFn ellowshisp pleasedto a nnouncae n ewb ook by Rev.S ylviaP enningtona-n examinatioonf ex-gaym inistrie-s whatt heyd o • whatt heyd onYd o. You1m1e ept eoplew ho,o nly throughG od'sg raceh, aves urviveda nds toppedtr yingt o be ex-gaysb, ecausein, truth,t here is no such thing as an ex-gay pe,oon. Now.Available From Lambda Christian .Fellowship i>. 0. Box 1967 Hawthorne, CA 90250 $15:00p lus$ 1.50f orp ostagaen d handlingC.a lifornriae sidenatsd d 6% sales tax. II -, Cover Story Reconstructionism her is not by man, but by the Holy Spirit. Now, the law in scriptures concerning ad_ultery means that the inn9cent party has as [recourse] the toughest penalty that could be INTERVIEWF,r om Pre'\TjouPs age brought on the guilty party, the death penalty. So, for example, if a community is correct, which !·believe woman had a husband who was a if is, that a pre-born individual is in constant womanizer, and he just a part of every aspect of society and fact a human being, then the same would not stop, she could bring you mentioned government. rights are accorded to the pre-born charges against her. husband of GARY: Right. child as a born child. Then the same . adultery, and the severest penalty PAUL: So then, if you indeed believe punishment would occur for the doctor · could be, according to scripture, .the that, then you would have to believe performing the abortion. So, the death penalty. · It wouldn't have to that people caught in homosexuality pre-born child is in fact a human be, but it could be. Now, this would should be executed. being, and a born -child is in fact a do a number of things. And again, I SKIPP: That's_ Biblical Jaw. human being, therefore the same . want to go back and underscore GARY: They could be executed. punishment prevails. That is, if something. Most of the_ laws in the SKIPP: They could be. capital punishment could be brought Bible were designed not so much to be p AUL: They could be. on someone who killed a one-0ay old - implemented, but to keep people from GARY: Right. child, then _the_ same punishment practicing that particular behavior. PAUL: .So, what are y011 saying. here? · would occur. with-someone 'who killed PAUL: Well, all laws are basically GARY: I just fold you whafT'm achiid •irtthewomb. - - that way. saying. That could be the severest PAUL: So Gary, you would agree GARY, Right. Well, it was the same penalty. Let me give you an example. that a doctor performing an abortion thing with homosexuality. · -When PAUL: Wait, before you get to that, should receive capital punishment? there were laws on the books that now, you said, again, these are your GARY: Obviously, if abortion were could punish homosexuality, it didn't very own words. You said, that this illegal, and he performed an illegal - do away with homosexuality per se; movement that you're involved with, abortion and killed a pre-born baby but it kept it hidden. Kept it in the advocates the Bible being used as a the same punishment would apply. closet. · basis for everything in society, And, of course, we've got our owrt PAUL: And again, back with the including... · system today that very few people same question again. You're using the GARY: Wait a minute... who commit murder actually suffer word ''could" be, and if indeed the PAUL: No,- you wait a minute, the death penalty. That could be the Reconstructionist movement ever please. If indeed ·that's the case, if severest penalty, yes. made it in America, would you you beli¢ve that, then you would be PAUL: So, now what our guest was advocate these biblical principles cimtradic;μngyourselfif.you wouldn't saying at the top of the show, that being carried out, just like the advocate homo!i¢cuals being executed people who are Reconstructionist execution of the adulterer? -Just )ike for homosexual activity. believe iri this, you have told us that the execution of the abortionist; and GARY: I want to make sure . the the death penalty co1,1ldb e given to just like the execution of the listeners understand that when . we , people who perform abortions; and homosexu,il? talk about a movenierit, are we the death penalty - your word is GARY: Well, ~ believe, like Mr. talking about the Coalition On "could" - be applied under a Porteous does, in the democratic llevival, which is not a Christian _nation fc,r_ people who_ are process. Of course; these laws Reconstructionist movement, or are we caught in homosexual acts. OK, how couldn't be brought -into the legal talking about Christian Reconstruc- about adulterers? system unless people actualJy wanted tion itself? Which moyement are you GARY: You can take two case$ out the· these Jaws. _ talking about? · · __ · · of New Testament. It's interesting, PAUL: But,. ifindeed enough people PAUL: Yeah, but Gary, I'm though, when people don't believe . . -who have your belief system get into understanding how ybu · just very the Bible, ii1'e Mr. Portrous, go to the that, and people vote for all •of this, cleverly steered away from my point Bible and takes cases out of jt _ to then you would go along with these - that you would have. to agree with support his position when it's strict penalties? . the death penalty for people being convenient. Anci when it's not GARY: I'm saying that they could be caught in homosexuality, convenient he lays the Bible aside. implemented, yes. GARY: .I already agreed with you But let's take two cases. The first SKIPP: You are working toward that that • .that couid · be the severest case is Mary and Joseph. As we know, goal, though, aren't you? . pena\ty; J me.m,. I-.cctori'tk no_w-bow .. Mary; -~as _w__it h child, but Joseph GARY:- Not~rily:,no. This is ' ~}'. times I .havet oJ ell yim. Yes,l ' hadn!fknown a woman, hadn't known what usually happens when you're agree tltat the.-,BiJ)le lays · the death Mary. ~t is, he hadn't had sexual ~rching in an area. Mr. Porteous penalty for two men -who are engaged intercourse with her. Now, what was has taken _ probal:>ly one-tenth of in sOdomyin public .. Yes.J dc,n'tknow he to suspect? He was to suspect that what we actually do, and he _ has how many times I have to tell you she had committed adultery. Now, it blown it up like an inflated balloon before it gets through your head! says in scriptures that he decided to and he says, 'This is what Christian SKIPP: Does the Bible allow the put her away, quietly, or secretly. Reconstruction is." same punishment for an abortionist? That is, he was to proceed with a SKIPP: Gary, could you give us your GARY: If abortion were illegal, the divorce without making it part of the .viewpoint on the separation of quesUon comes down to what civil court. That is, not making a church and state? punishment would there be for charge against her of adultery. Of GARY: Well, first of all, the someone who performed an illegal rourse, an angel comes and explains to Constitution, including the Bill of abortion? Now, _ if - the pro-life her that that which is conceived in Rights, says nothing about a ·sep- Ill SECOND STONE -□ aration of church and state. The First Amendment says, " Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Which simply means, that our national government cannot establish a national church. Typically, what's happened in our day, the-courts, and other things, they have interpreted that to mean that nothing religious can be involved in any sort of ciyil decision. And I just thirik that that's just erroneous. Any fourth grader who knows anything about history; knows as a fact that religion was always incorporated into decision-making policies. Prayer, Bible-reading, 1.aws based upon scripture principles have no violation under the First Amendment. At the time of the drafting of the First Amendment there were nine states that had established state teligi.ons. -I'm not advocating that, but obviously the First Amendment does not mean what Mr. Porteous and other advocates of church/ state separation .•. SKIPP: Gary, Jay Grimstead told me __ that "the goal of a number of us is to try to . Christianize _the state of California." Then he said ,. "the church is not supposed -to try to take over the government of San Jose. The people Who take over the government of San Jose are American citizens who happen to be informed by the Bible of what is justice and what is injustice. The .Bible controls_ both church and state." Would you agree with Dr. Grimstead on -that statement? GARYi That the Bible is a law book for both church and estate? Yes, but that's different than saying . 'that_ church and state are merged by the Bible. The Bible is very specific about · a_ -separation between church and state. And Irecol:rtmend that you ,, read my Ruler of the Nations to see - how · l've_ layed out, very specifically, in great detail, what .the Bible and : what the Constitution says about the ·--· principles. I'm getting the impression listening to you and debating this topic, and writing on -this topic for over ten years now, thatmost of the critics of Christian Reconstruction haven't read what Reconstructionists ha"~-written. And Paul, to give you someidea, we ·have nearly 100 books · on the market right now, very .easily available to anyone who wants them,' · to go in and look and -see what we· have to say. I'm amazed that Mr. Porteous misunderstands very clear · statements in our books what we meanby separation of churcl:\ and state. SKIPP: Well, Gary, earlier you accused meof lying about many things SEE INTERVIEW, Next Page I I United Methodist Church Study Committee: Throw out church statement condemning homosexuality By the United Methodist NewsServia: ST. LOUIS, MO. - A United Methodist study committee is recommending that the church's 18-year-· old Social Principles statement condemning the practice of homosexuality as "incompatible with Christian teaching" be dropped. In its place would be substituted an acknowledgment that the church is COMMENT ARY, From Page 2 that the sex education and the condom plan amounts to the "ratification of sexual . promiscuity." To all these people AIDS and sex education are still, to this day, about promoting homosexuality. Wanting to identify people's HIV status isn't just a goal of the right wing. Criticism, I think well deserved, has also been made of our own community's handling of the issue of identification . Too many of us, through . actions direct and indirect, are willing to say, "so much for education (and the safe sex that goes with it), just telt;me who these (infected) people · are." Read personal ads in the gay press across the country and you'll find only a few papers which have finally, after a lot of soul searching, refused to publish ads which specify HIV status as a preference or condition within them. What kind of person would write a personal ad that says, "HIV- seeks same for good times and possible relationsh,ip?" What kind of idiot would base a relationship on someone's supposed HIV status? You have to ask yourself, if someone claims they're HIV negative , would that change the way you have sex? Most would say . no, but really? Would it? Would knowing someone's HIV status change who you have sex with? Doesn't it? Talking with HIV+ friends I hear story after story of relationships and friendships that take sudden turns of direction after HIV status is revealed. These personal ads and the way I see people behaving every day demonstrates not only our own willingness as a community to discriminate, but also the total failure of AIDS education. It isn't only the middle-aged heteros on Oprah who don't seem to understand that a negative test means nothing . Their paranoid delusions about getting infected by mosquitoes, toilet seats, drinking cups, gay dentists or food cooked by gay chefs aren't too tiifferent from the denial and fantasy of gay men "unable to arrive at a common mind" on the subject. While many in the church affirm the present denominational position, the proposed substitute says others believe homosexuality is acceptable "when practiced in a context of human caring and covenental faithfulness." The committee, headed by the Rev. Nancy Yamasaki, Spokane, Wash., wanting things to be the way they were before AIDS. Responsibility free. Recent statistics show an increase in unsafe sex practices in younger gay men. !_hear a lot about how "I don't · have sex with anyone over thirty," as if age differences make some kind of guarantee of HIV status. Even Queer Nation-NY has come under criticism from some writers, being called the "ACT-UP for HIV negatives." At a recent meeting of Their paranoid delusions about getting infected by . mosquitoes, toilet seats, drinking cups, gay dentists or food cooked by gay chefs aren't too different from the denial and fantasy of gay men wanting things to be the way they were before AIDS. Responsibility free. Queer Nation-NY members hissed as . one member read a recent article from a New York magazine mentioning this apparent division. "Not us! We're not like that," people yelled. But I have to admit, while I know many Queer Nationalists who are HIV+, I also seem to know the HIV status of too many people to feel comfortable ignoring this criticism . Why do so many at Queer Nation tell me their own, and other's, HIV status? People still don't seem to understand approved the resolution by a 7-4 vote during its meeting here in February. Its recommendations and report will go to the 1992 General Conference, the top legislative body of the church. The 1988 General Conference reaffirmed position ·s on homosexuality taken by previous conferences: These include the "incompatibility" statement and prohibitions of ordaining or appointing "self-avowed AIDS and HIV infection. I t reminded to the experience I had testifying in favor of a sex education program in Norfolk, Virginia. After the testimony of Marc Demma, a leader in the local gay and lesbian youth movement, about AIDS, sex education and gay teen suicide, the response from many of the adults, parents to be specific, was that if their son or daughter was gay or· .. lesbian, they would prefer they were dead. And if they · get AID5, well, they're queer, right? Who would admit this kind of evil thought publicly at a School Board hearing? Come .to Norfolk, Virginia, and you can meet these people in the PT A. They don't want to learn about Gays and Lesbians, they don't want to fight bigotry,discrimination and bias violence with education and information. They want people identified and removed. ''Rubbed out" I guess you could say. The opposition to sex education, AIDS education and the rising emphasis on identification rather than education, is · part of the continuing movement of genocide against Gays and Lesbians, the poor, IV drug users and people of color. It is direct, out in the open . . ,,It can't be like that," you say. But it is, and we, the gay community, are still as much a part of this genocide as everyone else. As the reported . numbers of AIDS cases reaches 140,00 and heterosexual infection becomes, by the year 2000, the means of transmission in 80 percent of all AIDS cases, we find ourselves in what the American Association of Sex Educators has called a total "state of denial." If we want to teach, we have to tell people what they don't want to hear. We have to tell them over and over again. Like it or not, the only other choice really is identifying, which would mean changing our way of life. Giving up basic freedoms and liberties, surrendering the Constitution and Bill of Rights to paranoid fears and hate filled fantasies. But that's been Dannema.yer's and the right wing's real agenda all along. May /June, 1991 practicing" homosexuals or givmg church funds to groups that "promote the acceptance" of homosexuality. However, 1988 delegates asked the General Council on Ministries, with offices in Dayton, Ohio, to conduct a study of homosexuality and report to SEE ME1HODISTS, Page 18 INTERVIEW, From Previous Page I said tonight, but in the last 20 . minutes or so, you've . confirmed everything I've said. GARY: No, because at the beginning of the show you claimed - and it was very clear what you were doing - the Coalition On Revival is a Reconstructionist movement, and then you said that these people, the LaHayes, Wildmon, and so forth, should leave this organization because this is a Reconstructionist organization, and it isn't. I've been on some of·even the drafting documents and anything that even hinted at Reconstructionist distinctives · were left out because the people didn't agree with them. Now, how can you say it's a Reconstructionist movement when I was there? I was in the drafting document on government. And there isn't anything about what you're saying about Christian Reconstructionist distinctives in that drafting document . So, to say then that the Coalition On Revival is a_ Reconstructionist organization, when its documents have none of the particulars of Christian Reconstruction in them, specifically the one on civil government, is a bald-face lie. SKIPP: Well, I happen to have some of those documents myself, and I'm also going by what your leader Jay Grimstead said, that he is a · Reconstructionist and he agrees with most of the Reconstructionist doctrines . GARY: OK ... PAUL: You did say that our first guest, Skipp, mentioned that the Bible principles should be applied to society, in your viewpoint. And you did say that ... GARY: All Christians agree with that! PAUL: Yeah, but most Christians don't think that capital punishment could be applied to people caught in . homosexual acts, or could be for . adulterers, or whatever : GARY: But see, Christian Reconstruct... what . he's saying about Christian Reconstruction is one-tenth of one percent of Christian Reconstruction. SKIPP: The one-tenth I'm speaking about is the worst part of it. 11 Books The Middle Years: what's the difference? Uncommon models for a common experience The midlife issues of gay and lesbian clergy Vy Toby Johnson,PhD Contributing Writer Since the mid-70s, psychologically sophisticated Americans have talked about the developmental stages of adult life. These days we all talk casually, sometimes half tongue-in-cheek, about mid-life crises. Indeed, what was once euphemistically called a n~rvous breakdown is now still euphemistically - called a life crisis. The fact is, of course, except for the dedicated psychologists, most of us don't really know what the content of a life crisis is - at least until we get there. And then it's not so abstract and sophisticated. Instead it is mind-boggling, ronfusing, depressing, and upsetting - at best! The mid-life crisis, for instance, calls us to question the worth of all the decisions and romrriitments we've made in our ·lives. This is especially difficult for those who have made such decisions and THE OT~R PUBLISWNG COMPANY'S Lesbian & Gay Recovery Bookstore ANOTHER KIND OF LOVl§1 4TH EDmON, l)v Richard Woods, O.P. Homosexuality./• Splrltuailly, Paperback, · f95pp, $9.95 " ... not only for Catholics, but [by] any ~rson who is searchin_g for answers concerning the ongoing issue of homosexuality and the Church. - Troy Perry "::: This book is a must primer for gay and lesbian people, and those who love them. It challenges us all to a love reflected in each other, which is a God-like love." Jim B- --; DIGNITY/USA Shipping and handling: $2 for the first book, $.50 for each additional Cafifonua and Canadian residents add 7% sales tax/GSf · Visa1 MasterCard, and American ~ress accepted when order accompanied by Cara #, Exp Date, and Signature of card Holder. Send to: . The Other Publishing Company, P.O. Box 2151, Dept S-391, San D!!igo, CA 92112-2151. or place your credit card order by phone atl.:S00-733-1283. CLASSIFIE First Ten Words FREE! I - Business or personal - The Second Stone classifieds really work! Please see the order form on the classified page. Each additional word, 35¢. 20 word minimum. commitments based on a set of beliefs and values. For then in the midst of the ' crisis not only do they question the personal decisions they've made, they also have to question the beliefs and values out of which they made them. Such is the kind of mid-life crisis faced by the professionally and vocationally religious, i.e., clergy, priests, brothers and nuns. Religious Hfe, with its inherent obligation to vows of poverty, celibacy and obedience made in early adulthood, seems specifically opposed to the very notion of a life-crisis in which fundamental decisions can be questioned. (Part of my own religious life experience was with the Marianists who take a· fourth vow of stability, which is a commitment not to consider leaving the Order, i.e., it's a .vow, made in one's mid-twenties, not to have a mid-life crisis in one's forties.). That crisis is made even more difficult when included in it is the recognition of, or reconciliation to, homosexual . sexual orientation. Even the most sophisticated and psychologically trained individual will have difficulty sorting through the conflicting value and belief systems invol_ved. And so i,t'.s interesting and instructive to find accounts of the interior processing of clergy ~nd religious as they deal with these difficult issues. The Autumn , 1990, CMI Journal, titled The Middle Years: what's the difference, specifically focuses on these mid-life issues. The journal is produced by Communications Ministries, Inc. - a Chicago-based networking ministry to gay and lesbian religious and clergy. The eighty-page magazinesize journal presents a variety of expositions of. these · issues: poems, personal accounts, scholarly articles, self-help assessment schedules. Though myself out of religious life now for over twenty years and no longer · what might be called a "practteing Catholic," this writ~r found the collection fascinating and even at times moving. I am in my mid-forties and so, I suppose, facing these issues myself, though as an openly gay professional and community developer, happily settled into a business and personal relationship of seven years duration, my experience of mid-life is very different from that of the religious . men and women - bound to celibacy and a professsion generally inimical to sexuality - who report on their SECOND STONE □ lives in the pages of the CMI Journal. While the obvious appeal of this journal is to like-minded souls who could benefit from the discoveries of other gay and lesbian religious, it seems to me it holds value for lots of others as welJ, others who are · neither Catholic, nor r~ligious, nor, for that matter, lesbian or gay. For many people, priests, . brothers and Especially now, in the Age of Al0S, there maybe important lessons in -the experience of those who discovered sex in a · very controlled and restricted way (based on internal values, not just external threats - of disease, for instance). nuns are not exactly human. They are more characters of myth, culture and ritual than people. Yet the cultural role they hold is generally as models and teachers of values and behavior. .The inconsistencies therein are partly responsible, it seems to me, for some of the faih,1re of religious life to survive and flourish in modem America. . The most striking thing about the · accounts in The Middle Years: what's the difference is how human they are and how honestly spiritual. I. found it instructive to read of the dilemmas · and the suffer.ings these men and women have faced. It made me feel I · could perhaps trust them . Certainly trust ·them more than if they ne:ver ):tad sucn feelings and . were only mouthing the eternal, unchanging doctrine of the Church. That is to say that I found these accounts helped me to humanize the Church in my mind. The personal accounts belie those SEp YEARS, Next Page - - - ----~- - - , I t Books YEARS, From Previous Page peculiar notions of anti-gay fundamentalists that homosexuality is a moral perversion (and not a psychological orientation) that can, and must, be changed with prayer and commitment to Jesus. Oearly the nuns and priests recounting their struggles with their lesbian and homosexual feelings - especially in the context of vows which at least some understood to forbid any sexual acting out - were women and men of prayer and commitment to Jesus. (If they weren't committed, the struggles It's ironic that, after all this time, Lesbians and gay men who've felt so rejected by the Church might actually find role models they can identify with in those priests and nuns who'd seemed such mysterious characters to Catholic school · children. would have gone away.) That didn't eliminate their homosexual orientation. It' did give it moral significance, however. These people thought - and prayed - long and hard about the content of their sexual feelings. And when they acted on them - however they did or did not act - they did so deliberately and in concert with their spirituality: Not all of the contributors had chosen to eschew intimacy or sex entirely; many of them learned to develop intimate relationships of one sort or another. Their accounts revealed . the value of that soul-searching to make sense of sexuality in a spiritual context. The CMI Journal articles suggest that a certain amount of soul-searching and self-discipline fosters personal - psychological and spiritual - growth and heightens intimacy. Especially now, in the Age of AIDS,. there may □ be important lessons in the experience of those who discovered sex in a very controlled and restricted way (based on internal values, not just external threats - of disease, for instance) . One could make a case that some young homosexuals find sexual acting out too easy and over-eroticize their lives. This is certainly one of the popular negative stereotypes of homosexuality - and- it may be self-perpetuating. It's ironic that, after all this time, Lesbians and gay men who've felt so rejected by the Church might actually find role models they can identify with in those priests and nuns who'd seemed such mysterious characters to Catholic school children. How interesting to have the mysteries revealed! As the babyboomers hit the mid-forties, American culture is going to hear more and more about the crises of mid-life and the reevaluation of values and recomrnitrnent to quality that resolve them. Though the essence of this reevaluation is spiritual and metaphysical, many people will not deal with it as a spiritual phenomenon . The eMI Journal accounts can help us place these issues in that spiritual context. This journal may not on the surface seem to appeal to a wide audience, but I strongly suggest that there are gems herein for almost everybody . CMI Journal is available from CMI, P.O. Box 60125, Chicago, IL 60660-0125. $7 .50 plus $2.00 postage and handling. (Illinois residents add sales tax.) Or from Liberty-Books, Austin, Texas, 800-828-1279. Communication Ministry, Inc., is an all volunteer peer ministry for lesbian and gay religious and clergy since 1977. Besides its publications, CMI offers a monthly newsletter, an annual retreat program and developmental workshops for its subscribers and currently serves a readership of over 500 religious, clergy and lay persons. Literary Awards Down To Finalists Lambda Book Reporf has announced {inalists for the Third Annual Lamba Literary A wards, to be presented in New York Oty on May 31. From the thousands of nominations received for the awards, 86 titles from 43 different publishers were selected as finalists. The country's largest gay and lesbian presses, Alyson Publications and Naiad Press respectively, placed the most finalists with six each. May/June, 1991 Youd on'ht ave to ~ve up God to be gay! Coming Out to God Prayersfo r Lesbians and Gay Men, Their Familiesa nd Friends Chris Glaser "For Chris Glaser, prayer is a mysterious, wondrous, yet earthy place where the dance of spirituality and sexuality is celebrated. His own fondest prayer for all of us is that we may be opened up to greet God's coming out-to us." -Malcolm Boyd, author of Are You Running with Me, Jesus?,T akeo ff the Masks,a nd Gay Priest:A n Innerj ourney Paper $8.95 .. .a nd you tf,on'th ave to comP,romiseJ ..OUr masculinlty to be ~~· . liberated. The Intimate Connection Male Sexuality, Masculine Spirituality James B. Nelson This book "demonstrates clearly what men have to gain from the feminist revolution." -James W Maddock, Ph.D., PreszdentA, mericanA ssociationo f Sex Education,' Counselorsa, nd TherapistsN. elsoh, who teaches Christian Ethics at a leading seminary, "deals with friendship, homophobia, sexist dualism, bodytheology, images of masculinity, and sexuality of Christ." -The Disciple Paper $8.95 Availablef rom your local bookstore onlirect from the publisher. (Please include $1.50 per book for postage and handling.) WESTMINSTER/ JOHN KNOX PRESS' 100 Witherspoon Sc., Louisville, KY 40202-1396 Call Toll-Free: 1-800-227-2872 m Lutheran Church~Missouri Synod: Homosexuality "particularly disruptive" in the life of the church By Rev Daniel HOQPer Contributing Writer The Council of District Presidents of . the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod adopted new guidelines regarding homosexuality at their recent meeting in St. Louis. The 11-page document is largely derivative from older material and represents no new thought about homosexuality. In 1973, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod's general convention adopted a brief resolution (based on no preparatory study) which declared homosexual behavior "intrinsically sinful." In 1981, a report by the denomination's Commission of Theology and Church Relations, Human Sexuality, addressed a few pages to homosexuality; while attempting to offer the church 's "compassionate help" to homosexual persons, it maintained that all homosexual behavior is sinful. The new document borrows heavily from the 1973 resolution and the 1981 report for its theological foundation . The guidelines are i.ntended for supervisory personnel in dealing with specific "instances of homosexuality in the lives of professional church workers," including pastors and teachers in the Synod's many schools and colleges. Among its ideas, the guidelines suggest grounds for the discipline of individuals for refusal to enter and continue in counseling to overcome homosexual behavior. Counseling is understood not as psychotherapeutic or psychiatric care, but religious · counsel which teaches that the homosexual "propensity" is an "aberration of God's will" and expects repentance "for any homosexual acts in word, thought, and deed." The document asks not life-long sexual abstinence by gay and lesbian church professionals, but "consecrated celibacy," a concept which is foreign to Lutheran doctrine. Absent from the stringent guidelines are any hearing or appeals process for persons who are accused, any specifics or program regarding pastoral counsel or .. c.onsecrated celibacy" for use in individual circumstances. · . The guidelines see "homophile behavior" as . "a particularly disruptive element" in the life of the church. Upon investigation, determining a person ·to be "unquestionably guilty," specific action to discipline, terminate or remove an individual from a professional roster or the churchbody is to be determined by his/her immediate superior on the II basis of how "unrepentant " the individual is and how publicly visible the individual's position is. An unprecedented adaption of Kinsey's sexual orientation scale is used, a double continuum along which the offended may be charted. The first scale ranges from the person who experiences "homosexual propensity" but "has never engaged in overt homosexual behavior" to the opposite end, the "unrepentant practicing homosexual, openly involved in sexual activity. " A second intersecting scale delineates two professional opposites : the position with a "high degree of public visibility" (such as the parish ministry) ranging to a position of "virtual isolation" or "technological service" not open to public view . · There is no theological or juridical rationale for why a person with a less publicly visible position should be treated differently than one who is more publicly visible. Disciplinary actions available to the supervisor, depending on 'the degree of violation as determined by these two intersecting continuums, include remaining in one's position, suspension, and removal from the professional roster . The guidelines do not suggest any procedures for investigation of allegations against a church professional, nor a definition of what "unquestionably guilty" means. One potentially serious feature in the guidelines in the definition of homosexual acts as including "word, thought, and deed," a phrase which is adapted from a traditional Lutheran liturgical prayer in the · confession of sins. The most commonly accepted definition, in Christian ethical and juridical circles, would define "homosexual acts" as genital sexual behavior . As with most other Protestant and Catholic documents discussing homosexual behavior, specific genital actions are not delineated. But the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Presidents, by including "word" and "thought" in the definition of acts, may be suggesting that public dissent over church teaching on homosexuality, and even private disagreement, are themselves sinful · and grounds for discipline . The document unmistakably creates a "chilling effect" on open discussion of homosexuality at any level within the 2.8 million member church. In the light of such chilling findings, the document's offer · of "help" to gay and lesbian people is ironic. Its language suggests that both God and the immediate supervisor should help the homosexual. For example, "the Scriptures' condemnation of homophile behavior is not meant to deprive those guilty of such sins the help which God would extend to them." And the supervisor responsible to discipline , suspend or remove a church professional, should take action "accompanied by appropriate concern for the individual 's spiritual and physical welfare .. " Episcopal church panel: But the "help" available to the homosexual person from God, the supervisor, and the Lutheran Church-Missour i Synod, is not detailed in the guidelines. In its final paragraph, the document commends to both heterosexual and homosexual sinners ''daily contrition," repentance and renewal. Rev. Daniel Hooper is the Chair of the Task Force on Theology of Lutherans Concerned North America. Let bishops ordain gay and lesbian priests An Episcopal Church panel said after a three-year study that bishops should be allowed to ordain openly lesbian and gay priests . The recommendation, issued by the Standing Commission on Human Affairs, will go to the Episcopal General Convention in July . The commission also recommended that METHODISTS, From Page 1s the next General Conference. The Social Principles is a compilation of the denomination's positions on social, moral and public policy issues . The homosexuality paragraph appears in the "human sexuality" portion of a larger . statement on "The Nurturing Community ." The proposed new statem,ent says "the present state of knowledge in the relevant disciplines does not provide a satisfactory basis upon which the church can responsibly maintain a specific prohibition of homosexua l practice . . . '1n doing so the church continues to affirm that God's grace is bestowed on all, and that the members of Christ's body are calied to be in ministry for and with one another, and to the world." The church is seeking "further understanding through continued prayer, study and pastoral experience," the statement says. The recommended changes, plus information for churchwide study, must be completed in time to present to the GCOM members when they meet Dec. 2-6 in Chicago. When the proposed change in the Social Principles was adopted during the committee's meeting here, one of the four persons voting against it resigned and walked out. James W. the church recognize gay and lesbian unions. ' Bishop George Hunt of Rhod e Island, chair of the panel, said the proposal stands firmly within the historic Episcopal tradition of leaving ordination decisions to local dioceses. Holsinger, Jr., chief medical officer for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, and a staunch supporter of the church's current position , told the committee he could not remain a member and support the committee's majority conclusion. Holsinger has consistently expressed dissatisfaction with the study committee, particularly at what he considered an imbalance of members favoring a more liberal stance on the issue. Members for the original committee were selected by the GCOM in 1988 from a list of nominees representing fields such as sociology, theology, psychiatry and biology. Other members came from the GCOM membership, Council of Bishops, and three persons at large to guarantee varying points of view'On the subject. In response to complaints that no openly gay man was included, the committee later added William M . Kent, a Jacksonville, Fla., attorney. At the request of committee members who voted during the meeting here with the majority on the Social Principles change, the four-member minority prepared its own recommended replacement, which may go to GCOM as a companion statement. It agrees with the majority statement that the church has no "common mind" about compatibility SEE METHODISTS, Page 20 THE SECOND STONE Travcl . Savoring French Canada in Montreal ,. By Cynthia Marquard and Danni Munson Contributing Writers Where can you take a European vacation without either the cost or . the jet lag? French Canada . Visit Montreal in the French Canadian Province of Quebec an<i you can experience foreign money (bu' not too foreign), try out your rusty French (without risk because 60 percent of the people speak English), and bask in all the charm of French culture, including French cuisine. And as an added incentfve to gay and lesbian vacationers, Montreal has one of the greatest gay /lesbian areas of any city and is very accepting of Gays. Canada is only the second nation in the world to have national legislation legalizing homosexuality. (The Netherlands was the first.) Montreal's Gay Village Along St. Catherine Street, festively lighted with glass globes (seven per light pole), lies The Village, Montreal's main gay area. ~,ost, but not all of the city's gay restaurants and bars are located here . In The Village, it's common to see gay men or Lesbians holding hands and walking unse l fconsciously down St. Catherine St., past the bookstores and shops. Dining for Days Montreal claims to have the highest number of restaurants per capita of any city in North America . That's easy to believe, because restaurants are everywhere. They range from intimate French restaurants to carry-out croissant places; from pizza parlors to fresh pasta ristorantes; from elegant dining rooms to simple store fronts; and, of course, Montreal also has the usual fast- food chains . Another nice touch about Montreal restaurants is that all menus and prices must . be posted outside so you know exactly what you are getting into before you go in . A number of the best small restaurants are almost exclusively gay or very gay friendly. We enjoyed ·an excellent French dinner at Chablis on St. Hubert St. for a very reasonable price. The specials of the day, including soup, salad, and dessert, ran about $14.95 in Canadian dollars. You can linger over a cheese or beef fondue at .Restaurant le Script at Wolfe and Rene Levesque streets. Many small bring-your-own-wine restaurants are located on Duluth St. in the lesbian area . And there is no corkage fee. Apres de Jour, a moderately priced and . exclusively gay restaurant, is also in this area. Needless to say, there are many fine straight restaurants, most located in a section called Old Montreal. For an outstanding Sunday bmnch, there is Les Pille du Roi (Daughters of the King) at 415 Bonsecours St. The food is magnificent, as is the setting--a stone house dating from the early 1700s originally built by a wealthy merchant. What once was the rear courtyard has been enclosed with glass and now serves as the bar and waiting area. There are several large and small dining rooms inside, each visited in ·turn by FrenchCanadian folk musicians and singers for the patrons' entertainment. Where to Stay The selection of accommodations for Gays and Lesbians is no less va:ied than the d·ining and night life. For women, there are three guesthouses . Lindsey's, a cozy, homey two-story place with three guestrooms, is loca\ed in the heart of Montreal's lesbian area. The largest guestroom. is in the basement and is more like a suite with private bath. The two guestrooms on the second floor share a bath richly decorated with tile, wood, and plants and dominated by a wood-and-glass enclosed bathing area that can best be described as a four-poster tub. Also near the lesbian area is the Montreal Women's B & B, with three guest rooms. On the far outskirts of town is La Douillette, with eight guestrooirr Two guesthotises cater to both gay men and lesbians. La Concier;;erie, convenient to The Village, is a Victorian building with 17 guestrooms (9 with private bath) attractively decorated in cool grays and pastels and furnished with platform beds. The public rooms have beautiful, intricate moldings. A roof garden affords a stunning view of. Montreal. La Chambier, on the edge of The Village, is somewhat plainer and less costly than the others . It has eight clean and simple rooms, two . with private bath, and a homey, vintage 1950s kitchen. Montreal also has some gay friendly hotels and guesthouses that represent outstanding value . In the heart of The Village is Le Saint-Andre Hotel, recently redecorated and within wafking distance of many men's bars and Bilitis II. Another small, gay- · friendly hotel is the Pierre, but furnishings and plumbing here could use some updating. On the other side of town is a jewel of a guesthouse, Auberve de la Fontaine , overlooking the city's large La Fontaine Park . Like a small European hotel, it has 13 rooms, all with private bath and all tastefully decorated with a sort of theme: a broad horizontal stripe on each wall with water-color pastels of little houses or flowers . Breakfast is served in a sunny room overlooking the park or on a small outdoor deck. There are ground-floor rooms specially outfitted for handicapped visitors and a second floor suite with a large private dec.k fronting on the park. Sightseeing A city tour is the.best way to get the lay of the · land, and in Montreal there is a gay tour operator-Le Tour du Village. The owner, Danny Beck, can meet visitors at the plane, show them where the gay or lesbian areas are located, and also provide a tour of the city. Montreal is especially noted for its Gothic churches. One of the most notable is Notre Dame, a large basilica with magnificent wood carvings, paintings, and stained glass. ·The high altar is surrounded by statuary and carved spires and pinn .acles that soar like those of a medieval castle. The church's 6,800- pipe organ is the larges\ in North America and frequently used for concerts. The most imposing church is St. Joseph 's Oratory, a domed stone structure on the side of Mount Royal. Visitors could easily spend a day in the are,i around the Olympic Stadium, built for the 1976 Summer Olympics . In this area is a Botanical Garden, amusement nark, and a planned insectarium 'and science museum. There is also plenty of opportunity for outdoor activities--and in all seasons . There are 50 miles of bike trails in and around · the city . In winter, these become cross-country ski trails. Downhill skiing is nearby in the Laurentian Mountains . A ,Side Trip to Quebec City It's easy to take a trip to Quebec, a ·May /June , 1991 □ three and a half hour ride by car or on a modem comfortable bus. The superhighway passes through flat pastoral countryside with, here and there, islands of birch, poplar, and evergreen trees. But as soon as you cross the St. Lawrence River, the landscape changes dramatically, becoming rocky and hilly as you near the fC'1thills of the Laurentians. Quebec is divided into two sectionsthe upper and lower town. The upper town is tl>e most pict.uresque. It consists mainly of the old walled city. The streets are narrow, lined with very old French -style buildings some with facades painted in brilliant green, red, or blue. Between Montreal and Quebec, one can have the closest thing approaching a European vacation that the North American continent has to offer. Cynthia A . Marquard is the owner/manager of Envoy Travel, Inc., in Chicago and vice-president of the International Gay Travel Assn. Danni Munson is the editor and publisher of The Lesbian and Gay Almanac and Events of 1991. P. 0 . Box 118 SL Bethlehem; NH 03574 (603) 869-3978 bglif~I Qe~ tht "othtr" place ur.dtr tht sun ... :i:: =-~~; w~cll •hol A cozy. JKllul •FrN coaliHltal brukfMl Write or call for brochure . 120 E. Atol St., P. 0. Box 2326 South Padre Island, Texas 78597 (S12)761-L YLE Air connections via American Conllnental Southwest Classifieds Books & Publications 'WONDERFUL DIVERSITY,' 'Heartily recommended,' 'Philosophical!y intriguing,' 'Excellent.' Why do reviewers highly esteem CHRISTIAN'NEW AGE QUARTERLY? Great articles and lively columns make this bridge of dialogue between Christians and New Agers as entertaining as it is substantive. Subscribe for only $12.50/yr. Or sample us for $3.50. CHRISTIAN'NEW AGE QUARTERLY; PO Box 276, Clifton, NJ 07011-0276. TF HOME BREWED MAGAZINE for homesteaders! Covering: small stock, bees, health and much, much more ... Free information for a stamp! Farming Uncle, 2917 Grand Coll(X)Urse, #CNG82, Bronx, NY 10468 6191 OWN YOUR OWN LIFE.. Join the fastest growing corporation in Americas it launches its international expansion. Call Freedom Unlimited International (415)773-8133 for 24 hour message. 8/91 ARE YOU MOVING? The Post Office will not forward The Secono Stone. You rrust notify us for uninterrupted service if you move. Please notify us four weeks in advance for umnterrupted delivery . Send both old and new addresses. If possible attach mailing label in space provided. PRINT NEW ADDRESS !!J "Q ~c. z ~ ~ 3 ~ (D Send completed form to: THE SECOND STONE Box8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 Friends/Relationships SINCERE, GAY PRESBYTERIAN organist seeks dedicated Christian life partner. Please write to: David, 614 - 25 Street, West, Bradenton, FL 34205 and include pholo. Will respond. 6/91. HEY DUDE! Are you athletic, 110-175 pounds, like to have fun and between the ages of 19-36 years old? If you're tired of the bar scene and . want to settle down man to man then maybe you are the guy I'm looking for. I'm a white male, 150 pounds, slim, brown hair, 6 feet tall. I'm considered handsome and I don't smoke. Whether you're black or white if you want to METHODISTS, From Page 1s of homosexuality with Christian teaching, but maintains the present statement condemning the practice. Insufficient scholarly evidence is not a basis for changing the policy, the minority report says. The Rev. J. Philip Wogaman, ethics profe&sor at Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, lead writer for the majority proposal, told the committee the proposed change is meant as a compromise and is unlikely to please those on either side of the issue. "For further movement in the church on this issue we need to give and take on both sides," he said. Bishop Richard Looney, Macon, Ga., the committee's newest member, who supported the minority report, criticized compromise on an issue he described as "divisive" and "clearly defined." The committee received a working paper on the historic position of Scripture and tradition, prepared and presented by the Rev . David A. Seamands, a faculty member at Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, Kentucky. know more then SE!nd your photo, letter and a phone number ii possible to G. Lance Rine, 508 South Ninth, Independence, KS 67301. All serious letters answered. 6/91. ARE YOU A GAY CHRISTIAN with a social conscience? Are you out or is your closet door wide-open? Then you probably have even more in common with this passionate, well-educated, advenl\rous, and handsome man. I know you'd need a photo but I'm 35, 5'10', weigh 160, have blond hair and green eyes. And you? Have you, too, been !)oping and praying for a soulmate? WeU, ask God if the fella' that wrote this could He maintains that, based on "cle<1r <1nd heterosexual" references throughout the · Bible, Scripture clearly condemns homosexuality . New and Old Testament passages set the sexual standards for ancient times and for today, with ''.no question about what acceptable moral standards were in Jesus' day," Seamands said. · Committee member Kent questioned application of those sexual standards in modem times: · Seamands' paper parallels one written earlier for the committee by the Rev. Victor P . Furnish, New Testament professor at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Furnish stated that "biblical interpreters have come to different conclusions" about scriptural passages related to homosexuality. Consistent with the current Social Principles, the committee is expected to recommend that churches be communities of support and accountablity for gay and lesbian persons and advocates for their civil rights . In addition to recommended changes in the Book of Discipline, the □ be the one, then write to: Nationwide Search, PO Box 16013, Minneapolis, MN 55416. 8/91. Professional Services PSYCHOSPIRITUAL THERAPY to rediscover your unique mind/body/spirit connection. Explore attitudes toward living and dying. Reconcile experiences of significant life events - coming out - growing up - hanging in, - moving on. Godspace: a ministry of reconciliation and healing. (New Orleans) 891-9879. Rev. Deame Beverly Aime. 8191. committee plans to recommend a churchwide study with materials that reflect consensus and differences on homosexuality from the standpoints of science, ethics, theology and Scripture. · During the meeting here, Yamasaki announced the resignations of two committee members: the Rev. Stanley Hauerwas, Durham, N.C., because of professional commitments, and the Rev. James C. Logan, Washington, because of illness. The next meeting of the committee is scheduled for August .22-23. The location has not been set. Get To S.F. Gay Pride Celebration For Less Orion Travel Consultants, a full service, lesbian/ gay owned and operated travel agency in San Francisco has announced discounted air fares (for travel from June 22 to July 7) and accommodations for the annual Lesbian/Gay Pride Celebration. Call 1-800-552-3326 for information. Classified Order Form Please place my ad in these ,ssues : [ l Jan/Feb [ l Mar/Apr [] May/Jun [ J Jul/Aug FOR ONLY 35 CENTS PER WORD, your ad can appear in the next edition of SECOND STONE. Take advantage of our low cost (but high profile) classified section by placing your advertising order today! Mail To: THE SECOND STONE P.O.Box8340 New Orleans, IA 70162 Name ___________ --'- Address __________ _ City/St./Zip, ________ _ AD COPY _______ _ -------------------- __ words X .35= $, _ _.:. ___ _ 20 word minimum. All classifieds m.ust be pre-paid. Deadline one month prior to cover date . We will mail you a copy of the edition(s) in which your ad appears . May/June, 1991 . [ J Sept/Oct [ J Nov/Dec CLASSIFICATIONS I l Books & Publications [ l Business Opportunities [ l Employment [ l Friends/Relationships [ l General Interest [ l Mail Order [ ) Merchandise [ l Organizations [ l Professional Services [ l Real Estate [ l Retreats [ ) Roommates [ ]Travel Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone #16 - May/June 1991 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/971ce853d81780e5fded4a0ca1c2532b.pdf 63ac9ecbb74ab2f3ce2c7b7f4f1d8ca2 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone Description An account of the resource Issues of the Second Stone publication. Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 17 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1991 Publication Date The date the issue was published July/Aug 1991 Text Any textual data included in the document I THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER FOR GAY AND LESBIAN CHRISTIANS $2.25 I J U L Y / A U G U S T, 1 9 9 1 9500 Read ers Across The USA ISSUE #171 FAREWELL, SYLVIA Friends mourn loss of popular evangelist, author By Jim Bailey Editor For many gay and lesbian Christians, Rev . Sylvia Pennington stood at the end of a spiritual maze. Through her books and mo r e than 25 years of traveling throughout the United States and Canada, she brought the first words of affirm~tion to thou sands. Rev . Pennington d i ed on April 13 at ·the Granada Hills Community · Hospital in California . Pennington, who wa s director of th e Lambda Christian Fellowship in Hawthorne , California, was a popular author and evang elist. She sometimes de s cribed herself as a "born - again Christian SEE COVER STORY, Page 9 OUR 'SHOAH' m FAMILIES: Mother, I have some- Im Inspiration from the diary thing to tell you. of a young Jewish woman By Rev. Sylvia Pennington By Chris Glaser I Episcopal Bishop ordains lesbian pastor The Episcopal Bishop of Washington ordained a 44 year old lesbian on June 5, Southern Voice reported in its June 20 edition. Bishop Ronald H. Haines said that he ordaine d Elizabeth Carl after m uch "soul seaching," and that wh ile "sexual relations outside of marriage troubles -me greatly," Carl has "for a number of years openly lived in a loving and intimate relationship with another woman." The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Most Re v. Edmond L. Browning, was said to be "surprised and upset." Cat ho li c bishops say 'no ' to dom esti c p artn er law Massachusetts' four Catholic b ishops ha_ve taken a stand against allowing gay and lesbian couples to be considered families so they could collect insurance bene fits and other privileges in the same way as married partners. "The extens ion of the title 'family' to gay and lesb ian couples, and the granting of economic privileges to 'domestic partners' on an equal plane with true families must be opposed and rejecte d as undermining the family in our society today," the bishops said in an 11-page statement delivered to state lawmakers. An ordinance called the Family Protection Act will soon be under consideration in Boston. The ordinance will extend certain benefits to residents ' unmarried domestic partners. -Bay Windows Presbyterians reject task force report The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) re jected a 200-page report that recommended ordaini ng Gays and Lesbians and condoned sexual relationships outside marriage. After the vote, several hundred supporters of the original report marched silently through the meeting hall. The General Assembly also called on congregations to continue to study sexual ethics issues. -Southern Voice SUBSCRIBE TODAY! ONE YEAR ONLY $13.00! BOX 8340 • NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 I u~u~~:!~E PA ID NEW ORLEANS, LA PERMIT No. 511 ~~~~============~ Letters Manassas, Virginia Keep An Eye On Reconstructionists Dear Second Stone, I was very pleased to sec the front page article in the May/June, 1991, issue regarding the rcconstructionist movement in the United States. I left the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Virginia, located in Manassas, Virginia, in 1985 when I found that my growing acceptance of my sexual orientation conflicted with that particular church's strengthening embrace of the reconstructionist movement. At the time of my departure, I felt that the movement bore watching. From the information in your article, I sec that the movement has grown in membership, but I am also pleased to sec someone paying attention to it and giving the movement's extreme agenda publication . Hopefully, with the knowledge of its existence and its agenda being made public, its continual spread can 1x, countC'red or, at the very least, restrain ed. As background information , in the fall of 1985, the Reformed Presbyterian Church, having recently severed tics with the Presbyterian Churc h in America (partially due to its perception that the PCA was becoming too liberal) , hosted a reconstructionist conference for several churches on the cast coast. Speakers and participants included John Whitehead and the pastor of the Chalccdon Presbyterian Church of Georgia. Some of the Reformed Presbyterian Church's leaders also worked in 1984 and 1985 to write and publish a magazine entitled America Today, utilizing the adjoining facilities and staff of the Reformation Educational Foundation publishing company. Fortunately, this right-wing rcconstructionist magazine, officially published by Faith Baptist Church of Louisville, Nebraska, in cooperation with Everett Silevcn Ministries, failed to capture the audience it sought at that time and stopped publicatum after four issues. (As far as I know, REF is still actively printing books, newspapers, newsletters, and magazines for other anti-abortion , reformation and reconstructionist related organizations.) From what I lea rncd of the reconstructionist movement while a member of that church, and from the short-lived magazine it helped publish, the information in your article about the current status, agenda, and proposals of the movcmen t is not exaggerated. The B movement has progressed as it s leaders and members had hoped it wou ld in the mid-1980's. The movement merits continued scrutiny · an_d ___ its a·genda needs to be made known to those who would oppose it. Sincerely yours, James R. Amaral San Clemente, California No Place For New Age In Second Stone Dear Second Stone, Please stop painting a prett y picture of New Age. It mak es us gay Christians look like waterl;d-down, wishy-washy types of Christians. If 1 was into New Age I would subscr ibe to a New Agt' publication . I have Second Stone sent lo my pastor , trying to show him that gay Christ ians arc out there - to give him a positive side. Some of my gay Christian friends won ' t subscribe because they feel only weak Christians mi x New Age w ith Jesus Christ. This is a Christian newspaper. Please let New Age people ha ve their own. Let's not turn the truth into a lie. Thank you, Todd Las Vega~ Evangelicals Often Feel Out Of Place In UFMCC Dear Second Stone, Recently, l read your cover story in a back issue about "Too Much New Age in MCC?" I have been a member o f MCC-Las Vegas for o ver eight years and have grown to love the denomination. True it ha s some great points, but I have to agree wi th the petition th a t is being circulated, although it hasn't been to Vegas. I belong to a network of Evangelical MCCcrs that has been recently formed to help influence our churches into Biblical Christian teaching. It is affiliated with the Evangelical Network out of Phoenix, Arizona. Biblical evange licals often feel out of place and alone in MCC. There arc untold numbers of eva ngelical men and women who have aligned themselves wi th MCC churches. It was in a Metropolitan Community Church that I finally came into the realization that l could be both Christian and gay. I had finally found a church home . Many of us in the Fellow s hip have come to the point of yearning to re turn to our evangelical root s. I am disturbed to sec some of my . evangelical brothers and sisters in MCC caught up in unscriptui-al beliefs. Some have abandoned their previously held evangelical beliefs in favor or accepting beliefs that they had previously considered non-biblical. I have even thought of leaving MCC, but I love the church and the Fellowship. l am determined to stay in MCC and work for needed changes. My prayer and desire is that the denomination will eventually turn around from the direction it seems to be now headed. I long for the da y when theological liberalism and New Age beliefs will find no room in In This Issue FEATURES □ the Fellowship. Until that da y l will continue to make my voice heard. Sincerely , Tracey E. Brown Readers who are interested in the network for evangelical MCCers may write to NEM, c/o TEN, P.O. Box 16104, Phoenix, AZ 85011. We welcome you to share your views, opinions, feelings and experiences with our readers. Send letters to: LETTERS, Second Stone, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 . All letters must be original and signed by the writer. Clearly indicate if your name is to be withheld. We reserve the right to edit. □ TRIBUTE TO SYLVIA PENNINGTON Page 9 . FROM SHOAH TO SHOAH Page 10 COLUMNS COMMENTARY Page3 FAMILIES Page 13 'TRAVEL Page 19 DEPARTMENTS LETTERS Page2 NEWS BRIEFS Page4 CHURCH & ORGANIZATION NEWS Page 11 CALENDAR Page 12 BOOKS Page16 CLASSIFIEDS Page 20 SECOND STONE i. Commentary □ The gay and lesbian revolution W~at's wrong with not being angry? By Jeff Chemin Contrib uting Writer R ega rdles s of thl' penchant for gay and lesbian act ivist s to be inc reasingly angry and confron tive, I sus pe c t that a large num be r of Gays and Lesbians would lik e to sec a rpovcn-1 c nt tow cird 111ore pt'nccful change. Our anger is justified. Most of u s ha ve lost friends , lol'crs, or both - sometimes 1.vith rcnl iden titi es hidden even after de a th. Most of us have been denied our basic rights. Most of u s ha ve been rejected by what we hold most dear; our families, our religion , and our friends. We also know of closet ed pe<Jplc in positions of power who still refuse to come out. Becaus e of our a ng er, we bash back, out people, and act confro ntivc in nois y demonstr at ions. No matter which ta ct ics arc used , the overall agenda of equality in housing, jobs , and th<' militMy and to be treated fairly in fam ily life, etc. , arc admirable and rational goals. But what exactly are we trying to be ISSN No. 1047-3971 SECOND STONE Newspaper is published every other month by Bailey Communications, P. 0 . Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Copyright 1991 by Second Stone, a registered trademark. SUIISCRIPTIONS, U.S.A. $13.00 per year, six issues. Forcib'Tl subscribers add $10.00 for postage. All payments U.S. currency only. ADVERTISl!\'.G, For display advertising informalion call (504)899-4014 or write to: Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. EDITORIAL, send letters , calendar announcements, apd church/org• anizatiory news lo (Dcparlmcnt lillc) Second Stone , P. 0. Box 8340, New Orlcans, LA 70182. MarmscripLs to be rcrumcd should be accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope. SECOND STONE. an ecumenical Christian news paper committed to informi n g the gay and lesb ian communi1y. PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Jim Bailey CONTRIBUTORS FOR IBIS ISSUE: Rev. Sylvia Pennington Michael Blankenship Jeff Chemin Cynthia Marquard Danni Muns o n a pa rt of? Where the -women's nnd b lack mo ve me nts ha ve thus for failed - and ilrl ' bc'ginning to sec th ei r failure - is that they have been trying to be part of a h ctero centric, whi tc-ma le domin;i tcd system. Acco rd ing to Anne' Wilsc,n Schacf in Women ·s Realit y, "Those' pc•rsons who buy into the syste m tlw most ,ind wo rk th e hardest to become shining Where the women's and black movements have thus far failed - and are beginning to see their failure - is that they have been trying to be part of a heterocen tric, white-male dominated system. Not one iota of angry rhetoric has changed one mind regarding our rights; long-lasting attitudinal change is caused by being true to ourselves and thus changing the way others see us. examples of what it means tend to drop dead ahead of their time from heart attacks ... and other physical effects of unrelenting te nsion and stress. " The pres e nt system has thus far also created an educational, familial , and hence soc iet al downfall in addition to th e near decimation of th e ec o sysfcm. Reg a rdin g the military, for exa mple, do we - as Gays and Lesbians - want ti, be included in SEE COMMENT ARY, Page 15 Subscribe Today. And You'll Never Be Without A Friend For Your Journey. Join thousands of lesbians and gay men who've embarked on an inward journey. Through the pages of The Second Stone, an · ecumenical Christian newsmagazine, you 'll be challenged, inspired, angered and encouraged. Meet brave - men and women who are confronting social injustice and religious bigotry. Explore family and relationship issues. Enjoy our engaging features and columns, newsbrief s and book reviews. Our national calendar puts you in touch with life-changing retreats, community- building conferences, and the nicest people you'll ever meet! The Second Stone will inspire you, keep you informed, and put you in touch. ···YES , ..... N~.:.: .. · .. · .. :.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.: . .-.. :.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.: .. :.:.:.:.:.: Begin my subscription to Address ................................................................. . {~~~~~,~.~~~! t:$13.oo City, Stare & Zip ............................................... . ~ : ~;;::·~\~!-~s:::.~or::~~~!o = ~~::-~"!:r,o.~=J=~~ra..":!;':.,6:"'ol~ fr.l Mail To: SECOND STONE, Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 THANK YOU for your subscription! July / Augu .st, 1991 II Newsbriefs Fundamentalists Boycott Advertisers Donald Wildmon's American Family Association has launched a national boycott campaign against what it calls the "top sponsors of prohomose xua l programs" on TV. ·111 Wildmon's v iew, any program that presents Gays and Lesbians as "normal" is "promoting homosexuality." The AFA is calling for boycotts against S.C. Johnson and Pfizer, Inc. The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation urges letters of support be written to Chairman Samuel C. Johnson, S.C. Johnson & Sons, Inc., 1525 Howe St., Racine , WI 53403, FAX (414)631-2133, and to Chairman Edmund T. Pratt, Jr., Pfizer, Inc., 235 East 42nd St., New York, NY 10017. -Out Front Gay/Lesbian Group Makes Bid For U.N. Recognition NEW YORK CITY - For the first time in the history of the United Nations, gay and lesbian international activ _ists have lobbied for official recognition and inclus ion in the U.N. But officials with the Internati ona l Lesbian and Gay Association, which submitted the application for recognition last year and testifi ed at the U.N., say their bid for recognition has been postponed until 1993 by delegates who were unable to reach an agreement. ILGA, which represents gay and lesbian groups throughout the world, is seeking consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the U.N ., which oversees, among other things, human rights issues . Consultative status means ILGA would be able to intervene in human rights issues at the U.N . "We're very pleased at the amount of support we received from African, European and Latin American delegates, particularly unsolicited and highly positive comments by Ethopia," said Lisa Power , ILGA secretary general. "We 're disappointed we did not get in, but not surprised. The deferral was due to religious beliefs and was no reflection on our suitability - we arc clearly eligible and have much to offer the U .N." For information on ILGA contact the A Presbyterian Promise "We will work to increase the acceptance and participation in the church of all persons regardless of racial-ethnic origins, sex, class, age, disability, marital status or sexual orientation" - 195t~ General Assemblf (1983), Atlanta, Georgia · If this is your promise, too, we invite you to join Presbyterians _.for Lesbian/Gay Concerns Write to Elder James D. Anderson PLGC, P.O. Box 38, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0038, 201/846-1510 National Gay and Lesbian Task Force at 1734 14th St., NW, Washington, DC 20009, (202)332-6483. Report Calls Pentamidine Profit "Making A Killing" Gross overcharges for a crucial AIDS drug called "pcntamidinc" and a needed therap y called "home infusion" are imp ove rishing some AIDS patients or depriving them of life-extending treat ment , according to a major investigative report by the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs. Referring to the report, "Making A Killing On AIDS: Home Health _Care and Pcntamidine," Commissioner Mark Green said, "AIDS patients may face the Hobbcs1an choice of either being driven to the poor house or denied treatment because companies whi _ch provide home care and the crucial anti-pneumonia drug pentamidinc arc putting profits before lives. Why should pci1- tamidinc cost a New Yorker with AIDS 400 to 1200 percent more than a French person with AIDS?" Pentamidine is second only to AZT as a prescribed drug for people with AIDS or those who arc HIV positive. Green urged people with AIDS to contact People With AIDS Health Group in order to learn how to import far cheaper pentamidine from Europe. Beer Thrower Gets Time In Gay/ Lesbian Office Manhattan Criminal Court sentenced Michael Burke to a week of duty in the Mayor's Office for the · Lesbian and _ Gay Community. Burke had thrown a can of beer at New York Mayor David Dinkins as the mayor marched with Irish Gays and Lesbians during the St. Patrick 's Day Parade. Philip Morris Co. Moves To End Boycott Responding to a boycott by the gay and lesbian community of Marboro cigarettes and Miller beer, consumer product giant Philip Morris announced that it will increase its charitable contributions to AIDS research and services. The boycott, initiated about a year ago by ACT UP was a response to Philip Morris' financial backing of Sen. Jesse Helms. II SECOND STONE □ In exchange for end ing the boycott, ACT UP / DC and the Human Rights Campaign Fund won a pledge from Philip Morris to strengthen its commitment to fighting the AIDS epidemic. Michael Pctrclis of ACT UP /DC called on ACT UP's local chapters and Gays, Lesbians, AIDS activists, their supporters and all fair-minded people to end the boycott, but bcca use of Philip Morris' refusal to end all contributions to Helms, some groups may continue to boycott. -Southern Voice Aryan Nations Will Work Within Political System The anti-black, anti-gay Aryan Nations, which normally works as an in-the-shadows , hi I-and-run type group, will begin running candidates for town , city and county councils. Washington state Aryan Nations spokesperson Justin Dwyer said that chapters throughout the Northwest will field political candidates and even volunteer on community fire departments. "This is an ongoing fight for awareness and survival of our white race," Dwyer said. "lt's time th e white man finds our destiny. Nonwhite are not in our plan. They're in the way." The Aryan Nation has also applied for membership with the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment, a regional anti-hate organization. Northwest Coalition director Bill Wassmuth said they have .received the Aryan's applicaton, but it will not be accepted. -Seattle Gay News Queer Nation/ Athens Just In Time Gay men and Lesbians in Athens, Georgia, have formed a Queer Nation chapter. The first of two projects for the group is the"Relig ious Right Watch," a newsletter from the Christian Coalition at the University of Georgia. The coalition is trying to shut down the lesbian/gay/bisexual support group at the university. The second problem is University chemistry professor Dr. Henry Schaeffer, who has recently published editorials in The Red & Black, a student newspaper, condemning homosexuality and calling for a "Just Say No" campaign to stop Queers in Athens . Newsbriefs Dignity/USA Challenges NAB Translations Dignity/USA has challenged on both scriptural and pastoral grounds the new translation of 1 Corinthians 6,9 and l Timothy 1,10 as they currently appear in the new edition of the New American Bible. The NAB editors translated 1 Cor., 6,9 as "Do. you not know that the unjust will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolators nor adulterers nor boy prostitutes nor practicing homosexuals... will inherit the Kingdom of God." The term "practicing homosexuals" is also used in a· similar series of evildoers in 1 Tim ., 1,10. In a report that was recently submitted to respective Bishops' committees that oversee the publication of the NAB and the lectionary based on jt, Dignity's Scripture/Lectionary Ta.sk Force cited several Biblical scholars that have addressed these passages and concluded that the pass<1ges did not refer to persons with a homosexual orientation. The Task Force further emphasized that these passages as they currently stand arc pastorally harmful and could provoke violence against Lesbians and Gays from individuals who use the Bible as a defense for violence or prejudicial behavior. The oDignity Task Force offered alternatives for the phrase "practicing homosexuals." They suggest "the morally infamous" or "ethically infamous"; for "boy prostitutes" they recommend "morally loose" or "ethically soft." The Bishops Lectionary Subcommittee is current ly giving consideration to the findings contained in Dignity's report. Florida Amends Hate Crimes Law To Include Gay Men And Lesbians TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - After extensive grassroots lobbying, the Florida Legislature enacted a bill amending its law to define hate crimes as criminal offenses evidenced by prejudice based on the race, color ancestry , ethnicity, religion , sexual orientation or national or igin of the victim. Florida's law is the stongcst in the nation, according to civil rights lawyer Rand Hoch, a member of the Board of Directors of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and President of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, Inc. 'The. new law not only requires law enforcement agenices to maintain statistics, but also provides for 'enhanced' crimina l pcna litc.s for persons convicted of hate crimes. For example a person convicted of a first degree misdemeanor would be punished as if it were a third degree felony," Hoch exp lained. "Under the civil provisions of the law, victims may seek injunctions, recover triple damages, and be reimbursed for their attorney's fees." Soon after the law passed, hundreds of. North Florida eonscrva tivcs Gay Credit Card A Hot Item The Dallas Gay Alliance Credit Union is swamped with applications for the world's first gay credit card. No fewer than 3500 requests have poured into the group's office. DGA'.s MasterCard is an ordinary credit card with the added advantages of no annual fee and a relatively low 14 percent interest rate. The card reads "Dallas Gay Alliance Credit Union" across the top in large purple letters . For information write to P .O. Box 190712, Dallas, TX 75219. -Outlines □ rescind the policy. "The letter dismisses the opinion of the lawmakers and arrogant ly states the po licy is here to stay," said Tim Drake, director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Military Freedom Initiative. Captain T. D. Keating, Director of Legal Policy Requirement and Resources, USN, said, "We do not plan to re.assess the Department's policy on homosexuality." NGRA Folds telephoned the office of Democratic Pentagon Stonewalls Governor Lawton Chiles .urging hiin . Anti-gay Military to veto the bill. However, thc. The National Gay Rights Advocates, a San Francisco-based public interest law firm has closed its doors. The 14-year-old organization had seen its revenues fall from $1.5 million in 1989 to under $500,000 this year. Governor's office called Hoch to p I" o icy assure. him that Chiles would sign · the legislation the day it reached his desk. Florida is the 14th state to have enacted hate crimes laws includii1g "sexual orientation." The Florida law becomes effective on Ociobcr 1, . 1991. Notre Dame Bans Gay Ads Notre Dame University _ Vice President for Student Affairs Patricia O'Hara blackmailed the student newspaper, The Observer, into banning ads from Gays and Lesbians of Notre Dame by threatening to kick the newspaper out of its rent-free campus office, the gay group says . Observer editor Alison Cocks denounced the administration's tactics in an editorial. -Baltimore Alternative NEA Chairman Defends Funding Of Gay Film Festival John Frohnmaycr, chairman of the Nationa _l Endowment for the Arts, issued a strongly worded letter to Congress in April defending a recent NEA grant made to support a gay and lesbian film festival and accused a noted right-wing activist of wanting to ban federal funds from going to homosexuals. The NEA chair was responding to an April 17 letter to Congress from Donald Wildmon, president of the right-wing American Family Association, which took the endowment to task for funding the festival. -Out WASHINGTON , D.C. - Activists arc PATLAR -. blasting as "arrogant" and "ignorant" a Pentagon letter to members of V0tCE OF GAV AMEAfCA Congress and other statements that MONTHl V NEWSMAGAZINE indicate the military is as FREE AT OUR OISTRl8UTION POINTS entrenched as ever in defending its SUBSCRIPTIONS S3S ANNUALL V discriminatory policy. The Pentagon SAMPl,E(i46P~~,~~ USA $4 memo is in response to a letter from 40 FOR INFO 00 ADVERTISING members of Congress to President · PO~~ i~~l!~ij1}fNT~2 g~22 Bush urging the White House to dignitv,usa an oraa,,imtwn for 9ay ana r,_,r,;,,,, Catfwlics, tkir famifus ana frinuls. .J L- Dignity /USA has ministered to gay and lesbian Catholics, their families and friends for over 20 years. r We have over 4,000 members ., in 80 chapters across the country. If you'd like to support our ministry, please join Dignity_/USA today by completing the fimn below and enclosing your $40.00 check payable to Dignity, Inc. to: Dignity/USA, 1500 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Suite 11, Washington, DC 20005. Telephone: 1-800-877-8797 □ YES, I would hl<e to S<Jpporl the work of Clq,lt"9fl8] Enclosed is niy $40.00 check for membership. I '· Name Address Ctty State ZIP ___ July/ August, 1991 II Newsbriefs Denver Voters Uphold Gay Rights Denver voter s decided by a 55 to 45 percent margin to retain civil rights protection for Gays and Lesbian s in the city's compre hen sive hum an rights ordinance. The defeat of th e attempt t o repeal the gay right s statute make s Denver the first major U.S. city to uphold such an ordin ance since Seattle voters decided a s imilar mcasuhi in 1975. Despite help from national anti-gay organizations such as Rev. Lou Sheldon's Coa Ii lion for Traditional Values from Southern California, the repeal campaig n never really caught the attention of Denver voters . -Out Front Survey Says Most Americans Are Pro-Gay A ne w survey commissioned by the Human Rights Campaign Fund, America's largest gay rights organization, has found that Americans overwhelmingly support equal rights for gay men and Lesbian s. T h e poll, condu cted by New York's Penn & Schoen Associate s, questioned 800 randoml y selected Americ a ns and has an error margin of 3 1 / 2 percent. Perhaps the most un expecte d finding was that 8 1 per ce nt of Americans o ppose the mi lit ary's policy of discharging a ll so ldiers discover ed to be gay or lesbian. A second significant finding of the survey was that 80 perc ent of Americans believe "ho m osex uals should ha ve equal rights for jobs." The figur e was up from 56 perce nt in 1977 and 71 pe rcent in 1989, when similar questions were asked by Gallup pollsters. -Out Gay Students Can't Join Christian Group Two University of Minnesota s tudents have filed a discriminati on complaint against a campus g roup for refusing to allo w them to join. Ben Dykes and )age Miller asked to join Maranatha Christian Fellowship but were told by Jonathan Bislew that National Coming Out Day Salutes You! tffl MAJOR DONOllS {to <Ulte)- 'IM Advoc:a1t,. O...twttk. Frontiono - s...u.d Stor,., • Our Wood· Gay Mtn'J Hnllh Crit,LII (N.Y.). Ambush (N-'Orl eans) • All Courant ( Millade!phi•l • C.y & Labian Allianc-. of ~lawa~ · ~ Locttt t.MCS---lo)·Metroline(H..-tfoni)-Oul Pron! (Dmver)• lalar,d W.tyie5 (HCIIIOluh,)- Equal Tunt: o,..{uuaapolis) · lMbbn New. (LA..)- La-.-.ndaNetwmt (!upne) • Cay Pcopk'sOuttdde ~ • (N .Y.) -Gayba.t ~ti)· Moen. C.- What! (Sacn.Jnmto) - New Voice (Omaha). Hot>ey Wvd - ln St,ep (Mllw1UMe) - Snttl~ Cay News - Our OwnCocNnunity~(Norfolk)-Upd.lte(SllnDl~)-Mic'-1' 1Thing(N.Y .) • MorpnR.Pinne}'Tru$1 -M.a«:usfol,N • New Yort Native. Mich»!.~- RCIKt>OIW(LA.) - TOUI W1bon ttttKEROES- (iod.1111t)-funlloucha UJ1• 1dentity, b>c.{Ar,chcnge)- C..yat>dt..blanSen-icsolKansu(Univ . ol .... ,_ 0 • Bea MAJOR DONOR Contribute $1000 or more-and lend your name to this ad •Bea HERO Contribute $500 or more and lend your name to t his ad • Be a SPONSOR Contribute S100 or more and lend your name to this ad •Bea FRIEND • Contribute 525 or more • Let us know your plans for Coming Out Day '91 • Wear the National Coming Out Day Shirt - I Keith Haring Design Shown Above) T-Shirt $16, Tank $15, Sweatshirt $30 Plus $3 Shipping/handling VISA and MC Accepted. National Coming Out Day Headquarters PO Box 8349, Santa Fe NM 87504/505-982-2558 or 1-800-445-NCOD Gays we re n o t a !lowed. Th e University bars discrimin ation on the basi s of sexual orientation. -Equal Time Gay Charity Among Top 100 According to Money Magazine, a gay charity has broken into the top one hundr ed U.S. chariti es. The Gay Men 's Hea lth Crisis is ranked 94th with a 1990 income of $14,310,000. The report also indicates the GMHC spent 64 percent on pro g rams with 16 per cent being used for fundraising cos ts and eight percent to adm in istration. At the top of the list we re organizations like the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities, Lutheran Social M in istry and YMCA, a ll of which take in more than a billion dollars a year. Th e magazine also reported that the American Foundati o n for AIDS Research (A mFAR ) to o k in $13, 12 7,000. They report that AmFAR s pent 84 percent on programs with ten percent spent on fundraising and six percent on adminstation. -Cruise Activists Call For Action On U.S . Immigration Policy WASHINGTON, D.C. - Ga y and lesbian activists have issued an urgent call for action against recently reported government p lans to keep HIV and AIDS on the li st of immigration restrictions. According to the re ports, the U.S. intends to continue excluding people with AIDS and HI V from im migrating int o and visitin g the country. The government has indicated it w ill continue the policy for a t least 60 day s so that "ongoing public debate" on the con tro versial law may occur. "An extens ion of the policy for two mo nths to accommodate o ngoing 'debate a nd discuss ion' maintai n s a stat us quo that is inexcusable, " said Urvashi Va id, Nationa l Gay and Lesbian Task Force executi ve director. "President Bush continues to demonstrate politica l cowardice and abdicate lead ership on AIDS." Louis Sullivan, Department of H ea lth and Human Services ch ief, h as indi cated he supports ·removing HIV a n d AIDS from the list of immi gra tion exclusions. However, th e gove rnment h as received a reported 40,000 lett ers opposed to rem ov ing HtV / A IDS from the list, and less than lO(X) suppo rt ing it. II SEC O ND STONE □ The Task Force ur ges suppo rter s to write Charles McCance, D ire ctor, Division of Quarantin e, Center for Prevention Servic es, Cente rs for Disease Control, Mai l Stop E-04, Atlanta, GA 30333; Presid ent George Bush , The White House, 1600 Pennsy lvania Ave., NW , Wash ington, DC 20500, (202)456- 141 4; Attorney General Dick Thornburgh, Department of Justice, 10th St. and Constitution Ave. , NW, Washington, DC 20530, (202)514-2001; and Louis Sullivan , Departm e nt of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Ave., SW, Washingt on, DC 20201, (202)245-7000. Gays and Lesbians Make History at FBI WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a move viewed with a combination of pride and irony, representatives from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force were invited to participat e in a press confer e nce held by the Federal Bure au of In ves tiga ti o n. -rhc event marked the first time openly gay an" lesbian activists had ever bceT\ invited to an official FBI function. The press conferenc e was called to annou n ce the Bureau's progress in gathering hate crimes da ta under the Federal Hate Crim es Statistics Act. Guide To Resources For Gay Couples Gay and lesbian couples looking for a couples support g roup , l ega I information, or a way to wi n domestic partnership benefits might start with a free list of resources ava ilable from Partners Newsletter For Gay & Lesbian Couples. Th e annotat ed directory, "Resou r ces for Ga y & Lesbian Couple s," is avai lable in a newly-expanded cdi tion that lists two dozen social, political and support organizations and more than 70 books, tapes and films . To recei ve a copy, send a self-addressed, stamped bu siness-si ze envelope to Partners resour ces , Box 9685, Seattle, WA 98109. Partners, a 16-pagc bimonthly, conta in s int crvipws, news and fea tur es. Acco rd in g to publishers Stevie Bryant and Demian, "Partners s upports our d iverse community with timely informati on and ideas, and is a reso urce and forum support in g committed same-se x relationships." The new s let te r's mailin g list is never so ld or traded. Availa ble by subsc ription , the publication costs $21 per year; $3 for a samp le issu e. Nen·sbrief s "Let Sharon Kowalski Come Home" Hotline Established WASHINGTON, D.C - A national hotline has been established by a coalition of organizations to pressure Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson to intervene on behalf of Sharon Kowalski. Each call to the 800 number will generate « letter to Governor Carlson , demonstrating the level of national outrage surrounding this cas e and the recent decision denying guardianship of Kowalski to her partner, Karen Thompson . The April 24 dedsion by judge Robert Campbell denying Karen Thompson guardianship of Kowalski has spurred outrage from lesbian and gay and disability right s activists. Despite overwhelming testimony by medical professionals that Kowal ski's int erests would be best served b y moving her home to St. Cloud to live with Thompson, Campbell awarded guardianship to a "neutral third party , " Karen Tomberlin , a friend of the Kowalski family . In response to the court's decision, Thompson's attorney has initiated the appeal process . Concerned individuals arc urged to call the hotline at 1-8 00-325-6000 , I.D. #9860, and send a h ardhitting message. The charge for each ca II is $6.25, a portion of which goes .to the Karen Thompson Legal Fund. Episcopal Dean Ready To Marry Gay Couples The Dean of an Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle says he's ready to offer the sacrament of marriage and bless gay and lesbian couples living in what he calls "monogamous, faithful, holy and life-giving relationships ." Although the Episcopal Church has not authorized ceremonies for same-sex couples, the Rt . Rev . Vincent Warner predicted the topic would be on the agenda of this summer's church-wide meeting . Gay Pride Celebration Included March To Navy Base NORFOLK, VA. - The Hampton Roads Gay Pride Weekend took a political tone this year as participants ralli ed in support of gay men and women in the military . A march to the Norfolk Naval Base □ was planned to deliver a letter urging an end to the ban on Lesbians and Gays serving in the armed forces . Miriam Ben-Shalom, a former Army reservist who was discharged after disclosing that she was a le sbian, was scheduled to speak at the rall y. No 'Service With A Smile' At Cracker Barrel DOUGLASVILLE, GA , - Friendly service was not the order of the day with Queer Nation/ Atlanta took over all seating at the Cracker Barrel on Mother's Day. For the first time since Queer Nation began its demonstrations against Cracker Barrel in March, there w a s a pervasive tone of intimidation set by management. Police were on the premises when the group of more than JOO arrived and at several times during the . day members were threatened with arrest. A Cracker Barrel District Manag e r admitted that the demonstrations were financially hurting the business . -Southern Voice Gay Vete rans G roup To Provide Buddies At Boston Hospital In what may be a first of its kind program in the United States , a gay veterans group is working with a major urban hospit a l to pr o vide veterans w ith AIDS and HIV "buddies" for support, care and comfort. The New England Gay/Lesbian / Bisexual Veterans of Ameri c a is working in partnership with the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Boston , Mass ., on an AIDS buddy program. Statistics on AIDS from the Department of Veterans Affairs show 10,129 AIDS cases have been handled as of.December 31, 1990, by VA hosptials nationwide. Estimates of th .e number of HIV-positive U .S. veterans range from 50,000 to 60,000. For information .on the Boston VA AIDS Buddy Program, contact llonka Thomas, (617)232-9500. Psychiatrists Honor P-FLAG President Paulette Goodman, President of the Federation of Parents and _Friends of Lesbians and Gays addressed the . American Psychiatric Association at their annual meeting in New Orleans in May . The Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists presented an award to Goodman during their .annual banquet. ,,. Great Response! '' '11lat's what a Second St.one advertiser told us recently . And we hear that more and more these days. That's because Second Stone reaches readers where many other gay and lesbian publications can't Like public and university libraries. We don't carry advertising or editorial content that would put us behind the counter. We're up front - in plain sight! For businesses offering products and services t.o the national gay and lesbian community, we're an exciting new marketing approach! Reach new customers in every state across the USA. Second Stone offers a variety of in-column ad sizes with frequency discounts. We offer spot and full color. We'll lay out your ad at no charge and we'll get it right - we11 send you a proof to make sure. Second Stone will also insert your brochure, flier or catalog in our mailing. It doesn't cost as much as you think. You can reach a paid coast to coast readership for about what you'd pay to advertise in one local free distribution gay newspaper. And ... to mail your insert in Second Stone costs less than mailing it yourselfl You won't know till you try it. The potential sales you lose while you're thinking about advertising cannot be recaptured. If you're thinking you'\'C paid too ffl"~h for advertising that hasn't-worlced ... you're probably right! But you haven't tried Second Stone. SECOND STONE You'll be pleased with the resulm. Call 1-504-899-4014 for advertising assisumcc. July/ August, 1991 • ··--./ Newsbriefs Men Form Group Against Porn A group has been formed in Pittsburgh to examine the ways in which pornography affects our lives and society. Founders of Men Against Rape and Pornography say the group's goal is education as opposed to condemnation or censorship. One of the founders, Majchael Tajchman said that the purpose of the group is to '.'make some sort of examination or analysis of pornography that raises a level of awareness so that men don't feel the need to put each other down when they have sex. And that's what pornography is, and what it does is to get pleasure out of subordinating someone else." -Pittsburgh's Out Group Makes PW As Dreams Come True A non-profit organization has been formed to make the wishes of PW As come true. The Dream Machine's mandate is to fulfill dreams for individuals who arc terminally ill, without regard to age, sex, nationality, religion, or sexua I preference. The Dream Machine is a publicly funded organization and operates on tax-deductible donations from individuals, corporations, and fund raising Ex-Gays? There Are None Lambda Christian Fellowship is pleased to announce a new book by Rev. Sylvia Pennington - an examination of ex-gay ministries - what they do - what they don1 do. You'll meet people who, only through God's grace, have survived and stopped trying.to be ex-gays, because, in truth, there is no such thing as an ex-gay (1JISOO. Now Available From Lambda Christian Fellowship P. 0. llox 1967 Hawthorne, CA 90250 $15.00 plus $1.50 for postage and handling. Galifomia residents add 6% sales tax. Business or PersonalTry a Second St.one Classified.Ad! II events. For information, write or call, Dream Machine Foundation , 18 Technology Dr., Ste. 210, Irvine, CA 92718, (714)753-8977. Lawyers Publish AIDS Practice Manual The National Lawyers Guild AIDS Network has published an updated and revised third edition of the AIDS Practice Manual. The 600-page legal and educational manual provides practical assistance as well as clear, comprehensive treatment of key issues raised by the epidemic. The manual is published by the AIDS Network, a nationwide project of the National Lawyers Guild. The purpose of the network is to encourage members of the legal community to represent people with HIV, to take part in advocacy and public education about the law and AIDS, and to assist local AIDS organizations . For information contact the National Lawyers Guild AIDS Network, 558 Capp St. , San Francisco, CA 94110, (415) 824-8880. 'BLK' Cartoon Book Coming Out Banned Books of Austin, Texas will produce a bound edition of BL K cartoons according to an announcement by the cartoons' creators A. J. Benny and Alan Bell. BLK is the monthly ncwsmagazine that spotlights the black lesbian and gay community. BLK Humor: The Cartoon Humor of BLK Magazine will include all of the cartoons that have appeared in BLK, plus others never before published. The book is scheduled for a midAugust release. Included will be an introduction by Ron Simmons, Ph .D., an assistant professor at Howard University. Quatrefoil Library Celebrates Fifth Anniversary The Quatrefoil Library in St. Paul, Minn., is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year. It is the largest gay /lesbian/bisexual library in the upper Midwest and is entirely run by a large group of volunteers. The library is funded through memberships, donations and small grants. Incorporated in 1983, the library was opened to the public in 1986 with 1500 gay-related books owned by David Irwin and Dick Hewetson. The collection has grown to encompass over 5000 volumes, 40 current pe_riodicals, many historic newsletters and magazines, a clippings file, and a collection of records, tapes, and audio-visual cassettes . Quatrefoil has become well known to its more than 1000 members as a place that is gay and lesbian positive. A healthy alternative to bars and adult bookstores, the library attracts a wide variety of patrons looking for a comfortable place. Visitors to the city are invited to stop by the library, located at 1619 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104, (612)641-0969. Black Gay Video Gets Grant SAN FRANCISCO - Catherine Saalfield has been awarded a $2000 grant by Frameline to help complete Among Good Christian Peoples, an experimental narrative video based on Jacqueline Woodson's personal essay, "Growing Up Black and Gay Among Good Christian Peoples." Frameline, a non-profit lesbian and gay media arts organization, awarded a total of $5000 in cash grants to filmmakers and video producers for completion of lesbian and gay productions. -BLK Mormon Magazine To Debut This Fall New Direction, a new bi-monthly magazine focusing on the relationship between Mormonism and being gay or lesbian, will debut in · September. Also included will be gay and lesbian religious subjects in general and informative articles on various aspects of gay life. The publication's goal is to help the gay and lesbian Mormon (and others) feel comfortable with homosexuality and still have a good attitude toward the church. Original papers and articles on a variety of subjects that would be of interest to readers arc now being sought. Subscriptions arc $25 per year. For information write to New Direction, 6520 Selma Ave., Ste. A-440, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Guide To Gay/ _ Lesbian Videos Out in Video is a new quarterly newsletter, published by Persona · Press, featuring news and reviews about the latest video releases of interest to the lesbian /gay community, with an emphasis on work of professional quality which provides SECOND STONE □ true and posti ve images of gay/lesbian people. It includes articles and interviews with lesbian and gay producers, directors, writers, actors and actresses, especially those independent film and videomakers whose work challenges the stereotypes of a predominantly homophobic entertainment industry. Out in Video covers work in production, both in North America and other parts of the world, and lists lesbian /g ay film and video festivals which take place annually both on college campuses and large urban centers throughout the United States and Canada. · In addition, Out in Video plans to set up a mail order marketplace so that even people living in isolated areas, who might not otherwise have easy access to nonpornographic, lesbian / gay videos and books can purchase them at the lowest prices available. A subscription to Out in· Video is $10.00. Contact Persona Press, Box 14022, San Francisco, CA 94114. Gay Chorus Produces First CD The award-winning Windy City Gay Chorus has completed its first professionally- produced CD and cassette. The CD, titled Don We Now ... features the 80-voice chorus performing traditional holiday favorites, as well as specially commissioned new works. For information about ordering the CD and cassette, Windy City Gay Chorus, or chorus performances, call (312)404-WCGC. Venus Press Seeks Lesbian Cartoons Venus Press has announced a call for submissions of single panel cartoons, strips and cartoon stories for N cw Dyke, a book anthology of cartoons by, for and about Lesbians. The deadline is December 1. Send entries and SASE to Venus Press, 7100 Blvd. East, Guttenberg, NJ 07093. Film Festival Seeks Entries The Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Student Alliance at California State University, Fresno, has announced ii ·call for entries in their second annual International Gay and Lesbian Film/Video Festival. For information contact Ken Fries, GLBSA Film Festival, P.O. Box 4092, Fresno, CA 93744. Cover Story .□ Community 111ourns passing of advocate From Pagel Jew." Though not gay herself, she had an unbounded love for the gay and lesbian community. Her books included But Lord, They're Gay, Good News for Modern Gays, and Ex-Gays? There are None!. In addition to being valuable resources for gay people, her books also made a significant impact on parents, church pastors and others seeking answers. Penn in gton was also a regular contributor to Second Stone. The motherly, unlikely advocate of gay and lesbian Christians was raised in the Assembly of God where, from 1963 to 1968, she worked as a "change minister" counseling Gays and Lesbians in their efforts to becom e heterosexual. She eventually acknowledged that the ex -gay methods did not work and, ten years later, adopted the position that sexuality is not a matter of choice and that Gays and Lesbians are beloved of God as much as straights . Phil Pletcher of Reconciliation Metropolitan Community Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan, said that a call to the Lambda Christian Fellowship one night changed his life. "I dialed and Sylvia was there . And we talked," he said. "I had finally come to grips with my sexuality a couple of years earlier, but in so doing, I had left the church and resigned myself to a life without Jesus. In my mind, there simply was no overlap between being gay and being Christian ." The conversation with Pennington changed that notion and brought Pletcher back to the church. Rev. Sylvia Dewberry of the Lambda Christian Fellowship said that Rev. Pennington devoted her life to being a servant of Jesus. "She tirelessly lent her spirited compassion and love to the gay community for the . injustice of the world's prejudices against us. Her fervent energy toward bridging all men and women, especially Gays and Lesbians, to the fulfilling life in Jesus has endeared her to everyone who knew her," Dewberry said. "I personally know how much pleasure and joy each and every person she ever met or spoke to brought to her. Dewberry said that the Lambda Christian Fellowship is committed to carrying forth the work of the ministry, especially by continu in g to make Rev. Pennington's books available. A memorial book fund has been established for that purpose . Pennington once summed up the conflict over sexuality and Christianity in an interview about ex-gay ministries. She said that fundamentalist Christi ans cannot get past a notion that sexuality is a makeor- break factor when the real issue is salvation. "Their theology is screwed up because they say sexuality is what saves you or condemns you . Only the blood of Jesus Christ can do that," she said. Donations to the memorial book fund may be sent to Lambda Christian Fellowship, P.O. Box 1967, Hawthorne, CA 90250. Monogamy is the choice of most gay and lesbian couples Gay and lesbian relationships may seem revolutionary by some standards, but most organize their sex lives on the traditional principal of monogamy. In a national survey, 91 percent of female couples were found to be monogamous, as were 63 percent of male couples . The survey of 1,266 same-sex couples was conducted by Partners Newsletter for Cay & Lesbian Couples. Of the female couples who were not monogamous, seven percent were "mono~amous with agreed exceptions" and three percent were non-monogamous. Male couples were less inclined to monogamy: 26 percent perinitted "agreed exceptions" and 11 percent werc ·non-monogamous. Many partners whose agreements allowed outside sex were sexually exclusive in practice. Ou tside sex was reported b y less than three percent of female partners and 26 percent of male partners. Only 12 percent of all male partners had outside sex more often than monthly. Interestingly, men reporting outs ide sex also had more frequent sex with their partners. In addition, the longer male couples had been together, the more likely they were to report outside sex. Neither of these patterns was observed among women. The national survey also collected information on topics such as safer sex practices, discr im ination and length 100:r.~-- --- ----- -- - ---- - -~ 91::: Cf) a: - w sor. z f- FEMALE COUPLES a: ~ <( 0.. MALE COUPLES 60::: a, a, g 40::: 20::: or. I.IONOGAMY W /EXCEPTIONS NO/H,K>NOGAMY Monogamy was preferred by the majority of the 1,260 same-sex couples surveyed by Partners Newsletter for Gay &. Lesbian Couples. of relationships. A free summary of results may be obtained by sending a self-addressed, E mp1t.thy is.a journal that deserves our .>upport for the original and creative work it d~ in the interest of truth and justice. ,f. Rev. Malcolm Boyd, author of 23 books including An YoH R,mningwitb Mt,]tSHr?, T11lu Off tht Mtzsks, and Gay Pmst E mpathy provides 1 much-needed .and welcomed communication link for persons in~olved in cduc.ition .about homophobia. At its best it will keep us informed and in touch, supponed and challenged, excited and proud. l'f. Brian McNaught, lecturer aqd author<if On Bting Gay: Tho11ghts on F11mily, F11ith, and Lavt July/ August, 1991 stamped, business-size enve lope to Partners survey, Box 9685, Seattle, WA 98lll9. Empathy LAn Interdisciplinary Journal forPersom Working to End Oppression on the Basis of Sexual Identity PUBI.ISHE D TWICE A YEAR, EMPATHY INCLUDES SCHOU.IU.Y ESSAYS, PROSE AND PO£TRY, PRACTmONER ARTICLES, ANECDOTAL USAYS, AND RESEAi.CH ltEPOJlTS AS WELL AS ANNOTAT!.O BIBUOGRAPH 1£5 l'OJI. RESOURCE MATEIUALS, REC~NT RESE.U.Oi AND BOOKS, THE JOURNAL SERVES PEOPLE WORKING IN BD1JCATION, COUNSEUNG, HEALTH CAR!, SOCIAL WORJC., COMMUNll_"Y ACTMSM, AND THE MINISTRY NATIONALLY AND JNTEJI.NATIONALLY. Oney.ear (2 issues) individual subsc:ription s10 (115 institutional) Make checks payable to Gay and Lesbian Advoc cacy Research Project (GLARP) arid mail to: . Empathy, PO Box 5085, Columbia, SC 29250. From Shoah To· Shoah BY CHRIS GLASER I am grateful to be given a new term for the Holocaust. To quote Cardinal Jean-MarieL ustigero f Paris, born Jewish of a mother who died at Auschwitz: "I prefer to say 'the Shoah'( Hebrewfo r annihilation) rather than 'the Holocaust,b' ecauseh olocaust means something else; it is a free offering given to the glory of God." BuTI D O BELIEVE that in all senseless, catastrophic suffering, those who suffer may serve as redeemers by the way they respond. It is not surprising for a follower of Christ to believe this, as in Jesus' own suffering the Redeemer's love and forgiveness saves us all. Earlier this year, my friend Pat Hoffman gave me a book containing selections of the diaries of another redeemer, Etty Hillesum (An Interrupted Life; Simon & Schuster Pocket Books, 1985; page references for the quotations that follow available upon request.) Etty was a young Jewish woman who lived in Holland and wrote of the approaching Shoah after the Nazis took control of that country. Pat said that she thought Etty's reflections would be meaningful to those of us coping with the Shoah of AIDS. And, as I read of Etty's sexual and later spiritual awakening, as well as of her ability to affirm life as good in the face of overwhelming fear and suffering, I sensed her redemptive power for us all. Her life in Holland and her death at Auschwitz was not in vain. SORROW. Faced with the possibility of being transported to concentration camps and ultimately to death, the Jews of Nazi-haunted Europe lived with an uncertainty not unknown to many of us in the gay and lesbian community. Etty wrote, "All our conversations are now interlarded Such a sacrificiaol ffering also implies a redemptive purpose.I believet hatf or most of us, the Nazi attempt to destroy Jews, Gays,p oliticald issidents, and others is too senseless to be consideredre demptive. Theirs acrificew as coercedn, ot voluntary. And certainly God is never glorifiedb y evil. with sentences such as, 'I hope he'll still be there to enjoy these strawberries with us."' In our community, many of us can't attend a dinner party without realizing half the guests may be dead within ten years. " .. .It is probably easier to pray for someone far away than to witness him suffering by your side." How right Etty was, how I sometimes envy those people who have not yet been personally affected by AIDS. Etty advised a friend in relation to his intended bride: "You must start even now and try to reconcile her to the fact that she will never see you again ... that she has a duty to carry on if only to keep something of your spirit alive." And then she adds a reflection appropriate to our new reality in the face of AIDS: "Yes, that's how people talk to each other these days and it doesn't even sound unreal any more. We have embraced a new reality and everything has taken on new colours and new emphases. . .. And every encounter is also a farewell." As I write this I'm aware that many of you might stop reading, saying, "This is too depressing!" Denial can sometimes be healthy and positive when it allows people to move ahead with what needs to be done. But sometimes sorrow is too quickly transformed into frustration, bitterness, and anger, directed at everything from the medical profession to the government to God. I believe we need to allow our sorrow space in our lives. "But if you do not clear a decent shelter for your sorrow," Etty wrote, "and instead reserve most of the space inside you for hatred and thoughts of revenge - from which new sorrow will be born for others - then sorrow will never cease in this world and will multiply. And if you have given sorrow the space its gentle origins demand, then you may truly say: life is beautiful and so rich that it makes you want to believe in God." For Etty, the sorrow we experience bespeaks our godly compassion, the beauty and richness of life. Of such compassion she wrote, "In this tempestuous, havoc-ridden world of ours, all real communication comes from the heart. Outwardly we are being tom apart and the paths to each other lie buried under so much debris that we often fail to find the person we seek. We can only continue to live together in our hearts, and hope that one day we may walk hand in hand again." Recently, after a tempestuous argument between us over how to relate to a person with AIDS, a friend and I wondered aloud what had made each of us so adamant. My friend offered an insight: "I think AIDS is just making everybody a little crazy." In the midst of AIDS craziness, Etty offers a new golden rule: "All that matters now is to be kind to each other with all the goodness that is in us." SUFFERING. Many of you who have witnessed or heard the stories of those who have suffered either at the hands of homophobia or of AIDS will identify with Etty's listening to others' suffering: "I love people so much ... [I have experienced] love for those who knew how to bear so much although nothing had prepared them for such burdens. ...When I suffer for the vulnerable, is it not for my own vulnerability that I really suffer?" "Most of us in the West don't understand the art of suffering and experience a thousand fears instead, " Etty observes, "We cease to be alive, being full of fear, bitterness, hatred, and despair. God knows, it's only too easy to understand why .... We have to accept death as part of life, even the most horrible of deaths." The fears of those who are HIV infected are legion, from income loss to medical procedures to physical pain to loss of independence. "Man suffers most through his fears of suffering,"Etty noted, " ... The idea of suffering (which is not the reality, for real suffering is always fruitful and can turn life into a precious thing) must be destroyed. And if you destroy the ideas behind which life lies SECO_ND STONE imprisoned as behind bars, then you liberate your true life, its real mainsprings, and then you will also have the strength to bear real suffering, your own and the world's." She suggests that we must get beyond our fears to enjoy life as it comes, recognizing that suffering reveals how precious and powerful we are to address our own suffering and that of others. SOCIAL JUSTICE. Our suffering homophobia and then AIDS has rallied the gay community to help our own. AIDS has motivated many of us to care for its other victims: hemophiliacs, babies, racial minorities, IV drug users, straights, prostitutes. Many of us who suffer this current Shoah can identify with Etty's sense of solidarity: "I want to be sent to every one of the camps that lie scattered all over Europe, I want to be at every front, I don't ever want to be what they call 'safe,' I want to be there ... " "But if you do not clear a decent shelter for your sorrow," Etty wrote, "and instead reserve most of the space inside you for hatred and thoughts of revenge - from which new sorrow will be born for others - then sorrow will never cease in this world and will multiply." But others in our community do not share this sense of responsibility, as Etty observed in her own community: "Many who are indignant about injustices are only indignant because the injustices are being inflicted on them . Their indignation is_ skindeep." Elsewhere she wrote, "If all this suffering does not help us to broaden our horizon, to attain a greater humanity by shedding all trifling and irrelevant issues, then it will all have been for nothing." SEE SHOAH, Page 14 Church & Organization News Brethren/Mennonite Parents Meet "From Apprehension to Affirmation" was the theme of the second annual weekend retreat held at Laurelville Mennonite Church Center for parents and siblings of gay or lesbian people. Forty registrants were in attendance from ten states and one province. Gerald and Marlene Kaufman, family counselors for Akron Pennsylvania, led the group in the dynamics of searching for affirmation while dealing with loss and fear. Therapist Art Isaak of Sellersville, Pennsylvania demonstrated by using psychodrama - a way of reaching understanding and compromise within conflict and disagreement. Other activies included the sharing of experiences by parents and gay or lesbian persons as each sought nurture , understanding, and acceptance from the church, family members and friends. A third such event is planned for the spring of 1992. Planning for these events is done by families who have gay or lesbian members. More information may be obtained from Brethren/Mennonite Parents, P.O. Box 1708, Lima, OH 45802. Caton To Pastor MCC Las Vegas Rev. Ken Caton has been selected as pastor of MCC Las Vegas. Caton was chosen in a near unanimous vo te by church members. He has served as associate pastor of All God's Children MCC in Minneapolis for two years. Texas AIDS Organization Honored By President Bush The AIDS Interfai th Ne twork of North Texas, Inc., has been selected as a recipient of th e 1991 President's Volunteer Action Award. The award was presented to AIN Executive Director Cha rles Carnahan and Mr. Garrett Schenck, a Care Team volunteer, by President Bush at a White House ceremony. The AIDS Interfaith Network was one of two Dallas organizations among this year's 19 recipients, and the only AIDS service provider in the country to receive the distinction. Created by Rev. Charles Carnahan in response to what he realized was a critical lack in services available to Persons Living With A IDS_ in their home environmen t, the AIDS Interfaith Network is a unique element in the Dallas/Ft. Worth . network of support to people living with HIV and AIDS. The nonprofit organization enrolls Catholic, Protestant and Jewish communities in an organized response to people in need. Director Charles Carnahan commented, "This is well-deserved recognition for our hard-working volunteers, who have cared. deeply for our clients, taken good care of them, suffered with them, learned from them, as both client and voluntQ.Cr deal with the extraordinary physical, emotional and societal affects of HIV/ AIDS. I'm proud of all our Care Team volunteers and appreciate them very much." Philadelphia Church Added To More Light Roster Recognizing that the existence of prejudice against gay men and Lesbians cannot be ignored, Tabernacle United Church (a joint Presbyterian and United Church of Christ congregation) voted to extend to anyone wishing to share in the worship, work, and leadership of the church all privileges and responsibilites of membership including ordination as elders. No one will be excluded on the basis of sex, age, race, sexual orientation, country of origin, economic, cultural or religiou s background, disability or other human condition. Tabernacle is the first congregation in either the Presbyterian Church (USA) or the United Church of Christ to make such a statement. Garner To Pastor MCC NOVA Rev. Darlene Garner has been appointed pastor of MCC of Northern Virginia. She most recently served as pastor of MCC Baltimore. Garner attended Lancaster Theological Seminary and became a licensed minister in the UFMCC in 1988. She was a founding member and co-chair of the National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays and participated in the first meeting between lesbian and gay people of color and the White Hous e staff during the Carter administration. Ackerman Leaves Minneapolis Church Rev. Arlene Ackerman, pastor of.All God's Children Metropolitan Community Church has departed the church after over five years of service. Ackerman is credited with building the congregation from a group of 90 meeting in a borrowed space to the present 350 worshippers who meet in a large church-owned building. AGCMCC board member Cheri Downey said that Ackerman has touched the lives of many people in the church and that she will be deeply missed . Ackerman wants to move into AIDS chaplaincy in hospitals or hospices and do spTriiual renewal and church consulting work. Once described as a cross between a diesel dyke and a Southern preacher, a description she finds complimentary, Ackerman says she has softened somewhat with the arrival of her daughter , now two years old. -Equal Time Pennsylvania Church Celebrates First Anniversary Grace Covenant Fellowship, Allentown, Pa. , celebrated its first anniversary in early May. The fellowship was formed to meet the spiritual needs of the gay and lesbian community of the Lehigh Valley. During the first year the congregation grew from six to almost 30 people. Bryon Rowe is pastor and Thom Ritter serves as minister of music . Church phone is (215)740-0247. Dallas MCC To Build Cathedral □ With $750-,000 in donations, the Metropolitan Community Church of Dallas is building a "Cathedral of Hope." Senior Pastor Michael Piazza says the church will include 11 meeting rooms, a children 's area, a library, a bookstore, and an audio -visual production studio. Lutherans Concerned/South Carolina To Meet Lutherans Concerned, a society of gay, lesbian and non-gay Christians will meet on Friday, July 19 at 7:30 p.m. Members of other denominations are welcome . Call (803)736-1648 for information. And from the SDA Kinship Hotline Diary ... July 17 - 11:45 a.m. A man called looking for information about the Adventist church. When I explained we were a gay and lesbian organization hotline, he said he wanted to speak to a normal person. 1 told him I was normal. We talked for about five minutes; he was very sure I wouldn't meet him in heaven - that's probably true, although I'll be there. CLASSIFIE First Ten Words FREE! I - Business or personal - The Second Stone classifieds really nurk! Please see the order form on the classified page. Each additional word, 35¢. 20 word minimum. Calendar Thef ollowinga nnouncementhsa ve .beens ubmittedb y sponsoringo r affiliatedg roups. UFMCC Fifteenth General Conference JULY 14-21, AIDS, racism, homophobia, sexism, poverty, peace, social justice and equal rights for same-gender couples are only some of the issues on the agenda of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Church's fifteenth general conference to be held in Phoenix, Arizona. Reflecting the conference's theme, "l Have Opened a Door," church founder Rev. Troy Perry said the church will open the door for discussion of a wide range of issues and will feature a series of workshops, discussions and music. Over 1000 delegates and observers are expected to attend. The Pointe at Tapatio Cliffs is the setting. Contact your local MCC for information or write to UFMCC, 5300 Santa Monica Blvd., Ste. 304, Los Angeles, CA 90029 or call (213)464-5100. Hosanna Church of Praise Retreat JULY 19-21, The Sanborn Park Hostel in the hills above Saratoga is the setting for the Hosanna Church of Praise Annual Retreat Weekend, themed "Foundations For Ministry." Guests will include Pastor Evelyn Schave, Rochester, Washington, Rev. • Thomas Hirsch, Advance Christian Ministries, Dallas, Texas, and Pastor Naomi Harvey, Living Communion ·Church, Portland, Oregon. Cost is $45.00 which includes all meals and lodging. For information contact Hosanna Church of Praise, 24 No. Fifth St., San Jose, CA 95112, (408)293-2437, National Lesbian & Gay Health Conference JULY 24-28, Up to 1200 lesbian and gay health professionals are expected to. congregate in New Orleans for the 13th National 1 Lesbian and Gay Health Cqnference and 9th National AIDS Forum. The conference provides an opportunity for health care providers and caregivers to discuss issues of importance to the lesbian and gay community. It also gives health professionals of diverse disciplines an opportunity to 1B learn, exchange ideas and contribu le to new thinking about the needs and well being of the lesbian and gay community. For further information contact the National Lesbian and Gay Health Foundation, Inc., )638 R St NW #2, Washington, DC 20009 or call (202)797-3708. Lighthouse Apostolic Church Revival JULY 26-28, "We've Come This Far By Faith" is the theme of a three day revival and series of workshops to be held at Lighthouse Apostolic · Church in Schenectady, New York. · Tentatively scheduled guest preacher is the Rev. Sandy Lewis, Elder of the West Central District of the National Gay Pentecostal Alliance, and pastor of Casa De La Paloma Apostolic Church in Tucson, Arizona. The gathering is set to coincide with the General Conference of the National Gay Pentecostal Alliance, which celebrates its 11th anniversary on July 28th. NGPA was founded in Schenectady in 1980, and now has · members around the world. For information contact Rev. William H. Carey, P.O. Box 1391, Schenectady, NY 12301-1391 or call (518)372-6001. Delta Lambda Phi Convention AUGUST 9-11, Delta Lambda Phi Fraternities from around the country will meet althe Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Activities will include workshops, seminars, business meetings, a grand reception and all-around fun in the desert sun. General meetings and all social events are open to members as well as non-members who have a serious interest in learning about fraternity and the Brotherhood. The fraternity 's purpose is to enhance the quality of life among progressive men, irrespective of sexual orientation, by providing dignified and purposeful social and recreational activities. For information send a SASE to Delta Lambda Phi, Box 70733, Las Vegas, NY89170-0733. Michigan Women's Music Festival AUGUST 13-18, For 16 years women have been making the annual pilgrimage to Northern Michigan to be part of one of the largest women's gatherings. This year's festival features over 40 performances by some. of the most dynamic independent women artists working today. For information write to WWTMC, Box 22, Walhalla, MI 49458 or call (616)757-4766. Our Heroic Journey: Building A Healing Circle AUGUST 26 - 29, A special retreat of celebration for gay and lesbian ministers . This retreat will tap the very special experience of the Holy Spirit that every gay and lesbian minister has to learn to utilize to strengthen and celebrate their lives. The Weber House, Baltimore, Maryland, is the setting. Limited financial assistance is available. For registration information, write to CMI Retreat, P.O. Box 60125, Chicago, IL 60660-0125, CMI Workshop On Support Networks AUGUST 29, Communication Ministry, Inc., presents "Support Networks for Lesbian and Gay Sisters, Priests and Brothers" at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill (prior to the Dignity /USA Convention.) A panel of religious and priests will discuss various kinds of support networks. Open to Catholic lesbian sisters and gay brothers and priests. For information write to CM!, P.O. Box 60125, Chicago, IL 60660-0125. Parents FLAG 10th Annual Convention OCTOBER 11-14, "Celebrating the Jewels in our Crown" is the theme of the tenth annual gathering of the National Federation of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. Charlotte, North Carolina is the setting. To receive registration materials, when available, write to Charlotte Parents FLAG, 5815 Charing Place, Charlotte, NC 28211. Dignity/USA Convention '91 AUGUST 29-SEPTEMBER 1, The Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. will the be setting for Dignity /USA's tenth biennial convention. This event brings together delegates, members and friends for a gathering that matches no other in the Dignity datebook. Themed "Many Gifts, One Spirit," the convention program will feature SECOND STONE □ presentations and workshops that reflect the diversity of Dignity's national community. Social events will add to the excitement. Convention topics will be organized into five areas of interest : AIDS Ministry, Removal of Barriers to Women, Support for Human Rights Laws, Anti-Gay /Lesbian Violence, The Primacy of Conscience and the Right to Dissent. For more infor- mation write : Convention '91, Dignity/USA, Box 29661, Washington, DC 20017. Advance '91 OCTOBER 18-20, "The Grace of God" is the theme of this annual conference, which will be held this year at a camp north of Houston. Cost is $65, which includes meals and lodging. For information write to ADVANCE Christian Ministries, P.O. Box 1388, Long Beach, CA 90801-1388. 1991 National Skills Building Conference OCTOBER 31-NOVEMBER 2, The Universal City Hilton in Los Angeles is the setting for this conference sponsored by the AIDS National Interfaith Network, National Association of People With AIDS and the National Minority AIDS Council. "Collaboration, Cooperation, Partnership, Skills Building" is the theme . For information call (202)544-1076. SEND EVENT NOTICES TO: CALENDAR, SECOND STONE, P.O. BOX 8340, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 Quotable: Just The Price We Have To Pay "There are many aspects of the contemporary gay subculture that I find ridiculous, but nothing could be more ridiculous than to say, as some critics have, that I am antihomosexual simply because I do not embrace every twitty gay fad that comes along. I think that a lifetime of listening to disco music is a high price to pay for one's sexual preference. -Quentin Crisp , I Families □ "Mother, I have something to tell you" By Rev. Sylvia Pertnington Contributing Writer We know that parents have different reactions upon learning of their child's homosexuality . Fortunatel y some parents have the ability to immediately sense their child's struggle and enter into it with them . · 1 met a moth er like that while speaking at a university last December. Helen is a delightful woman and the res t of this column will be her story , written in her own words. Having problems with your parents? Helen's story might be a great help to them . ... I was sitting in an airplane traveling to meet my daughter. We were going on a trip together . A young, attractive woman sitting next to me seemed eager to carry on a conversation. So we visited as we . flew towards our destinations ; mine to continue further , hers to reach home. We talked about relationships and the complexities of single life . Her young perspective gave me that motherly ad vice feeling which I am often called upon to suppress . As we talked also about travel and cities, she mad e a comment which struck deep into my heart . I realized 1 would not feel free to reveal to he r how deeply her casual remark felt . I nodd ed. To her my nod would signify that I was in agreement, but I was , in fact , merely acknowledging her position . We were talking about San Francisco, the city from which our flight had just left. She had come with friends for a day and evening to explore the wonders of the beautiful city by the bay . Her pointed remark about how she had stayed clear of the "gay culture section " of the city because of course she "would have nothing to do with those people" was the cause of a sudden, painful reaction for me. Accepting her attitude towards the gay community has become, for me, a distressful resignation to the fact that many people unknowingly assume their beliefs about gay people arc shared by all. She could not have known her remark felt unkindly to me, and I was unable to reveal this to her. Many humans fail each other with their beliefs that only white,. male , young, beautiful, healthy, rich or talented people deserve recognition or arc worthy of life. When someone docs not meet these requirements, much of society rejects the "different" person who is not perc ·eived as normal. But it is when we have a personal experience with abnormalcy (as society dictates it to be), that we become compassionate and understanding and are compelled to face our cruelty toward s one anoth er. Chris is my son. To know Chris is to be acquainted with the finest example of what a mother, father, . sister or brother expects a family member to .be. He is tall, handsome , intelligent , health y, strong , lo ving and ambitious. Chris lo v es to ski, As I listened to what some parents might believe to be a confession of sin; I wondered how I could let him know that he was that same son at that -..... moment he had always been. I still loved him. I would not reject him . hike, back-pack , rock-climb and camp out. He studies nature and loves the beauty of a sunset, cloud formations, animals, mountains, childre ·n, music and poetr y . He is worried about ecology and about how our planet will survive oil spills and the destruction of the rain forests and ozone layer in the atmosphere. He worries about the threat of earthquakes and the extinction of the animals and birds of the world. He has a w onderful sense of humor and is gentle and kind towards everyone he meets. He is in social work , tea ching the developmentally handicapped . His students love him and depend upon him. He is a warm enthusiastic, fun-loving human being. Chri s is also gay . 1 didn't know for certain that Chris had always felt different but on occasion, 1 would w onder. It wa sn't until he was in his early twenties and his relationship with another man was beginning lo dissol ve that · he told me about being gay. His sist ers had kno w n for two y ears. His reluctance to let me know indicated to me how difficult it must have been for him to come to me. As I listened to what some parents might believe to be a confession of sin, i wondered how 1 could let him know that he was that same son at that moment he had always been. 1 still loved him. 1 would not reject him. My concern was about the feelings he was coping w ith because of a broken relationship. I was startled by the parallel to my o wn at the time of my divorce . His story of romantic loss was no different from my own. As tim e passed, I began to reflect upon the significance of this sudden change in my perception of my youngest child. I knew ve ry little about the gay rights movem ent. It . was because of AIDS that society finally became aware of this dilemma and thousands of Gays were able to com e out as free "humans ." I just never guessed there would be a connection to my own life. 1 read a book entitled Mother I Have Something To Tell You. I needed only to read the first two chapters to realize that the other "somethings" listed in the book could have meant a long struggle with drugs , alcohol or cancer : My sor would _ continue to be just as he had always been ; a wonderful, honest, loyal person who would have a productive life of service to others and remain a joy lo be with . The Christian religion's concept of homosexuality as sin is why so much of society is unaccepting. But not all of society believes a loving God would .reject His own creation. Firm believer s declare that homosexuality is evil. Many Christians attempt to cure or heal homosexuality as if it were a chosen disease. The idea that change can take place through prayer and will-power has not pro v en effective . Christians assume gay people are unhappy and want to be cured or healed of an affliction, at the same time believing homose xuals have "chosen" or "want" to live as gay - people. When Christian parents find out about a gay son or daughter, they often deal with a situation they SEE FAMILIES, Page 20 The Other Publishing Company's Lesbian & Gay Recovery Bookstore is happy to annoμnce publication of a truly special booi_ Gay and Still Catholic: a jouney home, by Leo Giovanni-· $12.95 Quality Paperback Leo didn't want to be homosexual; he hated the won! and the idea. He just wanted it all to go away--but it wouldn't He tried to change; he sought help from priests, counselors, and psychologists. They all told him he could change-•hc just had to want it .. really want it Leo's story is painful to read; we all share in his pain. More importanUy, we all can share in his triumph as he comes to accept himself as a whole man--heallhy, gay, and a practicing Catholic. Rarely has anyone written so poignanUy of the dilemma faced by all gay men and lesbians as they attempt to integrate emerging sexuality with the n,alities of a hostile society, religious abandonment, and families unable or unwilling to comprehend. Leo's pain is wrenching, but his triumph of personal failh over the power of cul tu~ , bi.~ makj:,s this one of the year's most'oompelling reads. /It. "must read" for parents, pastors, and all helping professionals as well as for gay men and lesbians. .j ~ .,, . Poslllge · & Handling add $2 for the first book, $.SO for each additional. Calif. residents. _add 7% sales tax. The Other Publishing Company P.O . Box 2151, Dcp1 S-791 San Diego, CA .92112-2151 For credit card onlclS call (8001733-1283 July/August, 1991 II Rev. Jim Hawk removed from United Methodist ministry cand idates, ordained or assigned to churches. The Rev. James R. Hawk was removed from the United Methodist Church ministry by vote of clergy and laity from Western Pennsylvania during their annual meeting in Grove City, Penn., on June 13. Hawk had been forced to take leave from the ministry after coming out as a gay man to his bishop over a year ago. According to church policy "self-a·vowed practicing homosexuals" cannot be accepted as SHOAH, From Page 10 The gay community has learned how health care in this country discriminates against the marginalized. Compare the attention given and money spent when relatively few straight white men developed Legionnaire's Disease to the inattention and Jack of funds when the "gay cancer" or "Gay Related Immune Deficiency" first appeared . Will the suffering amongst gay males help us identify with other marginalized people in their health crises? Blacks who suffer sickle cell anemia, women who suffer lupus, the poor who are medically overlooked , Africans who also suffer AIDS? And will our A peaceful, non-violent demonstration was held at Grove City College to protest homophobia in the church and to celebrate lesbian and gay sexuality . Hawk said, "This is not about whether being gay is right or wrong .. . it is about the ability to share one's beliefs openly. When I suffering redeem the church, causing it to give up its trifling about sexual orientation as a criterion for membership and ministry? SPIRITUALITY. In Westerbork camp, Etty describes a hunchbacked Russian woman, "spun in a web of sorrow," whose mother died a few months earlier, whose friend is a dying paralyzed girl, and whose work seems to be making it easier for everyone else in her barracks. She confesses to Etty, "I really would like to be able to swim away in my tears." Then Etty writes, "She asks me with her strange accent in the voice of a child that begs for forgiveness, 'Surely God will be able to understand my doubts in a world like this, won't He?"' Declaring "one ought to pray, da y OURWORID The International Gay Travel Magazine Month by month, we invite you to explore the exciting world of travel available to gay men and lesbians. Each month we help you t o discover the multitude of interesting hotels, inns and resorts that welcome the gay traveler. told the Bishop I was gay, he said to me, 'So long as you 're silent, there will be no problems. ' I thought to myself, 'Why should I be silent about something that is so very good ."' Hawk told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "My concern is several-fold , Within Western Pennsylvania there arc over 60 gay and lesbian ministers who a rc silent. The church _ says nothing. However, and night, for the thousands . One ought not to be without prayer for even a single minute," Etty herself prayed, "Let me be . the thinking heart of these barracks . " She believed, 'There is no hidden poet in me, just a little piece of God that might grow into poetry ." No matter where she was sent, whether Westerbork or Auschwitz, she knew that "there will always be a small patch of sky above, and there will always be enough space to fold two "Many who are indignant about injustices are only indignant because the injustices ar e being inflicted on -them. Their indignation is skin-deep." Enjoy articles and color photos of a hands in prayer." Quoting Jesus in romantic hotel in Spain, a secluded retreat Matthew 6:34, Etty added, 'We have in Hawaii, a manor house in the English to fight them daily, like fleas, those countryside, a Greek pension overlooking many small worries about the the sea, a rustic resort in Colorado, and morrow, for they sap our energies ... more -all catering to our lifestyle! [and are] so many motions of no Plus, every month, regular departments confidence in God ." provide you with valuable information on We, too, must pray for the gay events and festivals, travel updates thousands of persons with AIDS and .and tips, interviews, and the latest gay ARC, and the millions infected with trips and tours---5ail the Caribbean on a HIV. We must pray for a cure, private yacht, join an expedition to Nepal, treabnents, miracles. We must be the c:ruise the Mediterranean on a luxury liner "thi king hearts" f AIDS ds d dn . i th G Mardi G n o war an or fly to Sy ey or e · ay · ras. clinics. We must allow the "little '---------~ Whatever you're looking for, let • OUR WORLD be your ticket to adventure. piece of God" within us to become 1 year (12 colorful issues) only $ 44 (in the USA) • US$ 52 soothing ministry for those who (Worldwide) . Flillt issue mails in 4-6 weeks in plain sealed envelope . · suffer . No matter how claustrophobic Sample copy US$ 5. · AIDS makes us feel, whether in our burdened schedules as AIDS care- / · Mail To: Our World Publishing givers or in our entrapment by 1104 North Nova Road, Suite 251 chemotherapy, procedures, hospital- / Daytona Beach, Florida 32117 USA ization, and medical devices as TEL: (904) 441.5367 persons with AIDS, we must find \ '- __________________________ _. space to pray. We have many ) • SECOND STONE if the church finds out who they are, the board will attempt to remove them. "The time has come for the church to put away old myths, stereotypes, and fantasies about lesbian and gay people," he said. Hawk said he will be doing some work in the religious education department of MCC-Nashville and would take time to rest and relax. justified doubts alongs ide many "petty fears and worries," but according to Etty, ciur "one moral duty" is "to reclaim large areas of peace in ourselves, more and more peace, and to reflect it towards others." Let us join Etty in prayer : "Dear God, these are anxious times. Tonight for the first time I lay in the dark with burning eyes as scene after scene of human suffering passed before me . I shall promise you one thing, God, just one very small thing: I shall never burden my today with cares about my tomorrow, although that takes some practice. Each day is sufficient unto itse lf. I shall try to help You, God, to stop my strength ebbing away, though I cannot vouch for it in advance . But one thing is becoming increasingly clear to me : that You cannot help us, that we must help You to help ourselves . And that is all we can manage these days and also all that really matters : that we safeguard that little piece of You, God, in ourselves . And perhaps in others as well . Alas, there doesn 't seem to be much You Yourself can do about our circumstances, about our lives. Neither do I hold you responsible. You cannot help us but we must help You and defend Your dwelling place inside us to the last. You are sure to go through lean times with me now and then, when my faith weakens a little, but believe me, I shall always labour for You and remain faithful to You and I shall never drive You from my ~nee." SURVNING. "And even if we stay alive we-shall carry the wounds with us throughout our lives." Etty's words regarding her Shoah ring true for ours as well, as pain and grief and guilt will remain. No matter how much we do for PW As, it will never feel like enough. ''One must be able· to accept the fact that one may not always be for another just what one would have liked to be," Etty consoles. 'This is something people refuse to admit to themselves: at a given point you can no longer do, but can only be and SEE SHOAH, Page 17 It was their "Christian duty" Informe rs' revelation ends ELCA career-for Assistant Bishop LA CROSSE, WIS. - The Rev. Paul A. Johnson has resigned his position as the Assistant to the Bishop of the La Crosse Area Synod, one of six Wisconsin synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Bishop Stefan Guttormsson requested Pastor Johnson's resignation shortly after receiving information that Johnson is gay and that he disagrees with the guidelines of the ELCA regarding the ordination of lesbian and gay people. The current policies of the 5.3 million member ELCA require that all lesbian and gay clergy, associates in ministry and seminarians make a commitment of life-long celibacy if they are to be ordained or retained on the roster of clergy eligible for ca II within the church. In February, Pastor Johnson revealed his sexual orientation during a confidential small group session at an ELCA sponsored con fercnce in Chicago. "The conference encouraged us to share our stories and our pain with the others in the small groups to which we had been assigned," said Johnson. "The trust level in my group was good and I believed my confidence would be respected. Two members of the group did not keep that confidence. When they returned home they shared what they knew COMMENTARY, From Page 3 attempts of controlling others by intimidation and a "license" to kill other human beings? Respecting the choice to fight for inclusion in the military, I would also encourage us to look deeper into ourselves to examine our basic value system that motivates us to want to be included in the military in the first place. Overall, do we want to cmulatt• and partitipate in a heteroscxist society? Do we want to become a further part of our current problems? Not one iota of angry rhetoric has changed one mind regarding our rights; long-lasting attitudinal change is caused by being true to ourselves and thus changing the way others sec us. A recent study showed many Americans wanting Gays and Lesbians to have equal status in the workplace. "Knowing a gay man or Lesbian" was cited for this belief. As a result, we must know how powerful we arc as ordinary individuals. The gay and lesbian community has an opportunity to become a model that some day the rest of society will follow. We can become peacemakers, instead of furthering the polariabout me with their Bishop. His concern eventually led to letters from th 'ose two persons to Bishop Guttormsson revealing that I am gay." The letters indicated that the two people believed it was their "Christian duty" to report the information. "I am not ashamed of who I am, but I am ashamed of my church which refuses to welcome and affirm me and my gay and lesbian brothers and sisters. I continue to hope that things will change. I would welcome the opportunity to serve again as an ordained minister of this church when the church can fully accept me," Johnson stated. The 44-year-old husband and father of three told the La Crosse Tribune that we was concerned about his family. Johnson said his wife, Yvonne, has known about his sexual orientation for more than six years, but his children were told only days before. His eighth grade son delivered 92 copies of the Tribune which carried the story on the front page. Pastor Johnson has been an ordained pastor for nearly 20 years and is well respected within and outside the synod in which he has served. He was installed into the synod post in zation taking place in every segment of society. We can start - and indeed many of us arc - creating an entirely new way of living. Let us replace the denigration of so-called enemies like Falwell, Dannemeyer, and Helms (who just represent millions of others) with forgiving those that arc filled with fear and ignorance. What might happen if there was a mass movement to write letters to these people, proclaiming as proud Gays and Lesbians our love for them and offering forgiveness for their misguided thinking? What if we let them know that we understand how they could have been swayed to believe certain myths about us and offer them to meet with gay and lesbian individuals and families? What if we were to ask for forgiveness of our intolerance and hatred toward them? Moreover, what kind of healing might take place if we had a special world-wide prayer for forgiving prejudice toward us and for loving those who arc against us? Considering the seemingly endless anger coming from our community, which represents fear and pain, we June, 1988. Before the synod appointment Johnson was pastor at lmmanual Lutheran Church, Viroqua, for seven years. He was pastor of Mindoro and Lewis Valley Lutheran Churches, rural Holmen, from 1971 to 1981. "I know Paul as a colleague in ministry and as the father of one of the students whom I serve on campus," commented Pastor Jan Tobias, of the Lutheran Campus Ministry in Milwaukee. "I know him to be a dedicated, faithful , committed pastor. Paul is a man of integrity struggling to reconcile his calling as a pastor with the intolerance of the church regardi11g his sexual orientation." In San Francisco, the Rev. Jeff Johnson of First United Lutheran Church commented on the situation. "This is only the latest example of an increasingly virulent witch-hunt against lesbian and gay clergy and seminarians. This is a man who has given nearly two decades of his life in faithful service to a church which is willing to discard him for being who he is. The atmosphere is dangerous. Not only arc men and women in Paul's situation at risk, but it seems that in many synods it is no longer even possible to speak out in disagreement with the current policy, or in support of lesbian ·and gay are ripe for healing our anger and overcoming our fears. In John 14:20, Jesus said "I am in my Father, and you are in Mc, and I in you." In this statement, Jesus unequivocally states our un{ty. When we hurt others, we hurt ourselves. Hurting a person even like Jesse Helms hurts us. Using the love God created us out of can be our first and only basis for affecting change, which will uplift us and will help the entire world community. It is time to begin the healing and forgiveness process that will transform our community. The true revolution to come starts with the transformation of our own hearts. We will create a new way of living that is based on strength, honesty, integrity, and - above all - love. Jeff Chemin is founder and president of Peace Initiative, a non-profit organization dedicated lo furthering world peace and promoting acceptance of people's diversity. He is studying for his masters degree in Counseling Education at the University of North Texas. For information regarding Peace Initiative, write to 4180 C/enwick, Dallas, TX 75205 or call (214)528-LOVE July/ August, 1991 Rev. Paul A. Johnson people. Why is being lesbian or gay more .offensive than the violation of a person's confidentiality? What about the persons who violated Paul's confidence by disclosing what was to be privileged information in the first place?" First United Lutheran Church is one of two San Francisco congregations which were put on trial and suspended last July by the ELCA for ordaining a lesbian couple and a gay man. Johnson said he has received over a hundred letters of support. Although he remains temporarily on the clergy roster , with some paid benefits, any ELCA church calling him would face the same disciplinary actions as First United Church. 'Tm looking for a job," said Johnson. He is investigating opportunities with the UFMCC. BtBLES Tt/!1G1 ROUP$ SOCIAL• SII ORKSHO• PRSE TREArS HIVI AIDSS W'l'OIITG ROUP PASIORAClA RE& COUNSEUIIG FORG a&yL esbiCahnr istians InS outheCrna llfornia,..1s9io7c9e Suits 1og-sox 1t1 79B5 Ssnts Monica Boulevard W8st Hollywood. CA 90048 213/656-B570 ~ ~ Business or Personal - Try a Second Stone Classified Ad! II ! • Books · · □ AIDS books offer inspiration ... sometimes By Michael Blankenship Contributing Writer Being a loog, 1,,ne AIDS vol_unteer I have read 'a great' many' Q"Cibks on the subject over the years, but none better than The Church With AIDS edited by Letty M. Russell. The book itself is directly from a study conducted by the National Council of Churches, and no one could have been more surprised than me that this conservative alliance could produce such a· compassionate response to this CrISIS, Working closely with the NCC in ihis study was the Metropolitan Community Church which, ironically, has been seeking membership in the NCC for over ten years , The ·main focus of the book is quite : simply that we are the church with AIDS. If one part of the body of Christ is afflicted with AIDS, then the entire body of Christ is part of this 'unfortunatc calamity. The point . is emphasized that, although most of · those dealing with HIV infections are considered "marginal" by most of society, with God there arc no disposable human beings. Each person is precious in God's sight. How the church deals with this miserable epidemic will affect the lives of hundreds of thousands in the coming years, and this book presents the proper Christian response of love, tenderness and mercy. Ron Russell-Coons, an MCC pastor who passed away in 1990, tells his own story of living with AIDS. In personal correspondence with his sister, which is reproduced in the book, he reveals the anger and frustration of having to deal simultaneously with the progressive disease and with family rejection. - But, no matter how painful it is to read his letters, his words are inspirational. He writes, "Hear me, please hear me. I know that I am God's child and that divine love is at work in me. While I may be dealing with [AIDS!, I am experiencing incredible healing. The negatives of the virus at work in my body can never overshadow the loving touch of God that heals my spirit. The hymn 'It Is Well With My Soul' has never sounded so wonderful." "A strong message of hope." -The Advocate In qoa's I Image 1 ' In (jod's Image Christian Witness to the Need for Gay/lesbian Equality in the Eyes of the Chun,h by Robert Warren Cromey Rector. Trinity Episcopal Churdi San Francisoo "A stirring manifesto and sincere guide to clearer understanding. This is a nurturing, healing book and a call to action. Read it!" -Malcolm Boyd, Author of Are You Running with Me, Jesus & Gay Priest $9.95/paperback Send a check today; we cover postage. ALAMO SQUARE PRESS P.O. Box 14543, Dept. S, San Francisco, CA 94114 Also reprinted is a soul-stirring sei,non that Russell-Coons delivered in March, 1989. He said , "We have AIDS, and we are learning new lessons about both God and ourselves. We are learning something about healing. Healing is different than a cure. A cure is medical conquest of a disease; healing becomes possible when a person moves toward wholeness. _ It is possible to be healed without being cured." This is a fresh insight that could benefit every person living with a terminal illness. Many other PW As give their first-hand reports from the AIDS battlefront and it's quite easy to see how spiritually attuned these special people are. Coming face-to-face with eternity has given them the oppor .tunity to ponder and explore, and therefore sec more clearly, the spiritual realities that many of us fear. Faced with the threat of death they have become aware of the value of life, and discovered the importance of the inner, spiritual life. The addition of prayer and meditation in their daily lives seems to have benefited them physically as well as spiritually. Of the many other writers in the book one of my favorites is Beryl Ingram-Ward, ,the pastor of St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Tacoma, Washington. She found special significance in the verses Hebrews 13:12-13, "So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his blood. Therefore let us go forth to those outside the camp, and bear the abuse they endured." She tells how being an "insider" she was sheltered from the awareness of "outsiders," and it wasn't until she ventured outside the gate that her eyes were .opened to seeing the wounded and weary from this epidemic. She could also see God's redeeming power at work, and -how ministry was necessary "outside the camp" to those who had been rejected by homophobic churches. From her own association with homosexuals and PW As she replaced her own narrowness with the broader view that the church must be a "haven of hope and hospitality." With shock she discovered that Christ was present with the "outcasts!" This insider went outside and there discovered Jesus. A new AIDS related book, To Celebrate and to \ Mourn, has been published by Chi Rho Press in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The author, Louis F. Kavar, has developed an original and unique book o f liturgies and prayers, with II SECOND STONE ministering to those affected by AIDS as the only focus. Several complete services are outlined, including an unusual Call to Worship which is performed by seven people seated throughout the body of the church. The Christian rituals, such as annointing and communion, have all been specifically adapted for these services. "Healing is different than a cure. A cure is medical conquest of a disease; healing becomes possible when a person moves toward wholeness. It is possible tQ be healed without being cured." By comparison, one of the worst AIDS books to come out in recent years in one entitled Last Letters, The Epistolary Account ·of an AIDS Patient by Carlos R. de la Llave. I had every hope that this book would give a picture of AIDS in the Latin community, but it turned out to be a fictitious series of letters which were all melodrama and no substance. The letter writer is curiously called "F" ... just "F." I wonder whose identity de la Llave was trying to protect, or perhaps, judging from the rest of the book, he just couldn't think up a name. Anyway, the gist of the story is that "F'' breaks off his engagement to his beloved Martha (yes, she actually has a name), travels abroad to Europe where he realizes his true sexual proclivities, and returns a year later with full-blown AIDS. This must have been a miraculous infection! Anyone with even an elemental AIDS education knows that it takes eight to ien years for the HIV virus lo develop into AIDS (if at all). "F" spends half of the book begging Martha for forgiveness, and the other half thanking her for forgiving him. What a bore. One gets the impression from this book that if the heterosexual lifestyle is forsaken AIDS will be the curse that follows. He has used ample fertilizer to make his prose as flowery as possible, but the "bull" surpasses the _ beauty by a long shot. You can pass on this one. Rutgers University honors Presbyterian gay leader Rutgers University has awarded James D. Anderson, Associate Dean and Professor in the School of Communications, Information, and Library Studies at Rutgers, a Public Service Award for his work with lesbian and gay issues in the Presbyterian Church (USA), the State of New Jersey, and at Rutgers University . This is the first time the university has granted a university award for contributions re lated to lesbian and gay concerns. Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, with over 47,000 students, is one of the major state university systems in the nation. The Class of '62 Public Service Award, funded by the Class of 1962, honors members of the faculty, students, or <jdministrators "in recognition of a service such as scholarly contributions, voluntary community leader shi p, and personal acts of heroism in an emergency." In the spring of 1988, former Rutgers President Edward J. Bloustein asked James Anderson to chair his Presid en t's Select Committee for Lesbian and Gay Concerns at Rutgers. _Anderson led and organized a SHOAH, From Page 14 accept." Even recoveries and remissions shake us up : "A miracle has happened and that too is something I must accept and learn to bear," Etty writes, after receiving a reprieve from being transported . For those of us who do not survive, yet something of us will survive. For one, our existential enjoyment of life. "As life becomes harder and more threatening, it also becomes richer, because the fewer expectations we have, the more the good things of life become unexpected gifts which we accept with gratitude," Etty described it. For another, our refusal to be victims, as Etty refused to be a victim: "And the funny thing is I don't feel in their clutches anyway, whether I stay or am sent away. ...I don't feel in anybody's clutches; I feel safe in God's arms ... I shall always be able to sta:nd on my own two feet even when they are plarited on the hardest soil of the harshest reality." And for another, our valuing of friends and family, a blessing Etty recognized in Westerbork camp: "Most people here are much worse off than they need to be because they write off their longing for friends and family as so many losses in their lives, when they should count the committee of more than 30 facu lty, staff , administrators , students and alumni to conduct a comprehensive investigation of every facet of university life as it effects the lesbian and gay community at Rutgers and to produce a monumental report , "In Every Classroom," which the university community is now studying. Over the past decade, Anderson has been an active leader in the national movemen t to integrate the lesbian and gay communit y into the social fabric of the nation and to accord to lesbian and gay people the same rights and responsibilites enjoyed b y all other citizens. The Rutgers Class of '62 Public Service Award includes an honoraruim of $1000 . "I will pass this award money on to the groups who ha ve made this award possible, " said Anderson. "I ·am extremely grateful to a ll the wonderful folks who wrote letters on my behalf, but I'm espec iall y proud that my university has recognized and honored the whole lesbian and gay community through this award." fact that their heart is able to long so hard and to love so much among their greatest blessings." And ·something else that will survive are stories of our exuberant celebration of who . we are as gay "I looked at him as one might at the first crocus in spring, with pure enchantment. He was wearing a huge golden star, wearing it triumphantly on his chest. He was a procession and a demonstration all by himself as he cycled along so happily." people, like the story Etty recounts with Jews were forced to wear yellow stars by the Nazis: ''That man in sroNEWIILL Rtors SA8E'N-rodr/UD T/5£,f \/ / , -. __ ·-~ DODO Beethovenstraat this afternoon won't get a mention in [the history books). I looked at him as one might at the first crocus in spring, with pure enchantment. He was wearing a huge .. golden star, wearing it triumphantly on his chest. He was a procession and a demonstration all by himself as he cycled along so happily. And all that yellow - I suddenly had a poetic vision of the sun rising above him, so radiant and smiling did he look." "I am with the hungry, with the ill-treated and the dying, every day, but I am also with the jasmine and with that piece of sky beyond my window; there is room for everything in a single life," Etty wrote . Later, in rougher times: ''The jasmine behind my house has been completely ruined by the rains and storms of the last few days, its white blossoms are floating about in muddy black pools on the low garage roof. But somewhere inside me the jasmine continue to blossom undisturbed, jusl as profusely and delicately as ever it did . And it spreads its scent round the House in which You dwell, oh God." That home she experienced even in Westerbork camp: "I feel at home. I have learned so much about it here. We Rre 'at home.' Under the sky. In every place on earth, if only we carry everything within us.'' In ·July I August, 1991 BY ANDREA NATALIE P,f.f&E/f6ER Pl & lifJ/f describing this insight to a close friend there, she wrote, '1t took me two nights before I could bring myself to speak of it to him, this most intimate of all intimate feelings. And all the time I was dying to make him a present of it. And, then I .knelt down on the great heath and told him about God." Dear Etty, in the present Shoah of AIDS, you teagi us to appreciate all of life and to appreciate the life within us, the home where God dwells. In your suffering, you have offered us life. In our suffering, may we offer others life. You wrote, "And if we s\lould survive unhurt in body and soul, but above all in soul, without bitterness and without hatred, then we shall have a right to a say after the war." You have not survived in body, f:tty, but you have had your say because you soul speaks without bitterness a11d without hatred. May we be so gracfous, so that we too will have a say after our war with AIDS is but a painful memory. Chris Glaser is R graduate of Yale Divinity School and the author of two books: Uncommon Callin - A Gay Man's Strnile to Serve the Quu:'11, and Come Home! - Rec/aimini S.piritualilJI and Community as Gay Men and Lesbians, both from Harper & Row. • Lesbian and gay Episcopalians meet with Presiding Bishop For the first time since its founding in 1974, off icers of Integr ity, th e lesbian /gay justice ministry of the Episcopal Church, met with the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. Th e meeting took place in the office of the P rimate, th e ·Most Rev . Edmond L. Browning, at the Episcopal Church Center in New York Ci ty. Topics d iscussed included the Gener al Conve ntion gatheri ng in Phoenix in July , his support or lack t hereof for t he lesbian/gay com munity in th e Ep iscopal Church, the lack of any lesbian/gay voice or repres ent at ion at the national chur ch level, and the failure by the national church to do anyt hing to encourage the dia logue wi th lesbian and gay Episcopali ans which hnd been man dated by the 1988 Ge n e ra l Convention. The me e ting was a cordial one, although the Presiding Bishop perceived himself to have done more to encoura ge accep tance of lesbian and gay Episcopalians than did the Inte grity Board. It was ag ree d to strengthen communications between Anti-gay and lesbian violence increases in key U.S. cities WASHINGTON , D.C. - Violence a nd vi ctimizati on against gay men and Lesbians was a "widespread a nd critical problem " in 1990, with key U.S. cities reporting dramatic increases in "gay bashings" and o the r incidents. These findings were presented in ·a national report on anti-gay attacks, released by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute . in all six cities increased 42 pe rcent · ove r incidents repo rt ed in 1989. Physi ca l assaults were among the most serious incid ents to increase. Comp a red to 1989, reported anti-gay incidents incr eased in 1990 by 11 per cent in Chicago; 20 percent in Los Angeles; 29 perc e nt in San Francisco; 65 percent in New York City; 75 percent in the Boston area; and 133 percent in Minneapolis /S t. Paul. the Church Center and Integr ity and that the Board and the Presiding Bishop would meet again in October, 1991. The meeting with the Primate followed a two -day Board meeting _ held a t St. Marguerite's Retreat Center in Mendham, New Jersey. Meeting with Bishop Browning were (from left) Bruce Garner, President, Atlanta; Kim Byham, Director of Communications, Guttenberg, NJ; Dr, Elizabeth Hess, Northeast Regional Vice President, Easthampton, MA; Dorothy Beattie, Western Regional Vice President, Kenwood, CA; Tim Caison, Treasurer, Atlanta; Loudene "Gil" Grady, Secretary, Salinas, CA; Jeff Dey, Midwest Regional Vice President, Cincinnati; and The Rev . Paul Woodrum, Director of Development, Brooklyn, NY, The sixth ann u al NGL TF report , Anti-Gay / Lesbian Violence, Victimization & Defamation in .1990 , documents widesprea<;l..ai\dsiAer~asing anti-gay violence in six major cities across the nation and presents a shocking picture of the problem of bias crime against gay men and Lesbians . Lutheran seminarian expelled after pro-gay sermon A total of 1,588.incidents - including harassment, intimidation , physical assault, vandalism, arson, police abuse, and murder - were reported to gay agencies in the six cities featured in the report: New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago , the Boston area, and Minnca,Polis / St. Paul. Taken together , anti-gay episodes DETROIT, Ml. - Clergy and members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America gathered at Synod Offices here and in other ci tics to protest the expulsion of seminar ian Bill Kunisch as a candidat e for ordination. Kunisch, a seco nd-year Master of Divinitystudent at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, Cal., was expelled following a sermon he preached in his home congregation, Cross Lutheran Church , Pigeon, Mich . ln his sermon, he supported the ministry of SL Fran cis Lutheran Chur ch, San Francisco , one United Church Coalition for Lesbian/ Gay Concerns (United Church of Christ) For infonnation, contact: UCCL/GC 18 N. College St. Athens, OH 45701 (Tel. 614 / 593-7301) UCCLIGC • Support for lesbian, gay and bisexual • Advocacy people, their families and • Resources fr iends JOIN US IN PROCLAIMING AND CELEBRATING GOD'S LOVE! of the two suspended congregations of the ELCA for ordaining a lesbian couple and a gay man who refused to compl y w ith the ELCA 's policy requiring life-long vows of celibacy for those who are gay or lesbian. Based on the views he expressed in his sermon, Bishop Reginald Holle of the Northwest Lower Michigan Synod of the ELCA, the pastor and tl)rec members of Cross Church acted to terminate Kunisch's financial support a nd prohibit him from preaching or assisting in worship_ Kunisch was then summoned home for a "hearing" conducted by members of the · Michigan Mu lti-Sy nodical Candid .acy Comm it tee. Because Kunisch disagreed with the policy o f the ELCA making celibacy a requirement for ordination for those who are gay or lesbian as expressed in the document, Vision & Expectations, they felt it necessary to inquir e as to whethe r o r not he was in compli a nce with the document and if he intend s t o stay in com pliance . Kunisch objected on the grounds that "d isagreein g with a policy of this church has neve r warr anted such perso nal inquiries, and that co nducting 'hea rin gs' for suc h reasons se ts a dangerous precede nt an d threatens DI THE SECOND STONE one's Christian freedom to preach the Gospel with prophetic conviction." Kunisch refused to answer thC'ir questions about h is personal compliance until the committee and the Division for Ministry of the ELCA demonstrates that it makes such personal inquiries of all clergy and seminarians who disagree with the church's policy on this matter. The Michigan Multi-Synodical Candidacy Committee in consultation with Rev. Craig Settlage, ELCA Division : .fcfr- Ministry, acted to withdraw .Kimisch's endorsement as a candidate _ Commenting on the situ ation, Rev. James Delange, pastor of St. Francis Church, said , "The actions taken against Bill arc outrageous. He was disciplined for a sermon, interrogated because he disagreed with a policy of the chu rch, and his endorsement was withdrawn for refusing to vow compliance w ith a document in his seco nd _ yea r of se minar y when he hasn't even taken all th e classes the document , spe]ls ouL . The church 's action sc11.T¢ ti'o't only immoral, they arc also a wasteful use of the church's time and money." Travel . J The guesthouses of Key West By Cynthia Marquard andD annMi uns® ContributingW riters What is two miles wide by four miles long? Calls its long-time residents "conches" (pronounced conks) and its new-comers "freshwater conches?" ls the only Caribbean Island you can drive to? Celebrates the sunset every night? Was once home to pirates, smugglers, and Ernest Hemingway, and now is one of the largest gay /lesbian resort areas in the world? You guessed it: The Conch Republic (better known as Key West, Fla.). Key Wes.t is truly another, very laid-back world even though it is only a five hour drive down the overseas highway or a 45-minute plane ride from Miami. · Among the many unique features about Key West is it architecture. Lacy southern Victorian mansions abound, and many of them have been converted into delightful guest houses. Because the beach area on Key West is somewhat limited, a great deal of sunning and swimming time centers around the place you stay. Most places have at least a small swimming pool; some have bars and lounge areas; and most serve a continental breakfast. For those who drive cars to Key West, parking can be a problem. Not all guest houses have parking spaces available. Choosing the guest house that's right for you ca,1 be crucial to how well you enjoy your stay. Exclusively for Men Six guest house cater exclusively to gay men, and three others, Big Ruby's, Lighthouse Court, and Sea Isle Resort, are primarily gay male oriented . .... Big Ruby's is in the heart of the downtown Key West action , has 13 pleasant rooms, a heated swimming pool, color TV and air conditioning. The two new owners from Houston are eager to please, and to help guests get to know one another will post names of those staying there near the pool. Curry House has eight elegantly outfitted rooms around a lagoon-style pool and jacuzzi in a small garden setting. Fu.II gourmet breakfast is served every day. Early House offers a very pleasant, casual atmosphere for men. Its pool and jacuzzi areas are surrounded by gardens and mirrors--and subtly lit at ·· night. Owner Don Leckie is on the premises and is a great host. Island House, one of' the largest with 35 rooms, has a bar and cafe in addition to pool, jacuzzi, gym and sauna. It also features a "video room" for those into film. Some rooms have been renovated but still have shared baths. Lighthouse Court Gueslhouse has 42 rooms, a cafe, and bar. Lime House Inn, has seven rooms, and in addition to such amenities as pool and spa, hosts an afternoon cocktail hour. Newton Street Station, with seven rooms, is ideal for the budget-minded and offers swimming and sunbathing in a tropical garden setting. Oasis Guest House has 10 rooms in a restored mansion, with large pool, spa, and a series of sundecks on each floor with stairs leading down to the pool. All rooms have been renovated within the past JO months, and this resort is now in prime condition. Sea Isle Resort, has 24 rooms, all with private bath, pool, jacuzzi, gym, and parking. Exclusively for Women There are two guest houses for women only, Chelsea House and _The Rainbow House. Chelsea House, has 10 pleasantly furnished rooms with private baths and telephones. There is also parking availab_le. The main gathering areas are a semi-open-air TV room, the adjoining deck, and the swimming pool area. There is a female staff on duty 24-hours a day. The Rainbow House is the newest guest house for women and all its eight rooms are actually two-room suites with. private bath. A planned swimming pool had not yet been installed when we visited, but there is a jacuzzi and a beautiful pool table in a roofed-over open-air lounge area. Mixed Gay Men and Lesbian Accommodation Some people are more comfortable in a mixed setting, and there are nine exclusively or primarily gay guest houses for both men and women. Alexanders's is a charming guest house with multilevel sundecks around a heated pool. Both breakfast and cocktails are served here. Brass Key Guesthouse, with 14 rooms, is the place for men or women who are into antiques, elegance, and service. It also has a new swimming pool and heated spa that seats at least 15-a great place to meet other guests. Breakfast is included and made-to-order from a selection of homemade treats. · Coconut Grove Guesthouse and Apartments has 15 guestrooms and five spacious suites, plus an outdoor gym and heated pool. The owners are European and have created the atmosphere of a European guest house. Colours Key West offers 12 rooms in a beautifully renovated 1889 Victorian mansion . It has a pool, a convenient location, and the hosts provide excellent service. The clientele usually runs about 50-50 men and women. Cypress House, with 15 rooms, has a heated lap pool and serves afternoon cocktails. Garden House has 10 rooms and is located in the heart of Old Town. La Te Da (La Terraza De Marti) is the place where the partying never stops. In addition to 19 rooms, there are two bars and three restaurants, a pool and jacuzzi, and a clientele that includes gays as well as avant garde straights. Sunday tea dance here is popular. The Pines Key West is the spot for budget-minded gay men and lesbians. It has a pool and sundeck and off-the-street parking. Simonton Court has cottages in addition to guestrooms, so this is a good place for groups of four or more. It also has two large pools and one recently -added small one. Gay Friendly Places About 15 other guest houses welcome everyone, but are particularly · friendly to gay men and lesbians. P. O. Box Ill SL B•tbl•b•m, .NH 03574 (603) 869-3978 July/August,1991 □ They include, Author's of Key West (nine rooms), Duval House (25 rooms), Heron House (18 rooms, plus one suit with a two person jacuzzi that is particularly popular with lesbians). Because gays and lesbians make up an estimated 20 per cent of the tourist · business in this town whose only business is tourism, many establishments are "gay friendly." For those who prefer to stay in large resort hotels, there is the Casa Marina, and Hyatt? Of course, there is plenty to do outside the guest houses. Rent a bike or a motor scooter and head for one of the beaches off the main highway. Go shopping for tee-shirts or just about anything else on Duval Street. A Year 'Rotfnd .Resort Many people think of heading for the tropics only in winter. And winter is the high season in Key West. But it's a big mistake to think this is the only time to go. While the rest of Florida swelters during the summer months, Key West, between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, is constantly cooled by sea breezes. Key West is a fabulous bargain in the off-season. Rates are much lower and the crowds much thinner. You'll rarely wait in line for anything. But, whenever you go, be sure to take lots of sun lotion, books, and high expectations for the most laid-back time of your life. Cynthia A. Marquard is the owner/managero f Envoy Travel, Inc., in Chicitgo and vice-president of the International Gay Travel. Assn. Danni Munson is the editor and publisher of The Lesbian and Gay Almanac and Events of 1991. tit, "otl,1r" plGce "'·' tic• , ••... .·=,,.-=_·~ll~r-ak'~lClllt '~ :;.,~ .~- ~ ri_«l~calflo rb rochure. ' . "· ' " l~,. AIOSI t., P. 0. Boi-2326 ~p~ IslandT, exu 78597 "(Sf:2)761-YLL 8 Air co11nectlou via Amerlcu Contiaental Sontlawat • Classifieds Books & Publicatk)ns 'WONDERFUL DIVERSITY,' 'Heartily recommended,' 'Philosophically intriguing,' 'Excellent.• Wny do reviewers highly esteem CHRISTIAN'NEW AGE OUARTERL Y? Great articles and lively columns make this bridge of dialogue between Christians and New /v;lers as entertaining as it is substantive. SUbscribe for only $12.50/yr. Or sample us for $3.50. CHRISTIAN'NEW AGE QUARTERLY, PO Box 276, Clifton, NJ 07011-0276. TF FAMILIES, From Page 13 cannot accept by convincing their child that he or she is a sinner who must be cured by prayer . The overwhelming majority of Gays find prayer, repentance or attempting to choose not to be gay doesn't change a thing .. In despair many -have taken their own lives. Committing suicide has been an alternative for some who have not been accepted by their ARE YOU MOVING? The F\'.>st Office will not forward The Second Stone. You rrust notify us for uninterrupted service if you move. • Please notify us four weeks in a~vance for uninterrupted delivery . Send both old and new addresses. 11 possible attach mailing label in space provided . PRINT. NEW ADDRESS ~ E ~ f ~ ~ -~ N ~- g' . Send completed form to: THE SECOND STONE Box8340 · New Orleans, LA 70182 OWN YOUR OWN LIFE. Join the fastest growing corporalion in Americas it launches its international expansion. Call Freedom Unlimited International (504)593-1083 for 24 hour message. 8/91 ARE YOU A GAY CHRISTIAN with a social conscience? Ale you out or is your closet door Wide-Open? Then you l)'Obably haveven more families as an equal and valuable part of God's creation. How, then, can Christians justify God's claim of unconditional love? Although I have accepted Chris as he is, I struggled with my feelings upon learning of his former relationship. Because he was depressed over the break-up between himself and his partner, I felt a great empathy with his suffering just as I had through all of my children's problems. It became very clear to me that human suffering over the loss of a loved one has nothing to do with sexual orientation . Grief is the same. As a mother who realizes her son in common with this passionate, well-educated, adventurous, and handsome man. I know you'd need a photo but I'm 35, 5'10", weigh 160, have trond hair and green eyes. Arxl you? Have you, too, been hoping and praying for a soulmate? Well, ask God if the fella' that wrote this could be the one, then write to: Nationwide Search, PO Box 16013, Minneajl)liS, MN 55416. 8/91. Professional Services PSYCHOSPIRITUAL THERAPY to rediscover your unique mind/body/spirit connection. did not choose to be gay, I reject the Christian view that he is a sinner who must repent because of his gayness. When he came to me and said "Mother, I have something to tell you," I thanked God that it wasn't to tell me he was ill with an incurable disease . I listened with an open heart and knew he was, n·everthelcss, a beautiful human being whose goals . and dreams are exactly the same as everyone else's. l just don't believe that this wonderful, loving son is evil. It's easy to understand Helen's disappointment . with so many □ Explore attitudes toward living and dying. Reconcile experiences of significant life events • coming out - growing up - hanging in - moving on. Godspace: a ministry of reconciliation and healing. (New Orleans) 891-9879. Rev. Deanne Beverly Aime. 8191. Business or PersonalTry a Second Stone ClasmiedAd! Christian groups spearheading the "ex-gay" ministries. However, I must add that many Christians are opening up to new understanding about homosexuality. Even among fundamentalist groups, I personally know or many in "high places" whose knowledge is growing. The time just isn't right for them to speak out fully - but that time is coming. I hope we can all stay prayerful that the "blind spots" will be removed and that loving acceptance by the bod y of Christ is going to happen. God bless you all. Fort Worth pastor protests election of gay official Pastor W. N . Otwell of Fort Worth visited the Texas state capitol to protest the election of Glen Maxey, the state's first openly gay elected official, and to protest Hous e Bill 1592 which prohibits a court from taking sexual orientation, race and religion into consideration in determining issues of child custody. Rev. Otwell and his three bus loads of supporters wore T-shirts stating, "When God made Man, he made them Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve or Annie and Eve" and "The sin of sodomy disqualifies you as a parent, a politician and a preacher." Th ey also wore baseball caps picturing Adam and Steve, Annie and Eve, and Adam and Eve with a red "X" across what they perceived to be the inappropriate couples. Otwell' s group is called GAP, God Against Perversion . The CAP position paper, which was sent to all Senators and Representatives, states that they arc "alarmed that Texas has elected the openly professed homosexual ... " Also included in their information packet arc a series of lurid descriptions (in painstaking detail) of what they imagine to be the sexual activities of gay men. Legislators arc urged to "read for yourself the wicked, pervert ed and animalistic 'p racrices of the homosexual ... " Members of GAP offered testimony against House Bill 1592, introduced by Debra Danburg of Houston. The tes timony was about two weeks late, however. The bill had already had a hearing where Representative Danburg and members of the gay and lesbian community had spoken in favor of it. Classified Order Form Please place my ad in these issues: [ J Jan/Feb [) Mar/Apr [ ) May/Jun [) Jul/Aug FOR ONLY 35 CENTS PER WORD, your ad can appear in the next edition of SECOND STONE. Take advantage of our low cost (but high profile) classified section by placing your advertising order today! MailTo:THESECONDSTONE P.O.Box8340 New Orleans, IA 70162 Name ___________ ~ Address __________ _ City/St./Zip _______ _ AD COPY _______ _ --------------------------------------- ------ .---------- __ words X .35 = $ _____ _ 20 word minimum. All classifieds m_ust be pre-paid. Deadline one month prior to cover date . We will mail you a copy of the edition(s) in which your ad appear s July/ August, 1991 . [) Sept/Oct [) Nov/Dec CLASSIFICATIONS [ ) Books & Publications [ J Business Opportunities [ l Employment [ ) Friends/Relationships [ ] General Interest [ ] Mail Order [ ) Merchandise [ ) Organizations [ J Professional Services [ l Real Estate [ J Retreats [ ] Roommates [ ]Travel Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone #17 - July/Aug 1991 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/254e4113c291efce31a7532013a2647f.pdf 9440666bcd2ec2c8be179a53f71e66b3 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone Description An account of the resource Issues of the Second Stone publication. Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 18 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1991 Publication Date The date the issue was published Sept/Oct 1991 Text Any textual data included in the document THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER FOR GAV AND LESBIAN CHRISTIANS $2.25 TONE SEPTEM{JER/OCTOBER, 1991 9500 Readers Across The USA ISSUE #181 UFMCC pres .en ts Human Rights Award Bob and Cary Peck, husband and daughter of Jane Cary Peck, accept the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Church's Human Rights Award from Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson. Jane Cary Peck, who died in 1990, was a college professor and Vice President of the National Council of Churches. She was honored for challenging the injustices in the church. The award praised Peck for being a champion of peace and justice for all people and an advocate for gay and lesbian rights. It was presented at the UFMCC General Conference, meeting in Phoenix, Arizona in July. See story Page 9. 11!1 BOOK REVIEWS fflRELATIONSHIPS1 l(il Homosexuality and . Religion & An H~norable Profession Iii Myths that can ruin your togetherness By Rev. Fred C. Williams Mass murderer a homophobic loner Dahmer thought AIDS 'Yas God's judgement An Episcopal church worker who recalls talking with mass murderer Jeffrey L. Dahmer said that the killer thought that AIDS was God's judgement on Gays. Dahmer has admitted to killing 17 peopl e since 1978 in Wisconsin and Ohio . Dismembered body parts of several of Dahmer's victims were discovered in his Milwaukee apartment on July 22. Dahmer had met some of his victims at gay bars or gay pride events . . Patrons at several Milwaukee and Chicago gay bars wh o recall seeing· Dahmer said that he was a ' loner, moody and distant. Jean -Paul Ranieri, a Jay • brother in the Episcopal Church who works with gay men, said tllat after a long talk with Dahmer he concluded tha t Dahmer was "extremely homophobic ." He recalled Dahmer implying that AIDS was God's judgement on Gays. Prior to being sentenced for a sexual assault charge in 1989, Dahm er told Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge William D . Gardner that he was an alcoholic and a homosexual with serious sexual problems. Dahmer never re ceived treatment for his alcoholism and the state probation agent who was assigned to regularly visit Dahmer in his home following his sexual assault conviction did not follow through on the visits because of a heavy caseload. A candlelight vigil to reme mber the victims of Jeffrey Dahmer brought thousands of concerned people into the streets of Milwaukee on August 5. Sponsored by a coalition of gay and lesbian, African-American, ci vil rights, and neighborhood organizations, speakers ra llied for changes in the criminal justice and social service systems and in the way the media covers stor ies affecting Lesbians, Gays and people of color. -From reports by Equal Time and Associated Press National march on Washington scheduled Organizers for the March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights are planning for more than a million Gays and Lesbians to march on the nation's capitol. The event is scheduled for April 25, 1993. On the weekend of August 3rd about 150 activists met in Chicag o to begin laying the groundwork for the march . Activist s came from every region of the country, although not all 50 states were represented. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! ONE YEAR ONLY $13.00! BOX 8340 • NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 I =•AA" "P M'D' NEW ORLEANS. LA PERMIT No. 511 Letters · □ Honolulu, Hawaii Second Stone Offers False Hope, Says Ex-Gay Aspirant Dear Second Stone, I recently received a copy of your paper at my request. "Finally," I anticipated, "a journal sensitive to my struggle." I have now come to realize that · except for Christ, I am indeed alone. There is no one sensitive to my struggle . Your paper states it is a paper for gay and lesbian Christians as if something of that nature exists. You are frue to your word . I now know I'm looking for support of people who are Christians first and also struggle with homosexuality . I want victory and every article I saw was about acceptace. Over the last few years I have found I have true Christian friends who accept me more than some of my gay friends. My gay friends .ridicule me for trying to change, for seeking God's help to chang e. They blast Christianit y as the source of all my problems when to me it is the source of my freedom . Discouraged, at one time I turned to my gay friends who profess Christianity, only to find they have "adapted" their beliefs to allow for the struggle. To me gay and lesbian Christians is like saying adulterous Christians or gossiping Christians. What's wrong with this picture? I was depressed to see an ad in your paper stating · there are no ex-gays. Where's the victory of Jesus Christ? Have we rendered him powerless to hei!l anyone, make anyone whole? There are no ex-gays? Perhaps. Like there are no ex-alco· holies . Alcoholics must deal with alcohol all their lives. But there is victory for those who never go back to alcohol. I seek that victory . I may never get married but my goal is to have victory through Jesus Christ. I pray not to continue in a life style that has brought such despair and unhappiness to my life and the lives of my friends and family . I wish I had never opened that Pandora's box. I've made that mis- Magazine asks for protest letters Catholic priest condemned in Italy A Catholic priest, don Goffredo Crema has been condemned by the Bishop of Cremona and the Vatican "for his writings, declarations and public activities in favor of homo• sexual people, which is against the teachings of the Church and not compatible with his being a priest." Three reasons were listed in the condemnation order. First, the fact that don Crema appeared on a broad• cast on the national television system "RAJ 2," talking about the problems of lesbian and gay Catholics. Then, he agreed to be interviewed by the Italian gay monthly Babilonia, in which he said that other attitudes towards homosexuality could be envisaged within the Catholic Church rather than the prevailing one. Finally, he accepted an offer to write a monthly column devoted to Gays and faith in Babilonia, which lasted for five months before Crema was compelled to stop his cooperation with the magazine. Crema has been accused, among other things, of saying that "follow· ing a homosexual urge may be natural for a homosexual, accordingly with his/her nature," and has been told that this is false, because lesbian and gay people • are "sick" and "perverted ." Babilonia is calling for an international campaign of letterwriting in support of don Crema because his case is highly symbolic. In fact, Crema never attacked Catholic hierarchies, in an effort to keep a low profile. What he is being punished for is not heretical opinions or open criticism of the Church but, rather, just for "speaking in favor of homosexual people," accoraing to the magazine. Babilonia also claims that the Bishop of Cremona, Monsignor Enrico Assi, had always accepted the activities of don Crema and that the order to put the priest under trial came directly from the Vatican . Babilonia is_ calling for "friendly, but firm" protest letters in English or Italian to Monsignor Enrico Assi, vescova de Cremona, P .za S. Antontio Maria Zaccari, 126100 Cremona, Italy, with a copy to Babilonia, Via Ebro 11, 120141, Milano , Italy. In asking for help editor Giovanni Dall 'Orto said, "Catholic homophobia is not a domestic Italian problem, but a worldwide one!" -Cruise take before and l don't intend to do it again by redefining my Christianity to accept something my· Lord knows will destroy me. I won't deceive myself like that . I am a Christian first, homosexuality is somewhere far, far down the list in defining my total personality . So, as I said before, except for Christ, I am alone. We are alone, for there are many of us in "transition" who have no support system, we will never come out, we will not bond together in support groups. we will take the hand of Christ and march forward with Him knowing (or not knowing} that we are making the bravest choice of all. We will still follow Christ not only when other In. This Issue FEATURES homosexuals are telling us we are wrong but, yes, even when "fellow Christians" are telling us we are wrong. I only pray we have the strength to continue when a paper such as yours offers us such false hope . EAF We welcome you to share your views, opinions, . feelings and experiences with our readers. Send letters to: LETTERS, Second Stone, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 . All letters must be original and signed by the writer. Clearly indicate if your name is to be withheld. We reserve the right to edit . □ THEOLOGY FROM HEART & MIND Page 10 COLUMNS COMMENTARY Page3 RELATIONSHIPS Page 13 TRAVEL Page 19 DEPARTMENTS LETTERS Page 2 NEWS BRIEFS Page 4 CHURCH & ORGANIZATION NEWS Page 11 CALENDAR Page 12 BOOKS Page 16 CLASSIFIEDS Page 20 fl SECOND STONE Con1mentary □ One of us or one of them: Some people may not want to know 'i Why do you have to tell everybody? HyJjmRoclu: Contributing Writer When my brother and sister-inlaw suddenly decided to move half way across the country to the town 1 lived in it became apparent they needed to be told something about, well, my notoriety as a gay person. I hadn't ever discussed this with my brother . Actually I'd spent about an hour with him per year for the past decade or so, so it never seemed like a necessity. But I discovered that this was an announcement that was best made at my descretion. From experience I've learned that surprises of this sort are best avoided. The year before when my church found out that their "family man" minister was gay all hell had broken loose. 1 was the subject of half page articles in the local paper, my congregation met to discuss my gayness, and threats were made against my life. You name it, it had happened to me. Although I have since left t he ISSN No. 1047-3971 SECOND STONE Newspaper is published every other month by Bailey Communica tions, P. 0. Rox 8340, New Orleans, LA 70i 82. Copyright I 991 by Second Stone, a registered trademark. SUBSCRIPTIONS , U.S.A. S13.00 per year, six issues. Foreign subs<! ribcrs add S10.00 for postage. All payments U.S. currcm.:y only. ADVERTISING, For display . advertising information call (504)899-4014 or wri te to : Box 8340 , New Orleans, LA 70182. EDITORIAL, send letters, ca lendar announcements, and church/organization news lo (Departmen t title) . Second Stone, P. 0 . Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 . Manu.scr ipL~ to be returned should be accom pani ed by a stamped, self addressed envelope. SECOND STONE. an ecume nical Christian newsp:iper commincd lo informing the gay and lcshian com munity. l'UflLISHER/EDITOR: Jim Bailey CONTRIBITTORS FOR nns ISSUE: William L. Day Rev. Fred C. Williams Jim Roche Cynthia Marquard Danni Munson church, members still harass me by calling employers to make sure they know I'm gay (I've lost several positions after phone calls from these people) and sending mail-order surprises. Some people can really hate. ,. Well, when my brother and his wife arrived in town we went out for dinner and before we even began he said, "Everybody seems to know you around here. When I go places people say, 'Why do I know that name?"' I sat them down and broke the news. "About my roommate David ... I guess Then the questions, my sister-in-law first: "Well, what I don't understand is, why do you have to tell everybody?" She then gave every cliche in the book, suggesting that I was harassed and losing my job because I was, you know, "flaunting it." you could say we share more than the rent." "Oh?" Then the questions, my sister-in-law first: "Well, whal I don 't understand is, why do you have to tell everybody?" She then gave every cliche in the book, suggesting that I was harassed and losing my job because I was, you know, "flaunting it." The conversation went on and seemed to end in a supportive gesture or two (they paid for dinner, which was very important to me as I wasn't too sure about my employability.) Her final suggestion: "Move back to New York. It's the only place you'll be SEE COMMENTARY, Page 15 Subscribe Today. And You'll Never Be Without A Friend For Your Journey. Join thousands of lesbians and gay men who've embarked on an inward journey. Through the pages of The Second Stone, an · ecu menical Christian newsmagazine, you'll be challenged, inspired, angered and encouraged. Meet brave men and women who are confronting social injustice and religious bigotry. Explore family and relationship issues. -Enjoy our engaging features and columns, newsbrief s and book reviews . 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September /October, 19 91 II Newsbriefs Greek Orthodox Suspend National Council Ties Upset over women clergy, controversies over homosexuality and the liberal views of some mainline denominations, the largest Eastern Orthodox Church took a big step back from the ecumenical movement, announcing that it has suspended relations with the National Council of Churches and the Episcopal Church . The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, which has an estimated 2 million U.S. members, has withdrawn from participatioll' in tl,e 32-denomination National Council and will decide this fall whether it wants to. keep its affilia lion. The breaking off of Episcopal contacts was prompted by Orthodox objections to women priests and bishops, the recent ordination of an openly lesbian priest in Washington, D.C., and a book by Episcopal Bishop John Spong claiming that St. Paul was a closet homosexual, said Father Milton Efthimiou, ecumenical officer for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. In 1983, Greek Orthodox leaders threatened to leave the National Council when the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches sought membership . But the crisis was averted when the issue was tabled . However, last fall th e council's governing board voted to resume talks. -Los Angeles Times Catholic School Teacher Fired For Directing Gay Play The director of a community production of Jerker, an explicitly homoerotic play by the late Robert Chesley, was fired from his teaching job at Bishop Lynch Roman Catholic High School in Dallas, Texas. Bruce Coleman had worked as a substil\lte teacher since January and "never discussed the project with [his) students. " But school policy demands that teachers "uphold the Catholic Church's philosophy inside and outside the school," said principal Edward Leyden. Ten teachers at Lynch sent a letter to administrators stating that Coleman was "an exceptionally valuable" staff member . -Outlines A Presbyterian Promise I "We will work to increase the acceptance and participation in the church of all persons regardless of racial -ethnic origins, sex, class, age, disability, marital status or sexual orientation" - 195th General Assembly (1983), Atlanta, Georgia If this is your promise, too, we invite you to join Presbyterians for Lesbian/Gay Concerns Write to Elder James D. Anderson PLGC, P.O. Box 38, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0038, 201/846-1510 Frat Members Suspended For Anti-Gay Shirts SYRACUSE, NY . - A Syracuse University fraternity has been suspended by its national organi zation for selling tee-shirts with anti-gay slogans, including one jokingly advocating violence against Gays . All 54 members of the Alpha Chi Rho chapter at Syracuse we r e permanently suspended but those who win an appeal can rejoin, said Jim Spencer, executive director of the fraternity's national headquarters in Neptune, N.J. Slogans on the tee-shirts included "Homophobic and Proud of It!" and "Club Faggots, Not Seals ." The university's Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Student Alliance complained to the university's Judicial Board. -Cruise Irate Callers Force Gay Groups Off School Property ROSEBURG, OR. - The Gay and Lesbian Alliance and · the Metropolitan Community Church moved its annual summer yard sale from Roseburg High School grounds after irate residents threatened to picket. The fund raising event had been held without incident in the high school parking lot for three years, but after advertisements appeared for this year's sale, school officials were bombarded with telephone calls. Dean of Students Dean Cardiff said callers thought the high school was condoning gay and lesbian activities . -Associated Press Charlotte, N.C. Fundamentalists Protest P-FLAG National Meeting The upcoming annua l meeting of the International Federation of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays in Charlotte, North Carolina this fall has led local conservatives to urge the host hotel to cancel the booking. An official of the Omni Charlotte Hotel said that the October meeting will go on as scheduled . General manager Tom Barker said the booking can't be canceled . "Our purpose is to serve the general public , not to endorse or approve of any group," he said . Concerned Charlotteans, a II SECOND STONE □ conservative religious group , had sent postcards to the hotel asking officials to cancel the booking . The Rev. Joseph Chambers, who heads the group, considers the meeting a step toward turning Charlotte into a "homosexual mecca." Chambers said his group is determined to force .the meeting out. ' There are some things in the works," he said . "We would like to see it changed in a very quiet way ... But you can certainly use some strong er tactics if your weaker tactics fail." Nila Baily, president of P-FLAG's Charlotte chapter said that they were "just parents trying to help each other, and help our children." -Cruise ' "Will Sex Split The Church?" Right Wing Pastor Asks Dr. D. James Kennedy, pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida asked readers of USA Today to phone in their votes on sex outside of marriage, same-sex marriages, Gays in the pulpits, and abandonment of traditional family values. "As a minister, I am appalled over wha t is going on in the name of Christianity," Kennedy said in the full page ad . Two 900 line phone numbers were printed for callers to dial either to agree or disagree with the pastor . Callers who phoned to agree were charged 95 cents per minute. Callers who phoned to disagree were charged 95 cents. All funds generated by the invalid survey went to Coral Ridge Ministries . Results were to be made available to news services, the networks and top church officials, the ad said. Unitarians Select Gay Minister Rev . Scott Alexander, a gay minister, has been installed as senior pastor of the la r gest congregation in the Unitarian Universalist Association during its annual meeting in Hollywood, Fla. "We're saying that God loves everyone while the others are saying God loves some of us," said Alexander, referring to debate going on in many denominations . Unitarian Universalists, who affirm the worth and dignity of every person, have about 65 Gays and Lesbians among their 1,010 clergy. -Associated Press Newsbriefs · Leader of Jewish Scouts Decries Pullout of Mormons, Catholics Les Pettit's scouting organization could be devastated if the Mormon and Catholic churches end their affiliation with the Boy Scouts of America because of litigation over girls, Gays, and atheism. His troup is associated with the Jewish Community Center. "If some of the larger churches pull out... it will be pretty much the demise of scouting," said Pettit, who has been in scouting for 35 years. "Financially, it would be a total disaster." Scouting officials with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Roman Catholic Church were quoted in a New York Times article as saying their scouting units likely would withdraw from the Boy Scouts of America if a court forced the organization to allow a gay teen-ager to be an assistant scoutmaster. Mormon Church . spokesman Don Lefevre verified that Jack Goaslind, Jr., a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy who sits on the Boy Scouts' executive board, said he would recommend his church leave the organization rather than be forced to adhere to policies antithetical to Mormon teachings. -Associated Press Fundamentalists Attack AT&T For Pro-Gay Policy While many companies have adopted non-discrimination policies for their gay and lesbian employees, AT&T went a step further recently by recognizing Gay Awareness Week, instituted by its in-house lesbian/ gay support group. When some Christian radio stations heard about Gay Awareness Week, they publicized it, and complaints began pouring in from Christian fundamentalists threatening to cut up their AT&T credit cards and cancel their AT&T long distance service. AT&T spokesperson Burke Stinson told The New York Times, "Gay rights is the issue of the '90s, just as civil rights was in the '70s." AT&T has had a non-discrimination policy since 1975 and has a gay/lesbian employeee support group, Lesbian and Gay United Employees (LEAGUE). LEAGUE representative Stephen F. Mershon estimates that at least 25,000 of AT&Ts employees in the United States are gay. "We'd like AT&T to know that its customers are willing to back its support of diversity within its work force," Merchon said. Gay men, Lesbians, and other advocates of freedom can express their support of AT&T's non-discrimination policy by calling 1-800-323-4357. -Stonewall Union Reports ELCA Synod Says Gay Pastors Okay KENOSHA, WI. - Delegates of a southeastern Wisconsin synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America have approved a resolution encouraging its congregations to accept gay and lesbian ministers. The synod encompasses 142 congregations. The resolution, passed 208-162, by the Greater Milwaukee Synod Assembly, "spreads the message that we're willing to include anyone in the church," said Rev. Ted Lindquist, 35, of Racine. The Rev. Peter Rogness, bishop of the synod, said the decision may encourage other congregations to accept gay and lesbian ministers. -Equal Time Monks Drop Plans For AIDS Hospice Monks at the Monastery of the Glorious Ascension have dropped plans to operate a hospice for AIDS patients on their property in Whitfield County, Georgia. Area residents vigorously opposed the hospice. ''The neighbors have ,hot been kind to them," said Florence Brent, board chair of the proposed St. Raphael's Residence, Inc. The Whitfield County Commission had passed a resolution discouraging county residents from volunteering, and the county landfill refused to accept waste from the monastery, -Southern Voice Baptist Preacher Objects To Newspaper's Personal Ads Fred Lowery, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Bossier City, Louisiana, advised his congregation to protest the appearance of "Personally Speaking" ads in The Shreveport Times. Lowery wrote in the church bulletin that the ads were ''being used as a dating service for homosexuals" and "are not of moral value to the public." He urged church goers to· contact the editor of the paper and voice concern that the ads be removed. In a letter to Lowery, Ursula Enters Copely of the Homosexual Information Center said that the campaign to regulate the press and reading habits of the general public was beyond Lowery's authority. "We understand that you want church members to observe church law," said Copely, ''but just as you want the freedom to practice your religion without interference you must allow those of other persuasions the same freedom of expression ... If atheists were to try to get rid of church ads we'd object." AF A Targets Coors The ever-vigilant American Family Association is targeting the Adolph Coors Company for advertising in Bob Damron's Address Book. The July issue of the AFA Journal noted that the Damron guide is a "homosexual book giving the localions where homosexuals can find other homosexuals for sex ... " The Journal urged its readers to □ write to Chairman William K. Coors, Adolph Coors Company, Golden, CO 80401, (303)279-6565. Ironically, Coors was boycotted by Gays and Lesbians in the late '70s and '80s for alleged anti-gay hiring practices and funding of anti-gay organizations. Heartsong Releases New Album The Christian musical group Heartsong has recently released a new cassette album. "Family Feeling," recorded in Nashville, Tenn., was recorded after many months of road appearances by the group. For information on the cassette, write to 3527 Oaklawn Ave., #310, Dallas, TX 75219 or call 1-8oo-624-1148. PATLAR VOICE OF GAY AMERICA MONTHLY NEWSMAGAZINE FREE AT OUR DISTRIBUTION POINTS SUBSCRIPTIONS $35 ANNUALLY SAMPLE(tJp~ulis}g'[Jfl,~t~ USA $4 poc aFO'R1t kIN~F O~ OWN AD}VElRlTtIS~2INlGt ~~i6 cf~§s22 vdignit~1usa an "'l]anizaticnfu r gay and fu6ian Catfw[ics, tF,,ir fami(its and friuufs. . ..! L.. -Dignity /USA has ministered to gay and lesbian Catholics, their families and friends for over 20 years. ., -r in W80e c hhaavpet eorvs earc 4r,o0s0s0 thmee cmobuenrtsr y. If you'd like to support our ministry, pleasej oin Dignity_/USAt oday by completingt he form below and enclosing your $40.00 check payable to Dignity, Inc, to: Dignity/USA, 1500 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Suite 11, Washington, DC 20005. Telephone: 1-800-877-8797 D YES, I would like to support the work of dq:llt'91lJS(l Enclosed is my $40.00 check for membership. Name Address Cily State ZIP ___ September/October, 1991 II Newsbriefs Sexual Orientation Not Protected Status, Group Says DENVER, CO. • A Colorado group has been formed to seek a statewide initiative to ban the protected status of sexual orientation. Denver's anti· discrimination ordinance has already survived one repeal attempt. Two Colorado Springs men, Kevin Tebedo and Tony Marco have formed the Colorado for Family Values group and are circulating petitions .to put a Constitutional amendment on the 1992 state ballot. "Our civil rigrts laws were not intended to give protected status to sexual orientation, including homosexuality, bisexuality or lesbianism," said Marco. "Civil rights have historically been granted on the basis of characteristics of birth such as race, color, gender, national origin or being physically handicapped. None of these characteristics which are protected by civil rights laws are behavioria\ in nature. Sexual orientation is behavioral, and not a characteristic comparable to ethnicity," he said. -Out Front Catholic Church Blamed·For Domestic Partner Bill Failure BOSTON, MA. • Just one day after advocates believed they had the necessary votes for a bill recognizing same-sex couples and unmarried heterosexual couples, the Boston City Council voted 11-2 against the plan. Proponents of the domestic partnership bills blamed the Archbishop of Boston's Catholic Churches, Cardinal Bernard Law, and Mayor Raymond Flynn for the defeat and vowed to oust the councilors who opposed it. Educators Remove Boy Scout Exhibit A booth promoting the Boy Scouts of America was removed from the National Education Association (NEA) convention exhibit hall, following National Coming Out Day Salutes You ! ttft MAJOR DONORS (to date) -The Adv~i. - Outww:k -Fn::..ti«I - Second S.- . Our World -Gay Mn\ s Hu.I th Cmis (N .Y.) . ~ (Ncw ' Orluni) • Au Coutant ( l'!'lilad~phial •Gay .. t..e,bian Alliance of Di:lawan - Th~ Lo.1 ... 1 i... {s.a-lo).MetrolJM{H&rtfoo:IJ-Outfn::e1(0m_.). Island Lifest)ia (Honolu,lu) - Equal rune 0-!innc,•polis) - Labiar, twwt (LA.). Laveod. Netwud: ('E.ugn,o-). C.y People'• Owortide (Clr,'elan,d) . (N.Y.) • Caybeal (Cincinnati) • Moen. Cue11 What! (Sa<Tamento) - New Voitt (O,naha). Honey Ward - In Stq, (MilwaukN\ • Sutllt C.y News - 0...r OwnCocNn1111ilyPr-(Norfolk)- Updllte(SulDi.go) • MichHl'1 ThiJig(N.Y.)- Morgan Jtf'u,,,ory Tri.ISi - Muru s }ohru.Nc..- YorkNative • Michxl Keams- Reactions(LA.) - Tocn Wat,i,on lttl HEROES· (to daM) • Jim llou<lreaux - i<lmtil y, lnc. (Anchon~ ) • C..y Af>d lMbiUI Str. ica ol Kano.as { Uni,·. of ..... ,_ 0 ®<!~OB •Bea MAJOR DONOR Contribute $1000 or more-and lend your name to this ad •Bea HERO Contribute $500 or more and lend your name to this ad •Bea SPONSOR Contribute $100 or mOre and .lend your name tq this ad • Bea FRIEND • Contribute $25 or more • let us know your plans for Coming Out Day '91 • Wear the National Coming Out Day Shirt• (Keith Haring Design Shown Above) T-Shirt $16, Tank $15, Sweatshirt $30 Plus $3 Shipping/handling VISA and MC Accepted. National Coming Out Day Headquarters PO Box 8349, Santa Fe NM 87504/505-982-2558 or 1-800-445-NCOD objections filed by the Gay and Lesbian Caucus. The objection was based on the Boy Scouts discriminatory practices. The NEA Representative Assembly was held in Miami Beach, Florida. The Boy Scouts discriminate on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, and religion, according to members of the caucus. Military branches have also been prevented from setting up exhibits because of the NEA 's anti-discriminatory policies. End Military Discrimination, Jewish Leader Urges President The president of the 1.7 millionmember Union of American Hebrew Congregations, the national associ ation of the Reform Jewish denomination, has formally called on President George Bush to ban discrimination against Lesbians and Gays in the U.S. military services by presidential order. Rabbi Alexander Schindler wrote to Bush urging the President to "issue an executive order rescinding Directive 1332.14 to end the Department of Defense's official policy of discrimination" based on sexual orientation. Presbyterian Friend-of-the-Court Brief Challenges Sodomy Law A top official of the Presbyterian Church (USA) filed a brief challenging the constitutionality of the Kentucky sodomy Jaw, which is now under study by the state's Supreme Court. The Rev. James Andrews, stated clerk for the 2.9 milllionmember denomination's General Assembly, filed his friend-of-thecourt brief in a case involving the arrest of Jeffery Wasson in Lexington in 1985. Wasson was charged under the sodomy law after allegedly inviting an undercover police officer to engage in sex. Lower court judges have ruled that the sodomy law is unconstitutional because it violates the right to privacy guaranteed under the state constitution. Andrews said the brief reflects a Business or Personal - Try a Serond Stone Classified Ad! SECOND STONE □ long-standing policy of his church, which opposes homosexual activity as "not God's wish for humanity," but also opposes criminal penalties for sexual relations between consenting adults. The Lousiville -headquartered denomination has a "strong stance on privacy in bedroom matters," Andrews said. "If you can penalize a homosexual who· has asked for a date, you can do the same thing to a heterosexual who has made a blatant proposition." The denomination became involved in the case at the request of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Kentucky, said . Fred Jenkins, director of constitutional services for the Presbyterian General Assembly. -Cruise Resisting Racism Second Edition Published The National Association of Black and White Men Together (NABWMT) has issued a manual to help the gay and lesbian community explore the issue of racism . Resisting Racism: An Action Guide was edited by Gerald Mallon and published by the Racism Task Force of NABWMT. Resisting Racism contains over 20 proven action plans for confronting racism. The anti-racism workshops are designed for easy presentation to any group. Each of the workshops in the manual has been tested in a variety of community settings around the country. For information on Resisting Racism write to NABWMT Publications, P .O. Box 408641, Chicago, IL 60640. Author Seeks Gay and Lesbian Christian Stories Submissions are being sought for a collection of stories about the gay and lesbian Christian experience. For information send a stamped, selfaddressed envelope to Candace Chellew, P. 0. Box 1251, Decatur, GA 30031-1251. Correction Tabernacle United Church of Christ, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a joint Presbyterian and United Church of Christ congregation, has been added to the More Light roster . It is not the first Presbyterian or UCC church to adopt the More Light statement. Southern Baptists, Concerned Women protest CDC grant to · health conference Atlanta condemning the funding. '' NEW ORLEANS, LA. - The largest conference in the world dealing with lesbian and gay health issues was targeted by conservative religious organizations attempting to block a supporting federal grant. The 13th National Lesbian and Gay Health Conference and 9th National AIDS/ HIV Forum met in New Orleans in late July. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control provided a $25,000 grant to the HIV prevention workshops of the conference. The grant was attacked by the Southern Baptist Convention, Concerned Women for America and the Christian Coalition as "ari improper and inexcusable misuse of the public treasury and the public trust." The Christian Coalition also accused the CDC of ''bankrolling the homosexual political agenda." The groups wrote letters to White House Chief of Staff John Sununu calling upon President Bush to withdraw the funding. The Southern Baptists also passed a reso lution at their June convention in The Board of Directors of the National Lesbian and Gay Health Foundation, which, along with The GeorgeWashington University Medical Center, sponsors the conference, issued a statement responding to the attacks. "After a decade of AIDS, it is astonishing that we must still confront such misguided morality in our efforts to save lives," the statement said. "The SBC's strategy of using their own code of morality as a means of gauging the distribution of federal funds is unacceptable . NLGHF's resolve to develop HIV prevention programs is strengthened by this latest incident and we will continue to advocate on behalf of these programs." Great Response! The CDC held firm on their commitment to fund the conference . Additional funding was provided by the National Institute of Allergy and infectious Diseases, which directs the nation's AIDS research efforts. Was occasional champion of gay community Seattle Catholic Archbishop retires .l!y The SeaWe Gay News SEATTLE, WA. - The long time Catholic archbishop of Seattle, Raymond Hunthausen, has retired. Hunthausen became archbishop in 1975. His persistent work for world peace, and his outspoken support for women and Gays have made him an occasional champion of the gay community - and a thorn in the side of the Vatican. When Dignity/USA held its convention in Seattle, Hunthausen made the Cathedral of St. Ja mes available for the celebration of mass. The action prompted a secret Vatican investigation of the archbishop. The Vatican assigned a watchdog bishop, Donald Wuerl, to Seattle and Hunthausen was basically stripped of his power in deference to Wuerl. This was widely regarded as a public humiliation to Hunthausen and the American Catholic church, and created a mass resistance among the American bishops. The conflict between Hunthausen and Wuerl came to a head over a gay issue in 1986 when Hunthausen wanted the archdiocese to support a proposed county ordinance that would protect the job rights of minorities, including Gays, and Wuerl dissented. The Vatican ·sent word that Wuerl had "complete and final cfocision making power" and a fir es torm of protest came from Seattle Catholic s. A statement was signed by 140 priests and nuns denouncing the . Vatican's "unwarranted intervention" in the affairs of the local church . A petition was also signed by 13,500 Catholics demanding Hunthausen's complete and full authority be reinstated. Catholic newspapers at the time began discussing the possibility of a schism between the American church and the Vatican. Pope John Paul got the message and removed Bishop Wuerl, restored Bishop Hunthausen's authority, and assigned him a true assistance, Bishop Thomas Murphy. In 1989, under pressure from the Vatican, Hunthausen evicted Dignity from celebrating mass, as an organization, in Catholic churches. At the same time he established a Catholic ministry to Lesbians and Gays, which continues to hold weekly masses at St. Joseph's. -Tom Flint September/ 0 ct ob er, 1 9 91 '' That's what a Second Stone advertiser told us recently. And we hear that more and more these days. That's because Second Stone reaches readers where many other gay and lesbian publications can't. Like public and university libraries. We don't carry advertising or editorial content that would put us behind the counter. We're up front - in plain sight! For businesses offering products and services to the national gay and lesbian community, we're an exciting new marketing approach! Reach new customers in every stale across the USA. Second Stone offers a variety of in-column ad sizes with frequency discounts. We offer spot and full color. We'll lay out your ad at no charge and we'll get it right - we'll send you a proof to make sure. Second Stone will also insert your brochure, flier or catalog in our mailing. It doesn't cost as much as you think. You can reach a paid coast to coast readership for about what you'd pay to advertise in one local free distribution gay newspaper. And ... to mail your insert in Second Stone costs less than mailing it yourself! You won't know till you try it. The potential sales you lose while you're thinking about advertising cannot be recaptured. lf you're thinking you've paid too m,.ch for advertising that hasn't worked ... you're probably ri_ght! But you haven't tried Second Stone. SECOND·STONE You'll be pleased with the results. Call l-5(>4-899-4014 for advertising assistance. • Disciples of Christ may elect pro-gay president Tulsa, Oklahoma will serve as the sight for the 1991 General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada. Almost 8,000 delegates and visitors will converge the last week of October on the heartland of the one million-member denomination. Concurrent activities are being planned · by the Gay, Lesbian, and Affirming Disciples (GLAD) Alliance, an advocacy and educational group made up of members and friends of the denomination. According to Allen V. Harris, GLAD Alliance Coordinating Committee member, this year's Assembly is particularly important due to the upcoming election of the new General Minister and President, the leading executive for the entire denom- · ination. Rev. Dr. Michael K. Kinnamon, Dean of Lexington Theological Seminary in Lexington, Kentucky, has been nominated ,by a search committee and his name forwarded by the Administrative Committee of the Christian Church as candidate for the position. Dr. Kinnamon has drawn praise from many for his open support of lesbian and gay persons within the church. Ex-Gays? There Are None LambdaC hristiaFn ellowshiips / pleasedto a nnouncae newb ook by Rev.S ylviaP enningto.n/a n examinatioonf ex-gaym inistries• what they do • what they don't do. You'lml eept eoplew ho,,o nly throughG od'sg raceh, aves urvived_ a nds toppedtr yingt o De ex-gaysb, ecausein, /ruth, there is no sucht hinga s ah ex-gay plrsoli I Now Available From Lambda Christian Fello iwsh ip P. 0. Box 1967 Hawthorne, CA 90250 $15.00p lus$ 1,.50f orp ostagea nd handlingC. alifornirae sidentasd d 6%s alest ax. Business 'Or PersonalTry a Second Stone (,1as&ifiedAd! II d~( Pontius' Puddle Acknowledging his membership in GLAD Alliance, Kinnamon has consistently supported his inclusive position in the face of criticism from more conservative factions within the demonination. Concerning the many letters he had received about the membership which he and his wife hold in the Gay, Lesbiiin and Affirming Disciples Alliance, Dr . Kinnamon said, "Almost no correspondents seem interested in why we would choose publicly to affirm brothers and sisters in Christ who are gay and lesbian. They hear of this commitment and pronounce it right or wrong, biblical or unbiblical, thus undercutting any chance of learning from one another in the community of faith." Throughout the Assembly, GLAD will provide an information , and community booth in the Assembly's exhibition hall and a hospitality suite in a nearby hotel. GLAD will also sponsor an Interest.Group open to all Assembly participants entitled "Embracing Hospitality: Helping l='OR$ 01<\1: PEOPLE, REL\C':r\O\NS A \ C.ONTA.CT S~CITT . Lesbians, Gay Men and Those Who Affirm Them Feel At Home In Your Congregation." Phil Ewoldsen, Indiana GLAD Regional Coordinator, will facilitate. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), headquartered in Indianapolis, has over one million members in over 4,000 congregations. For information on the GLAD Alliance · write to P.O . Box 19223, Indianapolis, IN 46219-0223. To appease orthodox denominations Minnesota Council of Churches tries to bury gay ministry statement By Equal Tune Lutheran church leaders in St. Paul have charged that the board of directors of the Minnesota Council of Churclies (MCC) was led to recant its support of ministry to and with gay and lesbian persons due to political considerations and manipulation of church documentation by some MCC staff members. Rev. Leo Treadway of St. Paul Reformation Church and Rev. Willis Merriman, past MCC executive director, appeared at a press conference to challenge the minutes of a January 1991 MCC board meeting which stated that the board's historic 1982 "Statement on Ministry To and With Gay and Lesbian Pers'ons" was determined never to have been officially adopted, and consequently was not a position of the Council. "Based on partial and incomplete evidence the board was led by its staff to state that the 1982 document could not be considered as guidan<:e for Council programs and actions," Treadway said. "We have in our possession documents which challenge this revision of Council history." Those documents included materials from 1983 and 1984 _MCC annual reports, and correspondence from the president of the MCC to the National Council of Churches. Treadway said problems began to develop about the authenticity and political sensitivities of the statement shortly after it was adopted. After a great deal of response to the document, both positive and negative, a period of hibernation followed during which it received Ii ttle or no attention. But confusion continued about its status, with MCC executive director Margaret Thomas questioning whether it had passed. Treadway and oiher church leaders who had participated in the process leading to the formal adoption of the statement assured Thomas it had. Shortly after the 1988 St. Paul City Charter amendment campaign, Thomas became involved in several internal church processes which involved the Council with other denominational church leadership on the basis of the statement. In 1990, Treadway asked Thomas if she would testify on behalf of the MCC at the St. Paul City Council hearings on restoring civil rights protection for sexual minorities. Treadway said SECOND STONE -- -- - --·--~- ~-- ·-- ·--- - ~ - - - · · -- - that Thomas agreed to testify. 'When it came time to finalize the list of speakers, Rev. Thomas said neither she nor any of her staff wou\d be available to testify," Treadway commented. "We found out later she had instructed her staff -not to testify and that she had said the document could not be referred to as a policy statement of the Council. "That its status was called into question became convenient to negotiations that transpired between bringing in orthodox denominations into the Council and a better working relationship with the Minnesota Catholic Conference [the lobbying arm of the Catholic church]. This document presented major obstacles to bringing those groups together." In order to rectify the situation, Treadway and other church leaders are asking the MCC board of directors to undertake a thorough review of the matter. Treadway and the others also requested that the results of this review inform the board's current work on a revised and updated statement concerning ministry to and with gay and lesbian persons. -Mark Kasel ' ' I ,"I Have Opened A Door" UFMCC General Conference draws record number A record 2,000 participants and visitors attended the 15th General Conference of the Universal Fellow• ship of Metropolitan Community Churches, held July 14-21 in Phoenix, Arizona. 'This is the historical moment," Rev. Elder Troy Perry, founder and moderator of the UFMCC, said in his opening address. Perry said that at this moment the entire Christian church is discussing human sexuality, which has been "the church's dirty little secret for 2,000 years." He said that it was a historical moment for the UFMCC because it is a time when lesbian and gay people worldwide are seeking God. Perry said that AIDS, breast cancer, and other illnesses are providing unprecedented challenges and opportunities for the UFMCC. 'We can double the number of UFMCC members in ten years,''. Perry predicted. The UFMCC is the world's largest ministry to gay and lesbian people. The 23-year-old church began with 12 members in Perry's living room in Los Angeles. Records show a 20 percent annual growth rate despite losi'ng 4,000 church members to AIDS over the past ten years. The church has an official roster of more than 27,000 members in 264 churches in 17 countries . Unofficial membership may be as high as 500,000. Media spokesperson Ian Taylor said that the UFMCC is the fastest growing denomination in the world. ~eople from more than a dozen nations attended the General Conference. Delegates voted to increase registration fees for the next conference to help finance the growing travel to the gathering from abroad. Simultaneous translation into Spanish was provided via head phones for business sessions, worship, forums and workshops. The international sense may have influenced the election of an Australian man to the Board of Elders of the UFMCC. Willem Hein of Adelaide, Australia was electeg to fill the position of Rev. Elder Charlie Arehart of Denver, Colorado. Theological diversity may pose one of the greatest challenges yet for the UFMCC. Debate over goddess worship led to the formation of an unofficial group called People for Spiritual Diversity. Perry told the conference, "I believe the big debate that we will have in the future, and maybe we'll settle it and maybe we won't, is what the bounds of diversity will be." Other issues tackled by the conference were ministering to AIDS patients, racism, homophobia and relations with mainstream churches. A children's program was featured for the first time at General Conference. Fourteen -children participated . Conference attendees in their teens and 20's also organized a gathering to discuss their particular needs. The 15th biennial General Conference received more media coverage than any previous gathering. The UFMCC adopted a new "open door" policy allowing full access to reporters. The most widely Fax your ad. (504)891-7555 30 words. 7 bucks. We'll bill you later. It's never been easier to place a busi- - ness or personal classified ad. Just write your ad out (be sure to include classification, months to run, and your billing address) and FAX it to us. covered event was the mass blessing of 250 couples during a worship service . The UFMCC also received recognition from the Episcopal Church, which was meeting in Phoenix at the same time . Rev. Troy Perry accepted an invitation to be presented to the Episcopalian House of Bishops. II was the first time a mainline denomination has extended such recognition to the UFMCC. A 1992-93 budget of more than $1 million per year was adopted, with the top priority being maintaining a solid infrastructure for the church. Rev. Perry was elected premanently to the Board of Elders. He announced that he would be curtailing his travel schedule to concentrate on a series of crusade-style rallies that will begin on July 4, i992. From Associated Press reports and Keeping In Touch, the newsletter of the UFMCC. Orgeon right-wingers plan anti-gay initiative Hr The SeattJe Gzy News Right-wing Christians in Oregon are organizing for an initiative to amend the Oregon state constitution to prevent the state and local govern• ment from "spending tax money on any program or policy that promotes, condones, encourages or facili tales homosexuality, pedophilia, sadism, masochism, bestiality and necrophilia." Council and The Oregonian, Oregon's major daily newspaper, have pub• licly condemned the initiative and urged citizens not to sign the petition. The No Special Rights Committee of the Oregon Citizens Alliance (OCA), led by Lon Mabon, who some say is a white supremacist; is organizing the initiative. The proposal reads, in part, "This state shall not recognize any cate· gorical provision such as 'sexual orientation,' 'sexual preference,' and similar phrases that include abnormal behaviors ... " Gay and lesbian organizations and individuals are forming a counter· campaign. Orgeon's Governor Barbara Roberts, the Portland City "In the past, the achievements, triumphs, and defeats of gay men and lesbians were not only hidden from histo~ most were - lost for all time. This must never happen again. "-Danni Munson, editor, The Gtiy & Lesbian Alnuuuic and Events of 1991. A CHRONICLE OF CURRENT GAY/LESBIAN HISTORY This volume r=ds for history: • The rise of a gay/lesbim movement in Eastan Europe • Cclc:bralion 90: Gay Games ill and Cultural Festival • The latest research and statistics on AIDS • The lighl to end military discrimination against gays and lesbians • The controversial practice of outing • The progresa and setbacks in religion A Calendar ol Upcomi\g Events Hundreds of 1991 gay/lelbim evenb from cruises to conceIIS, from rodeoi to music festivals, md much more. Plus listings of binhdays of famouo pys & lesbi1M. Avoilbable at local bookstores or from the publisher Send 9.95 plus $2.00 postage and handling to: ENVOY ENTERPRISES · 740 N. Rush St. SUite 609 Chicago ll 60611 September/ October, 19 91 A Theology From ·Our Hearts and Minds This evening I was listening ton lecture given by a priest whose opinions I have admired and trusted. He wc_i_s speaking about a gathering in n large city. "All the dregs of society were there," he said, "pimps and prostitutes and thieves and queers ... " I didn't hear any more of his lecture. I don't know what he went on to say, for at that moment I was suffused with an anger which later grew into a cold rage. l AM ANGRY at him for lumping us all together and for calling us "dregs," and I am furious at myself for not ha v ing yet lea rned to cry out and put a stop to such homophobic rantings. I am angry with myself and outrag ed at society and at my church. I write from South America, a continent from whence has come "Libe ration Theology," and l wonde r jus t how free, how liberated these theologians really arc, if they aren't yet free of their ow n h omopho bia. Am l free? As gay men and women, we arc aware that the discrimination which we suffer is not ju st, is not God's will. In the past two hundred years there have been other revolutions here in the Americas, in which the poor and th e marginatcd hav e stood up - have refused to continue under the yoke of oppression. Just as Hidalgo's cry for freedom sparked the Mexicaa revolu tion some years ba ck, so too was Stonewall the beginning of our revolution . That was the beginning of our cry for freedom. Every theology that is authentic is born of a spirituality rooted in reality. The Exodus was the basis for the Old Testamen t and its spiritual yearnings. Jesus Christ, his life and his words, arc the cornerstone of New Testame nt spirituality. The experience of-Francis of Assisi or that of Dominic opened the door to Franciscan and Dominican spir itu ality. Our exper ience as discriminated and marginated gay men and women is the basis of a new turning to God. We arc the poor. Humiliated, hounded, hunted, we arc the recipients of many people's scorn - and of our own as well. Can this be the Divine Will? From the time of Cain and Able, men a nd women have turned against each other because they were "different." Joseph's brothers said, "Let us kill the dreamer," for they were not dreamers. Jesus himself dared to march to a different song, and the authorities of his day saw fit to do away with him - because he was "different." XENOPHOBIA, FEAR OF :rHE STRANGER, easily incorporates with in itself all sorts of discriminations based on race, religion and sexual orientation. What we experienc e is social sin; we arc the poor, and we embrace that discrimination. We choose to be poor and marginatcd. We cooperate in an unjust system. But if we _take as our starting point the injustice of the homophobia we experience, we arc on the road to being liberated from those (and our own) unjust and sinfu l s tructure s. If we can take a long and dispassionate look at our lives today, we will r ealize just how oppressive the structures arc in which we live and work. But if we can take this one step at a time, we can start with our own liberation. We can sec how, at times, we contribute to the deep-rooted homophobia that surrou nds us . Are we not being hypocrites when we pray, "Thy kingdom come," and yet contribute to the anti-kingdom va lue s of discrimina _tion and self-hatred? The first step in any liberation is to sec the reality . (Remember the old paradigm from the 'fifties: See, Judge, Act?) Well, we begin with seeing the situ ation in which we live. The failure of the society in which we live to take more cffcrtivc steps to halt the spread of AIDS; a church largely silent in the face of this life-threatening disease - arc these not symptons of a social system which is unjust? Let us move on the the next level of the paradigm, Judge. In the light of our faith experience, is it God's will that some men and women turn against their brothers and sisters, and marginate them because of their sexual orientation? Docs God not incorporate within the Divine Being -both the male and the female? And if, by God's plan, we were born with a sexual orientation not shared by everyone, then must we be pursued and driven like outcasts into the darkness or hate and self-loathing? Can that be the Divine Will? Or is it not our right - our duty - to denounce the socia l sin of homophobia? From the point of view of what we sec, we mus\ re-read, reinterpret our faith. And then comes Act. As bearers of the Judaco-Christian tradition, we arc called to act with Jesus in his prophetic role. Just as Jesus of Nazareth was called on to denounce sin, the early Church Fathers did likewise. We arc called to follow their tradition, to be one with Jerome and Augustine and Tertullian, and to denounce injustice a long with Francis and Dominic and Catherine of Siena. THIS MAY SOUND NEW and revolutionary, and yet it is not new. The poor arc constantly being called upon to defend themselves, to claim their rights , and to demand their freedom. We speak herein of a new theology, not one done in a classroom, but a theology worked out in the minds and hearts of gay men and women. It is theology based on the experience of suffering, which we know is not God's will. We speak herein of a new theology, not one done in a classroom, but a theology worked out in the minds and hearts of gay men and women. It is theology based on the experience of suffering, which we know is not God's will. To "do theology" from the perspective of our collective suffering is a dangerous thing. Were we to speak of angels or virtues, the chances arc we would be left alone, consider ed harmless. But when we speak of a sinful discrimination experienced on the basis of our sexual brientation, somehow we are touching a very sore point. It becomes a risky tHing to do. Yet what be so here is to align ourselves with the poor and marginatcd of history, with Abraham, who was an errant vagabond wandering throughout the Near East. We put ourselves in the company of women like Elizabeth, shamefully sterile in her old age, or with a poor family of Nazareth, a forgotten village of Galilee. Now that I think of it, maybe we do belong in the-company of pimps arc prostitutes and thieves - and queers - for of such is th e Kingdom of heave. The novelty of Liberation Theology 'is that the margin has become the center, and from the center will grow a new way of . looking at ourselves within the plan of God . -Written anonymously for Communication Newsletter SECO_ND STONE . , I Church & Organization News Construction Begins at King of Peace The most ambitious church bond program in UFMCC history came to a successful conclusion as King of Peace MCC, St. Petersburg, Fla., sold its last First Mortgage bonds after a several months campaign. Bond Chair, Donna Remsnyder, led a team of volunteers who canvassed the Tampa Bay area, and found widespread support among Gays and Lesbians for the programs and outreach of King of Peace. The bond program was launched on December 2, 1990, in an effort to raise sufficient funds to pay off the existing mortgages on the present church home and purchase an existing building which will be renovated into a new church complex. Construction on the project has begun . -Vision White Rock Community Church Changes Location The White Rock Co'rr1munity Church of Dallas, Texas, pastored by Jerry T . Cook, is now meeting at the Hilltop Inn in Dallas. For church information call (214)285-2831 or (214)327-9157. Rev. Ron Anders9n To Pastor Morning Star MCC Rev. Ron J. Anderson has been elected pastor of Morning Star MCC, Worcester, Mass. Rev. Anderson has been with the UFMCC since 1969. Coming out of an Assemblies of God background, he joined the San Diego church in 1969. At that time, San Diego was one of only three MCCs in existence. Rev. Anderson was licensed as a minister in the UFMCC in 1973 and ordained in 1976. Over 100 Attend SDA Kinship Kamp meeting Nearly 120 members attended the 12th annual Seventh-day Adventist Kinship International Kampmeeting at Menucha Conference Center near Portland, Oregon . The group dealt with a wide range of issues including AIDS treatment and support, gay Release UM C study report church wide, says R CP board The Board of Directors of the Reconciling Congregation . Program (RCP) has requested that the report of the United Methodist Study Committee on ' Homosexuality be widely cHsseminated within the denomination before the General Conference convenes on May 5, 1992. "The concerns of lesbian/ gay Christians continue to be a volatile issue in the church," stated board chair, Rev. Kim A. Smith. "We have observed the cont_roversy and emotional distress surrounding the Presbyterian and Episcopalian assemblies this summer . We believe that United Methodists want to make informed and compassionate decisions on issues related to our gay and lesbian members. Therefore, we ask the General Council on Ministries to make this report widely available so that every United Methodist, as well as every General Conference delegate, can giv·e prayerful attention to this valuable report." The Study Committee on Homosexuality was authorized by the UMC General Conference in 1988 to report its findings to the 1992 Conference. The Study Committee, formed under the auspices of the General Council on Ministries, has solicited testimony from experts in many fields and from many United Methodists over the past three years . The final report was scheduled to be completed in late August. The 17-member RCP Board, which met in Chicago, August 9-11, also began plans for a third national convocation of Reconciling Congregations in the spring of 1993. The first convocation drew 125 persons to Chicago in 1987; over 200 persons attended the second convocation in San Francisco in 1990. "The first two national RCP gatherings were Spirit -filled events that brought new vitality to the lives of individual congregations and our national reconciling movement," said Mark Bowman, the RCP national coordinator. The Reconciling Congregations Program is a growing national network of United Methodist congregations that have made a public declaration that they welcome all persons, including lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons, into their community. There are currently 49 · Reconciling Congregations, four "reconciling" annual conferences, and numerous other reconciling organizations . civil rights and marriage legislation, substance abuse, mental health issues including coming out and dealing with family . During the organization's annual membership meeting, Glendale, California member, Michael McLaughlin was elected president; the Board of Directors and Executive Committee were reorganized, and ten subcommittees were formed to work on specific aspects of the organization's structure and outreach programs. SDA Kinship was formed in 1976 by two Adventists in California and has grown to include 500 active members and a mailing list of members, friends, and supporters which totals nearly 2000 people in 17 countries. Kinship holds meetings in many local areas and maintains a toll free support hot line, 1-800-4-GAY-SDA. Sojourners Celebrates 20 Years Sojourners, an inner-city Christian community in Washington, D.C., and magazine that examines issues of faith, politics, and culture, is celebrating 20 years of life and work. Sojourners represents an international movement of people and communities determined to make a difference in the church and in the world. The first issue of the Post American, the forerunner of Sojourners, came off the □ press in the fall of 1971. The hallmark of Sojourners is its combination of strong biblical faith and radical social action. It is this country's largest and most ecumenical faith-based movement for justice and peace, and is a voice for spiritual renewal and social transformation . Affirmation Forms Minneapolis Chapter Affirmation, a social and self-he! p group of active, inactive, and former members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and their supportive partners, friends and family members, has formed a new chapter in Minneapolis, Minnesota. · The official stand of the Mormon Church is that homosexuality is a sinful condition that can be repented of and abandoned. Affirmation was founded in Los Angeles in 1977 to help lessen the fear, guilt, and selfoppression that Mormon Gays and Lesbians experience by providing a positive and supportive fellowship where people can meet and help each other affirm self-acceptance and self-worth . For information on the ·new group, contact Affirmation Great Lakes, P.O. Box 3878, Minneapolis, MN 55403 or call (612)753-3345. CLASSIFIE First Ten Words FREE! I - Business or personal - The Second Stone classifieds really ,vork! Please sec the order form on the classified page. Each additional word, 35¢, 20 nord minimum. September /October, 1991 Calendar The following announcements have beens ubmittedb y sponsoringo r affiliatedg roups. Galilean Fellowship Camp Meeting SEPTEMBER1 4, A full day of Christian fellowship and worship to be held in the scenic Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania. Pastors Vilma Torres and Karl Selman are featured speakers. For information call (215)740-0247, National Affirmation Gathering SEPTEMBER 20-22, Affirmation : United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Concerns offers friends and members the opportunity to "Corne Home" and share in community fellowship and support. Grant Park - Adersgate UMC, Atlanta, Georgia, is host. A variety of workshops is offered. Author Chris Glaser is featured speaker. Sliding scale registration up to $125.00. For information contact Affirmation, P.6: Box 60067, Sacramento, CA 95860-0067. MCC/DC Workshops From Heart to Heart SEPTEMBER 21, Rev. Torn Bohache and Rev. Joe Houle lead workshops. "Sexuality, Christ and Me" and "I'm OK. You're OK. We're Lesbian, Straight and Gay" are the offerings. Cost is $25.00. For information contact Mid-Atlantic District, c/ o Victor Skolnik, Z-10 Avon Drive, East Windsor, NJ 08520. Gulf Coast Regional Campmeeting '91 SEPTEMBER 27-29, three full days of spiritual renewal hosted by Holy Cross Metropolitan Community Church . "Catch the Spirit" is the theme of the gathering, which features Heartsong, from Dallas, Texas, and Rev. Lyn Matiera and the New Creation Trio from St. Louis. For information call (904)433-8528. National Coming·Out Day OCTOBER 11, a day of recognition that the visibility of our community II is crucial to the success of civil rights and health care efforts. For , information call 1-800-445-NCOD or write P.O. Box 8349, Santa Fe, NM 87504. Affirmation General Conference OCTOBER 11-13, Affirmation, Gay and Lesbian Mo_rmons gathers for its 13th conference. The Erawan Garden Hotel; Indian Wells, California, is the setting. Chris Glaser, noted author and chairperson of the spiritual advisory committee of AIDS Project Los Angeles is featured speaker. G11y comic Danny Williams will entertain. The Los Angeles Gay Men's Chorus will also perfrorn . ''Now Let-Us Rejoice" is the theme. For information about the conference or Affirmation call the group's 24 hour answer line, (213)255-7251 or write to Box 46022, Los Angeles, CA 90046. All inquires confidential. Parents FLAG 10th Annual Convention OCTOBER 11-14, "Celebrating the Jewels in our Crown" is the theme of the tenth annual gathering of the National Federation of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. Charlotte, North Carolina is the setting. To receive registration materials, when available, write to Charlotte Parents FLAG, 5815 Charing Place, Charlotte, NC 28211. Advance '91 OCTOBER 18-20, 'The Grace of God: Apparent, Sufficient, Abundant" is the theme of this annual conference, which will be held this year at a camp north of Houston. Cost is $65, which includes meals and lodging . For information write to ADVANCE Christian Ministrjes, P.O. Box 1388, Long Beach, CA 90801-1388., Casa De La Paloma Three Day Revival OCTOBER 25-Tl, Rev. William H. Carey, Presbyter of the National Gay Pentecostal Alliance and pastor of the Lighthouse Apostolic Church in Schenectady, New York, leads a revival and workshop at Casa De La Paloma Apostolic Church in Tucson, Arizona. For information contact the church at P.O. Box 14003, Tucson, AZ 85732-4003 or call (602)323-6855. 1991 National Skills Building Conference OCTOBER 31-NOVEMBER 2, The Universal City Hilton in Los Angeles is the setting for this conference sponsored by the AIDS National Interfaith Network, National Association of People With AIDS and the National Minority AIDS Council. "Collaboration, Cooperation, Partnership, Skills Building" is the theme. For information call (202)544-1076. Masculine, Feminine, and Gay Spirituality JANUARY 3-5, 1992, a retreat for gay men to explore the characteristics of healthy masculine and feminine spiritualities and consider the characteristics of a wholistic spirituality for gay males. The process will include presentations, dialogue, small group work, and worship. Facilitator is John McNeil, Catholic priest, psychotherapist, co-founder of Dignity, and author of □ The Churcha nd the Homosexuaal nd Taking a Chance on God. Fee is $225. For information write or call Kirkridge, Bangor, PA 18013-9359, (215)588-1793. Sisterly Conversations JANUARY 10-12, 1992, current concerns among Lesbians of faith, led by Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, feminist theologian and board member of the Center for Sexuality and Religion. Topics include how to develop a care-based ethic to replace heteropatriarchy's competitionbased ethic of conflicting rights and how to hea: ourselves and our relationships of the damage done by incest, physical and psychological abuse, and the woman-hatred and gay-hatred of society. Cost is $195. The setting is Kirkridge, Bangor, PA 18013-9359. Call (215)588-1793 for information. SEND EVENT NOTICES TO: CALENDAR, SECOND STONE, P.O. BOX 8340, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 · Make responsible choices, -PW A tells UCC youth NORFOLK, VA. - To 200 United Church of Christ teenagers gathered during the church's national assembly, he was just David, their "educational night" speaker - somebody in good physical shape who works out at the gym and bikes regularly. But David Kamens of Washington, D.C., who turned 21 in June, has AIDS. His speech on choice and responsiblility brought standing, roaring applause from the youth gathered in Norfolk's Chrysler Hall at the denomination's 18th biennial General Synod. A Congressional lobbyistadvocating stepped-up efforts in HIV disease education and a counselor of 21 people ages 13 to 24, Kamens also works with hospital boards and the President's Committee on AIDS. Kamens' message to youth in clear: life choices have consequences, so everyone must live responsibly and with compassion. "I was diagnosed with HIV disease in July 1988, one month after my 18th birthday, " Kamens said. "I had just graduated from North Carolina School of the Arts." Kamens began drinking and using drugs at 13 and became sexually active at 14. "I knew what safe sex was," he added, "but not when I was drunk or stoned. I put myself into many unhealthy, compromising situations." A member · of Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ in Arlington, Va., Kamens reiterated time and again to the members of his young audience that _their age group was the fastest growing group of people being diagnosed with AIDS. "I liked that fact that he was blunt," said 16-year-old Brian Torres of San Mateo, Cal. "It was refreshing to hear that AIDS doesn't have to be something secret that you have to be quiet about, or in the shadows. The Rev. Gordon J. Svoboda II, youth and young adult specialist with the denomination's United Church Board for Homeland Ministries, said the discuss ion was appropriate for a church event . "I thought it was an excellent event in that issues of life and death were sensitively and intelligently dealt with," Svoboda said. "I was particularly impressed by the maturity of the young and young adults and their openness and candor in discussing this most sensitive and important issue." SECOND STONE I I Relationships Myths that can wreck your relationship By Rev, Fred c. WiUiams Contributing Writer Whenever someone asks me what a relationship is I like to respond with this answer. A relationship is like two porcupines trying to stay warm on a cold winter night. The two · creatures are shivering, desperate for warmth, and thus drawn like two strong magnets. "Ouch!" they shout, when their pointed, prickly quills pierce each other's tender skin as they attempt to come together. They quickly withdraw to alleviate the painful closeness. But this time they do not move as far away as they originally were. Then they cautiously creep toward one another a second time ... only to jab each other once again, but not so brutally as the first tim e. Oh , yes, they jerk away from each other, but then, once again, they inch their way closer once more. Then the two porcupines shift back and forth, experimenting with positions that provide the most warmth with the least amount of discomfort. Finally they find a position that works. It is a position that enables them to enjoy a secure , peaceful and warm relationship which protects them from winter winds and snow storms. Their quills are still sharp. Their coming together doesn't change or weaken them . Each has found a way to be themselves and yet, enjoy being close to one another. That, my friends, is a relationship! How do we find that position that works for us? We can begin by exploring the myths about relationships. And the first myth is this: All you need in a relationship is love. Some compare a relationship to a tub of hot water . "Once you get used to it, it ain't so hot!" The love we feel for that special someone at the beginning of the relationship is like that tub of hot wat~,·. It's HOT! And we expect it f.G siay hot forever. When the bath water gets cold, add more hot water! When the love in your relationship starts to cool, add more love! Sitting around hoping that the love you felt in the beginning will keep your relationship going doesn't get the job done. There are two kinds of love in a relationship - romantic love and realistic love. Romantic love is based on emotions and it often causes irrational and irresponsible behavior. The very language we use about romantic love reflects this. We say "I'm crazy about her!" or "I'm mad about him!" or ''My head is spinning." Now that's crazy ... but that's romantic love. And it won't keep the relationship alive. You need more than romantic love. Enter realistic love. That's the hot water you add before the entire tub cools off. Realistic love is a way of acting. It' s the way you treat that special someone everyday . It's the love that Paul was talking about in the scriptu re. Realistic love is patient, kind, never jealous, never envious, never boastful, never proud, never haught y, never selfish, never rude , never demanding, never irritable, never touchy, and never ending. That's a far cry from romantic love. Romantic love is like a paper lantern. When the rain comes and the winds blow, the light goes out and you're left with a wet paper bag! But realistic love can withstand the winds and the rains. But note, realistic love doesn't just happen . You have to work at it. It's true, relationships may be made in heaven, but they hav,e to be lived on earth . And to keep the temperature of the relationship up, you have to constantly add more love! And the second myth about relationships is that partners must be compatible! Compatibility is the term we use to label the ability of two people to live together in harmony. This is an age-old idea that says two people must fit together like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle . And that's a myth. It just isn't true. An application of the compatibility theory would mean, for example, that a person who likes to dominate should find someone who likes tci be dominated . And a person who is indecisive should find someone who is forceful and makes decisions easily and quickly. It would also mean that a spendthrift should hook up with someone who can hold on to money. And a messy person should find someone who is neat and keeps things in order. My experience tells me that when people like this get together what they end up with is comments like this: The dominated says, "Who does she think she is, bossing me around all the time?" The decision maker says, "I wish you would make at least one decision on your own!" The tight-wad says, "What's wrong with you? ... Do you t hink money grows on trees?" The neat one says, 'The way you throw things around the house is driving me crazy!" Co~patibility isn't a guarantee for a lasting relationship! If you expect every little edge and shape of your relationship to fit together like the interlocking pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, then you are setting yourself up for a big disappointment. Sitting around hoping that the love you felt in the beginning will keep your relationship going doesn't get the job done. I always say that the strongest relationship is simply a polite agreement of two people to put up with each other's intolerable ways. The diversity in your relationship can be your strength . It can draw you together and give you a foundation upon which you can build. The third myth about relationships is . this: good sex makes a good relationship. Certainly this is not true. In fact, just the opposite is more true: a good relationship is the foundation for good sex1 It may be true that sex may be the initial attraction between two people. But over the years, couples · who fail to develop strong non-sexual bonds are usually the ones who say that sex is not as satisfying as it once September/ Oc to be r, 19 91_ □ was! On the other hand, couples who develop a fulfilling relationship in non-sexual areas tend to enjoy an ongoing safisfying sexual experience. A bad relationship, negative interchanges, and the demands of family, housework, career, and social activities all drain time, energy and emotions, and usually kills all desire for a sexual interchange. So, good sex doesn't make a good relationship, rather, a good relationship is the foundation for good sex. When I talk with couples about their sexual relationship, I lay before them a ·concept of sex that 1 call cathedral sex. For I believe that the closer two people are to their God , the closer they become to each other . In practical terms this means that the more two mates put the qualities of God into their interactions with each other, the closer they grow to each other and the stronger their bond of affection, love and sex becomes. And what are those qualities of God? They are : loving, caring, understanding, forgiving, and accepting. When the total, overall re lationship is filled with these qualities, it provides a solid foundation for a good sexual relationship. And that's cathedral sex! One final note on this matter of sex in your relationship . As a couple, you have a right to enjoy the sexual experience with the one you love . The sexual emotions are God given . And they should be used in the same manner we use anything else God gives us. Use them without guilt, or fear, or other emotional hangups. If you want to keep the tub water hot, to accept the diversity in each other's personality, and to build a foundation for satisfying sex, try the following exercise every day that you are together. It's an exercise that requires that you say the important words to each other every day . And what are these words? The five most important words are: You did a good job. The four most important words are: What is your opinion? The three most important words are: I love you. The two most important words are: Thank you. And the one most important word is: We. Yes ... we can make it as a .::ouple. Remember, the porcupines made it! And with God's help, you can too. Rev. Fred C. Williams is Senior Pastor of King of Peace MCC in St. Petersburg, Florida. This article originally appeared in the church magazine, Vision. II Bishop Barbara Harris! "Episcopal Church 'pimping' gay and lesbian members" PHOENIX, AZ. - The Rt. Rev . Barbara Harris, the first woman bishop in the Episcopal Church, urged gay and lesbian church activists not to restrict their efforts to calling the church to take a leadership role in gay rights . Rev Harris addressed a meeting of Integrity, Inc., during the Episcopal Church's national convention in July. "It's important to choose the battleground carefully," Harris said. "A confused church is not the area in which to fight at this moment. If we win in the courts and in the streets, the church will, kicking and screaming or limping along, follow. It always has, always will. It has never taken the lead," she said. Some 850 lay and clergy members of the House of Deputies and over 170 members of the House of Bishops wrestled extensively with gay and lesbian issues during the national convention, which meets every three years. One hotly debated resolution would have created church law explicitly restricting sexual activity for priests to heterosexual marriage. The proposal was described by one opponent as an "ecclesiastical sodomy law - unenforceable, and useful only as a tool to harass gay and lesbian clergy, whose relationships the church refuses to bless." The canon was defeated in both Houses, a move bitterly lamented by conservatives. Delegates approved a resolution which affirms traditional definitions of heterosexual marriage, admits the pain of members who are homosexual and the inability of church leaders to reach definitive conclusions, and calls for continued study and a pastoral letter from the bishops. The resolution.also calls for including gay and lesbian Episcopalians in the dialogue, a major step forward for the church. The Rt. Rev. Edmond Lee Browning, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church said of Gays and Lesbians, "We don't want the issue to go away. We want Gays and Lesbians to the part of the dialog. Yes, the Episcopal Church welcomes you." Votes on the resolutions followed several mornings of committee hearings and a 2 1 /2 hour open hearing attended by nearly 3000. Over 100 speakers had registered to testify, but not all we heard due to time constraints. OURWORID The International Gay Travel Magazine Month by month, we invite you to explore the exciting world of travel available to gay men and lesbians. Each month we help you to discover the multitude of interesting hotels, inns and resorts that welcome the gay traveler. f~~: ~\? -:'"--··' .~~--:? _;- ·' .. Enjoy articles and color photos of a romantic hotel in Spain, a secluded retreat in Hawaii, a manor house in the English countryside, a Greek pension overlooking the sea, a rustic resort in Colorado, and more -all catering to our lifestyle! Plus, every month, regular departments provide you with valuable information on gay events and festivals, travel updates and tips, interviews, and the latest gay hips and tours-sail the Caribbean on a private yacht, join an expedition to Nepal, cruise the Mediterranean on a luxury liner or fly to Sydney for the Gay Mardi Gras. '--------~ Whatever you're looking for, let OUR . WORLD be your ticket to adventure. 1 year (12 colorful -issues) only $ 44 (in the USA) - US$ 52 (Worldwide). First issue mails in 4-6 weeks in plain sealed envelope. Sample copy US$ 5. Mail To: Our World Publishing 1104 North Nova Road, Suite 251 Daytona B!!ach, Florida 32117 USA TEL: (904) 441~5367 A call to censure two bishops, Walter C. Righter, a former assistant bishop of Newark, N.J., and Ronald C. Haines of Washington, D.C., for ordaining a self-affirming gay man and lesbian, respectively, was also defeated. During debate, two other bishops, Edward Jones of Indianapolis, and Stewart Wood of Michigan, both rose to say that if the censure was passed, their riames should be added, because they had also engaged in similar ordinations. In other action, a resolution calling for the dissemination of a government report dealing with gay youth · suicide was passed by the House of · Deputies, and a resolution calling for removal of HIV infection from the list of conditions subject to U.S. immigration and travel restrictions was passed by the House of Bishops. Neither resolution, however, received the approval of the other House and thus both failed. Many people attending the convention were distressed by a flyer distributed by a conservative group from a booth in the convention's display area, which carried the title, "Testimony of a F.A.G. - Fornicator, Adulterer, Glutton" and the subtitle, "And how the church can really help homosexual men and lesbian women." The pamphlet was denounced . on the floor of the House of Deputies by Patrick Waddell, a deputy from California and past SEE HARRIS, Page 20 Conservatives lament gay/lesbian success at Episcopal Convention PHOENIX, AZ. - Successful lobbying for gay and ·lesbian issues at the triennial General Convention of the Episcopal Church led to numerous threats to leave the church because of perceived "abandonment of traditional morality." ·Integrity's three principal opponents were the Prayer Book Society, which opposes the use of the current Prayer Book, the Episcopal Synod of America, which opposes the ordination of women to the priesthood and the episcopate, and Episcopalians United for Revelation, Renewal and Reformation, which seeks a conservative take-over of the church. Together they spent approximately $1 million on the convention. In contrast, Integrity spent $35,000 on its convention presence. Two Deputies came out on the floor of the General Convention - the Rev. Jane Garrett (Diocese of Vermont) and Mr. Patrick Waddell (Diocese of El Camino, California.) Other deputies proclaimed their sexuality in testimony before committees. Approximately 30 Integrity members served as Deputies. The impact of having. openly lesbian and gay Deputies, a first at General Convention, helped to minimize homophobic remarks on the floor of the House of Bishops . For the second time, two Integrity representatives were seated as voting members of the "third house" of the convention - the 500-member Triennial of the Women of the Church . Integrity is the only lesbian/gay caucus with official voting status in a mainline denominational church body. One piece of legislation which was passed by both houses of convention was a proposal that clergy and laity be educated about lesbian and gay issues. This bill, which represented a consolidation of three resolutions introduced on Integrity's behalf, was passed overwhelmingly by both Houses. Several Deputies and Integrity representatives noted that there had been a fundamental shift in the nature of the discussion at General Convention. The consensus was that General Convention would nof have to return again to the basic question of the appropriateness or inappropriateness of the full inclusion of Lesbians and gay men , but rather would focus on how best to accomplish such inclusion and might begin to focus in the nea r future on the blessing or committed same-sex relatlionships. In a prepared statement the anti-gay Episcopal Synod of America complained that, since 1988, many biblically-oriented Episcopalians had been "lost to the Church or driven out of positions of authority. Numbers of liberal men, women (most of whom, though not all, are theologically liberal), and homosexuals have been ordained. Thus the House of Deputies is almost certain to be even more radical in 1994 .... Predictions of an orthodox resurgence have proven to be wrong." Summing up the ESA lamented, "The votes for biblical Christianity are no longer there, regardless of what the people in the pews believe." m SECOND STONE Appeals Court rules against Dignity/Twin Cities By Equal Time MINNEAPOLIS, MN. The Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed a ruling of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission which had found that the Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul -Mi_nneapolis discriminated against the local Dignity chapter when it evicted the group from the Newman Center, adjacent to the University of Minnesota. Dignity has petitioned the Minnesota Supreme Court to consider the case. The Archdiocese was ordered in November, 1990, to pay more than $34,000 in fines and damages after being found guilty of discriminating against Dignity /Twin Ci ties, a lesbian and gay Catholic organization . The Archdiocese appealed the decision on the·grounds that it was an entanglement of church and state, violating the church's First Amendment rights. In a 3-0 decision, the Minnesota Court of Appeals concurred with the Archdiocese's argument. "I feel disappointed and disenfranchised," said Brian McNeill, a member of Dignity. ''The whole issue for Dignity has revolved around the Catholic Church's COMMENTARY, From Page 3 happy ... and, well, keep it quiet." Translation: Don't flaunt it. Stop making gay and lesbian issues your life . Why ruin your career over something so trivial? During this conversation I found out that neither my brother nor his wife go ·to work and tell people they're heterosexuals! (I looked at the wedding ring on her finger and wondered ... ) There's nothing wrong with being gay ... but by letting ·people know you're just asking for it... I'm sure you've heard this before. Later I went home and picked up a copy of a gay paper and read the news from Bartow, Florida. It seems the county sheriff has a policy there that is, in his words, designed to "protect" _homosexuals. He says that he's afraid if incarcerated homosexuals were mixed up with the general jail population "all hell would break loose." Hey, I know that from experience. So, being as enlightened as most sheriffs are, he solved the problem by having all the - gay and lesbian prisoners wear pink wrist bands. Yes, that's right, if you're gay or lesbian you are made to wear a pink wrist band so that you can easily be identified. So you don't assertion that Gays and Lesbians are 'objectively disordered."' He added, "By ignoring that we are Gays and Lesbians as well as Catholics, the Court is denying us the protection of the Minnesota Civil Rights ordinance." Dignity has long argued that its relationship to the Archdiocese is that of tenant-landlord, since the organization rented space at the Archdiocesan owned Newman Center for over 10 years. The Newman Center also rented space to nonCatholic groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Weight Watchers, and the Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture. But in January, 1987, Archbishop John Roach said he was instructed by the Vatican to have Dignity sign a document stating compliance with the church's position on homosexuality. Dignity refused, and the rental agreement was terminated. Dignity filed a grievance in August, 1987, with the Civil Rights Commission. Initially, the grievance was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction following a ruling from the city attorney's office. Dignity appealed the ruling, asking that the case be get mixed up! When the ACLU asked about this, the Sheriffs spokesperson said there wasn't any real special reason for picking out pink. Other people have to wear other colors, like prisoners who are escape risks (can you be a prisoner and not be?) It isn't even pink she said, it's "off red," adding "that's just the color that was available ." So far six Lesbians had written t_o the ACLU to complain that after they were "pink tagged" they lost privileges and were treated harshly by corrections officers. The Sheriff denies all of this, except for the tags. He thinks that's a good idea still. He should talk to my sister-in-law and the two of them should figure aH this out. I'm confused. If we wear a tag to keep us separate, aren't we flaunting it? But the Sheriff says you have to flaunt it to keep from getting bashed. That's not an uncommon theory you know. Ask William F. Buckley, Jr. He thinks we should all be well marked. But ... you see, we don't get bashed for flaunting it, or lose our jobs for being open. We get bashed and lose our jobs because we are who we are, and one way or another they want to know ... because ... well ... I considered as a landlord-tenant conflict rather than within a church and state context. Distinguishing between religious and non-religious spaces at the Newman Center, the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission found that the Archdiocese could forbid Dignity from using the chapel, but not the secular offices and meeting rooms. The Appeals Court decision said Dignity's sole reason for using the Newman Center was for worship and involvement in the Catholic Church. "For Dignity, there were no secular areas of the Newman Center," said the court. "They utilized the facility for its religious identity." In response to this decision, McNeill said, "I am astonished that the Appeals Court sees our relationship with the Newman Center as purely a secular issue. It is a landlord-tenant issue. This decision limits the legal protection of lesbian and gay people in real estate [matters) in Minneapolis." Dignity attorney Liz Pierce said that the appeal to the Supreme Court is the right move because the Court of Appeals did not address the civil rights ordinance. guess they have to know. For these people the problem is we (Gays) might be anybody, right? I suppose that's why my brother and _ sisterin- law were both wearing wedding rings, so I would know. And everybody else would know. It seems people have to figure these things out so they can be sure if somebody is one of us, or one of them. I suppose in some cases we could be one of them and one of us too. Depending on who they are. Or we are. Tags help. They make it easier. It's not the Sheriff's fault there are all these faggots around, right? And, well, he has to know. They all have to know, because if they don't well then ... I guess all hell would break loose. What's a poor boy or girl to do about coming out? Should he or she let everybody know? I've been working at it for a while and all I can tell you is that some people seem to want to know and some people don't want to know. My suggestion is that people who want to know wear yellow tags, and those who don't want to know wear, well, what color is left? That way I'll know who I should tell and who I shouldn't tell, and we'll all be happy, right? Call that sheriff, he knows all about these color things. Sep !ember/ Oc to be r, 19 91 Because the court did not address the ordinance, but based its decisions on facts, she does not anticipate that the decision will adversely affect Lesbians and Gays in Minneapolis. "It's not a good decision, but ii does not affect the [Minneapolis civil rights) ordinance," said Pierce. Dignity/USA president Pat Roche was upset by the decision and renewed his call for the Catholic Church to meet with lesbian and gay Catholics. The Archdiocese was elated with the decision . Archbishop Roach said, "We are pleased that the court upheld our nation's long-standing tradition that government ought not regulate the internal life of churches; churches should be allowed to make decisions about that life according to their own church doctrines." Despite the ruling, McNeill vowed to stay associated with the Catholic Church. "I stay in the Catholic Church because I see the church violating the Gospel. Out of my loyalty to the Roman Catholic Church and Jesus Christ someone has to speak the truth." -David Anger ,. .... ~ Evangelicals • '1/ lbgether ma ll/lJI.E sroor GAOlll'S SOCIAts • IIORGIOI'$ • AEJREATS HIV f AIDS S-1 GIIOIJP PASl'ORAL CARE I COUNSELING FOR Gay & Lesbian Christians In Southern Callfomia. .. sioce 1979 Suits 109•Box 1tJ ?9B5 Santa Monica Boulsvnrd W•st Hollywood, CA 90046 .. 213/656-B570 ~ For your convenience you may now FAX: EDITORIAL •Letters to the Editor •Newscllps •Calendar items SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES •New subscriptions •Renewals •Gift subscriptions •Address changes ADVERTISING •Classified ads •Insertion orders or space reservations (504)891-7555 II Books , □ Homosexuality and Religion Pastoral concerns may help shape church debates on homosexuality Dy William L Day: . Contributing Writer Homosexuality and Religion, Richard Hasbany, editor, Harrington Park Press, Binghamton, NY, artd Londor>. 1989, paperback, 231 pages, $14.95. Major Jewish and Christian religious bodies are engaged in dialogues between traditionalists and progressives on attitudes toward homosexuality. This book, a collection of papers by religious scholars, shows that these differences can be said to form up along two intersecting axes . One axis concerns the morality of homosexuality and involves interpretations of sacred texts . The other ax is concerns pastoral considerations with respect to Gays and Lesbians and involves the modem understanding of the basic nature of homosexuality. It is possible that this latter consideration may eventually force a shift in traditional attitudes toward a more liberal position . Within churches and synagogues, outcomes of the debate may decide the extent to which (1) Gays and Lesbians are eligible to be ordained as ministers, priests or .rabbis and hence gain access to decisive positions in church communities and (2) gain recognition of the legitimacy of homosexual love by blessings of same-sex marriages or holy unions. Outs ide the churches, in civil politics, religious disapproval of homosexuality can lead to denying the homosexual minority the protection of human rights already extended to blacks, women, and the disabled . The editor of the book cites the veto of such a bill by Gov. George Deukmejian of California in 1984 after receiving more than 100,000 letters in opposition inspired by a "Committ ee on Moral Concerns," led by a retired Baptist preacher. For these reasons, the book may become required reading for gay and lesbian activists as well as for thoughtful Christians and Jews perplexed by the debates now going "A strong message of hope." -The Advocate 1n goas I Image f ' In (joa's Image Ch~an Witness to the Need ,.-,for Gay/Lesbian Equality J in the Eyes of the Church I by Robert Warren Cromey Red o r. Trin ity Episcopal Church San Francisco "A s tirrin g manife sto and sinc e re ~uide to clear er understandin g. Thi s rs a nurturing, healing book and a call /to action. Read it!" -Malcolm Boyd; Author of Are You Running with Me, Jesus & Gay Priest $9 .95/paperback Send a check today; we cover postage. AL~MO SQUARE PRESS P.O. Bo~ 14543, Dept. S, San Francisco, CA 94114 on in their churches . Robert Nugent and Jeannine Gramick describe four major positions on homosexuality as follows (pp . 31-42): 1.) Rejecting-punitive position: "homogenital expression and the homosexual condition/orientation [is] sinful and prohibited by God." 2.) Rejecting non-punitive position : "rejects homogenital acts but not homosexual persons." 3.) Qualified acceptance position : ''homosexual orientation, i ncluding, in some cases, genital expression can be an acceptable way of living out the Christian life, [but] it is . still somehow inferior to heterosex uality." 4 .) Full acceptance position: "homosexuality is part of the devine plan of creation ... as natural and good in every way as heterosexuality [and] if Lesbians and homosexuals were to disappear , society's development toward greate r humanness could be seriously endangerd." John McNeill sees "a special providence in the emergence of visible gay communities within the Christian churches ... " Nugent and Grarnick write that "How the churches evaluate homosexuality ... will strongly influence how they minister pastorally to people and how they respond to the questions and challenges of gay and lesbian people" (p.42). Jewish Attitudes Before going into pastoral counseling of Gays and Lesbians, examination of Jewish attitudes may be helpful. After all, the traditional Christian . attitudes condemning homosexuality stern from Jewish (Old Testament) sources . Yoe! H. Kahn, rabbi of a San Francisco congregation, draws on Norman Lamm to explain the orthodox Jewish position. · Lamm terms homosexuality an "abomination" which (1) frustrates procreation, (2) undermines the family, and (3) is anatomically and biologically unnatural. Leviticus (18:22, 20 :13) prescribes the death penalty for male homosexual acts. Lamm wants legislation of this kind to temain on the books but not be enforced since "capital punishment is out of the question, and ... incarceration is not an advisable substitute" (p.51). The first in the Conservative Jewish tradition to recognize the possibility that homosexuality is not a matter of choice but an unalterable condition appears to be H. J. Matt. He . called Ill SECOND STONE for civil rights and social acceptance of homosexuals and raised the possibility of endorsing homosexual unions (1978). He later supported rabbinic ordinations for Gays and Lesbians . But probably Edwards' most memorable passage is one in which he characterizes Jesus as "The World's Most Famous Bachelor" who thereby is excluded from the · traditionalist dictum that "to be human means t o share humanity with the opposite sex." Generally, civil rights and equal treatment for homosexuals is endorsed by the Jewish community, according to Kahn, including decriminalization of homosexual acts. Yet "the Jewish community has been reluctant to grant religious or communal recognition to gay and lesbian Jews" (p.58) . However, the Reform Jewish tradition goes beyond this and seeks to involve Gays and Lesbians in "worship, leadership and general congregational life" (p.64). Kahn uses the term "progressive" to describe those who disagree with the Lamm position and take into account recent research and psychological undertandings. Thus Janet Marder, rabbi of a Los Angeles congregation, sees homosexuality offering "the same opportuni ties for love, fulfillment, spiritual growth and ethical action as heterosexuality" (p .66). She concedes that Jewish law condemns this way of life "but I cannot accept that law as authoritative." She adds that "it is SEE BOOKS , Next Page Books An Honorable Profession , An Honorable Profession, John 1 L'Heureux, author, Viking Press, ' New York, 1991, $19.95. An Honorable Profession is a moving and gripping novel by a former Jesuit, the much published novelist John L'Heureux. The "honorable profession" is teaching, and the book is an account of the collapse of the familial, social, sexual and ethical worlds of one Miles Bannon, a teacher of English in a public high school in Malburn, Massachusetts. In the tradition of Catholic writing it is also the painful story of redemption. The book tackles head-on the ugliness of our inhumanity, and none of the characters emerges lilly-white in the telling. At the center of the story is the broom-stick rape of a peer in the school's locker room by several footballers who are high on coke and booze. It is not a pretty depiction . School is over for the day, and only Miles, who has been jogging, overhears the commotion . Reluctant at first to enter the locker room, he finally decides to intervene and is confronted with the aftermath of the event, its victim and perpetrators. After slick attempts by the principal to hush the whole affair for fear of the broadening scandal that would result , the slow and painful reaching-out to Miles by the victim Billy Mack provides the hinge of the story . By the time Billy, painfully confused, professes his love for the 35-year-old Miles, the latter is paralyzed by fear. The swirling innuendos surrounding Billy's rape, hints of blackmail by the principal and recrimination among the faculty, Miles' own extra- and inter-curricular liaisons - they are almost solely heterosexual, but include an ill-fated foray into a gay bar in Boston's "Combat Zone" - all force Miles into a reflex rejection of Billy's overtures with tragic consequences. Miles, a compassionate and thoughtful man, is hurled headlong into a living hell. The story unfolds at a white-hot pace. Many lives and loves are seared in the process and L'Heureux tells the tale with consummate skill. There is redemption at the end, though the ending can scarcely be called a happy one. L'Heureux has exposed our not very lovely humanity to the light. And yet, throughout the book there are glimmers of transcendence, care and compassion. It was only as I finished this powerful book, however, that I was able to identify an unsettling feeling that had gradually been growing. Though several gay and homosexual characters (and the two categories are surely quite distinct) people the story, I realized that none of them possessed any of the attractive qualities L'Heureux grants to . his other flawed human beings. Duplicity, venality, sordid libidos , jealousies - this seems the limited .palette L'Heureux chooses in coloring them, even if I can scarcely accuse him of overt homophobia . Original sin touches gay and straight together, and both need to be pitied, he seems to say. But an almost gratuitous jail cell scene towards the end of the book seems to sum up an unconscious, dominant bias: an emasculate street queen all too readily responds to a macho cell- Miles had experienced care and tenderness in his one-night-stand with another man, no matterhqw needy (and drunk) he was. mate's taunting invitations. Miles, locked up with these two, is forced to confront the fact that, by sleeping with a man himself one night in ' loneliness, despair and drink, he is no different from this queen . "Mile's anger and revulsion were replaced by something else, sadness, and then by some other emotion he didn't understand . This went on for a long time ... [then] the realization struck him, finally: "I've been there too, he said to himself. This is who I am ." It's a strong scene, and yet one that betrays the bias. Miles had experienced care and tenderness in his one-night-stand with another man, . no matter how needy (and drunk) he was. Here in the jail cell, the male sex he observes is merely a physical act, raw power, humiliation and internalized homophobia. The two are not the same! Miles is shown extensively enjoying passionate sex with several women; he has regrets over the way he has used them for selfish ends, but his sex is never equated with dirt and guilt. Gay love, the author seems to imply, is something else again . The unfortunate presumption on L'Heureux's part, even if it is unconscious, no doubt goes completely unnoticed by most heterosexual readers. They can empathize with young Billy Mack's infatuation with Miles because subsequent events prevent us from ever know ing whether he was truly gay or only deeply conflicted and in need of a dad. Thus, ironically, the reader is BOOKS, From Previous Page part of my history, but it has no binding claim on me." Christian Views George R. Edwards, a Presbyterian scholar, illustrates the dialogue in Christian circles by describing what he calls "Creationist Homophobia." In a far-ranging discussion he shows that traditionalists (fundamentalists, etc.) rely heavily on Genesis, Chs. 1-3 (Adam and Eve, procreation, etc.) along with Ch. 19 (the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah) as well as the Leviticus prohibition. Turning to the "liberation" alternative, he argues that . the "important differences between h9mosexual practice and orientation are modern empirical distinctions between homosexual practice and orientation which we cannot expect Genesis 1-3 to be aware" of (p.114). The sin of Sodom, progressives argue, was not homosexuality but inhospitality . But probably Edwards' most memorable passage is one in which he characterizes Jesus as "The World's Most Famous Bachelor" who thereby is excluded from the traditionalist dictum that "to be human means to share humanity with .the opposite sex" (p. 106). The Dilemma Involving Choice Traditional positions against homosexuality are based on the assumption that this orientation has been freely chosen, but the experience of most Gays and Lesbians is otherwise . And the view held today by most psychiatric authorities is that a homosexual orientation is as natural, as basic, as a heterosexual orientation. If homosexuality is of . constitutional or genetic in origin - just as is heterosexual attraction - then those who condemn it as sinful face a serious dilemma: Absent the free September/October, 1991 □ powerfully invited into an outcast's world without ever having to identify with a single gay character. It's a real pity these have been set up as straw men because L'Heureux has indeed written a deeply compassionate book about forgiving oneself and others. -Theo Faros from Communication Newsletter will to choose, where is the sin? (Of course, bisexuality may constitute a special case.) Therapy for homosexuals must take this into account. Therapy may be useful in enabling the homosexual person to adjust to his or her condition, but how can therapy be effective when it seeks to change the unalterable nature of the individual? Indeed, how can the homosexual individual be convinced that he is wicked and must change his natu~e? John A. Struzzo, a counselor, warns If homosexuality is of constitutional or genetic origin - just as heterosexual attraction - then those who condemn - ft as sinful face a serious dilemma: Absent the free will to choose, where is the sin? against advisers who "begin with a stereotyped belief [as to homosexuality] ... anc! selectively perceive data in a way that justifies current beliefs and reconstruct[s] the past to rationalize the stereotype" (p.198). He also argues that . persons "who have a fear and revulsion of their own homosexual capacity tend to perceive in others what they despise and have often repressed in themselves" (p.199). Hence homophobia. · SEE BOOKS, Page 20 II Sexuality report rejection notwithstanding Gay, lesbian Presbyterians pleased with General Assembly presence Although Presbyterians did not adopt a controversial report on human sexuality that would have given the church's blessing to gay and lesbian relationships, leaders of Presbyterians for Lesbian/Gay Concerns were not altogether unhappy with the General Assembly of the 2.9 million member denomination. The report - "Keeping Body and Soul Together: Sexuality, Spirituality and , Social Justice" - espoused the concept that responsible and committed sexual expression among unmarried, homosexual and bisexual people has ethical integrity. More than half of the church's presbyteries had urged rejection of the report . James D. Anderson, Communications Secretary for Presbyterians for Lesbian/Gay Concerns said that the high point of the Assembly was the massive demonstration on the floor of the Assembly for lesbian and gay participation in the church. "It was a moving and joyous event that showed the church and ourselves the breadth United Church Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns (United Church of Christ) UCCLIGC • s Up po rt for lesbian, gay and bisexual • Advocacy people, their R families and For information, contact: • esources -friends UCCUGC 18 N. College St Athens, OH 45701 (Tei, 614 / 593-7301) JOIN US IN PROCLAIMING AND CELEBRATING GOD'S LOVE! E mpathy is a journal that deserves our .mpport for the original and creative work it J,>es in the interest of truth il.nd justice. E- Rev. Malcolm Boyd, author of 23 books including Are You Running with Me.Jesus?, Take Offche Masks, and Gay Priest E mpathy provides J. much-needt·d and wdrnmcd rnmmumcarion link tor pcf"Sons involved in l'Jucation about homophobia. At its best H will keep us informed and in rouch, supponcJ ,rnd challenged, excited and proud. :-f. Bri:1.n Mc Naught, lcclUrcr and author of On Bt•zn~ Cay: Tho11ght1 on Family, Faith, and Lo1,•e Empathy LAn Interdisciplinary Journal for Persons Working to End Oppression on the Basis of Sexual Identity l'UBI.ISHED TWICE A YEAR, EMPATHY INCl.llf>ES SCHOi.ARLY ESSAYS, PROSE AND POETRY, PRACTITIONER ARTICLES, ANECDOTAL ESSAYS, AND RESEARCH REPORTS AS WELL AS ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHIES FOR RESOURCE MATERIALS, RECENT RESEARCH AND BOOKS. rHE JOURNAL SERVES f'EOl'LE WORKING IN EDUCATION, COUNSELING, HEALTH CARE, SOCIAL WORK, COMMUNJn' ACTIVISM, AND THE MINISTRY NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. Oney.ear (2 issues) individual subscription $JO (s15 institutional) Make checks payable to Gay and Lesbian Advocacy Research Project (GLARP) and mail to: Empathy, PO Box 5085, Columbia, SC 29250. and depth of our conviction and support," Anderson said. "It will never be forgotten." The demonstration was organized by Presbyterian Act Up, a new informal organization for lesbian and gay rights in the Presbyterian Church. The Assembly moderator invited all to join in the demonstation. 'There are persons who feel it is important to affirm the authority of Scripture in this," he said. "They have been listened to. There are also persons who have acknowledged themselves as gay and lesbian, bisexual, partners, family and supporters. They need to be pastored to and understood and need to have their voices heard." A procession carried a large wooden cross to the assembly floor: Many commissioners and church leaders joined the demonstration. Nearly 500 protesters participated. Although the sexuality report was not adopted, PLGC leaders point out that the report was also not trashed as so many had demanded. The General Assembly requested all congregations "with the encouragement of sessions and presbyteries, to undertake serious biblical study of the issues raised by these reports." "Study was exactly what we were hoping for," said Anderson. He also said that the Assembly approved lesbian and gay holy unions in Presbyterian congregations performed by Presbyterian ministers at the discretion of the minister and session. Lutherans form international AIDS network Representatives of a wide variety of Lutheran churches and social ministry agencies have joined together in forming an international network dedicated to enhancing the response of the churches to the AIDS epidemic. The Lutheran AIDS Network (LANET) will promote greater cooperation and coordination among the various ministries taking place throughout the Lutheran communion. "As the AIDS epidemic continues to grow exponentially, doubling every three years, many Lutherans are realizing that prayer and chicken soup is no longer enough," said Michael Pozar, an organizer of the network, who has been a caregiver for people with AIDS for nearly five years. "We are expecting seven million cases by the year 2000 but the Lutheran church has barely begun to deal with this reality." Kathy Horton, a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, expressed her hope that the network will spur the churches on to greater cooperative efforts , "The challenge of AIDS calls us to work more closely together - within our Lutheran communities and in concert with other churches as · well," she said. The network includes Lutherans who are located in North and South America as well as a few in Europe and Africa. 'The scope and focus of the network will be determined by the priorities and needs of its members," explained Rev. Adele Resmer of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, who has also helped organize LANET. "Our goal is to enhance communication and support the efforts of dedicated persons throughout the Lutheran churches who are responding to the AIDS epidemic." For information on LANET write to Suite 215, 401 Roland Way, Oakland, CA 94621. Give a gift subscription to your local public library. Send Second Stone to your local public. university or seminary library. Each issue arriv,es as a gift in your name (unless you tell us otherwise.) Only $13.00 for a 9ne year subscription. To begin service immediately, FAX your order to (504)891-7555. Or send your order to Second Stone. Box 8340, New Orleans. LA 70182. You do not have to specify a particular library. We have a long list of libraries awaiting donations. And you may donate as many subscriptionsa s you like. IJ THE SECOND STONE Travel . ·. ·-. □ Plan now for a holiday trip to the nation' s captial 1 By Cynthia Marquard • and Danni Munson Contributing Writers Fosrom ething a bit out of the ordinary for the holiday season, why not a trip to Washington, D.C.? The atmosphere is festi~e, from the decorations in the stores, streets, and hotels to the towering na!ional Christmas tree lit up just beyond the White House. And the weather for holiday shopping is usually pleasant and mild. For gift ideas, Washington, D.C., has one of the nation's largest gay/ lesbian bookstores, Lambda·Rising, at 1625 Connecticut Ave., NW. Here you are sure to find a book to suit the avid readers on your shopping list. And for a few more exotic gift ideas, stop by the Pleasure Chest in the next block. Women should try the nearby feminist bookstore, Lammas. Many gay · and gay-friendly businesses are located on and around Connecticut Ave., in what is called the Dupont Circle. area. Doing Dupont Circle Dupont Circle is D.C.'s . main gay /lesbian area . Here the visitor wiII also find a concentration of gay/ lesbian accommodations as well as bars and restaurants. And there are places here to fit every preference and pocketbook. Consider the gay or gay-friendly guesthouses. The Brenton on 16th St. is a restored mansion that evokes the feel of 19th century Washington. Seven rooms, all with shared bath, are beautifully decorated with antiques. The guest rooms range in size from large to huge and are well suited to those who crave lots of space. Each morning, extended continental breakfast is served in the common areas downstairs, and guests are encouraged to help themselves to the rack of newspapers, pamphlets, and maps to gay places. Jardan Guest House on S St. is another charming Bed & Breakfast along the same lines. It has four guest rooms, all with shared baths. There are also small hotels in the Dupont Circle area that welcome gay men and Lesbians, notably the Embassy Inn and the Windsor Inn. All the rooms have private bath, but at the Embassy Inn the rooms range from small to tiny. The Windsor Inn has somewhat larger rooms. There is nothing fancy about these small hotels, but they are clean and comfortable. For those who prefer the anonymity and services of a large hotel, we can heartily recommend the Omni Georgetown, a remarkably gayfriendly place. This is an elegant, full-service hotel in the heart of Dupont Circle, with beautifully appointed rooms and excellent food. There are two other major hotels in the Dupont area, the pricy and elegant Ritz Carlton just around the corner from the Omni and the Washington Hilton near the edge of Dupont Circle, infamous as the site of the attempted assassination of former President Ronald Reagan. While the Hilton is huge and may give the appearance of anonymity, a quality prized by many gay /lesbian travelers, looks are deceiving. The walls are paper-thin. We could hear an ordinary phone conversation in the room next door. Stepping Out There are more than 30 gay and gayfriendly restaurants in Washington, D.C. Obviously, we could not sample them all. But we did visit several in the Dupont Circle area. Right across P St. from the Omni Georgetown is Friends, a casual piano bar and with small dining room, where men or women visitors can feel comfortable. This is a good place to start out. • - Then, a few blocks away on 17th St around R St. is what ca11 only be described as a gay restaurant row. On this gustatory strip, Annie's is the only all-gay restaurant. Annie's has two floors of noise, fun, and really good food. On Friday and Saturday nights be prepared to wait a long. time for a table. Several other restaurants on 17th are beyond gay-friendly. One such spot deserving special mention is Trio's, which proudly displays an award from the local gay /lesbian community. Most of the restaurants on this row have sidewalk cafes in front that are open in good weather. Sightseeing The best bargain in sightseemg-and the most flexible way ~to get around-is the Tourmobile, a buslike conveyance that makes regular stops at the major musewns and monuments. You purchase a ticket for the entire day and use the buses in a number of ways: You can simply board a Tourmobile at the newly renovated Union Station and stay on for a ride past all the major sights along the Mall and through Arlington National Cemetery. Or, you can get off at any stop along the route, spend as much time as you like, then board another bus to continue along. Or, you can do both. • You can also purchase a special Tourmobile trip to Mount Vernon. If you don't want to_spend a whole day sightseeing, you can use the public transit system to get to the one or two places you do want to see. The automated subway system is espec. ially convenient, and the stations are like futuristic light sculptures. Here are some of the most popular attractions in the capital: • The most visited monument is the Vietnam War Memorial, an incredibly moving experience. • The Smithsonian Air and Space P. 0. Box 118 SL Belhlehem, NH 03574 (603) 869-3978 Museum • The Lincoln, Jefferson, and Washington monuments • Congress, where you can get in on a free guided tour or look around on your own; but you need a pass from your Senator or Representative to sit in the Visitor's Gallery of either house. • The White House, where the tours are free but the lines are long, usually entailing a wait of more than two hours. In this age of higher air fares, a weekend trip to D.C. is the best buy. And those heading for Washington on weekday business will save a bundle by staying over the weekend for a little holiday spree in the capital. Cynthia A . Marquard is the owner/manager of Envoy Travel, inc., in Chicago and vice-president of the International Gay Travel Assn. Danni Munson is the editor and publisher of The Lesbian and Gay Almanac and Events of 1991. the "othtr" plact undtr tltt sun ... =~~:c'= ':a'-.::~h ~; •PO<Mle cozy Janzzl •FrM coatl■Hbl '"•kfut Write or call for brochure. 120 E. Atol St., P. 0. Box 2326 South Padre Island. Texas 78597 (512)761-L YLE Air connections via American Continental Southwest Back Issues Now Available Limited Quantity #17 - Jul/ Aug '91 Tribute to Sylvia Pennington #16 - May/June '91 Reconstructionism #14 - Jan/Feb '91 Student comes out on SDA campus #13 - Nov/Dec '90 New Age Each Issue $2.25 plus 75¢ per Issue Rrst Class postage. For Immediate selV1ce, FAX order lo (504)891-7555. or send order with check or money order to *ond Stone, Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. September /October, 1991 II ' Classifieds Books & PublicatiQns "WONDERFUL DIVERSITY," "Heartily recommended," "Philosophically intriguing," "Excellent.· Why do reviewers highly esteem CHRISTIAN"NEW AGE QUARTERLY? Great articles and lively columns make this bridge of dialogue between Christians and New Agers as entertaining as it is substantive. Subscribe for only $12.50/yr. Or sample us for $3 50. CHRISTIAN'NEW AGE QUARTERLY, PO Box 276, Clifton, NJ 07011-0276. TF BOOKS, From Page 17 In their conclusion, Nugent and Gramick write: "how the churches evaluate homosexuality. . . will strongly influence how they minister pastorally to [gay and lesbian] people." They warn that "the tensions raised in the churches between homosexuality and traditional Christian beliefs and ARE YOU MOVING? The Post Office will not' forward The Second Stone. You must notify us for uninterrupted service if you move. Please no!lly us four weeks in advance !or uninterrupted delivery . Send both old and new addresses . II possible attach mailing label in space ·provided . PRINT NEW ADDRESS (J) () > z ~ ~ I ~ Send completed form 10: THE SECOND STONE Box8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 Employmeri MDIV SEEKING EMPLOYMENT in church, social justice, commu,ity service or ecumenical agency. Call Leah (213)670-3836 for resume. 10/91 PEOPLE ORIENTED MINISTER sought for small independent. interdenominational, congregational church ministering to gay/lesbian community. Partlime position with benefits. Send values will not, however, be resolved quickly ... " (p.43). The preface by the editor is followed by nine pa_pers which examine not only the reasonings of religious scholars on both sides of the dialogue but also describe the gay and lesbian organizations and groupings within the major faith communities. The writing is HARRIS, From Page 14 president of Integrity. "The term 'fag' is a perjorative which is short for 'faggot.' It is as offensive as the term 'nigger' ... and to have it distributed by a semi-official branch _of the church is intolerable.'' The following day, a formal apology was read by the President of the House. Bishop Harris' speech was frequently interrupted by applause. "In street language, the church is pimping you," she said . "They want your time, talent and treasure, but do not accept your humanity. Nor does the church want you to leave. Because if you leave, tney won 't have anybody left to beat up on ." letter of application with resume to Pastor Search Commiltee, P.O. Box 781051, Wichita, Kansas 67278-1051. Friends/Relationships SINCERE LESBIAN, 5'8", 144 pounds, mid-50s, semi-retired journalist; charter MCC member, seeks dedicated Christian GF Life Partner. Share modest 2 BR duplex. Outstanding GF couple neighbors! Private room, board and $50.00 weekly in exchange academic in tone, never polemic, although in general the writers are sympathetic to homosexual concerns. Each paper is footnoted (sometimes elaborately) and documented by bibliographies and there is also a general index. The book's title is somewhat mii;leading in that the book deals only with Christian and Jewish teachings. There is no □ for sharing light housekeeping, filing and companionship. No drugs - smoker okay. · Write to: Boxholder, P.O. Box 90332, Gainesville, FL 32607. Include recent snapshot or photo and references. Response guaranteed. 10/91 GWM, 38, SEEKS PIANIST interested in relocating to Denver to fonm a two-piano duo. Classical to pop repertoire, Randy, P. 0 . Box 61502, Denver, CO 80206 10/91 reference to other world religions - Buddhism, Hinduism, Blam, Animism, and Native American, etc. Perhaps they do not have a problem with homosexuality. Note: The book was originally published as the journal of Homosexuality, vol. 18, nos. 3/4, 1989-90. Fax . your ad . (504)891- 7555 30 words. 7 bucks. We'll bill you later. It's never been easier to place a business or personal classified ad. Just write your ad out (be sure to include classification, months to run, and your billing address) and FAX it to us. Classified Order Form Please place my ad in these issues: [) Jan/Feb [ J Mar/Ap r [) May/Jim [ l Jul/Aug FOR ONLY 35 CENTS PER WORD, your ad can appear in the next edition of SECOND STONE. Take advantage of our low cost (but high profile) classified section by placing your advertising order today! Mail To: THE SECOND STONE P.O.Box8340 New Orleans, IA 70182 Name _____________ _;.. Address _________ _ City/St./Zip _______ _ AD COPY _______ _ _ _ words X .35= $ ____ _ _ 20 word minimum. All classifieds rn_ust be pre-paid. Deadline one month prior to cover date. We will mail you a copy of the edition(s) in which your ad appears Sep tern ber / October, 19 91 . [ ) Sept/Oct [ J Nov/Dec CLASSIFICATIONS I ) Books & Publications [ ) Business Opportunities [ l Employment [ J Friends/Relationships [ l General Interest [ l Mail Order [ l Merchandise [ l Organizations [ ) Professional Services [ l Real Estate [) Retreats [ ) Roommates [ )Travel Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone #18 - Sept/Oct 1991 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/d0714b1c37a157fab0daefed6e7d9fd5.pdf 8ae50ae662eed7fc1e1f700f42400521 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone Description An account of the resource Issues of the Second Stone publication. Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 19 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1991 Publication Date The date the issue was published Nov/Dec 1991 Text Any textual data included in the document AMERICA'S GAY & LESBIAN CHRISTIAN NEWSJOURNAL $2.25 All he ever wanted to be was an Assembly of God pastor Strange Angel too much for Bible College I BY JI M BAILEY Ben Davis was born to devout Assemblies of God parents in Farmers Branch, Texas, in 1948. In his newly release d book Strange Angel , the Dallas '-bas ed first-time author gives a hilarious and tou c hing ac cou nt of growing up in the old -fashioned "clothes.-Iine r e ligion" that perva ded north Texas in the l 9 5Os. Dav is could read a nd recite Scripture at age five, and developed a goal of becoming a min is ter in the Assembly of God. But, as a 21-year old Bible College student , he bega n to recog nize and 'ESSAY: ··Yes Adam . ,. and Steve acc ept himself as a gay man . When hi s congregation lea rned that he was gay, they turned their backs on him , forcing him to live in th e secular world he had learn ed from the pulpit ~o mistrust. Davis said that what hurt the most was that not a single person stood by him in those da ys, not even the P\?Ople who were the most pre cious to him . Davis said that the experience of be ing a despised o utc ast in the church th at he was once such a part of has lef t him scarred, bitter, and SEE COVER STORY, Page 8 · :' · IN-BETWEEN S'~y Johnny Townsend ._:[12J·· ~- ~-~·-·· · THE · · ·, 12 .. Reflections on . , CHRISTMAS · · the season By Michael Hur/owe f i 6. ] ~:£~~\ay Michael Blankenship SUBSCRIBE NOW - ONE YEAR ONLY $13.00! • BOX 8340 • NEW ORLEANS. LA 70182 BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PA I D ..........F... rotmhEe ditoTr •· ................ . Unbiblicatl,h eys aid By Jim Bailey Or course I never expected everyone to like Second Srone .. From the beginning, l've clearly pointed out on the masthead who might enjoy the paper the most. l've had some very pleasant surprises. Gays and Lesbians who don't 'necessarily identify as Christians write and sav thev like the focus on human rights iss~es in the news synopsis. Others say they _Hke the articles that have appeared supporting committed, monogamous relationships. They don't see too much of that elsewhere, they .say. Second Stone also has a large readership among another group that's not included on the masthead. Our straight readers are parents, family members, church pastors, .and others who are keen!)' interested in equality for Gays and Lesbians in church and society. But, as I said, not everyone l.ikes Second Srolje. Gays and Lesbians who are anti-religion because thev have been so hurt by the church write and say they can't understand why ·,ve want to be a part of something that doesn't want us. And, of course, there .'s the group who hates Second Stone the most - anti-gay main stream Christians. Over .the years they've developed a concept of- Gays and Lesbians as prqmiscuous pen·erts who hang around the park or public restrooms. They've had this notion reinforced by the Sheldon's, the Wildmon's, the Robertson's and .the Falwell's who occupy the pulpits every Sunday morning. Can you imagine what a threat it is to their idea of what a gay or lesbian person is· when they see a copy of Second Stone? First, they always sit down and write a letter. (See facing page.) . I have enough letters .on file to make an entire Bible out of Romans, Leviticus and Corinthians alone. But I was surprised - and deeply disappoi nted - when I learned last summer of a few other people who said they would never subscribe to the paper. ·second Swne was just too unbib/ical they said. I had heard that previously from so many anti-gay Christians that it almost slipped by me, But this time itwas coming from gay and lesbian Christians. 1 think every page I have ever published flashed before my eyes for a moment before I said, "Too ... whatr Unbiblical, they said, because we have include .ct news from the Unitarians, Reformed Judaism, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses ... and so on. (Almost even , denomination but their own, '1 think.) It was amazing to me then, and amazes me still, that a church pastor or gay or lesbian Christian woufd invalidate Second Stone in such a manner because of a news report on a Welcoming Congregations Program or the ordination of gay rabbis. I appreciate the strides that . these people are making in their denomination to change attitudes in the pews and the pulpits . We will not exclude and shut out people who are different from us. Don't we all know how that feels by now? It was a profound disappointment to me, not to hear the criticism of Second Srone, but to know that there are gay and lesbian Christians who don't realize how important it is that we all work together for freed_om and equality in our churches and society, The writer of the-letter on the next' page does not scare me as much as these folks do. -· This issue marks the beginning of the fourth year for Second Stone. It ·is also the largest page count ever. Rev. Donald Wildmon now claims to have over a million readers of his anti-gay American family Associa- • tion Joumal. Second Srone does not have a million readers yet, but with your continued (and appreciated) support, maybe one day we will. I vdsh yo_u and your loved ones a peaceful and joyful holiday season . Enjoy this issue and we'll see you again in the new year! [27 Second Stone• November/December 1991 Contents From The Editor These gay and lesbian Christians scare me Your Turn Letters from our· readers Comment Don't preach sexuality from the pulpit Guest opinion by Robert C. Brock New Lines Cover Story The Gospel. according to Benny Joe Author Ben Davis interviewed by Jim Bailey Essay Adam and Steve by Johnny Townsend Threads by Eric Bellman The in-between Christmas by Michael Hurlowe Gay and lesbian people need Jesus, too! By Rev. Bruce Roller Book Reviews Cirde of Hope reviewed by Sean L. Avery Growing Up Gay in the South reviewed by Michael Blankenship In God's Image reviewed by William L. Day Just Out New books, music, and other neat stuff Noteworthy · News about people, ·churches and groups Calendar Other Places Gay vacation spots. Dreaming about summer helps. Resource Guide Connectedness T YourTurn T ................................... No love letters this time Not another letter quoting Romans! ~Dallas, Texas Dea r Second Stone, Please do not send another issu e of your newspaper. I d o not agr ee with the purpose of yo ur newspap er which is to justif y th e sin or homose;rnal behavior in the eyes of God and man. As Christians, we are saved hy the blood of Jesus Christ. · But God commands us ·a_ll to n ee from sin and not he deceived by our lusts and desires. In the first c hapter of Romans, when men turned against God and refused to obey. Him, "God gave them over to degrading passions; for th e ir women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the sa me way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men ISSN No. 1047·3971 SECO:\'D STO;\'E Newspaper is published c\'cry olhcr rnonlh by Bailey Communications: P. 0. Rox 834 0, New Orleans. LA 70182. Copyright 199 I by .Second Stone. a rcgisll'rcd lTi..ltkmark. ., SUBSCRIPTIO;\'S, U.S.A. S13.00 per year, six issues. Foreign subscribers Jdd SI 0.00 for JX>stagc. All payments U.S. currency only. ADVERTISI;\'(;. For displ·ay . advertising information call (504)899.4014 or write to: Aox . 8340. New Orleans, LA 70 I 82. . EDITORIAL. send lcu ers. calendar announccnH.:nLs. and church/organization news to (Dcp:utmcnt title) . Second Stone. P. 0. Aox 8340. New Orleans , LA 701.82. M,muscripls lo be returned should be accompanied hy a·stampcd, self ~ddrcsscd cnvc],lpc. SECO:\'IJ ST01"E, :irl ecumenical Christian ncws p:ipcr commiucd lo infor ming the gay and k:shian community. l'UIJLISHER/EDITOR: Jim Railey CONTRll3lffORS FOR THIS ISSUE: Cy nthia Marquard Danni Munson Rohcrt C. Brock S"'-'n L Avery Johnny Town send Rev . Amee Roller Eric Bellman Michael Hurlowc William L. Day Michael IJlanken s hip with men committing indecent acts and rece iving in their own person s the d Lie penalty of their error." (Romans 1:26-27) It is clear that homos ex ual behavior in a sin in the eyes of God. God lov es each of His children, but hat es homose xua l behavior. and commands us to flee from it in order to glorify Him. God asks each of us to confess our sins. "If we confess ou r sins, He is faithful and right eous forgives us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, .we make Him a liar, and ·l·lis word in not in us ." (I John 1:9-10) As a Chr istian newspaper, y ou should promote obedience of the Word of God, not disobedien ce. Sincerely , I/. "fhomas How did they get on the mailing list . ' ? anyway. ~Fort Worth, Texas Dear Second Stone, Would you please remove our name from your mailing list? Thank you, Nonh Richland Hills Baptist . Church ~Bonham, Texas Dear Second Stone, Please DO NOT include us on your mailitig list. Thank you, First Christian. Churc!J Write to Second Stone . · All letters must be original and signed by the writer. Clea.rly indicate if your name is to be withheld. We resen ,e the right co edit. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. . PATLAR VOICE OF GAY AMER!CA MONTHLY NEWSMAGAZINE FREE AT OUR DISTRIBUTION POINTS SUBSCRIPTIONS $35 ANNUALLY SAMPLE(~6P~U$\ 5 /giTitt~ USA $4 FOR INFO ON ADVERTISING p o C:J} 1~~~lllt~it,~~-f62c°l~§e22 Subscribe Today. And You'll Never Be Without A Friend For Your Journey. Join . thousands of lesbians ,md gay men who've embarked on :an inward journey. Through the pages of ·The Second Stone, an ecumenical Christian newsmagazine, you'll be challenged; inspired, angered and encouraged. Meet brave · men and women who are confronting social injustice and religious bigotry. Explore family and relationship issues . Enjoy our engaging features and columns, newsbriefs and book reviews. Our national calendar puts you in touch with · life-c.hangi1ig tetreats, communit~, ,b uilding conferenc. ~s, and .:Jhe nicest people you·11 ever meet.! . The Second Stone will inspire you, keep you informed, and put you in touch. · ... y. ES!··················· ······················· .. . . Name ......... , .................................................... .i...: .. Begin my subscription to SECOND STONE for { I One year (6 i111ues } (or $13.00 I J Two years (12 issues) for S25.C\O ! l Three yeara (18 issues ) for s:rn_.oo Address: ... : ............................... : .......... : .... : ...... : ..... : City, Stab! & Zip ........................... : ............. : .... .. Mail To: SECOND STONE, Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 · THANK YOU for your subscription! Second Stone• November/Decem~r 1991 [3J T Comment ........................................................................ Don't preach sexuality from the pulpit Attending the First Church of Blonde.Haired, Blue Eyed, Left Handed ... By Robert C. Brock Guest Opinion Dunng the mornm~ sen-ice at . the Word Church I am attending, the pastor spoke to the men (aft er dismissing all th.e women) .about attending an upcoming ·men's con'. Ference. As the : pasto_r: spo!;~; 1 -noticed several men · ther~ _that : I feel confident were gay,-or at least closet cases. Some are probably married, some not. SOme may . be living a double life, still not abl e to accept themselves as a whol e person. Still others are · probably attempting to deny that part of their life, living single celibate lives; unwilling to devote to a man and unable to devote to a woman. It was at this moment that I remeinbered a statement that the pastor reportedly made one Sunday before I started attending there: "If you are a homosexual, you will not be comfortable in this church." Why not, I wondered. What makes me different from the man on the next row that he would be comfortable and I would not? Why would the pastor go to the trouble · to single out someone and say that they would not be comfortable in this particular house of worship? As a single gay man, 1 can go to church with my straigh t friends and blend right in. But what if my lover and 1 were to go togeth er? When two people are in love, they don't have to touch or even be close for you to see that they are together and bonded. Even if we felt comfortable, how would the rest of the congregation feel? With that thought -in mind, I begin to see more and more why many gay people prefer "gay" churches. But is that right? Do we concentrate so much on creating an atmosphere where we feel comfortable that we tum the tables and say, "If you are a heterosexual, you will not be comfortable in this church?" Perhaps we dori't say these exact words, but do our actions demonstrate that? What about our ermons? How many ti"mes in a service do we say the words "gay" or "lesbian?" Better yet, why? Paul's .writings. teach us that the Gospel of Jesus is for the Jew and .the Gentile, -the slave and the free. ls.n't that e.nough? Must we add sexualit y to it? How about hair color, eye color or left or right It was at this moment that I remembered · a statement that the pastor reportedly made one Sunday before I started attending there: "If you are a homosexual, you will not feel comfortable in this church." handed? Yeah, that's it : The First Church of Blonde Haired, Blue Eyed, Left Handed, Homosexuals who believe that God loves everyone, even if they aren't like us! Okay, it sounds absurd when you put it into words like that. But haven't our actions pretty much s·tated that in the churches that minister primarily to Gays if you are not gay you may not be welcome? Recently , a friend of mine had an experience in one such church. For years, Rickey (not his real name) has struggled with_..God's ability to ~I Second Stone• November/December 1991 love him and his own ability to be a Christian and be gay. As a result, he goes through stages of "being" gay and "being" straight and has, on occasion, praised God for his "deliverance" from th e gay lifestyle . After his most recent "deliverance," Rickey returned to the gay church he had attended to tell them of his recover y and encourage _them to seek God for their deliverance so that they could be .as free as he was. /\n argument followed and Rickey was escorted out of th e church. A month later, Rickey attempted to attend the church once again. He was greeted with some reservation following his last appearance. Rickey apologized for his previous outbursts and asked for permission to join the midweek choir practice. But Rickey was not allowed the opportunity to stay. lie was approached by the pastor's spouse who told him in no unce~tain terms he was not welcome and to "get the hell out" of the church, adding, " lles ides. you're straight." By co nstantly prea ching gay from our pulpits , we alienate the heterosexual and further confuse those who are still dealing with accepting thems .elves and finding their place in God's kingdom. /\s a result, the straight community suffers the discrimination we Gays complain about from main line churches and the confused people struggling with their sexuality are forced out of the church and into the streets, parks, bars and back alleys to explore their sexuality and seek counsel from persons bitter from their own experiences with religion. Surely, there is a balance. Can we not preach Jesus Christ crucified, risen, reigning in power and coming again without constantly addressing sexuality? Car_l't we teach our single men and women that God has a plan for them that includes accountability for what they do with their lives and their bodies whether they are gay or straight? Can't this lesson be taught without qualifying sexual orientation? Are we as proud of our salvation as we are our sexuality? We want everyone to know we are gay and accept us for it but how often do we · tell someone ·we are a Christian? If we want our ministries to be effective to all people we must first preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Everything else, including sexuality, must take a back seat. Only then can we provide an atmosphere where all people can worship together, both the Gays and the heterosexual. Only then can we be creating an attitude of worship that will allow that one who is struggling a place to commune with God and he led by the lloly Spirit into an acceptance of his or herself. By doing so, not only will we be fulfilling our desire to minister to He was approached by the pastor's .... spouse who told him in no uncertain terms he was not welcome and to "get the hell out" of the church, adding, "Besides, you're straight." Gays· but we will also be fulfilling the call to minister to a'fl people. Then, when people look at us they won't see "Gay Church" or even gay Christians. They will see God's children reaching God's children. They will look at us and see Christ; and isn't that the meaning of the word Christian? News Lines ............................. Amnesty International will aid gay prisoners Amnesty International has voted to extend aid to include gay prisoners . "The decision is a major development and . victory in the more than 12-year battle to change the global human rights group's polic y toward Gays and Lesbians ," said th e Gay and L~sbian Task Force to Change Amnesty International. The re solution adopted said that · people imprisoned solely for their homosexuality, including for "homosexual acts in private between consenting adults," could receive the group's "prisoner or conscience" designation. Newspaper attacks funding of gay/ lesbian center NEW YORK - In a front page attack on Gov. Mario Cuomo, '/he New York Guardian, a conservative newspaper, singled out the Gay and Lesbian Community Center's statefund ed youth program as an inappropriate use of state funds . The article described the Center's Youth Enrichment Services (Y.E.S.) as a program in which "13 -year"old children were introduced to older gay activists and mentored by transvestites." The article cited in partic:ular two Y:E.S. eve nts: "Intergenerational Play Day," at which members of SAGE, Center Kids, Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, and Y.E.S. shared growing - up and coming out stor ies; and a brunch attended by various heroes of the lesbian and gay community, including playwright Harvey Fierstein. The conservative Washington Tim es pi cked up the article. The newspaper ran an oped commemary by Reed Irvine, chairman of Accuracy in Media, a media watchdog that champions "traditional family values" and frequently leads the charge against" gay-affirmative programming and outreach. A week later, the n ewspaper re ported that the U.S. Department of Education is investigating complaints about misused federal funds for drugfree schools "to promote the homosexual lifes ty le among teenagers." Y.E.S.'s fundin g source, the New York State Task Force on Integrated Projects, affirmed its support for the Center program. - Center Voice DC judge approves joint adoptions . WASHINGTON, DC - Judge Geoffre y Alprin, head of the Washington , D.C., Superior Court's Family Division, ruled that two Lesbians could adopt each other's children. The two women, who have been partners for eight years, are the first gay couple in the country to arrange such an adoption. Alprin's decision ruled that the joint adoptions "would serve th ·e best interests of each child ." - The Washingwn Blade Some PBS stations air controversial "Stop the Church" NEW YORK-A documentary chronicling the 1989 disruption of Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral by AIDS activists that was dropped from national distribution by the Public Broadcasting Service was recently aired on WNET-'IV Channel 13. The documentary, Stop th e Chur ch, was originally sc hedul ed to be part of P.O.V., a series of indepe ndentl y made do cumen taries , but PBS dropped it from the series last month, ca lling it "inappropriate for distribution because of its pervasive tone of ridicule" of the Roman Catholic Church and Cardinal john O'Connor. · Public television stations in Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles , and North Carolina have also shown the film. · In Los Angeles, Cardinal Roger Mahony, the city's Catholic archbishop, denounced the documentary in full-page newspaper advertisements and in a news conference. -Associated Press Controversial priest leaves Episcopal church NEWARK, NJ - The Rev. Robert Williams, whose 1989 ordination in the Episcopal Church as an openly gay, non- ce libate priest caused a sti r in the media, has renounc ed his association wit h the Church, citi ng the stress of operating within it. In a one-sentence letter received by Newark Bishop John S. Spong, Williams said that "he formally renounced the doctrine, discipline and worship oL the Episcopal Chur ch." Sh ort ly afte r his ordination in December, 1989", Sp-ong asked Williams to resign from the clergy after Williams told a group meeting that he felt monogam y was as unnatural as celibacy . In November 1990, Williams was diagnosed with AIDS and turned to holistic medicine and faith healing to battle the disease. -Equal Time Gays okay for security clearances, says Prime Minister LONDON - Prime Minister John Major has announced that Gays ca n now receive security clearances. · "In light of changing social attitudes towards homosexualit y in this country and abroad, and the correspondingly greater willing- . ness on the part of homosexuals to be open about their sexuality , their . ............. . lif estyle and their relationships, the government has reviewed this policy and concluded that in the future there should . be no posts involving -access to highly classi( ied information for which homosexuality represents an automatic bar to security clearance, except in the special case of the Armed Services where homosexual acts remain offenses under the Service Disciplinary Acts," Major told the House of Commons. -Outlines Atlanta City Council denounces Cracker Barrel discrimination On August 19th, the Atlanta City Council approved a resolution de noun c ing anti-lesbian / gay employment by the Cracker Barrel Old Cou ntry Store restaurant chain. Cra cke r Barrel• has several outlets in the Atlanta area. The company is based in Lebanon, Tennessee: dignitv,usa an or9anization for 9ay and ks6ian CatfwGcs, tluirfamilies and friuufs. J L- Dignity /USA.has ministered to gay and lesbian Catholics, liii their families and friends for over 20 years. -- We have over 4,000 members ., r in 80 chapters across the country. If you'd like lo support 011r ministry, please join Digni(y_/USA today by completing the form below and e11closing_your $49.00 chec~ payable to Dignity, Inc. to: Dignity/USA, 1500 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Suite 11, Washington, _ DC 20005. Telephone: 1-800-877-8797 _, □ YES, I would like to ~upport the work of CiQ:1itV/LISCI Enclosed is my $40.00 check for membership. Name Address -- · ·- -· ·-- - - City ___ _ , ., . ____ State • ZIP _ _ _ _ Second Stone• ~ovember/December 199 I j-·r • ·News Lines .................. Call for split in the Church of England The British press was all abuzz this fall be caus e of a sermon in ear ly September by a leading conservative clergyman in the Church of Engl a nd . calling for a formal division of the Anglican Church into co nservati ve an d lib eral uni ts bec au se of conflicts over same-sex marriages, the ord ination of women and n on- sexist liturgies . The Rev. George Austin , the Archdeacon of York and a prolninen't leader within the Anglican Chur c h's traditional, conservative wing, sermonized at York Cathedral, the seat of Archbishop John Habgood. "A powerful but influenti a l minorit y is in the pro cess of hijacking the doctrine, _ ethi ca l teaching and worship of the chur ch," Austin fiercely told the congregation. Arc hbishop Habgood accused Austin of a " disingenuou s appeal offering not a new com promis e betwe en the church's opposing faction s but an alternative lea der ship ." -The Alternati,·e AP A will fight Pentagon policy SAN FRANCISCO - The American Psyc hological Association has declared it will help lead the way toward getting th e Pentagon to accept openl y gay people into the milit ary. The Pentagon's p o li cy of excluding G.iys is "based exc lusively on prejudic e and not on fact ," said Stephen Morin, a memb er of the ass ocia tion 's board of dir ector s. The association plans to assemble a coa lition of prof ess io nal, scientifi c and high er education organizations to "get a coordinated front to attack this policy," Morin S,\id, T he .APA has a lso banned milit a ry advertising in association publi cations after 1992 unless the Pe ntagon po licy is abolished. -Equal Tim e BORN AGAIN. • .GAY (and he thought he was ~he only one!) On the verge of becoming a Pentecosta l ·preacher , Davis dis covere d that he was gay. He lost his c hurch , but not his faith - or his sens e of humor. ISBN 0-931722-89-6 $ I 5.95 (cloth) ~ CORONA PUBLISHING CO. 1037 S. Alamo, San Antonio, Texas 78210 or call Toll-Free 1-800-275-8188 (24 hours) READ STRAf/OtAIYOt:L .. . if you die laughing, you'll go straighto heaven! ,;:;- ! 6 · SecondStone• November/December 1991 House and Senate slip in censorship battle WASHINGTON, D.C. - Activists and arts advocates at the National Gay a nd Lesbian Task Force and elsew here are pointin g to rece nt votes a nd leg islative flip-flopping in the House a nd Se_nate as examples of how the fight against ce nsors hip in the U.S. Congress is barely holding gro und. On Octo ber 16, the House of Representatives reversed itse lf and vote d with William Dann emeye r (R-CA) to su pport h ostile languag e offe red in the Senate by Jess e Hel ms (R-NC). Fiv e days earlier, Helms was successfu l in reigniting con tro versy around th e Natio naf Endowm ent for the Arts (NEA) when the Senate reversed itself and passe d lielms' lan guag e bannin g funding of "sexual " and other an. "Helms [and Dannem eye r] used homoph obia to censor what America ca n sec and what the NEA ca n fund ," said Peri Jude Radecic, NGLTF l egislativ e director. "The la n guage was passed on the hack of Lesbians and gay me n." Governor submits to right wing, activists say Denying that h e cav ed in to pressure from t he extr eme right wing of the Republican party, including William Dannem eyer and eva ngelist Lou Sheldon, California gove rnor Pete Wilson surprised the state 's lesb ian / gay co mmunit y by ve toing a gay/ les bian right s bill he h ad vowed to support. Angr y act iv ist s prot es t ed in California a nd in Washington, D.C., where Wilson has an office. Enforce sodomy law, says Police · Chief MINNEAPOLIS, MN - Poli ce Chi ef John La ux says h is remarks in a Christian newspaper th a t t he sta te sodo my law ought to be enforced don't conflict with his support for hiring gay a nd lesb ian officers. "I'd b e extre m ely disappointed if it were n·ot enforced," sa id th e police c hie f in a rece nt ed ition of Twin Cities Christi an . "Sodomy is a serious law v iolation, and I'd want rr.y officers to take the appropriate e nfor cement actio n." Gay activist Ken Darling said, "The co mments , even if the y are nothin g but pandering to a Christian audience, lead me to think that l.aux' s misgiv ings ab out gay cops and other pro-g ay action by the cops has less to do with pragm a tism and more to do with his own exc essi ve morali- s,in a nd bigotTy." Boy Scouts rule Gays separate but equal The Boy Scouts of Am e rica has attempted to sett le a dispute wit h the United Way and gay activists by instituting a n ew pro gra m called "-Learning for Life" to gro up all gay men, at heists and. girls se parat ely from the rest of the scouts. The United Way of San Francisco rec e ntly withh el d a $9000 gr a nt from th e Mt. Diablo Council of th e Boy Scouts after gay activists complained th a t th e Boy Scouts discriminate . "We recognize that we need to rea ch a diff erent population with different requiremen 'ts, " Scouts spokesperson Blake Lewis said. "In no way does the establishment of thi s program sen d the message th·at we are altering our traditional values in scouting ." -Seattle Gay News Bookstore target of anti-gay bombings LANCASTER, PA - Anti-gay thugs twice bomb ed a gay and lesbian bookstore here in the past - two month s, and the own e r fear s the wor st is ye t to com e. In the most recent incident of hara ss ment, th e propri et or of The Clos e t , Nancy Helm of La ncaste r, was standing near the entrance when a car pulled up with four yo uth s who sh outed "all fags must di e. Next tim e we will throw t he bomb ourselves," After th e second bombin g, the perp etr ators ·went two doors down and spray pa inted "fa eg s" on a door . The two exp losion s happen ed not long befor e a Ku Klux Klan rally in Lancaste r re su lt ed in seven arrests, including one Klan lead er for refusing to be searched for weapons, Helm said. -Th e A lternativ e News Lines T ............... . ..................................................... . Texas lawmakers pass hate crimes legislation As a direct result of lobbying, letter writing and phone efforts by the gay and lesbian community in response to the brutal gay bashing death of Paul Broussard, the Texas legislature passed a law requiring the state to comply with the provisions of the Federal Hate Crimes Art. Under the new law local police departments must keep records of hate related crimes and report these records to the Department of Public Safety. _ Lesbian is a bad word at Hallmark Hallmark card shops have started offering a make-it-yourself personalized greeting card service for those who want to write their own verses and have them printed on a card. The computer that sets the type for the verse refuses to accept messages that include the word "lesbian." Hallmark says that the computer program has an internal list of words . that it will not print . "Gay" can bf ,,used because it also means "joyful." Competition for new plays Celebration Theatre, Los Angeles' only gay and lesbian theatre, is sponsoring it first annual New Play Competition in 1992. The plays must portray the gay .and / or lesbian experience in a positive light. Winners can receive up to $200. For guidelines send a stamped , self-addressed envelope to Celebration Theatre, New Play Competition, 4470-107 Sunset Blvd., Ste. 353, Los Ange les, CA 90027. Anthology seeks work by young writers /\ new anthology of creative writing by young Gays, Lesbians and bisexuals is seeking submissions. From Now On will include fiction, poetry, and short dramatic writing by writers · born 1966 and later. Original and previously published work will be considered. Submissions may be sent, along with a stamped , self-addressed envelope and short bio by January 31 , 1992 to Michael Lowentha .l, P.O. Box A-164 , Hanover, NH 03755. Lesbian and gay military veterans celebrate A celebration honoring Lesbians and Gays in the military was scheduled to be held November 9 at Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement Britain's largest membership-based gay and lesbian group celebates 15th year This year was the 15th ann iversary of Britain's largest membershipbased lesbian and gay organization. Since its founding in 1976 the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement has taken the leading role in campaigning for a change · of attitude and teaching within the churches toward romplete acceptance of same-sex relationships. l.GCM believes that discrimination on the grounds of sex .ual orientation is unacceptable , and that fundamental human rights and justice demand equal treatment in all spheres of life, including religious life and practice. Commenting on . the abundant evidence within th·e media and within the churches that the issue of homo.sexuality is clearly at the top of the agenda LGCM's General Secretary, Rev. Richard K,irkcr said "Almost everywhere we look now the church is showing signs of realising it can ·no longer avoid a full-scale, open debate about the issues we, as lesbian and gay Christians, have made into a matter of crucial importance. Christianity is already being judged by whether it can handle our demands with honesty and realism. Current divisions of opinioo about the ordi nation of women to the priesthood are set to be overtaken by our s~r~ggle to gain co~plete; uncond1t10nal acceptance . In conjunction with its 15th anniversary , l.Gctvl launched a fund raising appeal to help provide for future campaigns and activities. Donations may be made to: l.GCM, Oxford House , De rbyshire St., London, England E2 611G. the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the grounds of the California State Capitol. River City Metropolitan Community Church and The Latest Issue newspaper co-sponsored the event. Army Captain Dusty Pruitt , whose discharge for homosexuality caused the Federal Appeals Court · to call into question the Army's blanket rejection of Gays, was scheduled to appear at the celebration . It is estimated that over 50,000 Lesbians and Gays served in the Persian Gulf war . Quotable: "This is our Selma. This is our Birmingham. This is our social revolution." -Urvashi Vaid, Direcror of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, speaking of protests following California Governor Pete Wilson's veto of the statewide gay rights bil/ . UNITED METHODISTS: we're here for you - Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Concerns welcomes you . -- P.O . Box 1021 Evanston, IL 60204 (415)221c1612 "A strong message of hope._" In (joa'.s Image. -The Advocate In (jaf 's Image Christian Witness to the Need for Gay/Lesbian Equality in the Eyes of the Church by Robert Warren Cromey Rector , Trinity Episcopal Church San Francisco "A slirring manifesto and sincere guide to clearer understanding . This is a nurturing. healing book and a call to action. Read it!" -Malcolm Boyd. Author of Are You Rwmi,?g H'ith Me, {esus & Gay Priest S9.95/papcrback Send a check today: we coyer postage. ALAMO SQUARE PRESS P.O. Box 14543, Dept. S, San Francisco, CA 94114 Second Stone• November/December 1991. l77 T Cover Story . . .. . . . . . . . . . ............. The Gospel according to Benny Joe FROM PAGE 1 full of questions. "l know what it is like for myself and almost thirty million other gay- Americans, who go through life,· daily, having to wipe the spit of the church from our faces," he writes · in his book. But coming out was something Davis had to do. He could not accept the idea of being a closeted gay minister. "To hide and to cover up would mean that l am ashamed of who I am," said Davis. "The Bible speaks out against such hypocrisy." Although coming out was essential for him, Davis believes that ga>' and lesbian seminarians and Bible College students must decide in their own minds what they have the strengh to do - or not do. He expressed his opposition to outing , although he all but outs a ministry in his book. "If someone's in the closet, leave him there if he's not doing any damage," said Davis, "but if he's stirring up hate, he should be outed." · About six years after Davis IeJt the church, his mother phoned him and asked him if he was gay. At one point, his mother had been a telephone counselor for the CBN "700 Club." He acknowedged that he was indeed gay and his mother began to cry: His father had been listening on the other extension and told his son that it was "the lowest blow" he could have ever cteait them and that we was not welcome back into the home of- his parents until he was married to a woman. Davis said he began to cry because he had never wanted to hurt his parents for such a reason. Later, his mother confessed to him that she was perplexed about the whole issue of homosexuality, knowing that the horrible things the preachers said about Gays was not true of her son. She did not know what to believe. Davis shared a striking speculation with his mother. He believes that there are large numbers of Gays in the ministry, even the Assembly of God, and that some pastors deliberately misinform in order to keep suspicion away from themselves . Davis told his mother, "The preacher who constant!)' harps against adulter y will be the first one to run off with the ·church secretar y, and the preacher ,..,ho incessantly exhorts his congregation not to rob God will be the one with the Swiss bank account." Davis' parents had to find a new church after their former congregation discovered Davis was gay. The church had· · taken away his mother's Sunday School class because she was the "mother of a queer." But his parents are now very supportive of him and he secs them frequently. They have adopted a belief that God made their son gay so he could tell the church what it is like. "But they still believe I'm going to hell," said Davis. · Of all of the misinterpretations the church makes concerning homosexuality, the one that Davis Fax your ad. (504)891-7 555 30 words. 7 bucks. We'll bill you later. It's never been easier to place a business or personal classified ad. Just write your ad out (be sure to include classification, months to run, and your biHing address) and FAX it to us: -8~ Second Stone• November/December 1991 considers the "dumbest lie" is that sexual orientation is chosen. He said that translates: "Coine join a lifestyle that will make you hated by ·the majority of people, that will break your parents' hearts · and ensure a lifetime of discrimination and · abuse." Davis asked, "!low could anyone turn down such an offer?" The church likes to paint Gays as unhappy misfits, according to Davis, but the fact is that the "average homosexual who attends his family reunion will b.e driving the nicest car, wearing the finest clothes, and have the best job. His brothers , sisters and cousins will be on their third marriage , with kids from each and the poor gran 'dparents will be stuck with raising all of them." Davis believes that "once · a homosexual, always a homosexual." "This view, held by all reputable medical experts, presents the Born Again Church with a real dilemma," he said. "According to the Word of God, if something is sin, there always will be a way of escape, so when the Church realized this, it began a frantic search for alleged 'cures/ and every single testimony I've heard so far should be published by the 'Joke of the Month Club."' Davis also attacks preachers who claim that AIDS is a punishment from God. Such -preachers are left to explain why Lesbians have been virtually untouched, physically, by AIDS._ "The Bible makes it abundantlv clear bad things happen to good -people, and to suggest otherwise is skating on thin ice." He do-es not go to church these days. Although some denominations are making well publicized efforts to grapple with the issue of. homosexuality, his beloved Assembly of God is not. "It is just as Strange Angel Strange Angel describes the political back-biting and hypocrisy tha ·t Ben Davis feels threaten to tear apart the church he loves. And it tells how the author would pastor to a congregation of the gay and the straight, the healthy and the sick , the believers and the doubters, and the sinners and the holy, if only allowed to do so. Told with candor and wit, Strange Angel is the story of Ben Davis' rejecting now as then," lie said. He would have remained a member of the embattled Assembly of God had it not been for the gay issue. Davis is theologically conservative and laments the tarnished image of his church. He feels that the former Assembly of God television ministry of Jim and Tammy Bakker was totally unscriptural and, although he once had · a great respect for Jimmy Swaggart, he now believes that Swaggart can never be restored to credibility in ministry as a result of his latest scandal involving a California prostitute. Al though Swaggart and the Bakkers are no longer affiliated with the Assembly .of God, some believe that the church has been irreparably damaged·by the falle"n ministTies. Davis has hope that the church will one day come around to understanding and accepting Gays and Lesbians. He said they must get t>eyond the philosophy of "loving the sinner but hating the sin." "Anybody who says that it lying," Davis said. He recalls how many churches used the Bible to keep blacks out and 'predicts that over ·the next 10 years the church will begin to accept Gays and Lesbians. Davis feels the .church would do better to say nothing at all about homosexuality as opposed to spreading "absurd tales," which only cause people who know different to grow more skeptical of the message of the church. Ben Davis began thinking ab.out the possibility of writing a book about his experience about four years ago. Response to Srrangc Angel has been very favorable and the book is especially appreciated by those who have been brutalized by the church. Davis is 43 years old and lives in Dallas with his lover. extraordinary childhood ir, the Assembly of God, his coming of age and coming out as a gay man - and his discovery that he was not alone in his journey. He has managed to reconcile his sexuality with his unshakeable Christian faith, even if his church has not. Strange Angel is published by ·corona Publishing Company of San Antonio, Texas. Openly gay, non-celibate Episcopal priest ordained TENAFLY, N.J.- The Rev. Barry Stopfel, an openly gay mari living in a committed relationship and an Episcopal deacon foi:_ one year, was ordained to the priesthood in September by The Rt. Rev. John S. Spong, Bishop of Newark. The ordination took place at the Church of the Atonement, where Stopfel served as Assistant since 1988. Stopfel is the fourth openly gay or lesbian person to be ordained to the Episcopal priesthood in the full . glare of the media. In 1977, The Rev. Ellen Barrett was ordained priest by the Bishop of New York, The Rt. Rev . .Paul Moo.re, Jr. In And the road was long 1989, Bishop Spong ordained The Rev. Robert Williams and in June of this year, the Bishop of Washington (D.C.), The Rt. Rev. Ronald Haines, ordained The Rev. Elizabeth Carl. Stopfel was quoted in the Baltimore Alternative as saying that his agenda has not been a political one. "My agenda has been about . being a competent and faithful priest, l,lut more than that, to enable the ministries of gay and lesbian people to be realized in the church and for gay and lesbian people's voices to be heard within the church," Stopfel said. Stopfel's·ordinatio_n was unique TENAFLY, N.J. - The ordination of Rev. Barry Stopfel as a priest in the Episcopal Church was unique in several respects. It was the first such ordination .to be announced in advance at the denomination's House o( Bishops. During the extended debate on the ordination of Lesbians and Gays at the General Convention in Phoenix in July, Bishop John Spong several times announced ltis intention to ordain Stopfel in September. Although ·the Bishops approved a compromise on the ordination issue, they decisively defeated attempts to amend the compromise resolution to provide · a moratorium on lesbian/ gay ordinations until further study is comp leted. The ~econd unique aspect of the ordination is that Stopfel's previous ordination, to the Diaconate in September, 1990, was the subject of controversy and media converage. Barret, Williams and Carl had all been ordained deacons without press attention. The earlier Stopfel ordination became an issue at Genera l Convention when an effort was made to censure both The Rt. Rev. Walter Righter, then Assistant Bishop of Newark, who officiated at the Stopfel ordination, and Bishop Haines for the Car l ordination . The censure reso lution, introduced by The Rt. Rev. Gerald McAllister, retired Bishop of Oklahoma, was soundly defeated. The third unique aspect of the Stopfel ordination is that his life partner is also an ordained clergyperson . . The Rev. Will Leckie is a minister in the United Church of Christ. "Our relationship has helped us both grow spiritually," said Stopfel. "When the challenges to my ordination mounted, both our relationship and our mutual commitment to ministry were a vital source of strength. While the church often sees the sexual loving of gay and lesbian persons as sin, our experience as a ·couple is that in such loving we often experience God's grace and sustaining power." The road to ordination has not been an e<JSY one for Stopfel, who is 43. After a career in business, he graduated from Union Theo logical Seminary in New York City in 1988 and has been actively pursuing his call to the priesthood ever since. His ordination to the diaconate, originally scheduled for June 2, 1990, was postponed only days before by Bishop Spong who was · responding to a request by the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church to allow the church to debate the issues without further incident. Stopfel said of his ordination, "To me the important thing about openly gay and lesbian people being ordained is that now we can speak with our own voices. The Holy Spirit speaks through people representing all facets of God's creation. Finally affirming gay men and Lesbians and being given official voice by the church. African Americans, Native Americans and women were all denied the right to speak for themselves by the church, and as their voices were freed, their messages have deeply changed the church for the better. I pray that the voices of Lesbians and gay men will also call the church to greater faithfulness to the Gospel." The ordination was protested in the church by Austin Menzies, who called Stopfel a "sexual pervert." As Menzies read a prepared statement condemning the ordina- Publicity served group ·well tion of homosexuals, his words were drowned out by celebrants who sang a hymn that reached a loud crescendo. Menzies stomped out of the church. Seventh-day Adventist Church loses lawsuit against gay/lesbian group A lawsuit against the gay and lesbian support group Seventh-day Adventist Kinship International, Inc. by the Seventh -day Adventist Church resulted in a victory for gay rights . The General Conference Corp. of Seventh-day Adventists, with a membership of 6.7 million, filed the suit December 7, 1987 in U.S. District Court seeking to bar the Kinship organization from using the name "Seventh -day Adventist" or its acronym "SDA'' in their corporate name and advertising. The church, who holds trademarks for the name, sought to. disassociate its elf from the Kinship organization, claiming that the organization was committing trademark infringement, unfa ir competition, and false advertising since they were not officially' affiliated with . the , Seventh -day Adventist Churc h . Kinship's argument that their membership is made up of gay and lesbian members of the SDA Church and that the name "Seventh-day Adventist" is a generic term describing its members was upheld by the court in a decision handed down October 7. U.S. District Judge Mariana R. Pfaelzer said, "There is no term that adequately describes an adherent to the religion of Seventh-day Adventism other than 'Seventh-day Adventist."' The term is, therefore, generic because it refers to a re l igion and is not entitled to trademark protection, said Pfaelzer. Michael McLaughlin, president of SDA Kinship, said "This decision is important in that it says the church can't take away the name which signifies our belief system." SEE LAWSUIT, Page 20 This Chris.tmas. give all the special people in your life the gift of Second Sto11e ... Yes ... Pleases .end a gift subscription and card in my name to the person(s) listed: l I 'one gin, $13 I J Two gills, $25 I J T hr.ee gifts, 36 Add $JO for each foreign subscriber. U.S. currency , PAYMfNf 8'-!aDSffi FIIOM, ~,:!'wilt _ _____ _____ __ _ _ . ·""""- -- ---- -- -'---- -- ""'------ - - - --- · Zip __ _ _ """'--------------Addn,,s _ _ __ - _______ _ 01r ·- __ _ ____ _ _____ _ ,..., __ ___ _ ___ ;,,;, ___ _ ~:-;_j~ft=Can!_-~=·-~=--~=--~=--~=--~=--~=--~=--~=--~=--~=--~=--~ i ~ Stait _______ ~_z;, ____ ?I Sign Gift Can! ;-~ Use additional sheet for more gifts. Box 8340, .New Orleans, LA 70182 U Second Stone• November/December 1991 [(7 T Adam and Steve Essay T By Johnny Townsend Contributing Writer People no longer ran legally oppress women or blacks, but the natural tendenL.·y to want to feel superior has led groups to oppress the one group it is still legally acceptable to oppress - Gays and Lesbians , When · anyone tries to suggest legal rights for Gays, the cry is .often heard, "But they destroy the moral fiber of our country!" Naturally, no citizen who wants to be respected can do anything against the moral fiber of the nation. No one wants to seem or be un-American. So they give in to this moral blackmail without really analyzing what this cry is actually saying. What is moral fiber? And just how are Gays destroying it? Because they are offensive by their very existence? EYen the Ku Klux Klan and the neo-Nazi party have legal rights. Can Gays possibly be more offensive than groups which have killed millions of people in Europe (including many Americans) or terrorized many American communities by lynching, castrating, and shooting innocent Americans and burning their ;10111es and churches? ls what Gays stand for really more offensive than what these groups stand for? Is it possible to be more offensive or hurtful than these groups? If it can be "An1erican 11 to let these Yery unAmerican groups have rights , how is it hurting AnJerica any more to let a group that attacks no one ha,·e rights? What about religious groups? The law justly gives religions the right to have a wide variety of beliefs, but many of these religions in turn unfairly use their religion to infiuence political decisions which affect others not of their religion. "God didn't create Adam and Steve," they say smugly when addressing city councils or other political leaders, as if that statement could REcot~i"~2\\JW~~o~b~J ~~lch~TIONs (Ministry of R~conci/iation MCC) P. 0. Box 1~59 Grand Rapids, Ml. 4950 I :10! S eoondStone•November /December 1991 ,___, ....... ......... ..... ... ... ..... possibly mean anything. Let us set aside for argument's sake the possihility that . the Creation story is a m}·th or allegory. If God created just two human beings, /\dam and b·e, ,md everyone from that time on must be con1pletely like them, then for one thing , we'd all have to be farmers and hunters, as the Bible clearly states how this couple made their living. So right off, we know we don't have to be completely like these two people. /\!so, were Adam and I've Caucasian? Were . they Jewish? Were they Oriental? Were they Negro? Were they /\rabic? These are all very distinctive groups of people. Did Adam have one Oriental eye and one Caucasian one? Did he have blond hair while Eve had black, kinky hair? If /\dam and Eve had every possible gene variation in them to account for all the vast differences on the Earth today (we ·haven't mentioned Native Americans, ·Polynesians, Australian aborigencs, or pygmies yet), then they were still quite different from each of us today, because we don't each carry genes _ for all of these groups. So not only do we not have to have the same jobs as Adam and Eve, we also clearly can not all look just like them or carry the same genetic material as they did. Physically, we are different from them. What else is different today between us and them? Do we each have to have as many children as they did in order to be considered . good? Are sterile people automatically sinful or criminal? How about a married couple who chooses · not to have children? Do our children have to marry each other as Adam and Eve's did? Do we all have to belong to the same religion as they did? And which was that? (Members of every religious group, please raise your hand.) Spiritually, we may have to belong to their religion, or the des cendant of that religion, but do we legally have to helong to it? And if we don't, then do followers of any religion have a legal right to make others conform to the ten _ets of their religion? So we are not phy sically like Adam and Eve. We do not have to have the same jobs they had. We do not have to have the same number of children: We do not legally have to have the same religion they had. And we don't have to live in the same place they lived. So just how much like Adam and l:vc do we have to be? Only in the one aspect of heterosexuality? · Nothing else in the world matters in our comparison to them except sexual orien _tation? I guess many people like to insist on that comparison because it is the only way these people themselves are at all like Adam and Eve. But what of the sexuality of Adam and Eve? We've already mentioned the number of children they had. Did they use hirth control? It's unlikely there were condoms or pills, so do we outlaw birth control? Various religions have the right to tell their followers not to use hirth control, hut do the members of these religions have the legal right to enforce their belief on others? So why do they have the legal right to force everyone to conform to their religious belief that homosexuality is wrong? What of sex itscll7 I don't suppose we can know just what Adam and Eve did together sexually. But just because some people have been told by their church leaders that there _is only one form of acceptable sex, does this make it true? There ar e other religions, including several Christian religions, which accept . any loving sexual expression within the bounds of marriage. But even -_fi a church believes other forms of sexual expression between a married couple to be moral sins, does that group have a right to make these criminal offenses for others? What about celihacy? Were Adam and Eve celibate? Then what do we say to the hundreds of thousands of priests, monks, and nuns in the world? Do people run up and shout into Mother Teresa's face , "God created Adam and Eve, not just Eve!" Some Christian religions believe that never marrying is wrong, while others think it is a .lofty goal. But neither side can claim that celibate people ate following the example of Adam and Eve. Perhaps a church has a right to make guidelines on these matters, but do followers of these religions have a legal right to enforce their religious, sexual views on everyone else in the country? But condemning Gays isn't seen as forcing religious beliefs on the SEE ESSAY, Page 23 The snarled thread' o'f "l ess-than" is woven tight into the pattern of my life. '' Threads BY ERIC BELLMAN Late in the afternoon, lazy in the warm sun, I sic with a friend on the dock of a cottage on Cayuga · Lake. Mindlessly we splash water against a spider web. Tom's been Does the spider sense peril, or is our antic all part of a day's work? The web is remarkable; densely structured in the close interlacing of tne dock's metal understructure, but also incorporating long sinuous ·fil\lments that sway in the breeze like an aerialist's rope . · On the drive back to Rochester I think about Tom and his lover, Ron. 'i'hey're new friends. Will this relationship be a short fiber or a long . thread; one that will jnt~rweave back and forth ove.r time, gaining tensile strength from weathering good as well as bad times? One faces each beginning with hope born from need _and apprehension rooted in sad experience. Time alone ·will tell. · · /1.s I grow to know Tom, I marvel at one shared confidence. Ile is the father of three and came out as an adult. /1. high school wrestler, he has a fine body. In his experience of being newly out, he frequently was teased about his macho charat- · teristics and felt "less-than," not enough like, his gay peers. I gape hearing this. I felt "less-than" for opposite reasons: too gay, not butch enough. Our histories reveal minimal similarities, yet here we sit calling each other "girlfriend," as our toes splash the water. The here ·a week and has periodically checke.d on the spider's industry as the web has expanded. The sun glints off the droplets of water. snarled thread of "less-than" is woven tight into the pattern of my life. /1.fter a stretch of indolence due to summer's heat and altered pat- . terns of living (I must use the pool club membership), I find myself cleaning my house for the first time in weeks, and I'm happy. It's a near meditative activity, a chance .to gather strands of thought that too easily come unraveled irl the cascade of nice days, outdoor living. I'm appalled by the filmy cobweos under dressers (who would notice?) and over doorways, here, clearly evidence that I've lost control and will shortly require supeivised living. I bat the webs away with a rag as I dust and later vacuum the same areas just to make sure. Early in the spring I relish evidence of life indoors: hardy flies or a ladybug. Even spiders. After months of listening to the furnace thermostat click I'm grateful for the tiny div-· ersions. Now, edgy from too much heat and sun, I've lost tolerance and crave crisp, polished order. Adios, Mr. Spider! So much for your tenacity . The hours of erecting your safety net (or trap) whisked away in a snap. That's living on life's terms. I'm reading Pauf Monette's novel Halfway Home, after finishing Afterlife two weeks ago. In May I read his AIDS memoir, Borrowed ' Time. I'm trncing his chain of words. I think he is the most e-xhilarating gay author currently producing, and I 1.rnderstand his labor is informed by the urgency of his own illness. I've never been to California, but after these books · I feel connected to Los Angeles (and to Monette). When I think of LA. I don't imagine Grauman's Chinese Theatre or guided tours of Hollywood Star homes. Instead I sense the energy a ravaged man expends climbing steep steps to a ranch house in a cul-de-sac canyon bordered with parched chapparel; I empathize with the feeling of being trnpped in maddeningly snarled traffic during a hectic rush to the hospital emergency room. I imagine also hard young bodies marked by tiny purple lesions . Paul and his lo\'er nicknamed Roger's first one, on .his ankle, "Spot," and jokingly asked, eariy on before life bec,ime a nightmare, "How's Spot doin' today?" I appreciate his desire, when faced with · another devastation, to remain silent, to not have thoughts, for there to not be a need to feel. Tucked in Monette's writing is a recurring thread, 'a question: "Did anyone ever know me?" ~ly understanding of L.A. is ,·isceral, sensory, and it comes from Monette's astonishing torrent spun out of a ripening talent (and that use of talent means a great deal to me) and pain. Some hours I feel more connected to his world than to my own. Each month I read Andrew Holleran's column in Christopher Street. Holleran is my kind of writer. He spends most of his time in a small north Florida town and so, now, I can visualize the palmetto grass along the highway lie drives · to the gym in Gainesville, and I know about the c'onvenience stores l nurse w-isps of romance. The writers I read connect in my mind like a transcontinental conference call. I love this life of the mind. A straight man, a former model, with whom I have nothing in common, phones me once a month from . work on a WATS line. He tells me about his job and rock climbing and how he hates California and that his other gay friend in New York City died suddenly from cancer (nor AIDS, a_Ithough he was HIV positive). Michael calls me for his own reasons; he's lonely but doesn't know it yet,. can't say it. He is an odd thread, incongruous, but one that adds texture. Sometimes when I speak on the phone with my mother, 86 and frail, it is my need for reconciliation that motivates me, and often it isn't successful. She used to se\,' on Sunday afternoons listening to the Metropolitan Opera on the radio, altering dresses for neighbors or making her own clothes. Those are my good _memories and I need to gather them.· Most of the threads between us ha,·e been snipped. She only wants to talk about her childhood or the early years of her marriage brfore her husband left and her life unraveled. Only a few strands still connect us. She doesn't know any- One faces each beginning with hope born from need and apprehension rooted in sad experience. and the boys who bag groceries and -thing about me, never asks quesabout the woman .across the s.treet tions; I think of Paul Monette's who's hooked on the Home Shopping question. Channel and about the incredibly In each of the past two decades of beautiful man who works at the my life there was a man who matblueberry farm who , Holleran tered. With each I sat for hours thinks, should be in Hollywood or over coffee and talked about poli- New York where beauty is under• tics, art, our ·lives. l've cut all ties stood. Isn't that what beauty does, ·with .them. No magic re-weaving migrate? He should see my mec~ ·possible. Those threads are gone hanic, Vince. At least I think · forever. I consider what remains that's his name. I read the tag on and think about what I'm making of his work shirt. my life now and I wonder if the Between the lines I read of thi:e.ads and strands, the net , I spin, Holleran's loneliness which differs will be-strong enough .to hold me. from mine (same fiber, different Reprinted with pennission from color); he is tougher, more resolved. The Empty Closet. SecondStone • November/I)eq,mber 1991 lliJ he angels did sing the first Noel, and there was much good cheer in the household of heaven. A little loneliness too, I think . For this was the first difficult year (and not the last) that the whole family would not he together for Christmas. Now the angels I am thinking of do not cry easily, and they did not cry then, unless of course, it was very much in private. No doubt their angel hearts felt the pain that a heart feels when it misses someone immensely loved. But at the same time they knew the kind of happiness good creatures experience when they make a gift of their very best. .It was a season for mixed feelings - comparatively new feelings for these angels. Of course I know little enough about men and women, and next to nothing about angels. So I cannot tell you exactly how it happened that on this first Christmas night some of the most stirring music ever premiered on earth was composed in heaven. Nor can I tell you how it came about that this magnificent chorale was performed for a few tattered people by angels who at that moment felt just a little lonely. I cannot tell you how; I can only say that this is approximately what happened on that first of many Christmases. Tonight, far away from that original night, I sit safely on the other side of Bethlehem and its well-ended story . My hearth is warm and the Scotch Pine fragrant. When I look aroung the living room it is at times possible to notice the dancing ·homefire mirrored in the eyes of the people I love. A plushly robed cardboard angel crowns our tree, observing with its unalterably pleasant face the full-bodied joy of our celebration . Sometimes I wonder if the angel feels lonely. It is, after all, the only angel of its kind on the tree. Then I smile and think how silly I am to worry at all about cardboard angel feelings. Yet it seems nearly as strange to remember that the original Christmas was borne not out of affectionate communions and festive abundance such as ours tonight , hut through the wanderings The , In-Between Christmas Maybe cardboard angels do get lonely. BY MICHAEL HURLOWE of men and the aloneness of God. Back then , the happy ending had not yet been written. And the plot already hinted of a time when little Lord Jesus would wake to know that in all the world, he was the only one of his kind . And that this uniqueness would lift him to the top of a tree. From my vantage point beneath the Scotch Pine and cardboard angel, I can see clearly what good resulted from his pain, but it was not so apparent to him in those early days when Christmas was just getting started. Maybe if he had known, it would have been easier for him in his ·unique aloneness , to hurt . But probably •the most difficult and necessary part of his pain was to not know - to consider that after all we spent and suffered, the struggle might hear no fruit and have no meaning. To not know. This is not his pain alone, hut mine . Because if I knew that the final draft would he magnificent, I could suffer almost pleasantly through the pain of writing. If I knew I would find a job, six months of searching would not seem so eternal. If I knew you would love me anyway, the fear of self-disclosure would disappear. And if I knew you would applaud, I could easily speak the truth. But I do not know, and for the time being, cannot know. This is his pain, and it is mine. And so I am brought eye to eye with a paradox that exists in the world of which I am writing. That is: good does not always come from suffering; and nothing truly great, creative, or redemptive is brought into the world apart from some kind of suffering. I have not lived forever, but I am almost positive that these things are true . Nevertheless, at the first Noel the angels did sing, in spite of the fact that they didn't know for sure about the happy ending. And out of hope and loneliness they fashioned music so compelling that it became a part of the story. Tonight I sit between an ancient stable and a New Jerusalem, looking up into the faces of a cardboard ange l and a flesh-and-blood God. One happy ending has been written, and I wait in hope for the sequel. For even now, in the world I am thinking of, our salvations come only through sacrifices. Mortals and angels feel this truth, but God knows it best. So until the story is finished , we must celebrate Christmas as the angels did c sometimes in happiness (as I do now) and other times with loneliness, and perhaps even tears. Because until the loose ends of all our stories are drawn together into one magnificent and ultimate finale , the mixed feelings so characteristic of the time in which we live must duel in the heart of every human creature. But knowing already of one triumphant conclusion, we may anticipate another, even though we cannot know for sure how it will read . And for the in-between, we can.sing with hope , and make music so compelling that it too will become a part of the story. Used with permission from The Kinship Connection Says his "heart breaks. for these people ... " Jerry Falwell seeks funds for new anti-gay campaign By The Baltimore Alternative WASHINGTON - The Rev. Jerry Falwell, the conservative Virginia televangelist who founded the Moral Majority in the 1970s, announced a national battle plan" in a letter to his followers to defeat what he cailed the "radical homosexual movement." Under the letterhead of the Liberty Foundation , a sister organization of the Moral Majority, Falwell outlined several recent victories by gay and lesbian rights advocates and predicted that if they are not stopped, "America is on the road to becoming. .. THE NEXT SODOM AND GOMORRAH!" Under the caption of "what the Homosexuals are doing nationwide," Falwell listed specific gairis made by gay activists in the Episcopal Church, state legislatures, school districts and courts · cases across America. He further d e nounces attempts by gay activists to legalize gay marriage and adoption, repeal the four-year-old ban on. immigration , by HIV-infected foreign e rs and begin their own gay and lesbian wire service arid ca ble tele-. vision networl<.. "My heart breaks for the se people," Falwell wrote, "they are so consumed with their deviant sexuality. "We certainly want to win them ·to Christ. We surely love their souls. And we must reach out to them with the Gospel. "But we must awaken to . their wicked agenda for America!" he added, circling th e words "wicked agenda." The letter proclaimed, "WE CANNOT ALLOW THE HOMOSEXUALS TO RULE AMERICA!" To prevent that, Falweli announced that he has a "national battle plan to defeat the radical homosexual movement," although he does not outline it beyond requesting $35 . from letter recipients. "We simply cannot allow the homosexuals to continue to destroy American morality - and force an acceptance of their lifestyle in our schools, our churches and all areas of public life!" he concluded. The gay activist who became aware of the direct mail letter through UI'Specified sources reacted to the appeal with uncharacteristic outrage. "Initially, 1 think that at last Jerry Falwell has got it right: that Lesbians and Gays are a powerful political force," said Gregory King, communications director · of the Human Rights Campaign Fund. "I think all the examples he used were terrific. But I think that when he suggested that Lesbians and gay people somehow are going to rule America and that we have a vicious anti-family, anti-American agenda, he has crossed the line. "This is an absolute outrage," he added. "Where the hell does he get off challenging the patriotism of any American? What gives Jerry Falwell the right to suggest that he has an answer for America and that lesbian and gay Americans are somehow anti-American? "He is a liar and a thief and I hope he sues me," he said. -Cliff O'Neil Back Issues Now Available Limited Quantity #17 - Jul/ Aug '91 Tribute . to Sylvia Pennington #16 - May/June '91 Reconstructionism #14 - Jan/Feb '91 Student comes out on SDA campus #13 - Nov/Dec '90 New Age Each Issue $2.25 plus 75¢ per Issue First Closs postage. For immediate service, FAX order to (504)891-7555. Or send order with check or money order to Second Stone, Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. '' Great Response! '' That's what a Second St.one advertiser told us recently. And we hear that more and more these days. That's because Second Stone reaches readers where many other gay and lesbian publications can't. Like public and university libraries. We don't carry advertising or editorial content that would put us behind the counter. We're up front - in plain sight! For businesses offering products and services t.o the national gay and lesbian community, we're an exciting new marketing approach! Reach new customersin every state across the USA. Second Stone offers a variety of in-column ad sizes with frequency discounts. We offer spot and full color. We'll lay out your ad at no charge and we'll get it right - we'll send you a proof to make sure. Second Stone will also insert your brochure, flier or catalog in our mailing. · It doesn't cost as much as you think. You can reach a paid coast to coast readership for about what you'd pay to advertise in one local free distribution gay newspaper. And ... to mail your insert in Second Stone costs less than mailing it yourself! You won't know till you try it. The potential sales you lose while you're thinking about advertising cannot be recaptured. If y0u're thinking you've paid too m••~h for advertising that hasn't worked ... you're probably right! But you haven't tried Second Stone. · . Second Stone You'll be pleased with the results. Call 1-504-8~9-4014 for aclvcnising assisu1ncc. ~! Second-Stone• November/December 1991 1131 , __ J. Gay and lesbian people need Jesus, too! BY REV; B RU C E ROLLER Homosexuality is not sin! In no way does _the Bible condemn all gay and lesbian · sexual expression. There, I've said it! I have been writing on this subject in one way or another since 1974, publishing my first work on the subject, The f/omosexually Oriented Christian; · in 1976. My continuing study, prayer and experience in living as • a born-again, Spirit-filled Chris - . tian gay person have only served to confirm that first . tentative gaypositive understanding of the word. of God. Having said that, there are some other things that I need to say just as clearly. Though homosexuality is not sin, gay and lesbian people, just like heterosexual people, can choose to use their sexuality in ways that are holy or in ways. that are sinful. In my next several articles for this publication I will write about a Biblical sexual ethic for gay and lesbian people. This will not be the first time I have · attempted to write or teach on sexual ethics; that first occurred in 1~75. It will, however, be the first time I have explored this topic from a thoroughly Biblical perspective - a closer look at the Bible. There is another word that .I have on the subject of sin that will be the focus of this present article . We hear little· about sin 1n the religious gay and lesbian circles in which I travel. The Hymnal Project · from Mee · San Francisco reflected -___Jf!J.._ Pontius' Puddle the reluctance of many gay and lesbian Christians to think about sin, when it changed the words of the old hymn from "I was sinking . . " to "l was sinking deep m sm ... deep in doubt.". . . . Sin and salvation through faith_ m the atoning death and resurrect1on of Jesus Christ are doctrines that have fallen into disrepute among many gay and lesbian people. Cont] those who have a heart to sequen Y . r believe the evangelical message o the . gospel •find themselves_ son:i~~ times groping for fellowship w1 like-minded believers. . There are a number of reasons for us not to like to talk about sm. Let b •efly state a few of these. 1.) me n . ,, h The spirit of this age is W atever you believe is suffic;ient. It does __ -· ~~«Pr what vou b!;!lieve, only that you believe." With this spirit permeating our religious experience, there is no reason to believe that we are sinners in need of a Savior. 2.) Lesbian and gay people have _ been made to feel so guilty about . the "sin" . of homosexuality that many of us have no more tolerance for being told there is any kind of sin in us. Yet, if the Bible is true, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)." 3.) Some have erroneously taught that the result of recognizing ourselves as sinners in need of a Savior is that we suffer unhealthy feelings of guilt . A part of the Good News of Jesus Christ, however, is that we have no need to [t{] Second Stone• November/December 1991 suffer those guilt feelings any mor e once we have · turned to Jesus for forgiveness of sins. "It was God in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not holding people's sins against them, but forgiving them, (2 Corinthians 5:19)." John 3:17-18 adds, "For God sent not the Son into the world to condemn the .World, but that the world through him might · . be .saved. Whoever believes in the Son is not condemned, but whoever does not believe ·stands condemned already because that one has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." When we believe in our hearts that we are forgiven for all our sins through Jesus Christ, the guilt is gone . I was elated that the UFMCC Eider's Task Force on Evangelism produced a phamplet for distribution among gay and lesbian people called "The Bible is Your Friend: a guide for gay and lesbian people . ." In it the message of salvation was clearly outlined, was ·explicitly stated as being for gay and lesbian people as well . as all others, and included a prayer people could use in giving their hearts to Jesus: "Dear God, I admit that I need your love and forgiveness. I am willing to turn to you now. I confess Jesus as the r.uler of my life, and I accept Jesus as my Savior. Guide me and help me to become what you want me to be . In Jesus' name, Amen ." Now that is an evangelistic tool for gay and lesbian people! The title of this article "Gay and Lesbian People Need Jesus Too!" is two fold in its application. On the one hand it seeks to address thos e who in their misunderstanding of the word of God seek to keep gay ·. and lesbian people from a personal experience of salvation and wholeness in Jesus Christ by saying you .. cannot be gay and be a Christian, fiving a pure life and obeying the commands of God .. To those people I would repeat the words of John the Revelator who by the Holy Spirit said, The Spirit and the Bride say , "Come!" and let the one who hears say. "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let them come; and whoever wishes, let them take the free gift of the water -of life, (Revelation 22:17) . Just get out of the way, and let them come to Jesus - whoever will! On the other hand · it speaks to gay and lesbian people ourselves that there is no special dispensation for us. We are not good enough for God's realm outside of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We who have been oppressed .also must come to God Though homosex- · uality is not sin, gay and lesbian people, just like heterosexual people, can choose · to use their sexuality in ways that are holy or in ways that are sinful. t)lrough Jesus Christ. "Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12)." How can gay and lesbian people come to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord of our lives? In the same way everyone else does, by repenting - turning to God, asking forgiveness for our sins - and making Jesus Lord of our lives. I have recently produced a · pamphlet for those who arc turning to Jesus. Please write the chllrch and ask for a free copy of ·,,l've -Received Jesus as My Savior ... What - Do!DoNow?" . Now this is eternal life, that they . . may know you , the only true God, Li~. . ·; and Jesus Christ, whom you have - ...-.,: ~ sent, (John 17:3)." Rev. Bruce Roller js a well known author and pastor. Readers may !' write to him in care of Second .:.;:;:..._...,_...i_..1il Srone. T In Print T ....................... .........•......................... . . . . . . . . . . . . Preaching the epidemic good news By Sean L. Avery Contributing Writer I:d. NoLC: We dedicate 1liis r eview w 1hc healing, prophelic minis1ry of Pen}' 7Hleras, who .passed away in Ocwhcr. · Circle of Hope: Our Stories of AI°DS, Addiction & Recovery, Perry Till eras, Harper & Row, San Fran- ciso, 1990, $10.95. In "/he Color of Ugh 1, Perry Tilleras combined clements from a variety of spiritual disciplines, including Judaism, Christianity, Eastern Philosophies and New _Age to create a powerfully healing tool which has become a classic daily soun ;e through which God'.s hope, strength and unconditional love speaks to all of us living with All)S. Tilleras' follow-up, Circle of /lope, an inspirational and provocative book, dares to speak a disturbing truth to the lesbian and gay community - ·namely that we arc in total denial to the ran that alcohol and drug addiction is the real epidemic killing _ us, one which has merely been H ac drhatcd in the past decade by immune system destroying infectious agents. Circle of /lope is divided into two parts. The first consists of Til _leras' personal rcl"lections on AIDS, an enlightening examination which many will find terribly disturbin~. In several short, sweet, and to the point chapters, Tilleras repeatedly smashes the pathological denial that characterizes the epidemic. Till eras, an "AIDS Dissident," docs not believe that IIIV, the alleged "deadly All)S virus," is the cause of the disease . Indeed, both of the scientists credited with discovering HIV have retreated from the 1984 hypothesis, whi"ch has since become gospel truth · of the government and the _scientific and medical establishments, that HIV is the cause of AIDS. Dr. Luke Montagnier of the Pasteur Institute in France, for example, now says that HIV is a "harmless" virus that requires a ·bacterial infection called Mycoplasma lncognitus to cause disease. Furthermore, Dr. Robert Gallo of the National Cancer Institute in Washington, D.C., who once dismissed co-factors by ·saying HIV "kills like a truck," has since suggested that a casually transmitted herpes virus called HHV-6 may be necessary to cause disease. Although the jury is still very much out on which infectious agent or agents contribute to the deterioration of the immune system, such a debate is largely irrelevant to Tilleras, who identifies in Circle of Hope a co-factor which he believes is essential for full-blown AIDS to occur, a co-factor which will _ never be found under a scientist's microsco ·pe · - addiction. "For some reason," he writes, " a huge percentage of PWAs (people with AIDS) are chemically dependent." In support of his ·hypothesis, Tilleras interviewed those on the front lines of the epidemic. Nada Cox, a Clinical Supervisor at Our House, a Los Angeles residential treatment facility for PWAs, was typical of the responses. "It's got to be a least 98 percent of PWAs .who have a history of substance abuse," she says. "I think it's · time," Tillcras insists, "that, on a · national public health level, we reopen the possibility of co-factors, or contributing ca·uscs , to AIDS. One of tf1c most obvious choices for a co-ractor is the use and abuse of chemicals." Tilleras goes on to describe how the "germ theory;" a basic tenet of Western medicine, enables people to stay in denial. "As long as AIDS is just .about a germ," he writ es, "then the only thing to concern yol!rsclf with is whether or not you come in contact with the germ. The result? Nobody needs to look at himself or herself." Indeed, it is a great tragedy that AIDS, a disease of the immune system, has become "HIV disease" in just a few short years, conveniently enabling the lesbian and gay community to continue denying that a self-destructive lifestyle of alcohol, drug and sex addiction is a, if not the, major cause of immune dysfunction, as Louise Hay suggests in You Can Heal Your Life. Tilleras concludes, "As individuals and as a community, we must step out of the sea of denial that surrounds AIDS. We must start talking about alcoholism, other drug addiction, sexual compulsion, and untreated childhood abuse." However, denial when it comes to addiction , is only one of the reasons, Tii"leras ·argues, that the lesbian and gay community has embraced the paradigm that HIV= AIDS=DEATH, which he refers to as a "death message." Til!eras rea lizes that such a paradigm appeals to those who view themselves as victims, particularly gay men who were ,emotionally, physically or sexually abused as children, and later turned to alcohol, drug ·s and sex to deal with their underlying trauma. Tilleras writes, "The message a . little child gets, whether i:t•s incest or other sexual abuse, physical abuse or neglect, is that he or she is bad and not worth very much. The message we carry around in our heads is that the world would be better off if we were dead." Tilleras asserts that all Lesbians and gay men, however, not just those who were abused as children, are conditioned by our homophobic society to· view themselves as victims. "What were the messages internalized by a nation-of gay men and Lesbians," he .passionately asks, "when Dan White, the murderer of Harvey Milk , was acquitted? What•is the message you internalized as a kid when you know you are different, that you are a homo, a faggot, a sissy, and the worst thing any kid can be called is homo, faggot, sissy? I think that the effects of growing up gay in this anti-sexual, anti-homosexual society arc s.imilar to the effects of growing up battered, abused or neglected. The message we take . with us into adolescence and adulthood is the same: we don't deserve to live." Indeed, the unquestioned acceptance of HIV as the "deadly SEE TILLERAS, Page 20 , ~ Evangelicals I. ~ loge/her #1t:. 8181.E $Tl/DI' GIIOIJPS SOCIAU • IIOAl!SIIOPS • RETIIEAIS HIV I Al>S Slk'l'OIIT GIIOUP PASIOIIAI. CARE I COUNSElll/G FOR Gay & Lesbian Christians In Southern Califorria ... since 1979 Suits 109-BoK ftJ 7985 SsntB Monica Bou/svard W""' Hollywood, CA 90046 "- 213/656-B570 , OUR WORLD The International Gay Travel Magazine Month by month, we invite you to explore the exciting world of travel available to gay men and lesbians. Each month we help you to discover the multitude of interesting hotels, inns anti resorts that welcome the gay traveler. ,::---.-,IT,;"' nr,..,1--., ~ii. I f'. 1 i, j '.,( \V \' ') "-"'. "\. j :'.,, ii\ \ .. J\..1(,' d'J· ' . -~ Enjoy articles and color photos of a romantic hotel in Spain, q secluded retreat in Hawaii, a manor house in the English countryside, a Greek pension overlooking the sea, a rustic resort in Colorado, and more -all catering to our lifestyle! Plus, every ~onth, regular departments provide you with valuable infonnation on gay events and Jesti:vals, travel updates and tips, interviews, and the latest gay trips and tours-sail the Caribbean on a private yacht, join an expedition to Nepal, .cruise the Mediterranean on a luxury liner or fly to Sydney for the Gay Mardi Gras .. Whatever you're looking for, let OUR WORLD be your ticket to adventure. 1 year (12 colorful i~ues) only $ 44 (in the USA) - US$ 52 (Worldwide). First is.sue mails in 4-6 weeks iil plain sealed envelope. Sample copy US$ 5. · Mail To: Our World Publishing 1104 North Nova Road, Suite 251 Daytona Beach, Florida 32117 USA TEL: (904) 441-5367 . ' Second Stone• November/December 1991 [l~ \ In Print .. .. . .. . ... ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gay and lesbian kids in Dixie Growing Up Gay in the South By Michael Blankenship Contributing Writer Author James T. Sears has written an· interesting, highly readable .book called Growing Up Gay in the South. For his research Sears interviewed three dozen young men and women. Sears himself is not a Southerner. Although I do not think someone from the South could h;ve done a better investigation, I would have enjoyed some personal insights and generational comparisons about growing up in the South .. But I do think Southerners who grew up i~ the era before Stonewall will enjoy drawing their own comarisons. I was very impressed that most of the young people interviewed had discussed their sexuality with an adult. The subject of homosexuality is no longer the unmentionable taboo it once was, not th.at the advice and direction of parents, teachers and preachers has changed much over the years. Whether or not we like to admit it, television has had a sophisticating effect on our young people, and even some of the tradition-bound adults are changing their attitudes. These young Gays may still feel like outcasts in their individual environments, but at least now they can put a name to their orientation and Author James T. Sears • know they're not alone. Sears has segmented his research into five "vantage points," which include community and family relations, and studies about adolescent sexuality and gender identity. The vantage point of most interest to Second Stone readers would be "Homosexuality and the Religious South." To demonstrate the pe~asive influence of the church, a great many of the minibiographies contain examples of the role that religion has played in the development of these young people , but two chapters are exclus ively · devoted to the stories of young Gays and how religion has affected their lives . that by blanketing themselves in religious attitudes, constantly speaking out on the dangers of sin, and presenting themselves as a "pure" individual to their peers and elders they were a bit more acceptable in school, church and home. Vince was baptised at the age of six. He was a bright student who had good relations with his classmates and teachers, taking an active part on the football and softball teams. His parents were very active in the Southern Baptist Church . It wasn't until the sixth grade that he learned what a homosexual was, but he had long before began sexually experimenting with his male cousins during weekly Sunday Vince was a straight-appearing gatherings at bis grandparents popular student, who turned to a home. fundamentalist religion as a way of At one point Vince developed a alleviating the pain of his parent's crush on his Sunday School teacher divorce. Macolm was consumed and after much hesitation finally with his church and the legitimacy confessed that he "thought" he was that being religious could bring to a homosexual. The teacher offered his being "different." Both found support but after a short while lJ6[ S econdS tone• November/Decembe1r 991 became withdrawn each time Vince would call. Vince left the Baptist church after his mother had an affair with the church's softball coach and his parents divorced. The end of an 18-year marriage was devastating to his mother , and also to Vince. He had to deal with a suicidal parent in addition to the many other issues he was facing as a teenager. To escape · the dismal conditions of his home, he lost himself in music. Vince had long been interested in music and frequently played the drums during church functions . He joined an evangelical gospel group and started touring all over the Southeast in a cus_tomized bus. ln addition to escaping from the depression at home he felt that he could "straighten his act" by being with the group. · For a year he became very religious and at times felt that God was speaking directly to him. At one church meeting in North Carolina he was sure that God had told him to give up rock and roll music and the next week, in front of the group, he burned $800 worth of albums. But within two weeks he was missing his records and became very depressed at having become the victim of this situation induced by religious fervor. When he was a junior in high school his mother found a scrap of paper in his pants pocket that listed the· names of male classmates he found attractive. But he did not take advantage of this opportunity to tell his mother who he really was and instead chose to lie and tell her that he was not gay. She wanted to believe him and she did. The minister told Vince, "I have to take a different stand when I am in the pu lpit but in here I'm not like that . Get close to the Lord, find you a good· lover, and be happy." Vince continued drumming for the gospel group. One night after watching a particularly emotional episode of MASH ·on ·rv he confessed to the lead singer that he was gay. Apparently he was stret{:hed to his emotional limit and the sad ·rv show made him snap , A short time later a conference. was held with other members of the group and Vince was sent for counseling with the pastor of one of the largest fundamentalist congregations in the area. .The mini ster told Vince, "I have to take a different stand when l am in the pulpit but in here I'm not like SEE GROWING UP GAY, Page 17 In Print ..................... ........................ ............................ In Episcopal priest's new book: May need to withhold money to get church's attention By William L. Day Contributing Writer Robert Warren Cromey has been rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in San · Francisco since 1981, a parish with a large proportion of gay and lesbian members. But the author of In God's Image/ Christian Witness to the Need for Gay/Lesbian Equality in rhe Eyes of the Church, from Alamo Press, is himself heterosexual, married and the father of three daughters. He is a strong · advocate of gay/lesbian rights and believes that when the time is appropriate, Lesbians .and Gays should "withhold money from th e hierarchy of the churches in order to press for justice for homosexuals ... " (p.117). "As the salaries and the budgets of the bishops become pinched, they will discover ways to reconcile their beliefs with the wills of those that demand their respect." His own parish, he says contributes $32,000 a year to the Episcopal . Dioqese · p f California, three-fourths of which is from homosexuals. "Yet the bishop does GROWING UP GAY, from Page 16 that. Get close to the Lord, find yo·u a good ldver, and be happy." This is the most honest and compassionate response of any minister presented in the book. Six weeks later be bowed out of the group. By the age of 2 2 Vince had disclosed his sexua l orientation to his parents. His mother responded with, "I love you and there's nothing you can do that can make me not love you . But' I'm still praying that God will get a hold of you and · that He. will convert you to the straight and narrow path." His father however was convinced that a demon of homosexuality had entered Vince's soul while listening to an Elvis Presley record, Jailhouse Rock. Perhaps Presley's references to men dancing together , and the portion of the song where one prisoner calls another "the cutest little jailbird I ever did see," had stuck .in the father's mind as popular (though veiled) homosexual referen ces from Vince's childhood, but this isn't mentioned in the book. not push for full rights for gay and lesbian _people in the church." One of those rights is the · church blessing of the re lationship of same-gender couples. "We bless fox hunts, fishing fleets, taxicabs, debutante balls, pets, missiles, and new car washes, " he says. "Yet we must not bless people of the same gender who wish to sanctify · their relationships ... " Father Cromey's conversion as a gay activist followed by a ·year hi.s arrest in a civil rights demonstration. As a result, he says • "I was forced back to my own values ... I lost the life of a social -climbing cleric. I found my life as an activist rabble-rouser, lone eagle, . writer, teacher, preacher, therapist and a priest. I don't have to go to boring cocktail parties, banquets, to give pious invocations, act the part of pseudo - socialite or fawn over the rich, hoping they ' ll donate money, and pretend to like it all. If I have l.ost the opportunity of my position as bishop, :I have found my position as server of Christ, an activist for social change." Today Vince is enamoured with Eastern religions, and feels only pity for the prejudiced attitudes of fundamentalists he encounters. He knows they are "only mimicking what they've been taught as die ·Gospel Truth." The only similarity between the stories of Vince and Malcolm is that both sets of parents were very religious. Malcolm's father was a member of the little knowri House of Prayer denomination, and his mother was a Jehovah's Witness. He characterized both denominations as cults, each thinking that their church was the only way to reach God. The religious .competition in the home was tremendous. Malcolm ·was carried along with his mother into the Jehovah's Witnesses, and by the age of four was doing door-to-door proselytizing with his mothers and sisters. At the same age, Malcolm asserts that he realized he was going to be homosexual, because of his adverse feelings about the heterosexual relationships he saw around him. He was also having his first sexual experiences with neighborhood children and his older brother. " f f l Robert Warren Cromey The author believes at least a lay people to come out. A final third of Episcopal clergy are gay, chapter in his book describes what and 95 percent are closeted ·. His this involves and the benefits he recipe for acceptance of Gays in the anticipates will follow. church .is for both gay clergy and Malcolm had extremely feminine characteristics _even at an early age. It seemed to be something he came by quite naturally but the reactions of those around him created an intense amount of guilt, low self esteem, and self hatred. His classmates called him "fag" and "sissy." His parents were embarassed by him and at church he was told that he was "a disgrace," "degrading God's name" by · the way he wa lked and talked. Others compared him to his brothers, who al!' played football, and the message that he was shameful because he was so feminine was a constant pressure from all sources. As the years passed he dove deeper into his church activities, where he was taught that "homosexuality was considered the most awful sin that anyone could commit aside from outright worship of Satan." He still had his homosexual feelings and in an effort to appease God we was continually in prayer and busy in the church. Throughout his teenage years he continued to suffer from an · abusive father, the raging conflicts between his fanatical parents, and the repression of his homosexuality and femininity. His grades were poor because, as he puts it, he was "spaced out" on his religion. He couldn't keep his mind on the Bible and think about math and 'history as well! Many times he felt as if he couldn't take it any longer and · seriously considered suicide. He was constantly afraid of "fallin·g from grace" and this led to a distructive relationship with a tall, muscular woman seven years his senior. She was anxious to get a husband by any means, and he was hoping to change to avoid being disgraced before "the congregation," so after his graduation they married. He was 18 and horrified at what life had to offer. The marriage was short lived, of course. One day while his wife was -in the l)eauty parlor he was picked up in a shopping mall restroom and within two weeks he had totall)' entered into a gay lifestyle . He was ""-- · excommunicated from the church and rejected by his family . For a time he still had periods when he would attempt to reconcile with the SEE GROWING UP GAY, Page 24 . Second Stone• November/December 1991 [i7] . Just Out .................... Cody Angel On her own twQ feet Cody Angel, a new book by San Francisco Bay Area author Joanne Whitfield, is the story of lesbian Dana Wilkins of Cody, Wyoming and Rosylyn _ Horstman, an older Nashville woman separated from her husband, and how they wind up living together in a San Francisco penthouse with "each other for a consolation prize." The book reads like a cross between P.S. Your Cat is Dead and Rubyfruit Jungle . Whitfield said that creating the story of young Dana, who learns to escape from a dependent relationship during the course of the novel, helped her to "work out my mother stuff." She admits that the book is semi-autobiographical in nature. A graduate of San Francisco State University's School of Creative Writing, Whitfield spent six years writing Cody Angel. She presently divides her time between working as a magazine editor, commuting .between her Russian River cabin and Bay Area job, and writing two new books. Joanne Whitfield Holiday songs from Windy City Chorus The award-winning Windy City Gay Chorus has released its first professionally produced CD and cassette, Don We Now ... Holiday · Favorites, featuring the 70-voice SPECIAL First ten words FREE! Business or personal - Second Stone's classified ads really work! Now you can run a 20 word ad for just $3 .50! 30 words just $7.00! Please see the order form on the classified page OR ... FAX your ad to (504)891-7555 We'll bill you later . Just write your ad out (be sure to include classification, mont!J.s to run, and your billing address) and FAX it to us. It's never been easier to place a classified ad! 20 word minimum. Each additional word, 35¢. Second Sfune l1s·1 Second Stone. November/December 1991 chorus performing holiday favorites. The recording is available at local music stores and at lesbian and gay ·bookstores around the country. Renowned for its uncompromising muscial standards, the chorus has received critical acclaim and aud ience plaudits for over 12 years . The recording may be ordered direct from the Chorus, 3023 N. Clark, #329, Chicago, IL 60657 , (312)404 -9242 . New UFMCC brochure: The Bible as Your Friend "Holl).osexuality/The Bible as Your Friend: A Guide for Lesbians and Gays" has been published in brochure form by the Universal Fellowship of Metropo litan Community Churches . The second in a · series on Christianity and Jesbian / gay issues, it was written by Rev. Dr. _Buddy Truluck, pastor of Golden Gate MCC in San Francisco, California. The brochure examines the Bible and homosexuality from a more evangelical perspective, with an affirming message for Lesbians and Gays. For information write to UFMCC Church Services, 5300 Santa Monica Blvd. , Suite 304, Los Angeles, CA 90029. Romanovsky & Phillips Be Political, Not Polite Be Political, Not Polite is the title of an exciting and provocative new album on Fresh Fruit Records by Romanovsky & Phillips. Produced by Los Angeles musician/arranger For your convenience you may now FAX: EDITORIAL •Letters to the Editor · •Newsclips •Calendar items SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES •New subscriptions •Renewa ls •Gift subscriptions •Address changes ADVERTISING •Classified ads •Insertion orders or . space reservations (504)891-7555 Romanovsky & Phillips John Bucchino and Romanovsky & Phillips, Be Political, Not Polite contains - fifteen songs of love, politics, anger and hope. Their first album in over three . years, Be Political, Not Polite is a tour-de-force tpat -showcases R&P's. best material to date, maintaining a perfect balance of wit, sensitivity, political passion and controlled rage. The recording is available on compact disc and cassette at most record and book stores. It can also be ordered directly from Fresh Fruit Records, 369 Montezuma, #209, Santa Fe, NM 87501, 1-800-473 - 7848. Popular essay collection available by mail The best seller from the Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns booth at the 203rd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church is available by mail. Ugh! Breaks Forlh: Heading the Bible through Lesbian and Gay Eyes, a collection of essays by lesbian and gay members of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Each writer has picked a passage of scripture , and from their own experience and perspective, written about the power and life that that passage holds for them, especially as Lesbians and gay men. To order a copy send $2.00 to Bet Hannon, PLGC/East Iowa, P.O. Box 32 02 , Iowa City, IA 52244. T Noteworthy T .................................... ....... '• ................... . • ........ . CLOUT member noted in Baptist press Lea Brown, a Southern Baptist who works with Ministry of Light, a gay and lesbian outreach ministry in San Anselmo, California, and one of the founding members of CLOUT, received mention in a recent issue of Baptist Peacemaker. CLOUT (Christian Lesbians Out Together) is an inter-cultural, ' multi-racial, solidarity movement. Brown said, "I'm not going to live in fear and dishonesty anymore. I was tired of living my life in fear of what others thought of me or what I had to lose. I believe in being out of the closet and calling the church to repentance ... I couldn't love others until I loved myself..." Brown is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University and a former student at Golden Gate (Southern) Baptist Theological Seminary in Mill Valley, Calif . She was denied ordination by . a Southern Baptist church when he·r sexual orientation became known and was forced to finish her Master of Divinity studies at Pacific iScho'ol of Religion in Berkeley. Brown continues to seek ordination in a Southern Baptist chu .rch. Surprising coalition raises money for AIDS. agencies Lutherans, conservative and liberal, gay and straight, black, white and Asian, all joined together recently at Grace Lutheran Church in Richmond, California for a fundraising banquet called "Grace & Comfort." Proceeds totaling over $4000 were divided between local AIDS service organizat ion s and ten percent went to benefit the Township AIDS Project in Soweto, Africa. Rev. Simon Farisani, Dean of the Duvhala-Lebowa District of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa, described how the legacy of apartheid is compounding the effects of the AIDS epidemic in South Africa. "Thank you for remembering South _ Africa!" he proclaimed several times. Other participants . in the event included Missouri Synod District President Walter Tietjen; ELCA Bishop Lyle Miller, Lutherans Concerned San Francisco Chapter President Bob Nelson, Lutherans AIDS Network Director Michal Pozar, Northeast Bay District Dean Donna Duensing, Richmond City Councilwoman Rosemary Corbin, and Fellowship of Confessional Lutherans Vice President Michael Murphey. The event was sponsored by Lutherans Concerned/San Francisco and the Sierra Pacific Synod AIDS Task Force . Entertainment was provided by Vuk.ani Mawethu ("People Arise"), the group that sang for Nelson Mandela when he visited the Bay Area last year. Susan Antikainen dies · Susan Antikainen, 49, a doctoral student at Luther-Northwestern Theological Seminary died on July 10. She had received her Master of pivinity from Luther-Northwestern in 1989 but, because she was open about her sexual orientation , never received a call and was never ordained. She had struggled for many years with mental illness stemming from severe childhood abuse and spoke and advocated on behalf of abuse victims. In recent years she had created a number of scu lptures and paintings reflecting her experience. She and her partner, Linda Nolte, had recently started a small doll making business. Memorials can be made to the Library Fund at St. Paul - Reformation Lutheran Church, 100 N. Oxford , St. Paul, MN 55104. Presbyterian Church Foundation accepts endowment for gay/ lesbian group An anonymous fund for Presbyterians for Lesbian _and Gay Concerns has been established with the Presbyterian Church (USA) Foundation by Andy and Jinny Carhartt of Boulder, Colorado , supporters of PLGC. It is believed to be the first endowment fund for an independent special organization in the denominational foundation's portfolio. The Foundation "covenants and agrees permanently to invest said gift in a fund that places emphasis on reasonable long-term growth of capital and income ... " and PLGC "shall use the said income from the fund hereby established as its governing body shall determine . Contributions to the Anonymou~ Fund for PLGC (No.90-623) may be made through the Presbyterian Church Found'ation, 200 East 12th St., Jeffersonville, IN 4 7130. Spirit of the- Lakes begins capital campaign Spirit of the Lakes, a United Church of Christ congregation in Minneapolis with a specific outreach to the gay and lesbian community, hopes to raise $300,000 over the next three years to Teduce and restructure the church's debt. Speaking of the financing of the church's recent purchase of a building, Toni Pomerene, capital campaign co-administrator said, "This building should support our ministry and our community, not the other way ·around. Our capital campaign will help make that so." More than 300 people worship every Sunday at Spirit of the Lakes. -Equal Time New Evangelical church for Dallas A new independent, Evangelical Christian Church has been established in Dallas, Texas. The White Rock Community Church is under the leadership of an elected board of deacons and Pastor Jerry Cook. Cook has pastored congregations throughout the southwest for the past 22 years. The church meets each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at the Hiltop Inn in Dallas. For information contact the church at (214)327-9157, P.O. Box 180063 , Dallas , TX 75218. Integrity /Detroit sponsors 7th annual People Who Care celebration cross-section of religious leaders, health care organizations and gay/lesbian community groups. Dignity /Integrity Rochester celebrates anniversary The combined chapter of Dignity and Integrity of Rochester, New York, recently celebrated 16 years of ministry. For information on the group call its hotline, (716) 328-9758. E-mail directory for gay/lesbian Christians Louie Crew, founder of Integrity , and professor at Rutgers University, is collecting e~mail addresses of gay and lesbian Christians. Those who wish to be included should write to Box 30, Newark, NJ 07101, for a request form, or FAX to (201)648-5700, Attn: Conklin #156. College publicity keeps hotline- busy The Seventh day Adventist Kinship International hotline received a rash o( phone calls from Walla Walla College students due largely to an article published in the student newspaper, the Collegian . The front page article was favorable, and it included the toll-free number for the hotline in the first paragraph. According to the article, interest was started when Kinship posters began appearing around campus advertising the toll-free number. The posters had not been approved by the school adminis tration, and were quickly removed. But the signs were up long enough to pique the interest of the school paper and several gay students who have since joined Kinship. The 7th annual Christmas Cele- Ch' h bration for People Who Care About 1cago C urch People With AIDS, sponsored by , celebrates Integrity/Detroit, will be held on Thursday, December 12, at 7:30 21st anniversary p.m. at Old Christ Church in Good Shepherd Metropolitan Comdowntown Detroit. The -AIDS munity Church of C,hicago cele- Christmas Celebration has become brated its 21st anniversary with a one of Michigan's most important spiritual renewal weekend in charitable, religious Christmas September. Rev. Troy Perry, events. It consists of a communion founder of the Universal Fellowship and healing service, followed by a of Metropolitan Community gala holiday party. Sponsors and Churches, was scheduled to take participants include a broad part. Second Stone• November/December 1991 lJJlJ Calendar ................................... The following announcements have been submitted by sponsoring or affi/iated groups. Ghost _Ranch Lesbian and· Gay Retreat NOVEMBER 7-10, "Reclaiming Christian Spirituality will be the theme of a retreat for Lesbians and gay men, their families and friends at beautiful Ghost Ranch, the Presbyterian Church (USA) conference center in northern New Mexico. Chris Glaser, author of Uncommon Calling, Come Home! and Out to God, will be the leader. Registration is $50.00 and room and board is $100.00 For information call (505)685-4333 or write Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu; NM 87510. _New England Retreat NOVEMBER 8-9, A United Church Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns retreat to be held at the Massachusetts Conference Center, Framingham, Mass. For. information contact Ann _ Day, P.O. Box 403, Holden, MA 01520. Homophobia In Religion & Society NOVEMBER 12, Newman Student Center, Superior, WI; NOVEMBER 14, First Congregational Church, 'La Crosse, WI; NOVEMBER 16, St. Benedict Center, Middleton, WI; NOVEMBER 18, St. Norbert Abbey, DePere, WI; NOVEMBER 19, School Sisters of Notre Dame Motherhouse, Milwaukee, WI - A Catholic priest and nun bring their 7-year nationa l campaign to reduce violence and discrimination and · promote understanding of gay and . lesbian people to five Catholic dioceses in Wisconsin. Robert Nugent, SDS, and Jeannine Gramick , SSND, have been speaking and writing on the topic of homosex- . uality since 1971. Seminars are designed for clergy and laity of all denominations, · educators, counselors, social workers, AIDS activists and others · in the helping professions and the concerned general public. For information contact the Center for Homophobia Education , P.O. Box 1985, New York, NY 10159. The Healing Touch NOVEMBER 15- 17, "The Healing Touch: Embodying Christianity" will be the theme of a retreat for Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals and friends led by Chris Glaser . Beaver Conference Farm and Retreat Center, Yorktown Heights, New York, is the setting. Cost is $145.00 including room and board . For information contact John King, (914)962-7159 or Beaver Farm , (914)962-6033. Masculine, Feminine, and Gay Spirituality JANUARY 3-5, 1992, a retreat for gay men to explore the characteristics of healthy masculine and feminine spiritualities and consider the characteristics of a wholistic spirituality for gay males. The process will include presentations, dialogue, small group work, and worship. Facilita tor is John McNeil, Catholic priest, psychotherapist, co- founder of Dignity, and author of The Church and the Homosexual and Taking a Chance on God. Fee is $225. For information write or call Kirkridge, Bangor, PA 18013-9359 , (215)588-1793. Sisterly Conversations JANUARY 10-12, 1992, current concerns among Lesbians of faith, led by Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, feminist theologian and board member of the Center for Sexuality and Religion. Topics include how to develop a care-based ethic to replac e heteropatriarchy's competition- based ethic of conflicting rights and how to heal ourselves and ·our relationships of the damage done by incest, ph ysical and psychological abuse, and the · woman-hatred and gay-hatred of society. Cost is $195. The setting is Kirkridge, Bangor, PA 18013-9359. Call (215)588-1793 for information . Fifth Annual T-E-N Weekend FEBRUARY 21-23, 1992, "Spirit Filled Living" is the theme of this gathering of The E:,,angelical Network. The event features panel discussions, networking support [2Ql. Second Stone• November/December 1991 . ................................. . groups, mass choir led by David · Young of Dallas, outstanding speakers, Bible praise and worship. The Institute of the Son will be held the week of February 24-28 in conjunction with the T-E-N weekend. Casa de Cristo Church, Phoenix, Arizona, is the setting. For information write to Box 32441, Phoenix, AZ 85064. 13th Annual Gay & Lesbian Parents Conference JULY 2-5, the Gay and Lesbian Parents Conference meets in Indianapolis for Celebration '92 at the downtown Hyatt Regency . "Come Home to Indy" is the theme . · For information write to GLPCI TILLERAS, from Page 15 AIDS virus" has become the perfect vehicle through which the internalized victim-based "death message" of many, gay men in. particular, have come true. Tilleras writes, "Everyone who does come in contact with the germ is encouraged to stay a victim," calling HIV a "voodoo hex." i-lc elaborates, "In 1984 , we were told that HIV was the cause of AIDS. Within three years, public health officials and the media have turned a positive HIV antibody test result into a death se ntence . Not able to explain why some people who are exposed to HIV d eve lop AIDS and some don't (only 30 percent have thus far), they simply say everyone will - sooner or later. That's a projection, a hex. And it works. Healthy people who test positive for HIV are committing suicide, planning their funerals , LAWSUIT, from Page 9 McLaughlin said that -good has come from the lawsuit since many of the church's members are now aware of Kinship and its ministry because of the publicity and tremendous expenditure of church funds that has accompanied the suit. "If the church would assume the responsibility of educating its members and ministering to the needs of Gays and Lesbians," said McLaughlin, "Kinship would not be needed." The church had until November 6 to appeal the .decision. Church officials refused to comment, but according to Jayson B. Lumish, a partner with Fulbright & Jaworski, Celebration '92, Box 831, Indianapolis, IN 46206. Lutherans Concerned Assembly '92 JULY 9-12, Lutherans Concerned/ North America meets at the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science for Assembly '92. "Free to Celebrate: We are the church" is the theme. For information .write to LC/NA, !lox 10461, Fort Dearborn Station, Chicago, IL 60610-0461. SEND !.:"'VENT NOTICES TO: CALENDAR, SECOND ~TONI:, P.O. BOX 8340, NEW ORI.EANS, lA 70182 and lining up for the very toxic chemotherapy, AZT." Tilleras concludes, "Feeling hopeless negatively affects your body. Your attitudes affect your immune system. Hexes work. Luckily, a positive attitude a lso works. That's what this book is about: changing our attitudes, breaking the hex, exchanging a skull and crossbones hex for a circle of hope!" The second part of Circle of /lope is a collection of beautifully moving stories written by peo ple who are living with /\IDS and also recovering from their addictions. In the final analysis, Circle of · Hope is just that for all of us as we struggle to live with and understand the epidemic. Tilleras, for whom AIDS meanC "Always In Divine Safety," was truly a modern day preacher of the epidemic good news! the law firm that defended Kinship, Kinship WOJ.!ld have an excellent chance of winning any such appeal. Lumish tailed the court's decision one more example of a situation in which the country's legal practitioners are not · going to sit back and allow the gay community to be pushed around. SDA Kinship is an organization for gay and lesbian members, former members, and friends of the Seventh -day Adventist Church. The organization has 500 active members and a mailing list of 2,000 people in 17 countries. Kinship maintains area group meetings and a toll-free support hotline , 1-800-4 -GAY-SDA. ............ r.. ......... Other Places T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . •· ................ . Gay vacation spots No longer the last resort By Cynthia Marquard and Danni Munson Contributing Writers Gay resorts have come of age, and offer a wide and wonderful range of vacation opportunities for gay men and Lesbians alike. For years, a few knowledgeable gay hotel· and resort operators here and there presented acceptable, sometimes luxurious, accommodations for gay and lesbian cliente le. But suddenly, entire areas are filled with first-class resorts for the wellheeled gay or lesbian traveler. Not so very long ago, the -mention of the term "gay resort" conjured up images of a tacky, seedy male motel somewhere on -the fringes of a gay ghetto. No more! The gay resort movement began i_n Provincetown, Mass., and in Key West, Fla ., during the 1970s. Today, these are still the premier gay vacation sp,ots .. But joining them are Palm Springs, Calif., with half a dozen new resorts this year, Ca li fornia ' s Russian River in the heart of the wine country; and a host of smaller resort a re as stretching across the United States. Provincetown lf you like sand dunes and salt-sea air, you'll find it at the very tip of Cap Cod, Massachusetts . With fishing boats anchored in its harbor and 200-year old houses gracing its streets, Provincetown is a little village with a winter population of about 2,000. But during the summer, visitors swell the population of P-town to between 40,000 and 50 ,000--and m any of these visitors are gay men and Lesbians. What accounts for this oceanside resort's enormous popularity? The many aspects of Prov_incetown. Provincetown is a fishing village with a seafaring tradition dating back to the late 1600s. It is a thriving artist's colony that for decades has provided a creative environment for painters and writers. It is one of the major centers for U.S. whale research. Provincetown is surrounded by . miles of National Seashore containing a unique and beautiful sand dunes ecosystem and is a major historic site--the first stop in the New World made by the pilgrims aboard the Mayflower in 1620. It has a long tradition of tolerance for a wide variety of lifestyles, a characteristic that makes it so popular with Gays and Lesbians today. In this relatively small village with only two main streets-Commerical and Bradford--there are more than 75 gay/lesbianowned and gay-friendly guesthouses. A number of them cater exclusively to men or to. women. For examp le, · there are no less than 14 guesthouses represented by the Women Innkeepers of Provincetown. There is also a tremendous range of accommodations, from modest single rooms with .,.shared bath to luxurious condominium apartments with hot tub and swimming pool. So rent a bike, charter a boat , have a ball--but by all mean make reservations first. A visit to Provincetown requires much advance planning. California's Russian River Where can you stay in an exquisite small hotel, camp in a .tent, hike in the woods, canoe on a river, ride a horse, swim in the ocean, soar in a balloon, soak in a hot tub, dine elegantly , and experience wine-tasting pleasures at some of the finest vineyards in the world? In California's Russian River resort area. Located on ly 65 miles north of San Francisco, the Russian River area is another world of dense ferns and tall Redwoods. It is also one of the finest gay / lesbian resort areas in America. There are about a dozen resorts that are eithe·r exclusively gay or warmly welcome gay/lesbian guests. All the resorts are newly renovated because devastating floods in the spring of 1986 . caused extensive damage to all of them. All of them are set in a secluded woodsy aonosphere. Then too, the Russian River gay/ lesbian resorts are smack-dab in the heart of California's wine country. The famous Korbel winery is just outside Guerneville. Get a "Wine Road" map at one of the local stores and drive to any of 43 vineyards in the area. · Russian River is a great sidetrip to accompany a visit to San Francisco- or a destination in itself. Florida Resorts Say Orlando, and Disney World's Magic Kingdom immediately comes to mind. Orlando also claims to be the home of the largest gay/lesbian . recreation complex, Parliament House. This magic area northwest of the downtown area contains 120 guest rooms, a restaurant, piano bar, theater; disco and shops. There are also many condos in the area that would be suitable for upscale . gay or . lesbian couples. And there are about a half dozen other gay or lesbian bars in -the Orlando area. To find out what's going on in Orlando and all over Florida, pick up a copy of The Weekly News, the statewide gay paper. For those who don't mind a city that's a bit rundown at the heels, Miami offers a _ very reasonable alternative to high-priced tropical getaways. There is a huge hotelbeach club-bar-disco complex in · Miami Beach called the Sea Gull. Rates are for the truly budgetminded . · Off-season rates for doubles begin at around $40 . . Another large gay/lesbian resort is just up the coast in Ft. Lauderdale--the Marlin Beach Hotel. It has 105 rooms, restaurant, bar, disco, shops, and fresh-water swimming poor. This, too, is a great spot for younger , budget-minded vacationers. Ft. Lauderdale has 19 other smaller esta blishments that · .either cate r to gays or welcome a mixed gay / straight clientele. Visitors · can find out what's currently happening by picking up a copy of ·David Magazine, published in Ft. Lauderdale. Palm _Springs, California Palm Springs has long been a haven for the rich and famous, who luxuriate at · its first-class hotels and golf-tennis resorts. An·d now this same first-class ambiance has become available to gay/lesbian vacatio;iers. The Palm Springs area is a scrupulously clean and quiet spot on the desert floor, surrounded by mountains and, of course, thousands of beautifully maintained palm trees. The area consists of several small towns strung out along Highway 111-Palm Springs, Cathedral Cit y, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, and s9 on for more than 30 miles . In Palm Springs, there are 18 brand new gay and lesbian hotels that rival in luxury and service some of the best small hotels in the world. Two restaurants cater exclusively to gay/ lesbian clientele, The Carriage Trade i n Cathedral City, which has a warm elegant decor, and the more downto- earth Gloria's in Palm Springs, which serves up sandwiches a nd plate dinners. Up-to-date listings of shows and other spec ial events for Gays and Lesbians, are published in The Bottom Line, the Palms Springs area's gay/lesbian news and entertainment magazine. There is a great variety of things SEE RESORTS, Page 24 1.J'- ~ ,;;;,- , ,~;r~ ~ .. ,, - . V , " ~ , . ~{~~!~':!. .. On 100 beautiful acres with lX)OI, hot tub, slciing :and more Innkeepers Judith Hall and Grace Newman invite you to write oc call for a brnchurc . P. 0. Box 118 SL Bethlehem, NH 03S74 (603) 869-3978 the "other" place undtr tltt sun ... =~~ =-~~~ fln~k •Pool a n,11 Jac•ul •frte COIIIMlfflal IIM'HU'ut ·rC';-, "-'~ Write or call for brochure. 120 E . Atol St., P. 0. Box 2326 South Padre Island, Texas 78597 (512)761-L YLE Air connections yia .American Continental Southwest Second Stone• November/December 1991 [2}1 Resource Guide ..................................... ... . • ................................ . Listings in the Resource Guide are free to churches, organizations, publication s and community services. Send infonnation to Second Stone, Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 or FAX to (504)891-7555. National RELIGION WATCH, P.O. Box 652, North Bellmore, NY I 1710. A newsletter monitoring trends in contemporary reli gion. LUTHERANS CONCERNE D I NORTH AMERICA, Boii 10461, Fort Dearborn St ation , Chicago, IL 60610-0;461. Publication: The Concord · PRESBYTERIANS FOR .LESBIAN &GAY CONCE RNS, ]?.0. Box 38, :Ncw Brunswick, NJ 08903 '.0038. Publication: More light Updat~ UNIVERSAL FELLOWSHIP METROPOLIT AN COMMUNITY CHURCHES 5300 Santa Mon ica Blvd., #304, Los Angel es , CA 90020, (213)464 -5 100. Publication: Keeping in Touch BREIHREN I MENNONITE COUNCIL FOR LESBIAN AN D GAY CONCERNS, Box 65724, Was hington , DC 20035. Publication: Dialogue UNITED CHURCH COALITION FOR LESBIAN / GAY CO NCERNS, 18 N. Co llege, Athens, OH 45701, (614) 593-7301. Publication: Waves SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS KINSHIP INTERNATIONAL, Box 3840, Los Angeles, CA 90078 , (213)876-2076. Publication: Connection RECONCILING CONGREGATION PROGRAM, P.O. Box 23636, Washington, DC 20026, (202)863-1586. Publication: Open Hands INTEGRITY, INC., P.O. Box 1956 1, Washington, DC 20036-0561, (718) 720-3054. Publication: The Voice of ,Integrity ECUME NICAL CATHOLIC CHURCH, P.O. Box 32, Villa Grande, CA 95486-0032. Holy · Spirt . Church, East Moline, IL, (309)792:6188. St Michael's C hur c h, Russian . River, CA, (707) · 865-0119. Publication: The Tablet. LIVI NG STREAMS , P.0. Box '178, Co ncord, CA 94522-0178. Ili-11,qnthly publication. AIDS NATIONAL INTERFAITH ·NETWOR K, 300 I St., NE, Ste . 400, \Vashington, DC 20002 . (800)288-9 619, FAX (202)546-5103. Publication : Inter: action. NATIONAL CENTER FOR LESBIAN · RJGHTS - 1663 Mission St, 5th Flr., San Francisco , C A 94I03 :. GAY AND LESBIAN PARENT COALITION , P.O. Box 50360, Wash ington, DC 20091. Publication: Network . THE . WITNESS, Published by the E pi scopal Church Publishin g Co., 1249 Washington Blvd., Ste. 3115, Detroit, Ml 48226-1868. (313)962-2650 Car pente r Library, P.O. Box 38100, Hollywood, CA 90038. (213)854-0271. Publication: Bulletin. COUPLES Newsletter, Published by TWT Press, Inc., P.O. Box 253, Braintree, MA 02184-0003. WOODSWOMEN - Adventur e travel for women, 25 W. Diamond Lake Rd., Minneapolis, MN 55419, (800)279-0555, · (612)822-3809, FAX (6 12)822-3814. DAUGHTERS OF SARAH - The maga7jne for Chrisiian Feminis ts , 380 1 N o. Keeler, Chicago, IL 60641, (3 I 2)736-3399. CHI RHO PRESS - A special work of the UFMCC Mid-Atlantic District. Publisher of religious books and materials. P.O. Box 7864, Gaithersburg, MD 20898, (30 I )670- I 859. Alabama BIRM INGHAM - THE ALABAMA FORUM, P.O. Box 55894, 35255-5894. (205)328-9228. California SACRAMENTO - THE LATEST I SSUE, P.O. Box 160584, 95816. (916)737-1088. WEST HOLLYWOOD - Evange licals Togethe r, Suite 109-Box 16, 7985 Santa Monica Bl vd., West Holly wood, CA 90.046, (213)656-8570. Publication: ET News SAN FRANC ISCO - Lutherans Con cerned, 566 Vallejo St., #25, 94133-4033, (415)956-2069. Publication: Adven t. SAN FRANCISCO - Gay and Lesbian Historical Society of Northern California, P.O. Box 42126, 94142. (415)626-0980 . Publication : Our Stories. SAN fRANCISCO - T h e Parsonage, 555-A Castro St., 94114-0293. Publica tion: The Parsonage News Colorado DENVER - Evangelicals Reconciled, P.O. Box 200111, 80220, (303)331-283 9 Colorado Springs: (719)488-3158. DENVER - Evangelical s Concerned / Western Region, P .O . Box 4750, 80204. Publication: ThECable. District of Columbia Integrity / Washington, Inc., P.O. Box 19561, 20036-0561. (301)953-9421. Pub-' lication: Gayspring. Georgia ATLANTA - SOUTHERN VOICE, PO Box 18215, 30316. (404)876-1819. Hawaii KAHULUI - BOTH SIDES NOW 1'!ewsletter, P.O. Box 5042, 96732. Illinois CHICAG O - OUfLI NES , Published by Lambda Publications, 3059 N. Southpo rt, 60657. (312)871-7610. FAX (3 12) 871-7609 . Louisiana BATON ROUGE - Dignity , P.O. Box Maryland THE BALTIMORE ALTERNATIVE, P.O. Box 2351, Baltimore, MD 21203. (301)235 -3401. FAX (301)889-5665. 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NEW YORK - Integri ty, P.O. Box 5202, 10185-0043. Publication : Outlook. ROCHESTER - THE EMPTY CLOSET , 179 Atlantic Ave., 1460 7• 1255. New · York State's oldest gay 11_ewse11per. Ohio COLUMBUS - Metropolitan Community _Church , 1253 North Hig h Street , 43201. · _(614)294-3026. Sunday, 10:30 a.m. Publication : 11,e Beacon News. COLUMBUS - STO NEWALL UNION REPORTS, Box 10814 , 43201-7814. (614)299-7764. Texas DALLAS - White Rock Community C hurch, P.O. Box 180063, 75218. (214)285-2831, (214)327-9157 . Sunday. l0 :30 a.m. Jerr y Cook, Pastor. AUST IN - Joan Wakeford Ministries, Inc., 940 1_-!3 Grouse Meadow Ln. 78758-6348, (5 12)8.15-7354. DALLAS - Si lent Harvest Min is tries, P 0. Box 19051 I , 752 19 -05 11. (214) 520-6655. Virginia ll'ITERNA TIQNAL GAY AND LESBIAN ARCHIVES, The Natalie Barne y Edward 4181, 70821. (504)383-6010. ROANOKE - MCC of the Blue Ridge, [22.} Seoond Stone• November/December 1991 P.O. Box 20495, 24018, (703)366-0839. Publication: 11,e Blue Ridge Brumer ROANOKE - BLUE RIDGE LAMBDA PRESS, PO Box_ 237, 24002, (703 )890-3184. FALLS CHURCH - MCC of Northern Virginia, 7245 Lee Highway, 22046. Washington SEATT LE GAY NEWS, 704 E Pike, 98122. (206)324-4297 FAX (206) 322-7 188. International LONDON - Lesbian rutcl Gay Chris tiru1 Movement, Oxford House, Derbyshire St., London E2 6HG, UK, 071°739-1249. Not Listed? Listings are free . Just tell us who you are. Others want to know about you too! Second Stone ,-Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. FAX (504)89 1-7555 ARE YOU MOVING? The Post Office will. not forward The Second Stone. You must notify us for uninterrupted service if you move. PIPase not ify us four weeks 1n adyance for un1nterrupte.ct delivery . Send both old and new addresses . H possible att ach mailing labe l in space provided PRINT NEW ADDRESS (/) 0 ► 2 ?! ~ g ~ CD * ,v Send comp l eted form to : THE SECOND STONE Box8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 ESSAY, from Page 10 community.- lt'_s seen as 11moral," not "religious." But where do we draw the line between the two? Especially wheil every time one asks these people who arc morally outraged by Gays why they feel the way they do, and they. start off by saying, "Well, the Bible says ... " Certainly, we are able to gain some moral principles from the Bible in addition to religious principles, but which one, moral or religious, is this hatred of fear of Gays? Several books ( Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality, by ohn Boswell, for one) already deal with every scriptural reference that could possibly relate to homosexuality, so I won't repeat heir work here. Let's look at some Bible principles by themselves and determine which are moral and which are religious and why. A menstruating woman must be set apart. ls this moral or religious? Hopefully, we'll classify it as religious as this country does not recognize this as ·either moral or legal, and even religiously .it'.s outdated. Someone who does not attend syna 0 gogue should be stoned to death. Hmm, hard to see that as moral, but it was . definitel :i.,. a religious commandment. Could that one exist today? Should it? There are plenty more of this kind which could never and should never) be legally allowed in this country to be enforced on everyone. How about stealing? Not stealing is a religious command, but it is also a mora'I one. Why? Because someone els.e suffers a real, tangible harm if we allow stealing. Do not murder. Do not beat someone. The same. Do not be gay. Well, first of all, tha.t command is not in the .Bible. But even if it were, under which category would it fall? ls someone's .being gay hurting someone? How? ls someone losing property they own because someone else is gay? Is someone getting a bruise because another person is gay? Does the fact that someone is gay mean they are shooting someone or chopping someone's head off? In what way is the gay person hurting anyone? Because that person feels hurt or offended to see someone gay? Well, don't Gays feel just as hurt or offended by the attitude of these others? Why isn't their negative attitude illegal then if offending someone's sensibilities is something that can be a legal crime? (And as suggested earlier, how could we allow the KKK or neo-Nazis to exist legally in this country, if that were the case?) , Are Gays hurting people by their "bad example"? Legally, we can set a bad example in this country by smoking, drinking, belonging to no religion at all, never marrying, having eight divorces, and a whole host of other things. Why is it legal to stop someone from being a bad example ,pnly in this? Any legal hurt a gay person could do (raping someone, molesting a child, passing a disease, or any other of the usual complaints made against Gays) could equally be said of heterosexuals. If a gay person molests someone, he sh·ould be legally punished. Likewise, if a heterosexual molests someone, he too should be legally punished (and heterosexuals commit from 95 to 97 percent of the child molestations, according to reports.) The issue in all these attacks against Gays is never the gayness but the crime. It's just that those who cry, "They destroy the moral fiber of our country," cannot, or rather, will not see this distinction. Therefore, even if being gay was condemned by the Bible, since being gay or being part of a loving, committed relationship can not hurt other people, that would have to be a religious law and not a moral one. And as we have seen earlier, it is not legal in this country to force the religious laws of some people, even of a majority of people, onto others. Moral laws, yes. Religious ones, no. As John Donne put it: Alas, alas, who's injured by my love? What merchant's ships have my sighs drowned? Who says my tears have overflowed his ground? ... Spldiers find wars, and lawyers · find out still Litigious men, which quarrels · move, Though [he] and I do love. So, despite our own _personal religious beliefs, or the religious beliefs of the .people we represent, if we are a political or religious leader, it is our duty as American citizens · to remember the distinction between church and state. But there are· already state and federal laws against homosexuality. Therefore, because these laws already exist, it is immoral to be gay. We must, after all, uphold the laws of the land. That's an awfully convenient view isn't it? It keeps us from having to actually consider whether the law is just or unjust. It's easy for us to allow our prejudices and religious teaching to influence our lawmaking because the laws on this are already there. But laws of the land can be immoral, can't they? Can we forget how ministers used the Bible to defend the legal institution of slavery? It was also legal to restrict a woman's career opportunities and her right to equal pay. It was legal to refuse equal education to women and to blacks. It was legal to force Native Americans off their land. It was legal to imprison Japanese-Americans solely because .of their ethnic origin. It's been legal to do many things that are immoral. And many times, defenders of these legal crimes used the Bible to support their views. Just because there is a law against Gays does not automatically mean the law · is just or that the law can· never (or should never) be changed. What has been good about this country is that it has eventually realized its mistakes and corrected them. Let's realize then that no religious group or groups, even if they represent a majority of the people, have a legal right to force their religious views on others. Committed gay relationships may go against religious beliefs of some religions, but there is nothing inherently immoral about them'. Churches may have a religious right to excommunicate these people, but employers should not have a legal right to fire them. We need to keep this distinction in mind when making decisions which legally affect .millions of Gays and Lesbians in this country. Freedom, equal protection under the law, right to privacy, justice, equality, liberty - if we are true Americans who really care about the moral fiber of our nation, we -·will let ,these words mean something. Ex-Gays? There Are None LambdaC hrisliaFl] ellowshiisp pleasetdo a nnoumai new/ xJok byR ev.S ylviaP enningto-ann examinatioonf ex-gaym inistrie•s whatt heyd o · whatt heyd on'td o. You'mll eept eoplew ho,o nly throughG od'sg raceh, aves urviveda nds toppedtr yingto be ex-gaysb,e causein, truth,t here is nos ucht hinga sa ne x-gay {S'SOO. Now Available From Lambda Christian Fellowship P. 0. Box 1967 Hawthorne, CA 90250 $15.00p lus$ 1.50fo rp ostagaen d handlingC. alifornirae sidentasd d 6% sales tax. A PresbyterianP romise "We will work to increase the acceptance and · participationin the churcho f all personsr egardless of racial-ethnico rigins,s ex, class, age, disability, marital status or sexual orientation" -,- 195th General Assembly (1983), Atlanta,G eorgia If this is your promise, too, we invite you to join Presbyteriansf or Lesbian/Gay Concerns Write to Elder James D. Anderson PLGC, P.O. Box 38, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0038,201/846-1510 Second Stone• November/December 1991 ~ill T Classifieds T ........................... ........................... --------- ---------7 Books & Publications Classified Order Form Please plac e my ad in these I issues: [ J Jan/Feb "[] Mar/Apr i [ l May/Jun [ l JuVAug I [ J SepUOct [ l Nov/Dec I "WONDERFUL DIVERSITY, " "Heartil y recommended, " "Philo sophically in-triguing," "Excell e nt. " Why do revie wers highly esteem CHR ISTIA N*NEW AGE QUARTERLY ? Gre at articles and lively columns mak e this bridge of dialogue betw ee n Christ ians and New Age rs as entertaining as it is substantive. Subscribe (or only $12.50/y r. Qr samp le us for $3.50. CHRISTIAN*NEW AGE QUARTERLY, P.O. Box 276 , Clifton. NJ 07011-0276. TF Read about gay/lesbian books IO%REVIEW 6 issues free for the asking BO'JKSEfC 2410 West Ave "N" San Angelo, Texas 76904 Bl2 / 91 52 gay/lesbian -Episcopalian s share their journ eys in A BOOK OF REVELA T.IONS $12 post paid from BOOKS ETC24!0 W. Ave "N" San Angelo, TX 76904 Bl2 191 Ferrari's PLACES OF INTEREST International Gay Guide with maps, new ran 1991 $14 post paid from BOOKS ETC24!0 W. Ave "N" San Angelo , TX 76904 B12191 Friends/Relationships 28, GWM, 5'8' 180 lbs, brown, green, AA co llege grad. - Wou ld like to meet for friendship or more in the South Jersey a rea. I will travel to MD, DE, o r PA. 1 am mascu line, yet very affectionate at the right times. I d'on't smoke, but drink socia ny. Please send photo/le tter to Frank, P.O. Box 567. New port, NJ 0834 5. You may also ca ll (609)453 -8777, the n use access code 4473861. Pen pals OK if meet not possible. B4192 GWM, 39, 6'2 ". 165 l.bs., brown hair. mustache, hea lthy, smoke and dru g fr~e. varied interests, respons ible, quiet, caring , friend/re lationsh ip o riented. Seeking simi lar minded man (25 to 55) preferably in Mobile, Alabama or vicinity . Rob, P.O. Box 16424, Mobile, AL 36616. 2/92 Merchandise · FOR SALE: 800 perfect, used compact discs from a private library. mostly classical. Very reasonabl y priced, $2.00. $7.50. Call (616)361-6194 eve nings. 4/92. Business or Personal. Try a Second Stone Clas&tiedAd! FOR ONLY 35¢ per word, your classified ad will reach readers from Sitka , Alaska to Amherst , Maine and everywhere in between . Business or personal. .. try a classified ad in our next edition! Mail To: Second Stone Box 8340 New Orleans , LA 70182 Resorts, From Page 21 to do in Palm .Springs. In additi o n to ' golf and tenn is, there is horseback riding, and hot-air balloon rid es. Hikers ca n enjoy the spectacular Indian Can yons a rea, and view the plants , wildlife, rock formations, waterfalls, and Indi a n artifacts for a $3.00 admis sion fee. A Host of Other Resort Areas But gay r esort areas as not limited to the deserts and coasts. For example, the twin towns of Sauga tuck-Dou glas on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan offer a pl easa nt surprise for gay / lesbian trave ler s in the Mid west. In this Great Lakes nautical town filled wit h antique shops and vario us boutiques, there is a major gay/ lesbian resort co.mplex called th ·e Douglas Dunes, several charming gay guesthouses in the heart of Saugat u ck, and a gay campground minutes away for those who like to rough it. Several charming gay / lesbian resort are as ar e located on the At lanti c Seaboard . Atlant ic City, N.J., has s everal · guest hou ses, restaurants , and bars. Rehoboth Beach, Delaware , is a very popular summer vacation spot for bot h Gays and straights, with miles of beaches and boardwalk amusements. In ?-ddition to several gay guesthouses and resorts , the re are homes an d condos for rent by the week or the season . Of course, the most famous \j i Second Stone• November/December 1991 Name. _______ ___________ _ I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Address. __________ _ City/St./Zip. _______ _ CLASSIFICATIONS AD COPY_,_ _____ _ [ ) Books & Publications [ J Business Opportunities [ l Employment &-----------------------·---- [ l Friends/Relationships [ l General Interest [ l Mail Order [ ] Merchandise __ words X .35= $ ____ _ [ l Organizations [ l Professional Services [ l Real Estate 20 word minimum. All classifieds must be pre-paid . Deadline one month prior to cover date. We will mail you a copy of the edition(s) in which your ad [ l Retreats [ l Roommates [ ]Travel appears ---------- - -------------- -- -- --- -' Atlantic resort area is Fire Island, N.Y., a nat ional seash ore with lot s of undeveloped land teemin g with wildlife. Gay a ctivities center around the towns of Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines. Puerto Rico also has a thriv in g gay resort area around San Juan. There are about a dozen resorts that eit h er cater excl usi ve ly to gay / le ~bi an clie ntel e or a-re gay · frie ndl y. Ind ivi du al lit t l e gay havens h ave also sprung up here Growing Up Gar in the South, From Page 17 church and his wife, bu t each time he found that he could - not d isassociate himself from his homosexual feeiings and the effe minate mannerism he -so naturally displayed. He tu rn ed to drugs, alcohol and pro miscui ty to ease th e pain, but soo n fou nd how painful . these could also be. Today Malcolm says he is trying to regain his self -r espect. He is still a fr aid to make a complete break with the chur ch be cause hi s mother had told him if he does, she won't be able to ·ta lk to him anymore. Sears has certai nl y done a n excelle nt job extract ing from his researc h the pain ful expe rienc es that religion can brin g to young Gays and Lesbians , part icul arly in and th er e in the r eso rt areas of New England , along the Gulf Coast, and i n the Rocky Mountains. Today, there is a gay / lesbian resort area to flt virt ually every taste. Cynthia A-. Marquard is th e owner/manager of Envoy 1Travel, Inc., in. Chicago and v/ce-president of- the International Gay Travel Assn. Danni Munson is the- editor and publisher of The Lesbian and Gay Almanac and Events of 1991. the South. I do wish, however, in thi s entire section on religion he co uld have fou nd at least one young person who h ad been able to successfu lly integrate their ·sexuality with their spir itual ity. I rea lize t hat s uch a young person might be the excep ti on, but the presentation of such "except ions" might hav e allowed the reader to draw other concl usions , ra ther ~han religio n and h omosexuality don't mix. Overa ll the book is rea lly fascinating re adi ng. You will find the author's sociological cqmmentaries extremely insightful. His .use of scientific data is impr essive. I found his information on the genetic ·and prenatal contributing factors of homosexuality to be part icula rly interesting. The irtdic victua l portraits tha t he presents in the book ev o ke a number of emotio !)<l.l-fespo nses, and with won:i·s•ffe paints the pu re reality of g.!'&win g up in deprived and op pre ss ive conditions. · / Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone #19 - Nov/Dec 1991 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/9beb18abae8988e4f3822ce1615a2b22.pdf 5c19ee48c939b8e79b898b698f7478a5 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone Description An account of the resource Issues of the Second Stone publication. Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 20 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1992 Publication Date The date the issue was published Jan/Feb 1992 Text Any textual data included in the document AMERICA'S GAV & LESBIAN CHRISTIAN NEWSJOURNAL $2.25 creation in art Serigraphs depict teacher's vision of Genesis erigraphy is an age-old printing process of Chin. ese and Japanese origin in which a semi-liquid pigment is pressed with a squeegee through a fine-mesh "silk" (polyester) screen to form a given design upon any desired surface by means of a stencil, using one stencil for each-color. This ancient process so intrigued a gay Christian artist that he to.ok a sabbatical from his duties as a pro.fessor at a Midwestern university to explore serigraphy. The artist, Chet A., S(:iid he fe lt somewhat detached from early themes he rendered, complaining that the thought-feeling process lacked profundity, spontaneity and depth. "I finally hit upon the idea of interpreting a stage of the world as SEE SERIGRAPHS, Page 10 The Four Seasons: Summer While the earth remaineth, seed time and ha'r.est, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. To everything there is a season, and a ffme tor every purpose under the heaven. Genesis 8:22 & Ecclesia stes 3:1 -::FtoIIltheEditor .......... ... -• ............... .. . Visibility must be positive to create p~>.si,ive. change . By Jim Bailey I he non-gay ~odd doe,s not . ponder · .g!lY· . an~ , lesbian issues ·much. · : : .Mayj,e they 've spent :a . few hours wat ng a talk show _on: the subject; 1ust ~ffl hours ~orripare~ to . years: ;that:Gays and Lesbians spend coming ·fo understand, to adjust, to: cope and . to heal. The gap is wide .. -The,l.μ-gest . part of our America has i)o co"rycept of the struggle that Gays and; Lesbians face with . very basic . human: rights issues like discriminiition in. housing, employment, · the chut'ch,:.• Their simple solution reveals the d'epth of their understanding: "I guess maybe they shouldn't be gay.'' They don't think about it as much as we do. Yet these are the people tci whom we tum when we seek votes .to get a gay and lesbian rights ·ordinance approved or to get a resolution passed to assure equality in the ordination of gay and lesbian clergy. An understanding beyond a Donahue-show's. worth is critical. Justice and equality · will come only with an ·attitude enlightened by new understanding - and even then will come only by the hardest. Ask those whose visible struggle predates ours. The vehicle to. increase such understanding arrives at our doorstep each morning. It sits in the corner of _the living room . But as the com ·mentary in this issue points out, . media attention often comes at the 'expense of projecting ourselves as violent and disruptive. Did television images . of angry activists · shattering glass doors of government : buildings in response to California : Gov ernor Pete Wilson's vetoing a : gay/ lesbian rights bill win or lose support for our' community? Did the · widely reported disruption of mass at · : St. Patrick's Cathedral in New. York · : enlighten the 90.percent .crowd? Was . there a change in the attitude or · policy of the church as a result of the · disruption? There . is ~- difference · between venting rage and creating : change. Venting rage may not create : the change we want. T.he struggle oLAtlanta's Qu e er Nation :group against the employment discrimination practic es of Cracker Barrel restaurant has been presented in a positive way in the media, without accompanying images of violence or destruction. ABC's ·newsprogram 20/20 presented a story of good .workers being dismissed for no other reason than their sexual . orientation. During these days when so. many are burdened by uncertainty . an<;! job insecurity, did that story of an e_mployer's blatant unfairness • enlighten viewers and create the kind of change in attitude that would lead them to support legislation to forbid such discrimination? Gay and lesbian Christian activists would do well to remember what Bishop Barbara Harris told members .· of Integrity during last summer's Episcopal General Convention. The church will change only when there's a change in society. The real battle, she said, is not in the church, but in the streets. The church is not a leader of society; it is a follower. Perhaps AIDS and the necessity of quickly responding to our government's apathy about it put us in front of the media before we knew how to handle being there. Leaders of activist groups must keep in mind whether or not the activities pf their groups wiU produce the desired effects when the story hits the doorstep tomorrow morning . The only thing worse than mishandling our growing visibility is any feeling of contentment with continuing our invisibility. m Second Sione • J1U1~/February 1992 LC.:-, Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............. [2_] From The Editor How do we look on TV? w Your Turn Letters from our readers [I] Comment Does civil disobedience work? Guest opinion by Kate Moore [[] News Lines [IO_] Feature: In the beginning . .. Teacher uses sabbatical to paint creation story ml Common Threads of Racism, Sexism, Classism and Heterosexism -~ by Titus Bender [i]] Book Review Peculiar People reviewed by Johnny Townsend [ru Calendar [Iz] Noteworthy News about people, churches and groups [j]J Resource Guide Connectedness [ID] Just Out New books, !TlUSic, and other neat stuff 120 I Classifieds .....T... ......Y.. o...u...r..T....u..Tm.... . . In all things love ... Midland, Texas Dear Second. Stone, Holy Trinity Community Churches, Midland and Dallas, Texas, both belong to the International Council of Community Churches, which is a postdenorninational group of member churches which range from traditional Christian churches to Catholic and metaphysical Christians. !CCC belongs to the National Council of Churches, the World Council of Churches, and the Consultation on Church Union. The Council motto is "In essentials unity, in nonessentials diversity, in all things love." At least two other gay /lesbian oriented churches ate or have been members of the council. There are 500,000 members in ICCC churches. Other independent churches are welcome to become members. I'm sorry that you are receiving some negative feedback from some brothers and sisters who feel that you are "unbiblical." No matter what you printed you would be making ISSN No. 1047-3971 SECOND STONE Newspaper is published every olhcr monlh by Bailey Communications, P. 0. Rox 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Copyright 1992 by Second Slone, a registered trademark. SUBSCRJIYflONS, U.S.A. $13.00 per year, ~ix·iSsucs. Foreign subscribers add $10.00 for poslagc. All paymcnL'>U .S. currency only. ADVERTISING, For display advertising information call (504)899-4014 or write lo: Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70 I 82. EDITORIAL, send !etlers, calendar atmounccmcnis, and church/organization news to (Department title) Second Stone. P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. ManuscripLs to be returned should be accompanied by a slampcd, self addressed envelope. SECOND STONE, an ecumenical Chr~stian newspaper commiucd to inTorm)ng the gay an<l 1csbian community. PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Jim Bailey CONTRIBUTORS FOR THIS ISSUE: Titus Bender Johnny Townsend Kate Moore someone unhappy. Yours truly, Rev. Glenn·£. Hammet, Pastor For information on the !CCC, write to Pastor Hammet at 1607 S. Main, Midland, TX 79701. One issue wasn't enough North Plymouth, Massachusetts Dear Second Stone, Boy ... where have you been all my life! Much enjoyed my first issue and hungry for more. Please put down your cup of coffee and rush me some back issues. God's grace and peace to you, DL Format changes are great Clifton, New Jersey Dear Second Stone, Just want to let you know that I think the changes you've made in format and design are great. Second Stone has always been aesthetically pleasing, but now even more so! Good work! Best wishes, Catherine Gtoves Disagrees with 'unbibllcal' charges Bridgewater, Virginia Dear Second Stone, Thank you for a much needed publication! You have an excellent sense of literary balance. There is much to think about in each issue - longer and thoughtful philosophical articles - and short news items. Yes, very Biblical. Sincerely, sow Write to Second Stone. Alt letters must be 'original and signed by the writer. Clearly indicate if your name is to be withheld. We reserve the right to edit. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Subscribe Today- And You'll Never Be Without A Friend For Your Journey. Join thousands of lesbians .ind gay men who've embarked · on an . inward journey. Through the pages of The Second Stone, an ecumenical Christian newsmagazine, you'll be challenged, inspired, angered and encouraged . Meet brave men and women who are con·· fronting social injustice and religious bigotry. Explore family and relationship issues. Enjoy our engaging features and columns, newsbriefs and book reviews. Our national calendar puts you in touch with life-changing retreats, •com-munity- building conferences, ·and the nicest people you'll ever meet! The Second Stone will inspire you, keep you informed, and put you in tou~h: · · · Mail To: SECOND STONE, Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182, THANK YOU for your subscription! · Second Stone~ fanuary/February 1992 rn T Comment ............ ............................................................. Making noise Does civil disobedience work? By Kate Moore The faces looking through the plexiglass riot helmets were filled with hatred and fear as the officers tried to regain order . Angry activists demanded arid chanted, threw rocks and bottles and the officers snapped und er pressure ; No, this was not the latest demonstration for gay rights at the California State Capitol, this was May 4, 1970 at Kent State University - where 13 people were shot and four people were murdered. The images of the confrontation are startlingly similar to those of present day gay rights demonstrations . Windows broken; buildings burned; officers angry, afraid, and on the edge of losing it. · Different typ es of civil disobedience have been used in efforts to end an unjust war, to attain civil rights, to acquire decent work conditions, and to increase the funding for the treatment of people with AIDS. The success of civil disobedience actions depends upon the type of disob edience and its m e thod of execution. Civil disobedience is generally targeted against an unresponsive government. To create change in the arena of American politics, activists feel that they must target the policy makers - people who control the money, public opinion and the political process. The labor movement used the non-violent forms of civil disobedience to achieve decent work conditions. Through picketing, stri~ing, "Sadly, the national news media won't send a reporter or a camera unless violence or other disruption is expected." ·and work slow-downs, workers · achieved their goals. A collective, working for a clear and common goal. During the civil rights movement, the Congress for Rada! Equality, led by Rev. Martin Luthec King Jr., [1J S~nd Stone• January/February 1992 adopted and advocated a policy of non-violent resistance. The Montgomery bus boycott of 1955 was a protest against segregation. One year later, segregation on busses was prohibited by a court order: In the early sixties, The March on Washington for civil rights was greeted by a compassionate, caring "Being arrested for throwing 'blood' on the Capitol is worth it if one person realizes it's homophobia that's killed over 125,000 people." young pr esi dent. John F. Kennedy met with the leaders of the March and congratulated them on their dignity and fervor of demonstration, and he promised to battle for sweeping civil rights legislation . · The March on Washing ton for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1987 brought over 600,000 people to the nation 's capitol, but the leaders were not greeted by a receptive president. The second largest civil rights demonstration in the history of this country was seriously, conspicuously abs ent from the front pages of the majority of the nation's newspapers. To arouse the consciousness of the American public, both gay rights and AIDS activists must understand how to manipulate the media. According to Richard Clutterbuck, author of TT1e Media and Political Violence, "Sadly, the national news media won't send a reporter or a camera unless violence or other disruption is expected." Unfortunately, by creating a volatile atmosphere, the media is sure to attend, but the likelihood of injury or even death through · violent confrontation increases. "Without the media no one will hear our demands for the release of AIDS drugs," said Robert James of ACT-UP San Francisco. "People are left to die because they don't see we are human and worth caring about . Being arrested for throw!"g 'blood' on the Capitol is worth it if one person realizes it's homophobia that's killed over 125,000 people," James says. The methods used by AIDS activists to demand more funding for research, drugs and education have included the approved non-violent marches and rallies, but activists have also employed civil disobedience techniques such as chaining themselves to the doors of the Center for Dis.ease Control. The chalk outlines of bodies with the names of people who have died from AIDS were etched on the cement walkways of California's Capitol building . The "die-in" served as an attempt to show the policy makers of the state a visual reminder of how many people have died. They were forced to walk over the dead to get to work . The gay rights movement has employed boycotts to motivate change in society . The financial strength of the subculture is well represented in figures that state Gays and Lesbians earn nearly three times the income per household than non-gays. The most recent success of sroNEWALL Rtors this type of civil disobedience is shown in the resolution of the 1990-91 Miller/Marlboro boycott. The Phillip-Morris Corporation had been donating to the political campaign of overtly anti-gay legislator Jesse Helms '(R-NC). In retaliation Gays and Lesbians across the country boycotted its products and brought the multi-national corporation to its knees. Phillip Morris is now committed . to donating over two million dollars to AIDS agencies and gay and lesbian grass roots organizations in 1991 alone. Civil disobedience can be a tool when used in a truly democratic country. The right to assemble, to draw attention to grievanee, and to demand change is the fundamental right of all. Americans. The options when participating in civil disobedience are predictable and clear. The predicted reactions of those in power are not. Kate Moore is the editor of The Latest Issue, Sacramento, California. BY ANDREA NATALIE l :i r=jry ; . ~- . - I: -"~..,;:'; ;,. r . ~ . ~·· · ... ·-:,., -:i,-,.-_ ~ . ,,. -~ News Lines T- • ........................................................................ . Gay ordination issue causes Episcopal parish to turn Catholic ARLINGTON, TX - St. Mary the Virgin Episcopal Church has decided to abandon the Episcopal Church in favor of Catholicism. Rev. Allan Hawkins, pa stor of the conservative church, said that the approximately 100 members of the .parish voted "almost unanimously" for the change. Speaking of the Episcopal Church's failure to settle the gay ordination controversy Hawkins said, "'We were concerned about the Church's inablity to affirm traditionally Christian morality, particularly as it pertains to ordaining homosexual priests."' · The Vatican has final approval of the switch. -Sto·newa/1 Union Reports Milwaukee suffers new wave of homophobia MILWAUKEE, WI - The gay and lesbian community here continues to ree l from th e wave of homophobia unleashed by the Jeffrey Dahmer serial murder case. . On November 13, up to a thousand fundamentalist s, quoting Scripture and citing Dal1mer's murd er spree as "the logical result of the homosexual lifestyle,"' packed two Milwaukee School Board meetings to oppose a proposal for ser vices for gay and lesbian teens. Hundreds of hymn-singing fundamentalists, who responded to appeals broadcast over Christian radio and television stations owned by Rev. Vic Eliason, testified a·gainst the proposal. Dozens of speakers quoted the Bible and warned that Milwaukee was sinking into a "moral quagmire ."' Proponents were few in number and were frequently heckled by the audience of right-wing Christians . At the same time the School Board controversy raP,ed, WISN-TV 12 ran a four-part series on its evening newscast called "Flirting With Danger," an investigation into gay bars and cruising areas in the aftermath of the Dahmer murders. Dahmer goes on trial in late January, and gay and lesbian leaders are already .plotti~g methods of "'damage control and bracing for further backlash . -Sou tltern Voice Once a Scout, always a Scout Forgotton Scouts is a collective effort to help the leadership of the Boy Scouts of America recognize that gay and bisexual men have always been involved in scouting, and that individual deeds and actions of gay scouts demonstrate that they can be exceptional role models . Forgotton Scouts believes , in fact, that by relying on prejudice, the hard line leadership of th e Scouts is damaging the organi z ation the U.S. Congress envisioned when it said "no boy shall be denied admission ." To help with the effort or get more information, contact Forgotten Scouts, 1072 Folsom St., St e. 383, San Francis~o, CA 94103, (415)904-6120. Fundamentalists target lesbian sponsored a boycott of the largest pizza delivery company in the country because of owner Thomas S. Monaghan's stance on abortion rights. Monaghan has donated thousands · of . dollars to anti-abortion groups, and the Ann Arbor chapter of Operation . Rescue is headquartered in a building he owns. The 53-year old Monaghan, who also owns the Detroit Tigers baseball team, stepped down as presid ent of the company in 1989. He heads a group of Catholic executives called "Legatus," which is devoted to encouraging Christian ethics in the corporate world. Monaghan still owns 97 percent of Domino's. legislator AFA launches Oregon's only gay legislator has been t t targeted by fundamentalist Christ- program . 0 ge . ians. Democrat Rep . Gail Shibley Gays off TV came out of the closet January 16, 1990, just hours after she was The American Family Association has appointed to fill a South Portland seat launched a "Project to Stop TV From vacated by the newly elected Promoting Homosexuality." In _ a secretary of state. mass mailing to its members, the Her second sentenc e at the pres s group sent pre-printed, pre-addressed conference following her swearing in · post cards for mailing to sponsors was, ''To my sisters and brothers in . with track records buying Orgeon's gay and lesbian com- commercials on shows that regularly munity, I, as a lesbian, would like to feature gay and lesbian characters. say, 'It's nice to be here."' Atlanta Episcopal church :-leaves den.o_m i 11atio11 A TtAN'r A-~-A ,conservative Episcopal congregation has broken ties with the denomination over its stand on such issues as homosexuality and abortion. The 760-member Church of the Apostles, which meets on a priv;:ite school campus in north Atlanta, severed its ties with th e national denomination and - the Diocese' of Atlanti'l following ~ unanimous vote of its governiIJg board Oct. 13. ""It's a matter of doing what we believe God has . led us to do," said Senior Warden A. Anthony Mclellan. -Atlanta Episcopal Bishop Frank ~Allan, spiritual leader of the 45,000 Episcopalians in north Georgia, said the congregation's decision is unfortunate. "'It is my feeling that the inclusiveness and acceptance of such a wide diversity of people and viewpoints in our church made it impossible for the Church of the Apostles to continue to walk w_ith us,"' he said. -Associated Press The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, a national organization that fund s openly gay and lesbian candidates, is assisting Shibley in her attack by the vehemently anti-gay Oregon Citizen s Alliance. The OCA is collecting signatures to place a referendum on the November, 1992 ballot that would amend the state constitution to declare homosexuality "abnormal and perverse" and ban all public funding of anything gay related. To assist Shibley and other politicians und er attack by the right wing, contact GLVF, 1012 14th St., NW, #707, Washington, DC 20005, (202)842-8679. -T/1e Alternative dignit,,usa Domino's Pizza the next Cracker Barrel? ATLANTA - Two Lesbians are preparing a lawsuit against Domino's Pizza, Inc., charging the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based pizza delivery company with harrassing them because of their sexual orientation, .reported Southern Voice in a copywritten story. Eleanor Wiley, 27, and her partn er Joanna Camper, 31, say that their area supervisor, Mike .. Measells, began the harassment when he learned that the two were lovers. With over 5,000 establishments nationwid e, Domino 's has been the target of protests before, most notably from the National Organization for Women. Since 1989 NOW has an organization for gay ana 06ian Catfwlics, tkir fami[i,s ana friuuf.s. ..t L. Dignity /USA has ministered to gay and lesbian Catholics, their families and friends for over 20 years. - .... We have over 4,000 members ., r in 80 chapters across the country. ,·, . . . If you'd like to support our ministry, please join Dignity/USA'.t"odtiy by corilpleting the form' : below and enclosing your $40.00 check payable to D~iiy, Inc.?oa: • · ·.: : · ·: . . . , : Dignity/USA, 1500 Massachusetts Avenue,N ,W;; $μite _ 11, Washington, DC 20005. Telephone : 1,800:87.7-8797 . . .. 0 YES. I would like to support the work of d<JltTl,USO:. •. Enclosed is my $40.00 check for membership .· · .. - Name . , . Address . . City ____ State ZIP _ __ _ Second Stone• January/Febrnary 1992 : ~ . . L'!..J News Lines ........................................................ Resolution urges end to an_ti-gay military policy WASHINGTON - A congressional resolution calling for an end to the policy barring gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans from military service was introduced in the House of Representatives Nov. 6 by Rep. Barbara Boxer (D-CA). The resolution is the first of its kind regarding gay people in the military and is the first such Congressional initiative to use the words "gay, lesbian and bisexual" in its text. The resolution, H. Res. 271, urges President Bush to rescind "Department of Defense Directive 1332.14 section H.l so that all Americans, regardle ss of sexual orientation, currently serving their country in the Armed Forces, and those who want to serve, will not be prevented from, or punished for doing so." A resolution is being used because Bush canrescind the policy without specific legislation being passed by Congress. The resolution is the result of months of behind-the-scenes work by the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force and the Military Freedom Project, a coalition of groups working to end the discriminatory .policy. Joining Boxer in presenting the resolution was Rep. Ted Weiss from New York, who explained, "It acknowledges what the Pentagon already knows - that gay men and Lesbians do not pose a security threat to the United States; that these men and women have served our nation , in peace arid at war, with the same dedication and professionalism as heterosexual service personnel." Secretary of Defense Richard B. Cheney recently called the DOD policy "somewhat of an old chestnut" that he "inherited." The Task Force urges activists to pressure their Congressional Representatives to sign onto the resolution. Atlanta Episcopal diocese votes to boycott Cracker Barrel restaurant The Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta approved a resolution in November that calls on member parishes to join the boycott of Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores. The vote took place at the 85th Council of the Diocese in Gainesville, Georgia. The resolution said that the Diocese "deplores employment discrimination "Churches are NOT hospitable places for lesbians and gay men - RIGHT'?" WRONG! is a quarterly magazine for and about churches that welcome lesbians and gay men. Each issue of Open Hands explores a particular concern of lesbians and gay men in the church and includes feature articles by clergy and laypersons, resource listings, worship/devotional Ideas. and news from the lesbiart/ gay Christian movement Published since 1985 by the Reconciling Congregation Program, a national network of United Methodist churches that welcome lesbians and gay men. · _ Enclosed Is $16 for my annual subscription (four Issues) of Open Hands ($20 outside the U.S.A.). _ Please bill me $16 for iny annual subscription. · · _ Please send me .a sample Issue (free). _ Also send me a list of back Issues available. NAME ·------- ---,- ADDRESS SEND TO: P.O. Bo1:· 23636, Wuhlngton, D.C. 20026 CALL: 202/863-11!86 OR FAX: 302/488-1423 riri Second Stone• Jan~/February 1992 ~ J based on race, gender or sexual orientation," and urged members to boycott companies, "sud1 as Cracker Barrel," that practice such discrimination . Laura Bryant, assistant rector at the Church of the Epiphany, Decatur, said that one of the parishioners there . had written the resolution . -Southern Voice · Judge upholds Navy expulsion of · Steffan On December 9, Federal District Court Judge Oliver Gasch (D.C. District) upheld the current Defense Department policy banning openly gay, lesb ian and bisex ual servicemembers from military service, thereby denying relief to former Naval Midshipman Joseph Steffan. Gasch's opinion was unprecedented because it upheld the -OOD policy on the grounds that it was a legitimate tool to prevent the spread of AIDS within the armed forces. Steffan was forced to resign from the U.S. Naval Academy in May, 1987, a few weeks shy of graduation, after he disclosed his homosexuality to an academy chaplain. New Orleans City Council adds sexual orientation to Civil Rights Law NEW ORLEANS. LA - The City Council here adopted by a vote of five to two a city ordinance amending a 20-year-old law prohibiting discrimination in employment, housing and public places to include sexual orientation. Some religious organizations, including the Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans, opposed the ordinance. The Archdiocese was .successful in getting similar ordinances rejected in 1986 and 1984. A spokesperson for Metairie representative David Duke said that Duke was "in full agreement" with the two council members who voted against the ordinance. -The New Voice St. Paul voters say no repeal of gay rights Gay and human rights activists in St. Paul, Minnesota, celebrated a decisive win in November's election to keep protection for the city's gay and lesbian citizens in the civil rights ordinance. Voters affirmed the civil rights of sexual minorities in the areas of education, employment, and housing by a 55 percent to 45 percent margin as they defeated a referendum which sought to repeal the sections of the civil rights ordinance pertaining to sexual minorities. The referendum question had been placed on the ballot by Citizens Alert, a grassroots political organization with ties to fundamentalist Christian churches. - Equal Time Falwell: Gays tried to kill me The Rev . Jerry Falwell says in a fund-raising letter that Gays were out to kill him during a demonstration in Los Angeles. "It is truly a miracle that I am alive today," Falwell said . "I sincerely believe that certain persons fully intended to take my life." Hollywood police officer Frank Guarino said Falwell was out of the hotel before the activists entered. -Cruise Statewide domestic partner benefits possible BOSTON - Massachusetts r:overnor William F. Weld is consi,iering an executive order granting Gays statewide bereavem ent leave and other benefits traditionally available to wives and husbands. The Governor's Advisory Council for Women's Issues recommended the plan to Weld, a ·strong advocate for gay and lesbian rights. -Associated Press School Board approves condom distribution The Seattle school board voted 6-1 in favor of making condoms· available to studen ts. At a public hearing before the vote, hundreds of people attended and gave testimony. Two weeks prior to the vote, ACT UP further forced the issue by distributing safe sex kits and graphic educational material at area high schools. The explici t language in the brochure further inflamed public debate about safe sex material, spec ifically in the schoo ls, and the dangers facing teenagers. Many fundamentalist churches organized to oppose the condom distribution program . One murm called for a "crusade" against safe sex. The Catholic Archbishop of Seattle, Thomas Murphy, sent a Jetter to the school board opposing the plan, although the plan has no affect on Catholic schools in the area. -Seattle Gay News .... NewLsin es , .................................................................. . Hate crimes ordinance passed in Kentucky Before an overflow crowd of over 200 supporters, the Louisville, Kentucky Board of Aldermen approved a revised hate crimes ordinance that would protect minorities, including Gays, from crimes of violence or intimidation. The law represents the first time that gay men and Lesbians, as a class, have received civil protection of any kind in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. -Cruise Neo-Nazi leader dies of AIDS Michael Kuhnen, 35, leader of Germany's neo-Nazi movement died of complications from AIDS in Kassel. Kdmen had been the moving force in the outlawed National Socialists Action Front since 1983. -Our World Minnesota Hitler fan forms white student union Claiming Hitler as his representative of the white culture he seeks to preserve, University of Minnesota student Tom David and a handful of his white student union followers listened to 500 students chant "No Nazis, no KKK, no fascist USA," at the University. "I live for what white culture means to me," David said as he stood aside from protest speakers. His followers also vowed violence against Gays.· "When the dust settles, the faggots and the freaks will be dead in the streets," said supporter Mike Nelson. -Equal Time David Duke opposes 11 gay lifestyle 11 Former KKK Grand Wizard and presidential candidate David Duke is officially on record opposing the "gay lifestyle." During a press conference where he announced plans to oppose George Bush in the Republican presidential primary, Duke said, "Frankly I don't endorse the gay lifestyle. I don't think that's good for the country. I don't think that's good for my children and I resent it presented as a normal lifestyle for my people in the national media and to my children in the national medii1.." Duke went on to say that Gays and Lesbians should not be allowed to serve in the nation's armed services. cSouthern Voice Anti-gay circular a hate crime, say CSUN police LOS ANGELES - Authorities are seeking the creator of a circular announcing the "first annual gay bashing and clubbing night" al California State University's Northridge campus. · The production and distribution of the circular was likely a hate crime, say university police. Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley offered the services of the Human Rights Commission and is urging criminal prosecution. -Outlines Church begins Sunday HIV testing program SAN FRANCISCO - The Glide Memorial Methodist Church became what is believed to be the first mainstream church in the United States to begin handing out safer-sex kits, which include condoms, and offering its parishioners anonymous HIV testing through a Sunday afternoon testing clinic. Leaders at Glide, which serves an ethically and racially mixed inner-city congregation, said they moved ahead with the church HIV clinic testing program after Los Angeles Lakers star Magic Johnson announced earlier in November that he had tested positive for the virus. · -Alabama Forum Canadian airwaves ban homophobia The Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission has announced that it plans to ban homophobic talk from their airwaves in response to escalating anti-gay content on the Toronto-based Vision TV cable program "100 Huntley Street." Coupled with this, several provincial legislatures are considering gay rights and/ or anti-discrimination bills. -Our World Readef's Digest publishes homophobic article Reader's Digest, which sells 28 million copies monthly, may be the most anti-gay general circulation maga2ine in America, according to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. In the September edition, "That's Outrageous," a column purporting to "spotlight absurdities in our society" with the aim of "eliminating them" featured an item condemning the Centers for Disease Control for funding safe sex education programs sponsored by "a homosexual group called the National Association of Black and White Men Together." Author Cal Thomas said, "This bolsters homosexual efforts to give their sexual behavior the same kind of legal approval that minority groups have .. " Pink Panthers patrol must change name The Pink Panthers, a gay street patrol group which protects Gays and Lesbians in Green,wich Village, has been ordered to change its name because it infringes on the trademark of the cartoon character "the Pink Panther." U.S. District Judge Pierre N. Leval ruled that the patrol's name could give the impression that MGM Studios, owner of the Pink Panther trad_emark, supported the gay patrol. The Pink Panthers group was formed in 1990, in response to a rise in gay-bashing in New York City. Its 200 members have become a visible deterrent to gay bashing in the E mpatby is a journal that deserves our .s:upporfto r the originala nd creativew ork it docs 1n the interest of truth and justice. • -f.. Rev. Malcolm Boyd, author o( 23 books in~ludingAreY oHR Hnningw ith Me,]esus?, Take Off rhe Masks, and Gay Priest E mpathy provides a much~neeJl'.Ja nd welcomed communic,nion link for persons involved in ~ducation about homoph()bia. At its best it will keep us informed and in touch, · supported and challenged, excited and proud. if. Brian McNaught; lecturer and aurhor of On Being Gay: Thoughts on Family, Faith, ftnd Lot:e Greenw.ich Village area, and the group received an Organizational Achievement award from the Empire State Pride Agenda in 1991. -Associated Press Task Force . presents Creating Change awards The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force honored one individual and four organizations during itsl 991 Creating Change Conference held in Alexandria, Va., Nov. 9-11. Praised for extraordinary accomplishment and commitment to the gay and lesbian community were: Marlon Riggs, for "breakthrough work... on the film Tongues Untied; Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization, for "bravely forging a new tradition of a gay and lesbian contingent in New York City's St. Patrick"s Day Parade;" Connecticut Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights, for its "successful campaign to pass Connecticut's gay and lesbian rights bill;" the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center, for "20 years of service, support and strength;" and Queer Nation/ Atlanta, for the ongoing ''boycott against the anti-gay discriminatory policies of Cracker Barrel Restaurants." L/fn Interdisciplinary Journal for Persons Working to End Oppression on the Basis of Sexual Identity l'UBI.ISHEO TWICE A YEAR, EMPATHY INCLUDES SCHOLARLY ESSAYS, .PROSE AND POETRY, PRACTITIONER ARTICLES, ANECD:OTAL ESSAYS, AND J.ES£ARCH REPORTS AS WELL AS ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHIES FOR RESOURCE MATERlALS. RECENT RESEARCHA ND BOOKS. THE JOURNAL SERVES PEOPLE WORJCING IN EDUCATION, COUNSEUNG, HEALTH CAR£, SOCIAL WORK, COMMUNTIT ACTMSM, ANO THE MINISTRY NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. Oney.ear (2 issues) individual subscription $IO (JfS institutional) Make checks payable to Gay and Lesbian Advocacy ResearchP roject( ~LA.RP) ari.dm ail to: Empat~y, PO Box 5085, Columbia, SC 29250. Secmid Stone• January/February 1992 f17 ....................................N....e..wL...si.n. ..e..s.. .......T... ......... Pittsburgh diocese cuts funds ov,er gay priests The Episcopal Diocese has announced ·that it will permit parishes to withhold funds from the Episcopal Church of the United States because of the national ch_urch's rejection last summer of punishment of bishops who have ordained openly gay priests. The Pittsburgh Diocese is the first to take such an action. Protestors interrupt Family Concerns Conference ATLANTA- Members of ACT UP/ Atlanta, Queer Nation/ Atlanta, Refuse & Resist, the National Organization for Women and others demonstrated at the Family Concerns Conference held in November at the Peachtree Street First Baptist Church. Vice President Dan Quayle, scheduled to appear at the conference, did not show up. Ten protestors managed to get into the conference and interrupted Family Concerns founder Nancy · Schaeffer. Demonstrators passed out condoms to stunned conference attendees before being forceably thrown out by First Baptist Church security officers. During Schaeffer's opening remarks as the conference started, protestor David Lowe interrupted and told the audience of several hundred that their organization was responsible for the deaths of people with AIDS because they oppose the use of condoms. "Watching a hate-filled, bigoted, murderous woman sit in stunned silence as she faced her accuser was a truly powerful moment," said Lowe -Southern Voice Clinton would end military ban Presidential candidate and Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton said if he were elected president he would sign an executiv .e order banning discrimination against Gays and Lesbians in the military. Clinton made the statement when asked the question during a forum at Harvard University . "A strong message of hope." In (jods Image -The Advocate In (joa's Image Christian Witness to the Need for Gay/Lesbian Equality in the Eyes of the Church by Robert Warren Cromey Rector,T rinityE piscopaCl hurch San Francisco "A stirring manifesto and sincere guide to clearer understanding. This is a nurturing, healing book and a· call to action. Read it!" -Malcolm Boyd, Author of Are You Running with Me, Jesus & Gay Priest $9. 9 5/paperback Send a check today; we cover postage. ALAMO SQUARE PRESS P.O. Box 14543, Dept. S,'San Francisco, CA 94114 [SJ Secord Stone• January/February 1992 'The best time to have done it [change the policy] would have been just in the afterglow of victory" in the Persian Gulf war, Clinton said, according to the Arkansas DemocratGazette. He said Gays have been "in every war we ever fought, which everybody knows, and every other army always has." -Cruise Gay student group gets approval CLEMSON, SC - A gay student group has been officially recognized by the Clemson Student' Senate despite vehement opposition from the · College Republicans. The senate cast 36 votes for and 15 votes against in a roll call vote, granting recognition to the Lambda Society. Five senators abstained. Marci Fuentes, who voted in favor of the group, said that objections raised by College Republicans made her sick. 'To those of you who are arguing the legalities let me tell you this: in this state, premarital sex is against the law, ~ral sex is against the law, sex with the lights on or sex in any position besides the missionary position is against the law. "How many of you have broken the law?" Fuentes asked. Christian right got her fired, reporter says Julie Brienza, a reporter fired in April, 1990, by UPI because she was freelancing for a lesbian/ gay newspaper, has charged that right-wing religious broadcasters orchestrated a "smear campaign" that led to her firing. Brienza has filed a $12.5 million lawsuit in U.S. District Court claiming that religious broadcasters Paul Cameron, Vic Eliason and others made a ·series of reports about her, calling her a "mole" and referring to her work at UPI as "a case of lesbian penetration ." Cameron and Eliason later claimed credit for Brienza's firing and congratulated their audiences for their efforts toward that end. -Southern Voice Lesbian, partner recognized as family In a landmark · legal ruling, an employer has been ordered to graht sick leave to a lesbian employee to take care of her life partner . A hearing officer of the Career Service Authority of Denver, Colo., ruled that Denver General Hospital violated Department of Health and Hospital regulations when it refused to allow a lesbian employee to take three days sick leave to care for her injured companion. The decision recognizes lesbian and gay relationships as families. Hearing officer Margot Jones held that the agency violated the rights of social worker Mary Ross by refusing to give her sick leave to care for her "permanent life partner," Jeannie DiClementi, who had fractured her skull. Jones said that Ross had demonstrated that she and DiC!ementi are a family, and that the agency's action was "discriminatory on the basis of appellant's sexual orientation." William B. Rubenstein, the Director of the ACLU's national Lesbian and Gay Rights Project, said the decision was an important step toward greater recognition of lesbian and gay relationships. "Little by little, courts and administrative tribunals are giving legal recognition and tangible rights to relationships that are, by any definition, families," he said. -Empty Closet UCC president responds to conservatives In letters to conservative United Church of Christ members, UCC President Paul Sherry responded to accusations that leaders of the 1.6 million member denomination are · "apostates" ( defectors from the faith). Charges that UCC leaders have abandoned the gospel are contained in the "Dayton Declaration," produced at a meeting of 149 UCC conservatives. It accuses UCC leaders of "advocating adultery, fornication and homosexuality and supporting ancient practices of abortion, infanticide and euthanasia." Sherry called the allegations eqoneous, "divisive and irresponsibl 1 ' and asked that they be withdraw . -The Lutheran Anti-gay riest arrested or soliciting sex A Tampa priest w o actively opposed that city's gay ri hts ordinance was arrested in Octob r for soliciting oral sex from a police officer. Monsignor Norman Baltha,ar said that he "had too much to rink and was not in control of senses." The monsignor urged his arishioners at Christ the King C urch to sign petitions to influe ce local officials to reject Tam~a-'s ordinance, which banned disc imination based on sexual ori tation. -Southern Voice .................. Not 'queer' say England's Humanists The Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association of England has voted , overwhelmingly to reject the use of the word "queer," calling it a "repulsive and wholly negative word ." GALHA secretary George Broadhead said, "After lesbian and gay rights organizations have expended so much effort towards ending th e use of such words as 'queer' in the media, it seems the 'height of irony and absurdity that Lesbians and Gays themselves should adopt the same terminology." -Cruise Finally ... Victory in Sharon Kowalski · case ST. PAUL, MN - For seven years, Karen Thompson has fought for the right to care for her lesbian lover, left a quadriplegic by an auto accident. Her lover's parents and a judge refused but, after a long legal battle, a state appeals court said yes. 'There aren't words to express the hell the system l).as put us through," Thompson said after the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled she was the . most qualified person to act as Sharon Kowalski's guardian. M. Sue Wilson, Thompson 's attorney, called the ruling a victory for the disabled as well as "a significant affirmation that moves Gays and Lesbians and the way the Jaw treats th em in , this state into the 20th century! ' · · -Associated Press Auburn gay/lesbian association denied charter The Auburn Gay and Lesbian Association was denied a charter in a meeting of the Auburn University Student Senate. The Senate voted 23-7 against the charter in a secret session on November 25. Student Senator Scott Johnson told the Senate he had received a petition' with 440 signatures from students who didn't believe the association should be an official university organization. According t'o William Rubenstein, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's National Lesbian and Gay Rights Project, the action could make the school vulnerable to a lawsuit and the ACLU is prepared to sue the university to protect the group's first amendment right of association. -Alabama Forum News Lines . .................... . P-FLAG establishes AIDS volunteer network Parent s and Friends of Lesbians and Gays has announced the formation of the Family AIDS Support Project, the only national program designed to support families and caregivers affected by HIV disease. The program will assist families wherever they are in the nation through a toll-free number. A volunteer network of 70 Family AIDS Partners will coordinate activities in every · county in the nation. From Partners, callers will be able to obtain medical, l ega l, social, religious, and emotional support and resources. The Federation office will have a staff of two professionals to-manage the program. To volunteer support or donate funds to this program write to Direct or, AIDS Program, P-FLAG, 1012 14th St., NW, 11700 Washington, DC20005. Senate nixes sex surveys WASHINGTON - The Sen ate defunded two planned federal surveys of .teen and adult .sexual behavior and diverted the money to a federal program that counsels youth to abstain from sex before marriage . "I am sick and tired of pandering to the homosexuals in this country," said Sen. Jesse Helms, R-NC, who spon° sored the measure. 'They may have their rights as citizens, but that does n't cover up the fact that they're perverted ." Helms called the surveys tools of the "free-sex crowd" to "legitimize" their lifestyle. -Outlines Ann Arbor council approves partnership ordinance The Ann Arbor, Michigan, City Council has approved an ordinance that will allow unmarried couples, heterosexual and homosexual , to register their relationship with the city clerk. · The ordinance was passed unanimously November 6 at th e end of the longest public hearing in eight years for the city 's legislative body. More than one hundred people spoke on the issue at the public hearing. Several speakers read from the Bible and invoked "the word of God" to support their opposition to the ordinance. Ann Marie Coleman, a member of the Ann Arbor City Council and sponsor · of the ordinance, -said she . would introduce a resolution to study the cost of extending health insurance and other benefits to domestic partners of city employees. Ann Arbor is the first Michigan community to pass such an ordinance. Eighteen other communities across the country have enacted some form of domestic partnership policy to date . -Cruise Lesbian union causes -loss of job offer The Georgia attorney general is being sued for having withdrawn a job offer to a lesbian lawyer after learning that she planned a union ceremony with her lover. The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit on October 3 in U.S. Dis trict Court, on the grounds that Attorney General Michael Bowers violated Robin Joy Shahar's right to religious freedom, freedom of association, and equal protection under the Constitution. · Shahar and her iover of nearly five years participated in a Jewish marriage ceremony on July 28. -Associated Press Queer Nation co.nfronts fundamentalist Christians LOS ANGELES - In an effort to counteract aggressive anti-gay proselytizing on the streets of West Hollywood 's ''Boys Town," activists from Queer Nation and other groups demonstrated at the Calvary Church in Santa Ana. About 100 protestors, some wearing T-shirts or carrying placards promoting gay visibility, as well as a radical fairie contingent in drag, targeted 1000 parishioners during two Sunday services. One man reportedly tried to ram protesters with his electric wheelchair and one woman gave demonstrators "the finger." Six activists who protested inside the church were arrested for trespass_ ing and disturbing a religious service. Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays and United Lesbians of African Heritage joined in the action. -Outlines Senator Helms has cancer RALEIGH, NC - Republican Senator Jesse Helms, the Senate's leading opponent of Gays and PW As, is uhdergoing radiation treatment for prostate cancer. He has no plans to curtail his political activities. "Anybody who wants to start picking my successor better wait for about 11 years," he said. Although prostate cancer is the second deadliest cancer to strikl? men, it is usually treatable when detected early- Helms is also being treated for Paget's disease, a condition that weakens and deforms bones. -Outlines Tollfree hotline for gay and lesbian youth A group in Indiana has initiated a national gay /lesbian youth hotline, with assistance from the U.S. · Conference of_ Mayors. The purpose of the Indiana Youth Group hotline is to provide healthy choices for gay and lesbian youth under 21, including peer counseling, in order to help reduce the feelings of. isolation and rejection and to increase self esteem which reduces high risk activity and tb.e spread of HIV/ AIDS. The hotline, 1-800-347-TEEN, is operational Thursday through Sunday nights from 7 - 11:45 p.m., Central Time . lJNITED METHODISTS: we're _here for you -Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Concerns welcomes you. P.O. Box 1021 Evanston, IL 60204 (415)221-1612 Second Stone• January/February 1992 [[] recorded in the book of Genesis,,. Chet said. "I wa~ surprised by the many mental pictures that came to me as I read God's sequential plan in creating the world." After completion of his sabbatical, Chet created 17 prints depicting stages of the theme of creation, with some stages -having more than one version. Each print displays five to ten color overlays. After completing the themes, the artist said he also wanted to reveal God's rhythmic, predictable, and anticipated handiwork as evidenced in the four seasons, revealing how seasonal changes affect God's creation. "To do this," Chet said, "I chose the tree of life as my theme, and set it in a consistent landscape, revealing different color, texture, and _ landscape contrasts according to seasonal changes." [ID] Second Stone• January/Febn~y 1992 Creation of the Fowls of the Firmament (above) And God said, let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creatures that hath life ... and fowl that fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. Genesis 1 :20 Creation of the Whales and Fish (left) Creation of the Stars And God made two. great lights; the greater light to rule the day .. And the lesser light to rule the night; he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give . light upon thct earth. Genesis 1.:16 Creation of the Suri (below) · Creation of Man and Woman: The River of Life (left) ... And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air. Genesis 1:26,27 Second Stone• January /February 1992 {ii] · T . he tone for ·one of the themes of the civil rights struggle was set by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr . during his speech following Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery, Alabama, bus. His passionate words echo and · re-echo, 'There comes a tim e when people get tired ... tired of b eing segregated and humiliated; tired of being kicked around by the brutal feet of oppression ." People of color, women, the poor, and same-sex orient ed persons have felt ''the feet of oppression" and have "become tired" of the common oppression that they face. There has been an evolution ·in North American societies' awareness of- the dehumanizing effects of the four kinds of oppression mentioned above . Slavery was questioned by some from its advent in America, and the refusal to see women and the poor as equals in our common life was a burning issue just below the surface. True, it was not until the 1%0s that the seriousness of racism and sexism (and to some extent, classism) was faced head on . Today there is widespread recognition of historical oppression toward ethnic minoriti es and women. Admittedly, this recognition has been under attack during .the past two decades, and our society inqeasingly blames the victims of poverty for most of their problems . At the same time, awareness of oppression related to these three groups has solid historical roots . More recent has been a growing recognition of the seriousness of oppression of those with same-sex orientation. Increasingly, many of us believe that making gender - rather than depth of commitment - the criteria for meaningful heterosexual and homosexual relationships is oppression on a par with these other forms of oppression. What are some of the common thr eads binding together these four groups of oppressed people? First, all four groups have had their auth enticity attacked. Nothing is more frightening in relationships with oth er persons than being rejected as less than fully human. Tragedies occur when victims accept other s ' limiting stereotypes of themselves. I r emember several Choctaw Native American children watching a War Danc e at the Neshoba County Fair near Philadelphia, Mississippi. Dan- BY TITUS -BENDER cers had been imported from Oklahoma for the occasion. While watching the War Dance O!Je child · said to the others, "Look. Those are real Indians." What have we done when Native American children do not feel real? When friends feel guilt for their desires to reach out with their whole being to another of the . same sex, I ask, "What have we done?" In the words of Dr. King, 'There comes a time when people get tired" of having their authenticity denied. Second, all four of these categories of oppression shut people out of each other's lives. One of the biblical images of pain is that of 'being lost" (shut out, alone, speaking and not being heard). This is closely related to the issue of power. Research has documented the human struggle to be taken seriously; when the struggle fails, we tend to succumb to experiencing ourselves as "mere things." Gang members desperately seek identity; if welfare recipients are treated as objects rather than subjects, dignity is attacked; when some nursing homes discourage elder assertiveness, self-worth is threatened. To shut out others is probably more cruel and damaging than to curse them. 'There comes a time when people get tired" of being shut out. · Third, all four groups have been used as scapegoats by our society in order to avoid responsiblity for our collective failures. Daniel P. Moynihan's controversial analysis put more blame on the black population for the breakdown of the American . family . Same-sex oriented people, Research has documented the human struggle to be taken seriously; when the struggle fails, we tend to succumb to experiencing ourselves as "mere things." [12] Second Stone• January/February 1992 \ women who "get out of their role," and the poor have been similarly blamed by some for dilemmas faced by families. It might be more appropriate to ·blame the consumer society to which most of us have fallen prey for a national atmosphere that considers getting ahead of our neighbors more important than relationships among people. 'There comes a time when people get tired" of being scapegoated to "let others off the hook." Fourth, the freedom and personhood of all the oppres sed is intertwined with the freedom and personhood of us all. One of my greatest disappointments during our family's eleven years in Mississippi in the 1950s and 1960s was the success of the state power structure 1n keeping the poor white and the black populations from joining hands ip search of freedom. The personhood of all people, whether oppressor; oppressed, or bystander, is int ertwined. As Dr. King etched into .our consciousness, finally we will all be free and whole or none of us will be free and whole. There is one major difference between . oppression . of same- sex oriented people and the other three categories of oppressed people we have considered here. Persons of an ethnic minority, women, and the poor can seldom "successfully" hide their identity from the public. But people can pretend to be heterosexual . This can be one of the most cruel consequences of non-acceptance of same-sex orientation, especially in the church, because it forces people to hide and be isolated from each other . As the human family, all of our destinies are intertwined ; None of us can afford to be separated from our · sisters and brothers who are of a different ethnic heritage, gender, economic background, or sexual orientation. And we must meet as equals if there is fo be authentic dialogue. Titus Bender and his wife, Ann, live in Harrisvnbur8, Virginia,_ where they are members of the Lindale Mennonite Church. He is a Professor of Social Work at Eastern Mennonite College and is involved as a volunteer in the areas of corrections and homelessness. He and his family spent 11 years in Meridian, Mississippi, doins church and civil rights work. 11ns article originally appeared in Dialogue . In Print ........................ ................................................. Peculiarly good Peculiar People By Johnny Townsend Contributing Writer T here has been a wealth of well-writt .en books on religion and homosexuality, so why do we need yet another one? Well, until Gays and Lesbians are accepted by religion, we hav e to do two things: try to find a way to reach almost . unreachable leaders, and to comfort and inform gay and lesbian members of these religions and also thir families and friends. Peculiar People: Mormons and Same-Sex Orientation (edited by Ron Schow, Wayne Schow, and Marybeth Raynes, and published by Signature Another chapter includes an account by a young man who came out to his mother by leaving a note on the refrigerator door, "Hi, Mom. I'm a homosexual. I'll be home at 7. Love, John." Books in Sal.t Lake City) .accomplishes at leas t the second half of that mission. A certain elitism is ingrained into Mormon minds from birth. Theirs is the one true church on the earth . The others may contain parts of the truth, but only. Mormons have all of the . truth, and th ey are the only church led by a tru e prophet of God, a man who receives revelation, not just inspiration . Whatever we may think of this attitude, it does create a certain problem for gay Mormons. Books on religion and homosexuality written by Catholic s, Baptists, Jews, fundamentalists, historians, or anyone else simply have almost no validity Marybeth Raynes is a licensed clinical social worker· and marriage and family therapist in Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as an adjunct assistant professor in the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Utah. She h!15 _long been aware through her professional and clinial experiences of the challenges facing gay and lesbian Mormons. for the Mormon reader . "Of course they can be tolerant. They don't know like we do." That is why Peculiar People does fill an important. gap in gay religious literature. With over 8 million Latter-day Saints throughout the world, roughly 800,000 gay and lesbian Mormons and their families now have a source other than the church to tum to. The book is designed to be the first book read on homosexuality. It contains a list of resources, found mostly in Utah, an annotated bibliography to guide people to further useful reading, and a list of statements regarding homosexuality by 12 different denominations . And though Mormons can easiJy ignor e the work of "worldly" scientists ( all non-Mormons, even Jews, and Gentiles to Latter-day Saints), the book includes several chapters of scientific and psychological views, just in case a reader can open up enough to let any of that in. This is, in fact, one ofthe book's strengths - that the editors choose a .balanced approach . There are , chapters by doctors and psychologist s . (some of them LOS), and also chapters by bishops and other church leaders . There are chapters by pro-gay voices, and there are several homophobic chapters as well, some written not only by LDS leaders but by gay and lesbi an homophobes ·themselves; just enough self-hatred in the book to give a glimpse of the incredible oppression within the Church. The book begins with chapters by four lesbian and three gay Mormons. This is followed by seven chapt ers about being married to Gays or Lesbians . Next' comes a section Wayne Schow is Professor of English and chairs the Department of English and Philosophy at Idaho State University. Having confronted homosexuality through the experiences of his oldest son, he has seen directly the alienation and ostracism experienced by Mormon Gays and Lesbians and their families. written by three men and two women called 'Voices of Family Members and Friends." And finally is the section on "Professional and Christian Perspectives" mentioned earlier. Some of the chapter titles in the book include, "Finding People Who Care: A Mother'.s Experience," "Developmental Tasks of Gay Youth," "Suicidal Behavior in Gay and Lesbian Mormons, " 'The Case For Celibacy," and "With All Thy Getting, Get Understanding ." The lesbian wife of a bishop speaks out in one chapter . Another chapter includes an account by a young man who came out to his mother by leaving a note on the refrigerator door, "Hi, Mom. I'm a homosexual: I'll be home at 7. Love, John." A gay LOS father of four tells his story, and his rather ~itter wife gives her side in another chapter. The father of a gay son who died of AIDS, a lesbian discharged from the Air Force, and a man who recounts 1990 Lambda Literary Award for Science 11:iction Secret· Matter Toby Johnson's novels tell gay-positive, life-affirming stories with ha:fc endings that will leave readers touch and glad to be alive. They're romantic, sexy, spiritual, occasionally profound-and just all around good enjoyable reading. Getting _LHe in Perspective A spiritual romance novel FromlovenderPren. Both books SlO.OOeo. Atyourlocalgaf & IMblai boolc:stote or bot' ma1 from ll:>erty Books. Au1ti'l TX. Col 8CWJ 828 1279 foforderhg -Wo. Ron Schow is Professor of Audiology in the College of Health-Related Professions at Idaho State University in Pocatello. He draws on his training and interests in zoology, genetics, psychology, and counseling in attempting to reconcile various professional and religious perspectives on homosexuality. spending almost $100,000 in shock and aversion therapy at Brigham Young University (the Church's main university) make up still mor e chapters. The wife of a healt hy gay man writes of how her need to know more about Gays led her to volunteer with an AIDS Task Force and eventually to start a support group for LOS wives of gay men . There are accounts by Gays and Lesbians who want to stay in the Church, and others by those who left because they felt that being both gay and Mormon created "irreconcilable differences ." Those who stay complain that "silence is the price of acceptance, even of love." Carol Lynn Pearson writes of learning of her husband's homosexuality. She was at this time already an LDS celebrity and spoke frequently t o many different congregations. But now she felt s he SEE PEOPLE, Page 20 ~J !.:i;;, ~ --,,, J~'.',,~ r ' -,~; j ' ,~- -- .. • V, . . ·"·.,_ ~ r~:!11:. On 100 beautiful. acres "'ith pool, hot tub, skiing and more. lnnk:etpCJS J udith Hall and Grace Newman invite you to · write or call for a brochure . P. 0. Box 118 SL Bethlehem, NH 03574 (603) 869-3978 ~ Second Stone• January/February l 992 l13J Catholic Charities fires shelter director for providing condoms to homeless By The Baltimore Alternative CAMBRIDGE, MA - AIDS activists and homeless women are urging Catholic Charities officials to rethink their stand against providing condoms at shelters. "I think the Cardinal (Bernard Law) should take a really .good look at this," said Betty Finn, a former homeless woman who often relied on · shelters. The coalition met to show support for the director of an emergency women's shelter who was fired for making condoms available to women using the facility. "I think homeless women should be told about AIDS and have a way of protecting themselves from it," said Finn, 41. Gayle ~asten ·has head ed St. Patrick's Shelter for Homeless Women in Somerville, formerly York Street Shelter of Cambridge, since December, 1989. Basten had been providing seminars and literature on safe sex and AIDS, but she also kept a basket of condoms on the hack of a toilet in a bathroom for the women. The Roman Catholic Church disapproves of conc!om use, said Christian right showing results from local church-based activism The Christian right's movement toward state and local politics is showing results in California, which may be a harbinger of things to come nationwide. In the October issue of Church & State, a magazine calling for strict separation of church and state, journalist Frederick Clarkson reports that the Christian right has become increasingly influential in California's Republican politics: Conser vative Christian activists "now control half of the county Republican Central Committees in California, as well as the state board." In San Diego County the Christian right fielded 90 candidates for local offices such as school board, water board and _city council . in November 1990. Sixty of them won. In a recent special election for a State Assembly seat from Sacramento, the hand-picked candidate of Gov. Pete Wilson was vigorously opposed by the Christian right. "which pitched the campaign as a battle between heaven and hell." Clarkson writes that these recent stirrings point to new "ingredients" and strategies that are finding a hearing Christian activists beyond-~ •:, .• - ~a<>_ A Presbyterian Promise "We will work to,increase the acceptance and participation in the church of all persons regardless of racial-ethnic origins, sex,, class, age, disability, marital status or sexual orientation" -195th General Assembly (1983), Atlanta, Georgia If this is your promise, too, we invite you to join Presbyterians for Lesbian/Gay Concerns Write to Elder James D. Anderson PLGC, P.O. Box 38, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0038, 201/846-1510 I 14J Second Stone• January/February 1992 Joseph Doolin, Boston archdiocesan director of Catholic Charities of Massachusetts. Basten was given a one month notice of her termination but was soon asked to leave immediately ·because she continued to say publicly that condoms should be allowed in the shelter, said Doolin. 'This is a harassment of women," said Larry Kessler, director of the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts. "It says, 'we don't care about women, so we won 't protect them."' "I think there should be outrage at the Church's denial there is a disease There is a strong Reconstructionist influence among such Christians, as they seek to apply Biblical principles to society and its institutions, according to Clarkson. The second ingredient in this new activism is the "formation of a disciplined voting bloc in sympathetic churches. The strategy pivots on a high turnout of voters from a handful of churches in a given community to exploit generally low voter turnout in most elections, particularly party primaries." A recen\ tape Clarkson obtained of activist leader Jay Grimstead of the Coalition on Revival alleges that congregations are using the "shepherding/ discipleship" methods [where less-experienced Christians are teamed up with church leaders for spiritual advancement] to bring church members into political work. Grimstead says that "several national groups of strategists are looking now at 60 major cities in the -that is killing people," said Basten. Doolin said Basten's firing was final. The 22-bed shelter is located in an old convent remodeled with federal money. Catholic Charities operates the shelter, but the state provides more than 90 percent of its funding, said state Department of Welfare officials. - Under contract with the state, the shelter must provide AIDS education in addition to food and other services, according to the DPW's shelter resource unit. But the shelter is not obligated to make condoms accessible, state officials said. United States and Canada" for long term influence. This would include "Replacement of anti-biblical elected officials with biblically-oriented candidat es." The third ingredient in the new Christian politics is the "infusion of Pat Robertson for President activists into the Republican party structure," Clarkson adds. These strategies are evident in other states such as Oklahoma, Louisiana, Florida and "a dozen other states." In the leftist Mother Jones magazine (Nov /Dec) Clarkson cites the California-based Citizens for Excellence in Education as epitomizing the "revival of the Christian right." The organization plans to "take our entire education system back and· put it in God's hands," by electing its own school board candidates, according to CEE head Robert Simonds . Reported by Religion Watch newsletter. Bulk issues available for churches & groups Extra copies of Issue #19 of Second Stone is available FREE to churches and organizations for distribut ion to members . To obtain a quantity for your church or group, drop us a postcard indicating how many you need and the phone number of a.contact person . Christian Lesbians convene in Minneapolis MINNEAPOLIS - Snow may have paralyzed most of this city on Halloween night and for the following two days, but this same record-breaking storm sheltered 72 members of Christian Lesbians Out Together (CWUT) through their first nationwide conference, "A CLOUT of Witnesses," November 1-3. Sheltered within the storm, the women recognized their collective strength. Through ritual and worship, through workshops and story telling, they shared memories of struggle and visioned a future where each could fully and openly live her life. Spirit of the Lakes United Church of Christ in Minneapolis hosted the ·gathering which brought women together from places such as Florida, Texas, California and the East Coast, as well as from throughout the Midwest. It has been one year since ten women met in New York to discuss what it means to be out of the closet and be a Christian . Within three months of that initial meeting, CLOUT had been formed and 113 women from 14 denominations had already signed a Statement of Commitment. CLOUT was conceived as an intercultural, ·multiracial solidarity coalition of "out" lesbian Christians . Its primary purpose is to empower lesbian Christians and to challenge the churcl1es to which members belong . The CLOUT Statement of Commitment calls on lesbian National Council of Churches report: Church must fac.e gay/ lesbian justice issue "I am pleased and encouraged that the National Council of Churches is continuing to dialogue with us, despite pressure to break off relations," said Rev. Elder Troy Perry, founder and moderator of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches; after the NCC General Board received a report on the dialogue. The report marks the 10 year anniversary of UFMCC's application for membership in the NCC. Controv ersy arose because UFMCC affirms lesbian and gay people, and the application was never approved. "Although we are not yet recognized as members, the NCCUFMCC Dialogue Committee report that ";as received today by the General Board states that we have now reached an historical moment when church and society must face the issue of justice for lesbian and gay people," Perry said. In this report, the NCC admits for the first time that "the issue of homosexuality appears to be firmly entrenched within the lives of many (NCC) member communions." Rev. Perry said that UFMCC will continue to be a Christian church that proclaims \::;od's love for all people, including gay and lesbian people. "Our dialogue with NCC will, by the grace of God , empower the entire Christian church to identify and justly address lesbian and gay issues." The report also breaks new ground by pointing out the connections among the growth of UFMCC, the impact of- AIDS, the emergence of militant lesbian and gay rights groups, and the increasing organization of lesbian and gay people and their supporters within NCC member communions. Lesbian veteran champions Project 1 O in Milwaukee Miriam Ben Shalom attended a mid-November worship service at Long Beam Metropolitan Community Churm to receive the Humanitarian of the Year Awa.rd from Senior Pastor Dusty Pruitt. Both Ben Shalom· and Pruitt have spent the last decade or more in litigation against the U.S. Army to remain in their local reserve units. Both have won some of their court cases and fost others. Ben Shalom had the Supreme Court moose not to hear her case last year and Pruitt recently succeeded in convincing the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco to rule against the Army because discrimination based on public prejudice is not justifiable by a government agency. In accepting her award, Ben Shalom thanked the congregation for the honor, though she accepted it in the name of many others . who are also struggling to end bigotry and prejudice towards Gays and Lesbians. She discussed the fact that this summer s·he srriously considered ending her .involvement in Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Veterans of . America, a group she helped found in late 1989. She thought she needed a break from the 20 hour days, the travel and the pressure. But then the Jeffery Dahmer case unraveled in Milwaukee . Some SEE VETERAN, Page 20 <::hristians to come out of the closet, whenever and wherever possible, and to help empower and celebrate one another in taking this courageous step . It emphasizes the development of justice-based theologies and spiritual resources that grow from the lesbian Christian experience;· the exploration of new understandings of sexuality and commitment; and encourages networking with organizations of other marginalized women and men. In Minneapolis, Janie Spahr, an openly lesbian Presbyterian minister, spoke to the group on 'The Journey Out ," as they convened . Spahr is executive director of the Ministry of Light, a resource center in Marin County, Calif., for Lesbians, gay men, bisexual people, and people with 1-IlV. The next morning, Carter Heyward and Mary Hunt shared the floor to look back at the pioneering work of Christian Lesbians in the '70s and to warn of today's dangers. Heyward defined the current political climate as "an historical moment of distortions, when everything is called what it is not." She called on her community to "work politically and pastorally with compassion" to reveal these distortions. "We're living in the era -of Skull and Bones," Hurit concurred, referring to the secret society President George Bush belonged to as .a student at Yale University. She described the intrinsically sinister nature of secrect societies and their relationship to power and privilege. "Violence is not episodic, it's contextual. Justice at best is episodic,"' she said of the United States in this decade. Heywart:I. is an Episcopal priest and professor of theology at the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Mass. Hunt, a Roman Catholic feminist, is co-director of the Women'.s Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER) in Silver Spring, Maryland. Whatever challenges Christian Lesbians may face, participants agreed that they were out of the closet to stay as they began to plan CLOUT's future. When the storm was oven, the city had received half its average annual snowfall and CLOUT had established a national network designed to ., support Christian Lesbians who are out of the closet, to provide a lesbian presence within the established denominations, and to explore a theology that springs from their own experiences as Christians and as Lesbians. For information about CLOUT contact Se/isse Berry, 1i11 1/2 Castro St., San Francisco, CA 94114, or call (415)550-7796. OURWORLD The International Gay Travel Magazine Month by month, we invite you to explore the exciting world of travel available to gay men and lesbians . Each month we help you to discover the multitude of interesting hotels, inns and resorts that welcome the gay traveler. Enjoy articles and color photos of a romantic hotel in Spain, a secluded retreat in Hawaii, a manor house in the English countryside, a Greek pension overlooking the sea, a rustic resort in Colorado, and more -all catering to our lifestyle! Plus, every month, regular departments provide you with valuable information on gay events and festivals, travel updates and tips, interviews, and the latest gay trips and tours-sail the Caribbean on a private yacht, join an expedition to Nepal, cruise the Mediterranean on a luxury liner or fly to Sydney for the Gay Mardi Gras. .__ ________ _,_ Whatever you're looking for, let OUR WORLD be your ticket to adventure. 1 year (12 colorful issues) only $ 44 (in the USA) - _US$ 52 (Worldwide). First issue mails in 4--6 weeks in plain sealed envelope. Sample copy US$ 5. · Mail To~ Our World Publishing 1104 North Nova Road, Suite 251 Daytona Beach, Florida 32117 USA TEL: (904) 441-5367 Second Stone• Jauuary/Febrnary j99z ~ ... ·-........................ ....C....a..l.e.. n. .d .. .a. . r . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . Thef ollowinga nnouncemenths aveb een submitted by sponsoringo r affiliated groups. Sh;terly Co1nversations JANUARY 10-12, current concerns among Lesbians of faith, led by Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, feminist theologian and board member of the Center for Sexuality and Religion. Topics include how to develop a care-based ethic to replace heteropatriarchy 's competition-based ethic of conflicting rights and how to heal ourselves and our relationships of the damage done by incest, · physical and psychological abuse, and the woman-hatred and gay-hatred of society. Cost is $195. The setting is Kirkridge, Bangor, PA 18013-9359. Call (215)588-1793f or information . Homophobia in Religion and Society JANUARY 31, Church of St. Bernadette, Houma, LA; FEBRUARY 1, St. Francis Cabrini Hospital, Alexandria, LA; FEBRUARY 3, Catholic Center, Shreveport, LA; FEBRUARY.5 , St. Patrick's Hospital, Lake Charles, LA; FEBRUARY 7, Unitarian Church, Baton Rouge, LA - A Catholic priest and nun bring their 7-year national campaign to.reduce violence and discrimination andJromote understanding of gay an lesbian people to southern Louisiana. Robert Nugent, SDS, and Jeannine Gramick, SSND, have been speaking and writing on the top!C of homosexuality since 1971. Seminars are designed for clergy and laity of all denominations, edu-. cators, counselors, social workers, AIDS activists and others in the helping professions and the concerned general public. For information contact the Center for Homophobia Education, P.O. Box 1985, New York, NY 10159, (212)884-8228. Se!venth annual Charismatic Ccmference FEBRUARY 7-9, "Equipped to Serve" 1s the theme of this gathering sponsored by MCC Long Beach, Ca. The conference will feature a wide variety of workshops and guest speakers including Rev. Elder Troy Perry, Rev. Phyllis Mann, Rev. Delores Berry, Rev. Dusty Pruitt and Rev. Duane Moret. Registration is $30. Contact MCC Long Beach, 1231 Locust-Ave., Long Beach, CA 90813, (310)432-3641. [16J-SecoStonned• J amlary/February 1992 Fifth Annual T-E-N Weekend FEBRUARY 21-23, The Evangelical Network sponsors its annual gathering. Speakers include Torey Stuart, Rada Schaff, Jim Elsbury and Fred Pattison. Panel discussions follow each presentation . The registration fee is $25.00 per p2rson. For information, contact T-E-N, P.O. Box 16104, Phoenix, AZ 85011 or call (602)265-2831 Institute of the Son FEBRUARY 24-29, Phoenix Evangelical Bible Institute sponsors its third annual institute. The theme is "Living in Christian Relationships." The sessions will include materials used in preparing couples for Covenant (Holy Union) Services. $50.00 fee includes materials, tuition breakfast and lunch. For informatio~ write to P.O. Box 16104, Phoenix, AZ 85011 Brethren/ Mennonite Connecting Families MARCH 13-15, "Listening, Learning, Loving" is the theme selected for the third Connecting Families weekend at Laurelville Mennonite Church Center . Planned by families with gay or lesbian members, the weekend retreat seeks to build communication lines between parents and aduH siblings in families dealing with the issue of homosexuality. Featured presenter will be Michael A. King, author, editor and former pastor . More information may be obtained from Brethren/Mennonite Church Center, Route 5, Mt. Pleasant, PA 15666. Affirmation spring gathering · MAY 8:10, United Methodists for Gay & Lesbian Concerns· meets in Louisville, Ky. during the UMC General Conference. For information contact Affirmation, P.O. Box 1022, Evanston, IL 60204. 13th Annual Gay & Lesbian Parents Conference JULY 2-5, the Gay and Lesbian Parents Conference meets in Indianapolis for Celebration '92 at the downtown Hyatt Regency. "Come Home to Indy" is the theme. For information write to GLPCI Celebration '92, Box 831, Indianapolis IN 46206. ' Spiritfest '92 JULY 3-4, New Creation Christian Fellowship, St. Louis, Mo., hosts Grace Ministries' annual Celebration of the Holy Spirit. The S.l.U. Conference Center is the setting. Spiritfest has been expanded from two to three full days. For infor- . mation contact New Creation Christian Fellowship, 2138 Orgeon St. Louis, MO 63103, 1-800-945-1992. Lutherans Concerned Assembly '92 JULY 9-12, Lutherans Concerned/ North America meets at the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Ordinary People Science for Assembly '92. "Free to Celebrate: We are the church" is the theme. For information write to LC/NA, Box 10461, Fort Dearborn Station, Chicago, IL 60610-0461. CCL 10th Anniversary National Conference JULY 17-20, The Conference for Catholic Lesbians meets in the Boston area. CCL is a national organization for Lesbians of Catholic heritage. For information contact CCL-SS, P.O. Box 435 Planetarium Station, New York, NY 10024. SEND EVENT NOTICES TO: CALENDAR, SECOND STONE, P.O. BOX 8340, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 Awareness Project brings campaign to national magazine The Lesbian and Gay Public Awareness Project began its national ?1edia campaign with a full page ad m the year-end double issue of Peaple Ma9azine, according to Awareness Proiect Executive Director Julie Baron. The ad, the first by a gay organization to be published in People, encourages readers to look beyond lesbian and gay stereotypes and acknowledges them as real people. Baron says the ad is part of a comprehensive campaign to educate Americans that gay people are integral to all races and cultural groups. The importance of providing positive images and role models for Lesbians and Gays is another purpose behmd t_he ~d. "We are not asking for special nghts, but for our basic human rights," Baron says. "We ask for ~othing more and we will accept n_othmg less. Until we all have equal nghts, no one is · truly free," she stated. Hollywood actor Dick Sargeant, who recently announced that he is gay on "Entertainment Tonight" and who appears in the ad, said, 'There were no role models for me. The suicide rate for gay and lesbian teenagers is so high, we've got to get more people to come out." Said founding Director Catherine Coker, who established the organization in 1987, 'This ad is especially relevant since California Governor Pete Wilson succumbed to pressure from religious fundamentalists and reneged on a promise to sign AB 101, the state's anti-discrimination in the workplace bill." Although Awareness Project ads have appeared across the nation in a variety of publications in the last five years, the People ad marks the first one purchased in a national publication. Baron says the ad appeared in ten major metropolitan areas and was seen by 1.7 million readers. The selected metro areas included: New Yo~k City,_ Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit, San Francisco-Sacramento, Dallas-Fort Worth, Cleveland and Washington, DC-Baltimore. Founded after a young man senselessly committed suicide because he was gay, The Awareness Project operates a wide range of multimedia activities including radio public service announcements, a video series for cable-access television and a speakers bureau. The Awareness Project has also distributed thousands of brochures about homophobia and produces educational and positive image print ads. One ad, "Are you abusing your child without knowing it?" is written by the mother of the young man who committed suicide with the regret that she taught her son to hate Lesbians and Gays. For information on the Awareness Project, write to P.O. Box 65603, Los Angeles, CA 90065. T Noteworthy • ..................................... • .................................. . "Welcoming" churches totaJ 225 There are now over 225 local churches in the United States and Canada that have made a public declaration that they welcome Lesbians and gay men - 15 percent more than a year ago, reports the Reconciling Congregation ·program. The leaders of these local church programs in different denominations met in Chicago, November 15-17, to share information and to discuss cooperative efforts. Since the leaders of the program met a year ago two new programs have organized - in the Disciples of Christ and in Brethren/Mennonite churches . Reports were heard that organizing efforts are beginning in the American Baptist and Episcopal denominations . Some of the discussion during the weekend centered on cooperation in the publication of the magazine Open Hands. The groups agreed to name representatives to a joint editorial advisory committee which would assist in planning and evaluation of the magazine. A proposal to move to formal cooperative publishing is still under consideration by the boards of the various groups. The programs represented at the meeting and their number of churches are: More Light (Presbyterian)- 46; Open and Affirming (United Church of Christ)-63; Reconciling Congregations (United Methodist)-49; Reconciled-in-Christ (Lutheran)-69 ; Supportive (Brethren / Mennonite) - new. Ecumenicaf Catholic Church begins services at Russian River The first Sunday in Advent, December 1, marked the beginning of weekly masses for St. Michael's Ecumenical Catholic Church. The Most Reverend Dr. Mark Shirila 11, bishop of the Ecumenical Catholic Church, recently relocated to the Russian River area from Southern California to begin this mission work. The ECC is a small, independent denomination within the Christian Church. The worship service is formal but modern, similar to that of most Roman Catholic, Episcopal, and Lutheran churches . The theology is based _ on the Nicene and Apostle's _ Creeds which unite all Christians together. The basic difference is that the ECC teachs that God's love is unconditional. The denomination was formed in 1987 because the larger church bodies were failing to address all persons in love. While conservative bodies were condemning divorce and liberal bodies were debating whether homosexuality was acceptable, the ECC was proclaiming the God's love has nothing to do with whether you are gay, straight, single, married, divorced, male or female. Ordination in the ECC is open to women and Gays, and gay marriages are viewed l\.S equal to their heterosexual counterparts. Until larger facilities are found , the masses will be held in the chap ~! of the bishop's residence. All p erso n s are welcome at St. Michael's and Holy Communion is open to all bapti ze d Christians, regardless of church affiliation . For information call (707)865-0119. UFMCC's EXCEL seeks couples for retreat program EXCEL International, UFMCC's lay renewal ministry, is seeking committed couples to help develop a new retreat program. The program is designed to help couples strengthen their relationship through centering their relationship in Christ. EXCEL hopes to form a retreat team of three or four couples - who will host a couples weekend after an intensive training period. Training will be based on a retreat manual that has been specifically written for the program, as well as other materials the team wishes to contribute. Couples interested in formin{ a team must be willing to train intensively for a year-long period and should be graduates of EXCEL. Interested persons should contact Brenda Blizzard, (313)775-6663. Activist, author Gerald Mallon dies Gerald L. Mallon, long-time gay rights activist and author of Resisting Racism, An Action Manual, died November 5, 1991 of complications related to AIDS. Mallon had been an active member of Dignity for more than 15 years, during which he served in various positions. Most recently, he served as a lector, and as a Eucharistic Minister on the Liturgy Committee. He was emloyed by the Methacton School District in Pennsylvania as Planetarium Director since graduating from college in 1974. In a tribute to his major contribution to the school district, the planetarium will be renamed in his honor . As director of the planetarium he was selected frorri a host of other applicants to be the first recipient of the prestigious Challenger Seven Fellowship, a memorial to the astronauts who lost their lives in the shuttle disaster. Mallon was a founding member of the Philadelphia chapter of Black and White Men Together and also a former co-chair · of the National Association of Black and White Men Together . Spirit of the Lakes fund drive a huge success Far exceeding expectations, Spirit of the Lakes Ecumenical Community Church, Minneapolis, Minn., has garnered over $400,000 in pledges during its four-month capital fund drive. Pledges surpassed the church's goal of $300,000. The drive was designed to pay off part of Spirit of the Lakes' recently acquired building, provide for structural improvements, cover fund-raising expenses, and purchase Texas State Representative: a computer system. -Equal Time Alabama church celebrates fifth anniversary The Metropolitan Community Church of Huntsville celebrated its fifth anniversary in October. Rev . Troy Perry, founder of the Metropolitan Community Churches, was featured speaker at the anniversary celebration . Rev. Janet Pierce, pastor of the Huntsville church said that, although it was a wonderful weekend, she was disappointed in local media converage. Perry told the gathering that 'The most revolutionary act still left in America is for two men or two women to walk down the streets of Huntsville _ holding hands." -Alabama Forum Homosexuals bear sole responsibility for bringing AIDS to United States · State Representative Billy Clemons (Democrat, Po llock County, Texas) stated in a letter to an AIDS activist that homosexuals were responsible for bringing AIDS to the United States and speading it "all over." Clemons has seived as both the Vice Chairman of the Public Health Commission and as a member of the State Task Force on AIDS and has also expressed as interest in running for Speaker of the Texas House. ·"I am not homophobic, if that means I am afraid of homosexuals," Clemons wrote in a letter to Ben Rick Jordan, a resident of Lufkin and an AIDS activist in East Texas. He added, "I don't fear them, but I do have some resenttnent , which is based on two things: 1. each person's lifestyle is their own business, but don't expect me to accept it and say it's okay . I don't expect anyone to tell me that what I do is okay, if what I'm doing is unhealthy or ungodly. 2. lllV is a homosexual disease. It was brought to this country by homosexuals, spread all over by homosexuals (the original acronym was GRID: gayrelated immunodeficiency disease) . Babies would not be born with it, and blood recipients would not get it, if it had not been for homosexuals . If you think more heterosexual cases wil! cause society to blame policy makings, more than homosexuals, you're wrong. The general society blames the homosexual community . . The fact that HIV was brought to and spread all over the USA by homosexuals is not a matter of opinion, but rather of expert testimony ." Clemons conclud ed, "Neither policy makers nor the public is concerned about preserving promiscuity . Our testimony made it obvious that what homosexuals really hated, was that they would either have to abandon their promiscuity, or die." For your convenience you may now FAX: EDITORIAL •Letters to the Editor •Newscllps •Calendar items SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES •New subscriptions •Renewals •Gift subscriptions •Address changes ADVERTISING •Classified ads •Insertion orders or space reservations (504)891-7555 Second Stone• January/Febrnary 1992 [iz] Resource. Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Listings in lhe Resource Guide are free to churches, organizations, publications and community services. Send information to Second Stone, Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 or FAX to (504)891-7555. National RELIGION WATCH, P.O. Box 652, North · Bellmore, NY 11710. A newsletter monitoring trends in contemporary r~ligion. LUTHERANS CONCERNED I NORTH AMERICA, Box 10461. Fort Dearborn Station, Chicago, IL 60610-0461. Publi cation: The Concord PRESBYTERIANS FOR LESBIAN & GAY CONCERNS, P.O. Box 38, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0038. Publication: More Light Update UNIVERSAL FELLOWSHIP OF METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCHES 5300 Santa Monica Blvd., #304, Los Angeles, CA 90020, (213)464-5100. Publication: Keeping in Touch · BRETHREN / MENNONITE COUNCIL FOR LESBIAN AND GAY CONCERNS, Box 65724, Washington, DC 20035. Publication: Dialogue UNITED CHURCH COALITION FOR LESBIAN / GAY CONCERNS, 18 N. College, Athens , OH 45701, (614) 593-7301. Publication: Waves SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS KINSHIP INTERNATIONAL, Box 3840, Los Angeles, CA 90078, (213)876-2076. Publication: Connection RECONCILING CONGREGATION PROGRAM, P.O. Box 23636, Washington, be 20026, (202)863 , 1586. Publication : Open Hands INTEGRITY, INC, P.O. Box 19561, Washington, DC 20036-0561, (718) 720-3054 . Pub lication : The Voice of Integrity ECUMENICAL CATHOLIC CHURCH, P.O. Box 32, Villa Grande, CA 95486-0032. Holy Spirt Church, East Moline, IL, (309)792 - 6188. St Michael's Church, Russian River, CA, (707) 865-0119 . Publication: The Tablet LIVING STREAMS, P.O. Box · I78, Concord, CA 94522-0178. Bi-monlh~y· publication. AIDS NATIONAL INTERFAITH NETWORK, 300 I St, NE, Ste. 400, W!'5hington, DC 20002. (800)288-9619, FAX (202)546-5103. Publication: Interaction. NATIONAL CENTER FOR LESBIAN R(GHTS - 1663 Mission St, Sib Fir., San Francisco, CA 94103. GAY AND LESBIAN PARENT COALITION, P.O. Box 50360, Washington, DC 20091. Publication: Network. THE WITNESS, Published by the Episcopal Church Publishing Co., 1249 Washington Blvd., Ste. 3115, Detroit, Ml 48226-1868. (313)962-2650 INTERNATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN ARCHIVES, The Natalie Barney Edward Carpenter Library, P.O. Box 38100, Hollywood, CA 90038. (213)854-0271. Publication : Bulletin. · COUPLES Newsletter , Published by TWT Press, Inc. , P.O. Box 253: Braintree, MA 02184-0003. WOODSWOMEN - Adventure travel for women, 25 · W. Di.amond . Lake Rd., Minneapolis, MN 55419 ; (800)279-0555, (612)822-3809, FAX (612)822:3814. DAUGHTERS •OF SARAH ·- Jhe magazi.ne for Christian Feminists, 3801 No. Keeler, Chicago, IL 60641, (312)736-3399. CHI RHO PRESS , A special_ work of the UFMCC Mid,Atlanlic District Publisher of religious books and materials. ' P.O. Box 7864, Gaithersburg, MD 20898, (301)670-1859 : COMMUNICATION MINISTRY, INC.Dialogue and support group for gay and lesbian Catholic clergy and religious. P.O. Box 60125, Chicago, · JL 60660-0125. Publication: Communication · ·, WOMEN'S ALLIANCE FOR THEOLOGY, . ETHICS AND RITUAL, 803,5 13th St., Silver Spring, MD 20910 . (301)589-2509 , FAX (301)589-3150. Publication: WATERwheeL AFFIRMATION/United Methodists for Gay & Lesbian ·Concerns, P.O . Box 1022, Evanston, IL 60204 : ST. TABITHA'S AIDS APOSTOLATE, Christian AIDS Network of the Merican Orthodox Catholic Church of St Gregorios, P.O. Box 1543, Monterey, CA 93940. (408)899-073 L THE WOMEN'S PROJECT, 2224 Main St., Little Rock, AR 72206. (501)372-5113. Workshops on women's issues. social justice , racism and homophobia. Alabama BIRMINGHAM - THE ALABAMA FORUM, P.O. Box 55894, 35255-5894. (205)328-9228. California SAN FRANCISCO - DIGNITY, 208 Dolores St, , 94103. (415)255-9244. Publication: Bridges. SACRAMENTO - THE LATEST ISSUE, P.O. Box 160584, 95816 . (916)737-1088. WEST HOLLYWOOD - Evangelicals Together, Suite 109-Box 16, 7985 Santa Monica Blvd,, West Hollywood, CA 90046, (213)656-8570. Publication: ET News SAN FRANCISCO - Lutherans Concerned , 566 Vallejo St., #25, 94133-4033, (415)956-2069. Publication: Advent SAN FRANCISCO - Gay and Lesbian Historical Society of Northern California, P.O. Box 42126, 94 142. (415)626 -0980 . Publication: Our Stories. SAN FRANCISCO - The Parsonage, 555-A Castro St, 94114 -0293. Publication: The Parsonage News CO!Orado .DENVER - Evangelicals Reconciled, P.O. Box 200111, 80220 , (303)331-2839 . Colorado Springs: (719)488-3158 . DENVER - Evangelicals Concerned I Western Region, P.O. Box 4750, 80204. Publication: ThECable. District of Columbia · Integrity/Washington, Inc., P.O. Box 19561, 20036-0561. (301)953-9421. Publication: Gayspring. Florida ST. PETERSBURG - King of Peace MCC, 4825 9th Ave. N., 33713-6135. (813)323-5857. Sunday, 10:00 a.m. & 7 :30 p.m. Rev. Dr. Fred C Williams, Sr., Pastor. Georgia ATLANTA - SOUTHERN VOICE, P.O. Box 18215, 30316. (404)876-1819 . Hawau KAHULUI - BITTH SIDES NOW Newsletter, P.O. Box 5042, 96732. lllmois CHICAGO - OUTLINES , Published · by Lambda Publications, 3059 N. Southport, 60657. (312)871-7610. FAX (312) 871-7609. Louisiana BATON ROlJGE - Dignity, P.O. 1\ox 4181, 70821. (504)383-6010. Mary land . THE BALTIMORE ALTERNATIVE, P.O. Box 2351, Baltimore, MD 21203. (301)235-3401. FAX (301)889-5665. Massachusetts CHERRY VALLEY - Morning Star MCC, 231 Main St., 01611. (508) 892-4320. r - -. - Ll.8JSecond Stone• January/Febmary 1992 Publication: Morning Star Witness. Michigan DETROIT - CRUISE Magazine, 19136 Woodward North, 48203. (313)369-1901. FLINT - Redeemer MCC, 1665 N. Chevrolet Ave., 48504. (313)238-6700. Sunday, 6:00 p.m. Publication: Sounds of Redeemer. ANN ARBOR - Huron Valley Com- munity Church meets at Glacier Way UMC, 1001 Green Rd., Ann Arbor , 48105-2896. (313)741- 1174. Sunday, 2:00 p.m. DETRCIT - Integrity, 980 Whitmore, #205, 48203. GRAND RAPIDS - Bethel Christian Assembly, P.O. Box 6935, 49516. (616)459-8262 . Rev. Bruce Roller-Pletcher , pastor. Publication: The Bethel Beacon. Minnesota MINNEAPOLIS - All God's Children Metropolitan Community Church, 3100 Park Ave. S. (612)824-2673. Publication: The Disciple. MINNEAPOLIS : EQUAL TIME , 310 E 38th St, Room 207, 55409. (612) 823-3836. Published by Lavendar, Inc . New Jersey HOBOKEN - The Oasis, 707 Washington St, P.O. Box 5149, 07030. (201) 792-0340 . New Mexico SANTA FE - THE CATSBY CONNECTION , 551 W. Cordova, Ste. DIE , 87501. (505)986-1794 . New York NEW YORK - Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center, Inc., 208 W . 13th St, !OOH. (212)620-7310. Publica_tions: Center Stage, Center Voice. NEW YORK - lhtegritj,', P.O. Box 5202, 10185-0043. Publication : Outlook . ROCHESTER - THE EMPTY CLOSET. 179 Atlantic Ave., 14607-1255. New York State's oldest gay newspaper. Ohio COLUMBUS - Metropolitan Community Church, 1253 North High Street, 43201. (614)294-3026. Sunday, 10: 30 a.m. Publication: The Beacon News. COLUMBUS - STONEWALL UNION REPORTS, Box 10814, 43201-7814. (614)299-7764. Pennsylv ania ALLENTOWN - Grace Covenant Fellowship, 247 N. 10th St., 18102. (215)740 -0247. Bryon Rowe, Pastor. Thom Ritter, Minister of Music. Texas DALLAS - White Rock Community Church , P.O. Box 180063, 75218. (214)285-2831, (214)327-9157. Sunday, 10:30 a.m. Jerry Cook, Pastor. AUSTIN - Joan Wakeford Ministries, Inc., 9401-B Grouse Meadow Ln., 78758-6348. (512)835 -7354. DALLAS - Silent Harvest Ministries, P.O .. Box 190511, 75219-0511. (214) 520-6655. MIDLAND - Holy Trinity Community · Church, 1607 S. Main, 79701. (915)570-4822. Rev. Glenn E. Hammett, Pastor. Publication:Trinity Tribune . . DALLAS - Holy Trinity Community C hurch , 4402 · Roseland, 75204. (214)827-5088. Rev. Frederick Wright, Pastor. Publication: The Chaiiot LUBBOCK - Lesbian/Gay Alliance, Inc., P.O. Box 64746, 79464-4746. (806)791.-4499. Publication: Lambda Times, ROANOKE - MCC of the Blue Ridge, P.O. Box 20495, 24018, (703)366-0839. Publi~tion: The Blue Ridge Banner ROANOKE - BLUE RIDGE LAMBDA PRESS, P.O . Box 237, 24002, (703)890-31134. . FALLS · CHURCH - MCC of Northern Virginia, 7245 Lee Highway, 22046. · Washington SEA TILE GAY NEWS, 704 E. Pike, 98122. (206)324-4297. FAX (206) 322-7188. SEA TILE - Grace Gospel Chapel. 2052 NW 64th St, 98107. (206)784-8495. Sunday, 11:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. Jerry Lachina, Pastor. International LONDON - Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, Oxford House. Derbyshire St, London E2 6HG, UK, 071-739-1249. Not Listed? Listings are free. Just tell us who you are. -Others want to know about you too! Second Stone, Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. FAX (504)891-7555. ARE YOU MOVING? The Post Office will not forward The Second Stone. You must notify us for uninterrupted service if you move. Please notify us four weeks in advance for unint er rupted delivery . Send both old and new addresses . If possible attach mailing label in space provided. PRINT NEW ADDRESS N ;; 0 0 . :it Send completed form to: THE SECOND STONE Box8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 T Just Out T ........................................ Victory Choir out on new cassette The music ministry of the Metropolitan Community Church of Washington, D.C. has announced the release of "Glorious Praise, " a professional recording by the 32 voice Victory Choir and musicians under the direction of Dale Jarrett. . "Glorious Prais e" consists of eight songs by the entire choir, plus two songs by the Women's Ensemble and two songs by the Men's Ensemble. Director Jarrett said, "We are excited to share our gifts in such a way that it would encourage our sisters and brothers to be faithful in their walk with Christ, and to encourage • other gay and lesbian Christian congregations to know that God can inde ed move in our lives if we will just be faithful, and get a vision of what God so lovingly wants to do in all of our lives." Construction was · to start on MCC/DC's new ministry facility as this issue went to press. Pastor is Rev. Larry Uhrig and Associat e Pastor is Candace Shultis. Cassettes may b e purchased at the church or by mail. Proceeds benefit the McBride Fund fqr Music Ministry at MCC/Washington, D.C. To order, send $12.00 to "Glorious Praise," cf o MCC-DC, 415 M St. , NW, (Washington, DC 20001. MCC/DC's Victory Choir on newly released "Glorious Praise" Gay and lesbian veterans honored History-making tribute out on video A first time ever tribute to lesbian and gay veterans drew a crowd of 200 to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the grounds of the California state capital in Sacramento on November 9. Those in attendance heard praises for Gays and Lesbians in the military from several speakers despite the Department of Defense's official policy that "homosexuality is incompatible with military service." At least one person wore a bag over his head to protect his identity. An inspiring and moving video of the ceremony is now available on VHS, according to event organizer Lynn Strawbridge . "It is my hope," Strawbridge said, "that we can generate enough interest in this ceremony to inspire Lesbians and Gays in every city to sponsor an event like · this. · -1 believe it shows our community in such a positive light that it can only help further the cause of all human and civil rights." Strawbridge completed the · task of putting the event together in spite of Keith Haring "Coming Out" pin As an addition to the very popular Official Keith Haring National Coming Out Day T-shirts, greeting cards, stickers and buttons, a brand new Coming Out Day commemorative has been created: the celebrity pin. This .1" square gold, four color pin (of the Keith Haring person coming out of the closet) was the hit of the Creating Change Conference in D.C. ·•we sold out almost immediately. It . was incredible!" said Jim Hutchinson, D.C. Coordinator for NCOD. For information on the pin, call 1-800-445-NCOD. ill health. The Sacramento Lesbian and Gay Town Council voted to sponsor the tribute every year until the Department of Defense rescinds its' order discriminating against Gays in the armed forces. The event, which received wide spread television and newspaper publicity, featured posthumous tributes to two decorated gay Vietnam Book catalog hot off the press A Different Light Bookstore has recently published the latest edition of its mailorder catalog, HA Different , Light Review." The fully annotated and illustrated free mailorder catalog, which includes over 200 fiction and non -fiction book titles of special interest to lesbian and gay people, is easily obtainable by calling 1-800-343-4002. A Different Light Bookstore, with retail locations in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and West Hollywood, stocks over 13,000 fiction and non ~fiction titles, everything written by, for and about gay and lesbian people. ~ Evangelicals • '1/ logetlrer Art:. 8181.E STWY GIIOOPS SOCIAlS • IIOll«slfOPS • IIETAEA1S HIV I Al>$ Sll'POIIT GIIOOP l'ASIDIIAL CARE I COIJHSEI.IHG FOR Gay & Lesbian Christians In Southern Callfonia ... sioce 1979 Sufi• f 09-Box f tf 79B5 St1nt11 Monica Boulevard We•t Hollywood, CA 9004tf . 213/65(3-8570 veterans, Leonard Matlovich and Harvey Thompson, each acknowledged by speakers as "gay American heros." Keynote speaker Rev. Dusty Pruitt was discharged from the Army Reserves after admitting in a 1983 Los Angeles Times interview that she was a lesbian. 'Just stating that I was a lesbian made me a moral derelict," New video for gay/lesbian youth Be True to Yourself, a new video on lesbian/ gay youth, is available from 21st Century News. The video features a studio interview with Bob and · Rod Jackson-Paris and ten teenagers. , It includes a 36-page resource guide. Members of St. Francis in the Foothills United Methodist Church · are principals of 21st Century News. The cost of the video is $29.95 plus $3.00 postage. The company may be contacted at 1880 E. River Road, #210, Tucson, AZ 85718, (602)577-6476. said Pruitt. 'No one considered how moral learning to throw a low yield nuclear weapon on a target might have been." · "A Tribute to Gay and Lesbian Veterans" is available from America's Legal Bookstore, 725 J St., Sacramento, CA 95814, for $14.00 · plus $350 postage. For information call (916)441-0410. lht "olhtr" place 111tdtr lht sun ... - Write or call for brochure. - 120 E. Aioi St., P. 0 . Box 2326 South Padre Island, Texas 78597 (512)761-L YLE Air connections via 'American, Continental, Southwest G:ive a gift subscription to your local public library. Send Second Stone to your local publlc, university or seminary library. Each Issue arrives as a gift in your name (unless you tell us otherwise.) Only $13.00 for a one year subscription. To begin service Immediately, FAX your order to (504)891-7555. Or send your order to Second Stone. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. You do not have to specify a particular library. We have a long llst of libraries awafffng donations. And you may donate as many subscriptions as you like. Second Stone• January/Febmary 1992 [ii] ..................................C....l.a..s..s..i.i..i.e..d...s. ................. Books & Publications "WONDERFUL DIVERSITY," "Heartily recommended,' "Philosophically intriguing," "Excellent" Why do reviewers . highly esteem · CHRISTIAN*NEW AGE QUARTERLY? Great articles and lively columns make this bridge of dialogue between Christians and New Agers as entertaining as it is substantive. Subscribe for only $12.50/yr. Or sample us for $3.50. CHRISTIAN'NEW AGE QUARTERLY, P.O. Box 276, Qifton , NJ 07011-0276. TF Read about gay/lesbian books . - 10%REVIEW 6 issues -free for the asking BOOKSEl'C I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ------------------7 Classified Order Form FOR ONLY 35¢ per word, your ciassified ad will reach readers from Sitka, Alaska to Amherst, Maine and everywhere in between. Business or personal. .. try a classified ad in our next edition! Mail To: Second Stone Box 8340 Name·------------ Addre11s_. ________ _ City/St./Zip. _______ _ AD COPY _______ _ ·-------------------- -------- ------------- ·. __ words X .35= $ ____ _ 20 word minimum . All classifieds must be pre-paid. Deadline one month prior to cover date. We will mail you a copy of the edition(s) in which your ad Please place my ad in these issues: [ J Jan/Feb [ J Mar/Apr [ J May/Jun [ J Jul/Aug [ ] Sept/Oct [] Nov/Dec CLASSIFICATIONS [ l Books & Publications [ l Business 'Opportunities [ ] Employment [ l Friends/Relationships t ] General Interest [ ] Mail Order [ l Merchandise [ ] Organizations [ l Professional Services [ J Real Estate [ l Retreats I 2410 West Ave "N" San Angelo, Texas 76904 Bl2/9! I New Orfeans, LA 70182 appears [ J Roommates [ ]Travel 52 gay/lesbian Episcopalians share their journeys in I ____________________________________________________________ _ A BOOK OF REVELATIONS $12 post paid from BOOKS El'C 2410 W. Ave "N" San Angelo, TX 76904 Bl2 /91 Ferrari's PLACES OF INTEREST International Gay Guide with maps, new fall 1991 $!4 ·post paid from BOOKS ETC 2410 W. Ave 'N" San Angelo, TX 76904 Bl2/91 CHI RHO PRESS. Send for your copy of The Bible and Homosexuality by Rev. Michael England for $5.95 or I'm Still Dancing by long-term AIDS survivor Rev. Steve Pieters for $8.95 and receive a free catalog from Chi Rho Press, an MCC-based publishing house for the Gay/Lesbian Christian community. Or receive our catalog by sending $1.00. P.O. Box 7864-A, Gaithersburg, MD 20898. Employment AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAM seeks Associate to: help implement AA plan at American Friends Service Committee, Philadelphia; to provide TA on gay and lesbian, women's issues; c09rdinate newsletter publication; help develop and facilitate training experiencesa ro1:1nadf firmative action issues. Requires: capacity to address problems stemming from various forms of oppression.~ experience with diversity training preferred~ mature judgment and ability lo communicate well; experience with. ·program development; ability to collect & analyze data, conduct inteviews, prepare reports. Send resume: Karen Cromley; AFSC/Personnel Dept.; 1501 Cherry St.; Philadelphia, PA 19102. 2/92 Friends/Relationships 28, GWM, 5'8' 180 lbs, brown, green, AA college grad. - Would like t◊ meet for friendship or more in the South Jersey area. I will travel to MD, DE, or PA. I ani masculine, yet very affectionate at the right times. I don't smoke, but drink socially. Please send photo /letter to Frank, P.O. Box 567, N·ewport, NJ 08345. You may also call 12ol Second Stone. January/February 1992 ~~J (609)453-8777, then use access code 4473861. Pen pals OK if meet not possible. B4192 GWM, 39, 6'2" , 165 lbs:, brown hair, mustache, healthy, smoke and drug free, varied interests, responsible, qtiiet, caririg, friend/relationship oriented . Seeking similar · minded ·man (25 to 55) preferably in Mobile, Alabama or vicinity. Rob, P.O. Box. 16424, Mobile, AL 36616. 2192 Inmate Correspondence GWM, age 23, seeking friendship ihrough correspondence. I am a very honest and sincere person who would love to meet a ne·w friend, Please write to Dwayne Chappell #866376, P.O. Box 41, Michigan City, IN 46360. Merchandise FOR SALE: 800 perfect, used compact discs from a private library, mostly classical. Very reasonably priced, $2.00 - $7.50. Call (616)361-6194 evenings. 4/92. Organizations CONFERENCE FOR CATHOLIC LESBIANS (CCL) 10th Anniversary National Conference - Boston area, July 17-20, '92. National organizatio~ o( Lesbians of Catholic heritage. Regional and local groups. Newsletter (Sample $3.00). Contact CCL-SS, P.O. Box 435 Planetarium Station, New York, NY 10024 or (607)432-9295. 4/92 Business or PersonalTry a Second St.one Clas&fiedAd! PEOPLE, From Page 13 had to lie and hide and was amazed that no onenotked. "I was saying the right words, and the right words were fine with them. Was that all they w ...n ted? Is that all anybody wants? Just to hear the right words?" She tells of her aloneness, this woman with "a dozen good friends." "If my house had been destroyed by . fire, if my child had been run over, I could call on the church. The church would be wonderfuL But not this ... Women With problems were encouraged to take them to the bishop or to the Relief Society president [The highest position a woman can hold in a congregation]. I couldn't go to the bishop, not now ... And I · was the Relief Society president. Women in the ward brought their problems to me ... Charity Never Faileth. That was our motto. What did it mean? Compassion. But not for wickedness. Not for the very lowest of the low. Not for ... homosexuals." She goes on in her_ heartwrenching chapter to explain her devastation on VETERAN, From Page 15 members of the Board of Education proposed starting a Project 10 in the Milwaukee schools. (Project .10 is a counseling and support network for school age Lesbians and Gays that was first implemenll'.d by Virginia Uribe at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles.) As a high school English teacher, Ben Shalom understood the need for the project and when her ·reacher's Union asked her to represent it at the Board of Education meeting, she agreed. Recalling the meeting Ben Shalotn another leve l. · In a church that regards femaleness "as second prize," she found her sel(-esteem shattered when she isn't desirable on any level by men. An LDS sex ~ducator later in the book sums up all the pain of all these people in the preceding chapters by saying that what is truly perverse isn't homosexuality but is "to cause suffering needlessly." As a gay Mormon myself, I found that I could relate to most of these accounts in a way that.I couldn't relate to otheibooks on homosexuality and religion. And even though Peculiar People is intended as a11 introduction . to the subject, and I had already read 70 other books on homosexuality, I didn't find it ted iously sophomoric. The book is worth reading from any level, an:d for gay and lesbian Mormons and their families, the book is a long overdue and . much welcomed acknowledgement of a problem that desperately needs attention within the Church. Peculiar People is a peculiarly good read. said, "I felt more fear for, my life !hart I've ever felt through years of service in -the Israeli Artny, the U.S. Army, and my other struggles . Four · hundred fundamentalists packed the auditorium '111ds houted bigoted slurs all through rriy minute long speech in favor of Project 10." The Board of Education did not vote on a decision, but Ben Shalom said her commitment to end bigotry and prejudice was strengthened. "I shall refuse to engage in. silence," she said. ' I Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone #20 - Jan/Feb 1992 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/c31ea9b04dbde3698681d20111d34ad4.pdf 92c2f81e212546e338082f3eccfb8aa4 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone Description An account of the resource Issues of the Second Stone publication. Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 21 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1992 Publication Date The date the issue was published Mar/Apr 1992 Text Any textual data included in the document AMERICA'S GAY & LESBIAN CHRISTIAN NEWSJOURNAL $2.25 When God Becomes A Drug Father Leo Booth's book explores religion that becomes manipulative and controlling and the people it hurts. BY MICHAEL BLANKENSHIP recovery from an alcohol-related automobile accident. He went on to combine his ministry in the Church of England with a new-found devotion to helping alcoholics and their families. Father Booth also honestly admi ts to his own addiction to religion. He describes how, during his early years as a priest, he abused his position of trust by using manipulation and guilt trips to increase his control over his congregations. It was during his recovery from his accident that he Y ou may have seen Father ,Leo Booth on The Oprah Winfrey Show discussing addictions, and in partic , gious addiction. Now you can have access to his many years of research, counseling, and personal experiences through his latest book When God Becomes A Drug. The book isn't preachy in the least, but conveys the caring knowledge of someone who has known addiction firsthand. His previous book Spirituality and Recovery deals with his own alcoholism, and the special open-minded spirituality he developed during SEE COVER STORY, Page 10 Father Leo Booth, author of When God Becomes A Drug -~~,,,,,,,,,,, 'REDISCOVERING . CHl;USTOPHER •::COLUMBUS 1 Should we . really : · celebrate t.he Quincentenary? . Guest Opinion , PEOPLE SUFFER? , · How Jesus helps . · i ·w WHY DO GOOD , .[I] · 8 B y. Rev,Buddy Trulucl<' 11 · . us deal with AIDS · . ' FAITH IS THIS MAN' ALLY IN HIS FIGHT •.·· WITH AIDS ·•.•. By Kate Pipk;n SUBSCRIBE NOW - ONE YEAR ONLY S13.00! • BOX 8340 • NEW ORLEANS , LA 70182 BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID NEW ORLEANS, LA PERMIT No. 511 From the Editor ................................... Don't impose a gay nor~ on me By Jim Bailey At one of la.st su~er's national church gatherings activists for gay and lesbian affirmation in the church wore a pink triangle . Activists for "traditional family values" wore another symbol. Some gay activists wore both. And why not? If traditional family values include concern for and honest, enduring commitment to one another and loving through the best and worst of times, I'm all for it. The concept of a monogamous, committed relationship, and especially one that is formalized in a ceremony such as a holy union, upsets many Gays and Lesbians. ''Don't impose a heterosexual norm on me," they say. I remember my blank stare and utter wordlessness in response to something a gay activist once said to me as we discussed a long term relationship that had just ended. They had been together "too long" for a gay couple, he said, time to move on to someone else. Not long ago I read in the very anti-gay American Family Association Journal that most gay males have hundreds of lovers in a lifetime. My gay activist friend and the editor of the Journal were in complete agreement: Gay males cannot form and maintain long lasting relationships. When a gay male friend came out in 1984 his mentor taught him the essential skill of cruising. Although we were -just learning about AIDS then my friend said his mentor gave him no warnings about the new disease; just that being gay meant having a good time with whoever, whenever. His mentor showed him all the right places. The AFA Journal says that most gay males cruise for lovers in public restrooms. Here again, in concept, agreement between my friend's mentor and an anti-gay publi<;ation of just what being gay is all about. ·Don 't impose a gay norm on me. I'm not sure where those norms came from . I don't believe we came up with them on our own. Much of how we act and what we believe about ourselves seems to be carved out of repression and oppression. How did "cruising" come about? Is that something we came up with as a great way to meet new friends or is it the only way we could figure out to get deep yearnings met, however momentarily, and not get caught. Is it easier for us ·10 have a clandestine sex life as opposed to a relationship ... because of what mom, dad and boss would think? Gay norms really seem to be heterosexual norms. The growing desire of many gay and lesbian couples to have their committed relationships recognized in some formal way by their church is seen by many in the gay community as a misdirection of our efforts toward equality. They see it as the ultimate in conforming to a heterosexual norm. But actually, it's probably the first step in the evolution of the very first gay norm. Have we finally discovered a love that is worthy of recognition and celebr~tion? Are we willing to come out of repression and oppression and carve out what is right and good for us regardless of the naysayers in the church, society, and our own gay community? There is a great deal of hope in this remarkable struggle to discover who we really are and what is truly ours. m Second Stone• March/April 1992 L.-..:..;-' . Contents ........... ................... m2· . . From The Editor w Just another square peg I 31, Your Turn ~ Makin' trouble for Cracker Barrel [I] Comment Guest opinion: Celebrate resistance during Columbus Quincentenary [fil · News Lines [[] [ID] [j] [Ifil Why Do Good People Suffer? How Jesus helps us deal with AIDS By Rev. Dr. Buddy Truluck Cover Story: When religion is not what it should be By Michael Blankenship Faith Is His Ally In Fight With AIDS by Kate Pipkin Book Reviews Building Bridges I Coming Out To God I Getting Life In Perspective I Men Who Beat the Men Who Love Them [Iru Cale_n~ar f17l Noteworthy l__!1_J News about people, churches and groups Resource Guide Connectedness 120 I Classifieds YourTum ........................ Dump non-religious articles Baltimore,Maryland · Dear Second Stone, Second Stone is .an excellen t periodical. It's the only source I know of that provides the kind of information it does to the gay /l esbian Christian audience. However, I would like to offer a few observations. You should omit the travel section. There are many, many other resources where that information can be easily obtained . It's also inconsistent in terms of what Second Stone is about . You should also reduce th e number of notspecifically -religiou s news items as they are also available in other publications. I!lstead, why not pick up news from denominational news services? Also, why not consider expanding Second Stone to coverage of gay /lesbian spirituality (i.e. Muslim, Jewish, Wicca)? Thanks for hearing me out. Sincerely, AC ISSN No. 1047-3971 . SECOND STONE Newspaper is published every other month by Bailey Communications, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Copyright 1992 by Second Stone, a registered trademark. SUOSCRJPTIONS, U.S.A. $13.00 per year, six issues. Foreign sub scriber s add $10.00 for postage. All payments U . S , currency only. ADVERTISING, For display advenising information call (504)899-4014 or write to: Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. EDITORIAL, send letters, calendar ru:mouncements, and church/org aniza tion news lo (Dcpartr/1cnt title) Second Stone, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Manuscripts to be rcrumed should be accompa nied by a stamped, se lf. addre ssed envelope. SECOND STONE, an ecumenical Ch ristian newspaper commiucd to informing the gay and lesbian community. PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Jim Bailey CONTRIBUTORS FOR THIS ISSUE: WilliamL Day Rev. Dr. Buddy Truluck Michael Blankenship Texas FitzGerald Kate Pipkin Keep up the good work Gloucester, Massachusetts Dear Second Stone, . Your articles and ecumenical format with topics of wide interest treated in depth, the book reviews and the positive affirmation and support truly makes the journal a good friend for the journey. · God who made us as we are knows and accepts us in all ou~ diversity. What is asked of us iseintegrity of character and continuous growth of response to love, justice and peace . Committed to this faith as I am, it's saddening to read criticisms of Second Stone's affirming and encouraging stance. Keep up the wonderful work. In esteem and thanksgiving of continued support, . , Yours most sincerely, JP Gay/lesbian buyout of Cracker Barrel? Atlanta, Georgia Dear Second Stone, Early last year Cracker Barrel restaurant chain issued a memo stating the company would not employ people "whose sexual preferences fail to demonstrate normal heterosexual values ." It is reported the company has fired at least 17 people on the basis of their sexual orientation since that memo. To Queer Nation's credit they have been in the vanguard of trying to right this injustice and insult to our community. They have organized and led "actions" at Cracker Barrel restuarants, formed picket lines, experienced arrest, taunts and threats of physical violence. Through Queer Nation's efforts other organizations, including religious bodies and trade unions have expressed suppor t. It is time for individual Lesbians and Gays across the United States to help in this action to stop employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. It is time for each of us to purchase one share of Cracker Barrel, Inc., stock. It i~ the goal of this writer to have thousands, hundreds of SEE LETTERS, Page 12 Write to Second Stone. All letters must be. original and signed by the writer. Clearly indicate if your name is to be withheld. We reserve the right to edit. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Subscribe Today- AND YOU'LL NEVER A FRIEND JOU R-N E Y. WITHOUT YOUR BE FOR Second Stone The National . Gay and Lesbian Christian · Newsjournal · ···YES!·······························Begin my subscription to SECOND STONE for: [ ] One year (6 issues) $13.00 [ ] Two yrs. (12 issues) $25.00_ I ] Thre.e yrs. (18 issues) $36.00 NAME ............................................... -~-' ......... . ADDRESS CITY /STA TE/ZIP CODE. CHECK HERE I ] If a plain envelope Is required and add $2.00 per year . Allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of your first Issue. International subscrtbers add $1 o.oo-per year, U.S. currency. Mail To: SECOND STONE, Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 THANK YOU for your subscription support! Second Stone• March/April 1992 w Comment ................................. . ........ .... . . .. ...................... Rediscovering Christopher Columbus On celebrating the Qu,,ince ntenary By Joanna Kadi Ed. Note: This commentary origin ally appeared in Equal Time, a gay and lesbiaR newspaper in Minneapolis/ St. Paul. T his year marks the 500th anniversary - the quincenfennial - of the date Christopher Columbus left Spam and arrived at the Caribbean island of Guanahanf. Celebrations will take place all over the American continent, some honoring this "dis covery" of America, some honoring centuries of native resistance. Wrapped up in the Columbus story are critical issues involving cultural myths, structural oppression and its beginnings on the American continent, racism, history, the use of language, and imperialist power. All of these affect Gays and Lesbians, whether native or non -native. Most of us know the names of Columbus' three ships and the rhyme that begins "In 1492 ... ," but we're unaware of the names of Native people or nations involved . We've learned about an upright, Christian man who engaged in a brave adventure and claimed "new" land for God and country. End of story . But that isn't the end. Neither is it the beginning. The story begins around 8 B.C., when the Arawak or Tafno nation arrived in the Caribbean. A landbased culture that revered the earth, the Arawak worked cooperatively to grow food for millions of people, giving them time for leisure activities. · Their world was forever altered in 1492 by Christoforo Colombo (Columbus is the Anglicized name) . He had set out to reach the Indies from Spain by sailing west, something that had never been done. Hopelessly lost and nowhere near his destination, he inadvertently ran into the Arawak homeland and claimed it for Spain . Columbus stayed three months, searching for gold and enslaving a small number of Arawaks. He then returned to Spain, lied to the king and queen about the incredible amount of gold he'd found, and receiv ed funding for subsequent voyages. On thes e journey s, th e native people were att a cked, forced into slavery, and made to· search for gold. By 1542, all but 200 of an estimated three million Arawaks were dead . Further, Columbus' actions in the Caribb ean set in motion the transatlantic slave trade. As the native population approached extinction, [IJ Second Stone• March/April 1992 African slaves were taken to the Caribbean to continue the search for gold and other resou_rces. Eventually, more than 10 million Africans wei:e brought in chains to various parts of the continent. We learned in school that Columbus "discovered" America, but in reality he invaded it. As invasions inevitably are, this one was followed by rape, murder, destruction of the earth, and colonization of the people . Cathy Nelson, co-author with Joan Kennedy and Pat Chris.tofferson of Navigating the Quincentennial: A Question of Balance, a curriculum for social studies teachers, said scholarship and material prove these facts, and there are no "raging debates" about this genocidal journey. Angukcuaq (Richard) Lafortune, a local and national organizer and cofounder of the Twin Cities' American Indian Gays and Lesbians, refers to these ev ents as a 500-year holocaust. Up to 65 million native people died; some nations . were wiped out in a week or two with pandemic diseases . "It's 10 times [Hitler's) Holocaust, and it's not over. The U.S. government is still trying to eradicate us through every means at its disposal," Lafortune said, noting there are now only two to two-and-,one-half million native people left in North America. But people don't take kindly to words like holocaust and invasion. They'd rather stick with "discovery" or neutralize the event by calling it an "encounter," which implies an exchange between two groups with equal power. Part of the reason people resist calling it an invasion . is that Columbus is the hero of an 'important cultural legend. And thus Columbus is almost invincible, despite his greed, lies, ruthlessness, racism, r:..,f!!J:.... Pontius' Puddle classism, and lack of smarts . Ho w e v er, understanding· Columbus ' failings is different than using him as a scap egoat. Within the larger picture, Columbus did not invent racism, colonialism, or imperialism, nor is he responsible for their We learned in school that Columbus "discovered" America, but in reality he invaded it. As invasions inevitably are, this one was followed by rape, murder, destruction of the earth, and colonization of the people. continuing today. And what is most important about our analysis is not trashing Columbus, but preventing similar events from happening. The Columbus myth teaches children a particular perspective on the .world. The lesson focuses on a white man with the backing of an imperialist power. It does not consider the experience from the point of view of aboriginal peoples, nor does it give th e m voice or subjectivity . The massive re.!>istance mounted by native and African peoples is ignored or trivialized. ., Children quickly learn whose voice and activities are worthy of note : People of col9r, working-class and working-poor people, women, Gays, and Lesbians are either absent or portrayed as passive victims. · Further, by glossing over the real motives of Columbus and his government, no one . learns to analyze current actions by imperialist powers, whether the U.S. in Central America, Israel in Palestine, or England in Ireland . · History teacher Bill Bigelow writes in Once Upon a Genocide: 'This scene of Columbus's first encounter with the Indians ... is a -powerful metaphor about relations between different countries and races. It is a lesson not just about the world 500 years ago, but about the world today. Clothed, armed · Christian white men from a more technologically 'advanced' nation arrive in a land peopled by darker skinned, naked, unarmed, non-Christians - and take over ... Each and every answer a student might glean from [history] books ' text and images invariably justifies colonialism and racism." 1992 is a time for all oppressed groups to stand in solidarity with native people, to build coalitions, to empower each other, and to continue creating an integrated analysis of all oppressions. And there is much to celebrate - 500 years of resistance . All over the American continent, native people have struggled against exploitation, genocide, and colonialism. Events SEE COMMENTARY, Page 19 • ................. . Church conflfots to escalate, says newsletter The religious developments that unfolded in 1992 promise to make this year marked ly different from earlier years, according to Religion Watch newsletter. Issues of sexuality, especially concerning the ordination and acceptance of Gays and_ Lesbians, moved to center stage in mainline denominations last year. No clear -resolution seems imminent, and such issues are likely to gain visibility in the next few years . Also, according to Religion Walch, "recent medical studies claiming that homosexuality is an inborn tra it will probably be interpreted by gay activists and sympathizers as buttressing their demand for acceptance in the churches." Church of England calls for abstinence Bishops in the Church of England have called for gay clergy members to abstain from sex. The bishops also said that homosexuals who refuse to promise abstinence may be denied . holy orders. "We cannot accept the view put forward by some fellow Christians that same-sex love is a parallel and alternative form of human . sexual relationship on par with heterosexual love," said Bishop John Baker. · -Southern Voice Anti-violence awareness day March 19th WASHINGTON, DC - The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force will release its 1991 Anti-Violence Report of March 19 as part of a "National Day of Awareness and Response to Violence Against Gay Men and Lesbians." The day will be observed nationwide and will include media conferences, forums and the release of anti-gay violence statistics in scores of cities. "We u_rge gay men, Lesbians, and bisexuals throughout the nation to help us document attacks against us," said Kevin Berrill, Director of th e NGLTF Anti-Violence Project. ''Documentation is a crucial component of our efforts of make legislators, police, and prosecutors respond to hate crimes. We urg e activists to participate in this Day of Awareness and Response ." . In late spring NGLTF will also release an Anti-Violence Organizing Manual, a guide for activists detailing how to set up an anti-violence project, News Lines T .......................................... work with law enforcement, document hate crimes and increase personal and community safety. The NGLTF provides materials, technical assistance and training to - gay, lesbian and bisexual grassroots activists nationwide. For more information on March 19 activities, write or call the NGLTF Policy Institute Anti-Violence Project, 1734 14th St. NW, Washington, DC 20009, (202)332--0483. Priest requests a saint for people with AIDS The Rev . Giuseppe Pitau of the Roman Catholic Jesuit order said he will ask the Pope to name Saint Aloysius Gonzaga as AIDS', sufferers' patron saint. Gonzaga was a Jesuit priest who worked among plague victims during an epidemic in Rome in 1591. He died of typhus at age 23. -Outlines · Lutheran church offers ex-gay program _ Peace Lutheran Church, Lompoc, California, has announced that it is the first 'Transforming Congregation" of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . A 'Transforl)"ling Congregation" is "a redemptive alternative to the acceptance of homosexuality . as a God-given gift to be affirmed," said the Rev . Ronald C. Bennett, pastor of Peace. The congregation "sees homosexuality as a sin ... forgivable and healable; challenges the myth that homosexuals cannot change; offers hope and healing to the person struggling with homosexuality and desiring to change." The one 'Transforming Congregation" contrasts with 67 gay-supportive Reconciled in Christ congregations in the ELCA. - The Lutheran Conservative leader disagrees with anti-gay military policy WASHINGTON, D.C.- Arch-conservative Congressional leader Newt Gingrich (R.Ga .) has taken excepti on to the U.S . military's policy of investigating and discharging gay and lesbian service members , saying h e doesn't "see any nec essary reason to expel someone from the military" for their private behavior." Rep. Gingrich, Minority Whip and one of the most influential Republicans in the Congress, has made a name for himself as a hardline conservative. National Gay and Lesbian Task Fo·rce lobbyists were surprised at Gingrich's statement and said it could influence other members of Congress to sign onto a pro-gay military resolution now in the House and Senat e. Gingrich made his comments during an _ editorial luncheon at the New Republic magazine on January 23, 1992. Judge quotes Bible in ruling on gay couple's marriage license A gay couple in Washington, DC, · plan to appeal a ruling by a DC Superior Court judge dismissing their lawsuit seeking a marriage license from the city. Craig Dean and Patrick Gill filed their lawsuit in November 1990 after they were denied the marriage license. Gi-11 and Dean were particularly incensed by Judge Shellie Bowers' biblical references throughout the proceedings. During a hearing last July, Bowers ordered attorneys to "go all the way back to Genesis" for definitions of marriage . And in his ruling, Bowers wrote 'The Ten Commandments are as relevant today as they were at Mount Sinai, and their observance or nonobservance no less consequential." Bowers continued by writing, 'Thus, if homosexual marriage were anathema to Christian religious dogma and morally repugnant, it would still be so, regardless of the number of clergy willing to participate in such a ceremony." Dean and Gill •had based their lawsuit on "gender-neutral" language in the DC marriage code, as well as provisions banning discrimination _ based on sexual orientation in DC's Human Rights law. Bowers stated in his ruling that the Human Rights law did not pertain to the marriage code, and even if it did he would not change his ruling because the marriage code requires one male and one female participant. The couple will appeal Judge Bowers' ruling before a three -judge panel in the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. -Southern Voice dignitv,usa an organuation for gay and fu6ian Catfwacs, th,.ir Jamili,, and friuufs. ..! L.. Dignity /USA has ministered to gay and lesbian Catholics, their families and friends for over 20 years. We have over 4,000 members ., r in 80 chapters across the country. If you'd like to support our ministry, please join Dignity_/USA today by completing the form below and enclosing your $40.00 check payable to Dignity, Inc. to: Dignity/USA, 1500 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Suite 11, Washington, DC 20005. Telephone: 1-800-877-8797 D YES, I would like to support the work of dQ1W-V/USCI Enclosed is m-y $40.00 check for membership. Name Address City State - ZIP Second Stone• March/April 1992 '57 _L!!_j News Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . ........ ........................................... Priest receives Papal warning VATICAN CITY - The Vatican has slammed a book on sexual ethics . written by a Canadian Roman Catholic priest and threatened to discipline him. It's doctrinal watchdog office has said that the · book, The Sexual Creators: An Ethical Proposal for Concerned, Christians by the Rev. Andre Guindon, was fundamentally at odds with Catholic teaching on issues such as premarital sex and homosexuality. At 17-page Vatican statement and critique of the book said that Pope John Paul II had approved the measures against Father Guindon. The Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith ordered Father Guindon, who teaches al Ottawa's St. Paul University, to clarify his position or face withdrawal of his right to teach as a Catholic theologian. The Vatican said the 1986 book did not recognize the "objective disorder in the homosexual condition," was wrong in condoning premarital sex among heterosexuals and criticized the Vatican ban on artifical birth control. The Vatican said it began a written dialogue with Father Guindon in 1987. Doctrinal authorities decided to issue the public warning after he refused to renounce his position. The Vatican has taken similar measures against other Rqman Catho lic theologians who have dissented from traditional teaching on sexuality. -Baltimore Alternative Study Committee report goes to UMC General Conference · The General Council on Minis t ries voted 73 to 18 to "receive and refer" the report of the United Methodist Church Study Committee on Homosexuality to General Conference with no ch anges during the council's meeting in December. Several attempts to remove both the majority and minority recommendations included in the report were defeated at the meeting . Both the majo r ity and minority recommendations acknowledge the differences of opinion in the church on "the compatibi!ity of homosexual practice with Christian faith." The majority Refreshingly personal, devotedly biblical, passionately radical, Tbe Other Side is a magazine calling Christians to live the empowering, liberating vision of Jesus. Tbe Other Side stands on the side of the poor and oppressed. It embraces the despised and rejected, whether they be women, racial minorities or gay and lesbian Christians. It stands against war ·and prisons and national borders, and it challenges greed and arrogance. This sentiment is woven together with refreshing artwork, award-winning articles, powerful poetry, penetrating interviews, and some of the best fiction around. It's a mix not available anywhere else! 1-IALF-Pll.ICE 'OFFER THE OT!!ER SIDB, 300 W. APSLEY STREET, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19144-4221 Yes! I'd love to subscribe! Here's my check for: 0 One Year for $14.75 0 Two Years for $29.50 0 A Sample Issue for $4. 0 l prefer to be billed at the regular rate of $29.50 forone year. I promise to pay promptly. Name _______ _ ________________ _ _ Address ______ _ ___ ______ ___ __ _ _ City, State, and Zip ____ _ ______________ _ Add 19 year for non-U.S. addresses. Penn,ylwnia resitknts add 6% Tax, Canadian residents 716 tax. Mrn:ey-&,cll Guam.i ee: If you're not salisfied, we'U reftmd lbe CJJSI of all unmai/ed issues. S-0751S ~----------------------------~ [j[J Second Stone • March/ April I 992 . recommendation suggests a neutral ground, stating that given these differences, the UMC can no longer continue to hold that homosexual practice is unequivocally "incompatible with Christian teaching." The minority recommendation is that the UMC does not have the evidence to change this current stated position. Two minor changes were made to the report at the GCOM meeting. The committee's request to "commend" the report to the general church for study was amended 'to "make it available." The motion for the GCOM to "adopt" the report was changed to "receive." · The General Conference will meet from May 5-15, 1992, in Louisville, Kentucky. Baptist church target of Queer Nation SACRAMENTO, CA. - Queer Nation members began a campaign to make local churches accountable for antigay remarks made by their pastors when it held a peaceful protest outside a local Baptist church . According to QN member Corrie Barbero, a particularly offensive article in th e Sacramento Bee by the minist er of Sacramento's First Baptist Church was the final straw . In an editorial, Pastor Robert Murphy wrote that a gay right s bill endor sed the "spread of AIDS producing behavior among the male population of the gay community." QN members carried placards with gay slogans as people wer e going to Sunday morning church services and chanted slogans as the gongregation left. -The Latest Issue University ignored activities of gay professor, group charges SOUTH BEND, IN. - A priest who was -formerly the provost and a department chair at the University of Notre Dame has resigned his professorship after more than 25 male students reported he propositioned and/ or seduced them over the years. In a letter to the National Catholic Reporter, The Rev. James Burtchaell ackno w ledged the incid ent s and stated, "I hav e been making amends by offering apology to _people I had offended and receiving their forgiveness, and I · have been trying to submit to whatever transformation the Lord affords me ." Gay s and Lesbians at Notre Dame/St . Mary 's Colleg e charged that Burtchaell's sexual activities had been reported to universfty officials as early as 1976. The group called for an independent investigation and publication of a report within three months detailing who knew of Burtchaell's activit ies and when, why the information was ignored, how the university will repair the damage to the student body, and what steps will be taken to address .the needs of gay students . -The Alternative Task Force launches' Presidential Initiative WASHINGTON, IX - Contenders in the 1992 Presidential race are still maneuvering to distinguish themselves in a crowded field, but activists at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force have already launched a campaign to push gay issues to the forefront of the elections. The NGLTF Lesbian and Gay Presidential Initiative will work to present the national gay and lesbian agenda to all candidat es, · ,ecure their support, inform gay a, ,d lesbian constituents about candidates' positions, and use both conventions as media forums ' for gay, lesbian and AIDS issues. 'This election marks a turning point for the gay and lesbian community," said Urvashi Vaid, NGLTF executive director. "We represent a constituency better organized and more visible than in 1988, a constituency that can be a key voting block. Our strong presence at the level of national political discourse is essential. The time has come for our community to take a more visible and powerful role in the election of the president." In 1988, NGLTF, in conjunction , with other gay/ lesbian and AIDS groups, organized Gay and Lesbian VOICE '88 (Voters Organized In Coalition for the Elections), a gay visibility and advocacy initiative. NGLTF plans to revive the coalition for VOICE '92 and work throughout the election campaign to make gay and lesbian issues more visible. NGLTF will target this year's Democratic Convention in New York, July 13-16, and the Republican Convention in Dallas, August 17-20. Activi s ts interested in more information about gay and lesbian advocacy in the presidential campaigns should contact NGLTF, 1734 14th St., NW, Washington, DC 20009, Att ention: Lesbian and Gay Pre side ntial Initiative. Newlins es ................................................................ ~-.-.... . Texas governor meets with activists Texas governor Ann Richards met with members of the Dallas lesbian/ gay community on . January 17. According to Laurie Eiserloh, Executive Director of the Lesbian/Gay Rights Lobby,. the agenda included repeal of the state's anti-homosexual conduct statute, appointments · for lesbian and gay people to state boards and commissions, and AIDS funding, education and prevention issues. The governor took the strongest stand on the repeal of section 21.06, the anti-gay law, during the 45-minute meeting. Congregation breaks Episcopal ties over gay issues SEWICKLEY, PA. - One of the largest Episcopal congregations in the Pittsburgh area has voted to leave the denomination because the church refuses to ban the ordination of Gays and Lesbians. Members of Orchard Hill Church, established two years ago, voted by an overwhelming margin to reorganize as an independent congregation. The church has regular attendance of about 1600 parishioners. The Rev. Stuart Boehmig said his parishioners were concerned by the failure of national church officials to pass a resolution requiring priests to be celibate outside of heterosexual ·marriage. -The Alternative Queer Nation crashes church services SAN FRANCISCO - Four Queer Nation members slipped into a service at the Community Assembly of God, Disguised in sweaters and ties, and carrying Bibles taken from hotel rooms, the group entered without difficulty. Once inside, two of the group revealed Queer Nation North Carolina Baptist church ppnders blessing of gay union RALEIGH, N.C. - Members of a Baptist church in Senator Jesse Helms' home state are deciding whet_her or not a gay male couple can have their life-long commitment to each other blessed 'by the church. The 900 members of Pullen Memorial Baptist Church nave been contemplating the issue since The Rev. Mal1ari Siler and the church's Board of Deacons sent them a six-page letter on January 7 opening the debate on what could be the first gay Holy Union in a Baptist church. On September· 12, 1991, Siler wa.s asked. by· Kevin Turner and Steven Churchill to officiate at the blessing of their union . Turner has been a member of Pullen for almost three years. Churchill is a Methodist who attends Pullen with Turner from time to time. · In the letter to the congregation, Siler explained why he believed the Holy Union would be in keeping with the mission of the church. "I am inwardly moved," Siler . wrote, "that some homosexuals, like Kevin and Steven, who, in spite of experienced religious condemnation, turn to the . church for blessing and hope ." Siler said that the issue of homosexuality is not prominent in Scripture, being referred to only seven times. "I've come to believe that the greater biblical mandate is to love the homosexual person, to confront behavior when it is destrnctive, to support behavior when it is caring, to address the alienated, both straight and gay, with the love of Christ," Silar wrote in his letter. The pastor said he believes sexual behavior can be controlled and managed but that sexual orientation cannot. "I find it is cruel and violent to insist on change when change of orientation is not possible," Siler said. The congregation has held 13 small group meetings and one churchwide "town meeting" for discussion. The question of the use of the church building by church members for the blessing of same-gender unions is being decided by vote with a decision expected on March 1. Pullen has dealt with hard social issues before. It welcomed blacks in the early '60s and later debated the Vietnam War. Siler pointed to rampant promiscuity among both homosexuals and heterosexuals. "Here is the place for us to stand," he said, "the support of such committed rdationships ." -From church documents and Raleigh News & Observer reports T-shirts and stickers and all four handed out fliers including a questionnaire designed to challenge heterosexism. The activists were thrown out by church members shortly after they began passing out literature. Churchgoers argued that "you go to church to worship, not spread ideas." After a 15-minute argument in the church parking lot, the QN group left when church authorities threatened to call the police. QN member John Wood's stated, "At least we made them think twice. At least we showed them that they can't hide from us in their churches." -Ou tlines Women's anthology project seeks contributors The Mennonite/Church of the Brethren women's anthology project has announced that it is seeking contributors for an anthology regarding lesbian and bisexual issues. Submissions are sought from/arents, lovers, relatives, spouses an lesbian and bisexual women. Anonymity will be respected if requested. For information contact B. Zook, P.O. Box 86, Cheraw, CO 81030-0086. Author seeks stories on gay/ lesbian Christian experience Submissions are being sought for a collection of stories .about the gay <UJd lesbian Christian experience. For information send a stamped, self addressed envelope to P. 0. Box 1251, Decatur, GA 30031'~1251. Poetry sought for book General poetry is being accepted for the Western Poetry Association's 1992 summer poetry book entitled 'The American Poetry Round-Up." Poets are invited to send one or two original poems of 30 lines or less on any subject. Submissions may be mailed to: Western Poetry Association, P.O. Box 49445, Colorado Springs, CO 80949-9445. The Association is currently publishing a poetry book entitled 'Voices of America." "A strong message of hope." In (jocls Image Ch"Sl• • n Wnn~ss 10 me Nt,:-<! !orG•yLnb1anEqu.in1v ,n1h t Eye1 o1 Jhe Churen -The Advocate In (ioa's Image Christian Witness to the Need for Gay/Lesbian Equality in the Eyes oi the Church by Robert Warren Cromey Rector, Trinity Episcopal Church San Francisco "A stirring manifesto and sincere guide to clearer understanding. This is a nurturing, healing book and a call tu action. Read it!" -Malcolm Boyd, Author of Are You Running . with Me, Jesus & Gay Priest $9.95/paperback Send a check today; we cover postage. ALAMO SQUARE PRESS P.O. Box 14543, Dept. S, San Francisco, CA 94114 Second Stone• March/April 1992 [Z] . How Jesus helps :', . us deal with AIDS Why do good people · suffer? BY REV. DR. BUDDY TRULUCK he AIDS epidemic has cast a shadow of gloom, confusion, despair, fear, guilt, denial and desperation over the lives of multitudes of people. What Jesus said and did about sickness and suffering is suddenly of far greater urgen .cy to every Christian than it might have been ten years ago before AIDS. Christian Lesbians , and Gays face questions and opportunities related to AIDS that demand a fresh and detailed look at sickness and ~uffering in the life and teachings of Jesus. AIDS is a medical, political, legal, economic, social and religious issue. Most of all, AIDS is a human issue. Mental, emotional and physical paip · engulf victims of AIDS. Despair and fatalism often blur the vision and dull the senses of people with AIDS and those who are close to them. Spiritual help can be elusive for those who already feel alienated and isolated from the church. Religious bigots and ignorant Bible abusers frequently have distorted the "good news" of the gospel of Jesus Christ into an insensitive and destructive tirade of condemnation and rejection and guilt aimed at the the very people who most need love and tenderness, acceptance and understanding . Jesus focused on human need. Jesus' teachings were not abstract observations on spiritual truths but were practical replies and loving response to real human problems. Whenever the teachings of Jesus involv ed condem nati on and ang.er, they a lway s · were directed at those who themselves were insensitiv e to and condemned s trug gling and suffering p eo ple . The miracles and signs of Jesus took place in response to human pain , suffering, hunger, thirst, despair and "the thousand natural · shocks that flesh is heir to." Jesus h~s already lived and l 8J Sernnd Stone• March/April 1992 . overcome the most urgent problems th at Lesbians and Gays face 111 a homophobic and , hostile world. Jesus was misunderstood and condemned and was rejected by friends and family. Jesus was harassed and ridiculed by religious bigots and hypocrites and got mad at injustice and at religion that abused people and neglected human suffering in the nam e of God. Jesus lived in poverty and never owned property. Yet he grieved and wept over the pain and misery of others . Jesus was betrayed by one close friend and was denied and abandoned by all of the others. Loneliness, despair and isolation engulfed Jesus at times. Intens e physical and emotional pain along with profound spiritual struggles were experienced by Jesus in the garden and on the cross. Jesus truly was "touched with the feelings of our infirmities" and "tested in all things just as we are" (Hebrews 4:15). The word "compassion" was used to speak of the motivation of Jesu s in h ealing the sick and helping people in need. "Compassion" is Greek "splangknisthai, " which is built on the word for the viscera and is the strongest word in Greek fof human feeling. Jesus was frequently "moved with compassion." Though The Gos pel of John does not use the word, the attitude that it represents is found throughout and is especially clear in John 9 and the story of the man born blind. AIDS so far is incurable. Most illne ss was incurable in the time of Christ. Medicine as we know it today has existed less than a hundred years. Jesus lived in the midst of dying people. Treatments often were worse than the disease. The woman in Luke 8 :43-48 who touched Jesus for help had "suffered at the hand of many physicians." Th e average life expectancy was 25. The h ealing ministry of Jesus had profound effects on the crowds. Sickness, pain, and suffering and death kept everyone under a cloud of despa;r and extreme pressure si mply to survive. Who is to blame? Job lost wealth, fami ly, influence and self-esteem, then suffered painful physical ailments. Job's friends were sure that he had commi tted terrible sins to cause his suffering. They even tried to guess what Job's sins were. But they were wrong. Job's wife was so disgusted with him that she told hirn he should confess his sins and curse God and die! (Some have suggested that the fact the Job's wife did not die when the_rest of his family was killed was part of his punishment!) But she was wrong. Even Job tried to recall what awful. things he must have done to make him su ffer so much. But Job was wrong too. The drama of the Book of Job is based on people making jud gements without knowing all of the facts. Job had not sinned, but God allowed Job's great faith in God to be tes ted to prove what a righteous person Job really was. In the Bible, God alone has perfect knowledge of all things, them, that the Ruler your God will keep with you the covenant and lov ing kiitdness that were sworn to your ancestors; and God will remove from you all sickness and will not put on you any of the harmful diseases of Egypt which you have known, but God will lay them on all who hate ' you." Deuteronomy 7:12,15. Second, sickness was seen as a test of faithfulness·.as in The Book of Job. Third, sickness was seen as suffering by one person on behalf of others as in the suffering se rvant of God in Isaiah 53:4:5: "Surely this one bore ·our sickness and carried our pains. Yet we esteemed this one sm itten of God, and afflicted. But this one was wounded for our transgressions and was cruslzed for our iniquities; the chastisement for our well-be ing (peace) fell upon ·'this one by whose scourging we are healed." The "kinder and gentler" view of the Bible regarding sickness is expressed throughout Psalm 103, especially in verse 3.: "God .pardons all your iniquities; God heals all your diseases." Jesus viewed sickness as an opportunity to serve and glorify God (John 9:3) . . But suffering from si ckness was compounded in the culture of Jesus by being associated with sin and punishment in the popular mind . Yet the question of who is to blame Whenever the teachings of Jesus involved condemnation and anger, they always were directed at those who themselves were iri~ensitive to and condemned struggling and suffering people. therefore only God can judge the hearts and moti ves of people . Human ,knowledge is always limi ted by lack of information and by sin. C:Jnly God knows all the .facts. At the end, Job finally repents for trying to "play God " by making judgments without knowing or understanding the facts. The Old Testa ment viewed sickness in thr ee different ways. Fir st, emphasis on the sovereignty of God led to the earliest view that all events were caused by God's direct activity. Health was a reward for obeying God and disease was punishment for sin. "Then it shall come about, because you listen to these judgments and keep and do for illness and physical handicaps was ·decisively answered by Jesus in John 1:1-5: "And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And the disciple,s asked, saying, Rabbi (teacher), who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind? Jesus answered, it was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents ; but it was in order that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must 'work the works of God who sent me as long as it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. While 1 am in the wm·ld, I am the light of the world." SEE GOOD PEOPLE, Page 9 Integrity to welcome head of Church at July convention NEW YORK - For the first time in the app roximately 20-year histor y of lesbian/ gay Christian ca us uses, the head of a major denomination will travel to one such caucus' convention. The Most Rev. Edmond L. Browning, Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church will attend the convention of Integrity, the lesbian/ gay justice ministry of the Episcopal Church, in Houston, July 9-12, 1992. Bishop Browing will preach and celebrate the Eucharist at the opening service on Friday evening and will lead an open forum. Also featured at the convention will be the Rev. Warner Traynham, Rector of S. John's Church, Los Angeles and one of the outstanding African Amer ican preachers of the Episcopai Church. This will be Integrity's 14th national convention in its 18 year history, and the first held in Province 7 of the Episcopal Church, which includes the state s of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, and the western parts of GOOD PEOPLE, From Page 8 At this point, Jesus healed the blind man and set in motion a great conflict with local religious leaders for working (making clay and healing) on the Sabbath. The entire 9th chapter of John deals with issues related to incurable illness, religion, family conflicts, fear of authority, mindless and heartless religious leaders, misplaced judgment and the authority and power of Jesus to give God's love freely and without condemnation. Emphasis on helping troubled people without condeming or blaming them also is found in Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4 and the woman caught in the act of adultery in John 8. It should be obvious that any person representing Jesus is called to lift up and help people in need no matter what caused the need or what form the need might take. It should be just as obvious that no person who represents Jesus is called to condemn Louisiana and Missour i, traditionally the part of the Church which has been the least hospitable to Integrity. Bishop Browning, a Texas native, had served, respectively, as Bishop of Okinawa (1968-71), the American churches in Europe (1971-74), and Hawaii (1976-86) before being elected Presiding Bishop in 1985. Integrity was fovnded in rural Georgia in 1974 by Dr. Louie Crew. Dr Crew, now a professor at Rutgers University, will be a fe;itured speaker at the convention . The "Louie Crew Award" for outstanding service to Integrity will be presented at the convention. Integ rity, with over 50 chapters throughout the United States and non-affiliated d1apters in Canada and Australia, is by far the largest gay and lesbian caucus relative to the size of its denomination and is second to Dignity, the Roman Catholic caucus, in absolute membership numbers. and reject peopl e who suffer no matte r what caused the suffering or what form the suffering might take! Jesus identified with the homeles,, the poor, the sick, prisoners, and others whom society often tries to blame for its own troubles. Jesus said that whenever you help one of "the least of these" you help Jesus (Matthew 25:31-46). · Be willing to help yourself John 9:6-7 tells how Jesus identified with and touched the man born blind. Jesus made clay from his own spit and applied it to the man's eyes. Then Jesus told the man to go wash in the Pool of Siloam. Jesus did something, then Jesus expected the man to do something also. Jesus encouraged needy people to do what they could. He ordered crippled and suffering people to do something: 'Take up your bed and walk;" "Stretch forth your withered hand;" "Go and show yourself to the priest to be declared UNITED METHODISTS: we're here for you -Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Concerns welcomes you. P.O. Box 1021 Evanston, IL 60204 (415)221-1612 clean from leprosy." Jesus gave no encouragem ent for people to sink into self-pity and give up. To the crippled man by the pool in John 5:1-9, Jesus asked, "Do you want to get well?" Sometimes that is a very important question for people who are bound and controlled by their own pain and suffering . Jesus urged people to do what they could for themselves. Taking necessary medication, applying for available assistance and allowing others to help can be difficult for AIDS victims. Yet Jesus seems to say that you are to accept whatever help is available and keep going as long as you possibly can. Only if we accept the help we need can we be equipped to reach out and help others . Much of the ministry to people with AIDS is carried on by people with AIDS, ARC and HIV. John 9:8-12 tells how the man did not understand Jesus but yet had the faith to do what Jesus told him to do whether he fully understood or not. John 9:13-17 introduces · religious controversy caused by teachers who were ignorant of God and unable to see clearly the work of God. John 9:18-23 brings in the parents of the blind man and the very contemporary issue of parents who fear isolation and community pres sure when they identify with their own rejected and misunderstood children. ·For some victims of AIDS and their lovers and friends, the most difficult pain to bear is hate, misunderstanding and rejection by their own families. Finally, John 9:34-38 tells how the Pharisees, though unable to answer the persona l testimony and logic . of the man born blind, threw him out of the synagogue. Jesus found the man and followed up on the man's belief by teaching and leading him deeper into faith. The man needed someone to be with him and care. Jesus went to him and stood with him. Jesus specialized in "practical support." Jesus invented the "Buddy Program!" People who help PWAs with time, energy, food, financia_l help, clothing, transportation, helpful errands , and the simple gift of "being there" when needed truly are following Jesus. "If I then, tlze ruler and teacher, was/zed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For l gave you an example that you should do as l did to you." John 13:14-15. Rev. Dr. Buddy Truluck is pastor of Golden Gate Metropolitan Community Church in San Francisco. Fr(J/1119 73 to 1981, Dr. Truluck served as Professor of Religion at the Baptist College of Charleston, South Carolina. He is the author of tlze recently released UFMCC pamphlet "Tize Bible As Your Friend: A Guide for Lesbians and Gays." OURWORLD The International Gay Travel Magazine Month by month, we invite you to explore the exciting world of travel available to gay men and lesbians. Each month we help you to discover the multitude of interesting hotels, inns and resorts that welcome the gay traveler . Enjoy articles and color photos of a romantic hotel in Spain, a secluded retreat 'po . , 1 \l';tof;/1 in Hawaii, a manor house in the English u u,Jl~J-w countryside, a Greek pension overlooking the sea, a rustic resort in Colorado, and more -all catering to our lifestyle! Plus, every month, regular departments provide you with valuable information on gay events and festivals, travel updates and tips, interviews, and the latest gay trips and tours-sail the Caribbean on a private yacht, join an expedition to Nepal, cruise the Mediterranean on a luxury liner or fly to Sydney for the Gay Mardi Gras. __________ Whatever you're looking for, let OUR WORLD be your ticket to adventure . 1 year (12 colorful issues) only $ 44 (in the USA) - US$ 52 (Worldwide) . First issue mails in 4-6 weeks in plain sealed envelope. Sample copy US$ 5. Mail To: Our World Publishing 1104 North Nova Road, Suite 251 Daytona Beach, Florida 32117 USA TEL: (904) 441-5367 .. Second Stone • Marchi April 1992 [[] Cover Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . When God Becomes A Drug From Page 1 realized his "treatment for alcoholism had created a spiritual intervention." He came to realize . that he had long been using religion to escape loneliness, low self-esteem, and the fear of reality. He didn't characterize it as an addictio n until years lat er, but he knew that the church was his drug of choice, his escape. It wasn't until the televangelist scanda ls first made news that he began to explore the relationship between shame, religion, and addiction. While we were all sitting fascinated and amused as each new episode of the Bakker-Swaggart F alwell-Roberts soap opera was unfolding, Fr. Booth was clearly seeing the "addictiv e person _ality " at work. The TV preachers were abusively serving as co-dependents, allowing and even encouraging the viewers to act on their addiction to religion. Through ·his ministry and work with recovery programs Fr. Booth has been contacted by a great many people from all walks of life, and from all sorts of religious persuasions who are struggling with issues related to their religions. They all seeme d to share common experiences. In the name of God they had all been made to feel fear, shame, guilt, and anger. In the name of God they had abused themselves or others emotionally, physically, or sexually. And, in the name of God they had judged and condemned themselves or others as worthless and inherently bad. Surely all gay and lesbian . Christians know of this type of abuse . "All Gays, as well as women have been religiously abused across the board," says Fr. Booth. "In fact, many Gay s are doubl y abused, not only by religious teachings as a whole, but by the internalized homophobia which often results from such teachings. Most people begin irt kindergarten or earlier hearing about sex being dirty, and homosexuality being worse than dirty. Long before our sexuality blossoms, gay or straight, we get the messages about an angry, punishing God, about only one way to do things, about judging and condemning. The fear, shame and rage produced by such messages is often reflected in the way homosexuals abuse each other." As an example Fr. Booth has provided the story of a young man named Paul in his book. At the time of Paul's puberty, he knew of his own homosexuality, but having been taught in his church that homo sexuality was the "worst" sin he kept his feelings and fears and questions to Ifill Second Stone • March/ April 1992 himself. He tried to act butch and blend in with peers. However, at the age of 15 h e experienced the sexual tension and exciteme nt of a bri ef encounter. He learned two things from the experience: that he was not alone - and that he enjoyed what had happened. When he tried talking to his minister about the episode, as if he were an innocent bystander, the minister exclaimed, ·,These people are the lowest of the low . They are the scum of the earth . They defame the sacred image of God. They are an abomination. Their punishment will be the unquenchable fires of Hell! " The minister went on to form a citizens' protest committee to make the polic e crack down on "them queers." Paul received the clearest message of his life. He was consumed with shame and fear and did not again act on his sexual feelings throughout high school and college. Later he attended on of Jimmy Swaggart's crusades, and following a thunderous message against homosexuality as a disease of Satan, Paul went forward believing he would be healed of his sexual feelings. From that time on religion became a drug to Paul. He escaped his real-life situation into a world of prayer, crusades, fasts, missions, and personal witnessing. He became rigid, dog · matic, judgmental and viciously homophobic. Homosexuality became his own personal crusade, teaching that all homosexuals were bound for hell, that they were child molesters, and that Jesus could cure homosexuality. He gained in church stature as he became an elder. His "crusade" had led to more acceptance, more power and control. Rationalizing his own repressed homosexual feelings as his personal battle with Satan, he even entered into a sexually dead marriage. But, eventually Paul's sexual scenario played itself out again, and he was arrest ed for lewd behavior in a restroom. Fr. Booth met Paul during treatment following a suicide attempt. He was still vocally homophobic, and maintain ed that Satan caused his lewd behavior, that Satan had caught him off guard when he was tired. He assumed no responsibilty for the act. His therapists also found that he could not converse, even on the most elemental lev e l, without quoting Scripture . It took intense therap y before he could accept his religious addiction and abuse, along with the fear, guilt and shame about his sexual confusion. His treatment focused on the low self-esteem that essentially caused his overall judgmentalness and harshness of hims elf and others. Paul has now accepted his homosexuality and had left the bad marriage behind. He has also recognized his abusiveness and is struggling to develop a new spirituality which fosters self-respect and acceptance. It is unfortunate that most people, like Paul, who need Fr. Booth's book are so far into denial that they would probably never recognize the need for such help. Addiction begins in emotional pain . We hurt and only want something to make us feel better . Fr. Booth describ ed addiction as "the cry of souls in pain." This inability to cope healthily with life leads people to find something to "fix" their lives, and this "fix" can become a chronic need . When God Becomes A Drug examines in depth the many sym ptons of reli gious addiction, which include: the inability to think, doubt, or question information or authority; placing your beliefs, finances, relationship and destiny in the hands of a clergyperson; and thinking that it is a sign of faith to not think, doubt or question... to obediently become a slave to the opinions, wishes and interpretations of thos e representing the church. Another symptom that is apparent in the gay and lesbian Christian community is black and white, simplistic thinking. Seeing life in terms of right or wrong, good or bad, saved or sinner - never seeing the gray areas. Real life is seldom black-andwhite, and the inability to cope with gray areas leaves a person feeling out of control, leaving them forever at the mercy of those who will give the black-and-white answers. These · people limit and stunt their lives by rejecting anyone or anything that does not fit into their narrow frame of reference, and they becom e abusive of others who do not share their views. Difference, variety and change all fall int o the ambiguous gray areas. Does this sound familiar to you? I remember a great debate several months ago OV(!r the sub ject of New Age Christians, and the anger provoked by the decidedly "gray area" of faith. When asked about such a situati6n, Fr. Booth said, "We reflect the God we believe in. If our God is a judging, rigid God, we will be judging and rigid of others (and ourselves.) Women do it to each other . Blacks do it. · You have obviously seen it in the gay community." Another pervasive symptom of religious addiction is thinking that God wlll magically fix you. This fantasy relationship with God only takes a person farther from reality and deeper into self-ha tred and victimization. This person believes themselves inadequate and worthless, and they sit and wait for God to do things for them. They pray and inactively wait for a miracle, when they could be greatly empowe red by asking God to show them how to work their own miracles and to create th eir own changes. The list of symptoms goes on to include: obsessive adherence to codes of ethics, compulsive religious activity, quoting Scripture, detachment from the real world, manipulating Scriptur e, the glazed happy face of a trancelike state, and conflict with science or education. These symptoms are easy indicators of religious addiction, but overcoming the addiction is another matter. Fr. Booth's book offers a continuous twelve-step program for those who've had enough of their compulsive behavior and want to change. He explains the vast differences between religion and spirituality, and the ways to create a healthy relationship SEE COVER STORY, Page 20 BY KATE PIPKIN A lthough he weighs only about 120 pounds, Bill Urban's mental and spiritual weight more than rri.ake up for it. Diagnosed with HIV five years ago, Urban, 37, was initially told he had about eight months to live. He has defied this medical prediction and says it is because he has kept a strong grip on his own spirituality and state of mind. A parishioner and lector at Ss. Philip and James Church in Baltimore's Charles Village section, Urban is on a mission to raise awareness about AIDS. He is on several committees and councils including the archdiocesan ad hoc committee on AIDS, the Mayor's AIDS Coordinating Council and the steering committee of the AIDS Interfaith Network. He is also editor of Baltimore's gay and lesbian newspaper, The Alternative. 'The main problem is the belief that AIDS is a moral issue," said the outspoken Urban from his office on West 25th Street. "But it is .a medical reality . I get angry when people beat up on the church regarding AIDS issues . It isn't the church's fault. But AIDS doesn't apply to Catholic , or any doctrine. You can't make it fit into a structure." Urban said the largest growing population for HIV infection is the 18-25 group who got the virus from teenage sexual experience. 'There are so many myths," he said. 'The church has to talk frankly about it. I know heat rises when the word condom is mentioned but there is a lot of good religious literature out there regarding AIDS." Misconceptions and fears run so deep, said Urban, that often persons with AIDS don't even tell their own families. 'The most horrible thing is wheri people don't tell their parents," he said, shaking his head. "I have had mothers come to me in tears and say, 'Why didn't he tell me?' It's so sad." As far as his own case of AIDS is concerned, Urban said he is fortunate enough to have the support of his family , friends and fellow parishioners. He said that has also helped keep him healthy. Urban has experienced several AIDS-related illnesses sucl1 as pneumonia and is on various medications. He takes 12 pills a day and must pay close attention to his health. "About 60 percent of AIDS-related illnesses come from stress and frustration," he said. "I don't smoke, drink or take drugs. 1 exercise, eat well and get lots of rest.;· He also keeps himself mentally and spiritually .alert by working, keeping up with political developments and praying. •· "When I say the rosary it gets me tuned in to concentrate on the mysteries," explained Urban. "It becomes almost a mantra in that it gives me peace." Urban said it's imperative that churches get involved in the AIDS crisis. "If only one member of a parish is sick, it affects the whole clmrch," he said with a tone of urgency in his voice. 'The rest of the church then needs to work together for a greater understanding. For every person with AIDS there are family and friends who must also be reached out to." Urban said state and federal governments must start putting more money into AIDS care. 'There are 28,000 HIV-infected people in this city," he said. 'The majority of them are the working poor. There's a .difference between being HIV-infected and having fullblown AIDS. Those 28,000 will start getting sick about 1997. There will be thousands of problE!ms and we must start planning for it. I can't make people understand the urgency." So what does the future hold for the "I've made all of my· funeral arrangements. · Now I take things step by step. I am con- · cerned with living." . . "I look at health as a triangle," he explained . "You've got your physical, spiritual and mental points and all three must connect equally." Admittedly, said Urban, it changed his life when he heard those three small but dreaded words, 'you have AIDS.' "When you hear that you have a decision to make," he said. 'Do I want to fight or do I want to crawl away and hide? My life is not over; it's just changed. God doesn't dump on you more than you can handle ." strong-willed Bill Urban? He concentrates on making and completing realistic goals like renewing his license in 1994. And of course he will continue trying to educate people about AIDS and encouraging them to educate themselves. ''Death is a reality but you can't die until you've lived," said Urban . "I've made all of my funeral arrangements . Now I take things step by step. I am concerned with living." From the Catholic Review Second Stone• March/April 1992 lii] UFMCC plans role in Russia Polictical upheaval in the Soviet Union has brough t new challenges for the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches . For the first time in UFMCC history, gue sts from Russi a visited church head quart ers in Los Angeles . They invited church leadership to provide informa tion and other resources to help them attain justice for Russia's gay and lesbi an people, and people with AJI)S. "We came here to visit AIDS centers and speak with politica l leaders of the gay movement," _said Dr. Alex Babkin, 28, of St. Petersburg. He is a medical doctor specializing in gynecology and AIDS. He spoke tlu·ough an intrepreter, Ms. Kate rin a Polan skaja , 23, a student at State Linguistic University in Moscow. 'These two young people put a face on what's happening in Russia," said Rev . Troy Perry, leader of the UFMCC. The guests invited Perry to at tend a national AIDS conference in Moscow in April. Their visit was sponsored by Robin Tyl er, a lesb ian feminist activist and comedian based in Los Angeles . "UFMCC can save hundreds of thou 0 sands of lives o( gay and lesbia n Russ ians," Tyler said. "I know this is our next calling." The visitors described desperate food shortqges since the coup attempt in Aug ust and the subseque n t breakup of the Soviet Union. Economic conditions a re such that Dr . Babkin's plane ticket to th e States cost $350 - th e equi valent of eight years' salary. Another probl em they face is the ignorance of most Russians about homose xuality and AIDS. The visitors said lesbian an d gay r ight s groups are organizing now in Russia, but "they are all competitive." "UFMCC must respond to the tremendous need in Russia today," Perry said. -Keeping in Touch' Activists meet with Bush campaign leader WASHINGTON, DC - Representatives of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Forc e met w ith Robert Mosbacher, head of Georg e Bush's reelection campaign, to disc uss gay and lesbian and AIDS issues during th e 1992 presidential race. The historic meeting - belie ved to be unprecedented in recent memory - was herald ed as a "groundb reaki ng" mome nt between the gay activists _and Republican political leaders. During ·the meeting, Mosbacher, General Chairman of the Bush For President Campaign, was briefed on anti-gay and lesbian discrimination, the Federal Gay and Lesbian Civil Rights Bill, AIDS, hate crimes and military discrimination. The activists commend ed Mosbacher and described the 25-minu te meeting as open and frank . Mosbacher was warm, attentive and appeared genuinely concerned with the issues. He was surprised, if not stunned, upon learning that only five states have discrimination laws that protect Gays and Lesbians. "It was like a lightbulb went off in th eir head s," said NGLTF executive director Urvashi Vaid, "when th ey realized the basic injustice our peopl e face." The Bush officials in particular seemed surprised when NGLTF's Peri Jude Radecic explained the Cracker Barrel discrimination case. Cracker Barrel, a nationwide "family style " SPECIAL First ten words FREE! Business or personal - Second Stone's classified ads really work! Now you can run a 20 word ad for just $3.50! 30 words just $7.00! Please·see the order form on the classified page OR ... FAX your ad to (504)891-7555 We'll bill you later. Just write your ad out (be sure to include classification, months to run, and your billing address) and FAX it to us. It's never been easier to place a classified ad! 20 word minimum. Each additional word, 35¢. Second Stone fI2l Second Stone• March/April 1992 I ._. ~ restaurant chain headquartered in Tennessee, has fired several lesbian and gay employees und er its "heterosexual values " company policy. Radecic also addressed t he pervasive problem of an ti-gay and lesbian vio lence, and the risin g tide of bias crime in gen era l in th e U.S. He noted that President Bush left out Gays an d Lesbians during the hate crimes portion of his Stat e of the Union speech. Vaid was assisted in arranging the meeting wit h Mosbac h er by his openly les bian daughter, De e. "Robert Mosba cher is to be commend ed for listening to u s and responding with concern," sai d Vaid. "This was a first step in opening a dialogu e _with th e Bush camp aign." Ordination of lesbian minister approved by United Church COLUMBUS, OH - In a departure from what many would call waffling on the part of mainline Protestant denominations, a local council of the United Church of Christ unanimously affirmed th e ordination of an open lesbian pastor in a meeting on January 5. Diana Vezmar-Bailey, who is the _ founding pastor of Spirit of the Rivers, an ecumenical community church, was an ordained minis.ter in the Presbyterian church until 1989 when she asked to be relieved of the practice of ordained office in protest against the Presbyterian church's official stand on homosexuality. Vezmar-Bailey approached the Central Southeast Association of the Ohio Conference of the _ UCC a year ago to request Privilege of Call, which essentially recognizes ordina tion from another denomination . She was open about her lesbianism from the beginning of the process. 'The Association staff and committee members were very respectful and fair, right from the very beginning," Vezmar-Bailey remarked. "I knew at least some o( them were uncomfortable with my lesbianism, and they didn't allow their personal feelings to obstruct the process." Though the UCC has a reputation for being open to out gay and lesbian ministers, this was the· first time the Central Southeast Association has had to deal with approval of ordination. In making the decision, the quorum - but not majority - of churches from the Association acted on behalf of the entire UCC. Although Vezmar-Bailey is a pastor of an active non-denominational church, she still stresses the significance of the Association's de cision. 'This is about more than one person in one Association," she said. "It is about a mpvement that's happening across the church . More and more gay, lesbian and bisexual persons are being honest about who we are. It's about the church s truggling - or not struggling - to make the change s necessary to include us." LETTERS, From Page 3 thousands of single share owners of Cracker Barrel stock. This will create some serious problems for the company. This action, on a nationwide basis, will have an impact on the business and political leadership of our country. It is a strong message that Gays and Lesbians are not going to tolerat e continued discrimination based on sexual/ affectional orientations. Every gay and lesbian person needs to contact their stockholder at the earliest moment and buy one share of Cracker Barrel Restaurants, Inc. and ask to have the stock certificate sent to them. With some brokerage firms there may be some resistance on the part of the stockbrokers because of the paperwork. I hope you and your readers will join in this extension of the Cracker Barrel action. The potential for effecting change in this way is enormous. Sincerely, Carl R. Owens In Print • • e • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Building Bridg es · Latest deve lopments in ministry to Catholic Gay s , Lesb ians de scri bed in new bo ok A contemporary ov erview of th e latest developments in ministry to Gays and Lesbians, within a Catholic p erspectiv e, is the focus of a new book to b e published ear ly this winter by Tw e nty-Third Publications . Robert Nugent, SOS, and Jeannine Gramick, SSND, authors of Building Bridges: Gay & Lesbian Reality and the Catholic Church , have a comb in e d experience of more than 40 years of resear ch, pastoral ministry, liaison work, and advocacy among both gay and lesbian communities and the mainstream Catho lic s tru ctures in the United States . Father N ugent and Sister Jeannine are co-fo unders of New Ways Ministry and aut h ors of Chris Glaser other book s and maga zine articles on different aspects of this subject. Building Bridges is described by publisher Neil Kluepfel as "a veritable compendium of gay and lesbian ,ministry, as it has developed in this country in recent years . It is a book that confronts this controversial but dominant issue facing the Christian community today." The authors link the issu e of homosexuality to many other areas of , ferment in church life such a women, celibacy, and the quality of candidates .for therriesthood and religious lifo. Out o th eir experience they offer a broad-bas ed perspective of homosexuality from various angles Coming Out to God By William L. Dav c~w•o, hris Glaser, denied ordination y his church because he is penly gay, sees prayer as his antidote to homophobia in his new book, Coming Out to God/Prayers for Lesbians and Gay Men, Their Families and Friends (Westminster/ John Knox Press, paper, 144 pages, $8 .95, 1991). "My prayer life is the principal . sustaining factor in my own ability to survive the homophobia of society, as well as to serve as an activist for the acceptance of lesbian women and gay men in church and culture," he writes .• "It has offered me both com munion and sanctuary, at first in the loneliness of the closet, then in . the challenges of reaching out for love and community among other Gays and Lesbians ." Glaser's book is organized around three themes: "Created in God's Image," "Called as Community," and "Citizens of a Commonwealth" and offers prayers for 60 days . The prayers relate to the writer's homosexuality ("the church says no to homosexuality in any form / while my body seems to say yes to it in ev e ry form / and my soul cautions there must be a middle way") , the loss of loved ones and friends through AIDS ("God, dear God, friends with AIDS slip through my fingers ... / please catch them with your · open hands ... "), feminism ("Mother God, when will Christians understand / women have been cut off from their own spirituality / by rational theol ogy, church patriarchy / and false, exclusively male images of you?), as well as the more useful subjects for intercession or adoration. The prayers are often in verse form, or follow Biblical or liturgical forms. Thus Day 23 repeats and echoes the familiar . Beatitudes ("blessed are those ... "), or is a litany with a refrain, ("We pray for those with life .in closets," Day 25), or an adaption of the Song of Mary, Day 17. "My prayer life is the principal sustaining factor in my own ability to survive the homophobia of society, as well as to serve as an activist for the acceptance of . lesbian women and gay men in church and culture." Glaser intends the prayers for daily use. Indexes of Scripture and topics facilitate use. But he warns, 'These prayers will aid you spiritually only if the Spirit and you enable them to do so ." Many Gays and Lesbians contend there is an intimate connection between sexuality and spirituality. Glaser's book is evidence · for and an illustration of this linkage. within a Cath olic framework to "promote understanding, continuing dialogue, and pastoral sensitivity." They wrote Building Bridges to be a resource of "help for Christians in their search for the truth in a spirit of reason rather than emotion, compassion rather than fear, and love rather than hate." Aware of the centuries of oppression of Gays and the critical need for healing, Father Nugent and Sr. Jeannine express optimism over the positive social and legal developments of the past 20 years, portending a future conducive to theological change "when Lesbians and Gays are accorde d equal respect and dignity as human beings in society and the Church." The book credits the U.S. Catholic community with ·making major contributions to the globa l discussion of homosexuality, particularly through its e:,cperiments in pastoral ministry and its forward-looking theological analyses and explorations. Despite a growing atmosphere of gay -bashing and Catholic-bashing, Building Brid ge s illustrates how "a ra tiona l, civil, and informed dialogue can and must be a part of the solutions to the tensions which affect all parts of the Church." In a for ew ard to the book, theologian Charl es Curran, Elizabeth Scurlock Univ ersity Professor of Human Values at Southern Methodist University, notes that th e authors have carefully articulat ed contemporary de velopments and alternative approaches within the Catholic community to the ethica l and pastoral qu estions about homosexuality and th e experienc es of gay and lesbian Catholics, whi le also acquainting . readers with some speculative and theological approaches. "I respect their careful reasoning, the pastoral 1990 Lambda Literary Award for Science Fiction Secret Matter Toby Johnson's ·novels tell gay-positive, life-affirming stories with happy endings that will leave readers touched and glad fo be alive. They're romantic, sexy, spiritual, occasionally profound-and ;ust all around good enjoyable reading . Getting Life in Perspecti .ve A spiritual romance novel FromLCJ\/end&rPress. Bothboolcs $10.00eo. Atyou rlocolgav & lesblan boclcstore or by moB from Liberty Boole, Austin TX. Coll 800 628 1279 for ordering lrlo. in s ights resulting from their e xper ience, and the irenic tone and approach throughout the book ." h e writes. Building Bridges: Gay & Lesbian Reality and the Catholic Church by Robert Nugent and Jeannine Gramick (ISBN: 089622-503c8, paper, 208 pp. $9.95) will be available by early January, 1992 in religious bookstores or directly from Twenty-Third Publi cations, P.O. Box 180. Mystic, CT 06355 , r ~ ~ Evangelicals ... 'I(/ liJgether Inc. B181.E STIIIJY GROUPS SOCIAlS • IIOIIKSHOPS • RETREATS HIV I AIDS SUPPORT GROUP PASTORAL CARE I COUHSELIHG FOR Gay & Lesbian Christians In Southern Califomia ... since 1979 Suits 109-Box 16 7985 Ssntlf Monica Boulevard West Hollywood, CA 90046 ""213/656-B570 ,.. ,p;t: ';,> ~-;: 1 ~ We ;, . ~{~~~!~1:?. .. On 100 beautiful acres with pool, hot tub, skling cind more . Innkeepeis Judith Hall and Grace Newman . invite you to write or call for a brochure . P. 0 . Box 118 SL Bethlehem, NH 03574 (603) 869-3978 the "other'' place under the sun ... :i:rt ~=-~i; ~xt;::ch •Pool It cozy Jacuu.l •Free cotallnental bruktut Write or call for brochure. 120 E. Aloi St., P. 0. Box 2326 South Padre Island. Texas 78597 (512)761-L YLE Air connections via American Continental Southwest . SecondStone .•March/April 19921131 T In Print T . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Getting Life in Perspective , Novel is historical, philosophical - and also fascinating By William L. Day Contributing Writer T oby Johnson 's new novel, Getting Life in Perspective: A Spiritual Romance Novel, blends the story of two young men in the late 19th century with the ideas and experiences of the author - or Rick, the viewpoint character - and "Rick's conversations with the characters he has created. This may make the book sound pedantic, but it is part of the author 's magic that he arouses and maintains interest in the adventures of Ben and Torn in a way that almost makes you resent it when Rick stops their story to talk with his characters . The travels of the two take place in the late 19th century, long before the modern gay /lesbian renaissance. Ben has been expelled in utter disgrace from a Jesuit seminary in Indiana after being caught in a sexual episode (his first) with a fellow seminarian. He hops a freight to Chicago. Tom, too, goes to Chicago after he loses his job in a drygoods store in Texas when a depression forces staff reductions. Trav eling unlawfully on freights · has . perils - beatings by railway detectiv es and attacks by hoboes. After Ben escapes from a huge bum, Josh, who wants to "jocker" him, he meets Tom and they flee west. Tom has had a happier encounter in Chicago with a European sophisticate who introduces him to sam e-sex love. The two men finally come upon ti ,,:, Clear Light Colony, a refuge for homosexual men and women, in the mountains near the rai lroad stop, Perspective. Montgomery High tower, founder of the colony, believes the preservation and survival of NORBERTINE BOOKS ..,.,,,,,,,,,,.,,..,,,,,,,,, For Gay and Lesbian Christians Fora FREE CATALOG send your name and address to: NORBERTINE BOOKS 7000 N. Rosemead Blvd. • Suite #9 San Gabriel, CA 91775 ITil Second Stone• March/April 1992 "showers" is vital for the spiritual evolution of mankind. ''There are people whose primary function is to breed," he explains. ''They are male and female ... they carry on the biological evolution this Mr. Darwin has got in so much trouble for telling us about. There are other people whose primary function is to show; they are special; they are both male and female simultaneously or something in the middle ... " These show-ers, he continues, stand outside the Chain of Being, and "it'fs only outside that you can get perspective. Those who do so carry on - or at least remind the rest about - the spiritual evolution of the race that is even more important for the future." But the survival of the colony is threatened by a wealthy landowner who wants the prime land with its view (perspective) that the colony occupies. He seeks to drive the colonists away be calling attention to their unorthodox sexual orientation. Perspective - yes, a story set in the past affords perspective. This is before the AIDS epidemic, but syphilis is a threat. It is at the time that Walt Whitman was emerging as a major poet, and Rick has references to him as well as to Edward Carpenter, one of the early modem writers on homosexuality. ~ Edwin Clark Johnson, PhD (Toby's full name) "is a partly retired psycho" therapist and longtime gay activist" (quoting from a note in the back of the book.) He and his lover run a gay and lesbian bookstore, Liberty Books, in Austin, , Texas . He was a friend of the late Joseph Campbell, whose The Hero with a Thousand Faces he quotes at the outset. Johnson 's previous books include The Myth of the Great Secret: A Search for Spiritual Battered Gay Men and Domestic Violence Men Who Beat the Men Who Love By Texas FitzGerald Contributing Writer Does the hand that holds you in public strike you in private?" This is the message Patrick Letellier saw on a circula r whi le walking down the stre et in San Franci sco a few years ago . The circular advertised an agency that helps victims of gay . male domestic violence . · The circular inspired a revelation. Patr ick's rel ati onship suddenly made sense. He could not control his lover's occasional outbursts of violence. Patrick was not the cause. Patrick was the victim : Their relationship was not normal for gay men. Patrick would remain a victim as long as he remained with his battering lover. Men Who Beat the Men Who Love Them confronts the gay community's denial of gay male domestic violence. It enters a void, and fills it with a personal account, theory, and practical advice for victims and those who would help them . The authors define domestic violence as "Any unwanted physical force, psychological abuse, or material/ property destruction inflicted by one man on another." Authors David Island and Patrick Letellier estimate 500,000 gay men are victims of gay male domestic violence, making it the third most significant health problem for gay Authors David Island and Patrick Letellier .estimate 500,000 gay men are . victims of gay .. male domestic violence, making it the third most significant health problem for gay men, behind substance abuse and AIDS men, behind substance abuse and AIDS. The authors draw from information on heterose:i,:ual battering and lesbian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Meaning in the Face of Emptiness (Morrow, '82), 111 Search of God in the Sexual Underworld (Morrow, '83), Plague: A Novel A-bout Healing (Alyson '87), aitd Secret Matter (Lavendar '90). This reviewer has read a fair amount of nonfiction dealing with homosexuality, · but little · fiction. Much of the fiction that he has read seemed to be literary versions of what can be seen in some pornographic videos. But here we have a rare find, a work of fiction that blends ideas well with action . I have no hesitation in recommending it, and if ever I am in Austion, I shall visit Liberty Books and salute the novelist. Getting Life in Perspective: A Spiritual Romance Novel, Lavendar Press, South Norwalk, Connecticut, 1991, paperback edition $10, 211 pages. Them battering, but discuss domestic violence from the unique perspective of gay men. Both men support · gay coupling and do not intend the book as an attack on male couple s in general. Battering typically follows a cycle of tension, abuse/ assault, and loving make up by the batterer. Abu se and assault are not common place; in fact, the relationship functions normally much of the time. But there . are episodes of abuse/violence and the episodes grow more frequent and more intense. The cycle of the batterer abusing his lover theh providing reassurance to his frightened lover is particularly insidious. Both batterer and victim may come to derive positive reinforcement from this cycle. It is more appropriate for the victim to realize an illegal act has occurred to which he has various recourses, including calling the police or fleeing . The victim deserves comfort including a means to vent his anger and rage, but this would better be done with a social worker or friend than with his assailant. Gay male domestic violence is not a couple problem. Island and Letellier assert it is . one man making a conscious choice to beat his lover. SEE BATTERED, Page 15 'Compassionate' concern: 'Nail it and nail it hard' Homosexuality 'unquestioned' sin, Baptists say By the Baptist Press and Associated Baptist Press NASHVILLE, TN - The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee has positioned itself against homosexuality to the point of begin ning consideration of motions to exclude churches that affirm Gays and Lesbians. · Committee members adopted a resolution related to two North Carolina churches considering pro-gay actions. The adopted statement advises the churches that "God · regards homosexuality as a gross perversion and unquestioned sin." Committee members also voted to initiate subcornrnitee work on two motions to keep members of churches "affirming, approving or endorsing the active practice of homosexuality" from participating in annual conven tions. If approved, the motions would reverse more than 140 years of precedent. Historically, the SBC has looked only at financial support for convention causes as the basis for determining who particpates in annual meetings . The resolution and motions came in response to pending decisions by · Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh, N .C., and Olin T. Binkley Memorial Baptist Church in Chapel Hill, N.C. Members of Pullen Memorial have BA TIERED, From Page 14 · Couple counseling is ridiculous and dangerous in such a situation . The victim needs to escape, not collaborate. Friends who attempt to act as go-betweens may endanger the victim by undercuttting his resolve to stay away or by providing the batterer clues to help him find the victim. Escape in not easy. Four months after reading the circular and talking with a counselor, Patrick escaped. He had followed a ·plan: diverted his mail to a post office box, had his gym bag packed with a change of clothes, cash, and copies of important documents (in lieu of having a safe place where he could stoi-e these), and had acted out how he would escape the apartment when the next bout of violence erupted. He did not have a safe house in mind, but David took him in. Men who have left a batterer suffer from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Island and Letellier maintain victims, on average, are mentally healthy men who happened into a relationship with a batt erer . However, the experiences and stress they have undergone are not normal and will . require sorting out over a period of time, perhaps years . They recommend concurrent individual and group counseling and describe how to been asked to decide whether to bless the union of a gay member and his partner and whether the church's membership should be open without regard to sexual orientation. Members of Binkley Memorial are to decide in April whether to grant a . gospel licens~ to a gay divinity student. "I believe these two churches ... laid down the gauntlet to Southern Baptists," Fred Wolfe of Mobile, Ala., told fellow Executive Committee members. "If we don't approve this (resolution), it will be interpreted by the liberal press that we chickened out, just like the Methodists and Episcopalians and all those others." The subsequent resolution notes the Southern Baptist Convention "has repeatedly stated its abhorrence of homosexuality" io six resolutions in 16 years . It expresses "deep and cornpasstionate concern for these churches showing willingness to consider departure from doctrine and theology generally held by Southern Baptists concerning homosexuality ." _ It also cites "alarm at their ill-advised movement toward accepting and approving unscriptural moral behavior." It calls upon "all Southern Baptists to pray fervently that the Holy Spirit find a competent counselor. Men Who Beat the Men Who Love Them is the first book on gay male domestic violence . It probably will be the best for many years. It is a methodical piece. It defines gay male domestic violence. It anticipates criticisms. It debunks common misconceptions. And it intersperses brief comments by Patrick who was a victim and David who helped him. These conversational interludes maintain the personal element. Now that the problem is named, we can no longer accept the notion we are universally a gentle people incapable of hurting each other. We must no longer accept the minimizing comments of a bruised victim. When couples physically fight, we cannot expect couple counseling to resolve the underlying personality disorder. We can not assume the victim has anywhere to escape to ·when as a community we have not provided safe houses. When a victim and batterer split, we must choose one or neither as a friend rather than act as go-between. Men Who Beat the Men Who Love Them is essential reading for pastors, counselors, and anyone who want s to be informed. Texas FitzGerald is co-owner of Books Etc in San Angelo, Texas. will admonish and enlighten these Guy Sanders of Florida responded. churches (and) that their members "We need to take this stand as will have sufficient grace to know and strongly as possible." do that which is right in the eyes of Following the action, Pullen Almighty God and in accord with his Memorial pastor Mahan Siler told inerrant word ." Associated Baptist Press that his The resolution drew limited church was not throwing down a opposition. Committee members who gauntlet on the issue but simply dissented did not express disagree- responding to a request from a rnent with its theological interpre- member . talion, but with whether the corn- However, Siler added that he rnittee should involve itself in the believes homosexuality is a matter of matters of local church. orientation and that he· would like to Bill Harrell of Evans, Ga., see the church "support the responresponded: "We're not telling the sible expression of one's sexuality, churches to do anything; we're whether they be primarily homoexpressing deep compassionate con- sexual or heterosexual ... cern. We ought to nail it and nail it "I share the conce'rn over the hard and come at it from a position of rampant promiscuity in the homostength." sexual as well as the heterosexuaf However, T.<;:. Pinckney of community and believe the church Alexandria, Va., later offered two should support the desire of Christian persons to live out faithful, monomotions that would directly impact garnous, lifelong commitments within churches by adding teeth to the .. . a same-gender union." adopted resolution. Binkley Memorial pastor Linda In one, members instructed their Jordan expressed cone ab t the ern ou 1 administrative subcommittee to change in the way Baptists might , develop a proposed change to the determine denominational member- SBC Constitution and bylaws that ship and what that would do to the would prohibit members of churches authority of the local church. that affirm Gays and Lesbians from 'The issue is, who is going to be the participating in conventions. moral watchkeeper on the moral The other motion was referred to flaws of who comes to Southern the bylaws workgroup . It seeks to instruct the SBC Credentials Corn- Baptist meetings," Jordan said. 'The issue is not homosexuality. Every mittee not to seat messengers to the Baptist church has homosexual 1992 convention from churches that persons, many of whom were raised affirm Gays and Lesbians . It also s h B · d h d would instruct SBC entities not to out em aptlst an ave eep receive donations from such churches. spiritual convictions . The issue is whether we will continue to require It also expresses "agape love and them to be dishonest and secretive or concern for each person who has whether we will deal with the issue chosen to rebel against God by openly." participating in the abominable practices of homosexuality" and pledges to "help them come to a saving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ (and) to rehabilitate their lives." Both the administrative subcommittee and the bylaws workgroup are to report recommendations to the Executive Committee in time for possible items to be considered during the 1992 convention. As with the resolution, the motions also drew debate. Members did not question the theological interpretations but did cite concern about the impact of the moves . SBC attorney Jim Guenther of Nashville, Tenn., said a move on the seating of 1992 mess engers could run ~ into legal problems because of .SBC precedent. However , Wolfe insi sted he did not care "if 10,000 lawyers tell us not to do it." Executive Committee President Harold Bennett also responded to a question by saying he could not recall the body eve r adopting a resolution on a social issue. "We've probably never been faced... with this kind of aberration," A new look at men Changing Men is a magazine all about men's health and sexuality, spirituality, pride. Also homophobia, ending violence,pro-reminism,antiracism, fathering, love and intimacy. E,q:,lorenewvisions of masculinity with us ... Second Stone • March/ April 1992 [Ifil Calendar T ..................................................... The fol/awing announcements have been submitted by sponsoring or affiliated groups . Brethren/ Mennonite Connecting Families MARCH 13-15, "Listening, Learning, Loving" is the theme selected for the third Connecting Families weekend at Laurelville Mennonite Church Center. Planned by families with gay or lesbian members , the weekend retreat seeks to build communicat ion lines between parents and adult siblings in families dealing with the issue of homosexuality. Featured presenter will be Michael A. King, author, editor and former pastor. More information may be obtained from Brethren/Mennonite Church Center, Route 5, Mt. Pleasant, PA 15666. . Freedom Glorious Freedom: The Joy of Being Gay MARCH 13-14, The Raleigh Religious Network for Gay and Lesbian Equality presents its Fifth Annual Conference . The Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, Raleigh, North Carolina, is the setting. The purpose of the conference is to create a climate of support for. basic human and civil rights for Gays and Lesbians, to develop an understanding of religious traditions, beliefs and values that shape attitudes toward homosexuality, to explore ways to provide pastorar care for Gays and Lesbians and their families and to establish a network of resources and personal interaction . Father John J. McNeill is the conference speaker. Several workshops are scheduled. For information contact RRNGLE, 4404 Woodbridge Court, Raleigh, NC 27612. Lesbian and Gay People and Catholicism: The State of the Question MARCH 27-19, New Ways Ministry sponsors a symposium especi al:y d esigned for Catholic Church leadership. The Westin Hotel, Ch.icago, is the setting . Speakers include -Fran Ferder, Thomas Gumbl e ton, William Hughes, John Boswell, Kenn eth Untener, and Margaret Farley. For informati on contact New Ways Ministry, 4012 29ti, fj] l Second Stone• March/April 1992 . _ _ _) St., Mt. Rainier, MD 20712, (301)277-5674. Professional Issues In Working With Gays, Lesbians and Their Families APRIL 3, The Radisson Hotel, Fargo, North Dakota, is the setting for this conference, which provides an opportunity for professionals in the Social Work, Educational, Chemical Dependency, Mental Health, Personnel, and Pastoral fields to come together and talk about issues related to working with gay males, Lesbians, and their families. A variety of program sessions is being offered. Presenters include Thomas Sauerman, Kathy Coyle, Anita Hill, John Y oakam and Bishop Art Rimmereid. Registration is $35.00. For information call University Lutheran Center, (701)232-2587. Mental Health Issues of Lesbians and Gay Men APRIL 9-11, Nursing Transitions, Inc. sponsors an interdisciplinary conference for health and mental health professionals focusing on so~e of the unique issues and mental health concerns of gay men, Lesbians and bisexuals. The Hyatt RegencyEmbarcadero, San Francisco, is the setting. Experts from psych.iatricmental health nursing, psychology, social work, counseling, sociology, sexology, and the law will present information and intervention strategies for working with gay, lesbian and bisexual clients. For registration information call (716)688-5058. Conference of More Light Churches MAY 1-3, "Reflecting the Light: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" is the theme of the 1992 Conference of Mor e Light Churches to be held at Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church, Chicago. More Light Churches are Presbyterian congregations that welcome lesbian and gay persons to full participation and membership without having to hide or deny their sexual orientation. Since 1985, the More Light Church mo vement has held an an nual conference in the spring to s ha re news oi its mi nistries and to str ategize for the future. For mor e informa tion call ll!~rk Palermo, (312)338-0452 or , .• :te '.v .-fore Lig ht Churches C:onfer en, "; l_;ncoln Park Presbyterian Church, 600 W. Fullerton Parkway, Chicago, IL 60614-2690. Affirmation spring gathering MAY 8-10, United Methodists for Gay & Lesbian Concerns meets in Louisville, Ky. during the UMC General Conference. For information contact Affirmation, P.O. Box 1022, Evanston, IL 60204. Sixth Annual Golden Threads Celebration JUNE 26-28, Lesbian women from all over the United States, many from Canada, and some from other countries, will converge in Provincetown at the Provincetown Inn to celebrate what they are and their age, whatever it is. Attendance is limited to 250 women. Entertainment will be provided by Robin Tyler. In existence since 1985, Golden Threads is a worldwide social network of lesbian women over 50, and women who are interested in older women. No lesbian woman is excluded. For information contact Christine Burton, Golden Threads, P.O. Box 3177, Burlington, VT 05401-0031. Ecumenical Retreat Weekend JUNE 26-29, The Brothers of the Mercy of God sponsor a retreat weekend for those considering a call to the religious life. The setting is a Monastery in Rhode Island overlooking the ocean. The invitation is to discover Christ's call in prayer, in song and in reaffirmation of life. For information contact the Brothers of the Mercy of God, 341 E. Center St., #212, Manchester, CT 06040. Spiritfest '92 JULY 3-4, New Creation Christian Fellowship, St. Louis, Mo., hosts Grace Ministries' annual Celebration of the Holy Spirit. The S.I.U. Conference Center is the setting. Spiritfest has been expanded from two to three full days. For information cont·act New Creation Christi an Fellowship, 2138. Orgeon, . St. Louis, MO 63103, 1-800-945-1992. 13t h An nual Gay & Lesbian Parents Conf erence JUL', 2-5, the Gay and Lesbian Parents Conference rneets in Indianapolis for Celebration '92 at the downtown Hyatt Regency. "Come Home to Indy" is the theme. For information write to GLPCI Celebration '92, Box 831, Indianapolis IN 46206. ' Integrity National Convention JULY 9-12,lntegrity, the lesbian/ gay justice ministry of the Episcopal Church gathers in Houston, Texas, for its 14th annual national convention. The Most Rev:'Edmond L. Browning, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church is scheduled to attend. Featured speakers include Dr. Louie Crew, founder of Integrity. For \ information contact Integrity, Inc., ' P.O. Box 19561, Washington, DC 20036-0561. . Lutherans Concerned Assembly '92 JULY 9-12, Lutherans Concerned/ North America meets at the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science for Assembly '92. "Free to Celebrate: We are the church" is the theme. For.information write to LC/NA, Box 10461, Fort Dearborn Station, Chicago, IL 60610-0461. CCL 10th Anniversary National Conference JULY 17-20, The Conference for Catholic Lesbians meets in the Boston area. CCL is a national organization for Lesbians of Catholic heritage. For information contact CCL-SS, P.O. Box 435 Planetarium Station, New York, NY 10024. Send calendar items to: Second Stone Box 8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 or FAX to: (504)891~7555 ~ Noteworthy ~ .................................... ,• ............. ~ .................... . St. PaulReformation appoints Belknap Jodie R. Belknap has been appointed Ministry Associate at St. Paul -Reformation Luth era n Church, St. Paul, Minn. Belknap's primary ministry will be with the congregation 's Wingspan Ministry, a ministry with and on behalf of lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and trans-gender persons, their families and friends . She will also serve as the church's Shared Ministry Coordinator, a ministry of volunteer development and care in the congregation. Belknap will work in partnership with Leo Treadway, Ministry Associate, who has been with the congregation's Wingspan Ministry for ten years. About her new position at St. Paul-Reformation, Belknap comments, "I feel strongly that God has called me to parish ministry. Regrettably, current circumstances Vieux Carre MCC moves to new home NEW ORLEANS - The Vieux Carre Metropolitan Community Church, pastored by Rev. Shelley Hamilton, has purchased a new church building featuring sanctuary seating for 100 · people . The building will do uble as a community center for the New Orleans gay, lesbian and transgenderal community where organi zations and groups can hold meetings and socialize. The new church is located a't 1128 St. Roch Ave ., · (504)945-5390. Divine Redeemer celebrates 10th anniversary MCC Glendale/Divine Redeemer celebrated its 10 anniversary this winter. Pastor Stan Harris said, 'These ten years serving the gay and lesbian community have sometimes been a struggle, but. passing this milestone is indeed cause for celebration." According to Rev. Harris, the church was esta blished in 1981 by a small group of gay and lesbian Christians, who at first rented their church prop erty but went on to purchase it in 1986. 'The miracl e was," said Harris, "we only had $2000 in the building fund." Members raised the $57,000 down payment in two weeks. The well -known "Missionaries of Mercy" was star ted by the Glendale, California, church to provide home cleaning for AIDS sufferers, food for Jodie R. Belknap within the ELCA would require me to sacrifice my integrity and wholeness as a lesbian person to accept a "call" in an ordained capacity. I know in my heart that God's guidance has led me to this place of purpose ." th e needy, pastoral care for the dying and a monthly healing service. The church may be reached at (818)500-7124. Ann Arbor church won't join UFMCC After months of exploration and debate members of the Huron Valley Community Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan, have voted not to affiliate with the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community · Churches . Several members of the church will pursue such affiliati-on as an independent study group. New MCC formed in Minnesota The Minnesota Valley Metropolitan Community Church has been formed to serve the South Central Minnesota area. Services are being offered once a month by spiritual leader Elaine Thomas. Thomas said the formation of the church was evidence that the UFMCC is interested in smaller regional and rural areas as well as large metropolitan areas. For more information about MVMCC call (507) 931-2586 or (507)345-3768. Church opens in Grand Rapids The Beth el Christian Assembly, a new pro -gay and -lesbian evangelical church, has opened in Grand Rapids, Mich., according to its pastor, Rev. Bruce Roller-Pletcher. The dmrch is dedicated to evangelism and to that end produces The Bethel Beacon, a monthly eight-page_ teaching magazine, and The Beacon of Hope, a half-hour weekly television program featuring the messages of the pastor. Though new to the gay and lesbian · community, the Assembly already has a full slate of programs . In addition to worship services and Sunday School, pot-lucks are a popular and frequent feature. The church may be contacted by writing P.O. Box 6935, Grand Rapids, MI 49516. Lutherans Concerned meets in Central Pennsylvania The newly formed Central Pennsylvania chapter of Lutherans Concerned is holding regular monthly meetings .on the second Sunday of each month at Messiah Lutheran Church in Harrisburg. Meetings are open to gay and lesbian Lutherans and their friends of other denominations. For information call (717)234-2093. First official Brethren/ Mennonite men's gathering Ed Note: Thanks to P. Gregory Springer for providing this testimony of the BMC gathering . . From around a midnight campfire, the voices of thirty meri echoed throughout the woods. In harmonies that reflected a firm background in four-part singing, hymns alternated with popular songs and show tunes. When a request was made for a verse of "Just As I Am," someone immediately countered with a suggestion for 'The Way We Were." And so the first official men's gathering of Brethren/Mennonite Council at the Templed Hills camp in Bellville, Ohio upheld one of the original purposes of BMC: to provide a system of support for gay men within the Brethren and Mennonite churches and traditions. Those attending came as far as Colorado and Washington, D.C. While no communion service was officially held, many agreed that the three day retreat reflected rich moments of ritual and sharing in a bonding of spirit, community, and love . Three sessions of structured dialogue for "Embracing Ourselves, Embracing Each Other" were initiated by counselors Jim Helmuth and Ray Ramos. "We want to experience this as a safe place," Ramos encouraged. Ages ranged from early 20s to the 60s; there were sing les, couples, divorced m en, married m en, and fathers. As ·communication and contact increased, it quickly became clear that unity - not differences - bound the group together. For many, including myself as a married man with three sons, the weekend was a life-affirming revelation, a meaningful juncture for sexuality and spirituality, and my _ first encounter with gay Mennonite and Brethren men wh0se life experiences were similar to my own. Left to our ciwn resources, the meri found time to play putch Blitz, learn square dancing, make endless jokes, prepare and enjoy homecooked meals, discuss sexuality, walk in the woods, listen to music, talk, embrace, write in a common journal, and sunbathe. As friendships so lidifi e d, there were moments of silence that soothed and healed wounds of daily life and lifetimes of alienation. The entire group gathered in candlelight during the Saturday evening meeting. Then, and again during the Sunday morning service, this blessed quiet, ness enveloped and encouraged us. As, arm in arm, we sang "We Will Wait" and began to bid each other goodbye, it was evident that this first retreat was just the beginning of a true congregation. New building .for Florida MCC St. John the Apostle MCC, Ft. Meyers, Florida, bought a church building in mid-December and held its first service there Christmas Eve . The church raised $12,000 in four weeks to assume the centrally located property, which includes two buildings with a sanctuary that seats 125. Rev. Jim Lynch is pastor . For your convenience you may now FAX: EDITORIAL •Letters to the Editor '•Newscllps •Calendar items SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES •New subscriptions •Renewals •Gift subscriptions •Address changes ADVERTISING •Classified ads • Insertion orders or space reservations (504)891-7555 Second Stone• March/April 1992 liZ] T Resour ce Guide T . . . . . . . . . •-.. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Listings in the Resource Guide are free to churches, organizations, publications and community services. Send information to Second Stone, Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 or FAX to (504)891-7555. National RELIGION WATCH, P.O. Box 652, North Bellmore, NY 11710. A newsletter monitoring trends in contemporary religion. · LUTHERANS CONCERNED / NORTH AMERICA, Box 10461, Fort Dearborn Station, Chicago: IL 60610-0461. Publi cation: The Concord PRESBYTERIANS FOR LESBIAN & GAY CONCERNS, P.O. Box 38, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0038. Publication: More Light Update · UNIVERSAL FELLOWSHIP OF METROPOLIT AN COMMUNITY CHURCHES 5300 Santa Monica Blvd., #304, Los Angeles, CA 90020, (213)464-5100. Publication: Keeping in Touch BRETHREN / MENNONITE COUNCIL FOR LESBIAN. AND GAY CONCERNS, Box 65724 , Washington, DC 20035. Publication: Dialogue UNITED CHURCH COALITION FOR LESBIAN / GAY CONCERNS, 18 N. College, Athens, OH 45701, (614) 593-7301. Publication: Waves SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS KINSHIP INTERNATIONAL, Box 3840, Los Angeles, CA 90078, (213)876-2076. Publication: C9nnection . RECONCILING CONGREGATION PROGRAM. P.O. Box 23636, Washington, DC 20026, (202)863-1586. Publication: Open Hands INTEGRITY, INC., P.O. Box 19561, Washington, DC 20036-0561, (718) 720-3054. Publication: The Voice of Integrity ECUMENICAL CATHOLIC CHURCH, P.O. Box 32, Villa Grande, CA 95486-0032. Holy Spirt Church, East Moline, IL, (309)792-6188. St. Michael's Church , Russian River, CA, (707) 865-0119. Publication: The Tablet. LIVING STREAMS, P.O. Box 178, Concord, CA 94522-0178. Bi-monthly publication. AIDS NATIONAL INTERFAITH NETWORK, 300 I St, NE, Ste. 400, Washington, DC 20002. (800)288-9619 , ·FAX (202)546-5103. Publication: Interaction. NATIONAL CENTER FOR LESBIAN RIGHTS , 1663 Mission St, 5th Fir., San Francisco, CA 94103. GAY AND LESBIAN , PARENT COALITION, P.O. Box 50360, Washington, DC 20091. Publication: Network. THE WITNESS, Published by the Episcopal Church Publishing Co., 1249 Washington Blvd., Ste. 3115, Detroit, Ml 48226-1868. (313)962-2650 INTERNATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN ARCHIVES ,. The Natalie Barney Edward Carpenter - Library, P.O. Box 38100 , Hollywood, CA 90038. (213)854-02 7 1. Publication: Bulletin. COUPLES Newsletter, Published by TWT Press, Inc., P.O. Box 253, Braintree, MA 02184-0003 . WOODSWOMEN - Adventure travel for women, ,25 W. Diamond Lake Rd., ·· Minneapoiis, MN 55419, (800)279-0555 , (612)822-3809, FAX (612)822-3814. DAUGHTERS OF SARAH - The magazine for Christian Feminists, 3801 No. Keeler, Chicago, IL 60641, (312)736-3399. CHI RHO PRESS - A special work of the UFMCC Mid-Atlantic District. Publisher of religious books and materials . P.O. Box 7864, Gaithersburg, MD 20898, (301 )670-1859. COMMUNICATION MINISTRY, INC.Dialogue and support group for gay and lesbian Catholic clergy and religious. P.O. · Box · 60125 , Chicago, IL 60660-0125 . Publication: Communication WOMEN'S ALLIANCE FOR THEOLOGY, ETHICS AND RITUAL, 8035 13th St., Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301)589-25o9, 11··-7s,S econdS tone • MarchAip ril 1992 l_c!_J . FAX (301)589-3150. Publication: WATERwheel. AFFIRMATION/United Methodists for Gay & Lesbian Concerns, P.O. Box 1022, Evanston, IL 60204. · ST. TABITHA'S AIDS APOSTOLATE, Christian AIDS Network of the Merican · Orthodox Catholic Church of St. Gregorios, P.O. Box 1543, Monterey, · CA· 93940 . ( 408)899-073 !. THE WOMEN'S PROJECT, 2224 Main St., Little Rock, AR 72206. (501)372-5113. Workshops on women1s issues , social justice , racism and homophobia. NATIONAL GAY PENTECOSTAL ALLIANCE (also Pentecostal Bible Institute [Ministerial training]) P.O. Box 1391, Schenectady, NY 12301-1391. (518)372-6001. Publication: The Apostolic Voice. FEDERATION OF PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF LESBIANS AND GAYS, INC. P.O. Box 27605 , Washington, DC 20038 . Send $3.00 for packet of information. HONESTY: Southern Baptist Advocates for Equal Rights, P.O. Box 7331, Louisville, KY 40257 .. · (502)893-0783 . Alabama BIRMINGHAM - THE ALABAMA FORUM, P.O. Box 55894 , 35255-5894. (205)328-9228. Arizona TUCSON - Casa De La Paloma Apostolic Church, 1122 N. Jones Blvd., P.O. Box 14003, 85732-4003. (602)32 3-6855. Rev. Margaret 11Sandy" Lewis, pastor. California SAN FRANCISCO - DIGNITY, 208 Dolores St., , · 94103. (415)255-9244. Publication: Bridges. , SACRAMENTO -THELATEST ISSUE, P.O. Box 160584, 95816. (916)737-1088. WEST HOLLYWOOD .- Evangelical s Together, Suite 109-Box 16, 7985 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90046, (213)656-8570. Publication: ET News SAN FRANCISCO - Lutherans Concerned, 566 Vallejo . St., #25, 94133-4033, (415)956-2069. Publication: Advent. SAN FRANCISCO - Gay and Lesbian Historical Society of Northern California, P.O. Box 42126, 94142 . (415)626-0980. Publication: Our Stories. SAN FRANOSCO - The Parsonage, 555-A Castro St., 94114-0293. Publication: The Parsonage News Col04'ado DENVER - Evangelicals Reconciled , P.O. Box 200111, 80220, (303)331-2839 . Colorado Springs: (719)488-3158. · DENVER - Evangelicals Concerned / Western Region, P.O. Box 4750, 80204. Publication: ThEC"ble. ' District of Columbia Integrity/Washington, Inc., P.6. Box 19561, 20036-0561. (301)953-9421. Publication: Gayspring. Florida ST. PETERSBURG - King of Peace MCC, 4825 9th Ave. N., 33713-6135. (813)323-5857. Sunday, 10:00 a.m. & 7:30 p.m. Rev. Dr. Fred C. Williams, Sr., Pastor. Georgia ATLANTA - SOUTHERN VOICE, P.O. Box 18215, 30316. (404)876-181~ . Hawaii KAHULUI - BOTH SIDES NOW Newsletter, P._O. IJc,x 5042, 96732. Illinois CHICAGO - OUTLINES , Published by Lambda Publicat ions, 3059 N. Southport , · 60657 (31 2) 871-7610 . FAX (312) 871-7609. Louisiana BATON ROUGE - Dignity, P.O. Box 4181, 70821. (504)383-6010. Maryland THE BALTIMORE ALTERNATIVE , P.O. Box 2351 , Baltimore, MD 21203. (301)235-3401. FAX (301)889-5665. Massachusetts CHERRY VALLEY - Morning Star MCC, 231 Main St., 01611. (508) 892-4320. Publication: Morning Star Witness. Michigan DETROIT - CRUISE Magazine, 19136 Woodward North, 48203. (313)369-1901. FLINT - Redeemer MCC, 1665 N. Chevrolet Ave., 48504. (313)238 -6700. Sunday, 6:00 p.m. Publication: Sounds of Redeemer. ANN ARB.OR - Huron Valley Com- munity _Church meets at Glacier Way UMC, 1001 Green Rd., Ann Arbor, 48105-2896 . (313)741-1174. Sunday, 2:00 p.m. DETROIT - Integrity, 980 Whitmore, #205, 48203. GRAND RAPIDS - Bethel Christian Assembly, 920 Cherry SE, P.O. Box 6935, 49516. (616)459-8262. Rev. Bruce Roller-Pletcher , pastor. Publication : Bethel Beacon. Television: Channel 23, Sun., 10:00 p.m. Minnesota MINNEAPOLIS - All God's Children Metropolitan Community Church, 3100 Park Ave. S. (612)824-2673. Publication: The Disciple. MINNEAPOLIS - EQUAL TIME, 310 E 38th St., Room 207, 55409. (612) 823-3836. Published by Lavendar, Inc. New Jersey HOBOKEN - The Oasis, 707 Washington St., P.O. Box 5149, 07030. (201) 792-0340. New Mexico SANTA FE - THE CATSBY CONNECTION, 551 W. Cordova, Ste. D/E, 87501. (505)986-1794 . New York SCHENECTADY - Lighthouse Apostolic Church, 38 Columbia St, P.O. Box 1391, 12301-1391. (518)372-6001. Rev. William H. Carey, pastor. NEW YORK - Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center, Inc., 208 W. 13th St., 10011. (212)620-7310. Publications: Center Stage, Center Voice. NEW YORK - Integrityc, P.O. Box 5202, 10185-0043. Publication: Outlook. ROCHESTER - THE EMPTY CLOSET, 179 Atlantic Ave., 14607-1255. New York State's oldest gay newspaper. North Carolina WILMINGTON - GROW Community Service Corporation, P.O. Box 4535, 28406. (919)675-9222 . Youth outreach: ALIVE for gay, lesbian, bisexual youth. RALEIGH - Raleigh Religious Network for Gay and Lesbian Equality, P.O. Box 5961, 27650-5961. (919)781-2525. Ohio COLUMBUS - Metropolita .n Community Church, 1253 North High Street, 43201. (614)294-30 26. Sunday , 10:30 a.m. Publication: The Beacon News. COLUMBUS - STONEWALL UNION REPORTS , Box 10814, 43201-7814. (614)2~ :776'.'I, Pennsylvania ALLENTOWN - Grace Covenant Fellowship, .... •-...... ... . 247 N. 10th St., 18102. (215)740-0247. Bryon Rowe, Pastor. Thom Ritter, Minister of Music. Texas DALLAS - White Rock Community Church, P.O. Box 180063, 75218. (214)285-2831, (214)327-9157. Sunday , 10:30 a.m. Jerry Cook, Pastor. AUSTIN - Joan Wakeford Ministries, Inc., 9401-B Grouse Meadow Ln., 78758-6348, (512)835-7354. DALLAS - Silent' Harvest Ministries, P.O. Box 190511, 75219-0511. (214) 520-6655. MIDLAND - Holy Trinity Community Church, 1607 S. Main, 79701. (915)570-4822. Rev. Glenn E. Hammett, Pastor. Publication:Trinity Tribune DALLAS - Hbly Trinity Community Church, 4402 Roseland, 75204. (214)827 -5088. Rev. Frederick Wright, Pastor. Publication: The Chariot LUBBOCK - Lesbian /Gay Alliance, Inc., P.O. Box 64'746, 79464-4746. (806)791-4499. Publication: Lambda Times. Virginia ROANOKE - MCC of the Blue Ridge, P.O. Box 20495 , 24018, (703)366 -0839. Publication: The Blue Ridge Banner ROANOKE - BLUE RIDGE LAMBDA · PRESS, P.O. Box 237, 24002, (703)890-3184. FALLS CHURCH - MCC of Northern Virginia, 7245 Lee Highway, 22046. Washington SEATTLE GAY NEWS, 704 E. Pike, 98122. (206)324-4297. FAX (206) 322-7188. SEATTLE - Grace Gospel Chapel, 2052 NW 64th St., 98107. (206)784-8495. Sunday, 11:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. Jerry Lachina. Pastor. International LONDON - Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, Oxford House, Derbyshire St., London E2 6Hff, UK, 071-739-1249. Listings in the Resource Guide are free at the request of the organization. Just tell us who you are. Others want to know about you too! Send to Second Stone Box 8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 or FAX to (504)891-7555 Opponents will take case to national Synod , Presbytery affirms call to lesbian pastor Representatives of the 75 churches of the Presbytery of the Genesee Valley, New York, have voted not to rescind the hiring of an openly lesbian pastor for Downtown United Presbyterian Church, Rochester, a More Light congregation. The Rev. Dr. Jane Adams Spahr is the first openly lesbian or gay minister to be called by a Presbyterian congregation . The congregation had originally decided to call Spahr on Nov. 26, by a vote of 125-46, but conservative ministers demanded a vote to rescind the call. The oppo. nents of the hiring are now seeking to overturn the Presbytery's decision on a national level. The Rev. Ron Sallade of Union Presbyterian Church of Scottsville, one of the opponents of Spahr's nomination, said that the Presbytery's decision opens the way for pastors ordained before 1978 to declare their homosexuality op en ly. In 1978 the Church's General Assembly ruled that self-acknowledged , practicing gay and lesbian people be barred from ordination. "Paragraph 14" of the Policy statem ent on the Church and Homosexuality said that the General Assembly's action "shall not be used to affect negatively the . ordination rights" of those ordained before 1978. Spal1r was ordained in 1974. However, C. Fred Jenkins, dir~ctor of Constitutional Services for the Presbyter ian Church (USA) told Sallade in a Dec. 4 letter that Paragraph 14 does not exempt gay or lesbian pastors ordained before 1978. Herbert D . Valentine, leader of the Church conference held in June, has advised the Presbytery that Paragraph 14 is ambiguous. Sallade's concern seems to be that acceptance of Spahr would give permission to other "cannons" (his term for gay clergy) to come out. Spahr will have to wait to take up her post until her case is dealt with by an ecclesiastical court, at the end of April or beginning of May. Conservatives ha ve filed a case seeking to rescind her appointment with the Synod Permanent Judicial Commission. A stay of enforcement has been put in place, which means that nothing further can be done until the · case has been resolved . John DeHority of DUPC's search committee said of Spahr, "She is the most deeply spiritual person I believe I've ever met, and she moved us deeply." The committee interviewed 86 applicants for the position. 'This is a real justice issue," Spahr said after the vote. ''Hopefully, this case will open this whole issue for gay and lesbian people ." Spahr is currently executive director of The Ministry of Light, the Center for Lesbian/Gay Concerns in Marin County in northern California. She founded the Ministry of Light in 1982, and since then it has become the only social service agency in Marin County COMMENTARY, FromPage4 will be held to commenorate this and to draw attention to current issues that need redressing. Community events such as Gay and Lesbian Pride can be used as a platform to celebrate native resistance and express solidarity with native . people. Non-native Gays and Lesbians may also choose to organize · community events against the Quincentenary, whim Lafortune said should be done in consultation with native people . He urged anyone . contemplating such action to be respectful, to remember militant politics aren't always appropriate, and to realize native people won 't have mum energy to thank anyone. The U.S. government is pouring billions of dollars into "celebrating" the Quincentenary. Films, books, articles, parades, video games, festivals have all began and will build toward October. This indicates · how much is at stake for keeping a particular and untrue version of history intact . It also indicates the crucial need to hold out the truth. Coming out means telling the truth about your life ... it's a real family value. The National Coming Out Campaign is fundamentally the most effective campaign the gay and lesbian community has ever waged. Please gi.ve generously to: NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY, PO Box 8349, SANTA FE, NM 87504 / 505-982-2558 YOUR CONTRIBurION JS TAX DEDUCTIBLE • whim is primarily focused on the gay community, and which educates about issues related to sexuality, homophobia, heterosexism, AIDS and HIV. Spahr, ordained by the Presbyterian Church in 1974, came out as a lesbian in 1980. She then resigned under pressure from her position as Executive Director for the Oakland Council of Presbyterian Churmes. A divorced mother of two sons, ages 22 and 25, she shares her life with Coni Staff, a pastor with Metropolitan Community Churm and head softball coach and professor of physical education at San Francisco City College. · Spahr said that she believes the major obstacles to ending homopho- . bia in the church are literal interpretation of th e Bible, and lack of personal contact with visible Gays and Lesbians. 'There are more and more of us feeling wonderful about who we are," she said. 'Think how many families there are in ~e Presbyterian Church with gay members. They (heterosexual Presbyterians) need to come to know us, and just get on with it. It takes that personal contact." Spahr feels that organizing polifically is an important part of the process. "More and more of us are saying who we are,." she said. "Many have left the church because they have been so hurt, ·and I understand that perfectly." She is co-founder of CLOUT, a new group for openly Christian Lesbiafi/?. "We started this organization and it's really going. We have a director taking on responsiblities . We are excited. We can finally be ourselves. · -Susan Jordan, The Empty Closet and Kathleen Schwar, Democrat and Chronicle. • MARCH IS GAY AND LESBIAN MEDIA AWARENESS MONTH· SPONSORED BY THE MEDIA FUND FOR HUMAN RIGHTS & THE GAY & LESBIAN PRESS ASSOCIATION Yw; tax-<leductible donation to the Me<ia Fund for Human Rights \\ii help advance the power of the gay and lesbian media through its educational programs - and assist In funding new proJeclS such as scholarships and media internships. Send to: The Media Fund For Human Rfghta PO Box 8185 Universal City, CA 91608-0185 YES, I'll help with .□ $25 D $50 D $100 D $ _ ·Name _________________ _ Address _________________ _ City/State/Zip ______ ~--------- □ I work in the media. Please send infonnation about membership in the Gay and Lesbian Press Association. Second Stone• March/April 1992 lill T Classifieds T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ------------------, Books & Publications "WONDERFUL DIVERSITY," "Heartily recommended," "Philosophically intriguing," "Excellent." Why do reviewers highly esteem CHRISTIAN"NEW AGE QUARTERLY? Great articles and lively columns make this bridge of dialogue between Christians and New Agers as entertaining as it is substantive.. Subscribe for only $12.50/yr. Or sample us for $3.50. CHRISTIAN*NEW AGE QUARTERLY, P.O. Box 276 , Clifton, NJ 07011-0276. TF CHI RHO PRESS. Send for your copy of The Bible and Homosexuality by Rev. Michael England for $5.95 or I'm Still Dancin!f by long-term AIDS survivor Rev. Steve Pieters for $8.95 and receive a free catalog from Chi Rho Press, an MCC-based publishing house for the Gay /Lesbian Christian community. Or receive our catalog by sending $1.00. P .O. Box 7864-A, Gaithersburg , MD 20898. Friends/Relationships 28, GWM, 5'8" 180 lbs, brown, green, AA college grad. - Would like to meet for friends.hip or more in the South Jersey area. I will travel t~ MD, DE, or PA. I am masculine, yet very affectionate at the right times. I don't smoke, but drink socially. Please send photo/letter to Frank, P. 0. Box 567, Newport, NJ 08345. You may also call (609)453-8777, then use access code . 4473861. Pen pals OK if meet not possible. B4192 NASHVILLE, TN and environs - Healthy GWM, 37. 6'2", 178 lbs., straight !~king; educated. professional; into church, fnends, music, books, movies . Seeks respons~ble, edu·cated · Christian, 30-45, weight proportionate to height, for friendsh iI?, possible relationship. Letter, photo 1f possible. ,Reply: Mike, P.O. Box 270262, Nashville, TN 37227-0262. 6/92 IT COULD BE YOU! Would like to meet the right person for the right thing. Johnny 7, P.O. Box 56. Temple Hills, MD 20757 4192 General Interest PSYCHOTHERAPIST/WRITER seeking accounts from the Fundamentalist (Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox _Jewish,) families of gays and lesbians on the 1mpa~t of coming out on family/spmtuahty. Information will be used m anthology on same (confidentiality P.rotected). Welcome stories from parents, ·s,bhngs, gran_dparents, close friends. Write to Pamela White MSC, P.O . Box .27800 Suite 129, Albuquerque, NM 87125. 6/92 Merchandise FOR SALE: 800 perfect, used compact' discs from a private library, mostly classical. Very reasonably priced, $2.00 - $7.50. Call (616)361-6194 evenings. 4 /92. BusinessorPersonalTry a Second Stone Clasm'ied Ad! L2~] Second Stone• March/April 1992 Classified Order Form I I 1 1 I I 1 FOR ONLY 35¢ per word, your classified ad will reach readers from Sitka, Alaska to Amherst, Maine and everywhere in between . Business or personal ... try a classified ad in our next edition! I Mail To: Second Stone 1 Box 8340 Name, ____________ _ Address. _________ _ City/St./Zip, _______ _ AD COPY _______ _ ------------------------------------- words X .35= $. _____ _ 20 word minimum. All classifieds must be pre-paid. Deadline one month prior to cover date. We will mail you a copy of the edition(s) in which your ad 1 New Orleans, LA 70182 appears Please place my ad in these issues: [] Jan/Feb [] Mar/Apr [] May/Jun [] JuVAug [ ] Sept/Oct [] Nov/Dec CLASSIFICATIONS I l Books & Publications [ l Business Opportunities [] Employment [ ] Friends/Relationships [ ] General Interest [ ] Mail Order [] Merchandise [ l Organizations [ l Professional Services [ l Real Estate [] Retreats [ l Roommates [ ]Travel I------~------------------------------------------------------ Organizations CONFERENCE FOR CATHOLIC LESBIANS (CCL) 10th Anniversary National Conference - Boston area, July 17-20, '92. National ·organization of Lesbians of Catholic heritage. Regional and local groups. Newsletter (Sample $3.00). Contact CCL-SS, P.O. Box 435 Planetarium Station, New York. NY 10024 or (607)432-9295. 4/92 CALLED TO CATHOLIC PRIESTHOOD? Women. men. married. unmarried. Con~ct: International Free Catholic Commumon. 258 Aspen Street #11, Arroyo Grande , CA 93420, •(805)473-2510. 4/92 COVER STORY, From Page 10 with God. He also reports that several support groups are forming for those in recovery from religious addiction which will use the twelve steps basically adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous. The steps are detailed at length in the book. Fr. Booth says ·"the key here is getting y()urself to recognize that the abusive, obsessive use of religion had not made lffe better, had not brought you close to God, but instead had created distance from God, from your family and friends, and from yourself." Much of the material in this book was covered -in his previous book, Breaking The Chains, but this new book is a far superior effort. It is so well organized that with little effort passages could be easily found to assist those in crisis. And, the expanded and revised content is well worth the price . When God Becomes A Drug should be an important part of every lesbian and gay Christian's library. It will help you understand why so many who call themselves Christians are afraid of any knowledge that challenges their belief system. You will better understand the abuse that we have suffered through the centuries and in many cases it will help us understand ourselves as the abusers. Fax your ad. (504)891-7 555 30 words. 7 bucks. We'll bill you later. It's never been easier to place a business or personal classified ad. Just write your ad out (be sure to include classification, months to run, and your billing address) an9 FAX it to us. ARE YOU MOVING? The Post Office will not forward The Second Stone. You must notify us for · uninterrupted ,service if you move. Please notify us four weeks In advance for uninterrupted delivery . Send both old and new addresses. If possibl"e attach mailing label in space provided. PRINT NEW ADDRESS * 3 f f N ;; 0 ~ Send completed form to: THE SECOND STONE Box8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 1 I Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone #21 - Mar/Apr 1992 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/06033960945928c6224b249a3327cf72.pdf fce3c9c62433d14a5e614f14586c5dd1 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone Description An account of the resource Issues of the Second Stone publication. Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 22 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1992 Publication Date The date the issue was published May/June 1992 Text Any textual data included in the document AMERICA'S GAY & LESBIAN CHRISTIAN NEWSJOURNAL A first: Same-sex union service held at Baptist Church "We'r e taking a stand toward a responsible expression of sexuality," said Rev. Mahan Siler, Jr. "It 's a stand of support toward p ersons who want to commit to a long-term monogamous relationship. " BY ANDRE A L. T. PETERSON Baptist Convention . Much t o everyo ne 's su rpris e, someone "alerte d the media," and the attention that Pullen and it's decision • to bless same-gender relationships, in general, and th e union of Churchill and Turner, in particular, received "grew overnight." According to Turner, "Pullen was making a decision about same-gender unions in general. It wasn't about us. I guess we were the impetus." 'This is a blessing before God," says Kevin Turner of his and lover Steven Churchill 's March 15th Holy Union cer emony. "Asking God's blessi ng is far mo{e important. The public affirmation is second." The union, performed by the Rev. Mahan Siler, Jr. at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh, N.C., created quite a stir within the Southern Baptist Conven tion and turned out to be · quite a public affirmation - not only of two men and their commitment to a lifelo .ng, monogamous relationship, but of a congregation of Christian men and women and their pastor committed to taking their orders from God and not from the Southern Turner and Churchill, who have been together since 1989, affirm that "it [their union ceremony] has always been from the heart, not a political SEE COVER STORY, Page 10 Steven Churchill, left, and Kevin Turner stand at the altar of Pullen Mem• orial Baptist Church, Raleigh, North Carolina, following their union ceremony. · .THOMAS ... ·[Iru· WHY .bOUBTING · DOUBTED 13 By Nancy Hugman BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PA I D NEW ORLEANS. LA 1_.:..__ __________________________________ ......, ____ -r---:,----.;...,,..--J PERMITNo.511 ... • ~-~ . SU~SCRIBE NOW - ONE YEAR . ONLY $13.00! • BOX 8340 • NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182 - :•": .. .'~" .......... ..F....r..o...m...E.t..h.d..e.i t .o• ·T .r.. Newspaper's special report focuses on gay/lesbian Christian issues By Jim Bailey TheDe troit News and Free Press devoted five full pages to a thorough examination of issues facing gay and lesbian Christians and the church. The excellent two part series was published on the weekend of April 11 and 12. "Revoluti,m in Religion" was picked up by Associated Press and, hopefully, some or all of it may have appeared in your daily newspaper. Religion writers David Crumm and Frank Bruni presented a wonderfully balanced report on the issue that will not go away in the nation's churches. "Seven hundred years ago, Christians burned homosexuals at the stake," the article begins. It goes on to describe an upheaval in churches · unmatched since opposite views of slavery tore apart many American churches more than a century ago. Writers Crumm and Bruni point out how religious condemnation feeds the prejudice and discrimination against gay people, even contributing to violence against Gays and the high suicide rate among gay teens. The report includes several interviews with important contributors to gay and lesbian ministry including John Boswell, Rev. Troy Perry and Rev. Jane Spahr. Contrasting opinion on how the Bible does or does not condemn homosexuality is presented as is a short piece on Exodus International, the ex-gay change ministry. For gay and lesbian Christians seeking justice in the church, for straight Christians just now beginning to ponder the issue and, yes, for those who have dug in their heels against Christian affirmation of Gays and Lesbians, this article contains a wealth of information. Hats off to Crumm and Bruni, who are long-time Second Stone subscribers. Surviving tough times in publishing Yet another gay/lesbian publication has been silenced by tough economic times. Visibilities, a lesbian magazine .which began publishing in 1987, recently st~pped the press. Publisher Susan Chasin said. that, "we tried our best to stay in business, but times are hard. We were affected by a combination of slow and non-payment by bookstores and advert isers, and an inability to attract new advertising revenue." With that I'll let you know that the March/ April issue of Second Stone was the final issue to be made available for bookstore distribution and henceforth the newsjournal will be available by subscription only. We started newsstand distribution, with high hopes, with our November/December, 1988 issue. For a variety of reasons, bookstore distribution has never been profitable despite our best efforts. My thanks to bookstores and distributors who stuck with us - and who paid us and paid on time. I would have to agree with Chasin, however - slow and non-paying gay and lesbian bookstores are a problem which heavily influenced our decision to go subscription-only . Second Stone has developed, and continues to develop, a strong paid subscriber base as opposed to relying on bookstore or advertising revenue, a strategy which provid'es the best opportunity for being spared the fate of so many of our brother and sister publications. T2liseSctoone.n Mday /June 1992 '-=--' , . Contents ....... ............. .......... [I] [[] [U [m] [ID [2]. [ll] From The Editor 'Kudos to the Detroit News and Free Press Your Turn Letters from readers News Lines Cover Story: Heroes for change in the Southern Baptist Convention by Andrea LT. Peterson The Wilderness Generation by Irene Elizabeth Stroud Goin Roun Takin Names by Louie Crew Why Doubting Thomas ... Doubted by Nancy Hugman In Print Freedom of speech as a gay/lesbian issue Book reviews by William Day and Michael Blankenship l17l Noteworthy l![J News about people, churches and groups [8] .[j]J Resource Guide Connectedness Just Out 120 I Classifieds .............·.Y...o..u.r..T..u...m.... .... Veterans coverage appreciated Sacramento,C alifornia Dear Second Stone, Thanks for your coverage of the Gay and Lesbian Veterans Tribute here in Sacramento. Video of the event has been shown twice on local television with p0sitive response. God bless your work. Sincerely, Lynn Strawbridge New MCC in Louisiana Lake Charles, Louisiana Dear Second Stone, Please add my name to the mailing list. I hope your work prospers and brings the news everywhere that we of the gay community are the children of God and heirs of the kingdom. Recently we have organized a "new works" here. MCC of Lake Charles has services every Sunday at 10:30 ISSN No. 1047-3971 SECOND STONE Newspa per is published every other month by Bailey Communications, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Copyright 1992 by Second Stone, a registered trademark. SUBSCRWflONS, U.S.A. $13.00 per year,.six issues. Foreign subscribers add$] 0.00 for postage. All payments U.S. currency only. ADVERTISING . For display advertising information call (504)899-4014 or write to: Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. EDITORIAL, send letters, calendar announcements, and church/organization news to (Department title) Second Stone, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70 l 82. ManuscripLs to be returned should be accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope. SECOND STONE, an ecumenical Christian newspaper committed 10 informing the gay and lesbian community. · PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Jim Bailey CONTRJBUTORS FOR THIS ISSUE: Nancy Hugman Louie Crew Irene Elizabeth Stroud Andrea L. T. Peterson William Day Michael Blankenship · a.m. at our church building at 510 E. Broad Street. Often we are joined in the fellowship by Gays who attend other churches. Best regards, C. Whitman Thanks from New Direction Los Angeles, California Dear Second Stone, We appreciate the support you have given to our new publication, New Direction, which is growing. I just purchased a copy of Second Stone and found it very interesting and informative. I wish you much success in your fourth and future years of publication. Sincerely, Wayne Coombs, Editor Recycling ... to other readers Dallas, Texas Dear Second Stone, As Chapter Secretary for Integrity /Dallas, I have often taken my copy of Second Stone to our board and general membership meetings to discuss current news items. The other board members have been so impressed with Second Stone that we have sent in a chapter subscription for our newsletter editor. Sincerely, Raymond F. Knapp, Secretary, Integrity/Dallas Baptists wrong ... then and now Bossier City, Louisiana Dear Second Stone, I.continue to find your publication helpful and hope you are getting support in your work. I just happened to see a publication called The United Methodist Review which included a story headlined, "UM delegates lament emphasis on gay issues." A graph illustrated that it is the top issue in every geographical area. I am sure that in the 50s and 60s they lamented in the same way when they were being forced to face the issue of SEE LETTERS, Page 9 Write to Second Stone. All letters must be original and signed by the writer. Clearly indicate if-your name is to be withheld. We reserve the right to edit. · Box 8340,' New Orleans, LA 70182. Subscribe TodayAND v o ut L L N E v E R WITHOUT YOUR A FRIEND J OURNEY. BE FOR SecoSntdo ne The National Gay and . Lesbian Christian Newsjournal ···YES!···································Begin my subscription to SECONDS TONEfo r: [ ] One year (6 issues) $13.00 [ ] Two yrs. (12 issues) $25.00 [ ] Three yrs. (18 issues) $36.00 NAME ADDRESS CITY/STATE/ZCIPO DE. CHECK HERE [. ] if~ plain -envelope Is required and add $2.00 per year, Allow 6-8. weeks for delivery of your first Issue. International subscrlbetS add S 10.00 per year,U. S. currency. Mail To: SECON.D STONE, Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 THANK YOU for youisubscription support! Second Stone• May/June !992 [[] News Lines T ~ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....................... . Ousted pastor HIV positive; wife has AIDS PLYMOUTH, MN - The 24,000 members of the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations have learned that their former president, Rev. Richard Snipstead, 63, is HIV positive and his wife, Leone, 60, has developed AIDS. Snipstead was removed as leader of the conservative church when he revealed that he had been involved in affairs with men for 20 years. Despite their beliefs about homo s exuality, church members greeted Snipstead warmly at a recent service, offering hugs . -Associated Press Not in my neighborhood Religious fundamentalists are of concern to half of America's adults according to a recent Gallup Poll. Emerging Trends newsletter (Febc ruary) cites a 1989 survey as showing that 30 percent o.f Americans would not like to have religious fundamentalists as neighbors. The survey showed that 21 percent were very concerned about religious fundamentalism and 29 percent fairly concerned about the movement. -Religfon Watch German church affirms homosexuality The Evangelical Church in BerlinBrandenburg is the first German Lutheran church to publicly affirm homosexuality as "neither sinful nor a sickness, but a different expression of human sexuality." The church leadership called on their congregations to accept homosexual Christians as sisters and brothers .who should not be made to conceal their sexual orientation. The leadership of the Bavarian, North Elbian, Rhineland and Hessen/Nassau regional churches are considering adoption of similar stances: The policy statement, which was issued in response to an anti-gay attack by skinheads in Berlin, recalled the German churches' silence while thoμsands of Gays were being murdered in German concentration camps during the Nazis' rule . Declaring violence to be unacceptable in dealing with social issues, the stat ement said tolerance of social OPEN AND AFFIRMING: A JOURNEY OF FAITH An Open and Affinning Video Resource from the United Church Board for Homeland Ministries "It brings IIJ life 1M prin~d words I have read abouJ the ONA process. Real peopu. Real churches. Really va/uabu!" UCC Clergyperson "An excelknt video. I look forward IIJ using it in our local church." UCC Laywoman Open and Affirming: A Journey of Faith Color, 55 minutes, VHS; Purchase only - Not available for renlal Documents the experiences of three United Church of Christ congregations deciding whether or not to declare themselves open to and affirming of lesbian, gay and bisexual persons. Different approaches to the ONA dialogue are documented as are candid comments from church members about personal experiences with the ONA process. Video package includes printed resources. To order send $25.00 to: Rev. Bill Johnson ONA Video Resources· UCBHM/DAMA 700 Prospect Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44115-1100 All orders must be pre-paid by check. or money orderpe.yable to ftUCBHM". For funher information call (216) 736 - 3270. [1] s ·econd Stone• May/June 1992 minorities such as homosexuals is needed. -More Light Update Suicide manual popularity sparks concern Experts in medical ethics are surprised and worried by brisk sales of Final Exit, a suicide manual for the terminally ill. Dr. Martin E. Marty, an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America pastor and historian of American religion at the University of Chicago Divinity Sd100I said that scholars have been discussing the morality of suicide for the terminally ill for several years but a longstanding taboo against suicide in Western culture has kept the debate from reaching the public. The strong sales of Final Exit so soon after publication are "a- revealing symbol" that the time for a debate on suicide to enter the public arena is long overdue, he said. · -The Lutheran Monks give up plans for hospice RESACA, GA . - Monks from the Monastery of the Glorious Ascension have given up their plans to operate an AIDS hospice on their hillside residence in northwest Georgia after failing to win support from residents. 'Their neighbors have not been kind to them, and I think it's just worn th em down ," said Florence Brent, board chairman of the proposed hospice. With only three monks remaining at the facility and novices expected in the fall, Father Damian, a member of the I):IOnastery said, "We just don't have the manpower to do it right now." Since 1989, six people, five with AIDS, have received care from four Eastern Orthodox monks at the complex, 10 miles south of Dalton. -TWN Newspaper's anti-homophobia ads spark protests A series of public -service ads dealing with homophobia has appeared in a Washington state newspaper, despite cancelled subscriptions and a threatened boycott from some advertisers · and subscribers. Officials at the Tacoma Morning News Tribune said the negative reaction to the ads was proof that they are needed . -Lesbian Connection Lutherans call for AIDS awareness Congregation s of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America are . ............. . being asked to observe an AIDS Awareness Sunday each year. A churchwide policy has been adopted to encourage congregations "to · articulate clearly their welcome to persons affected by AIDS and their support for them and their families · and friends." Scouts shouldn't be anti-gay, says founder's daughter Virginia Boyce Lind, daughter of the founder of the Boy Scouts of America, says she wants the BSA to end its ban against gay scouts and troop leaders. Lind, who herself has a gay son, has been a vigorous lifelong supporter of the BSA. "My father didn't found the Boy Scouts for certain groups of boys. He founded it for all boys," she says. "I don't think he would have liked discrimination." PFLAGPole No voting rights for gay church elder Curt Peterson, 34, was elected an .elder by the congregation of Wayzata's St. Luke Pr esbyterian Church in suburban Minneapolis, but the denomination's policies prohibit out Lesbians and Gays from assuming leadership posts . Peterson will serve as an elder-elect without voting rights. St. Luke is a More Light churd1 which welcomes Lesbians and Gays but the Presbyterian Church will not allow th e ordination of "unrepentant" Gays and Lesbians. "It's so important for Gays and Lesbians to come out in [mainstream denominations]," said Peterson. "I believe that Gays and Lesbians need to take their place in structures outside the gay community. We are part of the larger community, and it's important that our wisdom and perspective be fully represent ed." -Equal Time Louisiana governor bans state discrimination Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards has barred state agencies from discriminating in jobs or services on the basis of sexual orientation, a first among Southern states. The executive order also prohibits such discrimination by the state in awarding contracts and by state contractors in any employment matter. A spokesperson for th e Human Rights Campaign Fund said that the decree is among the most far-reaching issued by any state. -T11e Times Picayune No relationship with Kinship, says SDA Church The General Conference of Seventhday Adventists can estab lish no relationship with SDA Kinship International as long as Kinship "finds a homosex ual relationsh ip to be an acceptable lifestyle" according to a letter from Conference President Bob Folkenberg's office. The letter from the president's assistant, B. E. Jacobs, was written in response to a letter from Kinsh ip president Mike McLaughlin inviting the Conference into a working relationsh ip with Kinship. Jacobs said that the church will continue a kind and compassionate ministry to everyone and that "God hates sin but loves the sinner." University of Utah (almost) bans discrimination The University of Utah will prohibit discrimination against gay men and Lesbians in its policies, but it will not recognize sexual orientation as a protected characteristic in its affirmative action efforts. The school's governing board of trustees adopted a proposal to bar discrimination against students, faculty and staff for reasons of sexual orientation. However, the trustees did not agree that sexual orientation should be added as a protected characteristic. Archbishop denounces safe sex TV ads CHILE - Santiago Catholic Archbishop Carlos Oviedo says the Health Ministry's new HIV prevention television announcements "encour ages sexual libertarianism." Many political and social leaders accused Oviedo of placing religion above public health, according to Brazil's !PS news agency . Of Santiago's four television stations, two ran all three of . the spots, the Catholic-owned station refused to run any of them, and one station banned only the spot that mentioned condoms. -Outlines Catholic lay group admits Dignity/USA The Leadership Council of Catholic Laity has invited Dignity/USA to become a full, organizational member. The action climaxes four years of waiting, applications by three Dignity presidents and a month of intense lobbying by Dignity/USA ...............N....e..w-.L...si.n...e..s.. ........T... .......... President Kevin Calegari. "It was a moment of truth both for Dignity and for the LCCL," Calegari said . "Many in the LCCL had to confront their homophobia, and we had to face that people simply don't know who we are and what we do as faith communities. We need to get the good word out, and being part of the LCCL will be one way of doing that." When former Dignity president Jim Bussen of Chicago attempted to attend LCCL's first meeting in Belleville, IL in 1988 he was unceremoniously hustled out of the room. "He was met with discourtesy, so we dropped it," Calegari said. -Bay Area Reporter Holy Unions double Twice as many Holy Unions are apparently being performed this year by Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Communi ty Church clergy. Rev. Bob Arthur, UFMCC Church Services Coordinator, said that the number of Holy Union certificates sold from November 1991 to February 1992 is at least double the number sold in the same period a year earlier. Possible reasons for the increase include recent national publicity about blessing same-sex relationships and the AIDS epidemic, which is leading more people to want to make permanent commitments. -Keeping in Touch Accept Gays, say Reconstructionist Jews The leaders of Reconstructionist Judaism have issued a policy statement calling for complete, unconditional equality for Lesbians and Gays in Jewish life. The historic 39-page statement, adopted unanimously by the board of directors of the Federation of Reconstru ctionist . Congregations and Havorot, affirms that holiness resides in committed gay and lesbian relationships · and welcomes lesbian and gay individuals and families as full and equal members of congregations "with the same rights and responsibilities as heterosexual individuals and families." -PhiladelphiGa ayN ews Religious leaders discuss morality Leaders from Jewish, Christian and Moslem faiths met in Los Angeles to discuss morality and public life. The Catholic Cardinal of Los Angeles, Roger Mahony, was the featured speaker. The symposium ,yas entitled "How Safe is Safe Sex?" and was held at the Islamic Center of Southern California . . The fledgling coalition is "not so different from the moral majority" said Father Paul Dechant, chaplain at UCLA. Criticizing condom distribution programs in the schools Mahony said,. "[This] assumes that the young cannot be morally educated . .Sexual responsibility and self -control are the primary controls to the spread of AIDS. AIDS must not be taken as a condemnation. Only God can see into the heart. But this is an opportunity to pra ctice compassion and mercy since AIDS is not a faceless disease." ' -Seattle Gay News Priest's faculties revoked for co-authoring book FRESNO, CA. - Craig O'Neill, a Catholic priest who co-authored the recently published Coming Out Within: Stages of Spiritual Awakening for Lesbiansa nd GayM en, has received notice from his bishop that he may no longer celebrate the sacraments or minister as a priest. Fresno Bishop John Steinbock said in a letter dated February 14th to the priests of the Bakersfield deanery that the publication of Coming Out Within "shows clearly that [O'Neill] condones and promotes homosexual and lesbian sexual activity ... This position is not compatible with the teachings of the Catholic Church." Coming Out Within explores the difficulties. and · losses that gay men and Lesbians experience in dealing with family, work, church, and society. O'Neill and his co-author, Kathleen Ritter, offer an eight-stage process to help readers move through grief and loss to reach a point of spiritual wholeness and fp,.lfillment. Harvard chaplain under fire Rev. Peter John Gomes, minister of Harvard's Memorial Church, is under fire from conservahves following his voluntary admission that he is gay. Gomes came out last November, after a conservative student newspaper printed a 56-page issue condemning homosexuality. Students and alumni have requeste d Gomes' resignation, but so far Harvard officials are supporting the minister. -Southern Voice .. , diqnitv,usa an o,yanizationfo r gay and fu6ian Catfwfus, tkir familus a,ul friends. ..! L.. Dignity /USA has ministered to gay and lesbian Catholics, their families and friends for over 20 years . ., -r . We have over 4,000 members in 80 chapters across the country. If you'd like to support our ministry, pleasej oin Dignit)(/USAt oday by completingt hef orm below and enclosing your $40.00 check payable to Dignity, Inc. to: Dignity/USA, 1500 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Suite 11, Washington, DC 20005. Telephone: 1-800-877-8797 D YES, I would like to support the work of c:1(11if"'9JUSCJ Enclosedi s my$4 0.00 check tor membership. Name Address City Stale- ZIP ___ Second Stone • May/June 1992 ~i .L!U News Lines ~ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ACT UP protests at Catholic Church ACT UP /Dublin, Ireland, held a protest against the Church's anti-safe sex stance. About 40 activists marched through rush-hour traffic, some dressed as bishops. Arriving at the Pro-Cathedral, they chanted "We're !oo sexy for your church, too sexy for your church, so sexy it hurts." The reaction from mass-goers was "surprisingly good," according to · Dublin's Gay Community News. -Outlines Court upholds city's decision In a landmark decision by the Fourth District Court of Appeal in California, a proposed right-wing initiative targeting the lesbian and gay community, as well as persons with HN, has been declared unconstitutional as a denial of the right to equal protection under the law. Upholding a lower court decision, the Fourth District affirmed the action of the Riverside City Council in refusing to place on the ballot a proposed measure that would have fostered discrimination against Lesbians, gay men, and people battling HIV disease. The initiative had been circulated in Riverside churches by "Riverside Citizens for Responsible Behavior," a group with ties to the homophobic Traditional Values Coalition. Sexuality study urges deliberation The recently released Evangelical Lutheran Church in America sexuality study strongly encourages the consideration of biblical texts related to sexuality, but it also asks church members to look at the Christian meaning of sexuality "in relation to contemporary social, medical and psychological insights." The SO-page study, titled Human Sexuality and the Christian Faith, is the first step in the development of an ELCA social statement on human sexuality. The study examines "assumptions about the Bible's rejection of homosexual behavior ... in light of new understandings of homosexuality." In biblical times much homosexual activity was exploitive and abusive, the study states and then asks, "Is it appropriate to draw moral judgments from these passages and apply them to gay or lesbian relationships that r------------------------------~ The Other Side Refreshingly personal, devotedly biblical, passionately radical, The Other Side is a magazine calling Christians to live the empowering, liberating vision of Jesus. The Other Side stands on the· side of the poor and oppressed. It embraces the despised and rejected, whether they be women, racial minorities or gay and lesbian Christians. It stands against war and prisons and national borders, and it challenges greed and arrogance. This sentiment is woven together with refreshing artwork, award-winning articles, powerful poetry, penetrating interviews, and some of the best fiction around. It's a mix not available anywhere else! IIALF-PRICF OPFER THE OTHER SIDE, 300 W. APSLEY STI!E!IT, PHIL\DEIPHIA, PA 19144-4221 Yes! I'd love to subscribe! Here's my check for: I I I I I I I □ One Year for $14.75 □ Two Years for $29.50 □ A Sample Issue for $4. □ I prefer to be billed at the regular rate of $29 .50 for one year. I promise to pay promptly. I Name ____________________ I Address _________________ I City, State, and Zip _________________ I Add $9 y,ar for non-U.S. addresses. Pmruylwnia residmJs add 696 Tax, Canaduin residfflts 796 tax. I Mm,ey-Badt GuimnlH: Ify,u're no/ salisfied, wr'll refund the cost of all unmailed tssu.s. S0751S I ~------------------------------~ []] Second Stone• May/June 1992 . are mutually loving?" The study is available on request through the ELCA Distribution Service, (800)3284648. -The Lutheran Anti-NAMBLA group forms SAN FRANCISCO - A group dedicated to driving the North American Man-Boy Love Association out of the gay movement has recently formed. Founders of the group decided i! was time to defend the gay community against stereotypes of Gays being child molesters. The majority of molesters are heterosexual. "Somebody has to come out and say they aren't us," said Everett Denman, founder of the Gay and Lesbian Advocates for Children's Rights. "We're part of families. They're a threat to our children, too," he said. _.' NAMBLA believes that the ~e of consent laws for sex should bl° abolished. -The Latest Issue Catholic bishops reject safe sex WASHINGTON - The National Conference of Catholic Bishops has overwhelmingly rejected safe sex approaches to combating AIDS . "Instead of promoting the illusion of safe sex, we need to warn our children and society of the dangers of sexual promiscuity and drug abuse," the bishops said. -Associated Press Meeting between Bush campaign and gay activists sparks backlash WASHINGTON, D.C. - Far right organizations have seized on a meet~ ing between the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the Bush/ Quayle '92 campaign to push anti-gay rhetoric to the forefront of the presidential race and attack gay and lesbian campaign visibility. "Having the highest-ranking member of your re-election campaign meet with the homosexual lobby is a direct contradiction to your attempts to portray your administration as pro-family," wrote Rev. Morris Chapman, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, and reported in the Washington Times. "We call upon you to personally· disavow any support or sympathy for the homosexual civil rights agenda." The Conservative Political Caucus, Pat Robertson's "700 Club," the National Association of Evangelicals and other groups have also vilified the meeting. Richard Land, Christian Llfe Commission head, was quoted in The Tennessean as saying, "People who campaign for office as pro-family are engaging in hypocrisy when they court people whose lifestyle is not... traditional." The White House has distanced itself from the meeting between Robert Mosbacher, chair of the Bush reelection campaign, and gay activists, saying it was a .:'personal decision" by Mosbacher. Forgotten · Scouts picks up National Gt,ming Out Day support National Coming Out Day has become a organizational member of "Forgotten . Scouts," the visibility organization of gay and bisexual men formed to challenge the biases of Boy Scouts of America. "We are proud to . have the endorsement of National Coming Out Day and are making plans for NCOD Year Five, October 11, 1992," said Ken McPherson, cofounder of Forgotten Scouts. Current and former gay scouts are urged to contact Forgotten Scouts, 1072 Folsom St. .#383, San Francisco, CA 94103, (415)905-6120. Baptist Church may ordain gay man A North Carolina church is con-. sidering ordaining the nation's first openly gay Baptist minister. O\in T. Binkley Memorial .Baptist Church in Chapel Hill endorsed the candidacy of John Blevins, a divinity student at Duke University, in early February. Binkley Memorial belongs to the Southern Baptist Convention, the world ' s largest Baptist organization. Blevin~ told the Raleigh News & Observer, 'This is a sensitive issue," and that he feared publicity could jeopardize his ordination. -Southern Voice Glad you're gay? Tell Ann Landers Ann Landers is doing a survey to determine if lesbian and gay people are glad they are gay. "While this survey is unscientific, biased to those who happen to read her advice column, and open to pollution from anti-gay hate mail groups, we think it is an opportunity to come out yet again with pride," said Lynn Shepodd, Executive Director of National Coming Out Day. NCOD urges readers to send a card or note saying "Yes I am glad to be gay or lesbian" to Ann Landers, P.O. Box 11562, Chicago, IL 60611-0562. I News··Lines ; ................................... Church backs troop on pro-gay stance Christ the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in San Jose, Calif., is siding With Boy Scout Troop 260, which meets at the church, in its battle with the national scouting organization over its ban on admitting gay men as leaders or members . The troop's council passed a resolution saying that it supported the national Boy Scout constitution calling for its adult leaders and members to be "morally straight." But the council, the resolution says, does not agree that male or female homosexual orientation is immoral. The council of the 650-member Christ the Good Shepherd, a Reconciling Congregation, supported the troop's decision by voting "to affirm and applaud their act of conscience," said the Rev. Jack W. Lundin, the church's pastor. -The Lutheran Gay bar off limits to military EL PASO, TX. - The military has placed the Old Plantation, a gay bar, off limits to its personnel because of~ concern over sexually transmitted disease . According to activist Laura . McIntosh, the real reason the bar is off limits is military homophobia. "If the military at Fort Bliss was really concerned about the prevention . of sexually transmitted disease, then they should have placed all of the straight ba;s in El Paso and Juarez on restriction ... ," McIntosh said. airline officials, equipped with a list of freebie ticket-holders, began asking non-paying passengers to give up their seats to make way for paying passengers from the other plane. Going to the seat assigned to the USAir employee, a ticket agent asked, "Are you Gay?" Somewhat · taken aback, the passenger nodded that he was, at which the USAir agent said, 'Then you'll have to get off." Mr . Gay, the USAir employee overheard what the ticket agent was saying to the customer and decided to clear up the confusion. "You've got the wrong man - I'm Gay," said the employee. Whereupon an angry third passenger who had overheard everyone's remarks piped in, "Hell, I'm gay, too. Th ey can't kick us all off!" The mass linguistic confusion was soon clear ed up, and ·no one had to give up a seat on the flight because of sexual orientation . Mr. Gay eventually made his way to his destination on a less complicated flight. -Cruise NIH needs research volunteers The National Institutes of Health is seeking volunteers to participate in a family study of biological determinants of human sexuality. The aim of the study is to determine whether the development of sexual orientation is influenced by heredity. Persons who are at least 18 years old and have two or more adult gay or lesbian relatives are invited to con. tact Dr . Dean Hamer at (301)402-2709. Travel _ expenses and per diem will be paid by the NIH. STONEWALL RIOTS BY ANDREA NATALIE J//tr ·0011'1 lJNOf!/STANO lfY PAV6HT£,f_ SlfE l?Er _vn:s TO WEA.Ir , WOMl'#'S CLtJ/lfES · !/I.IT SH! l}OESN ' T U.U ff.f/l'S CLO~IIES . ' Volunteers sought for UMC General Conference Methodists who are members of · Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays are needed as volunteers at the General Conference of the United Methodist Church which meets in Louisville, Ky., from May 5-15. The _ · Conference _will be considering the report of _its Committee to Study Homosexuality, which by a 73 to 18 vote · had recommended - that the denomination abandon its present blanket condemnation of homosexual practice . Volunteers should call Elinor Lewallen, (303)355-7911. Lewallen urges all Methqdists to write letters supporting the Study Cornmitte~. Congressman rejects BLK magazine Lesbian organization celebrates first decade LOS ANGELES - Congressman William H. Orton (D-Utah) had the United States Postal Service issue a prohibitory order to BLK magazine forbiding the company from sending the monthly magazine to the Congressman's office. Earlier last year, BLK began sending copies of the black lesbian and gay newsmagazine to all members of the Senate and House of Representatives. Who's Gay? A USAir worker, whose last name is Gay, using the employees' free flight program, got on one of his company's planes recently . When he found the free seat assigned to him occupied by a p·aying passenger, Mr. Gay took an empty seat nearby. But then another USAair flight waiting at the airport ran into mechanical problems and The Conference for Catholic Lesbians, an international lesbian organization, is concluding its first decade of commitment to connecting Lesbians of Catholic heritage and promoting their visibility. CCL is celebrating its 10th anniversary this summer at its sixth general conference, which will be held in Waltham, Massachusetts during the weekend of July 17-20th. In 1981, Maryland-based New Ways Ministry, whose work is primarily for and about gay and lesbian people in religious life, held a conference for Catholic Lesbians. A few participants of that conference wanted to bring such an event to other women of Catholic heritage in the greater lesbian community and the first conference for Catholic Lesbians was formed in 1982. It sparked the interest and served the needs of tlw women who participated in that . conference, and the birth of the organization of the same name occurred the following spring . The organization's name has been a controversial one throughout its ten years of existence. It has caused misunderstanding as to the organization 's -orientation and purpose among potential friends and those who would oppose it. Uniting the words catholic and lesbian is like waving a red flag at Lesbians who have bitter feelings about a church that exploited and excluded them on the basis of their gender, itnd declared them intrinsically morally evil on the basis of their sexual orientation. Many church-going Catholics are offended by the word catholic being used .as an adjective to describe Lesbians. The name, though, is what s·ets them apart from other lesbian and religious groups, and it expresses a unique point of view, a st _arting point if not a point of departure, which is very different from other Catholic and gay groups. It is a statement in and of itself that · women, who come out of the Catholic tradition, whether still active in that church or far removed from it, feel the need to ban together to discuss their issues, to be church for one another, and fo make themselves visible to the Church, society and the lesbian community, places that might be hostile to their existence. The theme of the 1992 conference is "Shaking Our Roots - Designing Our Future : Catholic Lesbian Spirituality in the '90s." The group will be exploring spirituality and the different paths the members have taken in their spiritual journeys, and they are hoping to share the weekend with like-minded friends who have not heard of the organization previously. They will be looking at both their history and their future as the new millennium looms ahead. (See Caiendar.) ·second Stone• May/June 1992 [ZJ Anti-gay measures heat up in three states A far-right Christian organization has bombarded Oregon's gay and lesbian community with a number of state-wide and local anti-gay initiatives to be placed on the ballots this year. Meanwhile, in Alabama, the state Senate is poised to vote on a bill which would mandate that schools teach that homosexuality is unacceptable and a criminal offense. At the same time in Colorado, activists are waging a battle against a statewide anti-gay intitative. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute is helping local activists organize against these attacks. The Oregon Citizens Alliance (OCA), a far-right group that initiated a successful anti-gay measure in 1988, introduced two statewide and three local initiatives. The statewide measures will be on the ballot in November if the necessary signatures are gathered by the July deadline. The local initiatives will be on the ballot during the May primary. One statewide initiative amends the state constitution to prohibit local, regional, and state governments in Oregon from "promoting, encouraging, or facilitating" homosexuality. "Churches are NOT hospitable places for lesbians and gay men- RIGHT?" WRONG ! is a quarterly magazine for and about churches that welcome lesbians and gay men . Each issue of Open Hands explores a particular concern of lesbians and gay men in the church and includes feature articles by clergy and laypersons, resource listings, worship/deootional ideas, and news from the lesbian/ gay Christian movement. Published since 1985 by the Reconciling Congregation Program, a national network of United Methodist churches that welcome lesbians and gay men. _ Enclosed Is $16 for my annual subscription (four Issues) of Open Hw1<ls ($20 outside the U.S.A.). _ Please bill me $16 for my annual subscription. NAME __________ _ ADDRESS __________ _ _ Please send me a sample issue (free). Also send me a llst of back Issues available. SEND TO: P.O. Bo>: 23636, Washington, D.C. 20026 CALL: 202/863-1586 OR FAX: 202/488-1423 Classified SPECIAL FIRST TEN WORDS FREE! Meet a new customer for your business ... a new friend in a city you'll be visiting soon ... a new pen pal ... the possibilities are exciting! Second Stone classifieds reach readers in every state and many foreign countries. 20 words just $3.50! 30 words just $7.00! Use the order form on the classified page or FAX your ad to (504)891-7555, including classification, months to run and billing address. 20 word minimum. Each additional word , 35c. ' I II I I . • It also requires that those governments and the public school systems "assist in setting a standard for Oregon's youth which recognizes that these behaviors are abnormal, wrong, unnatural and perverse and that they are to be discouraged and avoided." The cities of Springfield, Corvallis and Portland were targeted by the OCA for similar local initiatives. The OCA gathered the necessary signatures in Corvallis and Springfield, while gay activists defeated their signature-gathering efforts in Portland through a successful "Bigot B.uster" campaign. "Bigot Busters" shadow OCA petition gatherers and explain to potential signers the drastic implications of the measures. These initiatives would mean that gay men and Lesbians could lose their jobs or homes simply because of their sexual orientation, with no legal recourse. Governments could not issue permits for gay pride marches, public facilities could not be rented to gay organizations, public libraries would be required to remove books that treat homosexuality neutrally or positively, and public schools would be required to teach students that homosexuality is "abnormal, wrong, unnatural, and perverse." The second statewide initiative amends the state hate crimes law which currently protects ~ictims who are attacked because of their sexual orientation. The initiative would delete "sexual orientation" and substitute "abnormal and unnatura l sexual behavior ." 'These initiatives are a horrendous threat to the lives and livelihood of gay and lesbian Oregonians," said Robin Kane, Public Information Man- A new look at men Since1979. ChangingM eni sa magazine all about men's health aid sexuality,s piritJJalityp, ride. Also homophobia, ending violencep, ro-feminisma, ntiracism, f atheringl,o ve and intimacyE. ><plorenewvisions of masculinityw ith us. .. Cb_~!!fu. Wsample l2'41<I4ss-ues 306 N. Broob Medson 'WI5 3715 ager of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute. "And the threat doesn't end at the Oregon border. The right-wing is making this a test case, and if they win, they will take this show on the road throughout the nation." Gay activists around the country are being encouraged to send funds to battle such initiatives. The Campaign for a Hate Free Oregon is a professional statewide coalition of groups orga11.izing to defeat the initiatives through the media, education and voter registration. It can be reached at P.O. Box 3343, Portland, OR 97208; (503)232-4501. No on Hate is a statewide grassroots organization that will use "Bigot Busting" and other tactics to involve many people in the campaign against the initiatives. It can be reached at P. 0. Box 2725, Portland, OR 97208; (503)222-9885. Bigot Busters, which are mobilizing statewide, can be reached at P.O. Box 36, Sherwood, OR 97140; (503)625-5795. The Human Rights Coalition is a cooperative effort by gay, religious, civil rights and other organizations to defeat the local initiative in Corvallis. It can be reached at P.O. Box 828, Corvallis, OR 97339; (503)752-8157 . Springfield Together Opposing Prejudice (STOP-PAC) is a gay organization battling the local initiative in Springfield. It can be reached at Gateway Mail Facility, P.O. Box 70464, Eugene, OR 97401; (503)744-1371. Meanwhile in Alabama, the state Senate Health Committee unanimously approved of a bill mandating specific limits on sex education in public schools. If passed, the bill would require that schools remove abortion and safer sex discussions in sex education classes, teach total abstinence as the only form of prevention for AIDS, and teach that homosexuality is unacceptable and a criminal offense. The full Senate is expected to vote on the bill, SB tin, in the upcoming few weeks. Colorado is in the midst of a heated campaign by a right-wing organization to add an anti-gay amendment to the state constitution. The Colorado for Family Values initiative, which will be on the November ballot if the necessary signatures are gathered, will exclude sexual orientation from protected class status in any civil rights laws in the state. Controversy has already erupted there in February when Colorado University football coach Bill McCartney held a press conference, wearing a CU sweater and speaking behind a CU podium, and denounced homosexuality and supported the efforts of CFV. The Equal Protection Campaign is leading the battle to defeat the initiative. They can be reached at P.O. Box 300476, Denver, CO 80203; (303)839-5540. England's gay/lesbian Christians react to Bishop's statement Gay and lesbian Christians are calling a statement on human sexuality by the Bishops of the Church of England a positive breakthrough but warn that the report, Issues in Human Sexuality, contains harmful inconsistencies and contradictions about clergy behavior . The document is a statement of the bishops' opinion and is not binding on the Church of England . The British press reported that the document reflects the position of Archbishop Carey. 'The Lesbian arid Gay Christian Movement welcomes publication of this report from the Bishops of the Church of England and looks forward to a full debate on it at all levels of church life, including deanery, diocesan and General Synod levels" says Rev. Richard Kirker, general secre-. tary of the movement. "It is a fair, balanced report which will help to create a more tolerant and realistic climate of opinion. Only on the matter of lesbian and gay clergy conduct do we feel that the report is LETTERS, From Page 3 racial prejudice and segregation in their colleges and churches. But the Methodists had a better record on the issue of civil rights for blacks than most other churches and have now tried to get some understanding of gay issues. Not so with Southern Baptists, who are still in sin and have never repented for their very purpose for existing, which was using the Bible (prior lo the Civil War) to prove that slavery was God's will, and then later that racial separation was God's will. They were wrong then and their views on homosexuality are wrong now. Keep up the good work. Sincerely, William Edward Glover Homosexual Information Center seriously deficient, and this will need major changes if it is to be acceptable to the whole Church, including its indispensable lesbian and gay clergy," Kirker said. The movement particularly applauds the report's recognition of and apology for the Church 's "prejudice, ignorance and oppression" in dealing with homosexuality and the recognition that celibacy is a special gift from God which cannot be prescribed. Also praised is the report's unambiguous assert ion that congregations should welcome and support gay and lesbian Christians, whether "active" sexually or not, and it's respect for the integrity of those Lesbians and gay men who believe their sexual relationships to be right in the sight of God. The biblical section of the report is weak, according to Rev. Kirker, and reflects the author's reluctance to come to terms with many new insights from a wide range of published works from many countries. While Not fixated on sex Gloucester, Massachusetts Dear Second Stone, Most gay-oriented publications focus on the sexual component of our personalities, indeed fixate on it. Sex is good and has it worthy place in our humanity and personhood but I understand it as the fruit a relationship flowers out into rather than the root of the plant. Second Stone to its great credit helps to nourish and affirm awareness of the other dimensions of character and the perspective our being gay and lesbian persons gives us of the world. May your good work continue with the support and gratitude it merits. Yours most sincerely, J. Prybot J J recently, I've been feeling J J extremely lonely and alone. Almost weekly letters arrive at Second Stone from prisoners who are isolated and in need of caring contact. You can help if you have time to answer a letter .•. or if you are able to provide a gift subscription. Thanks for doing whatever you can. 0 Please send a gift subscription in my name to a prisoner and forward his/her correspondence to me. I enclose $15.00 for six issues. QPlease send a gin subscription in my name to a prisoner. I canno~ however, correspond with him/her at this time. $15.00 enclosed . OI will answer correspondence from one prisoner. Please forward to me one letter originating from a prisoner . YOUR NAME. ............................................................................................................... , ............. .. ADDRF.SS ................................................... "······················· .. ·················· ............................... CITY,STA1E&ZIP ......................................................................................................... . Mail to: Second Stone, Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 the report acknowledges the existence of other interpretations of the story of Sodom and that it cannot be applied uncritically to loving same-sex relationships the Bishops refuse to accept the views of many modem, widely respected bibical scholars and continue to assert that the story is about homosexuality . The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement feels that th e repo .rt's treatment of bisexuality is insensitive, simplistic and hurtful toward many people whose orientation is neither heterosexual nor homosexual. It was the report's view on lesbian and gay clergy that drew the most ire. 'The double-standard they commend, and want to uphold, is a policy which will lower the morale and self-respect of lesbian and gay clergy, further adding to their stress and sense of being undervalued," the movement wrote in a prepared statement. The unspecified, unclear threat of discipline against clergy in a same-sex relationship has further destroyed the trust" necessary in all dealings between clergy and bishops, according to the movement. UNITED METHODISTS: we're here for you - Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Concerns welcomes you. P.O. Box 1021 Evanston, IL 60204 (415)221-1612 OUR WORLD The International Gay Travel Magazine Month by month, we invite you to explore the exciting world of travel available to gay men and lesbians. Each month we help you to discover the multitude of interesting hotels, inns and resorts that welcome the gay traveler. Enjoy articles and color photos of a romantic hotel in Spain, a secluded retreat in Hawaii, a . manor house in the English countryside, a Greek pension overlooking the sea, a rustic resort in Colorado, and more -all catering to our life&tyle! Plus, every month, regular departments provide you with valuable information on gay events and festivals, travel updates and tips, interviews, and the latest gay trips and tours-sail the Caribbean on a private yacht, join an expedition to Nepal, cruise the Mediterranean on a luxury liner or fly to Sydney for the Gay Mardi Gras. ~- ----- - --' Whatever you're looking for, let OUR · WORLD be your ticket to adventure. 1 year (12 colorful. issues) only $ 44 (in the USA) - US$ 52 (Worldwide). First issue mails in 4-6 weeks in plain sealed envelope . Sample copy US$ 5. Mail To: Our World Publishing 1104 North Nova Road, Suite 251 Daytona Beach, Florida 32117 USA TEL: (904) 441-5367 · Second Stone• May/June 1992[ {] T Cover Story T ...................... .............. '• ................................... . Baptist church performs same-sex Holy Union service FROMPAGEl thing" - the desire of Steven to . "pledge lifelong commitment in a caring, nurturing relationship" to Kevin, and Kevin's desire to solidify " a commitment we had long before we began the process [ of seeking a blessing in the churd1]." Although Holy Union, whether heterosexual or homosexual, is not a sacrament in the Southern Baptist church, Turner believes that, for him, their ceremony was, like baptism, an outward sign of an inner reality - the commitment was there long before the ceremony. "Commitment," he says, "goes far beyond the initial stages of a relationship . You realize that there's a lot more than sex. Being together is important. You like being with this person. If," he continues, "sex is the end all and be all, [commitment to] monogamy doesn't make sense. The sex will not always be what it is at first." Monogamy is essential to the • pledge Turner and Churchill have made to each other. "Monogamy is important to me on several levels," says Turner. "I don't really want to be with someone who wants to be with . someone else. That's practical. On a scriptural lev el... it's more than scripture ... you have to be." Turner finds it hard to point to precisely where, but in general, be believes that "all of our relationships should be based 011 love and trust." There are, he acknowledges , ethical standards set in scripture that are for all couples in relationship. The families of both men participated in their union, but not without initial difficulties. The Churchills, native to Raleigh, were not thrilled to find the private life of Steven in local newspapers - nor were the people they worked with and went to church with. But, everyone seems to have adjusted pretty well. The Churchills held a rehearsal dinner for the participants and were in attendance at the ceremony. Although most of his family is in Upstate New York, Turner's family was also well represented at their union. One sister even sang during the ceremony . "Our families," says Turner, "have been very involved, . very supportive." Family support, community support, and the commitment to "love and grow together" - the perfect ingredients for a successful relat_ionship . Years from now, "I want to see, us together," says Churchill. " ... our love to grow stronger. Neither of us has been in a relationship as long as this one," adds Turner. Their thoughts blend together: "Our relationship is strange. We've weathered many things together ... had to rely on each other." "I basically spent my entire life in the drnrch, says Turner . "Faith is an inte&ral part of my life. With all of this,' he says, "my faith gets stonger." To those seeking to affirm their gay or lesbian relationship within mainline churches Turner says, "First, pray about it. Decide if it's what you really want ." "It's a !of to risk," emphasizes Churchill. ; , "Part of me," Turner continues, "wants to say if you're in a church that does [bless same-gender unions], fine. If not, find one that does, instead of trying to change the whole church. But' a part of me says, 'it was worth it.' I've lamented the publicity, but it's brought lots of new people [to Pullen]. And, "although a number of families have left the church over this, I wouldn't take back a moment of it.'' SBC couldn't tell Pullen what to do By The News & Observer RALEIGH, NC - After two months of debate; the congregation of Pullen Memorial Baptist Church voted nearly 2-1 to permit the same-gender union ceremony of Kevin Turner and Steven Churchill. The church's decision defied a resolution passed by the Southern Baptist Convention condemning Pullen for condoning "the gross perverSi(? n and unquestioned sin" of homo- · sexuality. Pullen could be ousted from the convention for its decision. "We are just trying to be faithful to what God would have us be," said the Rev. M. Mal1an Siler Jr., pastor of Pullen. In a ballot addresssing four issues, the cqngregation showed overwhelming support - 94 percent - for welcoming Gays and Lesbians to full membership, but somewhat less support - 64 percent - for offering a service to bless the union . The vote also favored opening the church to anyone, and establishing a document that would include a ceremony for a same-sex union along with its historical, biblical and theological background. The secret vote was taken by mail, and 531 of the 750 ballots . sent out were returned . "I appreciate your openness during this process and the respect you have shown one another," said Jim Powell, chairman of deacons, as he read the results of the vote. "We were asked to stretch, and we have.'' Church members, including some who _disagreed with the outcome, said [ID]' Second Stoiie • May/June 1992 that the church had reached its decision through an open process that strengthened the congregation. '1 personally am not in favor," said Steve Edwards, 54, a member of Pullen for 23 years. ''But I respect this congregation's stance. It was not an easily made decision; it was a long, laborious process. But clearly it was a decisive vote. I didn't want to see a 51 to 49 split.'' Others said the choice was a natural expression of their faith. attended Pullen for two years. She favored the blessing. The church first faced the question of whether to bless a gay union in September, when Turner, 27, went to Siler and asked him to ·perform a ceremony blessi ng his relationship with Churchill, 23. Siler took it to the deacons, who opened the issue to the entire congregation. "It has been a very intense .time," Siler said. ''The issue is very emotional and has . required deep soul- "The Southern Baptist Convention should not be allowed to tell local churches what to do," said Michael Viar, youth minister at Pullen. "For them to now be able to dictate to the local church - the ayatollahs will be coming out of the woodwork." "We as a Christian community can embrace all people," said Dr. Dan Chartier, 43, a member for three years who favored the same-gender blessing ceremony. "If we really believe what we say we believe, then there are no differences between us as Christians." Although more than a third of those voting opposed the ceremony, rnurch members said they do not expect the decision to create a permanent rift in the congregation. '1 was afraid of that when we were first discussing it, but what I saw the last few months totally dispelled that," said Regina Parham, 30, a member •for two months who has searching. This rnurch has honored diversity for years and years. We have a tradition of being willing to address difficult issues." The ceremony was not a wedding with the legal rights and responsibilities that marriage confers. But it was a public promise of mutual love and monogamy. Siler said Pullen's position has less to do with homosexuality than with monogamy as a moral issue. "We're taking a stand toward a responsible expression of sexuality," Siler said. "It's a stand of support toward persons who want to commit to a long-term monogamous relationship.'' _The Southern Baptist Convention's executive committe has denounced both Pullen and Olin T. Binkley Memorial Baptist Churrn in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, which is considering whether to give a gay divinity student license to prearn. But Pullen members expressed little concern over the convention's actions. Traditionally, Baptist churches are autonomous and democratic. Individual congregations make their own decisions, rather than following policy set down by central leadership. 'The Southern Baptist Convention shou ld not be allowed to tell local churches what to do," said Michael Viar, youth minister at Pullen. "For them to now be able to dictate to the local church - the ayatollahs will be coming out of the woodwork." Opposition has also come from closer to home. On the day that the vote was announced, while the congregation prayed and sang hymns inside the rnurch, the cars parked outside were papered wit h fliers condemning homosexuality and offering lengthy interpretations of the Bible's stand on sex, marriage, lust and hell. Church leaders removed . the fliers before the service ended. Siler said he has received many negative calls and letters. "It indicates to me the fear of homosexuality that's in our society and in us all," he said. ''But it makes me understand what a homosexual deals with all the time. It's a taste of1 the kind of condemnation they face.'' -Donna Seese . THE WILDERNESS GENERATION BY IRE . NE ELIZABETH STROUD B lack and Latino drag tell their coming-out stories, for queens fought back against example, it often turns out that they police harassment at the· knew about thei r sexual identity Stonewall Inn in Greenwich years before they ever told a single Village: That was 1969. I was born in other person. Some had no idea there 1970. was anyone else like them in the Harvey Milk was elected to the San world . · They describe levels of Francisco Board of Supervisors - and denial, shame, and isolation that I've was assassinated - in 1978. I was never known. And they also deseight. I was 11 when the New York cribe dramatic moments when Times first reported that 41 gay men Stonewall suddenly became real for had seen diagnosed with Kaposi's them, when they first realized they sarcoma. All my sexual experimen- deserved community instead of _ tation and my whole corning-out isolation, and resistance instead of process have taken place in the resignation or assimilation . shadow at AIDS. My coming-out story, by contrast, is I was 19, and just going through the easy, funny, joyful. And it has no heartbreak that followed my first love discernible "Stonewall moments." affair with a woman, when Carter Heyward published Touching Our I applied to a women's college, and Strength. realized it didn't bother me to hear people calling it a "dyke school." In This year, I took a college course in October my first year there, I wrote in gay and lesbian literature, marched my journal that I thought I might be a in my first-ever pride parade, and got lesbian. In January, I asked my into seminary at least partly on the friend Robin, who had come out in strength of an essay about my high school, how she knew - and experience as a lesbian. spent long afternoons and evenings In seminary, I quickly realized I with her, listening to her stories. was the youngest student, and the , · Within the year, I fell in love with a youngest by a long shot in the woman. I knew almost immediately Lesbian, Gay and _ Bisexual Caucus. that this was what made sense for me, At least one lesbian at the seminary that this was right and good. has a child who is older than I am. I came out to my parents the I just turned 22. following August. Things were tense and painful for some time. . But Gay men, Lesbians, and bisexual within a week, despite the difficulties, men and women .who are 20, ten, or when we were eating take-out sometimes even five years older than Chinese food for dinner and the I, have a history and a consciousness message in my fortune cookie said that I hardly recognize . When they "You and your wife will have a wonderful life together," we were all able to laugh. If the movement towards gay liberation is like the Hebrew's journey towards the prqmised land, then Stonewall is the Exodus. Not, as in the African-American tradition, because it represents an escape from slavery, but because it represents a nation beginning to form, an oppressed people claiming identity and comm un ity in an act of resistance. The Exodus is followed by a long period wandering in the wilderness. And in the wilderness, a new generation is born. I'm one of the first children of this second generation . born in the wilderness . When I was born, my people were already o_n the move; by the time I came out, .a thriving community of struggle and liberation was there to receive me. I have no memory of the total isolation of the closet, for although I sometimes .choose, in specific situations, not to reveal my identity, my experiences of corning out to myself and of coming out to others were nearly simultaneous. I never carried my sexual identity as a complete secret. I experienced confusion, but not shame. Age makes a huge difference in lesbian experience. Despite a sincere interest in reaching across generations, and a tremendous sense of debt to those whose work has made my path so much easier, I sometimes have trouble communicating with Lesbians who grew up and came out earlier in the gay liberation and lesbian feminist movements. It can that was, ultimately, simple and clear· - "Oh, so I'm a Lesbian!" "Now I get it!" And when we talked about the church, our questions were similar. Of course, I speak from a position of considerable privilege. Stonewall, after all, hasn't happened everywhere yet, or to everyone. I grew up in a big coastal city and went to college with a large, visible community of Lesbians and bisexual women. I had access to resources many people still have trouble finding. I was lucky to have incredibly courageous, loving parents. Even for someone as young as I am, my experience ,·is still fairly rare. But the clarity and relative painlessness of my corning-out experience have more to de{ with the good work of those who have gone before me than with accidents of birth. Because of Stonewall and the years of fruitful struggle that followed upon it, I've been able to come out much earlier and with much less pain than anyone could have imagined 20 years ago . I'm also part of a second wave of nationally organized, openly gay, lesbian and bisexual seminary students . The planning for the seminarians' conference I attended began three years ago, and the men and women who participated in that process now work as pastors, chaplains, staff members at church and social service agencies, and . theologians. Some of them came to the conference to talk about their ministries - in the church, and out of the closet. Here, too, the way is being prepared. I don't want to romanticize the If the movement towards gay liberation is like the Hebrew's journey towards the promised land, then Stonewall is the Exodus. be difficult to share an agenda or a common stategy . I expect more, and I have less patience. This is especially · true in the church; I have felt this difference most profoundly in my interactions with older Lesbians in the Reconciling Congregation !"call home. I have felt lonely at church and in seminary, and I have wondered if it was just me - if my experience was unique to the college I attended, if my politics were simply more ra,μical than most, or if my expectations for affirrnation and community were just too high. But recently, at an annual national conference of lesbian, gay, and bisexual seminarians, I was able to spend some time with a small group of Lesbians my age, and I was amazed at hew much we shared. Every coming-out story seemed to include a realization of sexual identity wilderness, or confuse it with the promised land. The wilderness is dangerous and unpredictable . In this same climate that allowed me to come out so easily, there has also been a violent backlash against sexual minorities, fueled by resentment at our new visibility, and by fear of AIDS. Gaybashing is on the rise. Pennsylvania, my home state, leads the nation in hate crimes against Gays and Lesbians. And even in the apparently safe, supportive environment of the women's college I attended, my friends were terrorized with vicious anonymous harassment - repeatedly, pornography and scrawled rape threats were slipped under the doors and into the mailboxes of Lesbians I knew. SEE WILDERNES"s;°Pag~ 20 Second Stone• May/June 1992 []I] goiPoun takinnames A BY LOUIE CREW re Lesbians and Gays more or less likely to be religious than straits? Aie Lesbians and Gays who are religious more or less likely to be ordained than strait s? Aie Lesbians and Gays as likely to live in committed unions as straits? Rather than guess, I decided syst ematically to review the 1852 persons in my personal addre ss file. Unequal access Sixty-one percent of the Lesgays I know are religious compared with only 46 percent of the straits I know. Yet straits seem to have a much higher chance of being priests than do Lesbians and Gays: 31 percent of the straits in my data base are priests, while only 20 percent of the Lesgays are. (See Graph 1) 70 60 50 -40 30 20 10 0 Priests Religious • Lesgays ~ Straits Graph 1 : Who Is Called? Who Chosen? Mind you, as a lesgay organizer in the church, I need to contact religious people more than most people do, lesgay or strait. For example, I have the entire Episcopal House of Bishops in my data base, together with more than half of the clergy of_ the diocese, aI1 the other members of the Council of the Diocese of Newark, and all others with me on the vestry of Grace church. I also need to contact more lesgay Christians. per se than most Christians do . For example, my data base includes the leaders of Integrity, the Parsonage, and the Oasis . I would not dare use my date base to estimate how many Lesgays th ere are elsewhere, or how many Christians, strait or lesgay. But why do I find smaller percentages of Lesgays in the priesthood in my sample? That surely can't be chalked up to my not wanting to contact lesgay priests? I suspect that the discrepancy results from the Church 's efforts to exclude us. The church wants to keep us out, and it has had some , success in doing so . Oppression is not just an idea: it really works. "What God hath joined together'~ Given the fierce hostility towards Lesgays when we seek wh oleness of relationships and the relatively less pressure on us if we comply with our criminal status and do it only in the dark, I suspected to find fewer Lesgays than straits in committed relationships. Not so. Of the people I know, slightly mor e Lesgays than strait s are in relationships (See Graph 2): 60 50 -40 30 20 10 0 United Single • Lesgays ~ Straits Graph 2: Why these should not be joined? Since I am in the 18th year of a relation ship myself, my sampl e may well b e s kewed toward s oth ers .also involved in relationship s. At 55, I don't spend much time at singles' venues, But there is no reason that my sample of coupl es should b e skewed any more for s traits than for Lesbians and G ays. Lik e oth ers, I probably am less likely to know a bout Lesga ys ' committ ed partners than about strait s' committed partn ers, since straits receive no rewards for hiding. Lesbians and Gays in my data base do not confirm th e stereotype which many hold of Lesbians and Gays - as unstable and uncommitt ed. Admittedly my statis tics cannot speak to the quality of these relationships, strait or lesgay, married or single. I counted as "united" several hetero clergy known to sleep around as well as many person s who have just started their fifth or sixth or ... hetero marriage of lesgay union; likewise, I counted as "single" many who manifest deep spiritual concern for all persons. Many singles were students. Some were widows or widowers; a few are professed celibates... For strait and .lesgay alike, I counted only what people publicly profess. I ignored evidence to the contrary. These tallies are idiosyncratic but not anecdotal. I did not stack the deck. I did not put people in my address book so that I could count them in these ways. I decided to study them only after they were already there. These are people I contact as friends or in my work as a lay minister, professor, writer, and activist. I coded each person as "religious" or "lesgay" when I first entered the record, not to register intrinsic judgment, but as· a practical way to make lists according to these identities. I had not previously classified persons as single or in a committed relationship, since I do not c_ontact people accordingly . In classifying single/united status for this study, I excluded a person if I did not know for certain. Out of the 1852 persons in my data base, I knew the single/ united status of 1046 (56 percent). My data base includes 636 Lesgays (34 p ercent). That' s far more lesgay people than most people who judge us are likely to know and 24 percent more than the Kinsey estimate for the general population. Even then, undoubtedly I classified some lesgay people as strait: when I did not know someone 's sexual orientation, I classified the person as strait. My findings suggest that many popular conceptions are in fact misconceptions. Obviously we would need a much larger database fully to document how. Louie Crew founded Integrity, the justice ministry of lesbian and gay Episcopalians and has written for Christianity and Crisis many times. He is on sabbatical from Rutgers, writing a book on empowerment pedagogy. BY NANCY HUGMAN f his story is a "confabulation," which one should be careful not to confuse with a "lie ." A "confabulation" merely expands on truth, filling in the details surrounding a known fact with plausible, yet unverifiable, possibilities. This confabulation fills in the details of the apostle Thomas' life prior to the time of his infamous faux pas "Unless I see ... I will not believe" that Jesus has resurrected from the dead . I believe that "Doubting Thomas" has gotten a bad rap down through the ages. Until we have walked a mile in another person's sandals, we . can hardly judge them for their deeds or misdeeds. Read on, and decide for yQurself. When Thomas was six, he traded his spiffy new super-dooper hang-ten skateboard that he had just gotten for Hanukkah to this kid he had met in the neighborhood. The kid took the skateboard and left to get the GI Joe and Action Jeep that he had promis ed Tommy, but the kid never came back. When Mom and Dad found out,.Mom gave him the spanking of his life and Dad said, "Let this be a lesson to you, son: 'There's a sucker born every minute ."' As a teenager, Tom was totally, totally enthralled with Deborah. He worked all summer at Marriott's Great Jerusalem to buy her a sweetheart ring. But when he picked her up for the prom, she brought along her "best friend" Sarah. She would always rather be with her ''best friend" Sarah. Thomas' father was right there to encourage him. ''Tom, you really know how to pick them, don't you? You're too trusting! Girls will take you for everything you have if you let them. Just be glad you weren 't stupid enough to marry her. I guess your mother and I taught you something right." By now, Tom was ready to become a hermit and live on wild locust and honey, . but he decided to be a businessman to make his father proud of him. And Dad was proud. He even shook Thomas' hand and said, "I sure hope you make it this time, son. If you don't.. . it will break yo11r mother's heart." Thomas read Dress of Success from cover to cover six times, but he just could not find the right tailor. He never really believed he could succeed in business and sure enough he failed, thanks to his slick business partner. Tom's dad was full of hindsight advice, "How many times have I told you? A man's word is worthless. Get it in writing. You sure got take_n this time!" he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "By the way, your mother's gone to visit your Aunt Phoebe . She just couldn't face the neighbors after what you pulled. She had bragged on you so ... " Then Thomas met Jesus, even though he never got it in writing. Thomas even left his family for Jesus' sake . Well, to be totally honest, his family disowned him when they found out Thomas was into this radical religious cult, and the entire family made an extended visit to Aun t Phoebe. But Thomas was so sure this time that following Jesus was the right thing to do. His gut told him so. He put all his hope and love and trust in Jesus. Thomas loved that man with every ounce of his being. When he was walking with Jesus, nothing could shake him. He hardly ever heard his father's voice in his head anymore, telling him what a disgrace and embarrassment he was to the family , (That's what his dad had said when he tore his garment that day Tom was ordered to leave his family's home.) When he did hear his father's voice, his love for Jesus gave him the • strength to say to himself, ''Dad, you taught me a lot of good things, and I will hold strong to those things. You were also very wrong about who I am. I am a precious child of God. I am strong. I am competent. It is good to trust . It is good to hope in what I have not yet seen, yet have experience in my heart, in the depths of my human spirit." Thomas followed Jesus to Jerusalem and that is when everything fell apart. Jesus talked about dying. He had promised them that they would all live forever! The whole mess got really political. Some of the Pharisees . wanted Jesus put to death because he was showing them up for the hypocrites that they were. He also taught that the real place of worship is within us, not in the sacrifices of the : temple . That meant the Pharisees stood to lose a lot of power and money . Maybe Thomas and the other disciples could have handled the controversy, but then the Romans got involved, and I'm sorry, but you just do not mess with the Romans. So Jesus was crucified, and he never even fought back. He never even spoke up for himself. If he did not When he did hear his . father 's voice, his love for Jesus gave him the strength to say to himself, "Dad, you taugh t me a lot of good things, and I will hold strong to those thin gs. You were also very wrong about who I am. I am a precious child of God. I am strong. I am competent. It is good to trust. It is good to hope in what I have not yet seen, yet have experience in my heart, in the depths of my human spirit." care about himself, he could have at least done it for Thomas and the others . They did not have much money between them to bury Jesus. "We're all a bunch · of losers," Thomas thought. But this one rich fellow, Joseph of Arimathea "loaned" Jesus his tomb. He must have been stupid enough to believe that Jesus was going to come back to life again. "A fool and his money are soon parted," Tom's dad always said. Thomas spent the next several days just wandering about, thinking a lot, deriding himself for having been taken again, wondering how his family was and knowing he could never go back to them, even if he wanted to, which he didn't, because he could already hear what his father would say and his mom would just cry every time she looked at him. As the days passed Thomas' father's words thundered lpuder and louder in Tom's mind. But Tom no longer recognized them as his father's words. They were just facts. Fact: I am a gullible fool. Fact:. I will never amount to anything. Fact: A man's words are worthless. Fact: I am worthless. So when the other disciples finally found Thomas and told him that Jesus was not only alive, but that He had _walked through locked doors, Thomas was not at all amused. (John 20:25b-28 NIV) Thomas declared, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." A week later the disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them . Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, · "Peace be with you!" Then Jesus said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." Thomas _said to Jesus, "My Lord and my God!" Thomas had cowered at first. He figured Jesus had a right to be really angry with him. He had do desire to incur the wrath of someone who could walk through walls. But then he heard those blessed unexpected words, ''Peace be with you." Peace. That is what Thomas had been searching for all his life. Peace: That is what Thomas had found in Jesus. Each of us has a story of triumphs and failures, courage and fears. May we find that place in our hearts where forgiveness dissolves judgement and love overcomes fear. May the voice of Christ within heal the other voices that clutter our minds. "I am the Good Shepherd; I know my own and my own know me... and they will heed my voice." (Jn 10:14, 16b RSV) Nancy Hugman is Lay Minister of Teaching at Diablo Metropolitan Community Church in Concord, California. She has developed numerous retreats, workshops and programs specific to gay and lesbian Christians. Second Stcine-May/June -rmuru We've added up the reasons you should be advertising · in . Second Stone. If your business offers California 1949 New York 1024 Illino is 577 products or services to the Texas 528 Massachusetts 438 national gay and lesbian Florida 423 Pennsylvania 397 community, we know. some Ohio 371 Washington 351 people who are interested. t,..tichigan 322 Minnesota 293 New Jersey 279 Colorado 281 DC 255 • Reach paid subscribers in Arizona 278 Missouri 232 every state for less than the Louisiana 231 Wisconsin 220 cost of advertising In one North Carolina 189 local free distribution gay/ Maryland 183 Foreign Countries 180 lesbian newspaper. Oregon 174 Georgia 171 Indiana 160 •Gratis layout and Connecticut 134 To=ee 125 Alabama 122 proof service Kentucky 102 Iowa 99 Kansas 93 • Frequency discounts South Carolina 81 New Mexico 75 Hawaii 73 Oklahoma 67 Mississippi 64 Call or FAX Virginia 61 West Virginia 60 for a rate card. Maine 52 Nebraska 49 Arl<ansos 46 (504)899-4014 Vermont 44 Delaware 38 Rhode Island 38 FAX (504)891-7555 Utah 38 Nevada 29 New Hampshire 29 Alaska 20 Montana 17 Idaho 17 North Dakota 9 SecoSntdo nWeyoming 9 Puerto Rico 9 USVI + 6 South Dakota 3 You'llb e pleasedw ith the results. =11, 115 readers We reserve the right to refuse any ad for any reason. ' [H]'SeconSdto ne• May/June 1992 Group campaigns against 'gay bUI of rights' By The Baltimore Alternative A right wing group calling itself the Public Advocate of the U.S. has ·launched a direct mail effort targeting gay rights laws nationwide. Headlined, "Stop the 'Gay Bill of Rights,"' the fundraising appeal rattles off a list of the supposed atrocities of gay men and Lesbians and the consequences of laws protecting them from discrimination. The letter, signed by Eugene Delgaudio, the group's director, takes direct aim at the federal gay and lesbian civil rights bill, calling it the ~ , . ~{~~~1~~ .. On 100 beautiful acres with pool, hot tub, skiing and more. Innkeepers Judith Hall and Grace Newman invite you to write or call for a brochure. P. 0. Box 118 SL Bethle.hem, NH 03574 • (60J) 869-3978 E. mpathy is a jourlW that deserves our suppon for the original and creative work it does in thC interest of truth and justice. ;1,- Rev. Malcolm Boyd, author of 23 books including Are YoH RHnning with Me, JcsHs?, Take Off the Masks, and Gay Prust E mpathy provides a much-needc4 and welcomed communication !ink for persons involv ed in education about homophobia. At its best it will keep us informed and in touch, supponed and challenged , excited and proud. if- Brian McNaughc, lcccurer aqd author of On Being Gay: ThoHghcos n Family, Faith, and LOf,•e "Gay Bill of Rights." Suggesting that tax · dollars are being used by gay organizations to lobby for the measure, Delgau dio states that the proposal is "dangerously close to .. passage in the liberal dominated , Congress. "If this twisted bill ever becomes Federal law," Delgaudio writes, "our children will never be safe from militant homosexuals and lesbians." "Because," he.,adds, "as homosexuals die off due to AIDs [sic], the remaining AIDs [sic] carriers, prey on children to replenish the 'Homosexual community ."'_ ;, Adding the "liberal media" to his list of targets, Delgaudio insisted that under pressure from homosexuals, the media are covering up the by-products of local gay rights laws, which he said include the murders by Milwaukee serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. ''You and I must send a message to the liberals in Congress and the Homosexual Pornography Lobby that decent Americans don't want homosexuals granted special privileges," Delgaudio alleged, "if we don 't stop them now, the America we leave our children will surely be an immoral and decadent nation ." -Cliff O'Neill Empathy t..An Interdisciplinary Journal for P~rsons Working to End Oppression on the Basis of Sexual Identity PUBI.ISHED TWICE A YEAR, EMPATHY INCLUDES SCHOLARLY ESSAYS, PROSE AND POETRY, PRACTITIONER ARTICLES, ANECDOTAL ESSAYS, AND RESEARCH REPORTS AS WELL AS ANNOTATED BIBUOGRAPHIES FOR RESOURCE MATERIALS, RECENT RESEARCH "ANO BOOKS . THE JOURNAL SERVES PEPPLE WORKING IN EDUCATION, COUNSELING, HF.Al.TH CARE, SOCIAL WORX, COMMUN:n:Y ACTMSM, AND THE MINlSTRY NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY . One_)'.~e_E_iss~es)i ndividual subscription sw (u5 i_nstitutional) Make checks payable to Gay and.Lesbian Advocacy Research Project (GLARP) ail.d mail to: . Empathy,P O Box 5085C, olumbia, SC 29250. In Print •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ti ••• • •••••••••••••••••••••••• . • ··· --·· ••••••••• Gay heroes Freedom of speech .as a gay/lesbian issue By William Day Contributing Writer The gay community has its heroes, most of them unhailed, and perhaps not known. I am thinking particularly of individuals or groups who have gone to court - and thus identified themselves and held themselves up to varying degrees of scorn and hatred - in order to protect gay rights. For example, Aaron Fricke, a high school student in Cumberland, R.I., planned to take another male as his date to a high school dance. Fricke had been the victim of assault and battery by another student, and school authorities told him he could not bring his male friend to the dance because it would probably lead to further violence. But a judge insisted he nevertheless had a constitutional right under the First Amendment to express his feelings about his sexual identity, and as for the possibility of violence, the judge said, 'The First Amendment does not tolerate mob rule by unruly school children." So the school principal and his assistant then saw that young Fricke and his friend attended the dance without any disorder. The Fricke case is one of more than 150 cases in which gay litigants have sought to use the freedoms of speech, association, etc., found in the First Amendment to the federal constitution (and some state constitutional provisions) to seek protection of the rights of gay people, and . thanks to Paul Siegel and Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C., in his paper in Gay Peaple, Sex and the Media, we have an excellent summary and analysis of the developing rights of the gay community. In an earlier Rhode Island case with the same judge, a gay group had been denied the right to take part in the official observance of the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. In rejecting their application a state commission cited the sodomy statute and said that the commission did not want to be allied with a group that advocated illegal activity (a charge the gay group Of Sacred Worth -not By Michael Blankenship Contributing Writer B e forwarned. The sympathetic- sounding title of the new book Of Sacred Worth is a deception. Even the wording on the cover is misleading; the first sentence states, "Homosexual persons no less than heterosexual persons are individuals of sacred worth." I feel sorry for the careless person who doesn't read on, for down the page_ is written, "We do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider the practice incompatible with Christian teaching ." And that's just the cover! The author, Paul A. Mickey, starts the book with a positive outlook. He sounds very sex-positive when he writes about God being glorified in · sex and how people should enjoy sex to the fullest. He even states that the fear of sex is an unholy fear of God. It all sounded good to a point, and then he starts his examination of the scriptures . Using 'the Clarence Thomas school of thought, he immediately delves into "natural law," citing· Romans I as proof "that heterosexuals and homosexuals have in common their natural creation .as h.eterosexuals ." He then goes on to quote a little-known psychiatrist to prove his point, although we know of many in the mental health profession who would refute his claim. In an attempt - to appear evenhanded, Mickey does present a number of views in his book, but his texts and his conclusions are always slanted toward the traditional view. He calls liberal theologians "revisionists," using every opportunity to take pot shots al people many consider prophets. In I Corinthians 6:9 and I Timothy 1:10, Mickey has apparently solved all the linguistic questions that have baffled Biblical scholars for two millenia to conclude that "commonsense dictates that the wickedness addressed [in these verses] is adult homosexual anal intercourse." He concludes by stating that "Paul's theological concerns are as valid in the twentieth century as in the first," because "homosexual practices represent rebellion against God the Creator and the creation ." Just a wee bit judgmental, don't you think? Mickey goes on to take great pride in reciting all the anti-homosexual statements in the bylaws of just about every denomination in the nation. Certainly from this we are to deduce denied). The judge said he was in 1986 upholding the Georgia surprised that the commission did not sodomy statute, reminding us that not want to be linked with an illegal all of these cases, by any means, were activity in view of history. "Does the gay victories. Thus while Fricke won Bicentennial Commission need the right to take another male to a reminding that, from the perspective school dance, a teacher in a Maine of British loyalists, the Bicentennial school district who planned a celebrates one of history's greatest 'Tolerance Day" foHo\l;'ing the killing illegal acts?" he asked in his decision of a young gay male, was forced by upholding First Amendment gay the school board to canceHhe event rights. because of threats of violence, and the First Amendment rights pertain court upheld the board's action. primari ly to governmental action or Gay People, Sex, and the Media, actions by publicly regulated entities, edited by Michelle A Wolf and Alfred such as public utilities. Legislative P. Kielwasser, includes a preface and action may still be necessary to secure introduction, a bibliography and 11 rights in areas such as private papers by specialists in . the comemployment Siegel's article, "Lesbian.,,, munications research field. The use and Gay Rights as a Free Speech of technical language in most of the Issue: A Review of Relevant Case- papers (but not Siegel's) may make law," groups the cases under five the reported findings inaccessible to principal headings: "pure" speech many generalists. The publisher is cases, including access to a forum; Harrington Park Press, New York freedom of association including both and London, in 1991. It is priced at political and nonpolitical kinds of $17.95 in/aper, and consists of 284 association; symbolic conduct (Fricke pages an three illustrations. It was is an example); employment dis- also published as a special issue of the crimination; and solicitation and Journal of Homosexuality, 1991. The sodomy . The last recalls the 5-4 Siegel paper alone should make it decision by the U.S. Supreme .court worth the price. that if all the churches say homosexuality is a sin, then it must be so. He takes great strides to urge the churches to "separate the social sciences issues from the theological issues." What a cop out! This tells me that his "Bible-based" theories cannot stand up to scientific investigation . He continues by listing the early church theologians, reaffirming his position because they had argued "that heterosexuality is the ordained behavior in creation and in covenant" and that "the intention of creation would imply that homosexual behavior is not a behavior to be emulated ." He finishes the book with more of r , . ~ Evangelicals I/.'(/ loge/her ma /JffJU STll!TGf IIOtlPS SOCIAlS• ll'ORXSIIOP• SII ETIIEAIS HIVI All$ SC-""0/IGT ROUP PASIOIIACLA IIEI COIJNSEJ.I·N G FORG a&yL esbiCahnr istians InS outheCrna flfor.r.s.ia in c1e9 79 .. Sultt1 109-Box 16 7985 Santa Monica BoUlf!IVllrd Wsst Hollywood. CA 90046 213/656-B570 the same judgmental material we've had thrust at us for centuries ... the old "hate the sin, but love the sinner" routine, which we all know is a farce that gives fundamentalists the license to hate, since there is no way to separate a person from his or her innate characteristics. He constantly uses his catch-phrase, "of sacred worth," to describe Gays, and condescendingly adds that this is because God has the grace to forgive them. Don't waste your money. 1990 Lambda Literary Award for Srience Fiction SecretM atter Toby Johnson's novels /ell gay-positive, life-affirmings toriesw ith happy endings that will leave readers touched and glad to be alive. They're romantic, sexy, spiritualo, ccasionallyp rofound-ond just all around good enjoyable reading. Getting Life in Perspective A spiritual romance novel From,,,___ Both boob $10.00ea. Atyaurlocolga,& _, boobtOl'O o< by mol from Llbo<ly Boob, AYIITI TX. Col80083112791broidomg lrlo . Second Stone• May/June 1992 [ii] .................. The Jo/lawing. announcements have been submitted by sponsoring or affiliated groups. Conference of More Light Churches MAY 1-3, "Reflecting the Light: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" is the theme of the 1992 Conference of More Light Churches to be held at Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church, Chicago. More Light Churches are Presbyterian congregations that welcome lesbian and gay persons to full participation and membership without having to hide or deny their sexual orientation . Since 1985, the More Light Church movement has held an annual conference in the spring to share news of its ministries and to strategize for the future. For more information call Mark Palermo, (312)338-0452 or write to More Light Churches Conference, Lincoln Park · Presbyterian Church, 600 W. Fullerton Parkway, Chicago, IL 60614-2690. Affirmation National Spring Gathering MAY 8-9, United Methodists for Gay & Lesbian Concerns meets in Louisville, Ky., during the UMC General Conference . Feminist singer.' , ~:.,'.'.writer /humorist Judy Fjell is featured guest. For more information contact Affirmation, P.O. Box 1022, Evanston, IL 60204. • I $11_aman's- Circle '92 Workshops MAY 15-17, Gay Fathers & Sons, Gay Sons & Fathers; MAY 29-31, Coming Together Gay Men & Lesbian s; JUNE . 12-14, Self-empowerment: Sex & Gay Identity (Shaman's Circle for the New York Open Center - register through the Center at (212)219-2527); JUNE · 26-28, Community & Relationships : overcoming isolation and loneliness through wholeness and integrity. For more information call (512)495-9737 or (800)828-1279 or write to Shaman's Circle, P .O. Box 50249, Austin, TX 78763. Homophobia in Religion and Society MAY 20, The Catholic Center, Atlanta, Ga.; MAY 23, St. Peter Claver Church, Macon, Ga.; and MAY 26, St. Jude Church, Ch attanooga, Tenn. Jeannin e Grarnick, SSND; and Robert Nugent, SOS, co-founders of New Ways · 1[jjJ Second Stone• May /June 1992 Calendar . .................................................. . Ministry, present their excellent seminar on issues of homophobia in church and society. For information contact the Center for Homophobia Education, P.O. Box 1985, New York, NY 10159; (212)884-8228. Advance Christian Teaching Seminar MAY 29-31, "Christian Liberty, Standing Fast in Christ" is the theme of this weekend of praise, worship, learning and fellowship at the beautiful Muncy Terraces Retreat and Conference Center, Muncy, Penn . For information contact Rev. Jim Hensley, (215)499-0765. Pastoral Care and AIDS MAY 29-31, Retreat; MAY 31-JUNE 4, Institute; and JUNE 4, Forum. An interfaith retreat and institute for pastoral caregivers for persons living with AIDS and a special one -day forum for human resource professionals. Major presenters include Rev. Dr. Walter J. Smith, S.J., June Callwood, Rev. Daniel Berrigan, S.J., Rabbi Yoe! H. Kahn, Rev . Kathryn Cartledge and Rev. Clifford A. S. Elliott. For information contact the Center for Ministries, Merrimack College, 315 Turnpike St., North Andover, MA 01845, (508)837-5337. 1992 CMI Retreats JUNE 8-12, San Damiano Retreat Hous~, Danville, Ca., and JUNE 22-26, Franciscan Retreat House, Prior Lake, Mn. The retreats for Catholic religous and clergy will be facilitated by Sr . Mary Ann Vincent, who has been with Communication Ministry, Inc., since its beginnings . Br. Edward Smith will co-facilitate the Danville retreat. Fr. Paul Morrissey, founder of CMI, will co-facilitate the Prior Lake retreat. Registration is $240. For information contact Fr. Tom Ryan, 400 Alcatraz Ave., Oakland, CA 94609. Gay, Lesbian & Christian: Called to Love JUNE 11-14, 16th annual event for Lesbians and gay men of all colors, their families and friends, and those who minister in support, an explor ation of issues of sexuality and hom os exuality in the cont ext of · Christian faith and practic e. Led by Virg ini a Ramey Mollenko tt and John McN eil!. Th e setting is Kirkridg e retreat center in Eas tern Pennsylvania. For info rmation call (215)588-1793. UFMCC Mid-Atlantic District Conference JUNE 12-13, The Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, is the setting for this gathering, themed "What a Fellowship; What a Joy Divine." Contact the UFMCC Mid-Atlantic District, P.O. Box 7864, Gaithersburg, MD 20898. UCCUGC National Gathering JUNE 23-28, The United Church Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns meets in St. Paul, Minn., on the Macalester College campus and in the nearby Macalester-P lymouth United Church for its annual conference. "Called to Relationship" is the theme. Resource people include Dr. James B. Nelson, nationally known speaker and writer on issues of sexuality and Christian ethics. Participation in the Minneapolis/St. Pa ul Gay Pride festivities is planned. For information contact Marc Blakesley, (612)827-1633. Lesbians and Gays in mainstream media JUNE 25-27, The first-ever national conference of gay and lesbian journalists in mainstream media will examine the role of the print and electronic press in coverage of lesbian and gay issues. Co-sponsored by the 600-member National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association and the Media Alliance . Andrew Sullivan, editor of The New Republic and Linda Villarosa, senior editor of Essence are keynote speakers. The Golden Gateway Holiday Inn, San Francisco, 1s the setting. For information call (415)474-5991. Sixth Annual Golden Threads Celebration JUNE 26-28, Lesbian women from all over the United States, many from Canada, and some from other coun tries, will converge in Provincetown at the Provincetown Inn to celebrate what they are and their age, whatever it is . Attendance is limited to 250 women. Entertainment will be provid ed by Robin Tyler. In exist ence since 1985, Golden Threads is a worldwide social network of lesbian women ov e r 50, and women who are inter ested in older women. No lesbian woman is excluded. For inform ation contact Chris tine Burton, Golden Threads, P.O. Box 3177, Burlington, VT 05401-0031. Ecumenical Retreat Weekend JUNE 26-29, The Brothers of the Mercy of God sponsor a retreat weekend for those considering a call to the religious life .. The setting is a Monastery in Rhode Island overlooking the ocean. The invitation is to discover Christ's call in prayer, in song and in reaffirmation of life. For information contact the Brothers of the Mercy of God, 341 E. Center St., #212, Manchester, CT 06040. 13th Annual Gay & Lesbian Parents Conference JULY 2-5, the Gay and Lesbian Parents Conference meets in Indianapolis for Celebration '92 at the · downtown Hyatt Regency. "Come Home to Indy" is the theme : For information write to GLPCI Celebr _ation '92, Box 831, Indianapolis, IN 46206. connECtion '92 JULY 3-6, "Standing Confident in . God's Light" is the theme of this year's gathering of Evangelicals Concerned. Chapman College, Orange, Calif., is the setting. Keynote speakers are Dr . Douglas J. Miller and Kathryn Lindskoog . For information contact Evangelicals Concerned, P .O . Box 4750, Denver, CO 80204, (303)830-2823. Spiritfest '92 JULY 3-4, New Creation Christian Fellowship, St. Louis, Mo., hosts Grace Ministries' annual Celebration of the Holy Spirit. The S.l.U. Conference Center is the setting . Spiritfest has been expanded from two to three full days. For information contact New Creation Christian Fellowship, 2138 Orgeon, St. Louis, MO 63103, 1-800-945-1992. SDA Kinship Kampmeeting JULY 5-12, Seventh-day Adventist Kinship International meets at Temescal Canyon (near Los Angeles) for a week of fellowship and relaxa tion which includ es a trip to Disney Land. A victory celebration for the favorable outcome of the group's trademark infringem ent lawsuit filed by the denomination's General Conferenc e will be held. for information call Rob Pet erson at (818)837-7782. SEE CALENDAR, Next Page T Noteworthy T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................ •· ............................... . Lesbian feminist to pastor . Baptist church Nadean Bishop, a self-described lesbian feminist Baptist preacher has been appointed minister of Univer- CALENDAR, From Previous Page Health Conference & AIDS/HIV Forum JULY 8-12, The Los Angeles Airport Hilton and Towers is the setting for the 14th National Lesbian and Gay Health Conference and 10th Annual AIDS I HIV Forum sponsored by the National Lesbian and Gay Health Foundation and the George Washington University Medical Center. More than 220 workshops focused on lesbian and gay health, mental health, substance abuse, and AIDS/HIV will be pr esented. Also discussed will be the impact of age, gender, race and sexual orientati on on the delivery of health care. For registration information and a program brochure contact Daniel E. Reichard at (202)994-4285. Lutherans Concerned Assembly 192 JULY 9-12, Lutherans Concerned/ North America meet s at the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science for Assembly '92. ''Free to Celebrat e: We are the church" is the theme . For information write to ·· LC/NA , Box 10461, Fort Dearborn Station, Chicago, IL 60610-0461. Integrity National Convention JULY 9-12, Integrity, the lesbian/ · gay justice ministry of the Episcopal Church gathers in Houston, Texas, for its 14th annual national convention. The Most Rev. Edmond L. Browning, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church is scheduled to attend. Featured speakers include Dr. Louie Crew, founder of Integrity. For information contact Integrity, Inc., P .O. Box 19561, Washington, DC 20036-0561. 1992 Gentle Warrior Retreat JULY 13-16, a retreat for gay Catholic priests and brothers to be held at Temenos, a 78 acre forested and cabined preserve which deliberately maintain s a simple environment free sity Baptist Church, Minneapolis. She is the first woman and first lesbian preacher in the congregation's 142- year history. The church is a member of the American Baptist Church, a denomination which opposes ordination of Lesbians and Gays but which has no ·control over local of cars, phone and electricity, located north of Amherst, Maine. For information write to Theo Foros: Gentle Warrior Retreat, c/ o Communication, P.O. Box 60125, Chicago, IL 60660-0125. Registration is $50. 1992 GLAD Alliance Event JULY 17-20, The Gay, Lesbian and Affirming Disciples, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) meets for its 1992 GLAD Event. The Fort Worth campus of Texas Christian University is the setting. A long weekend of fun, friendship and inspiration is promised. Featured guest is well-known author Chris Glaser. For information write to the GLAD Alliance, P :o. Box 19223, Indianapolis, IN 46219-0223 or call Randy Palmer at (319)324-6231. CCL 10th Anniversary . National Conference JULY 17-20, The Conference for Catholic Lesbians meets in the Boston area. CCL is a national organization for Lesbians of Catholic heritage. For ·information contact CCL-SS, P.O. Box 435 Planetarium Station, New York, NY 10024. 11th Annual PFLAG Convention SEPTEMBER 4-7, ''Love in Action, Joy in Diversity" is the theme for the Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays Federation covention to be held at the Hilton Hotel in Seattle, Washington . Over 300 participants are expected . Registration is $150 per person . Speakers include Pepper Schwartz, Ph.D., co-author of the best- se lling American Couples. An excursion to Mt. Rainier and a cruise on Puget Sound in planned. For more information contact Ardyce Fish, 7737 -14th S.W., Seattle, WA 98106, (206)763-4575. Send calendar items to: Second Stone Box 8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 or FAX to: (504)891-7555 · congregations. Bishop was raised as a Southern Baptist. P-FLAG names development director Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (P-FLAG) has appointed Louis R. Mendonsa as its new Development Director. He will work with the Executive Director and the Board of Directors to determine development goals and strategy to achieve the financial support required to enable P-FLAG to meet its program goals. Mendonsa is the parent of a lesbian teenager. UFMCC youth network forms A network of Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Church youth is being formed by Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson . Interested persons under age 27 may contact Rev. Wilson at c/ o UFMCC, 5300 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 304, Los Angeles, CA 90029. Historic ordination celebrated A celebration was scheduled to be held at First Congregational Church , San Francisco, on May 3 for the tw entieth anniversary of the ordination of Rev . Bill Johnson. Johnson was the first openly gay person accepted into ministry by a major religious denomination. Today Johnson serves as Secretary for the AIDS Program Ministries Coo rdinations at the United Church Board for Homeland Ministries in Cl eve land. He declared himself openly gay in 1970 as a student at the Pacific School of Religion. -The Pacific Ohio has first "Reconciled in Christ" congregation Redeemer Lutheran Church, Columbus, has become the first Lutheran congregation in Ohio to become a "Reconciled in Christ" church, meaning the church has publicly engaged in ministry inclusi ve of gay and lesbian people . Church members voted without dissent in January to approve the designation. Neal Coryell, of Lutherans c;:oncerned/ Central Ohio, said, "Congregations that choose to become Reconciled in Christ generally have already shown welcome to gay and lesbian folk, and view them as very much an important part of the church." Texas ministry . sponsors TV show Silent Harv est Ministries, Dallas, has started a television ministry through the auspices of community cable access. The half-hour program, which started in early March, features Rev. Elder Freda Smith, pastor of River City Metropolitan Community Church of Sacramento, California. The show is available to Dallas cable subscribers on ChafiI\el 12-B. Church growth prompts extra service White Rock Community Church, Dallas, is growing so rapidly that a second Sunday morning service has been added . The church is a non-denominational, evangelical church. Worship is offered at 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sunday. There is also a Wednesday Bible study as well as monthly concerts and other social events. The church may be reached at (214)320-0043. Louie Crew honored Dr . Louie Crew was presented with the Bishop's Outstanding Service Award by the Rt. Rev. John S. Spong, Episcopal Bishop of Newark, New Jersey, on January 24. Crew, who founded Integrity, Inc., ierves -on the vestry of Grace Church, Newark, represents the South Essex Convocation on the Diocesan Council, chairs the History of the Diocese Task Force and was a founder and board member of The Oasis. Bishop Spong said, "I suspect that no lay person in the last ten years in the United States has so effectively moved his faith community beyond its prejudices as has Dr. Crew. Transexual lesbian runs for office Diana "S" Holmes, who has announced her candidacy for the Hawaii County Council seat in the Puna District, may be the first person in Hawaii to run for office from a hospital psychiatric ward. The Nanawale Estates resident was previously a Council candidate in 1988 when someone broke into her home and apparently attempted to murder her with a machete, leaving her bleeding arid in a coma. No suspect was ever arrested for the attack. Holmes, a self-described Christiantransexual- lesbian, had been campaigning actively on a civil rights platform . Now still recuperating from the severe injuries suffered in the SEE NOTE-WORTHY, Pag ~ 19 Second Stone• May/June 1992 U:Z:] T Resource Guide T •.•~-········--················· ················•· ··•·········· ········ Listings i~ the Resource Guide are free to churches, organizations, publications and community service~. Send information to Second Stone, Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 7_0182 or FAX to (504)891-7555 . National RELIGION WATCH, P.O. Box 652, North Bellmore, NY 11710. A newsletter monitoring trends in contemporary . religion. LUTHERANS CONCERNED I NORTH AMERICA, Box 10461. Fort Dearborn Station, ChicaQo, IL 60610-0461. Publi cation: The Concord PRESBYTERIANS FOR LESBIAN & GAY CONCERNS, P.O. Box 38, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0038. Publication: More Light Up date UNIVERSAL FELLOWSHIP OF METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCHES 5300 Santa Monica Blvd., #304, Los Angeles, CA 90020, (213)464-5100. Publication: Keeping in Touch BRETHREN / MENNONITE COUNCIL FOR LESBIAN AND GAY CONCERNS, Box 65724, Washington, DC 20035. Publication: Dialogue , UN ITED CHURCH COALI TIO N FOR LESB IAN / GAY CONCERNS, 18 N. Co llege, Athens, OH 4570!, (614) 593-7301. Publication: Waves SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS KINSHIP INTERNATIONAL, Box 3840, Lo s Angeles, CA 90078, (213)876 - 2076. Publication: Co nnection RECONCILING CONGREGATION PROGRAM, P.O. Box 23636, Washington, DC 20026, (202)863-1586 . Publication: Open Han ds INT EGRITY, INC., P.O. Box 19561, Wash-· ing ton, DC 20036-0561, (718) 720-3054. Publication: The Voice of Integrity ECUMEN ICAL CATHOLIC CHURCH, P.O. Box 32, Villa Grande, CA 95486°0032. Ho ly Spirt Church, East Moline, lL, (309)792-6 188. St. Michael's Church, Russ ian River, CA , (707) 865-0119. Publication: T he Tablet. LIVING STREAMS, P.O. Box 178, Concord, CA 94522-0178. Bi-monthly publication, AIDS NATIONAL INTERFAITH NETWORK, 300 I St., NE, Ste. 400, Washington, DC 20002. (800)288-9619, FAX (202)546-5103. Publication: Interaction. NATIONAL CENTER FOR LESBIA N RIGHTS - 1663 Mission St, 5th Rr., San Francisco, CA 94103. GAY AND LESBIAN PARENT COALITION, P.O. Box 50360, Washington, DC 20091. Publication: Network. THE WITNESS, Published by the Episcopal Church Publishing Co., 1249 Washington Blvd., Ste .. 3Il5, Detroit, MI 48226-1868. (313)962-2650 INTERNATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN ARCHIVES, The Natalie Barney Edward Carpenter Library, P.O. Box 38100, Hollywood, CA 90038. (213)854-0271. Publication: Bulletin. COUPLES Newsletter, Published by TWT Press, Inc ., P.O. Box 253, Braintree, MA 02184-0003. WOODSWOMEN - Adventure travel for women, 25 W. Diamond Lake Rd ., Minneap<;>lis, MN 55419, (800)279-0555, (612)822-3809, FAX (612)822-3814. DAUGHTERS OF SARAH - The magazine for Christian Feminists, 3801 No. Keeler, \ Chicago, IL 60641, (312)736-3399. CHI RHO PRESS - A special work of the .· UFMCC Mid -Atlantic District. Publisher of . -religious books and materials. P.O. Box 7864, Gaithersburg, MD 20898, (301)670-1859. COMMUNICATION MINISTRY, INC.Dialogue and support group for gay- ano lesbian . Catholic clergy and religious. P.O. Box 60125, Chicago, · 1L 60660-0125. Publication: Communication WOMEN'S ALLIANCE FOR THEOLOOY, ETHl€:S AND RITUAL ,- 8035 13th St., - Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301)589-2509, . fwi1•s-i SeaJ~d Stone• May/Jitii~·Im :l..:!::...J' . FAX (301)589-3150. Publication: WATERwheel. AFFIRMATION/United Methodists for Gay & Lesbian Concerns, P.O . Box 1021, Evanston, IL 60204. ST. TABITHA'S AIDS APOSTOLATE, Christian AIDS Network of the Merican · Orthodo ,; Catholic C hurch of St. Gregorios, P.O. Box 1543, Monterey, CA 93940 . (408)899-0731. THE WOMEN'S PROJECT, 2224 Main St., Little Rock, AR 72206. (501)372-5113. Workshops on women's issues, social justice, racism and homophobia. NATIONAL GAY PENTECOSTAL ALLIANCE (also Pentecostal Bible Institute [Ministerial training]) P.O. Box 1391, Schenectady, NY 12301-1391. (518)372-6001. Publication: The Ap<;>stolic Voice. FEDERA T!ON OF PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF LESBIANS AND GAYS, INC. P.O. Box 27605, Washington, DC 20038. Send $3.00 for.packet of information. HONESTY: Southern Baptist Advocates for Equal Rights, P.O. Box 7331, Louisville, KY 40257. (502)893-0783. EVANGELICALS CONCERNED, c/o Dr. Ralph Blair, 311 East 72nd St., New York, NY 10021. (212)517-3171. Publications : Review and Record. CONFERENCE FOR CATHOLIC LES BIANS, P.O. Box 436 Planetarium Sin .. New York, NY 10024. ( 607)432-929 5. NEW WAYS MINISTRY, 40 12 29t h St., Mt. Rainier, MD 20712, (30 1)27 7-5674. A gay-affirming organization bridging the lesbian/gay community and the Roman Catholic Church. CHR ISTIAN ITY & CRISIS Magazine, 537 West 121st St .. New York, NY 10027 . (212)662-5907. • BLK Magazine, Box 83912, Los Angeles, CA 90083-09 12. (3 10)410-0808. GAY, LESBIAN AND AFFIRMING DISCIPLES ALLIANCE, P.O. Box 19223, Indianapolis, IN 46219-0223. (319)324-6231. Fo r memb ers of the Chr istian Church (D iscipl es of Christ). Publication: Crossbeams. PARTNERS Magazine for Gay & Lesbian Couples, Box 9685, Seattle , WA 98109-0685. (206)784-1519. NEW DIRECTION Magazine for gay/lesbia n Mormons, 6520 Selma Ave., Ste. RS-440, Los Angeles, CA 90028 . WOMEN'S ORDINATION CONFERENCE , P.O. Box 2693, Fairfax , VA 22031-'0693 . (703)352- 1~6. Alabama -BIRMINGHAM . THE ALABAMA FORUM, P.O. Box 55894, 35255-5894. . (205)328-9228. Arizona TUCSON - Casa De La Paloma Apostolic Church, 1122 N. Jones Blvd., P.O. Box 14003, 85732-4003. (602)323-6855. Rev. Margaret "Sandy" Lewis. pastor. MESA - Boundless Lrive Community Church, 431 S. Stapley Dr., 85204 . (602)439-0224. P.J. Fousek-Gregan, pastor. Sunday, 10:00 am. California SAN FRANCISCO - DIGNITY, 208 Dolores St., , 94103. (415)255-9244. Publication: Bridges. SACRAMENTO - THE LATEST ISSUE, P.O. Box 160584, 95816. (916)737-1088. WEST HOLLYWOOD - Evangelicals Together, Suite 109-Box 16, 7985 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90046, (213)656-8570. Publication: ET News SAN FRANCISCO - Ioutherans Concerned, 566 . Vallejo St., #25, 94133-4033, (415)956-2069. Publicatiqn: Advent. SAN FRANCISCO - Gay and Lesbian Historical Society of Nort)lern California, P.O. Box 42126, 94142 . (415)626-0980. Publication: Our Stories. SAN FRANCISCO - The Pars_onage, 555-A Castro St., 94114-0293. Publication : The Parsonage News GLENDALE - Divine Redeemer MCC, 346 Riverdale Dr., 91204. Sunday, 10:45 a.in., Wed., Fri., 7:30 p.m. Rev. Stan Harris, pastor. Publi _~_ation: From Mary's Shrine. Colorado DENVER - EvangelicalsReconcilecl _-P.O. Box 200111. 80220, (303)331-2839. Colorado Springs: (719)488-3158. DENVER - Eva ngelicals Concerned / Western Region, P.O. Box 4750, 80204. Publica_!i_s,n: ThE Cable. District of Columbia Integr .ity/Washington, Inc., P.O. Box i9561, 20036 - 0561. (301)953 -94 2 1. Publication: Gayspring. MCC of Washington, DC, 415 M St., N.W., 20001. Rev. Larry J. Uhrig, pastor. Florida ST. PETERSBURG - King of Peace MCC, 4825 9th Ave. N., 33713-6135 . (813)323-5857. Sunday, 10:00 a.m. & 7:30 p.m. Rev. Dr. Fred C. Williams, Sr., Pastor. Georgia ATLANTA - SOUTHERN VOICE, P.O. Box 18215 , 30316. (404)876-1819. ATLANTA - All Saints Metropolitan Com munity Church, P.O. Box 13968, 30324. (404)622-1 154 Hawaii KAHULUI - BOTH SIDES NOW Newsle tter, PO . Box 5042, 96732. Illinois CHI CA GO - OUTLINES, Published by Lambda Publi cations , 3059 N. Southport, 60657. (312)871-7610. FAX (312) 871-7609. Louisiana BATO N .ROUGE :Dignity, P.O. Box 4181, 70821. (504)383-6010. Maryland THE BALTIMORE - ALTERNATIVE, P.O. Box 2351, Baltimore, MD 21203. (301)235~340I. FAX (301)889-5665. Massachusetts CHERRY VALLEY - Morning Star MCC, 231 Main St., 01611. (508) 892-4320. Publication: Morning Star Witness. Michigan DETROIT - CRUISE Magazine, 19136 Woodward North, 48203. (313)369-1901. FLINT - Redeemer MCC, 1665 N. Chevrolet Ave., 48504. (3 13)238 -6700. Sunday, 6:00 p.m . Publication: Sounds of Redeemer . 'ANN ARBOR - Huron Valley Com- munity Church meets at Glacier Way UMC, 1001 Green Rd., Ann Arbor, 48105-2896. (313)741-I174. Sunday, 2:00 p.m. DETROIT - Integrity, 980 Whitmore, #205, 48203. _ GRAND RAPIDS - Bethel Christian Assembly, 920 Cherry SE, P.O. Box 6935, 49516. (616)459-8262. Rev. Bruce Roller-Pletcher , -pastor. Publication: Bethel Beacon. Television: Channel 23, Sun., 10:00 p.m. ANN ARBOR - Tree of Life MCC, meets at First Congregational Church,- 218 N. Adams, Ypsilanti. P . O. Box 2598, 48106. (313)665-6163. Sunday, 6:00 p.m. Minnesota MINNEAPOLIS - All God's Ch~dren -Metropolitan Community Church, 3100 Park Ave. S. (612)824-2673. Publication: The Disciple. MINNEAPOLIS - EQUAL TIME , 310 E. 38th St , Room 207, 55409. (612) 823-3836. Published by Lavendar , I~. New Jersey HOBOKEN, The Oasis, 707 Washington St, P.O . Box 51_49, 07030. (201) 792 -0340. New Mexico SANTA FE - THE CATSBY CONNECTION. 551 W. Cordova, Ste. DIE, 87501. (505)986-1794. New York SCHENECTADY - .. Lighthouse Apostolic Church, 38 Co lumbia St., P.O. Box 1391, 12301-1391. (518)372-6001. Rev. William H. Carey, pastor. NEW\'ORK - Lesbian and Gay Co mmuni ty Services Center, Inc.; 208 W. 13th St., 10011. (212)620-7310. Publi catio ns: Center Stage, Center Voice. NEW YORK - Integrity-, P.O. Box 5202, 10185-0043. Publication: Outlook. ROCHESTER - THE EMF'I'Y CLOSET, 179 Atlantic Ave., 14607-1255. New York State's oldest gay new spaper. North Carohna WILMINGTON - GROW Community Service Corp<;>ration, P.O. Box 4535, 28406 . (919)675-9222. Youth outreach: ALIVE for gay, lesbian, bisexual youth. RAL EIGH - Raleigh Religious Network for Gay and Lesbian Equality, P.O. Box 5961, 27650-5961. (919)781-2525. Ohio CO LUMBUS - Metropolitan Community Church, 1253 North High Street, 43201. (614)294-3026. Sunday, 10:30 a.m. Publication: The Beacon News. COLUMBUS - STONEWALL UNION REPORTS, Box 10814, 43201-7814. (614)299-7764. Pennsylvania ALLENTOWN - Grace Covenant Fellowship, 247 N. 10th St., 18102. (215)740-0247. Bryon Rowe, Pastor. Thom Ritter, Minister of Music. Tennessee NAS HVILLE - Integrity of Middle Tennessee, Inc., P.O. Box 121172, 37212 -1172. (615)383-6608. Newsle tter. Texas DALLAS - White Rock Community Church, P.O. Box 180063, 75218. _ (214)285-2831 , (214)327-9157. Sunday, 10:30 a.m. Jerry Cook, Pastor. AUSTIN - Joan Wakeford Ministries, Inc., 940 1-B Grouse Meadow Ln., 78758-6348, (512)835-7354. DALLAS - Silent Harvest Ministries, P.O . Box 190511, 75219-0511. (214) 520-6655. MIDLAND - Holy Trinity Community Church, 1607 S. 'Main, 79701. (915)570-4822. Rev. Glenn E. Hammell, Pastor. Publication:Trinity Tribune DALLAS - Holy Trinity Community Church, 4402 Roseland, 75204. (214)827-5088. Rev . Frederick Wright , Pa stor. Publication: The Chariot LUBBOCK - Lesbian /Gay Alliance, Inc., P .O . Box 64746, 79464-4746. (806)791-4499. Publication: Lambda Time s. Virginia ROANOKE - MCC of the Blue Ridge, P.O. Box 20495, 240f8, (703)366-0839. Publication : The Blue Ridge Banner RQ~NOKE - BL UE RIDGE LAMBDA PRESS, P.O. Box 237, 24002, (703)890-3184. FALLS CHU RCH - MCC of Northern Virginia, 7245 Lee Highway, 22046. SEE RESOURCE GUIDE, Next Page "Open and Affirming: A Journey of Faith" is a new•Open and Affirming Video Resource from the United Church Board for Homeland Ministries. The color, 55 minute, VHS video documents the experiences of three United Church of Christ congregations exploring the question of whether or not to declare their churches Open aud Affirming of lesbian, gay and bisexual persons . The three Southern California congregations are Irvine UCC (Irvine); First Congregational Church, UCC (Long Beach); and Pilgrim Congregational Church, UCC (Carlsbad). The UCBHM is distributing the new video as part of its commitment to implementation of the Open and Affirming Churches Resolution adopted in 1985 by General Synod 15. It has established a cooperative relation- · ship with the Rev. Ann B. Day, ONA Coordinator for the United Church Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns, and ONA Resources in Massachusetts. ONA Resources will continue to distribute ONA print resources. The video project was begun in 1990 by Irvine UCC out of a recognition of the need for a resource for UCC congregations considering whether or not to engage in an ONA process. It was produced by Easy Brothers Video Productions. UCBHM bought the rights to the video in 1991. The three congregations featured . utilized different approaches to the ONA dialogue and a sampling of each is documented . Persons RESOURCE GUIDE, From Previous Page Washington SEATTLE GAY NEWS, 704 E. Pike, 98122 . (206)324-4297. FAX (206) 322-7188. SEA TILE - Grace Gospel Chapel, 2052 NW 64th St., 98107 . (206)784-8495. Sunday, lUlO a.m . & 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, 7:30 .. p.m. Jerry Lachina, Pastor. International LONDON - Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, Oxford House, Derbyshire St., London E2 6HG , UK, 071-739-1249. Listings in the Resource Guide are free at the request of the _ organization. Send to Second Stone Box 8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 or FAX to (504)891-7555 Just_Out involved in the leadership of the process share helpful suggestions for congregations considering beginning an .ONA process . Highlights of the video are candid comments from members of the three churches concerning their personal experience of the ONA process. The E. Rhodes & Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, the Riverside · Church of New York City and the United Church Board for Homeland Ministries provided major funding for the project. Funds also came from UCC Conferences, congregations and individual members nationwide. The video package, released on March 1, includes printed resources concerning the ONA process and wor- ...... ~- .. ship resources developed by Irvine UCC. The purchase price of $25.00 per video includes shipping and handling. The video is not available for rental. Pre-paid orders may be sent to Bill Johnson, ONA Video Resources, UCBHM/ DAMA, 700 Prospect Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115-1100. Beacon of Hope videos available ''Beacon of Hope," the TV ministry of Bethel Christia'l Assembly, a pro-gay and lesbian evangelical church in Grand Rapids, Mich., has announced the release of a video tape series by its pastor, Rev. Bruce Roller-Pletcher. NOTEWORTHY, FromPage17 attack, Holmes is also fighting her placement in the psychiatric ward of Hilo Hospital where she claims she has been wrongly placed. Holmes has only recently reacquired the ability to stand, and she vows to walk out of the hospital on her own before the campaign is over. The candidate may be contacted through Friends of Diana Holmes, c/ o Hilo Hospital, 1190 Wainuenue Ave., Hilo , HI 96720, -Both Sides Naw Alabama church .celebrates 11th anniversary Birmingham's Covenant Metropolitan Community -Church celebrated its ' 11th anniversary with the dedication of a new church building. Pastor Cliff Morrison said, '1t has been one of the greatest blessings of my life, to see what God hlls done with these people in this community, giving us the collective strength to do this task. Integrity president named to church commission Bruce Garner, president of Integrity, Inc . has been appointed to the Episcopal Church's Standing Commission on Human Affairs. Not only is he the first gay person to serve on the General Convention interim body charged with oversight of gay and lesbian issues, he is also the first openly gay person to serve on any standing commission of the Episcopal Church. Each of the three tapes in the series consists of two hours of preaching - a series of four sermons on a topic. Titles include "Clobbering the Clobber Passages." One tape includes four sermons on sexual ethics for gay and in Mesa, Arizona, has moved from meeting in a private home to its own facility . The dedication service was held Jan . 26. The new church, located at 431 South Stapley Dr., Suite 23, seats 35 and has meeting room and office space. P.J. Fousek-Gregan is pastor. Larsen to pastor All God's Children Rev . Charles W. Larsen was elected ■ lesbian people. __ For information on · the videos contact Bethel Christian Assembly, P.O . Box 6935, Grand Rapids, MI 49516. Senior Pastor of All God's Children Metropolitan Community Church in Minneapolis. Larsen succeeds Rev. Arlene Ackerman. Prior to his appointment Larsen was Senior Social Worker in Child Welfare with the San Francisco Department of Social Services. He has a Master of Divinity degree from the Candler School of Theology of Emory University, Atlanta. Larsen has also served on the faculty of the UFMCC's Samaritan College. ■ Let a new light shine for someone you love. Second Stone is a gift of love, comfort, inspiration and resolution for friends and family who may be in doubt, despair, isolation or suffering illness. Give the special people in your life the gift of Second Stone. We'll take it from there. FIOII, Yes ... .,_ Please send a gift ...... subscription and card CIIJ _____ ,., __ _ in my name to the Name person(s) listed: - [ ] One gift, $15 Cty [ ] Two gifts, $29 - 7Jp [ ] Three gifts, $42 Sigl)Gtft_CAIII Add $10 for each - foreign subscriber. U.S. currency . Cly PAYM!Nf - 7Jp 8'0DSED: Slp!Gl(.tc.nl Use additional sheet for more gifts. Box 8340 , New Orleans, LA 70182 New · 1ocation for Mesa congregation _ Boun!1le~ 1:-_c>"'._E!_<;~mmunity C~~ch _ _ ■ ■ Second Stone ~rvfay/June 1992Uil................. 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The Ecumenical Catholic Church, an Independent Catholic Denomination, with an open ministry inclusive of the homosexual community is seeking dialogue with women and men who wish to explore their call, within the catholic tradition. Feel called! Begin the dialogue, write about yourself to: Fr. Bruce LeBlanc, Vocation Director, P.O. Box 192, E Moline, IL 61244. WILDERNESS, From Page 11 At the conference, theologian and · activist Mary Hunt reminded us not to imagine that because we have carved . a niche for ourselves, the world has changed. And while, if I look at it one way, my white, middle-class privilege makes it easy for me to be a Lesbian, if I look at it another way, the combination of good luck and unpredictable danger that characterizes my experience as a Lesbian turns my white, middle-class privilege upside down . At a white, middle-class woman, I can keep safe by following the rules, by keeping quiet, by doing what's expected. But as a Lesbian, I'm vulnerable even if I'm quiet. What safety I have has been won for me by those who have broken the rules, who have com.e out, who have risked and lost not only whatever conventional power and privilege they had, but even, -in some cases, their lives. And if I want to keep my life, if I want to fight the hatred and violence that still threaten it, I have to give it up: I have to learn to take some of the same risks as those who have gone before. Irene Elizabeth Stroud is an M.Div. student at Union_ T heolo¥icaSl eminary in New York City. Reprinted with permission from the March 16, 1992 issue of Christianity & Crisis. Copyright 1992 by Christianity & Crisis. (See Resource Guide) Fax your ad. (504)891-7555 30 words. 7 bucks. We'll bill you later. It's never been easier to place a business or personal classified ad. Just write your ad out (be sure to include classification, months to run, and your billing address) anq FAX it to us.·. ARE YOU MOVING? 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Title A name given to the resource Second Stone Description An account of the resource Issues of the Second Stone publication. Issue An issue of a recurring publication. Issue Number The number of the issue (within a volume) 23 Publication Year The year the issue was published 1992 Publication Date The date the issue was published July/Aug 1992 Text Any textual data included in the document :AMERICA'S GAY & LESBIAN CHRISTIAN NEWSJOURNAL - · ,{·. ,.· ·. . . ~ .,. .... I J U L Y / AU GUST, 1 9 9 2 Stra ght activists ?ake up cross for ay/ esbian justice "I'm not gay, it's not my problem, I haven't walked in thos& shoes. But then I realized that the griefs of the world weren't Jesus' p roblem, either. .. Yet he agonized in the garden of Gethsemane, he y earned to pr_otect and gather his own ... " . B Y JI M BAILEY V erbal assaul t s against Gays and Lesbians ar e a ll too common but whe n a group of teenagers driving by in a jeep yelled an ti-gay epithets at one particu lar couple, it was a case of mistak en identity . The couple w as str aight. Larke tt e Lei n and Paul Cou rry h a d been give n their fir st sam ple of an ti-gay hatred. An d, as Christ ians , they knew something wa s terribly wrong. · On March 9, 1991, a grou p of about 80 people gat hered at Power Communi ty Church in Anaheim, California to hear Congressman William Dannemeyer speak as part of a conferen ce on the "Preserv ation of th e He terosexual Ethic," spo nsored by the Traditional Valu es Coalition. In the m idd le of Dan nemeyer 's spee ch about the power of the militant homos exual lobby, two members of ACTUP stood up and declared a non violent protest. Lein and Courry follo w ed the two ACT- UP member s down the ais le of the church onto the dias, where they knelt and unfold ed smuggled s igns that read "Pray to end gay-b ashing ." SEE COVER ST O RY, Page 10 Larkett e Lein an d Paul Courry kn eel and pray on the lawn of Traditi onal Values Coalitio n leader Rev. Lou She ld on. The p rotes tors re ceive d death tlu:eats after the incident. -Ph oto by the Orange Co unty Register I]] TROUBLE IN [i2] PRAYER: ~BOOKS: 'THE FAMILY' 12 God's Appointed Mary Hunt's The Jim Ferry case Way Fierce Tenderness Guest commentary . By Rev. Dr. Reviewed by by Mayne E!Hs Fred C. Williams Andrea L. T. Peterson ' BULK RATE I I I U.S. POSTAGE PA ID ;' NEW ORLEANS, LA i PERMIT No. 511 SUBSCRIBE NOW - ONE YEAR ONLY S13.00 ! • BOX 8340 • NEW ORLEANS , LA 70182 ' T From the Editor ..... "' . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Baptists don't hear one 'rnessenger' By Jim Bailey T he radically . "indusive . Jesus attended . the . Southern Baptist Convention's annual g<!-th~ririg this. summer .- The Jesus of the o~lta~ed w~ there in a congregation who refused to discredit a young man's gift f:ot the ministry because of who he was. "Follow me, " thi:, yourtg man had heard Jesus say. "Follow me ." Against everything they had always known and felt, the congregation heard it too. So they ordained him to woo the ostracized to Christ. The Jesus of the marginalized was there in a congregation who saw love where others see darkness; blinded by deep fear within themselves. (It alarms them that they could hate so much, when their Bible says love. Says it over and over, many, many times. "Love the sinner and hate the sin," they rationalize. Rational lies.) But here is a North Carolina congregation who listened intently and heard the truth quietly whispered amidst the shouting and condemning. Everyone is worthy of the precious· gift of love. Love is worthy of recognition. The Jesus of the meek w~ there in the messenger who, facing a wall of blind and determined hatr!!d, simply -!>aicl, ''Let those among you without sin cast the first stone.'.' And cast it they did . Much like Zacchaeus, Gays and _Lesbians are struggling to get a glimpse of Jesus. The church has made us_ feel slight of stature over the years. But we have climbed the tree, even with the arms of oppression pulling at us from tJ-\e sturdy branches, and we have Him in sight. "Come down," he tells us . He will abide with us. And yes, the crowd who thought they knew Him so well murmurs, that he would abide with such. The radically inclusive Jesus was there at the Southern Baptist Convention's gathering this year. And they voted to expel Him. rn isecond Stone• July/August 1992. c_-=...., Contents ........... . • ............ . [I] [[] [I] [[] [IDJ [IT] From The Editor Baptists didn't -recognize their Special Guest Your Turn Letters from readers Commentary Trouble in the family: The Jim Ferry case Guest comment by Mayne Ellis News Lines Cover Story: Straight - but not narrow Poetry The Shepherd, the Hireling and Me by Kathryn Vivian Keating 1121 Prayer: God's Appointed Way by Rev. Dr. Fred C. Williams [ll] [HJ Sexual Addiction Looking for love in all the wrong places by Sean Avery In Print Coming Out Within: Stages of Spiritual Awakening for Lesbians and Gay Men; and Fierce Tenderness: a feminist theology of friendship Book reviews by William Day and Andrea L. T. Peterson [16] Calendar l17l Noteworthy L!lJ News about people, churches and groups 1107 Resource Gulde l!.QJ Connectedness [ID] Just Out 120 I Classifieds YourTurn ........ . .............. . Power of the people vs. power of the powerful Baltimore, Maryland Dear Second Stone, What a very interesting world we live in. From a corner of Christ endom noted unfairly or otherwise for its homophobia, we have headlinemaking news of same-sex union ceremonies supported by Baptist congregation- level voting. And ordinationleading action by another Baptist congregation by an out-of-the-closet gay man. What makes this interesting is that in churches with a hierarchy and organizational structure that could wipe out homophobia in its institutional form, we get nothing but edicts that proclaim our evilness and disord_ er as sexual beings. While Lesbians and Gays have our sup porters '(such as Bishop Sμong of an Episcopal Diocese in New Jersey) they in turn do not have a generally favorable peer approval. Perhaps all this says to us that our ISSN No. 1047-3971 SECOND STONE Newspaper is published every other month by Bailey Communications , P. 0. Box 8340, Ne w Orleans, LA 70182. Copyright 1992 by Seccnd ~lone, a registered trad ema rk. SUBSCRIPTIONS, U.S.A. $13.00 per year. •six issues. Foreit,rn subscribers add $10.00 for postage. All payments U.S. currency only. ADVERTISING, For display advenising information call (504)899-4014 or write lo: Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. EDITORIAL, send leucrs; calendar announcements, and church/organization news 10 (Department title) Second Ston e, P. 0. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. Manuscript, 10 be returned shou ld be accompan ied by a stamped, self addressed envelo pe. SECOND STONE, an ecumenical Chr is Lian newspaper commiucd Lo informing the gay and lesbian community. PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Jim Bailey CONTRIBUTORS FOR THIS ISSUE : Sean Avery Rev. Dr. Fred C. Williams . Kathryn Vivian Keating Andrea L T. Peterson William Day salvation (pardon the unintended pun) will come not then from the calcified managers of the levers of power with doctrinal authority, but instead on a case-by-case decision making power of the people on a congregational scale who know the individuals desiring their rights as human beings. Will power by the people as opposed to power by the powerful do more to erase homophobia than we have ever contemplated? Respectju'zly, Tom Myers Write to Second Stone. All letters must be original and signed by the writer. Clearly indicate if your name is to be withheld. We reserve the right to edit. Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182. QUOTABLE: "If people can see the sameness of me to you, then perhaps they won't have the walls that makes it so they have to hate us without a cause." -27-year Army veteran Col. Margareth~ Cammermey_er, chief nurse of the Washington National Guard, a Bronze Star recip_ient and 1985 Veterans Administration's Nurse of the Year, after her discharge for being a tesbian and her decision to fight to (ll)erturn the military' s 49-year ban on Gays and Lesbians. . MURDER, From Page 11 "frankly disgusting" and said he would continue a "housecleaning" among the police force as necessary. "I will never order (policemen) to use methods of thugs to obtain documents of civil rights organizations," Joxe said. 'The police can function on a legal basis without using procedures that are morally damnable." The lesbian/ gay community in France is tiny. It was virtually impossible to replicate Pastor Douce's church outside Paris. There would have been no coverage of the murder at all had not Inspector Dufourg decided to go public to prevent himself from being implicated in Douce's murder. There has been no constituency in France willing to come forward to protect Douce's memory . -Kim Byham Subscribe Today. A N D Y O U' L L N E V E R WITHOUT A FR -IEND Y O U R J O U R N E Y. BE FOR Second Stone The National Gay and Lesbian Christian Newsjournal ···YES!·································Begin my subscription to SECOND STONE for: [ ] One yea r (6 issues) $13.00 [ ] Two yrs. (12 issues) $25.00 I ] Three yrs. (18 issues) $36.00 NAME ADDRESS, CITY/STATE/ZIP CODE CHECK HERE [ ] if a plain envelope Is required ond add $2.00 per year. Allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of your first issue. International subscribers add $ TO.DO per year. U.S. currency. Mail To: SECOND STONE, Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 THANK YOU for your subscription support! . Second Stone• ·July/August 1992 rn Comment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . •-.... ·• ............... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ . . . . . The Jim Ferry case A good kid in a .dysfunctional family By Mayne Ellis Guest Opinion "T . he church is the family of God, and in any healthy family there is a need for both discipline and loving care. As Bishop, I am to maintain the unity and discipline of the church and to exercise pastoral care." Thus Bishop Terence Finlay, Diocese of Toronto, Anglican Church of Canada, on March 22nd, 1992. The syntax and vocabulary are significant. To me, this statement is an attempt to claim the moral high ground, to cloak autocratic behavior in unquestioned, time-worn and often deceptive concepts. Family means different things to different people. What does it mean to Terry Finlay? What kind of father makes his child an outcast, insisting that no one else in the family may offer sanctuary to that child? What kind of family must unquestioningly obey, without fair argument or recourse, every edict and whim of the father? Based on what Finlay and the Bishop's Court have said and, more importantly, done to one of its members (and, as the Rev. Jim Ferry says, by extension, many others), the prevailing construct of the ·"family of God," and particularly of the bishops' role within it, is markedly dysfunctional. As every adolescent knows, you can always count on your parents to embarrass you. Finlay's humiliation of Jim (outing him to his congregation in a "pastoral" letter) was so masterful some of us still find it difficult to believe he didn't know what he was doing. No one is that cruel by accident, are they? Such acts, whether understood consciously or not, are · quite usual for parents acting out their own emotional or mental problems. Alice Miller has brilliantly identified the phenomenon: the need to reenact one's own humiliation upon the child, to be at last the punisher and not the punished, 'Tm the head of the household and what I say goes." .In the charges an? trial, the bishops defined the terms 6f the discourse with patriarchal absolutism. They refused to consider any factor but the purely legalistic (church discipline and administration - grounds on which they felt sure of winning the argument). They even defined how the charges should be understood, as the discussion of the Court's findings makes dear. Superficially this may seem to have worked for Jim, but the underlying principle is a destructive one. There also seemed to be no negotiation on their []J .Second Stone• July/August 1992 part about what they were prepared to accept as evidence; they rejected all · attempts to consider alternative or additional viewpoints or information (in this case, that the singular treatment of lesgay clergy is discriminatory and unbalanced). The Court actually insulted Jim's legal counsel at one point, if the reportage is accurate (and I believe it is). What is this but the behavior of a dogmatic parent whose final and perhaps only argument is "Because I say so, that's why?" Many heterosexual Christians actually resent and hate their own sexuality, though most are socially conforming enough to now cloak that to the bishop-father's will, because Jim has insisted that he is an adult with the right to fully adult choices about his whole life. I did not expect mercy, inuch Jess justice, from the Bishop's Court, and I'm sorry to say that I was not disappointed. In the end, Jim was convicted of "contumacy and disrespectful conduct toward the Bishop" and "wrongdoing by refusing to . refrain from continuing a homosexual relationship contrary to the Bishop's instructions" - thus making it perfectly clear that this trial and sentence is really about-questioning authority. Jim is being punished for challenging Dad. This is how power is exercised Family means different things to different people. What does it mean to Terry Finlay? What kind of father makes his child an outcast, insisting that no orte else in the family may offer sanctuary to that child? in conciliatory, albeit limited and limiting, language. For such parents, any manifestation of unsanctioned sexual feeling or activity by a child is a cause for alarm, resentment and punishment, as R. D. Laing's work with schizophrenic children made clear . In fact, any sign that the child is becoming sexually mature can be threatening for a disturbed parent. Finlay's choice about Jim's fate, as discussed in the press release of March 24, seems to me purely vindictive, and fits perfectly into the pattern of parental dysfunction: Jim is denied any and all possiblity of productive life within this "family" unless he conforms unquestioningly in the dysfunctional family . It's not quite Deuteronomy 21:18-21, but emotionally it's close enough, for the shadow-life the Bishops offer is no life at all for the committed Christian clergyman we know Jim to be. We are told that 'The Bishop of Toronto ... took the positionthat Reverend Ferry had disobeyed his instructions to end his relationship ... " What is this but the position of an Imperial Roman paterfamilias who could legally force his child to divorce a spouse the child loved to take a spouse more to the father's liking? We owe Jim a great debt for his courage in being the light that shines in the darkness of bigotry; of demonstrating in his own flesh just c,~ Pontius' Puddle t Al>MIT 'TI\AT "'Y At>~ltllSTIUt'noll'S EC.OHOMIC. P.110 UUCt.TIOtl ~OLICIES HA\/£ COM"tlt1130TEO TO T\I.E OEC.LlllE Of f 11111\IL\ES It-I OOR SOCl&'T'I/ ·• BOT 't'tl\ NOW ~EII.OV TO Oo 'WI-IP., IT Tll.¥.ES TO SPOtl~OR Ell~G-ET\c. \..EO.l!.\.11.TIOI-I Tl-\11.T ~Etl\ON!."\RATES COMf'AS!IOt.l l=O~ Tl-IE Poo~ ""'ti CONC.ERl-l f~ what. the words of Bishop Finlay, in particular, are worth; of showing us the true nature of the "liberal" front that the official church seems anxious to present, to keep Lesgays quiet while draining us of our money, energy, gifts and time. My mother always told me, "You can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family." Feminist and Jesgay Christians have known for some time that this church family is profoundly dysfunctional. For those of us who are choosing to stay and work for healing and truth, I want to say this. When I changed my dysfunctional, self-denying behavior and refused to play the tiresome, dishonest games that families seem to need to maintain the facade of traditional order, it was hard. My parents were upset, puzzled and angry. They began to see that my . new behaviors were actually more honest, . rriore humane, more useful, and much more loving. Because I changed, tne dynamics of my family relationships have changed, and for the better, proving the truth of Mr. Quentin Crisp's dictum (and I have no doubt that Mr. Crisp knows whereof he speaks) that homosexuals "should · make no effort to try and join society" but "stay right where they are and wait for society to form itself around them - because it certainly will." John McNeill and Carter Heyward have both suggested that Jesgay Christians are the theological trailbreakers, the explorers . We are the dissidents, the questione rs of authority. Remember Prometheus? Jim, beloved brother, you must feel as though your insides are being torn out, day after day. But, o my people - Jim has given us fire. Mayne Ellis, the former convenor of the Vancouver chapter of Integrity, lives in London. NO··S\i'OUT ENOLESS SOUNO ~l•ES P-.~01.)T FM~\L'I VALUES. GEi RE·ELEC'fl!tl. E'OUC.ATIOM '?;•--!LI--III nu~,•s w~v 'W&: g. VICE'OTAtt t'l;)Lt'flCII.\.: , _ ~ALLIES··TO V~OVE A.(,..._, C.RIIII.E1.9 SS:li:11 COll\f,ll.1TTEP. T NewsLin~s T ............... . ...................................... . .......... . .... . L.A. riots threathen UFMCC headquarters Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Church offices are located just two blocks from the area where major fires and looting occurred as part of the violence that erupted after a jury found white police officers not guilty in the highly publicized beating of Rodney King. UFMCC offices and staff were unharmed. Church headquarters were closed for a day and a half . Similar destruction occurred near MCC/Los Angeles . "UFMCC deplores the verdict and the injustice it repres ents,"· said Rev. Elder Troy Perr y, UFMCC founder and mode rator. "We also deplore violence of any sort." -Keeping in Touch during the Democratic convention (call (212)337-1227 for details); ACT UP / Republican National Convention working group will sponsor an AIDS rally and march to the Astrodome in Houston on August 17 (call (816) 753-5930); and Queer Nation/Houston will hold a "Marry-in'' in Houston on August 19 (call (713)527-8674). Federal gay rights bill gains moment u m Supp o rt for th e Federal Gay and Lesbian Civil Rights Bill continues to build as members of Congress sign on as sponsors in record -breaking numb ers. In the House, 107 members are sponsors of HR 1430 while in the Senate, 16 members are sponsors of S 574. Bush: No 'special Pre~byterians rights' for Gays __ won t boot WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Washing- anti ... g-ay Scouts ton Post has reported that President MILWAUKEE - Delegates to the 204th Bush told ai1ti-gay fundamentalists he General Assembly of the Presbyopposes "special rights" for Gays a nd terian Church (U.S.A.) voted 368-165 Lesbians and affirmed "his commit- against a resolution urging congrement to traditional values ." Accord- gations to find out whether their local ing to The Post, the fundamentalist Scout troops ban Gays and to bar leaders, which include Jerry Falwell them from using church facilities if and Beverly LaHaye, are concerned they continue to do so. Scout leaders about the recent passage of a domestic and gay activists said it wou ld be a partnership ordinance in the District hypocritical stand for a church that of Columbia and want support for bans gay clergy. House Republicans who may soon -Associated Press attempt to convince Congress to . repeal the legislation. -Alabama Forum Spong: Suspend discussions with Catholic Church Episcopal Bishop John Spong of Newark, N.J, has publicly attacked the Roman Catholic Church, describing the Church as "anti-woman," "authoritarian," hypocritical · and "in danger of losing its soul." He called for suspension of formal unity discussions between Catholics and Episcopalians. Bishop William Wantland of the Diocese of Eau Claire, Wis. called Spong's claims "appalling" and "disgusting." -The Lutheran Events s lated for pa rty conventions Do zens of ga y/ lesb ia n and AIDSrelated event s are s cheduled to take pla ce dur ing and around Democratic and Republican Nat ional Conventions this sum m er. United for AIDS Action, a coaiition of m or e than 70 organizations; will spon sor a massive AIDS ma.rch and rally on July 14 We're glad we're gay Ann Landers . received her all-time second highest ba tch of mail in response to her March 8 column in which she asked Gays and Lesbians to write and let her know whether or not they're glad they are gay. In her April 26 column Landers reported that she received 75,875 respon ses. Thirty to 1 indicated that they were indeed glad to be gay . Catholic Bishops' letter upholds ban on women's ordination The third draft of the U. S. Catholic Bishops ' P as toral Letter on Women's Conc ern s ha s been released. "We denou nce sex ism as a moral and social evil" said t h e d ocument, wh ich is th e produ ct of eig h t y ears of cons ultat ion and severe criticism by th e Vatic an . While th e doc ument push <es for women's rights in the church and society, it uphold s the ban on women's ordination jn the Catholic Church. The dr aft di scusses in some detail the concerns of single persons, · married couples , divorced persons, parents and lesbian women. . Ruth McDonough Fitzpatrick, . national coordinator of Women's Ordination Conference, praised the statement for being "beautifully writt en and good theology... They are showing a great deal more compas sion" than in earlier drafts. ''But they refuse to s ay that the Catholic Church hierarchy is sexist and sinful," she continued . "Until they do that there will be no major change, just more nice-nice stuff to women." The draft will be debated and voted on at the National Conference of Catholic Bishops' meeting in November. -Dignity USA Journal Presbyte rian General Asse mbly receives anti-gay proposals Two overtures (resolutions) have been submitted to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) calling for disciplinary action against gay-affirming churches and offering an amendment which would ba.n ordination of non-celibate gay or !esbian persons. The overtures, submitted by the San Joaquin Presby tery, call for reprimand of More Light Churches and encourage "those .who in good faith both approve and practice homosexual behavior to transfer their membership from the Presbyterian Church to other ecclesiastical bodies." The other overture, calling for a constitutional amendment states that "governing bodies shall not ordain to church office· persons who are in an unrepen tant state of homosexual practice." -More Light Update Tal k sho w stirs homophobia Let's Talk Straight, a Hawaii talk show expressly dedicated to stirring up anti-gay hatred, airs twice weekly on KGU-AM in Honolulu. Listeners are subjected to the .homophobic views of host Mike Gabbard, who is founding member of the heterosexual supremacist group "Stop Promoting Homo sexuality." The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation urges readers to complain to Alan Zee, Program Director, KGU-AM76, 2153 North King Street , Suite 303, Honolulu, HI 98619. dignit,,usa .,.--·· an oroamzation for gay ana 06ian CatfwGcs, tkir Jamili,, a,uf fri,rufs. ~ L- Dignity /USA has ministered to gay and lesbia n Catholics, their families and friends for over 20 years. - We have over 4,000 members ., r in 80 chapters across the country. If you'd like to support our ministry, please join Dignity/USA today by completing the form below and enclosing your $40.00 check payable to Digniiy, Inc. to: Dignity/USA, 1500 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Suite 11, Washington, DC 20005. Telephone: 1-800-877-8797 □ YE~. I would like !O support the work of Clq,itv/l.JS(J Enclosed is my $40.00 check for membership. Name Address Cily ··-- State - 7fp ___ ._. __ -· ' :, ~ = . o::::- --·~ Second Stone• .Tu!yiAugust 199'.fr h . ; 01 L _ News Lines T ...................................................................... Reprimand sought for Catholic bishops A campaign has been organi ze d to remove three Catholic bishops who participated in a national symposium for gay and lesbian Catholics. Five hundred people attended New Ways Ministry's Third National Symposium held March 27-29 in Chicago. According to New Ways Ministry, the Catholic Action League and the Wanderer media base are upset at the presence at the conference of Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, Detroit, Bishop Kenneth Untener, Saginaw, and Bishop William Hughes, Covington. Of those who attended "Lesbian and Gay People and Catholicism : The State of the Question," 54 percent were male, 46 female; 34 percent were sisters or nuns; 24 percent were priests; 5 percent were brothers; and 37 percent laity. New Ways Ministry is encouraging letters of thanks and support for the three bishops. (Most Rev. William Hughes, The Catholic Center, 947 Donaldson Road, Erlanger, KY 41018; Most Rev. Kenneth Untener, 5800 Weiss Street, Saginaw, MI 48603; Most Rev. Thomas Gumbleton, 1234 W;ishington Blvd., Detroit, MI 48226.) Audio tapes of presentations at the conference are available from LeGrand Services, 333 West Irving Park, Suite # 201, Roselle, IL 60172. Church challenges NJ gay rights law TRENTON, N.J. - The Orthodox Presbyterian Church has challenged the constitutionality oi New Jersey's new gay rights law . The church said the law violates its pastors' First Amendment .rights, because church teachings state that homosexuality is immoral and perverse. Religious institutions are exempt from the anti -discrimination law . Queer Nation/ New Jersey has charged that the suit is an attempt to validate homophobia as religious freedom . -Outlines Louisiana Baptists reject pro-gay churches The Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board has unanimously approved a measure that would ban from annual meetings and prohibit donations by congregations in the The Other Side Refreshingly personal, devotedly biblical, passionately radical, 1be Other Side is a magazine calling Christians to live the empowering, liberating vision of Jesus. The Other Side stands on the side of the poor and oppressed. It embraces the despised and rejected, whether they be women, racial minorities or gay and lesbian Christians. It stands against war and prisons and national borders, and it challenges I greed and arrogance. This sentiment is woven together with refreshing artwork, I award-winning articles, powerful poetry, penetrating interviews, and some of the best fiction around. It's a mix not available anywhere else! IIAl,F-PRICE OFFER THE 01l!ER SIDE, 300 W. APslllY STREET, PHILADELPIIIA, PA 19144-4221 Yes! I'd love to subscribe! Here's my check for: IJ One Year for $14.75 . IJ Two Years for $29.50 IJ A Sample Issue for $4. IJ !prefer to be billed at the regular rate of $29 .50 forone year. I promise to pay promptly. Name __ __ _ ______ _ _ _ __ _ __ __ _ _ _ Address _____ ______ __ __ _ __ __ __ _ City, State, and Zip ___ ___ __ __ _ _ __ ___ _ _ Add S9 yur for ncm-U.S. """'-· Pmmy/,,,m"3 raldenbi odd 6% r..., Om4di;in raldenbi 796 ""'-. . M-,..a.di GMtw9tu: 1/YM'rr nol stlllsJied, we'll rrfand the C05I of aJJ umru,iJ,d "'-· S07515 I ~------------------------------~ [I]!second S~one • July/August 1992· . . state that affirm Gays and Lesbians. At the same time, it expresses love and concern "for those persons who have chosen to rebel against God by participating in the abominable practices of homosexuality." The Louisiana Convention is the first state organization to threaten gay-affirming congregations with expu lsion from the denomination. The measure - approved in May at a meeting in Alexandria - still must be considered by the annual convention in November. -The Times Archbishop Tutu, President Carter support HRCF fund raiser Former President Jimmy Carter and Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa served as Honorary Co-chairs of the Human Rights Campaign Fund's Fifth Annual Atlanta Dinner. Former President Carter is the first President of the United States to associate himself with a fundraising effort in the lesbian and gay community. In a letter to the organizing committee of the event, President Carter praised the Campaign Fund for "their outstanding efforts." ·-cruise Lutheran· study document draws ire The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's study document, "Christian Faith and Human Sexuality," has been criticized by the "Great Commission Network," a group seeking "a renewed commitment to biblical and confessional authority" in the church . Dr . Walter Sundberg, associate professor of church history, Luther Northwestern Seminary, St. Paul, Minn. told a gathering of 70 pastors and laity that "after much huffing and puffing" the question that the ELCA study finally asks is · whether or not the church should "unsin" homosexuality. The Forum Letter, published in Delhi, N.Y., by the American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, has also criticized the document. In San Francisco, however, a gay-supportive group claiming more than 100 members is "publicly challenging the ELCA on all levels to affirm committed and faithful samesex relationships" and to "accept qualified women and men - regardless of sexual orientation, single or partnered - as pastors and professionals of this cl1Urch and as candidates for ministry within it. .. " -The Lutheran Anti-gay group running out of money ... The Chdstian Righhst crusade to eliminate what it considers objectional television and movie programming appe ars to be losing momentum and suffering from a Jack of unity. A recent issue of the activist Donald Wildmon's American Family Association Newsletter says the organization faces a major financial crisis. Similar groups are asking the same potentia l donors repeat e dly for support - a situation which may lead to the apparent decline in support for each of them. -Religion Watch ... but not soon enough The American Family Association has called for a boycott against Levi Strauss & Co. because the jeanmakers philanthropic foundation will not fund the Boy Scouts of America, which discriminates against gay members and leaders. Wildmon also condemned Levi Strauss for its recent announcement of benefits for the domestic partners of lesbian and gay employees. -Southern Voice Gay priest loses license Rev. James Ferry, a gay Anglican priest, was stripped of his license on March 20 after being found guilty by a Bishop's Court of disobeying his bishop's order to leave a gay relationship. Toronto Anglican Bishop Terence Finlay removed Ferry from his job at St. Philip's-on-the-Hill in Unionville, and from exercising his duties as a priest. While he is still regarded as a priest, Ferry cannot preach, perform marriages or celebrate other church sacraments. He may · continue as a priest without license until church policy on the ordination of practicing Gays changes. -Outlook Gay column for Gannett newspapers "Life From A Gay Perspective;" a weekly column written by Deb Price, is now available for Gannett's eighty newspapers across the nation. The second largest Gannett newspaper (after USA Today), the Detroit News, will carry the column. -Cruise News Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ . . . . . . ~ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Far right victory in Oregon The Oregon Citizens Allia_nce . was successful in getting Springfield, Ore., voters to approve an initiative which forbids city government to "promote, enc?,urage, or facilitate homosexuality. Passage of the m1- tiative means that the city may not give permits for gay pride parades, allow gay organizations to meet in public buildings, or allow public libraries to maintain.literature or publications which are gay neutral or gay positive . The initiative can be interpreted to mean that the city may not employ Spahr. opponents reveal homophobia By The Empty Closet The Permanent Judicial Commission of the Synod of the Northeast, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), met to hear the case of the Rev. Jane Adams Spahr on May 19. The Commission's task was not to determine whether self-affirming Lesbians or Gays should be ordained as Presbyterian ministers, that having been decided in the negative by the General Assembly of the Church in 1978, which at the same time instituted Paragraph 14, stating that the ruling might not be used against those ordained before 1978. Rather, their job was to decide whether the Presbytery of t~e Genesee Valley had exceeded its constitutional limit in twice affirming the call of Downtown United Presbyterian Church to Janie Spahr, who, in the homophobic language of the church's regulations, is a "practicing, self~~dmitted, unrepentant homosexual. The Commission had decided not to call witnesses. Instead, advocates for Spahr and for her opponents (a minority of local congregations whose spokesperson is the Rev. Ronald Sallade) gave 30-minute statements, followed by responses from each advocate (although James Moore, advocate for the Presbytery, declined to make a response). Julius B. Poppinga, a Neward, N.J. attorney, advocate for the complainants was first to speak. His statement frequently mentioned "lordship," "authority," and "obedience," and he stated that church leaders must .lead "exemplary lives," and are "not_ free to adopt a lifestyle of conscious, continuous, unresisted sin in any areas of life." He made a cross out of yellow circles on a blackboard, which he said illustrated the intersecting lines of rule and order within the church. Commission member Alison Halsey said that one of the things she appreciates most deeply about her church is that it is continuously forming, and asked whether Poppinga was implying that the church . was "in line." Perhaps, she suggested, the Presbytery felt that the church was_ out of line on the question of acceptmg gay and lesbian people, and that their affirmation of the call of Janie Spahr might be seen as an attempt to bring the church back into line. Poppinga disagreed. Poppinga's statement included numerous stereotypes about gay people, as when he said emphatically, "We're talk ing about erotic stimulation of the genitafs by people of the same sex," as if love betw·een Lesbians and Gays consisted of genital se_xuali ty and nothing more. He said that "homosexuality is not God's wish for humanity," linked the "sin" of being gay with sins including child molestation, and claimed that homosexuality detroys families and society. He was not able to respond to a question from a Commission member who asked him to cite one specific precedent in church law in which a higher authority had overruled a decision by a congregation and Presbytery. Instead, Poppinga reiterated his claim that "homosexuality is not compatible with the Christian ~a)'. of life," and said that the Commission has the authority to overrule Presbytery decisions. At one point he stated that to accept an openly lesbian minister would be "confusing to ethnic groups within the church," who might not understand such a "sophisticated" view. Rev. Janie Spahr told the Empty Closet, when asked about her reaction to Poppinga's statements, "How painful to hear this tremendous racism, which is connected to heterosexism - and to hear it right from his mouth! Why I am a Christian lesbian has to do with loving people for who and what they are. And this is an inclusive church." In response to Poppinga's definition of gay relationships as sexual only, Spahr said, "Homosexuality is a way of b_eing and loving another human person." James Moore, a Rochester attorney who served as advocate for the SEE SPAHR, Page 10 · openly gay or lesbian people. Gays and Lesbians could be fired from teaching positions, libraries, public utilities, police forces, and any agency that receives municipal funds. The OCA is attempting to get a similar initiative on the statewide ballot for the November elections. -Seattle Gay News Violence shakes MCC concert Rocks were thrown through a window at St. Mary's MCC, Greensboro, N.C., May 8 during a .HeartSong concert. Glass shattered over the congregation, causing cuts and bruises. One rock nearly glazed the head of Rev. Christine Oscar, pastor. -Keeping in Touch Churches expelled for pro-gay actions Two North Carolina Baptist churches were expelled from their state Baptist convention on May 20, 1992, for adopting gay-affirming stances, Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, Raleigh, was expelled for blessing a same gender union and Olin T. Binkley, Chapel Hill, was expelled for licensing a gay divinity student to preach. Writer collecting our . history James Waller, a journalist in New York City, is writing a book on the lesbian and gay Christian movement. He is currently collecting information and is especially interested in hearing from anyone who was involved in the movement's early phase. Readers who have information on the preStonewall phase of the lesbian and gay Christian movement are invited to write the author at 120 Garfield Place, Apt. C-7, Brooklyn, NY 11215. Authors seek gay testimonies Authors compiling a collection of positive accounts of what it means .to be a Christian gay or lesbian person want to hear from you. "We want to reach out and tell others that it is okay to be a dedicated, active Christian and to be open and proud of our God given sexuality," the writers said. For information write to P.O. Box 10242, Kansas City, MO 64111-0242. · . A magazine of RE. A 'rTiQ.l\.. 1 earthy wisdom for ril .1: '! "'I an evolving planet. Matthew Fox SPIRITUALITY is editor-in-chief. "The Cosmic Christ, I believe, calls us 10 embrace diversity as a · civilizatia:n if our creativity is to emerge and if each person is to truly live out her or his lifestyle and ~ocation with passion and responsibility. Matthew Fox, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ YES! Start my subscription. SES DI year $24 (6 issues) D 2 years $45 (12 issues) Foreign subscribers add $8/year postage and pay in U.S. funds. California residents add 8.25% sales tax. NAME(Pleaseprint), ___________________ -, ADDRESS, ____________________ _ CITY/STATE/ZIP _______________ -,- __ 160 E. Virginia St. #290, San Jose, CA 95112-5848 Sci:ond Stone• Jttly/A~gust 1992 Tl] .... ' Methodists won't drop anti~gay poli~y LOUISVILLE - Declaring homosexual practice incompatible with Christian teaching, the Unit ed Methodist Church voted May 11 to condemn gay sex despite an intensive study urging that the church's anti-gay policy be dropped. Delegates at .the UMC quandrennial General Conference voted 710-238 to maintain church rules against gay and lesbian sex, refuting a four-year probe that said the ban should be dropped. The action came after more than three hours of debate. For your convenience you may now FAX: EDITORIAL •Letters to the Editor •Newscllps •Calendar items SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES •New subscriptions •Renewals •Gift subscriptions •Address changes ADVERTISING •Classified ads •Insertion orders or space reservations (504)891-7555 Delegates did overwhelmingly approve study "across t.he whole church" of the report of the four-year study of homosexuality. It was the third major Protestant body in the last year to uphold their positions against homosexual activity, but continuing study about it. "We.Jost," said Tex·Sample, a Kansas City theologian, who had backed a failed move for the church simply to state it lacked a "common mind" on whether homosexual practice was acceptable in Christian faith. "ft will take another 10, 20 or 25 years to change our position," he told a news conference. But he said the churchwide study would "be helpful to people who have deep fears." Members of the gay and bisexual caucus, Affirmation, unfurled a huge ~ ... ~ Evangelicals IJ;; "1(/ Together me. IJ18/.E STIJfff GROOPS SOCIAlS • IIOR«SIIOPS • RETREATS HIV I AIIIS SIM'PO/lT GROUP PASR!RAI. CARE & COUIISEI.ING FOR Gay & Lesbian Christians In Scuthem Caf'lforria ... since 1979 Suite 109-Box 16 7985 Ssnta Monica Boulevard West Hollywood, CA 90046 ""213/656-B570 ~ "Churches are NOT hospitable places for lesbians and gay men- RIGHT?" WRONG! is a quarterly magazine for and about churches that welcome lesbians and gay men. Each issue of Open Hands explores a particular concern of lesbians and gay men in the church and includes feature articles by clergy and laypersons, resource listings, worship/devotion.al ideas, and news.from the lesbian/gay Christian movement. Published since 1985 by the Reconciling Congregation Program. a national network of United Methodist churches that welcome lesbians and gay men. _ Enclosed Is $16 for my annual subscription (four Issues) of Open . Hands ($20 outside the U.S.A.). Please bill me $16 for my annual - subscription . . Please send me a sample Issue - (free). Also send me a list of back Issues avatlable. NAME _________ _ ADDRESS ________ _ SEND TO: P.O. BoJ: 23636, WuhJnaton, D.C . 20026 CAIL: 202/863-1586 OR FAX: 202/488-1423 00 Second Stone• July/August 1992 · black-and-white banner in front of the podium and stomped their feet on metal bleachers, pushing debate and a vote late into the night. 'The Stones Will Cry Out," the banner read, referring to Christ's saying that would be the reaction if his message were silenced. Ai firmation leader Rev: Morris Floyd predicted the vote will alienate more Gays and Lesbians from the church, who will leave for more friendly denominations, or drop out from mainstream r~ligions entirely. "It's a tragedy," he said. Affirmation leaders' efforts to win time to counter UMC's _ legislative committee 's anti-gay position were stonewalled. A majority of the delegates fear failure to underscore condemnation of gay sex acts would offend most of America's 8.9 million United Methodists . ·changing Amerfran views could pressure the UMC to alter its policy, acknowledged the Rev. David Seamands of Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. 'The climate in the U.S. will be the main influence," the conservative church leader told the Washington Times. - From Associated Press and Southern Voice Integrity to meet in anti-gay bishop's backyard Integrity, the lesbian/ gay justice ministry of the Episcopal Church will hold its national convention in Houston July 9-12, 1992. This will be the first time the 18-year old organization has held its national meeting in Texas. . The arch-conservative Bishop of Texas, the Rt. Rev. Maurice M. Benitez, will be out of town and unable to greet the convention. Based on his longstanding and outspoken opposition to the ordination of openly gay lesbian and gay candi- . dates for the ministry and to the blessing of same-sex unions, Bishop Benitez was not expected to be welcoming. Indeed, Benitez had always denied the requests of Integrity's chapters in Houston and Austin for display space at the annual diocesan council (convention) and has forbidden the diocesan newsr,aper to mention the word "Integrity' - until this year. . The two diocesan chapters were granted permission to distribute Integrity materials at the councfl meeting in February, and thei.r presence was the subject of an article in The Houston Chronicle. Bishop Benitez was also widely credited with suppressing proposed resolutions which would have forbidden Integrity the use of Episcopal property for the convention. · · Integrity leaders speculated that _ part of the reason for Benitez's unwelcoming position toward the convention is that the Texas-born head of the Episcopal Churclt will be speaking at the convention. The Most Rev. Edmund L. Browning, Presiding Bishop and Primate of the American · branch of the Anglican. Church will be celebrant and homilist at the opening Eucharist and will respond to the concerns of Integrity members at an open forum. · The most notable non-America guest will be the Rev. James Ferry, the Toronto priest who was outed by · his bishop and, after the first church trial in Anglican history in which homosexuality was the alleged crime, was prohibited from performing priestly duties. Also present will be the Hon. Barnaby Miln, the first openly gay member of the Church of England's General Synod. The first . tw·o lesbian and gay deputies to come out on the floor of a General Convention of the Episcopal Church, the Rev. Jane Garrett ·and Mr. Pat Waddell, will also be in attendance. Coming out means telling the truth about your life ... it's a real family value. The National Coming Out Campaign is fundamentally the most effective campaign the gay and lesbian community has ever waged. Please gi.ve generously to: NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY, PO Box 8349, SANTA FE, NM 87504 / 505-982-2558 YOUR CONTRIBtmON IS TAX DEDUCTIBLE Baptistc hurchl icenseso penlyg ay clergys tudent By Q~Notes CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - For the second time in recent months, a Southern Baptist church has affitmed the rights of a gay member by a majority vote of the congregation. Following on the heels of the March decision by Raleigh's Pullen Memorial Baptist Church to recognize and host a holy union between two male members, Olin T. Binkley Baptist Church voted on Sunday, April 5, at the evening service to license John Blevins, a gay clergy student and member. Binkley's pastor, Rev. Linda Jordan, explained licensure as "an endorsement of someone's call to ministry," and stated that church leadership became aware of Blevin's desire for this formal sanction in August 1991 were held, including a couple by when he approached the deacon staff Blevins himself. with the request. He had been a Throughout this process, the member of the church for approx- opinions of the 500-plus members imately one year at the time and was were not the only ones being heard due to graduate from Duke Divinity on the issue. Other Baptist churches School in May of 1992, so the idea of and their leaders and even the licensure was well within reason. Southern Baptist Convention itself got After discussing the situation, the into the center of the debate. deacons and Rev. Jordan took the Recalling the stance of many of the matter before the members at a area ministers who contacted her, special congregational meeting. The Rev. Jordan said, "Some of the result of that meeting was a deter- churches were supportive, but many mination to hold a series of church more were hostile." forums utilizing open floor debates The Southern Baptist Convention and guest speakers to lecture about denounced both Pullen and Binkley the biblical and social aspects of in a press release in late winter, homosexuality and what the impli- threatening to pull the membership cations of the licensure might be. of both churches if they proceeded Several of these evening -sessions with their respective discourses on homosex uality. However, they not only continued, both wound up ruling positively on their various issues. In reference to the Convention's statement, Rev. Jordan would only say, "We were trying to make an honest decision, and now we'll take whatever consequences that entails. But, that resolution was sent back into committee so nothing has happened; I really don't want to 'make too big of an issue out of this right now." Blevins, a member of the Raleigh Religious Network for Gay and Lesbian Equa!Hy, was approved for licensure by a vote 57% to 42%. -David Stout ReconcilingC ongregation Program honored The Reconciling Congregation Program recently received two pres. tigious awards c one for its quarterly ·magazine, Open Hands, and another for the program's "outstanding Christian social witness." Open Hands was awarded the Award of Merit for General Excellence by the Associated Church Press during its annual convention on May 5. Open Hands was one of four ·magazines to receive this esteemed ._ recognition as the winner in the category of special interest publications with circulation of less than 10,000. The Associated Church Press is 'an association of 190 Christian publications in the United States and Canada. The Methodist Federation for Social Action presented one of its Lee and Mae Ball Awards to the Reconciling Congregation Program on May 9. In presenting this annual award for "outstanding Christian social witness," David Tatgenhorst, MSFA co-president, noted that the Reconciling Congregation Program "continues to bear the hopes of Lesbians and gay men and others who are alienated from the church." The Reconciling Congregation Program is a national network of United Methodist churches that have publicly declared that they welcome all persons, including Lesbians. and gay men. Founded in 1984, this growing movement currently includes 54 congregations, four regional -conferences, and one general commission of the church. Open Hands, the program's quarterly magazine, began publishing in 1985 and currently has 1,500 subscribers. The program's 17-member board of directors recently decided to open a national office in Chicago and to hire a full-time coordinator in order to meet the growing demands upon the program. The RCP may be reached at 3801 N. Keeler Ave., Chicago, IL 60641, (312)736-5526. Classified· SPECIAL FIRST TEN WORDS FREE! Meet a new customer for your business ... a new friend in a city you 'II be visiting soon ... a new pen pal. .. the possibilities are exciting! Second Stone classifieds reach readers in every state and many foreign countries. 20 words just $3.50! 30 words just $7.00! Use the order form on· the classified page or FAX your ad to (504)891-7555, including classification, months to run and billing address. 20 word minimum. Each additional word, 35c. UNITED METHODISTS: we're here for you -Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Concerns welcomes you. P.O. Box 1021 Evanston, IL 60204 (415)221-1612 OURWORID The International Gay Travel Magazine Month by month, we invite you to explore the exciting world of travel available to gay men and lesbians. Each month we help you to discover the multitude of interesting hotels, inns and resorts that welcome the gay traveler. · Enjoy articles and color P.hotos of a romantic hotel in Spain, a secluded retreat in Hawaii, a manor house in the English countryside, a Greek pe:nsion overlooking the sea, a rustic resort in Colorado, and more -all catering to our lifestyle! Plus, every month, regular departments provide you with valuable information on gay events and festivals, travel up dates and tips, interviews, and the latest gay trips and tours-sail the Caribbean on a private yacht, join an expedition to Nepal, cruise the Mediterranean on a luxury liner or fly to Sydney for the Gay Mardi Gras. '-------~---' Whatever you're looking for, let OUR WORLD be your ticket to adve ntur e. 1 year (12 colorful issues) only $ 44 (in the USA) - US$ 52 (Worldwide) . First issue mails in 4-6 weeks in plain sealed envelo pe. Sample copy US$ 5. · Mail To: Our World Publishing 1104 North Nova Road, Suite 251 Daytona Beach, Florida 32117 USA TEL: (904) 441-5367 Second Stone• July/Augu~t 1992 [[] ..................~.... ............C....o. .v.S..e.t.ro.. .r..y.. .......~.... ............. Straighta ctivistsb attlef or gay/lesbianju stice FROMPAGE1 It was a protest from a comer of the "homosexual lobby" that may have taken Dannemeyer by surprise. Lein are Courry are part of a growing number of straight Christians who are speaking out and taking action against the church's injustice toward Gays and Lesbians. Lein, Courry and the two ACT-UP members were arrested (by officers wearing surgical gloves) for trespass and disturbing the peace. Except for one of the ACT-UP members who was fined for disturbing the peace, all were later acquitted. "Paul and I participated as members of the Coalition Against Christian Violence, an interfaith group we helped found to courtteract fundamentalist groups such as Operation Rescue and the Traditional Values group," said Lein, who is Convener of the Integrity/ Southland chapter of the Episcopal church's national gay and lesbian organization, Integrity, Inc. Prior to her protest at the TVC conference, Lein's interest in activism had been heightened when she was invited by the associate priest of her Episcopal church to testify at a public hearing on behalf of a gay rights ordinance for the city of Irvin, California. 'The fundamentalists were there spewing venom," she recalled. '1 knew then that I couldn't let this go on." Courry began to understand how difficult it can be for gay and lesbian people when he met some gay community members through the leader of a 12-step program he SP AHR From Page 7 Presbytery of the Genesee Valley, by contrast with Poppinga did not dwell on the issue of homosexuality, pro or con. Instead, he focused on what he qilled the only issue before the Commission: whether or not the Presbytery acted within constitutional limits in approving and reaffirming the DUPC call to Spahr. Moore said that Spahr was ordained in a "lawful manner consistent with the thenpolicy of the Church." He cited Church law stating that the decisions of a Presbytery in respect to a call, if within constitutional limitations, shall not be set aside by reviewing authority. 'The Church is governed by Presbyters, who, acting together, will find the will of Jesus Christ and make decisions on that basis," he said. Moore's argument centered on the [_jfSie.cJon d Stone• July/August1 992 attended. Like Lein, he was appalled at what he calls "Bible-thumping hatred" and felt he could no longer stand by and be silent. L~in recalls one particular incident that solidified the pair's commitment to activism . "We became gay rights became very concerned," said Courry. "He wanted to know if I was straight. Although I reassured him I am, I am working for the day when that question need not be asked of anyone." Lein said her parents support her activism and respect her "It is surprising how many straight people just have no idea of what being gay or lesbian is about. Many straight Christians literally shy back when they see our Christian symbols. They thi~k the battle for gay and lesbian justice is strictly a fight between the unchurched and the Christians." activists when we got a death threat as. a result of having our picture in the paper, as Christians praying for gay rights at a demonstration." Fellow church members, coworkers and family are generally supportive , of the activists' mission. "My dad controversial Paragraph 14, which states that the 1978 ruling against Gays and Lesbians as ministers shall not be used against those who were ordained before 1978. He said that this protection cannot simply be removed, and asked, "Are Gays and Lesbians to be forever locked in place unless they repress and deny their. sexuality - an aspect of life which the last General Assembly decided was God-given?" In closing, he reminded the Commission that "Jesus Christ's mission was founded on principles of love of God, love of fellow human beings, and forbearance," and said that Christ has never mentioned, let alone forbidden, homosexuality; neither does the Presbyterian Book of Order prohibit or condone the calling of a gay person. He asked th.at the Commission dismiss the objection and lift the stay which prevents Spahr from entering into her ministry. -Susan Jordan acting out her faith. Coworkers, also supportive of her activism, eagerly examine the newspaper on Monday mornings wondering if Lein had had a printworthy weekend. There are both elements of support and elements of great discomfort at Lein's Episcopal church and some members of Courry's church are "nervous as hell." But Courry continues to be a powerful witness. "Many Gays and Lesbians know that the church can be their enemy. But sometimes people who would otherwise never darken the door of a church go to church with me," he said. Lein agrees that the church is very often seen as the sour.ce of homophobia but that her congregation is supportive of her as a bridge to the gay community and what she terms "the church-damaged people." "It is surprising how many straight people just have no idea of what being gay or lesbian is about. Many straight Christians literally shy back when they see our Christian symbols. They think the battle for gay and lesbian justice is strictly a fight between the unchurched and the Christians." And sometimes, as with the death threat, which was followed by nasty letters, the tension and conflict boil over. "I feel sorry for the people who are filled with so much hatred," said Lein. Courry adds, "We pray for them." 'Lein was surprised to be elected Convener of Integrity/Southland, but says there is no resentment that a heterosexual was picked to lead the · gay and lesbian group. "Sometimes I am identified as a lesbian," she said, · "but I have to confess that I am straight and [she adds with a laugh] hope that they don't hold my sexual orientation against me." 'The people of Integri ty are powerfully gifted," Lein said. 'They have stories of injustice that will knock your socks off, but they stay in the church despite all the church has done to them ." The new c0nservativism and the rise of traditional family values as an issue in the presidential campaign has created some nervousness in the gay and lesbian community, according to the activists, but there are too many people who will say, "We won't go back." Also, fundamentalis t groups are just as concerned with the rise in power . of gay and lesbian groups. While picketing a church that supports Operation Rescue, Courry was approached by the church preacher who said the church feared such publicity because, he said, "the next thing you know we'll attract some of the gay groups." Recalling the Traditional Values Coalition symposium, Lein said, "It was all so unfair, that so many hurts could be inflicted in the name of Christ. And in the name of 'traditional family values.' And in just plain bigotry and hatred. I felt so helpless to help. And even helpless to understand. I'm not gay, it's not my problem, I haven't walked in those shoes. But then I realized that the griefs of the world weren't Jesus' problem, either. He'd never sinned. Yet he agonized in the garden of Gethsemane, he yearned to protect and gather his own ... "God is on the side of the suffering, not the oppressors," Lein said of the Heterosexual Ethics conference. "When the church gives its blessing to the oppressors, to a political group such as [the Traditional Values Coalition], whose chief goal is to silence the voices of my gay brothers and lesbian sisters outside, then as a Christian I cannot be silent." Her activism has been the "most fantistic" three or four years of her life, according to Lein. "I wish I had my eyes open sooner to the spirit of people who have had to fight against the church to find God," she said. Added Courry, "I have received much more than I've given." ''But actually, we're just evangelists," said Lein. "We're just trying to tell the Good News.'' After two years Murder of gay French Pastor unsolved By The Voice of Integrity ThReev . Joseph Douce, the founder of the lesbian and gay Christian movement in France, was brutally murdered in Paris in the summer of 1990. Now two years later, despite clear evidence of police involvement in the murder, no arrests have been made. The resulting scandal at one 'Ifies f iepfi ercft,f ieJ {ireung. ana!Me BY KATHRYN VIVIAN KEATING ~ TAKES A LONG 0 WHILE, for Christ to woo back That sheep which the Hireling sold, Escaping the slaughter, it wanders long Until even its youth looks old! The marks of sin that need not have been Leave an open sore and shame; And when trust is gone, what else lives on, But expressionso f fear and pain. Is Eternity long enough to mend The bewildereda, nguishedd espair That came when the Hireling first announced That the 'Shepherd of Life' did not care? That the Sheep could go, and need never return to the arms it had come to trust... That the Shepherd desired it outside the Fold, And back in the barnyard's dust! And where does one turn, when the Highest Known For him, has been taken away? Oh, it takes a long while for Christ to woo back That Sheep, on the rocks astray! And is the price from the butcher reaped Sufficient, to pay for the tears Which not only the Master. .. but othersh aves hed In the horriblef,o llowingy ears? Can there be a sermon, or poem, or song anointed of God, to erase . The change in the mind and heart of a Sheep That's been sold from the Master's place? Yet ... the day will come, when the Shepherd's call Will drift o'er the jagged rocks, And that Sheep-hearfta, int, will feel a stir of remembrancea, nd even the shock of being cast out, will fade from mind, And on trembling legs and weak, It will turn once more toward those days of yore . When its strength, was to hear Christ speak!!! The Shepherd of Life forgets not His Own, And He'll search every black abyss, To regain that one from His flock cast out That He knows in His heart is His! But what of the Hireling? Oh God, forgive: Perhapsa ll the truth was not told; But it takes a long while For Christ to woo back,. That Sheep, which some Hireling sold! -Ezek. 34:22-16 Emp. verse 4 -Reprinted from the SDA Kinship Connection point embarrassed the French government, but the crisis seems to have subsided and authorities, with the help of the press, have defamed Douce's memory. The man who found the body while searching for mushrooms thought at first it was a deer. 'The animals had eatell' away at it so much that you could no longer distinguish it as a human figure." For three months, the body had !ain in the forest of Rambouillet, about 30 miles from Paris. Police and pathologists concluded, mainly from dental evidence, that the body was of Pastor Douce, who disappeared while under police surveillance on July 19. The police were from an undercover unit, the Groupe des Enquetes Reservees (GER), which specializes in handling cloak-anddagger jobs within the Renseignements Generaux, one of France's numerous intelligence agencies. Most Renseigneinents Generaux officers gather information about subversion, drugs, the press, foreigners, gambling and finance. A GER inspector, Jean-Marc Dufourg, became himself the subject of an internal police inquiry, not only into the disappearance of Douce, but also into Dufourg's more unusual surveillance techniques, which included firing a bullet through the front door of a reluctant informant. Dufourg denies any . part in Douce's disappearance or death, and believes he is being made the scapegoat for a bungled inquiry. Strangely for a secret policeman, he reacted by talking publicly about his work. Pastor Douce came to Paris from Belgium in 1964 and opened his Centre of Christ the Liberator. The French Baptist Church expelled Douce in 1975 for blessing gay . unions. Undaunted, he expanded his counseling mission to sexual minorities. In an interview a few days before his death, he estimated he had worked with 15,000 homosexuals, transsexuals, transvestites, sadomasochists and paedophiles. Once a month, Douce held a group counseling session for paedophiles, and this aspect of his activities is what interested the police. In the spring of 1990, the GER began tapping his telephone. Douce himself became aware of their interest at 1:30 a.m. on June 20, when a burly man shouting insults and threats appeared at Douce's front door. Douce called the police, who were surprised to discover that the "hooligan" was none other than Inspector Dufourg. At 8:30 p.m. on July 19, two men arrived at Deuce's home and introduced themselves as police. They asked the minister to accompany them. He went quickly, taking only his diary, and he was never seen again. The men have not been · identified, but they did not include Dufourg, who spent the evening at a bar in Pigalle. The Douce case might have faded quietly from view had Pierre Didier not told his story to the newspaper, Liberation. On the night of July 3, Didier, a former communist who had been interrogated by police some years earlier, was awakened by a bang on his front door. It was followed by the firing of a bullet through the door at chest height. Didier was so frightened that he lay in bed and cut his wrists. He was saved by a neighbor. "The shot had been fired by Dufourg because he wanted to intimidate Didier into infiltrating Douce's paedophile counseling session as an informant. Didier's story put the mystery on the newspaper front pages. The GER handled only the most confidential and sensitive investi- · gations. What was it after? One possibility is that the GER wanted to identify Douce's supporters . His church was privately funded, and it is suggested that his contributors included some prominent names. And Dufourg claimed he had undertaken just such a mission at the order of his own superior with the Renseignements Generaux. He had, he said, been ordered early in 1990 to find a male adolescent who could be "put into the hands of a serving minister." The targets were Pierre Arpaillange, who resigned as Justice Minister, and the head of French public television, Philippe Guillaume. Next, said the inspector, he was ordered to "recruit a network of prostitutes." Then came Douce. 'That caused me to start wondering whe-ther there might be some eventual links between these affairs of a sexual character." Dufourg's allegations led to numerous reports about the intelligence service. Interior Minister Pierre J oxe authorized a parliamentary inquiry into the intelligence agency. Afterward, an independent body would be created to oversee police activities. . The allegations brought a predictable torrent of protest from opposition politicians and demands for the abolition of what is being described as the French government's "political police." In fact, successive governments have unashamedly made use of the RG ever since it was set up nearly 100 years ago to collect information about groups which might threaten the security of the state. J oxe described the climate of scandal surrounding the incident as SEE MURDER, Page 3 SecondSfone•July/Au:'1st 1992 l11l If someone were to ask you about your prayer life, what would you say? Is prayer something you talk about and know about but you reserve engaging in except in those emergency situations when life deals you . a difficult hand of cards? And even then, do you really believe that prayer can help you? Or is it more an attitude of hope ... you hope prayer can help you and your situation? George Gallop took a poll a few years ago and it revealed that five out of every ten people said they believed in prayer. That seemed pretty good until Mr. Gallop asked these people another question which revealed that four out of five said they also observed the superstition of throwing salt over their shoulder every time they spilled it! So obviously one has to question whether these people really believe in prayer. Recently I found a poem about prayer life that I would like to share with you . It's called the Yuppie's Prayer . Ncrw I lay me dcrwn to sleep . I pray my cuisinart to keep. I pray my stocks are on the rise, · And that my analyst will always be wise. I pray that all the wine I sip is white And that my hot tub will remain water tight. I pray that my golf game won't get too tough, · And that all my sushi will be fresh enough. Prayer: God's Appointed Way . BY REV. DR. FRED C. WILLIAMS "Ask and it will be given to you ... " becomes: "Pray and it will be given to you." "Ask and you shall receive ... " becomes: "Pray and you shall receive." '1£ you have not, because you ask not. .. " becomes: "You have not, because you pray not!" '1f you ask anything in my name, I will do it..." becomes: "If you pray anything in my name, I will do it." Praying is simply asking. However, we haven't always been taught that. Some people have held that prayer is meditation, communication, adoration, praise, thanksgiving or confession. But that's not · . what the scriptures tell us. Scripture does tell us that we are to meditate with God... we are to communicate, adore, praise, thank and confess to God. These are all actions that we are called upon to do as Christians. They are part of our relationship with our God. But these actions are not prayer. Prayer is asking. Until we ask we have not prayed! Read some of the prayers in the New Testament and' · each time you will witness those people asking God for something. Peter prayed: "Lord, save me!" And on the cross prayed, "Lord, remember me!" And right there Jesus forgave him and gave him the gift of eternal life. Yes, prayer is asking. The second thing that needs exploration in understanding prayer is its power. Here again we are sometimes given the misconception that prayer has the power to change things. But that's not what scripture teaches. The Bible says that prayer changes people ... and people change things. That's the power of prayer. It changes people so they can change things . Examine the scriptures revealing the time when Jesus was in the garden praying. He was praying that he would not have to go to the cross. But his prayer did not change things; it changed Jesus . It changed him so he. could be strong enough to go to the cross and face death without fear. I pray my cordless phone still works, And my career won't looe its perks. I pray my micrcrwave won't radiate And my condo won't depreciate. I pray my health club doesn't close And that my money market always grcrws. And if I go broke b., Jre I wake, I pray my Volvo they won 'l take, Amen! , Jesus lifted him up out of the water into which he was sinking. The Publican in the temple prayed: "God be merciful to me, a sinner!" And we are told that he went away from the temple saved and forgiven. The thief Over and over in scripture we see this same power of prayer in action. People were changed, so they could change things. Paul was changed . Peter was changed. The woman at the well was changed. Mary Magdalene was changed. And each of them used their prayer power to change things around them. One of the difficulties most of us face is that we really do not believe that prayer has the power to change us. The third thing we need to look at in our efforts to understand prayer is Prayer is serious business and we need a clear understanding of what it's all about. An exploration - of prayer should encompass three things: the purpose of prayer; the power of prayer and the partnership of prayer . The purpose of prayer is to ask God for something! That's what the Bible says. In fact, the Greek word that the Bible uses for prayer means to ask. .. to desire ... to crave ... to call for. So if we simply substitute the word "ask" in the scripture with the word "prayer," this is how some of the verses would read: '.12]· Second Stone • July/ August 1992 The Bible says that prayer changes people ... and people change things. That's the power of prayer. It changes people so they can change things. . that prayer is a partnership . It is a · partnership between God and us . But never forget... God is the senior partner. And sometimes we do forget this. Sometimes we act like the senior partner in our prayer life and try to ·'make .things happen the way we think they ought to happen. That's why so many of us have a fat file 'folder of "unanswered prayers." We've asked God for the wrong things. And God, with divine wisdom, has refused to give them to us. Notice Jesus' prayer in the garden. He said: "My God, if it is possible, . may this cup be taken from me ... but not as I will, but as you will ... " You see Jesus knew that God was the senior partner in their relationship. · Jesus knew God would determine how things had to be done. And Jesus was willing to do them God's way and forget about his own feelings or personal desires. And so must we! We ·must recognize that prayer is a partnership. And God is the partner calling the shots. Now there is another aspect of the prayer partnership we need to look at. While it's God's role to call the shots, we also have a very important role to play. As the junior partner in this relationship we are to work out the answers to our prayers. - That is, once we've prayed, we need to get up a changed person and use the power God gives us to make the things we pray for happen. And if what we pray for is what God wants for us, then it will happen. There is sometimes an attitude which goes something like: 'Well, I'll just leave it in God's hands." Now that's fine for a while. That's fine for a start. But you can't leave it in God's hands forever. You've got-to let God put it back in your hands ... hands which God fills with power so we can do something about whatever it is we have lo do. That's our role as the junior partner in prayer. We are to work so our prayer will indeed be answered. So often we neglect to do this. So often we don't want fo take the time to work at something. We want it to happen instantly, but it doesn't. Getting answers to prayer takes work. Yes, prayer is asking. Prayer changes people; and people change things! And prayer is a partnership between God and us. It is God's appointed way. May it also be ours. Rev. Dr. Fred Williams is pastor of King , of Peace MCC in St. Petersburg, Florida. ' Reprinted from the church magazine, Vision. Looking for love in all the wrong places: Gay sex addiction · comes out of the closet BY SEAN AVERY ou get astronomical bills for . calls made to phone sex services, but you still spen1 hours and hours on "the u drive around cruisy areas late into the night. You have a fortune invested in pornography. You 're never sexually satisfied. You're on what seems like an eternal search but - for what - you're not quite sure. You feel obsessed. You can't get enough and you . can't stop. You're out of control. Sound familiar? If so, you are not alone. Like many other gay men, you're a sex addict. The widespread and easy availability of sex enables it to be easily · abused as a drug, particularly by gay men. In addition to bars and clubs, gay sex can be found around the clock in men's rooms, public parks and at highway rest areas. And in the last few years a new phenomenon, phone sex lines, have risen in the ashes of the closed bathhouses, creating the most convenient tool ever for the sexually compulsive. Thanks to the multi-million dollar phone sex industry, gay men can "hook up" (i.e. have sex) 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Is there an epidemic of gay sex addiction? Many believe so, and that such addiction is destroying the spiritual, emotional and physical lives of our gay brothers. .For the sex addict, sex takes on an entirely new dimension. No longer is it an expression of love or response to desire. Rather, sexual fantasies and behavior become a drug - a pacifier, a means of distraction from emotional pain, a way to numb out and escape from uncomfortable feelings, sugi as repressed anger, anxiety and fear, guilt, loneliness, shame and low self-esteem and internalized homophobia. When the sex addict feels an emotion which is difficult to sit and process, his mind instinctively thinks of sex, just as the alcoholic reaches for a drink. "Acting out" describes the sexual behavior pattern which the sex addict engages in, a familiar rituar which takes him to specific locations~as he pursues a specific type of individual to engage in specific sexual behaviors. On phone sex lines this process is facilitated, as it was in the days of the color-coded hankies, by the fact Ip.at callers bluntly ask each other exactly what it is they're "looking for." Callers reveal detailed descriptions of their bodies. If two callers like one another, -they "go private," which means the moderator, an electronic bouncer, gives them a "private line" where they make plans to "hook up:'' The phone sex industry, by providing a 24 hour a day sexual outlet through which very specific sexual fantasies can be fulfilled by merely picking up the phone, has become a powerful magnet for the sexually compulsive. A hardcore sex addict will spend hours on "the line," having sex with one person only to return home, get back on "the line," and go out and have sex again with another person. Others will stay out all night having sex with multiple partners at a public cruise area. 'Matthew," a 30 year old gay man recovering from sex addiction says, 'There's no sense of time when I'm on a sex binge. Ten minutes on 'the line' turns into ten hours. I've spent entire weekends 'hooking up' repeatedly, totally escaping from reality." Although a less severe sex addict may act out only once a week, the behavior serves the same purpose - to medicate feelings. Sex addiction is very shaming, as evidenced by the fact that most of it is done anonymously. Sex addicts often lead double lives, not telling their lovers and friends about their secret sexual exploits. Sexually compulsive behavior oftentimes, but not always, makes the addict's life unmanageable to the point where he "hits bottom," signalling the point at which he finally gets help. Fortunately, as society begins to recognize that sex can indeed be abused as a drug, more and more gay men are identifying their own sexually compulsive behavior before their lives spin totally out of control. Those who hit low bottoms, on the other hand, have lost careers, love.rs, friends and their physical health to sex addiction. Sex addicts, like alcoholics, drug addicts, compulsive gamblers, food addicts, workaholics or" even love addicts (co-dependents) may come from dysfunctional families for whom · childhood abuse, whether it be emotional, physical and/or sexual, manifests itself later in life as addiction. Although the cause of sex addiction is still being studied, many experts in the field have found a direct link to incest and other childhood sexual abuse. Nada Cox, a therapist at Our House, a residential shelter for people with AIDS, comments," "I would say that 90 percent of the peoplein the house were sexually molested a_s children. We're startmg a group to deal with sexual compulsivity. That group is going to have to deal with childhood molestation issues. Before I started here, I worked in child protection, so the connection between sexual compulsivity and childhood sexual abuse is very clear for me. The reason that I know so many people were molested as kids is I asked. Most people don't ask." In addition to such revealing statistics and disturbing testimony from those battling the sex addiction epidemic on the front lines, the fact that sexual acting out is anonymous and nonmutual and involves dominant and submissive sexual role playing, including bondage and -discipline, strengthens the hy.pothesis that sex addiction is a manifestation of incest. Today, a great deal of help is available for those who feel they may be addicted to sex. Self-help programs, based on the twelve steps and twelve traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous, provide a non-shaming environment in which sex addicts, with the support and fellowship of others like themselves, begin to "dry out" from their sexually compulsive behavior. As in AA, the first step in recovering from sex addiction is admitting that a problem exists, that one is indeed · "powerless" over the compulsive behavior. Self-help programs, however, are just one of sever.μ healing vehicles which have emerged in the later half of the twentieth century, and are particularly limited for -sex addicts. Perry Tilleras, the late author of Circle of Hope: AIDS, Addiction & Recovery, reflecting on his own sexually com0 pulsive behavior, writes, "I think that for the behavior to change, it is necessary to get treatment for the original trauma. The Big Boole of · Alcoholics Anonymous explains that, for the alcmholic, .the bottle is only a symptom. For the sexually compulsive, sex is only a symptom. To try to change the symptom and ignore the underly.ing cause is to stay in denial and protect the secret. "Jason," a 35 year old gay man recovering from sex addiction and an incest survivor, shared, "An important step in my healing journey has been to become more aware of the reasons for my compulsive sexual behavior. What I found is that my promiscuous sexual activities repeated my childhood sexual abuse. As a child, I learned to · get attention, affection, admiration and pleasure for being another man 's sexual object. As an adult, I • reenacted that pattern in my sexual acting out." Dealing with the underlying sexual abuse is best accomplished working with a knowledgeable individua l therapist. .Furthermore, group therapy, in conjuction wi .th individual therapy, is considered the ideal approach to· heal from the devastation of such abuse. "Ken," a 27 year old gay man recovering from sex addiction and an incest survivor, said, "Group was a turning point in my recovery. As I stopped , being a frightened victim and became an empowered survivor, my lifelong chronic depression lifted. In terms of my sexually compul~ive behavior, having sex with my father at age five brainwashed me into thinking that sex equals love. That's a pathological lie. Today, I'm beginning to realize that I'm not going to find intimacy under the stalls in men's rooms!" The bottom line is that recovering from sex addiction is a terribly painful, yet incredibly rewarding journey, one which only the vast minority embark upon. Sex addiction can be compared to drinking salt water to quench an insatiable thirst. In recovery, however, with the help of therapy and program, God's modemday channels for healing, the sex addict quenches his thirst with the pure water of unconditional love, finally finding that which he had been looking for in all the wrong places. WHERE TO GET HELP Sexaholics Anonymous . P.O. Box 300 Simi Valley, CA 93062 (805)581.,334 Sexual Compulsives Anonymous (212)439-1123 Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous P.O. Box 119 . Boston, MA 02258 (617)332-1845 Survivors of Incest Anonymous P.O. Box 21817 Baltimore, MD 21222 (301)282-3400 (800)845-8495 Incest Survivors Anonymous P.O. Box 5613 Long Beach, CA 90805 (213)428-5599 Out Of The Shudows: Understanding S.exual Addiction, Patrick Carnes Compcare Publications, Minneapolis, MN.1983 Victims No Longer: Men Recovering From Incest and Other Sexual Child Abuse, Mike Lew Harper & Row Publishers, New York, NY. 1990 Second Ston~• July/August 1992 [jJ] ........ ~ .... ~ .... • .................................... ........... ........ . How Gays and Lesbians deal with disaster By William Day Contributing Writer Gays and Lesbians experience the same tragic losses as heterosexuals - loss of a mate through separation or divorce, death of a lover, spouse, parent, or child, facing one's own death in a terminal illness, professional or business ruin - but often with the added dimension of rejection iif ·· !:tt:-~~•',r .. --------~~- -·;, . ·,,_/ . ~, , -- .. , I .J' ', ~ • '\... \..J.... ~ , . ~{8!f!3!~~-- 0n 100 beautiful acres with pool, hot tub, siding and more. Innkeepers Judith Hall and Grace Newman invite you to write or call for a brochure. P, 0, Box 118 SL Bethle,hem, NH 03574 (603) 869-3978 by church, family and trusted friends because one's sexual orientation is perceived as evil. As the authors of Coming Out Within: Stages of Spiritual Awakening for Lesbians and Gay Men remind us, Gays and Lesbians "are despised by a significant segment of society." It is to help individuals caught up in such situations that the authors have written this book. Craig O'Neill, a Catholic priest, leads workshops and retreats and has a practice as a spiritual director in Los Angeles. Kathleen Ritter, a university professor of counseling, has a private psychotherapy practice. Their book has the endorsement of such well known figures in lesbian and gay studies as Virgina Ramey Mollenkott, Mary E. · Hunt, Chris Glaser, James D. and Evelyn Eaton Whitehead, Kittredge Cherry, Melvin I. Pohl, Richard J. Woods, Dick Hasbany, John M. Schneider, Jeannine Gramick, and J. Michael Clark. The writers employ the case method to illustrate how Gays and Lebians experience their losses and how they react. Some find their way out and deepen and enrich their inner selves. 'The concept of the life image is crucial to understanding gay losses," they write. But for Gays and Lesbians the heterosexual life image conveyed to them as they grew up doesn't work. They may try to fit into the usual model of the family, husband or wife, but very often this effort fails . They face a horrible reality: they are different! In order to convey the flavor of this work, I marked some passages and pass them along: • When Caroline r ealized she was a homosexual, "the threat of losing her image as a wife, mother, and good Christian woman was imminent. She knew she had to bargain for her very soul [and] she brought h er everpresent born-again smile to numerous church gatherings to speak about a Christian's responsibility to turn homosexuals from their sinful paths." This example is one of the ways people seek to cope. For me, it offered affirmation of the contention that homophobes are often those who seek to deny their own homosexuality. •Donna, a successful riursing ·supervisor, began to pick up rumors about her relationship with her lover, Bianca. She had returned to her home town with Bianca to look after her father. One day he said: 'They , may not love or respect you because you are a lesbian, but I do." "His words penetrated ... and enabled her to begin to gain some perspective ... · [She] sensed she needed to take time, be willing to live with the vulnerability that comes with ambiguity and be patient with herself and not rush toward some facile but premature resolution of the situation." . Key idea here: Take time! •Gordon was crushed when he learned he had the virus. Then a friend dragged him to an AIDS support group and he volunteered to speak on a panel about his experience : Other such engagements followed. "Gordon's image of a Jong, healthy, and meaningful life was challenged by the AIDS virus. By accepting the invitation to educate others, he was able to recognize new meaning in the face of his precarious health status." • Acceptance of a loss can lead to a transforming experience. "Connection or attachment both to God and to others appears to be a crucial element at this stage. All of the individuals [described in a closing chapter] in some way gave back to others and served to affect the lives of others." •Ultimately, most Gays and Lesbians must meet and overcom!! "the dragon of fear." Gays and Lesbians by · "confronting individual dragons and learning that the dragons · cannot truly destroy ... can come to believe that the world that seemed to have so bitterly betrayed them is indeed worthy of trust." Chapters are constructed to mark stages to wholeness: initial awareness, · holding on, letting go, awareness of SEE COPING, Page 20 Novel tracks source of hate 'The Drowning of Stephan Jones" is a true story of the violent death of a -young gay man who was living with his Jover in a small town in Arkansas and was drowned when two members of a gang were persuaded by a third to throw him into the water. Author Bette Greene looked at a picture of tli.e three ordinary-looking young men. arraigned for the crime and began to wonder where such hate comes from. After spending 20 months in eight states interviewing some 400 people - victims, perpetrators and members of both the religious and gay communities, Green discovered that much of the hate could be .traced back to one source - the· church. Many of the perpetrators had been taught their prejudices in church. What struck her about the perpetrator's justifications for what they had done was their self-righteousness, their feeling that they were doing something society would approve of - or at least silently condone. Green said her interviews brought her to the conclusion that "churches can do two things better than anything else - bring people together in a circle of brotherhood, or tear us apart." -Boston Glche In Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fierce Tenderness: a feminist theology of friendship The spiritu.al dimension of friendship By Andrea L. T. Peterson Contributing Writer Readers whose past exper" ience with anything lab- - elled "feminist" was especially favorable or particularly negative should be neither encouraged nor dissuaded hastily by Mary E. Hunt's Fierce Tenderness: a feminist theologrJ of friendship. The author, who ·considers friendships across racial and cultural lines an essential, but unlikely (i.e. unusual, not improbable) coalition, actually considers her theology "feminist ['the theory and praxis of change based on sexual equality that has emerged primarily from white women's experience'] influenced by womanist" [which "describes the struggle for survival that African American women know best... and which emphasizes the survival needs of women and their dependent children"]. Thus, readers will likely find it refreshingly different from most so-called feminist literature. While Fierce Tenderness does not set out to redefine friendship, rather it aims to shed light on the meaning friendship has had for women, whose experiences of friendship have been omitted from any supposedly informed discourse on the subject, prior definitions of friendship quickly become inadequate. Hunt offers Fierce Tenderness in an attempt to stimulate "serious grappling with the religious or spiritual dimension of friendship" as experienced by women and in an effort to help empower women to name their own experiences on their own terms, and to make their own decisions based on those experiences, and to live in relationships and communities of accountability on the basis of those choices. Two basic premises of Fierce Tenderness are that theological literature, in general, and theological exploration of friendship, in particular, is rooted in a patriarchal worldview that systematically ignores _ the unique experience of women, and that human friendship, particularly friends .hip between women, is the most appropriate and most useful paradigm of right relation for the whole of creation. Why friendship and not marriage? Among Hunt's reasons for recognizing friendship as the more appropriate paradigm is that friendship clearly represents the most desirable human relationship. Even Jesus told his disciples, "I call you friends." (Although Hunt believes that a female savior would not have died for his friends since her friends would not have turned her over to be killed in the first place, and it is more likely that a group of women would be killed, together, for what they believed) she does believe that friendship implies equality in a relationship that is voluntarily entered into by two - or more - individuals seeking the well-being of Ethics in the Present Tense Christianity & Crisis magazine, in celebration of 50 years of publication, has published Ethics in the Present Tense, edited by Leon . Howell and Vivian Linc'lfrmayeCr; reprinting a -selection of-articles since 1966. Of particular interest to gay and lesbian readers is !I., section dealing with sexual ethics"irn!l AIDS. Included is James B. N;fson's -thoughtful article on "Homosexuality and the Church," April_ 1977, and John Fortunato's biting explanation of why he refuses to serve on any more church committees studying sexuality ('The Last Committee on Sexuality (Ever)" Feb. 1991. The 256-page book is published by Friendship Press and distributed from P.O. Box 37844, Cincinnati, OH 45222-9844. The book is being given to financial contributors to the magazine; no price is shown. the other(s) and justice for themselves, the larger human community, and the rest of the created order. · Furthermore, friendship is potentially available to everyone; it is dynamic, not static; and it is measured by quality rather than quantity. The greatest gift that friends give one another is attention, and they attend consistently to their relationship. "Attention," Hunt maintains, "is a legitimate expectation in a friendship." The relationship between friends generates something new and/ or creative : it inspires the friends; ~d the love and affection of friends is turned outward rather than inward. In the feminist sense, the love between friends urges the friends out, into the world, seeking justice. Unlike marriage, friendship is a relationship that may be accessible and conceivable to any and all people regardless of race, class, age, gender or sexual orientation, or cultural framework. Although most people do not consider the components of friendship before entering into it with others, there are; according t6 Hunt, certain features of friendship the absence of which can explain failed relationships . According to her model of friendship, there are at least four elements which must remain in (or regain) balance: love, power, embodiment, and spirituality . While other elements are frequently present, it is the delicate balance of these four that, SEE FRIENDSHIP, Page 20 1990 Lambda Literary Award for Science Fiction Secret Matter Toby Johmon's novels tell gay-positive, life-affirming stories with happy endings that will leave readers touched and glad to be alive. They're romantic, sexy, spiritual, occasiona//yprofound:-and ;ust all around good en;oyable reading. Getting Life in Perspective A spiritual romance novel FromlavenderPt8N. 90.thbooks SlO.OOea. Atyourlocolgoy &.-boolcalo!e<>< b\' mcilfrom LberlyBoob,Austln TX. Col 800 828-1279 fofo!dolt1g Jrto. OPEN AND AFFIRMING: A JOURNEY OF FAITH An Open and Affirming Video Resource from the United Church Board for Homeland Ministries "It brings to life tM prinUd words I ha,e nad about the ON A process. Real people, Real churches. Really valuable!" UCC Clergyperson "An excelknt video. I look.forward to using it in our local church." UCC Laywoman Open and Affirming: A Journey of Faith Color, 55 minutes; VHS; Purchase only- Not available for rental Documents the experiences of three United Church of Christ congregations deciding whether or not to declare themselves open to and affinning of lesbian, gay and bisexual persons. Different approaches to the ONA dialogue are documented as are candid comments from church members about personal experiences with the ONA process. Video package includes printed resources. To order send $25.00 to: Rev. Bill Johll80II ONA Video Resourcu · UCBHMIDAMA 700 PrGllped Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44115-1100 All onlen mu• be pre-paid by d>ect or money ooler payable to •ucBHM". Forfunherinfomwion c:aU (216) 736. 3%70. The Jo/lawing annauncements have been submitted by spansoring or affiliated groups. 13th Annual Gay & Lesbian Parents Conference JULY 2-5, the Gay and Lesbian Parents Conference meets in Indianapolis for Celebration '92 at the downtown Hyatt Regency. "Come Home to Indy" is the theme. For information write to GLPCI Celebr.:ition '92, Box 831, Indianapolis, IN 46206. - connECtion '92 JULY 3-6, "Standing Confident in God's Light" is the theme of this year's gathering of Evangelicals Concerned. Chapman College, Orange, Calif., is the setting. Keynote speakers are Dr. Douglas J. Miller and Kathryn Lindskoog. For information contact Evangelicals Concerned, P.O. Box 4750, Denver, CO 80204, (303)830-2823. Spiritfest '92 JULY 3-4, New Creation Christian Fellowship, St. Louis, Mo., hosts Grace Ministries' annual Celebration of the Holy Spirit. The S.LU. Conference Center is the setting . Spiritfest has been expanded from two to three full days . For information contact New Creation Christian Fellowship, 2138 Orgeon, St. Louis, MO 63103, 1-800-945-1992. SDA Kinship Kampmeeting JULY 5-12, Seventh-day Adventist Kinship International meets at Temescal Canyon (near Los Angeles) for a week of fellowship and relaxation which includes a trip to Disney Land. A victory celebration for the favorable outcome of the group's trademark infringement lawsuit filed by the denomination's General Conference will be held. For information call Rob Peterson at (818)837-7782. Health Conference & AIDS/HIV Forum JULY 8-12, The Los Angeles Airport Hilton and Towers is the setting for the 14th Nationa l Lesbia n and Gay Health Conference and 10th Annual AIDS/HIV Forum sponso red by the National Lesbian and Gay Hea lth Foundation and the George Wash ington University Medical Center. More tha n 220 works hops focus ed on lesbian and gay health , inen ta1 health, substance abuse, and AJDS/H! V will be presented. Also discussed will be the impact of age, : };~T s ;~~nd Stone• July/August 1992 ! 5L(Y i . . . . . . . . . . . .C . . .a .. lendar ~ .... . . . . . . . . . . . gender, race and sexual orientation on the delivery of health care . For registration information and a program brochure contact Daniel E. Reichard at (202)994-4285. Lutherans Concerned Assembly 192 JULY 9-12, Lutherans Concerned/ North America meets at the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science for Assembly '92. ''Free to Celebrate: We are the church" is the theme. For information write to LC/NA, Box 10461, Fort Dearborn Station, Chicago, IL 60610-0461. Integrity National Convention JULY9- 12, Integrity, the lesbian/ gay justice ministry of the Episcopal Church gathers in Houston, Texas, for its 14th annual national convention. The Most Rev. Edmond L. Browning, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church is scheduled to attend. Featured speakers include Dr. Louie Crew, founder of Integrity. For information contact Integrity, Inc., P.O. Box 19561, Washington, DC 20036-0561. 1992 Gentle Warrior Retreat JULY 13-16,a retreat for gay Catholic priests and brothers to be held at Temenos, a 78 acre forested and cabined preserve which deliberately J;I1_<1intaian ss imple environment free of cars, phone and electricity, located north of Amherst, Maine. For information write to Theo Foros: Gentle Warrior Retreat, c/ o Communication, P.O. Box 60125, Chicago, IL 60660-0125. Registration is $50. CCL 10th Anniversary National Conference JULY 17-20, The Conference for Catholic Lesbians meets in the Boston area. CCL is a national organization '· for Lesbians of Catholic heritage. For · information contact CCL-SS, P.O. Box 435 Pla netarium Station, New York, NY 10024. 1992 GLAD Alliance Event JULY 17-20, The Gay, Lesbian and Affirming Disciples, Chris tian Church (Discip les of Christ) meets for its 1992 GLAD Event. The Fort Worth campus of Texas Christian University is the setting . A long weekend of fun, friendship and inspiration is promised. Featured guest is well-known author Chris Glaser. For information write to the GLAD Alliance, P.O. Box 19223, Indianapolis, IN 46219-0223 or call Randy Palme r at (319)324-6231. Chris Glaser Retreat AUGUST 14-16, a retreat for gay and bisexual Christian men at Mt. Calvary Retreat House in Santa Barbara, Ca l., led by popular gay Christian author Chris Glaser. For information wri te to Chris Glaser, 7614 Hampton Ave., 113, West Hollywood, CA 90046. Spirit in Health Conference AUGUST 26-29, The San Diego Hospice Center for Palliative Studies presents a. conference for hospital and hospice chaplains, clergy, social workers and others involved in spi ritual ministry to people in health crises . Leaders in the spiritual health field from around the country will be among the presenters. Topics include: Communicating with the Seriously Ill; Rituals and Ceremonies in the Healing Ministry; Does the Diagnosis Make A Diffe rence?; Releasing Oneself from the Compulsion to Be Perfect and The Meaning of Suffering. For information call the conference line, (619)688-1500, ext. 799. 11th Annual PFLAG Convention SEPTEMBER 4-7, "Love in Action, Joy in Diversity" is the theme for the Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays Federation covention to be held at the Hilton Hotel in Seattle, Washington. Over 300 participants are expected, Registration is $ 1'50 per person. Speakers include Pepper Schwartz, Ph.D., co-author of the best-selling American Couples. An excursion to Mt. Rainier and a cruise on Puget Sound in planned. For more information contact Ardyce Fish, 7737 -14th S.W., Seattle, WA 98106, (206)763-4575. National Skills Building Conference OCTOBER 8-11, The Sheraton Washing ton, Washington, DC, is the setting for this gathering sponsored by the AIDS National Int erfait h Network, National Association of Peopl e with AIDS, and the National Minoriiy AIDS Council. The focus of the progra m in on producing resul ts. The date s coincide with the NAMES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Project AIDS Memorial display. For information contact Carol Coy, (20~ -1076. 5th Annual Creating Change NOVEMBER 13-15, The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute presents its annual national conference for gay and lesbian organizing and skills building. The Los Angeles Airport Hil ton is the setting. For info rmation contact Creating Change 1992, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute, 173414th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009-4309, (202)332-6483, TTY (202)332-6219. Common Boundary Annual Conference NOVEMBER 13-15,Common Boundary presents its 12th annual conference at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. "Invisible Threads: Exploring the Fabric of Our Relationships" is the theme for this one-of-a-kind gathering of therapists, artists, educators and spiritual teachers. Participants are invited to come and explore interconnectedness through music, art, dance, movement and the spoken and written word. For information contact Comm.on Boundary, 4304 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301)652-9495. Ghost Ranch Retreat NOVEMBER 19-22, "Who's God? Whose God?" will provide an opportunity to enjoy community, express doubts, explore faith and understandings of God from various perspectives, in the beauty and serenity of Ghost Ranch, the Presbyterian Conference Center in New Mexico. Co-leaders are Rev. Lisa Bove and Chris Glaser. For information write to Ghost Ranch Center, Abiquiu, NM 87510. Send calendar items to: Second Stone Box 8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 or FAX to: (504)891-7555 T · Notewort~y T .............................. ...... ·• ~ ................... ................ . Charles Curran to be honored The Board of New Ways Ministry has announced that Fr. Charles Curran has been selected as the first recipient of the organization's Bridge Building Award . Curran was selected based on the contribution he has made in theological exploration and pastoral care for lesbian and ·gay rersons. As a world-renowned mora theologian, Fr. Curran has called the theological community and the church to address the need for a viable sexual ethic for single and married persons, as well as for lesbian and gay individuals. New Ways Ministry is a national Catholic organiztion which seeks tp promote discussion, understanding, and reconciliation between the Catholic Church and the lesbian/ gay community. The award will be presented in W ashingon, D.C. on September 13, 1992. Dignity national editor mourned Michael J. Bushek, Dignity /USA National Editor, died of cancer on March 28, 1992 in the Bronx, New York. He was 50 years old. For over 12 years, Bushek served at the chapter, regional, and national levels of Dignity as a Board member ·and delegate of Dignity/New York, .public rel ations chair of the 1985 Dignity /USA convention and as informal advisor to many Dignity leaders. Bushek . was editor of the organization's national journal for ten years. "Mike kept the good news flowing," said Dignity President Kevin Calegari, "and good news he could always share with us, · even when times were bad." First woman Anglican priest dies The first woman in the Anglican communion to be ordained a priest, . Florence Tim Oi Li, died in Toronto on February 26 at the age of 84. Born in Hong Kong, Li studied theology in Canton and was ordained a deacon in the Portugu ese colony of Macau during the Japanese occupation of China during World War IL Her work with refugees fleeing Hong Kong captured the attention of Bishop R. 0. Hall in 1944, who decided to ordain her a priest. Hall was censured for performing the ordination and ~.; was told not to function as a priest, but she did not resign her orders. Archbishops of Canterbury Temple and Fisher refused to recognize :her · orders and so did the Lambeth Conference of 1948. But 40 years later, in a special service at Westminster Abbey, she was hailed by Archbishop Runcie for her "selfless ministry." -The Witness Dignity/USA names executive director Barry P. Goodinson has been hired as executive director of Dignity/USA. Goodinson is the former Director of Development for the AIDS Action Council/ AIDS Action Foundation .and House of Ruth. J:Ii_s_ responsibilities include increasing membership, expanding fundraising efforts and helping the movement gain national prominence and exposure . Goodinson also hopes IQ build better cohesiveness between the national office and the 85 local chapters, as well as.to bridge the diversity of local chapters . Lay woman elected MCC pastor _ Lay pastor Cheri Starchman was elected Senior Pastor of MCC/Seattle by unanimous congregational vote . The vote was taken after a search of almost two years. Starchman is studying for the clergy of UFMCC. · Ministry_ roundtable in DC The Washington DC chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays has launched an interfaith roundtable designed to expand the local clergy's knowledge and understanding of their gay and lesbian congregants . Baltimore church celebrates 20 years MCC/Baltimore celebrated in midMay its first 20 years of serving the spiritual needs of the gay community . The church is the oldest gay and lesbian organization in Baltimore. Ann Arbor welcomes new MCC Tree of Life Metropolitan Community Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan has held its first public worship service. Over 200 people attended. Rev. Troy Perry, founder of the Metropolitan '. Community Churches and featured speaker for the inaugural service, installed supervising pastor Rev. Paul Turner to lead the new church. Perry was presented with proclaimations from Clyde King, mayor of Ypsilanti, Michigan, and Elizabeth S. Brater, Mayor of Ann Arbor, honoring - him for his I;tuman rights activities on behalf of the lesbian and gay community. The service was covered by one television station and the Detroit News. Seattle church observes fifteenth anniversary Grace Gospel Chapel of Seattle, Washington, celebrated its fifteenth anniversary on June 14, 1992. The evangelical, independent congregation was founded in 1977 when a small group of evangelical women and men gathered with the intent of forming a new, conservative Christian fellowship for the Puget Sound area. The late Rev. Vic Vancampen was the chapel's first and founding pastor . Pastor Jerry Lachina is the -current minister. Grace Gospel Chapel, located at 2052 NW 64th Street in the Ballard area, is one of only a handful of ministries within the gay and lesbian community who owns its own building. · Dignity/Chicago celebrates two decades Dignity /Chicago is celebrating 20 years of ministry to gay and lesbian Catholics. The milestone is reached four years after a bitter and hurtful split in the organization's membership. After the Archdiocese of Chicago kicked Dignity out of its meeting place at St. Sebastian Church some members began ·attending the Archdiocese- backed Gay and Lesbian Outreach/ Chicago. -Outlines Brethren/ Mennonite f am i I ies meet "Listening, Learning, Loving" was the theme of the third annual Connecting Families retreat recently held at Laurelville Mennonite Church Center. The retreat, sponsored and planned by" Church of the Brethren or Mennonite families with gay or lesbian members, was attended by 35 people. Participants listened to the stories of two families with gay sons and learned from keynote speaker Michael King about how one Mennonite congregation elected to receive -gay/lesbian worshiper,;. Connecting Families provides a forum for families dealing with issues related to homosexuality to meet, share and learn from each other. A fourth retreat is planned for March 12-14, 1993 at Laurelville Mennonite Church Center. For information write ' to Brethren/Mennonite Parents, P.O. Box 1708, Lima, OH 45802. MCC·opens thrift shop River City MCC in Sacramento recently opened a thrift shop in their church building. "Out of the Closet" was opened to help fund the church's programs. River City has a meal program which assists 200 people on weekdays and part,icipates in the Loaves and Fishes project, ail ecumenical meal program which feeds over 1000 people each day. The church is seeking clothes, toys, furniture and other goods for "the thrift store. Call (916)454-4762 to help. ANIN launches two new programs The AIDS Nationallnterfaith Network has received funding to establish two national advocacy programs: The AIDS Housing Advocacy Project and the AIDS Advocacy in African American Churd1es Project. For the first time, issues surrounding AIDS housing and AIDS in the African American church will be addressed on a national level. Funded by a grant from the American Foundation for AIDS Research (ArnFAR), the goals of the AIDS Housing Advocacy Project are to establish an effective national AIDS housing network among the 3,000 persons nationwide working in the field of AIDS housing and to insure the implementation of the AIDS Housing Opportunities Ad within 1992. The AIDS Advocacy in African American Churd1es Project will bring national attention to the positiv e contribution made by members of the African American religious community in the fight against AIDS. Funded by a grant from New York Community Trust, the project's goals are to establish a national network of African American clergy who curfently have AIDS ministry experience and to provide information on establishing AIDS ministries and AIDS advocacy resources to 2,500 African American congregations. Volunteer openings Invest Yourself, a catalog listing more than 40,000 volunteer positions in non-profit, non-governmental organizations, is available from The Commission on Voluntary Service and Action, P.O. Box 117, New York, NY. ~econd Stone• Jul~/August 1992 [jz] Resourc_e Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lislings in the Resource Guide are free to churches . organizations, publications and community services. Send information to Second Stone, Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182 or FAX to (504)891-7555. National RELIGION WATCH, P.O. Box 652, North Bellmore, NY 11710. A newsletter monitoring trends in contemporary religion. LUTHERANS CONCERNED I NORTH AMERICA, Box 10461, Fort Dearborn Station, Chicago, IL 60610-0461. Publi cation: The Concord PRESBYTERIANS FOR LESBIAN & GAY CONCERNS, P.O. Box 38, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0038. Publication: More Light Update · UNIVERSAL FELLOWSHIP OF METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCHES 5300 Santa Monica Blvd., #304, Los Angeles, CA 90020, (213)464-5100 . Publication: Keeping in Touch BRETHREN / MENNONITE COUNCIL FOR LESBIAN AND GAY CONCERNS. Box 65724 , Washington, DC 20035. Publication: Dialogue._ . UNITED CHURCH COALITION FOR LESBIAN / GAY CONCERNS , 18 N. College, Athens, OH 45701, (614) 593-7301. Publication: Waves SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS KJNSHIP INTERNATIONAL. Box 3840, Los Angeles, CA 90078, (213)876-2076. Publication: Connection RECONCILING CONGREGATION PROGRAM. P.O. Box 23636, Washington, DC 20026, (202)863-1586. Publication: Open Hands INTEGRITY. INC.. P.O. Box 19561, Washington. DC 20036-0561, (718) 720-3054. Publication : The Voice of Integrity ECUMENICAL CATHOLIC CHURCH, P.O. Box 32, Villa Grande, CA 95486-0032. Holy Spirt Church, East Moline, IL, (309)792,6188 . St. Michael's Church, . Russian River. CA. (707) .865-0119. Publication: The Tablet LIVING STREAMS, P.O. Box 178, Concord, CA 94522-0178. Bi-monthly publication. AIDS NATIONAL INTERFAITH NETWORK, 300 I St.. NE, Ste. 400, Washington, DC 20002. (800)288-9619, FAX (202)546-5103 . Publication: Interaction. NATIONAL CENTER FOR LESBIAN RIGHTS - 1663 Mission St, 5th Fir., San Francisco, CA 94103. GAY AND LESBIAN PARENT COALI TION, P.O. Box 50360, Washington, DC 20091. Publication: Network. THE WITNESS, Published by the Episcopal Church Publishing Co., 1249 Washington Blvd .. Ste. 3115, Detroit, MI 48226-1868. (313 )962-2650 . INTERNATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN ARCHIVES , The Natalie Barney Edward Carpenter Library, P.O. Box 38100, Hollywood, CA 90038. (213)854-0271. Publication: Bulletin. COUPLES Newsletter , Published by TWT Press, Inc .. P.O. Box 253, Braintree , MA 02184-0003. WOODSWOMEN - Adventure travel for women, 25 W. Diamond Lake Rd., Minneapolis, MN 55419, (800)279-0555, (612)822-3809 , FAX (612)822-3814. DAUGHTERS OF SARAH - The magazine for Christian Feminists, 3801 No. Keeler, Chicago. IL 60641, (3!2)736-3399. CHI RHO PRESS - A special work of the UFMCC Mid-Atlantic District Publisher of .religious books and materials. P.O. Box · 7864, Gaithersburg, MD 20898 , (301)670-1859. COMMUNICATION MINISTRY, INC.Dialogue and support group for gay and lesbian Catholic clergy and religious. P.O. i Box 60125, Chicago , IL 60660°0125. Publication: Communication WOMEN'S ALLIANCE FOR THEOLOGY , ETHICS AND RITUAL, 8035 13th St., Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301)589-2509, il8: Second Ston~ • Jwy /August 1992 l:' , __ , FAX (301)589-3150 . Publication: WATERwheel. AFFIRMATION/United Methodists for Gay & Lesbian Concerns, P.O . Box 1021, Evanston , IL 60204. ST. TABITHA'S AIDS APOSTOLATE , Christian AIDS Network of the Merican' Orthodox Catholic Church of St. Gregorios. P.O. Box 1543, Monterey , CA 93940. ( 408)899-0731. THE WOMEN'S PROJECT, 2224 Main St., Little Rock, AR 72206. (501)372-5113. Workshops on women's issues, social justice, racism and homophobia. NATIONAL GAY PENTECOSTAL ALLIANCE (also Pentecostal Bible Institute [Ministerial training]) P.O. Box 1391, Schenectady, NY 12301-1391. (518)372-6001. Publication: The Apostolic Voice. FEDERATION OF PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF LESBIANS AND GAYS. INC . . P.O. Box 27605, Washington, DC 20038. Send $3.00 for packet of information. · HONESTY: Southern Baptist Advocates for Equal Rights, P.O. Box 7331, Louisville. KY 40257 . EVANGELICALS CONCERNED, c/o Dr. Ralph Blair, 311 East 72nd St., New York, NY 10021. (212)517-3171. Publications: Review and Record. CONFERENCE FOR CATHOLIC LESBIANS, P.O. Box 436 Planetarium Stn .. New York, NY 10024. (607)432-9295. NEW WAYS MINISTRY . 4012 29th St., Mt Rainier, MD 20712, (301)277-5674. A gay-affirming organization bridging the lesbian/gay community and the Roman Catholic Church . CHRISTIANITY & CRISIS Magazine, 537 , rzm6l1~;~o~t.. New York, NY 10027. BLK Magazine, Box 83912, Los Angeles, CA 90083-0912 : (310)410-0808. . GAY, LESBIAN AND AFFIRMING DISCIPLES ALLIANCE. P.O. Box 19223, Indianapolis, IN 46219-0223 . (319)324-6231. For members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). · Publication: Crossbeams. PARTNERS Magazine for Gay & Lesbian Couples, Box 9685, Seattle, WA 98109-0685 . . (206)784-1519. NEW DIRECTION Magazine for gay/lesbian ,Mormons, 6520 Selma Ave., Ste. RS-440, Los Angeles, CA 90028. WOMEN'S ORDINATION CONFERENCE. P.O. Box 2693, Fairfax, VA 22031-0693 . (703)352-1006. ·EM!:':RGENCE International: A Community of Christian Scientists Supporting Lesbians and Gay Men. P.O. Box 9161, San Rafael, CA 94912-9161. (415)485-1881. Publication : Emerge! GAYELLOW PAGES-P.O. Box 292, Village Sin., New York, NY 10014. (212)674-0120. Alabama BIRMINGHAM - THE ALABAMA FORUM; P . O. Box 55894, 35255-5894. . (205)328-9228. Arizona TUCSON - Casa De La Paloma Apostolic Church , 1122 N. Jones Blvd .• P.O. Box 14003, 85732-4003. (602)323-6855. Rev. Margaret "Sandy" Lewis, pastor. MESA - Boundless Love Community Church, 431 S. Stapley Dr.. 85204. (602)439-0224. P.J. Fousek-Gregan, pastor . Sunday, 10:00 a.m. California SAN FRANCISCO - DIGNITY . 208 Dolores St., . 94103. (415)255-9244 . Publication: Bridges. SACRAMENTO - THE LATEST ISSUE, P.O. Box 160584, 95816. (916)737-1088. WEST HOLLYWOOD - Evangelicals Together, Suite 109-Box 16, 7985 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90046, (213)656-8570. Publication: ET News SAN FRANCISCO - Lutherans Concerned, 566 Vallejo St., #25, 94133-4033, (415)956-2069. Publication: Advent. SAN FRANCISCO - Gay and Lesbian Historical Society of Northern California, P.O . Box 42126, 94142. (415)626-0980. Publication: Our Stories. SAN FRANCISCO - The Parsonage. 555-A Castro St., 94114-0293. Publication: The Parsonage News GLENDALE - Divine Redeemer MCC, 346 Riverdale Dr., 91204. Sunday, 10:45 a.m., Wed ., Fri., 7:30 p.m. Rev. Stan Harris, pastor. Publication: From Mary's Shrine. Colorado DENVER - · Evangelicals Reconciled, P.O. Box 200111, 80220. (303)331-2839. Colorado Springs: (719)488-3158. DENVER - Evangelicals Concerned / Western Region, P.O. Box 4750, 80204. Publication: ThBCable . District of Columbia Integrity/Washington. Inc., ·P.O. Box 19561, 20036-0561. (301)953-9421. Publication: Gayspring. MCC of Washington. DC. 415 M St , N.W .. 20001. Rev. Larry J. Uhrig, pastor. Florida FORT MYERS - St John the Apostle MCC, 2209 Unity at the comer of Broadway. (813)278-5181. Sunday, 10:00 a.m. , 7:00 • p.m. Rev. James Lynch. ST. PETERSBURG - King of Peace MCC, 4825 9th Ave. N.. 33713-6135. (813)323-5857 . Sunday, 10:00 a.m. & 7:30 p.m. Rev. Dr. Fred C. Williams. _Sr .. Pastor. ATLANTA - SOUTHERN VOICE, P.O. Box 18215, 3ffi.16. (404)876-1819. ATLANTA - All Saints Metropolitan Community Church, P.O. Box 13968, 30324 . (404)622-1154 Hawair KAHULUI - BITTH SIDES NOW Newsletter, P.O. Box 5042, 96732. Illinois CHICAGO - OUTLINES. Published by Lambda Publicatioris, - 3059 N. Southport, 60657. (312)871-7610. FAX (312) 871-7609 . . Louisiana BATON ROUGE - Dignity, P.O. Box 4181, 70821. (504)383-6010 : , NEW ORLEANS - Just For The Record, . gay/lesbian cable TV. Box 3768, 70177. Maryland THE BALTIMORE ALTERNATIVE. P.O. Box 2351, Baltimore. MD 21203. (301)235-3401. FAX (301)889-5665. Massachusetts CHERRY VALLEY - Morning Star MCC, 231 Main St., 01611. (508) 892-4320. Publication: Morning Star Witness. Michigan DETROIT - CRUISE Magazine, 19136 Woodward North. 48203 . (313)369- 1901. FLINT - Redeemer MCC. 1665 N. Chevrolet Ave ., 48504. (313)238-6700 . Sunday , 6:00 p.m. Publication: Sounds of Redeemer. ANN ARBOR - Huron Valley Com- munity Church meets at Glacier Way UMC, 1001 Green Rd. , Ann Arbor, 48105-2896. (313)741-1174 . Sunday, 2:00 p.m. DETROIT - Integrity, 980 Whitmore . #205, 48203 . GRAND RAPIDS - Bethel Christian Assembly, 920 Cherry SE, P.O. Box 6935, 49516. (616)4.59-8262. Rev. Bruce Roller-Pletcher, pastor. Publication: Bethel Beacon . Television: Channel 23, Sun., 10:00 p.m. ANN ARBOR - Tree of Life MCC, meets at First Congregational Church, 218 N. Adams. Ypsilanti. P.O . Box 2598, 48106. (313)665-6163. Sunday, 6:00 p.m . EAST LANSING / Lansing - Ecclesia. Affirming church meets al People's Church, 200 W. Grand Riv.er. Sunday, 8: 15 p.m. Minnesota MINNEAPOLIS - All God's · Children Metropolitan Community Church, 3100 Park Ave . S. (612)824-2673 . Publication: The Disciple. MINNEAPOLIS - EQUAL TIME, 310 E. 38th St., Room .207, 55409. (612) 823-3836. Published by Lavendar, Inc. New Jersey HOBOKEN -The .Oasis. 707 Washington St., P .O. Box 5149, 07030. (201) 792-0340 . New Mexico SANTA FE - THE CATSBY CONNECTION. 551 W. Cordova, Ste. DIE, 87501. . (505)986-1794. New York SCHENECTADY . - Lighthouse Apostolic Church, 38 Columbia St., P.O. Box 1391 . 12301-1391. (518)372-6001. Rev. William H. Carey, pastor. NEW YORK - Lesbian and Ga y Community Services Center, Inc., 208 W. 13th St., 10011. (212)620-7310. Publications: Center Stage. Center Voice. NEW YORK - lntegrit1, P.O. Box 5202, 10185-0043. Publication: Outlook . ROCHESTER - THE EMPTY CLOSET, 179 Atlantic Ave., 14607-1255. New York State's oldest gay newspaper. NEW YORK - AXIOS, Eastern and Orthodox Christians. P.O . . Box 756, Village Sin., 10014. Second Friday, 8:00 p.m., Community Center, 208 West 13th St ALBANY - Community of St John, Christian Orthodox Churcl),. P.O. Box 9073, 12209. (518)346-0W/7. · Father Herman, CSJn. Guardian. Publication: Metanoia . North Carolina WILMINGTON - GROW Community Service Corporation, P.O. Box 4535, 28406. (919)675-9222. Youth outreach: ALIVE for gay, lesbian, bisexual youth. RALEIGH - Raleigh Religious Network for Gay and Lesbian Equality, P.O. Box 5961, 27650-5961. (919)781-2525. CHARLOTTE - Metrolina Switchboard . (704)535-6277. P.O. Box 11144, 28220. Ohio COLUMBUS - Metropolitan Community Church, 1253 North High Street, 43201. (614)294-3026. Sunday, 10:30 a.m. Publication: The Beacon News. COLUMBUS - STONEWALL UNION REPORTS, Box 10814, 43201-7814. · (614)299-7764. Pennsylvania ALLENTOWN - Grace Covenant Fellowship, 247 N. 10th St., 18102. (215)740-0247 . Bryon Rowe, Pastor. Thom Ritter, Minister of Music. · Tennessee NASHVILLE - Integrity of Middle Tennessee, Inc., P.O. Box 121172, 37212-1172 . (615)383-6608. Newsletter. NASHVILLE - Dayspring Fellowship, 120-B So. 11th St.. Box 68073, 3720 6 . (615)227-1448. Publication: Son Shine. SEE RESOURCE GUIDE , Next Page JusOt ut ............... ·• ..................... .. ' ............................... . Desire Video traces Nazi oppression of Gays, Lesbians NEW ·YORK - Water Bearer Films under an exclusive agreement with Jane Balfour Films of London, has licensed for the home video rights to the previously unavailable film, "Desire." The video marks the fifth release in the Water Bearer Films line of "Film Festival Favorites" targeted for the gay and lesbian community . A thriving gay culture, as shown in the film "Cabaret," emerged in Berlin RESOURCE GUIDE, From Previm1s P~ge Texas DALLAS - White Rock Community Church, P.O. Box 180063, 75218. (214)285-2831, (214)327-9157. Sunday, 10:30 a.m. Jerry Cook, Pastor. AUSTIN - Joan Wakeford Ministries, Inc., 9401-B Grouse Meadow Ln., 78758-6348, (512)835-7354. . DALLAS - Silent Harvest Ministries, P.O. Box 190511, 75219-0511. (214) 520-6655. MIDLAND - Holy Trinity Community Church, 1607 S. Main, 79701. (915)570-4822. Rev. Glenn E. Hammett, Pastor. Publication:Trinity Tribune DALLAS - Holy Trinity Community Church, 4402 Roseland, 75204. (214)827-5088. Rev. Frederick Wright, Pastor. Publication: The Chariot LUBBOCK - Lesbian/Gay Alliance, Inc., P.O. Box 64746, 79464-4746. (806)791- 4499 Publication· Lambda Times ·- Virginia R OANOKE - MCC of the Blue Ridge, P.O. p Box 20495, 24018, (703)366-0839. ublication: The Blue Ridge Banner ROA.NOKE - BLUE RIDGE LAMBDA PRESS, P.O. Box 237, 24002, (703)890-3184. FALLS CHURCH - MCC of Norlhern Virginia, 7245 Lee Highway, 22046. Washington TACOMA - Hillside Community Church, 2508 South 39th St., 98409. (206)475-2388. SEATTLE GAY NEWS, 704 E. Pike, 98122. (206)324-4297. FAX (206) 322-7188. SEA TILE - Grace Gospel Chapel, 2052 NW 64th St., 98107. (206)784-8495. Sunday, 11:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. Jerry Lachina, Pastor. International LONDON - Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, Oxford House, Derbyshire St., London E2 6HG, UK, 071-739-1249. Listings in the Resource Guide are free at the request of the organ_ization. Send to Second Stone Box 8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 orFAX to (504)891-7555 during the heady years following World War I, and it seemed that homosexuals might at last be moving toward acceptance by _the culture at large. The early signs of a conser- ' vative backlash, ignored by many, grew with the increasing strength of the Nazi party. Eventually, these early warnings evolved into official policies advocating the oppression and ultimate elimination · of all homosexuals. The film examines the "discovery" of homosexuality by the medical and · psychoanalytic professions in the 1890's, and the gradual emergence of a strong movement for the recognition of the rights of homosexuals ih Germany during the early years of this century. Simultaneously, the body culture movement - with its idealized premise of "platonic" love between members of the same sex - was redefining the sex and gender roles among Germany's youth. 'Desire" chronicles the events leading to a crucial chapter in the gay and lesbian movement's history - the _imprisonment of lesbian and gay men in Nazi concentration camps during World War II. Stuart Marshall makes a complicated issue clear with archive film and . photographs, and through interviews , with the women and men who _' survived Nazi oppression. Their stories of strength and survival contribute to the film's ultimate effect - which, perhaps surprisingly, in one of empowerment, enrichment and inspiration. By award-winning Turtle Creek Chorale Sales of new recording benefit AIDS research DALLAS - One of the nation's leading men's choruses has announced that royalties from their new recording will be given to the American Foundation for AIDS Research (ArnF AR), as part of the effort to find a cure for the disease. The music deals with the loss of a loved one. Dr. Timothy Seelig, artistic director of the Turtle Creek Chorale, said that the recording, "When We No Longer Touch: A Cycle of Songs for S urv1va, 1 " I.S d e d.1 cat e d t 0 th e members of the group who have died of AIDS since its founding. 'This entire project evolved through a series of open doors and miracles," Seelig said. 'The result is a magnificent recording which chronicles the stages of grief: denial, isolation, anger, bargaining, depression,, acceptance and hope." The music is by Kristopher Jon Anthony. Peter McWilliams wrote the lyrics - excerpts from his bestselling book Hcrw to Survive the Loss of a Love - which are interspersed with traditional phrases from the Latin Requiem Mass. An orchestra and soloist Nancy Keith accompany the 190-voice chorus. Richard M. Nordin, AmFAR's director of development for the Western United States, observed that the project was particularly appropriate. "Not only is the recording moving, but in helping us to deal with tragedy of loss caused by AIDS, it hastens · the day when we can conquer this deadly force." In its 13-year history, the Turtle Creek Chorale has gained national recognition. A 1990 recording, "From the Heart," was named best choral recording by Chorus! Magazine. The group performed the world premiere of "When We No Longer Touch" in October 1991. Recent performances have included the inauguration of Texas Governor Ann Richards and a -- .. . · --· -- . . ----· - - ·· .. command performace before the Queen of England. AmFAR is the nation's leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS research - both basic biomedical research and clinical research - education for AIDS prevention and sound AIDS-related public policy. Since 1985, AmFAR has provided over $43 million to - more than 680 research teams. AmFAR mobilizes the goodwill, energy and generosity of caring · Americans to end the AIDS epidemic. "When We No Longer Touch" is available on CD for $16 and on cassette for $11 from the Chorale by mail at P.O. Box 190806, Dallas, TX 75219-0806, (214)526-3214. ■ Let a new light shine for someone you love. Second Stone is a gift of love, comfort,i nspirationa nd resolution for friends and family who may be in doubt, despair, isolation or suffering illness. Give the special people in your life the gift of Second Stone. We'll take it from there. FROM, Yes ... .,_ Please send a gift """" subscription and card Cl!y ... Zip 1n my name to the Name person(s) listed: - I ] One gHt, $15 City ) Two gifts, $29 · - 7lp [ I Three gifts, $42 . SlgoGlftCatd Add $10 for each Name foreign subscriber. - U.S. currency. City PAYMENT - 7lp 8'1C1.0SED: SlgnG«,lCatd Use additional sheet for more gifts. Box &340, New Orleans, LA 70182 ■ ■ : Second Stone • July / Aug ust 1992 Iffi Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • ... , ....... . ......................... Books & Publications "WONDERFUL DIVERSITY," "Heartily recommended," "Philosophically intriguing, 11 "Excellent." Why do reviewers highly esteem CHRISTIAN*NEW AGE QUARTERLY? Great articles and lively columns make this bridge of dialogue between Christians and New iligers ,as entertaining a s it is substantive. Subscribe for only $ 12.50/y r, Or sample us for $3 .50. CHRISTIAN*NEW AGE QUARTERLY, P.O. Box 276, C lifton, NJ 07011-0276. TF CHI RHO PRESS. Send for' your copy of The Bible and Homosexuality by Rev. Michael England for $5.95 or I'm Still , D ancing by long-term AIDS survivor Rev. Steve Pieters for $8.95 and receive a free catalog from Chi Rho Press, an MCC-based publishing house for the Ga y/Lesbian Christian community. Or rec.eive our catalog by sending $1.00. P.O. Box 7864-A, Gaithersburg, MD 20898. SALVAT ION, SCRIPTURE, and Sexuality by Bishop Mark Shirilau clearly demonstrates that God loves everyone, regardless of sexuality. $4.00 includes ta x, posta_ge. Healing Spiri t Press, P .O . Box 94 , Villa Grande, CA 95486. Friends/Relationships GWM, 63 with playful, youthful spirit , interested in relationship with man, tender/ affectionate with passio n· and comfortable with self; age/race not important. Reply: Ed, Box ss:48, Madison , WI 53708-0848 . Inmate Corre$pondence WARNING: iN CORRESPONDING WITH . INMATES READERS ARE CAUTIONED NOT TO REVEAL PERSONAL INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE HARMFUL IF KNOWN BY FAMILY OR EMPLOYER OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION THAT COULD BE USED iN EXTORTION . DO NOT SEND CHECKS OR MONEY ORDERS TO , INMATES AND DO NOT CASH CHECKS OR MONEY ORDERS FROM INMATES. LONELY PRISONER, 33, seeks contact with caring individual for mutual emotional and material support. Photos welcome. Will respond all letters. Paul Magill #059 128, P.O. Box 747 V-2 S-1, Starke, R.. 32091. Mail Order HOLY UNION ANNOUNCEMENTS/Invitations - You don't have to play it straight anymore! Order your announceme nts in ease and comfort from pr inters that know your needs. For a catalog write: SCA, 5838 54th A venue North, St Petersburg, FL 33709 or call (813)546-6266. HIS & HIS / HERS & HERS -· A complete line of personalized items with your lifestyle in mind - towels. robes. linens. aprons, etc. Ideal gifts! For catalog write: SCA, 5838 54th Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL 33709 or call (813)546-6266 . Employment EDITOR (part:time for Open H~n4s, quarterly magazine addressmg mm1s_t~1es with lesbians and gay men. Reconctlmg Congregation Program, 3801 N. Keeler Avenue, Chicago, IL 6064\; 31_21736-5526. Deadline - 7131/92. [ml Second Stone• July/August 1992 ----------- - ------ 7 Classified Order Form Please place my ad in these 1 issues : [ J Jan/Feb [ ] Mar/Apr : I [ ] May/Jun [] Jul/Aug I : FOR ONLY Name_________ []Sept/Oct []Nov/Dec : 1 Address,__________ 1 , 35¢ per word; city1st.1zip._______ cLASsIFicAnoNs 1 I your classified ad will [ J Books & Publications I 1 reach readers from AD COPY__ __ _____ [ J Business Opportunities 1 I Sitka, Alaska to --------- - --------- - [ J Employment I 1 Amherst , Maine and ---------- - - ---- -- -- [ J Friends/Relationships 1 1 1 everywhere in between. --------------------- -- ------- [ J General Interest 1 ________________ [ J Mail Order 1 j Business or personal... - ----------------- - - ---- [ J Merchandise 1 1 try a classified ad in words X _35 = $,______ [ J Organizations I I our next edition! 20 word minimum . All classifieds [ J Profess ional Services i 1 must be pre-paid. Deadline one month ( l Real E sta te I I Mail To: .[ J Retreat s I 1 S S prior to cover date. We will mail you a I I econd tone [ J Roommates 1 8 copy of the edition(s) in which your ad 1 ox 8340 [ ]Travel J 1 New Orleans, LA 70182 appears I '----------------------------- --- ------ -- --- --- -- ----- - -- -- -- ' FRIENDSHIP, From Page 15 according to Hunt, make or break a relationship . . . Love is the commitment to deepen in unity while retaining individuality which , ideally , generates newness . Power, the ability of women to make their own choices for themselves, · their dependent children, and their community; must be freely ex changed within th e context of friendship - if the relationship is to work, Because who we are and what we do is determined and influenced by our physical bodies, it must be · understood that friends "relate in an , embodied [t houg h not necessarily genital sexual] way ." Frie.ndship encourages the acceptance of embodiment - our friends are enfleshed beings who make their own choices. Friends, Hunt insists, must accept, love, and encourage one another just the way they are (embodied}. In this model, spirituality is given a meaning which, at least at first, seems somewhat unconventional: making choices about the quality of life - for self and community . While one's understanding of God may or may not influence spirituality in this sense, greater value is clearly placed on choices that increase the quality, rather than the quantity of life of the individual, of the community, and, ultimately, of all life (including plants COPING, From Page 14 loss, gaining perspective, integrating loss, reformulating loss, and transforming loss. The book is carefully annotated, and a brief list of additional readings is offered. In the context of Second Stone,-a resource for gay and ·1esbian Chris tians, may I say I find it very disconcerting to read of instances and animals.} Stressing th_e availability of friendship, a positive relationship that is personal but not intrus ive, Hunt demonstrates the suitability of friendship as descriptive of the relationship between humans and the Divine. "Friends," she says; "is useful iii the language of prayer and worship . Friends speak to friends in terms of endearment; ... tum to each other in moments of need; ... expect comfort ... appreciate stimulat ion. 'Friends' conveys a sense of trust and disappointment, of serendip ity and betrayal," In sum, "friends" is the . ''best anthropomorphic choice, since it represents the most accessible and at , the same time most desirable human . relationship." While Hunt readily acknowledges that her model is limited - perhaps even flawed - it is her conviction that such unlikely coalitions as friendships between women; as defined and characterized in Fierce Tenderness, perhaps first of similar circumstances, then of different races, classes, and cultures may be the only hope for global salvation. Fierce Tenderness, which is both innovative and inspiring, is a long overdue entrance of women into the dialogue about human friendship. Mary E. Hunt, author. Crossroad Publishing Co.; 1992; PB; 190 pp.; $11 .95. where those who need healing turned toward a church or a pastor and were told they were vile and were turned away. What has happened to Jesus' invitation, "Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden and I will refresh you?" Craig O'Neill and Kathleen Ritter, authors; Harper San Francisco; 1992; ' pb; 236 pp; $10. The Post Office will not forward The Second Stone. You must notify us for uninterrupted service if you move. Please notify us four weeks in advance for uninterrupted delivery. Send both old and new addresses. It possible attach mailing label in space provided . PRINT NEW ADDRESS ~ ~ ~ ~ •v ! (0 Send complet ed form to : THE SECOND STONE Box8340 New Orleans, LA 70182 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Second Stone #23 - July/Aug 1992