Second Stone #21 - Mar/Apr 1992

Second Stone #21 - Mar/Apr 1992

21

1992

Mar/Apr 1992

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
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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.
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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
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Clearly indicate if your name is to be
withheld. We reserve the right to edit.
Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182.
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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,
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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
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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."
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.. 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 "
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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
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that will leave readers touched and glad
fo be alive. They're romantic, sexy,
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all around good enjoyable reading .
Getting Life in
Perspecti .ve
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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
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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
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"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
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Also homophobia, ending
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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:
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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
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request of the
organization.
Just tell us who
you are. Others
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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
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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,
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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
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Clasm'ied Ad!
L2~] Second Stone• March/April 1992
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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
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