The New Methodists
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Dan Savage, Methodists, and kids killing themselves.
November 9, 2010 — Billy Lucus, bullying, Chrisitianity, Christians, church, Dan Savage, Gays, Greensburg, homosexuality, Indiana, It Gets Better, methodists
Columnist, and founder of the It Gets Better project, Dan Savage had this to say to a moderate Christian who wrote him criticizing his critique of Christianity and its role in the death of gay youth who had committed suicide:
It should be noted that the It Gets Better project was partially inspired by the suicide of an Indiana teenager.
Dan Savage is right and that is why I struggle with the Methodist Church’s statement that “homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.”
At the end of the day, such doctrine enforces the notion that straight people are “better or more worthy” than gay people. Christians should do everything possible to prevent violence against social outcasts and those marginalized and pushed out of the mainstream. And yet, our own statements help create a climate of fear and hatred, statements like ”homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.”
Next time a kid in Indiana kills himself after being relentlessly bullied for being gay or being perceived as gay, lets remember that us United Methodists might have some blood on our hands.
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comments
Mike, I think the “blood on our hands” is the failure to teach that bullying and intimidation and picking on the weak is anti-Christian.
John Meunier
November 9, 2010
I agree John. But, I do feel that when a large christian denominiation officially says things like “homosexuality is uncompatible with Christian teaching” we are doing our part to set the stage for the bullying which has taken so many young lives.
And that is a shame and anti-Christian.
mikeoles3
November 11, 2010
Savage is a vulgar creep who if he really was treated badly likely got treated that way as the result of his feeling up guys against their will.
That being said bully’s gay and straight are assholes and everyone knows it.
However this PC campaign has all the ear marks of an early witch hunt which will only cause more suicides.
Sadly we have no better chance of stopping anti-gay bullying than we do the bulying of blind kids.
God help us all.
