All or Nothing

Earlier today I was at a meeting of clergy. By the way, if you ever want to sit in a meeting with forty people who love the sound of their own voice, clergy meetings are the way to go.

During the time for prayer, one of the women in the group asked us to pray because the State of California was looking into getting "gay textbooks" into the schools. She said she saw it on "60 Minutes" last night and she knows that if we don't stem the tide now, it's just going to keep on going. (I didn't see the show, so I what I say is not based on the story, but on her reaction to it.)

The "Amen Corner" was in full voice. Now, cut to last month...

The meeting begins with a devotional. The June meeting featured a piece originally published in an Baptist (sorry, don't know which branch) magazine on death and dying by Henri Nouwen. It was a lovely piece that she read and from what she read the article was well done.

Now my questions:

Did she know Henri Nouwen was gay?

If you have any question that the answer to this question is "yes" then read the Nouwen biography "Wounded Prophet" by Michael Ford.

Here's my point: To hold up the spirituality of a gay man in one breath and condemn gayness in text books because "it's going to infect us all" displays hypocrisy or ignorance. I don't know which is which, I just know neither is good.

Here's the next point: Nobody should throw labels around without knowing where they land.

Here's my last point: I know this is true because I have an open account at the plate glass company to replace the walls in my own house. I have violated these rules, so believe me when I tell you I am sensitive about this.

Ignorance is a lack of information, so friends GET INFORMED before throwing out holier-than-thou statements. It's all or nothing people, you can't cast judgment against one without casting the same an all. So beware, you never know where it's going to fall next.