Earlier this month, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) voted to call for the overturning of Obergefell v. Hodges, the Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage. I’ve seen innumerable social media posts mourning this vote. I’ve seen others posting about it with righteous anger.
When I saw the news, my reaction was effectively, “… and? What else is new?”
Yes, I’m scared about marriage equality being taken away. My wife and I have gone through extreme measures with all our legal documents to ensure that we are still one another’s beneficiaries regardless of whether we’re considered legally married or not. I’m terrified of what overturning Obergefell v. Hodges would do to my family, my congregation, and countless others.
But I’m not surprised that the SBC feels this beholden to the sin of homophobia. I am not going to be devastated by this body being honest about who it is.
They have told us through their actions. They have told us through their votes in the public square. They have told us through their protests, their exclusive worship, their support of conversion therapy and too many other actions to count.
To quote Maya Angelou, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” They’ve given us an indefinite number of opportunities to see who they are.
It’s almost a relief that they’re telling us with their words. Now, there’s no need for us to read through the lines of what they mean when they say things like “Love the sinner, hate the sin.”
We don’t have to assume that taking away our basic human rights is their endgame; they’re saying it plainly. When we can identify their goal, we can more easily prepare.
As I see this conversation play out on social media, I can’t help but think about all the times in Jesus’ ministry he had to contend with the Pharisees. Throughout the Gospel of Luke, we get the sense that Jesus knows they are working to get Jesus arrested. They pop up time and time again in attempts to foil his plans and disrupt his ministry; often, Jesus has to work to evade arrest.
Can you imagine if Jesus responded with such deep despair any time the Pharisees acted the way they always did? He wouldn’t have had the time to preach, teach, or heal.
Instead of allowing them to distract him from his life-changing, life-saving work, Jesus simply kept doing the work. He didn’t ignore them or the threat they posed, but he didn’t give them the satisfaction of becoming his sole focus.
How might we follow Jesus’ example here?
Instead of responding with despair, I want to encourage people to respond with action. How are you supporting the queer community right now? What actions are you taking to make your neighborhood schools safer for trans youth? How are you speaking up in your own congregation for nonbinary folks? What community LGBTQ+ organization could use your time or resources right now?
We have so much work to do, beloved. We are in an all-hands-on-deck season of American life – not just for queer people, but for all marginalized people. If we drown in surprised despair every time an oppressive body calls for more oppression, we will not have the energy needed to combat their actions and make things better.
I implore you, don’t give them your precious energy. Direct that energy toward the good work that’s needed right now and lend a hand. Lord knows we need it now more than ever.
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
A bivocational pastor, writer and spiritual director based in Williamsburg, Virginia, she currently works as a Spiritual Director at Reclamation Theology. Cawthon-Freels is the author of Reclamation: A Queer Pastor’s Guide to Finding Spiritual Growth in the Passages Used to Harm Us (Nurturing Faith Books), and a contributing correspondent at Good Faith Media.
