I recently had the pleasure of hosting a screening and discussion of the documentary “For the Bible Tells Me So”, which is an exploration of the intersection between religion and homosexuality in the U.S. and how some have used their interpretation of the Bible to stigmatize the gay community. For two Sunday mornings, I was proud and honored to share laughs, questions, experiences, and tears with 23 others in our FUUN community. Many of them would like to continue meeting, as would I, to try to pick up again on the good work that our GLBT+Friends group did in past years.
Now is the time. There were two recent suicides in Middle Tennessee that were the result of gay bullying. We Unitarian Universalists have a role to play in helping to see that “it gets better”. Our legislature is debating the Don’t Say Gay bill which would prohibit the use of the word “gay” in schools (until eighth grade). How will children who are gay be able to talk to a teacher or guidance counselor about themselves? How will those with gay parents be able to talk with friends about their families? How will other children know that it is not okay to bully these children? And as always, marriage equality is still an issue, as are adoption rights, and HIV/AIDS has not gone away. We have work to do, and now is the time.
We cannot do this work without the support and fellowship we find with each other in this beloved community. If you would like to be a part of the work, please join me on Sunday, February 19, at 10:15 (or when the first service ends) in the Thoreau Room. If you have questions or would like to offer your support but are unable to attend the meeting, please contact me at my phone number or email address in the church directory, or via socialjustice@firstuunashville.org.
In Faith,
Greg Miller
