June is Pride Month and as an Open and Affirming Church in the United Church of Christ, we continue to stand with the LBGTQ+ community as it faces the headwinds of renewed social disenfranchisement.  

The church has a particular role to play in supporting the LBGTQ+ community because the church has, historically, led the way in condemning anyone who is not heterosexual.  By welcoming people of every orientation into the full life and ministry of the church, we share the inclusive nature of God’s love, validation, and affirmation.

Still, it is an uphill battle.  Over the past three years, anti-LBGTQ+ demonstrations have increased with right-wing militias gaining a higher social profile.  Acts of physical violence and political violence against LBGTQ people and organizations have tripled since 2021.

There are also, thankfully, signs of hope.  More LBGTQ+ people are being elected to office than ever before.  People are pushing back against “Don’t Say Gay” laws, and more and more churches are becoming Open and Affirming.  This latter point, from a religious perspective, is critical in my view.  The church has, sadly, been an enormous battleground over who we believe God loves and doesn’t love.

That’s why I thought it was somewhat ironic that right-wing TV evangelist Pat Roberton should pass away during Pride Month.  Robertson stood diametrically opposed to the United Church of Christ’s acceptance of gay and lesbian people and led the charge to drum up hatred and, yes, violence against gay people; many of whom are Christians themselves.  After the tragic shooting at the gay nightclub in Orlando, Robertson said: “The best thing to do is to sit on the sidelines and let gay advocates and Muslims kill themselves.”

He was also not a friend of women either, saying: “Feminism is a socialist, anti-family, political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism, and become lesbians.”

The passing of such a hateful person, especially during this important month, will hopefully be the harbinger of greater acceptance of all of God’s people and a weakening of the visceral rage that seems to emanate from too many so-called “Christians” who would like nothing better than to destroy those who don’t look or act like themselves. 

As always, I have every confidence that sanity will prevail and that love will win the day.  Pride Month can only serve to bolster that confidence!

See you in church,

–Rev. Dominic