What To Do About Southern Baptist President’s Call for End to Hate for LGBT
Instead, it means we give up our hateful rhetoric on both sides and instead decide to come together in relationship with one another. Wright did not have to meet with those LGBT people in June. He could have ignored them, tossed them out of the conference and railed against them from the pulpit. He didn’t. He stepped out. He stopped the cycle of hateful rhetoric and took the time to listen.
He didn’t change his mind, but the shift he did make is huge—staggeringly so for a Southern Baptist. We must recognize it, applaud it, and build from there. Instead of striking back, or seeing hypocrisy around every corner, let’s take him at his word. Let’s hope he can lead a revolution within conservative Christian circles (along with fellow Southern Baptist Albert Mohler who has called his conservative friends to the carpet for their “homophobia”) to end the lies and hateful words used against LGBT people.
While I am willing to take Wright at his word and believe that he is sincerely trying to stop the vile rhetoric coming from the religious right, I am a realist. I realize that the vast majority of the religious right have no intention of following suit, especially those organizations whose financial lifeblood depends upon using the LGBT community as the bogeyman in their fundraising. But, it could be an important first step down a long road to reconciliation.
But, if by some miracle - or movement of the Spirit - anti-LGBT religious people will embrace Wright’s idea - and stop the hate, the harsh words and distortions about LGBT people, and instead truly act out of love and compassion, their hearts cannot help but soften toward LGBT people. Same goes for those on the religious left. If we would truly practice compassion for our conservative brothers and sisters, our hearts will soften to them as well. It’s difficult to perpetuate hatred and injustice toward anyone who occupies a soft place in our hearts.
