(TO HATE) YOU Talking Gays & God with the Comedian
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Memoirs Tackle Gays I told (my eighth “grade students) And Christianity nobody should have hate like that for Movies For Everyone each other. On Your Xmas List - Sue Johnson, ”South Lyon teacher LISA LAMPANELLI LOVES (TO HATE) YOU Talking Gays & God With The Comedian NOV 1, 2012 | VOL. 2044 | FREE WWW.PRIDESOURCE.COM DEC 6, 2012 | VOL. 2049 | FREE COVER STORY 20 Lisa Lampanelli loves I was asking a lot of questions and in (to hate) you the process I discovered two things I told (my eighth Memoirs Tackle Gays “grade students) nobody should have almost simultaneously: I was And Christianity hate like that for queer each other. Movies For Everyone - Sue Johnson, South” Lyon teacher On Your Xmas List and my church would kick me out if LISA LAMPANELLI they discovered my secret. LOVES (TO HATE) – Chris Stedman, author of "Faitheist: YOU “ How an Atheist Found Common Talking Gays & God With The Comedian Ground with the Religious." Pg. 14 NOV 1, 2012 | VOL. 2044 | FREE DEC 6, 2012 | VOL. 2049 | FREE WWW.PRIDESOURCE.COM NEWS 4 In the welcoming business BTL ISSUE 20.49 • DEC. 6, 2012 5 Ferndale Pride gives $10,000 to ” local charities 6 OU students rally for gender neutral restrooms Join The Conversation @ PrideSource.com 7 South Lyon teacher suspended 10 Marriage debate shifts to US YELLOW PAGES FACEBOOK Supreme Court 11 Ban on gay ‘reparative therapy’ 12 VCU coach says he was fired for being gay 12 Appeal vowed in Nevada same- sex marriage ruling 14 New memoirs tackle complex relationship of gays and Christians Purchasing With Power Help Us Reach 4,500 Fans This holiday season, shop LGBT Every day, BTL reaches OPINION with the Pride Source Yellow thousands of LGBT Michiganders 8 Viewpoint Pages, available online and in with relevant information and 9 Parting Glances print! resources on our Facebook page. 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Tell SCAN QR CODE BTL is available online experience “The 1940’s Radio us what you think of our latest every week. Our website “Between The Lines Email your op–eds to Hour.” The play is reminiscent of features, recent breaking news also updates and reports Newspaper” [email protected] an actual 1940’s variety show. Win and anything else on your mind. on stories daily. two tickets to a performance by Send us your letters at editor@ Go to Pridesource.com The Farmington Players at 8 p.m. pridesource.com and indicate or scan this QR code. Sign up online to receive Dec. 14! Enter at Pridesource. “BTL Opinion” in the subject line. Follow us @YourBTL our E–Digest com/tickets_contest.html www.PrideSource.com December 6, 2012 | BTL 3 COLOR In The Welcoming Business Kevin Hogan Works Toward More Inclusion in Michigan Faith Communities BY CRYSTAL A. PROXMIRE loving people. But Bode and members of his congregation have chosen the path towards “Church work is like government work, acceptance. “Having a small sign or having change is slow,” said Kevin Hogan of the a rainbow flag on our website has made a big Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion difference in just letting people relax and being Faith Alliance. But that doesn’t stop him from able to experience the actual congregation of the pushing onward for incremental change in the actual community rather than worrying about way congregations evolve towards acceptance. ‘Am I welcomed?’ first.” Through the Faith Alliance, Hogan sets up Sometimes Hogan leaves the DVD for faith meetings with pastors and other faith leaders and leaders to share at their own pace, but other laypeople who want to learn more about how times he comes along for the presentation to to have a welcoming congregation. Usually it’s answer any questions. He said that generally because someone has called for more information the response is positive, with people wanting or because they were recommended by someone to know “Ok, so what’s next?” with insight. “There are congregations that want to welcome LGBT members, but they have no idea where to begin to do so,” Hogan said. “Sometimes the conversation is already taking place – among In the past five years, 125 congregation members, or maybe someone has gone to the clergy. So we know there is an clergy have taken steps to interest, but they may want someone from outside the congregation to talk about it. I’m sort of like move their congregations a lightning rod. I go in and lead the discussion so that the pastor or other clergy don’t feel any towards more inclusiveness negative feedback.” He emphasized that negative feedback is rare. in Michigan. “Usually church leaders are surprised at how little feedback there is. We’re not going into churches where they teach against homosexuality and wouldn’t be open. These are congregations where Culture of Inclusion someone has already expressed an interest, but they just need some guidance on how to make It doesn’t take much for a congregation to it happen.” start a culture of inclusion. “We usually start On a national or international level, creating with the Welcome Statement,” Hogan said. affirmation in religious institutions takes years. “Almost all (congregations) have a welcome There is often a government-like structure statement and we look at that to see if it is where members of the faith must vote to make inclusive. We give them an information packet changes. It has happened in Reformed Judaism, that has sample welcoming statements in it, to Presbyterian, Episcopal and United Church of give them ideas.” Christ faiths. Metropolitan Community Church Among the welcome statements, is one is one that was founded on LGBT acceptance. from the Northminster Presbyterian Church But there are many other denominations Kevin Hogan of the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion Faith Alliance describes himself as a “lightening in Troy. “In recognizing Christ’s calling where same-sex relationships are not officially rod” when he leads discussions with congregations learning about how to be more welcoming of LGBT people . to treat others as we desire to be treated, accepted, but where people can find welcoming Northminster Presbyterian Church welcomes congregations. all people, regardless of sexual orientation, The change typically starts at the congregation Towards Inclusive Congregations, which Episcopal Church in Ann Arbor echoed the color, gender, religion, social or economic level, and when Hogan comes in it’s usually features faith leaders talking about inclusion. expression of fear and pain that some who class, ethnicity, nationality or disability. We not hard to get people talking and thinking “Sometimes they just show the video and have felt rejected by the church experience. value all members of the community. We about why love and acceptance is a Godly people get it,” Hogan said. Nearly 1,000 of the “Many, many people in the LGBT community consciously strive to create an environment of path. He’s also got a powerful tool. The DVDs have been given to houses of worship have really felt and had horrible experiences of mutual respect, hospitality and warmth in which Michigan Roundtable partnered with the Arcus throughout the state. In A Space for All, four exclusion from the religious organizations in none are strangers and all may flourish.” Foundation to produce two short videos: Come church leaders talked about why it’s important their lives, and so just stepping into church is a Hogan explains that congregations are at As You Are, which features LGBT people of for their congregation to be welcoming. Rev. monumental act of courage. God loves people “different stages of a life cycle,” when it comes faith and parents of a gay man who tried to Henrietta Stith-Andrews, a retired United who are different from you also. Who are we to to being inclusive. And that while congregations commit suicide; and A Space for All: Leading Church of Christ Pastor, explained “the church say who should sit in the pew and who God is may be limited by policy set at far off bureaucratic should be about building community, it’s a going to limit God’s love for or to?” places, the first steps to inclusion are easy and place where everybody should be welcomed.” Rev. Matthew Bode of Spirit of Hope Detroit can make a big difference. She also said, “What I often hear is the pain said that it is “easy to go along to get along” For him, as a gay person of faith, knowing that For more worship-related stories, see the they (LGBT people) experience because of the in the church. “The easiest thing to do is keep he is accepted at church helps him find a balance Worship Guide on pg. 14 messages from the pulpit.” silent and receive our paycheck,” he said about Rev.