Harvey's Playbook: Let's Use It

Last month I watch the movie Milk. Having worked at a publishing company that among its specialties included gay and lesbian issues, I edited many books and articles on the subject, so I was familiar with the man and meaning of Harvey Milk. One of Harvey's strategies for advancing gay and lesbian rights was a plea to every gay person to come out of the closet, for every gay person to live openly and unashamed (since "hiding" only confirmed its shamefulness in society's eyes).

What if the pastors of the United Methodist Church did this? What if every gay clergy member came out and forced the Church to "defrock" them?

I am a straight layperson, so I cannot and will not make this plea. If all copy editors could be copy editors only if they had blue eyes, would I take out my tinted contacts to reveal my brown eyes? Until I'm put in a similar situation, I will not be the one to tell gay pastors to come out. But I will ask you - everyone - to think, what if? Whatever the number, the United Methodist church would lose a lot of great pastors, because being openly gay based on our discipline means you cannot serve as pastor. Voters at General Conference would be moved by awareness, the awareness and truth that helps erase fear. My goal in any of my arguments is not a boycott of the United Methodist Church; I want the United Methodist Church to recognize the error of our embarrassing "don't ask don't tell" policy, to, based on our belief in Jesus and God, allow gays and lesbians the same chance as straight people to become ordained and local pastors and deacons.

The Bible is full of human wisdom and examples of God's love. It's also full of outdated advice and laws applicable only to the time and place in which they were written. We do a great disservice to the writers of the Bible and God when we pretend otherwise. This includes the issue of homosexuality.

Now I want you to imagine the day the first openly gay person becomes an ordained minister. If this scares you, I want you to think about why. You'll recognize it is a problem within yourself and only within yourself - which is okay; you'll get over it. Those of you who feel like I do, know that it will be kind of awesome.

I don't feel this way or argue for gay rights, gay marriage, gay clergy to piss Christians off. I do it because I am a Christian, and can't, based on my beliefs, imagine feeling any other way.