Kim Davis is wrong...

Kim Davis is wrong.

She's wrong in her belief that the Bible denies same gender loving couples the same loving relationships that others enjoy.

She is wrong that loving a person of the same gender in all the fullness of intimacy is a sin.

She has a right to be wrong, but it is important to state, for me, anyway, that choosing for or against marriage for all is not an equally weighted choice. It is not.

To deny others anything because of the inappropriate use of the sacred texts based on a reading that implies God's creation is flawed - is wrong; to engage in practices that extend violence towards others through any form of exclusion and imply such practices are just -- is wrong; and to use your office to  hold others hostage to your beliefs by refusing to perform your public duties is not heroic - it's wrong.

And, rallying around folks who would choose second class citizenship for non-gender conforming citizens is dangerous and makes you complicit in the continued violence such actions will produce as long as they are allowed.

What Kim Davis did is not being faithful, as I see it, it is using one's faith in an abusive way to hurt others. That is the aberration, the "sin" if you wish.

Quit your job, Ms. Davis, write a book, let someone else sign the licenses but don't use your position to spread your brand of hatred and bias. That's wrong.

And those who use you to further their goals and selfish concerns at the expense of others are guilty of greater wrongs, willing to incite violence and hatred for personal gain. Run from them as fast as you can...

Questions for Donald Trump...

August 21, 2015

Two Questions for Donald: 

First Question: You talk about Ronald Reagan being an inspiration and model for you. Yet, in the eight years of his presidency from 1980 - 1988, when the AIDS crisis began and gained momentum that has taken countless lives - during those eight years he NEVER ONCE said the word AIDS from the bully pulpit of the presidency. What would you have done differently as a leader to have helped stem the tide of a pandemic, responsibility for which, in part, is rooted in his presidency.

Second Question: You said that you abhor violence and that the acts of two brothers who beat a homeless man in Boston, shouting epithets and using your rhetoric towards immigrants as a reason for their actions. As a skilled communicator who wants to lead this country, how can you use language that incites folks to violence, while claiming you seek no one harm by your words. To say you did not mean for this to happen by what you said is an abdication of the responsibility every leader faces - that even you have no control over the meaning of your message when it crosses into rhetoric that is inherently divisive and ultimately violent. How can you communicate as POTUS in a way that brings the nation together while moving forward when your best effort at getting a point across is to prone to inciting such acts as those in Boston. Are you a good enough communicator and have a heart big enough to understand the responsibility of your words - for all?

Happy to talk with you about this and more, Mr. Trump, anytime.

Ray

Is the "Big Tent" big enough?

A letter to those organizing the Big Tent event of the PC(USA):

I have been considering attending the Big Tent event, and I was wondering if there are any scheduled forums or discussions that directly talk about our LGBTQ community, especially following the ratification of 14F, which now makes us one of the most truly welcoming communities of faith in this nation and the world. 

The literature says, "Big Tent is focusing on three areas of missional living: Advocacy, Poverty and Discipleship." In the printed schedule, this includes forums on renewal, poverty and hunger, sex trafficking, charismatics, evangelism, racism, emotional intelligence, young adults, youth education, calling pastors, Middle East Christians, training ruling elders, racial reconciliation, climate change, Christ-Centered Masculinity, Women and Women Leaders, Inclusion of People with Disabilities [Exceptionalities] and many more important areas of discussion...

Yet, I have not been able to find anything that refers to our LGBTQ members and community and recent changes in the church, which easily include topics of advocacy, poverty, and discipleship - integrating our community into the full work and worship of this denomination and our lives together. 

For example, in the scheduled discussion area of calling a pastor, an important question might be: How do PNC's consider the gifts of candidates and ministers who are LGBTQ and seeking a call? Or, in the area of evangelism: How do we carry the Gospel message to all people in ways that lift up our faith and the diversity of gender and gender identities?

These and more topics easily come to mind...and point to the many ways in which important discussions about inclusion of our LGBTQ membership can help raise the "big tent" in which we actually live, rather than keeping it smaller than it actually is. 

I feel it is the charge of our denomination, especially in gatherings such as this, to lead us intentionally in ways that can faithfully help us to live into the decisions that we, as a denomination, have chosen as our way of mission in the world.

I have raised similar points around past "Big Tents" and was told that these topics were too controversial for this type of gathering, which was "more about family". That stung at the time - we are family, and I am hoping times are different, and that I have missed something in the schedule and literature.

So, thanks for your thoughts and all you are doing for our denomination and all its missional calls. I know that it is never the intention to exclude anyone; I know you all better than that. I just hope something can be done to eliminate any whisper of that perception in your continuing planning and publicity for this event, so that all are able to hear the message we have been given to carry into this world in the name of the Risen Christ in our midst.

Peace,

Ray

Rev. Ray Bagnuolo, That All May Freely Serve

Specialized Ministry of the Presbytery of Genesee Valley

121 N. Fitzhugh Street, Rochester, NY 14614-1214

Personal Mailing Address:

Ray Bagnuolo, PO Box 1262, White Plains, NY 10602-1262

(914) 217 4173 (cell/sms)

www.tamfs.org; @tamfs

It's different this time... Church, SCOTUS, Charleston

Dear Friends,

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 have often talked about the "new thing" God is doing in this world over the course of our struggle for the Gospel of Justice, Mercy and Love. And, here we are! - entering into a "new thing" many thought would never be seen in their lifetimes: a new again time manifesting the presence of God in astounding and resilient ways!

• The Presbyterian Church (USA) and its decisions on ordination, marriage equality, and the revised definition of the definition of marriage in our constitution to "between two people"...
•  The Supreme Court of the United States' ruling on marriage equality, the upholding of the Affordable Care Act and recent decisions in challenges to housing practices for folks who have low incomes...

All of these -  "great victories" of profound impact; policy decisions that will change (have changed!) this society and the world  in ways we have yet to imagine. Celebrate? Oh, yes! Celebrate, indeed! With time for pause that honors the celebration...knowing as we do...

the enormous sacrifices of arriving at this shore;
the violence;
and the many who are not with us because they did not live long enough to see it -
or lost their lives getting us here.

Celebration calls for remembrance, always, so we pause and honor all those who have placed in our hands "the wonderful key" that has the promise to set us free.

Even with that "key in hand," we know that once the legislative work is done, the work of changing hearts and minds continues. The planting of love and the withering of violence toward each other continues with new and robust laws and polity on our side.

I suggested this to someone yesterday, and they responded that I shouldn't be so quick to "draw a rainbow" over the world, just yet!

But there is something different this time. It is palpable...

It's not that so many positive things are happening, but the confluence of it all - against the landscape of the faith, spirit and hearts of our sisters and brothers of Mother Emmanuel in Charleston...

President Obama was right in his eulogy when he said our eyes have been opened by the Grace present in our community, yes our community, of Charleston. How simple they made it for us who are too complicated to see: at the core of every dream and hope and promise we have is the willingness and practice to forgive and love one another no matter what. No matter what. No matter who. No matter why.

Have we been and can we be loving and courageous in the face of such tragedy? Clearly, the answer is, "Yes." Yes, or we wouldn't be this far. But we're in the new stratosphere of our dreams and aspirations with these changes that we have worked to attain - and the assailants who might hope to deflate us are even more determined to do so; too often in revolting and despicable ways.

But opponents' actions, no matter how heinous and wrong cannot change our greatest saving grace, our amazing grace, if you will - that we are loved by God and called to love one another no matter what. Whatever others may do, they must be...

Held accountable and loved;
Challenged and loved;
Taught how wrong the are and loved;
Stopped from doing harm and loved -

And forgiven, no matter what. I know...

I don't know if I can do this, honestly, certainly not by myself. But when we do it together, when Mother Emmanuel does it, when victims of crime time and again forgive their oppressors, when the saints of our progressive movement have done it time and again... when congregations, families, communities and more embrace and accept nothing less than love, it seems I can, as well.

"Love God with all you have -and  love one another as you love yourself."

It really is different this time - not the message but the possibility that we have heard it in ways that will clear the path for the "new thing" God is doing. A "new thing" that will take hold with doves and a rainbow such as we've never seen before!

Peace,

Ray

More at www.tamfs.org 

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Being taught to love

Mother Emmanuel AME Church


Being taught to love from Ray Bagnuolo on Vimeo.

Emmanuel AME Church, Charleston, SC

Our Arms and Prayers Around Emmanuel AME Church, Charleston, South Carolina.