For the gay and lesbian community in this country, I think it's clear that they feel victimized in fairly powerful ways and they're often hurt by not just certain teachings of the Catholic Church, but the Christian faith generally. And as a Christian, I'm constantly wrestling with my faith and my solicitude and regard and concern for gays and lesbians.The US News reporter thinks this will "effortlessly" appeal to social liberals because he's "struggling" to reconcile faith and equality. I don't think so. Uh, Mr President? Lots of Christians support gay rights from a place of faith. We've talked about that just on the marriage issue here, here, here and here. There are even (Gasp!) gay Christians. So you don't have to place your faith in opposition to our rights. They go hand in hand.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Obama sees gay rights in conflict with his faith
President Obama sat down with the Catholic Press over the fourth of July. Let's listen in to what he said (from US News):
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There are times, like this one, where I hold out very little hope for the future of Christianity in civil society. :P Sheesh...
Remember those scare ads from last summer/fall, featuring Rev. Jeremiah Wright: "He [Obama] sat in his [Wright's] church for 20 years..."
I'm more concerned how he sat in Trinity UCC's pews for 20 years, and never got the UCC's LGBT-affirmative doctrine? WTF? [And I say that, whether it was just Obama not understanding it, or whether the UCC's national positions re LGBTs simply weren't delivered at Trinity]
All that said---
I'm not sure that the quote ("And as a Christian, I'm constantly wrestling with my faith and my solicitude and regard and concern for gays and lesbians") really MEANS that Obama feels torn *between* his faith and that "solicitude and regard".
But speaking of which: "solicitude and regard"?! Can't a queer brotha'/sista' get some of that famous Obama empathy? :-/
You said it, girl. (Not meant as a chauvinist comment)
Obama was using religion as an excuse for opposing equal treatment last summer.
Yes, but there are many Christians, and many in the RC church, who do struggle with faith versus justice issues. By stating that he has the same problem Obama aligns himself with these people and makes a connection with them. Some of these people may now come to believe that it is okay to think the unthinkable and if Obama moves to an inclusive position he will take many of these people with him rather than making enemies of them.
Obama is a politician and the cleverest politician the world has seen in a long while. I think it unwise to take his public comments at face value like you quite rightly did with Bush who was incapable of diplomacy. One thing I am sure of is that Obama knows what he is doing, why he is doing it and what he intends the result of his action and words to be.
'Solicitude' is a word that the Pope and Vatican folk use all the time.
Trinity did have an LGBT group listed on their web site, but they may not have interacted much with rest-of-congregation re LGBT issues.
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