Article of Faith:
A call for people of faith to stand against anti-LGBT violence
The annals of history, ancient and contemporary, are strewn with death and destruction wrought by the hands of the religious. However, the core teaching of every major faith is peace, not violence. Rev. Mike Schuenemeyer, National Religious Leadership Roundtable
WASHINGTON, March 4 - On Jan. 29, an anti-gay mob invaded a private home in Greenvale, Manchester (Jamaica). The mob attacked three gay men inside, beating them and hacking them with machetes. Two of the men have been hospitalized with serious injuries; one had his ear cut off. One man remains unaccounted for and is feared dead. This is only the latest in a long series of hate-filled crimes against LGBT Jamaicans.
Just two weeks later in Oxnard, Calif., Lawrence King 15, was shot in the head by a 14-year-old classmate. Prior to his death, King had been harassed on a daily basis because of his sexual orientation and gender expression. What follows is an Article of Faith addressing this terrible violence and the need for a response from the faith community.
Article of Faith by the Rev. Mike Schuenemeyer
National Religious Leadership Roundtable
A few weeks ago I received a phone call as I boarded a flight. It was from the secretary of a church in Ventura, Calif., with whom I had left a message concerning their response to the violent death of Lawrence King. I was so happy to receive the call back, but my heart sank when the call ended and I began to weep. A wave of grief washed over me, not because of what this church in Ventura had done, or not done. They had done something, they had prayed for Lawrence, his family and the community. But I recognized how inadequate such a response is without a deeper engagement to understand and address the roots of such violence in our midst. A profound sense of having failed Lawrence King and a deep sense of responsibility fueled my tears.
When I checked my e-mail during my layover, I received a note from Pastor Judy Hanlon of Hadwen Park United Church of Christ, in Worcester, Mass., who wrote, A horrible situation had LANDED in their pews. Actually, the pastor was writing to get my attention and share the news of an important opportunity. Two gentlemen from Jamaica shared with the congregation their story of horrible abuse, oppression, burning and even death, and the congregation has committed to accompany them as they seek political asylum in the United States.
I already knew a little of the situation in Jamaica, because, like many others, I had received a Call to Action several days before from Nancy Wilson, moderator of the Metropolitan Community Churches. Her message also told the story of the horrible abuse, violence and death experienced in Jamaica by LGBT people of faith gathering for worship and support. It called on religious leaders, people of faith, and, political leaders to take action. She encouraged us to send letters to the Jamaican government and participate in Valentine's Day rallies at Jamaican embassies and consulate offices around the world to demand that the Jamaican government intervene to stop the violence and protect these citizens.
I was glad for her Call to Action, but I had done nothing to support the effort. Lawrence King and my brothers and sisters in Jamaica weighed heavy on my conscience. I could not help wondering about why people of faith (me included) so often remain silent in the face of suffering, violence and death, and some actually seem to promote it. The faith voices reported in a story published in the Jamaica Gleaner seemed willing to tolerate the violence against their LGBT brothers and sisters of faith. I can't help believing that what those Jamaican religious leaders are teaching is fueling the homophobic hostility and violence for which Jamaica is too well known.
Some essentialists will argue that religion is inextricably connected to violence. It is indeed rare to find a religious text of any faith that does not have references to violence, especially in dealing with real or perceived enemies. So, does religion justify and inspire violence? Does the violence come out of the religious teaching? Or is the teaching being manipulated to justify the violence, used as a tool of intimidation, oppression and domination?
The sacred texts of our religious heritages do give us a window into human nature and our proclivity to violence. The annals of history, ancient and contemporary, are strewn with death and destruction wrought by the hands of the religious. However, the core teaching of every major faith is peace, not violence.
Thirty-six times the Hebrew scriptures express the commandment to love the stranger because they themselves were strangers in the land of Egypt. The central commandment of the Christian scripture calls the followers of Jesus to love their neighbor as they love themselves. In calling for dialogue between people of all faiths, Muslim scholars from around the world quote from the Quran, And the servants of the Infinitely Compassionate are those who walk on the earth in humility and when the ignorant accost them, they only reply with "Peace!" (Quran 25:65). Every major religion has some version of the golden rule, do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
To use sacred texts to justify violence or being complacent in its face does a gross injustice to them. It is essential that people of faith confront the sources of violence. We must engage the prophetic courage of our faith traditions to create change, move the mountains of indifference and build communities which are safe, welcoming, inclusive and just. We must join together to stop the violence â€" on our campuses, in our communities and in Jamaica. People of faith in Jamaica need to standup against the violence and we all need to stand with them. And may we never cease to ask what the poet and Swiss Muslim scholar, Tariq Ramadan asks:
Is that all?
Is thatall faith can do?
And then?
No, we will not be silent!
Article of faith by: Dr. Sylvia Rhue
NBJC Director of Religious Affairs
The National Black Justice Coalition stands in spiritual solidarity with the powerful message of the Article of Faith: A call for people of faith to stand against anti-LGBT violence. We are called to speak truth to power and vigorously speak out against violence. The violence that is inflicted upon God's LGBT children is a global disgrace. It is a phenomenon that receives too little notice and apparently, scant concern. This can't go on. Indifference to human suffering dishonors all people. We have to speak out loudly in a chorus of protest against the unholy, treacherous maiming of body and soul.
Sylvia Rhue, Ph.D.
Director of Religious Affairs
National Black Justice Coalition
