THREE VISITORS FROM GOD Part 2

This is part 2 of the story of 3 men who came into the midst of Gentle Spirit Christian Church who as it turns out were simply visitors sent to teach this congregation and I dare say me, some basic lessons of theology, life and the practice thereof.

Those lessons in the order of each man's story: 1) “It's about a relationship with God nothing more and nothing less”. 2) Crazy, Wild and Independent is cool with God” 3) despite anger and severe pain you can love and serve God.

I am sharing these stories in 3 parts first because the total blog would be too long and second because I think each visit needs to stand on it's own and cause us to ponder one story at a time.

Part 1 was about our beloved Charles Harris, Today, Deacon Corey Matthew Hoblit and part 3, the Reverend Warren B. Taylor.

I first heard about Corey from a staff member of mine who had known Corey for sometime. At the time Corey was in a local county jail for some infraction of the law he had yet again managed to run afoul of. The staff member's description of Corey talked mostly of a troubled childhood, in and out of trouble with the law constantly, an inability to stay away from drugs, a rebellious and dark spirit, a lack of respect for authority of any type, and one who did not have much use for the church.

My staff person asked me if I would go visit Corey in jail because he thought Corey might be able to relate to me. I wasn't sure if it was meant as a compliment or if he thought Corey and I had something in common. Either way I was not excited about making the visit. I saw it, as a waste time and gas since Corey wasn't asking to see a pastor and I did not want to spend a jail visit hearing how it was not his fault and he should not be in prison.

When I arrived and saw Corey for the first time my insides shuddered, I wasn't comfortable with the feeling I had of seeing God's special child locked up. Don't ask me to explain that last except to say what I felt, was deep in my soul. You know that quiet voice, which tells you what is about to happen, is going to be a work of God so pay attention.

Corey was full of defiance coming to that visiting area, his eyes bright but inquisitive, his walk and body posture screamed, “and who the hell are you and just what is it you want”.

We sat down in the visiting area with me one side of the glass and he on the other. I picked up the phone piece said hello and introduced my self. His response? “You're that preacher Steve sent to save me, well it ain't gonna happen.” “There is notin you can do for me and I don't want you to try!”

Yea, we were off to a great start and yea I knew I didn't want to be here. However, I did try to explain I wasn't there to save him and while he was in jail other than visiting him there wasn't much I could do for him anyway. I also went to say I didn't care why he was there and was more concerned about how he was being treated since he was openly gay or at least Bi. His face softens and he almost whispered, “You're a minister and you don't care if I am gay, damn? I looked him in the eye and said, “Why should I, I am and have been with my partner for 20 plus years.” That was all it took…we began a conversation that lasted for 2 hours. Here is some of what he shared:

I was 7’ish when my Mom would take me to the “Kingdom Hall” in Marietta. I never really paid much attention; it was a napping time for me. Amazingly I did understand some of the stuff I heard.

It was during my teens and the abusive days of hell at home I would go to a Southern Baptist church in Powder Springs. I only went to get away from home. I was accepted for who I was except they didn’t have a clue as to how bad a child I was and treated me with kindness I never experienced at home. But, I had a secret and screw their kindness I would hold my breath…cause I just knew they were going to cut off my hands, pluck out my eyes and send me straight to hell when they really got to know me.

Like a dog who has been chained to a tree all it’s life, when I finally became an older teen, I knew that I knew it all…so I stopped listening to folks and rebelled. This of course brought the long arm of the law into my life, but I didn’t care cause everybody lied and had secrets too. At one point I got locked up in the juvie hall and in order to avoid lock downs would go to church. I always loved God and saw being with God better then here…but this church group did a pretty good job of beating me up with the bible and God’s wrath…I was an awful person wicked, evil and nasty and of course I had a secret.

I knew my faith was good, despite the guilt I could really move mountains with my child like faith. I would have dreams that came 100% true. It seemed God was right beside me no matter what. So this was when I decided my bisexuality was an infirmity from the devil and a possession of demons. My heart didn’t really believe that and for some reason they (church) couldn’t quite convince and beat that into me…call it me being hard headed or my stubborn ass self, but honestly if God was with me why was I bad. A voice in the back of my head kept saying, “your still going to hell for your sexuality.”

I have been in and out of jail at least 60 different times, each time while I was in coming back to God only to slide away when I got out. So I am pretty sure there is not much you, the church or anyone else can do for me or with me.

I tried to explain God didn't make a mistake in creating him, his sexuality was fine and if he would give God a chance that good would come out of all this. Today, I really believe that was the Holy Spirit talking because…

I left the jail with the promise of a return visit, but with a heart broken at the incredible pain this young man was in, and a mind which said he was really lost, he was doomed to a life of drugs and prison. Even worse there was nothing we could do for someone so far gone, so lost, so lacking in any direction at all.


A couple of weeks went by and I get a letter which by the return address one could tell it was from a prisoner. The opening line of the letter read like this:

“I just would like to thank you for the visit, that was the first time someone listen to me talk for so long and didn’t tell me I was a jerk or that I was getting what I deserved. I am confused as to when I would be seeing you again? You said you would come back for a visit and bring a Bible…but hey if you don’t come back it is OK, I understand…you are really not any different then the others. You are busy with people that really matter.”

In my study just to the left of my desk on the wall is an old painting of Jesus rescuing the lost sheep. It was if that picture screamed at me:

“If I got time for you, then you have time for him, no one is too lost!”

I went back to the jail the next day with my study bible from collage days in hand as my apology for not keeping my word.

When Corey got out of jail it was not long before he showed up at church, he was staying with a person from the church and looking for a job.

For a guy that had so much against him, he was also a gifted and talented man. He could adapt to situations quickly, was a quick learn and for the most part was comfortable with the congregation and felt at home because no one seem to care about where he had come from or why…they knew his heart and seemed to accept him for that.

He was a blessing to the church, he was young, wild, irreverent and full of life and wildly curious about serving God. He kept all of us on our toes and most of the time a smile on our faces.

We learned Corey had a special gift of being able to relate to people on the edge and fringes of life. This gift showed brightest in the volunteer work he did for “Habitat for Humanity”. He also gave time to the “Hallthorn Behavioral School” where he work with the mentally challenged, did field trips to the “Tommy Nobus Center”. He did the “Breast Cancer Walk” and worked with the “Orphan Foundation of America”

When he finally got a job at the “Smyrna Thrift” store he would clock in 1 minute late so he would be docked 15 mins of paid time of which went to the “Paralyzed Veterans”.

His last job was at Starbucks and while he was a challenge for management his co-workers loved and supported him unconditionally.

Corey was a jack-of-all-trades. At various times he served his community and congregation by cooking, doing repair work, yard work, antique refurbishing, woodworking, electrical work, small engine repair, cleaning, making small jewelry items and last but not least computer repair and computer building. All the work he did with computers was self taught and learned.

When another member of the church had a need for help and a roommate he moved in and within a short period of time had found a best friend, sister and companion for the good and bad times. They were inseparable. They shared a love for one another that was not only unconditional but also able to withstand each other's flaws that would have sent most other people in opposite directions in anger and disappointment.

There was no person or animal that was out of Corey's reach, or was too much trouble to help or didn't deserve his attention.

One night when Corey had gone out “dumpstering” (this is another blog story all by itself), he came across a kitten that had been dumped. Actually not just dumped but buried alive up to it's neck and left to die. He dug that cute little solid black kitty out, brought it home and nursed it back to health. “Mayfield” became his buddy and companion on Corey's nightly bike rides through the neighborhood. No, not in a crate or basket but sitting proudly on his shoulder enjoying the view and the man who had saved a precious life.

Another night Corey found an under-age run-away in the neighborhood and went above and beyond what most folks would do to get this child help and support.

His love for God and his understanding of Jesus Christ as his Savior brought him to the point of asking to be baptized and shortly afterwards entering Deacon training for the church.

In the time he was in training he developed and implanted a fund raising function for the church called the “Live-Tithe”. He used his dumpstering skills to find one person's junk and make it another person's treasure buy setting up an E-bay account and auctioning off the products.

Yet, the real story here is not all the good that he did but rather his love for God and desire to experience the full love of God trumped all of his short comings, all his challenges, all the dark self destructive behaviors.

Despite crack having a hold of him, despite a wild and independent streak which caused him untold grief and despite those moments of darkness where there was no one who could reach him; he with God holding him, walking and running with him brought him what is described in Acts 6:1-8

1In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."

5This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

7So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
Stephen Seized
8Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.

He made sure of his ability to get to God, he built a sanctuary in the back yard of the house where he lived…his roommates were married there. He built an alter in his bedroom where everyday depressed or not took “Holy Communion”.

Towards the end of his visit with us, he came to me and said he had found that special person who he knew would make him happy. This person made him feel alive and gave him reason to get up in the morning, a reason to look forward to each new day!

Yet, he was concerned for 3 reasons, one this person was his former music teacher from grade school and there was a significant age difference, what would people think? 2nd, it was a women and would I be supportive of that? Third he was afraid of blowing it.

We both had a good laugh over his first two concerns when I replied,

“When the hell did you start caring about what people think…and of course I understand that God doesn't give a damn about the gender of the one whom you fall in love with, so why would I?”

When he brought her to church the first time, when she met his roommates, his first two concerns vanished in an instant. She was beautiful in looks and in spirit and the effect she had on Corey was evident…this was God's gift to the two them that said loudly yes there is someone “special” for everyone if you just step away from yourself and let God work.

As to his third concern only time would have answered that question. Time that Corey didn't have. When Corey died suddenly at the end of September we all were left to wonder why? How could this happen? Why now just when for the first time in his life he was on top of the world, so ready and so willing to move ahead.

I am not even going to pretend to have the answers to those questions. I dare say anyone who would attempt to answer those questions on the pretense of making us all feel better is a fool. We will all know those answers in time but the time is not now.

However, what I do know is God taught our congregation and myself some very important lessons.

1. The story of King David is alive and well in today's world.
2. There is nothing too wild in a person's life to choose to give up on them.
3. Crazy is in the mind of the beholder and is every bit as important to a full and faithful life as what some call sane!
4. An independent life opens far more doors and opportunities to learn then it stops.

Yes, heaven gained an angel. Yes, we lost a son, a friend, a brother, an uncle, a lover, and a servant of God.

Yet, in that loss I would be re-missed if I didn't point out, in our loss we gained a hero…a hero that shows us once again nothing is impossible with God and in today's world that is a message we need to hold onto.

THREE VISITORS FROM GOD Part 1

I am going to tell you the story of 3 men who came into the midst of Gentle Spirit Christian Church who as it turns out were simply visitors sent to teach this congregation and I dare say me, some basic lessons of theology, life and the practice thereof.

Those lessons in the order of each man’s story: 1) “It’s about a relationship with God nothing more and nothing less”. 2) Crazy, Wild and Independent is cool with God” 3) Despite anger and severe pain you can love and serve God.

I will share these stories in 3 parts first because the total blog would be too long and second because I think each visit needs to stand on it’s own and cause us to ponder one story at a time.

Today, Charles Harris, Wednesday, Corey Matthew Hoblit and Saturday, the Reverend Warren B. Taylor.


Charles showed up at Candler Park as we were setting up for Sunday morning worship. He was cold, he was hungry and as it turned out homeless. He wanted to sample some of the sandwiches that would be served at the potluck picnic after worship.

Someone told him he was welcome to eat with the rest of us but he would have to wait till after service. His response? “I suppose I can endure the sermon.”

The sermon that day centered around the story of the “Prodigal son” and the climax of the story being the son returning home and God running to meet him and not caring about the confession of wrong doing, but calling for a celebration because the son had chosen to be in relationship with the Father. (Luke 15:11-24)

After service was over I went over to Charles, introduced myself and thanked him for staying for service. He said he enjoyed the service all the folks were cool. The sermon had done something to him and depending where he was he would come back the next week. What happen next would change his life and ours.

I asked him where he was staying. He pointed in a direction pass the golf course next to the park and in what appeared to be deep in the woods. “Pastor, I stay under a bridge.” “I got this problem…you see, ‘rock’ cost me my home, my family and job.” “I stay there cause the police don’t come back there and it is out of the weather.” “I got my ID stolen and I don’t have the money to replace it and nobody wants to talk to you without ID, so I am just trying to stay out of the way and get some food now and again.” “People are scared of me cause I don’t look so good and they think I’ll hurt them so they call the police if I try to get a little job here or there and now the ‘rock’ just gets me through the night, it’s not hard to find and others just share their stash.”

I stood in amazement at his honesty and directness. I asked him if he wanted something better, if he wanted to be off the street. He nodded. DUH! Of course he wanted something better! I felt so damn stupid and helpless because I also knew without ID and a crack problem there was going to be little the church could do.

He wasn’t gonna back to the big shelter in town because that’s where he got beat up and had his things stolen. We had given him a meal and would give him more if he came back…so…

Wanting to get out of the conversation, I said to him, “Charles, as long as you are using we can’t get you into a shelter that can really help you with getting permanent housing and a job.” We need to know you are serious about us helping, so tell you what; Come back next week having not used for the week and I will get you off the street.” “You gotta decide if you want to be the son from today’s message.”

Charles thank me for listening to him and thank us for the food and told us he would see us next week as he was scooping up the last of the sandwiches.

A member of the pastoral staff looked at me at said, “you sure didn’t try very hard to help.” I defensively said, “What are we suppose to do? He is using crack, by this time next week he will be somewhere else or in jail.”

Well the long and short of it was the next week came and who showed up for service? Yup, Charles, and he seemed to be in a good mood saying he wanted to “just praise God today”.

We got to Prayer and Praise time and Charles raised his hand to share praise. “I want to praise God cause today I am seven days clean and I know God just wants me to be with him.”

I sat there and listen to Charles talk about how the folks here in the park helped him make the choice to “come home” and how he “praised God cause the Pastor was gonna get me a place to live”.

Needless to say, I was now making a call on my cell phone to see if I could get Charles an interview at the “Clifton Sanctuary”. I explained the whole story to them and they agreed to meet him on Monday. By Monday evening Charles was a resident of the Clifton shelter and their program.

Within 3 weeks of getting into the shelter Charles had a job and had found a permanent place to live. Every Sunday for the next 52 weeks Charles was in church every Sunday without fail and come prayer and praise time would praise God for whatever number of weeks it was of his sobriety. He would tell everybody and anybody who would listen that knowing God loved him unconditionally was a break through. Knowing that God wanted to be in relationship with him was enough to stay sober, to keep working, to keep praising God.

He would explain he had been to church before but always came away with the feeling he wasn’t good enough. In order to be good enough he had to change who he was to what they thought he should be, confess how bad he is and follow the church rules or it wasn’t a real change.

He talked about how one church he went to wouldn’t give him “Holy Communion” because he was not legally married to the girl he was living with and because he had a drinking problem.

If you got into a deep conversation with him he would bring up a this quote from scripture:

“The son started his speech: 'Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son ever again.'
"But the father wasn't listening. He was calling to the servants, 'Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him.”

Now he didn’t always quote it exact but he always made the point, “My life changed with those words saying God wanted me and I didn’t have to confess anything!”

Charles died this past spring. He was 47 years old and the years of drug and alcohol abuse took its lethal toll on his body.

Charles did not pass out of our lives here on earth before he taught us that what redeems us, what saves us, what strengthens us and what sustains us is the relationships we build and accept. It is about not letting life get in the way of our relationship with God and each other. The first and most important step for a people of faith is desire to be in relationship with God and by virtue of this relationship with each other.

It is with this desire in place the President of the United States seems to gets it:

“Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.”

There is no building of anything if there are no relationships first…there are no relationships that will last if they are preoccupied with the past.

I thank God for this prophet, this man of God sent our way to remind us each and everyday “It’s about a relationship with God nothing more and nothing less”.

An Intentional Choice

In writing this blog I have attempted to not re-run a previous blog. However, with this said I (we) have gotten a boatload of questions concerning our church making an intentional choice to be outside.

Most of the questions are heart felt around weather issues, while others are digging deep to see if in fact we have lost our minds. There have been a couple of comments which have point blank stated we were never going to grow and they were waiting to hear of our demise.

Since, I seem to have more followers of this blog and readers in general I thought it was time to answer these questions again...so without further delay:

I got a call today from one of my friends that I have not seen for a long time. Stacy who is a very conservative Christian was concerned about my state of mind. She has never liked the fact I was gay and has spent the last 30 years or so praying God would turn me into butch straight man. Right, like that was going to happen!

She has gone through 4 husbands to date…so maybe…nah not going there!

She had “bumped” into our website and after being horrified we don’t think “homosexuals” are going to burn in hell and her heart almost stopped when she read our mission statement.

Then she saw where we were worshipping, not just occasionally but 52 weeks out of the year.

She almost yelled at me, “your church services are held in a park…outside…without walls…where everybody can see who you are…have you lost your mind?” Don’t you know that if you are going to be a church and preach all this stuff that will piss good Christian people off, you should be inside where it is safe?”

Well the long and short of it was I got her calmed down and we had a great conversation about why we moved outside and how the biggest desire of this congregation besides serving God was to “walk the talk”.

After I hung up I wondered how many other people think I (we) are insane. Maybe that is why growth has been a little slow…it takes guts to worship in a public park. I say it takes guts because of

1. The weather-there is sometimes too much heat, other times not nearly enough heat. Of course there are the times the roof (sky) leaks rather substantially. Of course then there is the wind. Things can and do blow around.

2. In the spring and summer there are plenty of ants, gnats, flies and mosquitoes, the occasional bee or wasp.

3. There are lots of other people in the park, with their kids laughing and carrying on. Cars coming and going.

4. The city garbage people managed to show up each week to empty the trashcans around the pavilion during our worship time.

5. There is a huge soccer league just across from us, which gets pretty loud sometimes.

6. There are also the strange looks you get from some folks as they walk by…

So yea I guess it takes some guts to meet outside for church. It takes a person really choosing to be there. It takes a willingness to let God be the decorator, rather then some architect. It takes a conscience choice to dress for the weather rather then for people’s approval.

It means being committed each time you come to bring food for the picnic after church rather then having some committee sign people up to serve coffee and cookies after service.

It means that anyone and I do mean anyone can show up for church and not look out of place. It also means that an important part of the congregation on any given Sunday is our pets.

It means you know where most of Jesus' ministry took place.

It also means one is willing to practice their faith right out in the open for everyone to see.

This also means that the walls that keep many folks out of church are now gone.

Over the years the church buildings and what goes on inside out of sight from the world has come to represent for some people the worst of Christianity.

You have rules for dress.

Rules for who is and isn’t a member.

Rules for who can be in the building and when.

Rules for when the building will actually be unlocked and available for prayer or meditation. I have to say most buildings are locked up tight all week and only open on Sunday.

Rules as to what groups can and cannot use the building.

Rules for building use-“we can’t have homosexuals, drug addicts, homeless people, transgender, drunks, non-bible believing Christians, or other unrepentant sinners occupying the property”.

My God, the fights…fights over whose property is it anyway? Think I am kidding, just ask any Episcopal, Lutheran, United Methodist or Presbyterian.

Fights over who gave more to the building fund and therefore should have more say in the building use.

Fights over the way the building should look; the fancier the better…the bigger the better.

Fights over the signage; what kind, how big, what should it say?

Fights over how the decorations will be placed or should there be decorations.

Fights over the flowers each week and what kind of flowers or plants he or she will bring.

The list is endless and when you really stop and think about all of the afore mentioned stuff, it really gets in the way of the message and what church is suppose to be about.

I guess it is pretty hard to worship God when you are upset about what happened at a trustees meeting and you find yourself sitting somewhere other then your special pew by your favorite stain glass window.

Maybe I have lost my mind but I think I prefer God’s house to worship in.

God’s house is decorated to perfection every Sunday. The seasonal church colors take care of themselves.

Even if nobody volunteers to be in the choir, each Sunday in God’s house there is a choir from the birds, kids laughter and the wind through the trees.

We have truly learned what it is to make a joyful noise!

In God’s house passer-bys stop for a moment to say hello, meet the pets or wait till a prayer is finished.

In God’s house folks feel free to share a bite to eat.

In God’s house it will never be locked and is always available for prayer, walks or some alone time.

In God’s house there is room for any and all who want to come. There are no doors, windows or walls to block the movement of the Holy Spirit.

In God’s house there is wild, crazy and wonderful feeling of peace, community and solitude all at the same time.

In God's house we have given the opportunity to meet and get to know some of the most unique and beautiful people of God's creation, who have taught us far more about unconditional love then we would have ever experianced inside.

If this is insanity then it not such a bad place to be!

The Time Has Come...

I am way far behind with my writing. I am way far behind with my reading. I am even further behind with reading my e-mail. Reasons for this? They are far too many to mention in this blog and besides it would read like I was whining.

So imagine my surprise and anger when I did sit down to catch up my e-mail there was more then just a few e-mail and a letter or two telling me I was not a real pastor, calling me all sorts of names and blasting our church's ministry because I am gay. One e-mail went so far as to say the only reason we work with the homeless was so we could recruit them to the homosexual agenda...I kid you not.

Then I came across Bishop Shelby Spong's e-mail. Some of my clergy friends will tell you I am nothing short of a heretic because Bishop Spong is a hero of mine. He has always had a knack for cutting through all the b***s*** of theology and just lay it out there for all to see and do with it as one saw fit. He has got guts, he is real... he is my kind of pastor.

Sorry, I digress...he wrote a manifesto concerning LGBTQI folks. At the end he encouraged others to join him in this public declaration.

So today, I join with Bishop Shelby Spong in making this public declaration, this creed. Now of course there are some spots that are not applicable to me so I either deleted them or added my own thought. If it is my own personal thought I have made sure that it is in bold. Enjoy...

A Manifesto! The Time Has Come!

I have made a decision. I will no longer debate the issue of homosexuality in the church with anyone. I will no longer engage the biblical ignorance that emanates from so many right-wing Christians about how the Bible condemns homosexuality, as if that point of view still has any credibility.

I will no longer discuss with them or listen to them tell me how homosexuality is "an abomination to God," about how homosexuality is a "chosen lifestyle," or about how through prayer and "spiritual counseling" homosexual persons can be "cured." Those arguments are no longer worthy of my time or energy.

I will no longer dignify by listening to the thoughts of those who advocate "reparative therapy," as if homosexual persons are somehow broken and need to be repaired.

I will no longer talk to those who believe that the unity of the church can or should be achieved by rejecting the presence of, or at least at the expense of, gay and lesbian people.

I will no longer take the time to refute the unlearned and undocumentable claims of certain world religious leaders who call homosexuality "deviant."

I will no longer listen to that pious sentimentality that certain Christian leaders continue to employ, which suggests some version of that strange and overtly dishonest phrase that "we love the sinner but hate the sin." That statement is, I have concluded, nothing more than a self-serving lie designed to cover the fact that these people hate homosexual persons and fear homosexuality itself, but somehow know that hatred is incompatible with the Christ they claim to profess, so they adopt this face-saving and absolutely false statement.

I will no longer temper my understanding of truth in order to pretend that I have even a tiny smidgen of respect for the appalling negativity that continues to emanate from religious circles where the church has for centuries conveniently perfumed its ongoing prejudices against blacks, Jews, women and homosexual persons with what it assumes is "high-sounding, pious rhetoric." The day for that mentality has quite simply come to an end for me. I will personally neither tolerate it nor listen to it any longer.

The world has moved on, leaving these elements of the Christian Church that cannot adjust to new knowledge or a new consciousness lost in a sea of their own irrelevance. They no longer talk to anyone but themselves.

I will no longer seek to slow down the witness to inclusiveness by pretending that there is some middle ground between prejudice and oppression. There isn't. Justice postponed is justice denied. That can be a resting place no longer for anyone. An old civil rights song proclaimed that the only choice awaiting those who cannot adjust to a new understanding was to "Roll on over or we'll roll on over you!" Time waits for no one.

I will particularly ignore those who continue to challenge the legitimacy of my relationship with my husband. We are married and have been for going on 28 years. I will continue to work for the laws which will recognize the privileges that go with marriage in this country. I will no longer try to explain, defend or debate or comfort people with special words which say everything but marriage. In the eyes of our church, my friends, my family we are married. If there are those who disagree or don't like this form of marriage, that is just too damn bad.

In my personal life, I will no longer listen to televised debates conducted by "fair-minded" channels that seek to give "both sides" of this issue "equal time." I am aware that these stations no longer give equal time to the advocates of treating women as if they are the property of men or to the advocates of reinstating either segregation or slavery, despite the fact that when these evil institutions were coming to an end the Bible was still being quoted frequently on each of these subjects. It is time for the media to announce that there are no longer two sides to the issue of full humanity for gay and lesbian people. There is no way that justice for homosexual people can be compromised any longer.

I will no longer act as if the Papal office is to be respected if the present occupant of that office is either not willing or not able to inform and educate himself on public issues on which he dares to speak with embarrassing ineptitude.

I am not the pastor of a "gay church", I am the pastor of a church who is trying to walk with and live out the full meaning of Jesus' words in Matthew 25:31-40.

I will dismiss as unworthy of any more of my attention the wild, false and uninformed opinions of such would-be religious leaders as Pat Robertson, James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, Jimmy Swaggart, Albert Mohler, and Robert Duncan. My country and my church have both already spent too much time, energy and money trying to accommodate these backward points of view when they are no longer even tolerable.

I make these statements because it is time to move on. The battle is over. The victory has been won. There is no reasonable doubt as to what the final outcome of this struggle will be. Homosexual people will be accepted as equal, full human beings, who have a legitimate claim on every right that both church and society have to offer any of us. Homosexual marriages will become legal, recognized by the state and pronounced holy by the church. "Don't ask, don't tell" will be dismantled as the policy of our armed forces. We will and we must learn that equality of citizenship is not something that should ever be submitted to a referendum. Equality under and before the law is a solemn promise conveyed to all our citizens in the Constitution itself. Can any of us imagine having a public referendum on whether slavery should continue, whether segregation should be dismantled, whether voting privileges should be offered to women? The time has come for politicians to stop hiding behind unjust laws that they themselves helped to enact, and to abandon that convenient shield of demanding a vote on the rights of full citizenship because they do not understand the difference between a constitutional democracy, which this nation has, and a "mobocracy," which this nation rejected when it adopted its constitution. We do not put the civil rights of a minority to the vote of a plebiscite.

I will also no longer act as if I need a majority vote of some ecclesiastical body in order to bless, ordain, recognize and celebrate the lives and gifts of gay and lesbian people in the life of the church. No one should ever again be forced to submit the privilege of citizenship in this nation or membership in the Christian Church to the will of a majority vote. The majority opinion did not bring me into this world nor will the majority opinion be needed for my service and relationship to God.

The battle in both our culture and our church to rid our souls of this dying prejudice is finished. A new consciousness has arisen. A decision has quite clearly been made. Inequality for gay and lesbian people is no longer a debatable issue in either church or state. Therefore, I will from this moment on refuse to dignify the continued public expression of ignorant prejudice by engaging it. I do not tolerate racism or sexism any longer. From this moment on, I will no longer tolerate our culture's various forms of homophobia or transphobia. I do not care who it is who articulates these attitudes or who tries to make them sound holy with religious jargon.

I have been part of this debate for years, but things do get settled and this issue is now settled for me. I do not debate any longer with members of the "Flat Earth Society" either. I do not debate with people who think we should treat epilepsy by casting demons out of the epileptic person; I do not waste time engaging those medical opinions that suggest that bleeding the patient might release the infection. I do not converse with people who think that Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans as punishment for the sin of being the birthplace of Ellen DeGeneres or that the terrorists hit the United Sates on 9/11 because we tolerated homosexual people, abortions, feminism or the American Civil Liberties Union. I am tired of being embarrassed by so much of my church's participation in causes that are quite unworthy of the Christ I serve or the God whose mystery and wonder I appreciate more each day. Indeed I feel the Christian Church should not only apologize, but do public penance for the way we have treated people of color, women, adherents of other religions and those we designated heretics, as well as gay and lesbian people. In addition this public penance is due to our trans, questioning and intersexed community as well.

Life moves on. As the poet James Russell Lowell once put it more than a century ago: "New occasions teach new duties, Time makes ancient good uncouth." I am ready now to claim the victory. I will from now on assume it and live into it. I am unwilling to argue about it or to discuss it as if there are two equally valid, competing positions any longer. The day for that mentality has simply gone forever.

This is my manifesto and my creed. I proclaim it today. I invite others to join me in this public declaration. I believe that such a public outpouring will help cleanse both the church and this nation of its own distorting past. It will restore integrity and honor to both church and state. It will signal that a new day has dawned and we are ready not just to embrace it, but also to rejoice in it and to celebrate it.
– John Shelby Spong

Finally, to my friends who are in transition, questioning or intersexed who may feel left out of this manifesto, please remember I am agreeing with the author and sharing it with the public. I did not feel totally comfortable changing all the Bishop's wording. So understand clearly where one sees the words gay and lesbian for me this clearly means: gay, lesbian, bi, transgender, questioning and intersexed.

I have a delete button, a TV remote complete with a channel changer, the ability to block out radio stations and TV stations, and the ability to spend my money and time where I am treated with respect, decency and dignity. So today more then ever for me it will be about "doing justice, acting mercifully and walking humbly with God".

Today more then ever for me it will be about feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and in prisoned.

Therefore today I now say if you have a problem with my sexual orientation, gender identity or theology, God bless you and may you get over yourself soon.