Tell the Southern Baptist Convention: Apologize for the Harm Caused to LGBT People

[Ian David]

Tell the Southern Baptist Convention: Apologize for the Harm Caused to LGBT People

Today, our social consciousness again is awakening to the grave injustice that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans have faced and continue to face because of certain religious teachings which places a stamp of moral condemnation and rejection on their very being, especially LGBT youth.

June 15, 2011 marks the 16-year anniversary of such a moment in the history of one of this nation's largest religious denominations, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), as it acknowledged its role in justifying and promoting prejudice and discrimination toward African-Americans, some of whom are LGBT and continue to experience discrimination from the SBC.

We believe the time is right to move toward reconciliation with the LGBT community. While we cannot make direct comparisons to different forms of discrimination, most Americans today recognize religion-based bigotry is often an unfortunate common denominator in struggles for human dignity and equality.

Next week, as the Southern Baptist Convention holds its annual meeting in Phoenix, we call upon its churches and congregants to recognize how stigma, prejudice, and discrimination against LGBT people has been justified and promoted within its institution and by outside forces working to influence its churches and congregants.

Given the arc of justice and the trajectory of history, there is no doubt the SBC will at some point offer a full apology to the LGBT community. We are hopeful that a process of reconciliation will begin today.

More:
http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/6535/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=7147

[xchrom]

1. Recommend

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

2. Thankfully, they are declining in numbers...

<snip>

Baptisms in the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation's largest Protestant denomination, have dipped to their lowest point in 60 years, according to a new report.

Last year, there were 332,321 baptisms in the church, which is 17,416 less than 2009, according to the report from Nashville-based LifeWay Christian Resources. There was only one baptism for every 48 Southern Baptists in the country in 2010. Sixty years ago, there one baptism per every 19 church members. In eight out of 10 years, the number of baptisms performed have declined.

</snip>

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/12/southern-baptists-fewest-baptisms-since-1950s-losing-members_n_875472.html

As someone who grew up in the Southern Baptist tradition, I tell you that there is no love lost. Regardless of their "apology" for supporting slavery, racial discrimination, misogyny, Xenophobia, and homophobia, they are what they are: BIGOTS!!!

Note: When I moved to Maryland, I joined a Baptist church that broke away from the Southern Baptist Convention because my church disavowed bigotry and refused to denounce the LGBT community. I was so proud of my church and other churches like it in this area that followed suite and formed a separate progressive Baptist community.

I no longer attend church; I just don't find it necessary.

[msongs]

3. to humanity in general nt

[white_wolf]

4. I went to a strict Southern Baptist School for grades 6-11.

For about a year in sixth grade I bought their crap, but eventually grew up and realized it was bullshit. Now I'm considering Buddhism. I like my spiritual paths logical and and free of bigotry and dogma.