God and the church aren't the same thing

With all the news lately of churches promoting the vote to take away marriage equality, and on top of that the history of how many times churches have divided and excluded instead of invited and included, many queer people find it hard to reconcile their religious practice with their sexual orientation.

I still struggle with wanting to be part of a Roman Catholic faith community that, at least from the hierarchy of the Church, not infrequently issues statements and teachings that I am disordered or that my unchosen sexual orientation is not what God or nature intended.

Why do I stick with the Catholic Church? The Church in my eyes is not just the Vatican and not just the hierarchy. The Church to me is the tradition, the ritual, and most important all the people that make up the community of believers and worshipers struggling in ways as similar and varied as my own struggles and life journey. I stick with my faith because I believe that God is bigger than the hurtful distractions and the good experiences I have had with my faith communities and parishes and people do reach out with open arms to welcome all.

Thank God for--in some circles--an expanding idea of how God's love might be expressed by faith communities. The Episcopalian Church's Bishop Gene Robinson speaks some healing words of wisdom:

"First and foremost, that stewardship [opportunity to be an openly gay bishop at this time in history] involves reaching out to gay and lesbian people who have been “damaged” by the church, and inviting them back into the fold.

Gay people have been abused, really, by the church, and just mindlessly suggesting that they go back is like telling an abused spouse to go back to her husband. But what I say is that God and the church aren't the same thing. The church has gotten this and many other things wrong. God hasn't gotten it wrong.

Moreover, the church that you left may not be the church that's there now. There has been a lot of change. It doesn't mean that every church is safe, but there are enough safe places that gay and lesbian people can find a place that will really welcome them." [SXNews]