FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO...Do you believe it?

We heard from our friend, Dan Karslake a couple of days ago. He wrote, "I wanted to let you know that my film, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO, will be screening in the Seattle International Film Festival on June 3rd and 4th. I’ll be there for both screenings so I’d love to see you! I know that you travel almost constantly, so I won’t be surprised if you’re somewhere else during that time…but just in case, I wanted to let you know!"

The good news is that we will be in town and are going down for the screening! Dan's film was one of only 16 documentaries accepted by the Sundance Film Festival this past year. Check out the Seattle International Film Festival for the details about the screenings.

Every time I hear the title of his movie, I love it, and also think, "When will our community actually start believing it?" Dan's movie is a great step in helping folks who are "wrestling" with their understanding. These folks who are attempting to reconcile their beliefs and understanding of homosexuality with who we are, no matter what their sexual orientation. Toxic religion has impacted people of any sexual orienation, making it difficult to either accept others or to accept oneself. Either way, it is a shame that God's words have been used in such a manner.

Speaking of the Bible...Lars Clausen in his book, Straight Into Gay America, says it best...

I'm loving this DC week. Inside the beltway, inside the nerve center of our country, I'm finding edges all over the place, feeling at home here. My Sunday morning unicycle ride ends at Luther Place, a congregation known across the country for putting justice at the front of its mission. They have shelters for homeless. They started the nation-wide Lutheran Volunteer Corps. They advocate for queer inclusion. On a stone outside Luther place is a quote from the Bible, from Leviticus, from Rabbi Namath's Old Testament. Not the gay-bashing quote. It's not the condemning biblical reference I've heard all through this ride, about men lying with men being an abomination. No, this quote comes from the very next chapter. A second benediction.

When strangers sojourn
with you in your land,
you shall not do them wrong.
The s trangers who sojourn
with you shall be to you
as the native among you,
and you shall love them as yourself:
for I am the Lord Your God.

What if...what if...what if...we chose this verse to hold as literal truth?

Yes, "What if?" May each of you see the light within that can then shine out upon each of us, helping to light our path. Dotti