Are homosexuals welcome in the kingdom of God?

Last August my husband and I went to a Town Hall panel discussion in downtown Phoenix sponsored by the HRC. It was truly a memorable evening and we could not have been in more inspiring company. The main theme of the evening was spirituality and covered many different facets of that theme as they pertained to the GLBT community.

The panel leading the discussion was magnificent, a veritable who’s who of big names. Some of the speakers there that night were: Joe Solmonese, president of HRC, Daniel Karslake, Producer/Director/Writer of a soon to be released movie called “For The Bible Tells Me So”, and David Ragan, a pastor and leader in a heroic local group called No Longer Silent - Clergy for Justice, a wonderful organization of faith leaders across the state of Arizona who stand up for the GLBT community and counter the Christian intolerance that leads to so much of the condemnation, discrimination, and hatred targeted at gays and lesbians.

The discussion that night touched on so many topics near and dear to my heart, but for the purposes of this post, I want to focus on one particular segment of the discussion that night, the movie, “For The Bible Tells Me So”.

My husband and I left the Town Hall meeting that night so beside ourselves with excitement and anticipation over this movie, that on our way out we pulled out the checkbook and made a donation. We had to know that in some small way we were doing our part to help ensure this movie would eventually become a reality. And guess what??? It’s a reality! :

A film to watch out for is coming to SUNDANCE:

Are homosexuals welcome in the kingdom of God? For centuries, the Bible has been used to sanction discrimination, repression, and injustice. It has justified slavery, empowered segregation, and excused the subjugation of women--and the tradition continues. Same tactics, new target. Today a handful of religious passages are constantly exploited to validate hatred and violence against homosexuals.

Filmmaker Daniel Karslake explores the way religious conservatives have systematically misled the public into believing that the Bible forbids homosexuality and how this campaign of misinterpretation continues to stigmatize the gay community and threaten America's rapidly diminishing separation of church and state. With a keen sense of irony, Karslake focuses on the family. Through the unfolding of five very moving stories of Christian families with a gay or lesbian member and the reflections of major biblical scholars, the film examines what, if anything, the Bible actually says about homosexuality as we know it today.

Skillfully constructed, painstakingly researched, wielding whimsical animation and a proudly unapologetic point of view, For the Bible Tells Me So explores the intersection of religion and homosexuality in America today, concluding that, perhaps, hatred is the greatest abomination of all.

There is a bunch more about this movie here and about the people who made the whole thing happen here. It’s pretty interesting. And for heaven sakes go see the movie when it finally gets to the theaters. It is going to be great. Take it from me ---- I’m an investor ---- kinda, sorta.