Why do you say that "God is against gays"?

Reflections by Jay Michaelson* taken from his book "God vs. Gay?: The religious Case for Equality"(God is against gays? A religious case in favor of equality), Beacon Press, 2011. Freely translated by the volunteers of the Gionata project

The myth that "God is against gays" is precisely this: a myth. It is not true, it is not supported by the scriptures and is denied every day by the life of homosexual believers. Still, it is one of the most widespread and harmful falsehoods today, and more different people believe it.

Religious conservatives, lay liberals and millions of people belonging to the entire panorama of political and religious opinions on this theme are talking about without listening to each other, animatingly agreeing on the fact that one should choose between "gay rights" or traditional religion, between the Constitution or the Bible.

People in favor of LGBTQ+ rights cannot understand how someone can oppose the reception of people or osexuals, while those who oppose cannot conceive how millenary traditions can be changed. The debate thus remains blocked.

Even worse, this conflict is also internal, within each of us who has the conflict between his sexuality and religion.

I worked in the LGBTQ+ religious communities for over a decade and, in this period, I met thousands of people injured by what they perceive as a conflict between religion and homosexuality. I offered support to divided families, to LGBT+ people whose parents meet them at the supermarket but pretend they don't exist.

Before being able to reconcile my sexuality with my spirituality, I also tried that conflict and I asked myself why God had cursed me.

As long as the false choice between God and being gay, our brothers, sisters, cousins ​​and friends will continue to exist, they will continue to suffer, torment themselves and be excluded from their families and their communities of faith. All this is useless.

Believers should support equality, inclusion and dignity for sexual minorities precisely by virtue of their religious traditions, not despite them.

Not only does the Bible says what some support, but the Bible and centuries of religious teachings in traditional Christian and Jewish traditional support to what are sometimes defined as "gay rights".

You got it right: gay idiots. Although there are half a dozen biblical verses that could say something about some forms of behavior between people of the same sex, what they say is ambiguous, limited and widely misunderstood.

In the meantime, there are hundreds of other verses that teach us the importance of love, justice and sacred relationships.

I know that it may seem unusual or even heretic to say it, but after in -depth research (both within my Jewish tradition and, as a scholar of religion and interreligious activist, in many Christian traditions), after years of inner reflection and years of work with homosexual believers, I sincerely believe that our shared religious values ​​call us to support equality, dignity and full inclusion of sexual and gender minorities, of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

So if you are a person who confronts religion and homosexuality; If you are questioning your sexuality; If you are trying to reconcile your faith with the sexuality of a friend or a family member; If you are a shepherd who tries to remain faithful to his ideals but to be compassionate towards his parishioners; Or, regardless of your religious or non -religious opinions, if you are worried about the harmful and polarizing tone of the discussions on homosexuality, I understand you. I was like you. And these words are for you.

To tell the truth, these words are for me too. Before I declare myself openly, I was sure that living my homosexuality openly would have marked the end of my life of faith.

I was a practicing Orthodox Jew, and my religion gave meaning and structure to my life. But I repressed my sexuality, only occasionally and regretting regretting immediately afterwards, and I tried for years to change myself.

In the end, after ten years of life closed in the wardrobe "(Closet) as gay - an all too good metaphor to describe the lie to themselves and others, or having to do it - I had enough.

Pain, isolation, loneliness and shame had become so great - bankruptcy relationships with women, discussions with God, hatred of myself in order not to change - they had led me to decide to give up my religion for the good of my happiness.

But what I discovered was a shock: making coming out was the door for me to discover true love, faith and joy.

My relationship with God and with my religious community has become stronger than ever. My spiritual path started to unfold, my life of prayer has awakened and my love for other human beings has slowly begun to blossom and expand.

The phrase that "God is against gays" has had very hard personal consequences for me, and I wrote these words both to save other people from hell that I have experienced, and to clarify and put for hydrated what I have learned over the years, that is, that "God is against gays" is not only a false dichotomy but an open rebellion against the welcoming image of God. (...)

*Jay Michaelson is a writer, journalist, professor and American rabbi, known for his LGBTQ+ activism and for his commitment to promote interreligious dialogue. He is the author of numerous books and collaborates with CNN and Rolling Stone as a commentator. He won the National Jewish Book Award for non -fiction in 2023 and the New York Society for Professional Journalists Award for writing opinion. He founded Nehirim, a Jewish LGBTQ+Jewish organization.

Original text: Introduction