So I recently saw the new award winning film, 'For the Bible Tells Me So' and I was really really happy with the way the film was presented. I thoroughly enjoyed the film and was pleased that someone else out there finally put these thoughts onto film.
I can't tell you how many times I've had to defend my Christianity and my liberalism and support for gay rights. Supposedly those three things don't make sense together. So that's why it was so great to see someone finally put this big national discussion on film.
'For the Bible' talks to five conservative christian families who have gay/lesbian children and how they've tried to deal with it, since the Bible tells them this is wrong, and a choice, etc.
The film also talks with some religious leaders and religious educators about how we can't read the Bible literally right now, in our current time frame. They discuss the passages that were written thousands of years ago and discuss how they were written in a completely different context and under a different set of laws.
For example, one main point of the film they discussed was abomination. In the Bible it says if a man lies with another man... so on.. it's an abomination. Well turns out under Leviticus text and definition, abomination back then didn't mean the worst possible thing ever, it meant against ritual. So what they were saying, was just that a man lying with another man was against their ritual. Not that you should be ashamed and put to death and blah blah.
One of the families, a conservative Lutheran family, after some research, accepted their son's homosexuality and now fight against conservative Christians for gay rights in the church.
Another family, accepted their daughter right away, saying they kind of knew, and the father, a politician, welcomed and had his daughter work with him on his presidential campaign.
Another family, still does not support their daughters choices, but the mother does now accept her daughter's 'friendship' but doesn't want to think of her sex life or consider them spouses.
The saddest of the families was a mother who initially did not like her daughter's choice and wrote her daughter a letter saying she would never support her decision, but still loved her. The daughter committed suicide. Now the mom has done research and spoken to different churches and people and now supports gay rights and fights for them now too, using her discrimination as an example for people to move forward with.
Overall the film speaks volumes. It points out that Jesus loved all outcasts, no matter if they were diseased, prostitutes, etc. So why do so called 'Christians' continue to outcast their own. If they were true Christians they would accept everyone with a whole heart. And not use their campaign to bring in millions and millions of dollars for themselves. If they were real Christians, they would send that money to countries who really need it, not use it to buy themselves mansions.
Well those are my two cents. I encourage everyone to get out and see 'For the Bible Tells Me So'. The website is forthebibletellsmeso.org. The name of the film with .org after it.
Until next time...
