WWJD? Gay Youth Show Baptist Louisiana College Some Love

There are so many things I would like to say about the Soulforce Equality Ride's visit to Louisiana College (LC) last night (10/22/08). However, I can't get past the one moment when my heart was shattered. I don't say "shattered" lightly. 

We were originally going to visit Louisiana College just like we do any other school. However, after Hurricane Gustav (which happened this past August) the Equality Ride agreed we needed to aid our brothers and sisters instead of having the much needed dialogue about the Bible, gender, creating safe places, and sexuality. After deciding this, our visit to LC was only going to be one day of doing community service work.

We volunteered at a local Food Bank and asked if LC would send about 14 students to work with us. To make a long story short, they declined by saying they didn't care about the Food Bank. After hearing this we felt we needed to hold a candle light vigil at LC's campus. The vigil was planned very last minute but we knew it needed to be done. Our presence and voices needed to be felt and heard for the current gay, lesbian, bisexual, and/or transgender students of Louisiana College that have no presence or voice because of their current policy which silences those students with fear.

We arrived to LC around 8:30 p.m. at night. We were greeted with well over 100 students, news cameras, reporters, and police. We immediately organized ourselves for the two hour vigil. The first 50 minutes were spent in silence. During this time of silence there were a few students walking behind us praying for us; they even laid hands on one Rider, asking God to "exorcise the demons" out of him.

After we ended our moment of silence we began to sing songs. A few community members shared stories with those of us in the vigil line. Shortly after, we extended a invitation for conversation to the 100+ students standing approx. 30ft from us.

No one came forward. This is when my heart began to break.

Not too much longer one of the Riders stepped forward to introduce herself and explain the reason why she was there and why it was important to her. After her another Rider stepped forward to introduce herself, share her favorite color, and why she was there. Another Rider stepped forward and shared the following verse, "I was a stranger, and you welcomed me . . ." (Matthew 25:35).  One Rider shared a very personal and sensitive story of a friend who took his life this past summer because he was told he could not be gay and a Christian. One Rider even directly addressed the one student who had the courage to lay their hand on one of us and ask God to "exorcise the demons." He wouldn't even acknowledge her. Still nothing. Not a single student came forward.

I felt compelled to speak in this moment: "Louisiana College, my name is Azariah. I believe that the Spirit of God is moving and this movement is one of love, acceptance, and inclusion. Remember Jesus was inclusive not exclusive. We have come to you today, will you come to us?" Although I no longer felt I was going to erupt with emotions after speaking, no one came forward. In fact, many students started to walk away or turn their backs to us. There were even people still snickering and others driving by shouting out rude comments.

It was in that moment that my heart crumbled.

I was raised in church hearing that we needed to take the gospel outside the "four walls," love everyone, and treat everyone as if they were Jesus. Instead, in this critical moment, they wanted to stare from afar and remain in their comfort zones.

If we work with LC's perception of sin then last night was THE perfect opportunity for them to fulfill the most important command given by Jesus (Matthew 22:36-40). The command for us to love is what the whole law of God hangs upon. Even though this command is the very foundation of our faith and why Jesus died, not a single person from Louisiana College attempted to show that love which is the cornerstone of Christianity.

I have never felt so hurt by people who label themselves "Christians." Once again, I am so happy that I have a revelation of who Jesus is and a understanding of his love. If I did not have this and my only understanding of Jesus was that displayed by "Christians," I would never have anything to do with Christianity or anything that resembled it. The thought that kept going through my head during this time was:

"If tonight was my only opportunity to witness Christ, I would have never seen Him."

I keep reverting back to the feeling of my heart being broken and the feeling after that is to vomit out of disgust. I'm disgusted by their performance of Christianity and their lack to walk it out. Their actions honestly made me sick but also challenges me that much harder to be the love of Christ to everyone I encounter and know in my own life. I challenge Louisiana College to do the same.

Louisiana College, I leave you with this... As humans we respond out of two feelings, fear or love. Which will you choose?

[Soulforce's Equality Ride is a traveling forum that gives young adults the chance to deconstruct injustice and the rhetoric that sustains it. It allows emerging young leaders to unite in the struggle for common equality. They need to raise another $25,000 in the next two weeks: DONATE HERE]

Comments

[Clayton]

Azariah, if that night was your only opportunity to witness Christ, you would have seen him in the MIRROR, and in the faces of the other Riders.

[Karla]

Azariah, I am a graduate of LC and I want to apologize for the way you were treated. It breaks my heart to think that I place I used to love so much would treat visitors with anything but respect. I am so inspired by what you are doing. Please know that LC hasn't always been this way. It is my prayer what LC will one day be a place of love and understanding as it once was. I am a Christian, and I can tell by your passion that you are a Christian also. I hope that you continue on this journey of hope for so many out there afraid to be who they are!

[Catherine]

I'm sorry for your experience at LC and please know, there were probably students who wanted to come forward and talk to you but ABSOLUTELY couldn't. LC teaches that you can't be a Christian and a gay person - that gay people are no more than an abomination of a morally bankrupt society. I know, I went to LC while I was initially confused about being a lesbian. It simply was not a safe environment to come out in; I felt that I couldn't trust anyone and was afraid that I would be subject to disciplinary action if anyone found out. So to protect my secret, I became militant in my attitude against gay people, quoting all those tired, misunderstood scriptures, all the while dying inside because I was gay. Take heart when people abuse you, they may be the people who need your presence the most. I wish someone had told me that you could be gay and a Christian while I was at LC - it would have saved me so many years of shame and grief. Your work is so important because you are giving someone on that campus hope. You exposing everyone to the truth that some gay people ARE Christians with the courage to stand against bad, compassionless theology. Keep up the good work; knowing that God still loves them and there are others out there like them is probably the most important thing a closeted religious person could ever hear.

[pennyjane]

amen, catherine. how very important is what you are saying and how very well you say it. God bless with much love and hope, pj