News of Sarah Palin's "gay friend" is not much of a surprise when you take the ten percent rule of thumb into consideration. (That is, roughly 10% of the population is something other than strictly opposite-sex oriented.) What's too bad is, unlike some pie-in-sky folks claim, just knowing or even "dearly loving" (as Palin claims to love her friend) a gay person doesn't make someone see that person as fully human or fully deserving of basic human rights. After all, we dearly love our pets, too. But evengelical Christians don't believe animals will be "saved" (most of them don't, anyway).
I grew up in an evangelical (though not politically conservative) family and church myself, and am somewhat versed in the theology that says all peple are sinners, all people are human and stand before God as individuals. There's no ranking of better or worse sins and it's not the place of any given sinner (everybody) to stand in particular judgement over the sin of another--or even what does or doesn't qualify as sin in the first place.
It's all well and good to "love the sinner and hate the sin" which has become the popular anti-gay rallying cry among evangelicals. It's just that you're not really saying much in a tradition that believes the world and its creatures is so very steeped in sin in the first place. Why single out homosexuality (for those who believe it is a sin in the first place, which is a debate for another time)?
I once received a card from a certain biolgical family member that read, roughly, "Congratulations on finishing your PhD! I am so proud of your wonderful accomplishment! I must tell you I am disappointed in the choices you have made about your lifestyle and hope you will leave your partner and return to God. Love, [name withheld to prevent familial embarassment]"
In short, "Congrats on the PhD, hell-bound homo!" Hallmark needs a section for that.
Knowing and/or loving a queer doesn't make a person "tolerant." I don't want to be tolerated anyway. I want to be celebrated and included and treated like a 100% fully human being.
Image: Will and Testament
More on McCain/Palin and LGBT Issues:
McCain Talks to the Gays: Part One, Marriage
McCain Talks to the Gays: Part Two, Adoption
Love the Sinner
Sarah Palin: Pro-choice for Gays
Sarah Palin has a Gay BFF
Sarah Palin is not a Lesbian
