Homophobic Black Churches Seek Assimilation Into White Power Structure

I have often wondered why Black Churches are so eager to get on the gay hating bandwagon. Now, I am not talking about the few affirming and true Christian Black churches who welcome all people, including gay people. I am talking about the Bible thumping, so called literalist churches that are so willing to march in goosestep with James Dobson and fallen pastor Ted Haggard. My buddy, Larry, reminded me that all this anti gay rhetoric from the literalist sector of the Black Church comes from a desire to assimilate into white power structures. "Where is the connection?" you may ask.

 Larry reminded me that the Black Church has always been filled with gay people. From the pulpit to the choir to the deacon and usher board, we were and are everywhere in the Black Church. We have brought life and spirit filled worship to the Church since its inception during our enslavement. Everyone has been aware of our presence. The difference now is there is money to be made in hating gays.

Some of the anti gay pastors love to revel in their White House meetings or their Focus on the Family gift bags. They will preach hate from their pulpits, cloaked in pseudo biblical literalism, to gain access to the halls of power. The truth is that Karl Rove and the Republican spin machine used the greed of some of our most trusted church leaders to peel off Black votes in 2004. With promises of money and face time with the President, some of these well known Black pastors started to spew homophobia from their pulpit (you remember "Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve." Nobody talks about who made Steve, but I digress.

Never mind that half the choir loft, the head of the deacon board, or even the pastor himself is gay, the desire to gain power was so great that some folks literally sold their souls for the facsimile of power.

Then David Kuo's book revealed what we thought all along, White House insiders thought these guys were fools. Some of them have even been quoted as calling these pastors greedy. I am sure that more was said but it was never printed…….you know the words I am thinking about.

Reports have also surfaced that the faith based initiatives have not worked out for the Black Church. According to reports, most Black churches have neither seen a dime of the money nor have they taken advantage of the funding. One well known anti gay Black pastor remarked that he wanted an accounting from the White House about where the faith based initiative funds went. Can you imagine the people in the big house, I mean White House, giving this Black preacher an accounting of anything? I think not. He better be glad he got the shake the President's hand.

This situation calls for our people to begin to reassess the power we have given to these leaders. How can these clergy, who are supposed to be men and women of God, be so easily purchased to tear our community apart? I firmly believe that every time we hear an anti gay sermon in a Black church, there is one soul in that congregation that is wounded and maligned. There is one Black family encouraged to divide itself and hurt a gay son, daughter, cousin, aunt or uncle.

Every time we hear anti gay rhetoric from the pulpit, our people are enjoined to take a step backward in their understanding of the Word of God and the love ethic of Jesus. We need a new theology of affirmation and love coming from these pulpits. All Black people need places to feel safe and welcome and anti gay rhetoric does nothing but create hostility and mistrust in our community. Unity now based on love is the foundation of our healing.

Meredith Moise

Associate Director of Religious Affairs

National Black Justice Coalition

443-451-5519 (MD office)

202-349-3755 (DC office)