RANDOM THOUGHTS, 6 18 20
A few days ago, in a landmark case, the Supreme Court ruled that LGBTQ workers are protected from job discrimination.
The decision said Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which makes it illegal for employers to discriminate because of a person’s sex, also covers sexual orientation and transgender status.
I wonder how many of you who are now reading this edition of R Ts don’t know someone who is L G B T Q or OTHER? A sibling, a cousin, a child, an uncle/aunt, a parent, a fellow worker or classmate … the list goes on. Is that person a sexual monster or a relatively “normal” person? In your lifetime how many negative encounters have you have with people who are “heterosexual”, i.e. “straight?”
We are all made in God’s image, Genesis 1.27 KJV “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created him; male and female He created them.“ So, men and women look like God. It doesn’t say anything about a person’s sexual orientation.
I was in second-year high school when the Supreme Court passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. I can’t remember it at all. I was busy playing baseball, football, working part-time at a drug store, and dating (girls.) Sexual orientation was probably the last thing on my mind.
When I was in the seminary in Wisconsin in September of 1966, we had mandatory spiritual reading for 30 minutes each day in the chapel before breakfast. One day some of us went to the library to check out a batch of new books that had just arrived.
Immediately one book caught our attention. It had a bright shiny purple cover. I picked it up and the title said, “The Church and Homosexuality.” Wow! I vaguely remember saying to myself, “I don’t know much about the Church and I don’t know anything about homosexuality.” So, I took the book to the chapel and began to read it.
Three days later the book disappeared. After breakfast, the dean of students, Father N, called me into his office and the book was on his desk. He asked me what I was doing reading the book. I remember thinking to myself, ”That’s a pretty dumb question.” But I told him, “I got it from the new batch of books for
spiritual reading that the priest librarian, Father X, had put out a few days ago.” Father N was not impressed. He told me I had to get another book. So I did.
After 45 years of being a priest, I know a lot more about the Church and homosexuality. I am not impressed with the way the Church has treated and still treats members of the LGBTQ and OTHER community. Thank God Pope Francis said, “Let’s not judge …..”
The other day I watched a WW 2 movie called “Fury.” Very violent. “Fury” is a tank and one crew member asked another crew member if he thought Jesus loved Hitler. He said, “I imagine He does.” It caught my funny bone and I laughed. Was Adolf gay or straight?
Mistreating people due to their sexual orientation is no laughing matter and our Church has to get its act together and realize that God created us all, and that means everyone in His image. God must look pretty odd, but that’s His business.
Not all days go as intended pictures