As a wave of anti-LGBTQ laws and policies sweep through our nation’s schools, things like pronoun usage, which books are available in school libraries, and even what bathroom kids can use are all under a microscope.
Meanwhile, activists are pushing to keep any trace of homosexuality out of schools, sometimes even via legal mandate.
And while some of the anti-LGBTQ fervor has roots in Christianity, not every Christian is on board. Now, some clergy and faith leaders are saying enough is enough.
Churches Lend a Helping Hand
“Dangerous and irresponsible.” That's how the Inclusive Faith Coalition described one Texas school district’s recent policies significantly limiting how schools can talk about LGBTQ issues and how LGBTQ students can express themselves.
“Such policies unleash untold damage on children who will not be able to live as their authentic selves, nor believe that their schools will be safe spaces for them to learn, grow, and thrive,” the group wrote.
The recently-approved policies in question come courtesy of the Grapevine-Colleyville school board in Grapevine, Texas. The new rules outlaw discussion of sexual orientation until sixth grade, limit transgender students from using the bathroom of their choice, and ban any pronoun usage not consistent with a student’s biological sex.
The changes prompted a walkout from students who described them as “transphobic” and a “gag” on teachers.
But opponents have another ally in this fight: faith leaders. The Inclusive Faith Coalition, an alliance of clergy from local churches and synagogues, says the students have their full support.
In a letter to the school board, they said they’re feeling “deep sorrow and frustration” over the school district’s “[decision] to further erode the dignity and rights of its LGBTQ+ students” in a move that is “nothing short of persecution.”
Unlikely Allies
Faith leaders in Texas aren’t the only ones pushing back on school policies they see as discriminatory. The heads of two Catholic high schools in Omaha, Nebraska have rejected guidance on gender identity handed down from the Archdiocese of Omaha.
The Catholic leadership in Nebraska says it wants to limit sports participation outside of one’s biological sex, clamp down on pronoun use, and ban students and staff from gender-affirming hormone therapy.
But two schools within the order, Creighton Prep and Marian High School, say they’ve rejected the new policies governing gender issues. Rev. Matthew Spotts of Creighton Prep explained that instead of blanket policies, the school will instead take a “pastoral approach” to students experiencing gender and sexual issues “with great care and on an individual basis.”
For some LGBTQ students, church leadership is proving to be an unlikely – yet powerful – ally.
What is your reaction?
55 comments
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Janis Carol Sommers
we don't know what GOD said. We know what the storyteller believed.The ONLY time I know God's intentions are when I feel them inside my heart. And the language of these feelings are based on constructs steeped in religious guidance about right and wrong passed on to me by my family, society, tribe. Be still and know that I AM there. I've read many Jesus stories. I've read Confuscious and Lao Tsu and Moses, John Smith, Mother Ann Lee and lots of Saints. Lessons in Love. How have so many of us gotten so far away from that and found resentment and anger and use words like HATE?
Why are we here if not to bring understanding of the world through being as perfect LOVE. I am ordained to help others and myself find the LOVE that is Universal God. If I find it or someone finds it today, that's great. Practice, Practice, Practice. IAM LOVE.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Things passed on about right and wrong from family members is a lot like genetic defects being passed along.
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Melissa Kemp
This is just a horrible topic period!
What happened to "Thou Shall not Judge" and leave it to God to decide. I'd love to be at the pearly gates when some of your fate is decided.
This is just horrible! Let our children (at whatever age THEY figure it out) express THEIR own selves!
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Melissa Kemp
You who preach Jesus is the truth or a conservative opinion. When your child turns out to be LGBTQIA+ will you suppress him or her from living their best life, because of your closed-minded opinions, I bet you will. SHAME on you!
I happen to disagree with most of your comments. As an LGBTQIA+ Member of the community, I am too, disgusted. GOD says "Thou Shall NOT Judge," not take it into your own hands with your own opinions and do with it what you will, but THOU (YOU) shall NOT Judge. He is the ONLY one who should judge anyone, and you are taking His job into your own hands. He created us ALL, as EQUALS, no matter our sexual orientation.
Do you follow what He says or do you go with your own opinions as a matter of factly rule?
Treason you say, wow... God created us all EQUAL, right? I mean that's in "Equality for All!" What happened to love thy neighbor and treat one how you'd want to be treated?
Some of ya'll DISGUST me as trying to "play God" yourselves.
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Rev David Drudge
The Devil is at work, enjoy his Party
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Cloveta Crosse-Manie
May God have mercy!
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Richard Darwin Richards
keep sex out of children's schools!
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Pastor George Day
I don't think that's a good idea. We are sexual beings, and sexual education in schools is for the common good. However, children should not be asked to handle information they still cannot handle. The curriculum should be tailored.
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Richard Darwin Richards
So is teaching morals very important but that has been removed from public ed.
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Bishop William Dusenberry, DD
As having “faith” (accepting “stuff” without any evidence whatsoever) is still considered, by most, to be a positive personal characteristic — when it comes to the religious brainwashing that most supposedly religious parents force on to their kids — in the era of the MAGA’ers — the use of faith to assess political demagoguery is a clear and present danger.
Claiming that DJT won the 2020 election — takes an act of faith - which explains why religious zealots continue to support DJT — regardless of any and all evidence to the contrary.
Teaching kids to accept things (stuff) based on faith — should be considered to be a serious type of child abuse.
As Nietzsche reminded us “Faith, as an imperative, is a veto against science, the lie at any price.”
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Rev. B
William, it is difficult to teach critical thinking when you don't know what it is and have never experienced it for yourself.
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Rev. MichaelRS
Faith leaders are protesting the anti-LGBTQ policies?
I thought it was faith leaders that are supporting the anti-LGBTQ policies.
Very confusing
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Rev. B
It's not that confusing, Michael. For all the hypocrisy, there actually are some faith leaders that follow the word of their faith rather than twist it into something hateful.
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Rev. MichaelRS
The premise of that statement kind of reminds me of the old joke;
What's the definition of a cult?
The church down the street from yours.
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Janis Carol Sommers
the article IS about faith leaders and groups that are SUPPORTING us.
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James Riggle-Johnson
They are trying to erase all reference to the LGBTQ community in hopes that we will disappear. What they don’t realize is that we have always been there, we will remain there, and we aren’t going anywhere. This just makes it more difficult for the kids who are LGBTQ to have a safe place to be themselves. They can’t be that at home, and now Christians are making it impossible be that at school.
They are turning the clock back about 50 years for these kids. It’s ridiculous because it does nothing but delay a child’s emotional stability. They have no idea the type of damage this does to a kid. It’s like preaching abstinence instead of birth control. Not only does it not work, but it makes the problem bigger.
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Rev. B
If I understand you correctly: 1) You're here 2) You're queer 3) we should get used to it? :)
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Nicholas J Page
Only in America is this happening But I agree children should not be. Taught about gays when their in their teens Or 18 plus them they will know what their sexualities are.
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Rev. MichaelRS
I wonder who it really is that is not letting children be there "authentic selves".
If children really knew what they wanted to be when they grew up, never mind what gender, the country would be populated with nothing but Cowboys and Disney princesses.
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Cloveta Crosse-Manie
I think I agree on this one!
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Charles Jude Platt
Whatever happened to God???
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Lionheart
Which one?
🦁❤️
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
The idea of god? Critical thinking and science have resulted in rational humans no longer needing the superstitions of pre-humans.
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Rod Gesner
Just like potential islamic terrorists and their Militant Faith based Leaders. These groups should be investigated infiltrated; entrapped And removed from society.. Whatever it takes the Freedom to attack and threaten others.. To stack the court with liars and bigots; to use the courts to take Healthcare away rights of Women; and grant unfettered abuse by federal authorities that have employed Mercs and have direct connections with white xstain nationalists and other psuedo Christian FASCISTS..
Is So Unamerican that it should be treated as Treason..
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Rev. B
Rod, the only thing I would change in your post is where you said "investigated infiltrated; entrapped". I'd change that to " investigated infiltrated and brought in by the book". If you entrap, you cannot provide legal justice. Everything else is spot on though. :)
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Clifford
As they should? It violates the Trinity. As far as the teachings of the Bible, the Torah, or many other faith’s. Which hold marriage and family values sacred.
How about not teaching anything about sex in school? And leave that up to the parents? As it should be.
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Melissa Kemp
What happened to "Thou Shall not Judge" and let God do his bidding when we reach his gates. You hypocrite?!
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Donald Richard Starns
Some sects have taken a really bad turn since 2016.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Better title… ‘Religiously Delusional, Willfully Ignorant, Bigots Yet Again Get Their Panties In A Bind Over Some Issue That Isn’t Really Any of Their Business At All”
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Rev. B
I like it. Can we turn it into an acronym?
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Rachel Lynn Smith
Jesus is the truth, the way and the life no man comes unto the Father but by him... And Jesus loves the little children of the world.. ALL of the children.. "Red & yellow, black or white they are precious in His sight"... Those are song lyrics from a children song I learned in vacation Bible school many years ago. The adults teach us that early on in life... Yet, some of them go out and mistreat others of a different race or sexual orientation simply because they've been brought up to feel some type of way towards people 2ho aren't like them or who don't believe like them. It's not right. Jesus gave us 2 commandments before his final Ascension to Heaven.. 1) love the Lord your God with all your heart and 2) love your neighbor as I have loved you...that's it... the Bible clearly states that Jesus did not come to do away with the. He came to fulfill it... therefore He gave us (2) new commandments since the law has been fulfilled these (2) commandments are the most important and the only things that Jesus himself told us to do... so for the love of God people need to quit putting their own personal fears above the rights of others. God himself is pro free-will (and we know this because He gave it to us...) That being said, who are we to force others to endure our own will? God gave us ALL a choice. It is by our faith that we are justified by Grace. Not by works. You cannot go to heaven because you're a good person. It is by Jesus and him alone... You can't go through life spreading fear and hatred just because someone makes you uncomfortable. It's not right and shame on them for trying!
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Paul Edward Nunis
And Jesus made it clear that the only way to avoid eternity in the lake of fire is to treat everyone exactly as you would treat Him.
No excuses, no 'get out of Hell free' cards, no last second fake repentances, no semantic spin, no putting words in His mouth, no bearing false witness...-
Richard Darwin Richards
Jesus actually said lead a Godly life.
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Pastor George Day
Thank you for this comment. Homosexuality is a fact of life, and as a gay man I accept it as a consequence of the fall of Adam. Salvation is by grace and grace alone, and no human effort to do away with with the gay will lead me to heaven. But they key is to accept this grace! And our good works will testify to it. Amen!
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Richard Darwin Richards
I look at it this way, we should try and make God proud of us!
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John P Maher
ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE FULL of B S !
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Rev. MichaelRS
Children should be allowed to live their authentic selves.
Pretty interesting concept when you get right down to it.
And the accusation is that individuals on the right are not allowing children to do that... but what about individuals on the left? Are they REALLY allowing children to live their authentic selves, or are they manipulating young, vulnerable,confused minds?
A 9 year-old boy KNOWS that he is really a girl without any input from the the adults around him or social media hype?
And then they're put into "gender affirming" therapy instead of therapy to find out if that is REALLY what they're all about?
And it is mostly young kids that are influenced by this. Because they say well people in the past were not able to express themselves as much as they are today. okay that's fine. But now they can.
So where is the big boom in middle-aged or older people coming out as transgender now that they can be free to express themselves? Why is it only kids that this phenomenon is increasing geometrically in?
No, I don't think it's the right that is not allowing children to live their authentic lives.
By the way, two sets of pronouns were good for thousands of years. Gender is not a social construct. It's a real thing. What IS a social construct is all the multiplicity of genders and pronouns that's going on today.
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Matthew Mastrogiovanni
Abrahamics are the largest hate group in the world.
These Christian attacks on the LBTQ's community are nothing short of domestic terrorism.
It's time for the Religions Wrong to go the way of the dodo or be outlawed as the hate group that they are,
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David Cox
God hates it argue with God. He gives people time to turn to him
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Nathaniel Robert Hunt
David Cox "God hates it" he also hates pork, working on Saturday, having images of anything in the home etc..... p.s your religion and god don't rule, we are a free nation
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Richard Darwin Richards
Well said!!!
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Daniel Gray
In your opinion maybe, but in fact and reality anti religious groups like humanists and Atheists have killed more people in the time they have been around then all other religions combined and thats a fact. And sorry but you cant outlaw religions no matter what you believe as this would be in violation of the 1st Amendment. And then if yo are so anti religious, then what are you doing on a religious site that includes all religions?
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John
"but in fact and reality anti religious groups like humanists and Atheists have killed more people in the time they have been around then all other religions combined and thats a fact".
A fact! I love facts. Back it up! The definitive proof if you will. I assume you were not around since the dawn of man to count all the murders that were committed by people of the cloth as well as non deity believers. I mean that would be one hell of an abacus.
Daniel 95%+ of the murderers incarcerated say they believe in God. People today who are going into synagogues, churches, department stores, supermarkets, schools, etc. to kill as many people as possible will say they believe in God. I've yet to meet an atheist who owns 4 or 5 guns, subscribes to Gun Digest and is an avid shooter, does not hunt, and feels the need to use their gun to settle disputes. Most atheist I know are busy bettering themselves and trying to figure out how to make the world a better place to live and to undo the damage done by overzealous Christians.
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Richard Darwin Richards
Prove this belligerent fallacy of yours...
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Robert James Ruhnke
Abrahamics have been around a lot longer than modern Atheists and secular Humanists, Several thousand years longer, Gray. True. Stalinists and Leninists did a lot of killing. Yet. Compared to the hundreds of wars that were done in the name of Christendom, their numbers seem meager. 700’000’000 that Christians have killed in the last 2000 years still outdoes the 300’000’000 million this century. You never provide evidence either, Gray. Always just wasting your typing.
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James Lowrance
LGBTs are every bit as hateful as any religious org out there. Muslims are included in this.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Persecuted individuals tend to get a bit testy. Justifiably so.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
This isn’t a popular view but is most definitely a reasoned one.
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Cloveta Crosse-Manie
Amen 🙏🏼 🙏🏼
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Pastor Jim
"Abrahamics"... what does this term and "abraham" mean in the current vernacular? I've heard it thrown around recently and until the last couple of years, my first thoughts have alluded to Abraham Lincoln.
Also, don't you think the term "terrorism" is thrown around a bit too freely of late?
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Rev. B
The Abraham is the one from the bible, not Lincoln. It refers to the worshippers of the god of Abraham which has deep roots in not only xtianity but judaism and (I believe all) other semites.
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Pastor Jim
Lol. Thanks for the reply but a couple days following the question I posted, I goggled "Abrahamic" and had a "DUH" moment upon reading the definition. I appreciate your reply, however.
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Pastor George Day
By Abrahamic faiths we means: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. They all worship the God of Abraham.
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Rev. B
And the Baháʼí Faith, the Druze, Samaritanism, and Rastafarianism (believe it or not). That's why I worded it the way I did. They are not high follower faiths, but they are still Abrahamic.
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I believe the relevant quote comes just after Matthew 25:40 in the New Testament.
You know, the part where someone asks 'Even gays??' ... and Jesus answers 'Did I stutter?'