The LGBT communities in the United States are shaking their collective heads about a fundraising email reportedly sent out on Wednesday by one Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), which opposes same-sex marriage and deplores the recent historic decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court. According to an article on The New Civil Rights Movement site (and other sources), “Brown is implying that you can either be gay or American — but not both. Brown is suggesting every member of the entire LGBT community, every gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender American — is not an American. And neither is anyone who supports us.”
Yawn . . .
It all reminds me of some Jehovah’s Witnesses I once knew who insisted that believing in any religion but theirs was wrong, and was pretty much a guarantee that one would not be resurrected after the Battle of Armageddon — and would therefore miss out on eternal life on this planet. In other words, follow them or die. Doesn’t matter if you are a devout Catholic or Buddhist or, like me, a Theosophist. Only Jehovah’s Witnesses knew “the truth,” according to the people I knew, and everybody else was lost.
I’m not sure if their views represented the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society — the publishing arm then of the Jehovah’s Witnesses — or even the Kingdom Halls where they worship. But it is a view shared by many religions: that theirs alone leads to salvation, and all the others lead to hell, metaphorically speaking.
It’s an exclusionary, intolerant view that is gradually losing its hold in civilized nations like Canada and the United States. The days of religions terrorizing people into submission — and donations — are on the wane, and the smarter churches have recognized that and moved forward with the times by welcoming LGBT people and leaving the judging to God or karma.
Other organizations like NOM, which embrace fundamentalism, seem to be trying another approach by playing the patriotism card: you can’t be American if you are part of the LGBT crowd. It’s the joker of the deck. It’s both laughable and pathetic at the same time. NOM really has very little chance of persuading anyone that LGBT Americans are not Americans because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Meanwhile, there is some talk about the choice of American flag NOM used in its email. Apparently, it appears to be the flag used from 1818 to 1819, when there were only 20 states. You can read more at the link provided above.
Jillian