gay Christian family values

My friend Laura Engelken posted this in MySpace, and I wanted to quote her on this. There's a lot of talk around my school about the role of dialogue and resistance : How much do I have to talk with someone else in order to "get" them to "tolerate" my sexuality and relationship? How much should I just live my life and surround myself with people who embrace and accept me as long as I'm honest, ethical, and consensual with my sexuality? How much do I need to be around people who "disapprove" of what is life-giving for me?
Anyway, here's Laura's response to an article in the New York Times:

Mr. Blow,

Thank you for your op-ed piece in the Times, "Gay Marriage and a Moral Minority." http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/29/opinion/29blow.html I appreciate that before you address how to connect with one portion of the electorate (i.e., black women), you name the fallacy that blacks "tipped the balance" on Prop 8. This racist blame game is but another way we effectively "divide and conquer" the oppressed to maintain the status quo.

However, I disagree with the assumed strategy behind your statement:
"Second, don’t debate the Bible. You can’t win. Religious faith is not defined by logic, it defies it. Instead, decouple the legal right from the religious rite, and emphasize the idea of acceptance without endorsement."

I believe the queer movement continues to avoid addressing religious faith at its peril. I say this as a lesbian Christian who spent my faith formative years in fundamentalist communities but now identify as a progressive Christian. As such, I know first hand the futility of debating the Bible with those who view their understanding of Christianity and scripture as infallable and universal. However, it is essential for those of us who understand the Bible as communicating a message of God's love, liberating power and justice -- a message both amplified and muted by the cultural contexts of its writing, development, interpretation and application -- to reclaim Christianity in the public sphere. We must shatter the ethnocentrism masquerading as divinely-ordained truth.

When individuals cast their ballot, they vote their values. I heartily agree with you that we must continue to articulate the difference between religious and civil marriage; I believe it is one key way we ensure our constitutional democracy does not become a theocracy. But if Christians, and other progressive people of faith, allow public discourse to equate "faithfulness" with heterosexism and an obligation to enforce this preferential world view -- we fail to question or challenge those who believe their values are superordinate and prescriptive to all. By not proclaiming our religious values in the public sphere - which are but one voice shaping those of the wider community - progressive people of faith allow false dualisms to claim sole authority and threaten the civil rights of any dissenting minority.

We each have our particular communities of accountability and influence. One of yours is the black community and one of mine is the Christian. Neither of these communities is monolithic - nor are we as individuals. My prayer is that as each of us continues writing, speaking and acting - we participate in our nation's progression toward more fully embracing this vast diversity rather than fearing it.