I wonder how many of you have attended a GayPride event? A few weeks ago, I had a conversation with my mother about Gay Pride. Yes I know, it's not the usual conversation topic you have with your mother and I tip-toed around it nervously for most of the time. She had watched a documentary about it and did not hesitate to voice her opinion. My mother never had a problem with my coming out and has often told me that she much prefers the company of gay men. But when it comes to Gay Pride, she articulated her feelings forcefully and to the point. "It's an outrage", "nobody should be allowed to dress up like that", "there are children watching" and so forth.I could see where she was coming from and she had a point. I tried to explain to her that some of the more colourful "expressions" are akin to a teenager trying to make a statement and that until recently homosexual acts were illegal (and this is of course still the case in most of Africa, the Middle East and Asia). For many in the GLBT community, it's an opportunity to make a public statement about who they are without shame or fear. Even here in the West until very recently, the gay community suffered harassment and discrimination, which the movie "Milk" (the story about the gay activist Harvey Milk) portrays so well. It is no accident that the term "Gay Pride" is used and although I don't like it, I fully understand what it stands for and why.
I spoke to a Salvation Army chaplain several years ago who shared with me his harrowing coming out story (he was married with four children). He was ostracised from his spiritual community in the most brutal manner and never recovered from the trauma. It is sadly not an isolated case. We are in contact with many GLBT believers in Kenya and Ethiopia and know just how isolated and restricted their lives are. They would give their right arm to stage an event of affirmation in Nairobi or Addis Abeba that we here in the West wouldn't think twice about. In the UK we now have summer pride events in pretty much every town up and down the country (even Black Pride and Asian Pride).
In Germany the parades are called Christopher Street Parade, named after the police raid on 28th June 1969 at the Stonewall Inn in 43 Christopher Street, NYC. The purpose of gay pride, despite its carnival atmosphere in the majority of cities in the West, is a serious one and should not be forgotten. It is to take a positive stance against discrimination and violence and to promote equal rights and dignity. It saddens me when I see an increasing indifference in our community towards this important date in our social calendar. I have often heard gay or lesbian friends say to me "what's the point", "we've achieved equality in the work place, adoption and marriage rights etc". To which I reply: "then go to Russia or Nigeria, Uganda or Kenya and stand shoulder to shoulder with the LGBT community there - they need your support". "And stop taking your freedoms for granted
they were hard won by those who went before you".
There is nothing wrong in celebrating our diversity and unique contribution to society. We know how to throw a good party and enjoy ourselves and if you've never been to a Gay Pride event, you owe it to yourself to check it out. For the most part, it's harmless fun with a cheeky smile. From the 'dykes on bikes' to the carneval queens dressed in tight shorts, from gay anthems and rainbow flags - it's a day I would not miss for the world.But back to the title of this blog post. Would Yeshua attend Gay Pride? What do you think? So many people have a sanitised image of our Messiah. He was the life and soul of the party. He loved people and attracted even the most hardened criminals. Remember the story where he turns water into wine at the wedding? It was the Chateau Lafite of its day. The guests ended up 'under the table', so it was hardly sparkling grape juice (as some Seventh Day Adventists and Mormons would have us believe). I imagine the atmosphere at that wedding would have been electric and full of fun and laughter and Yeshua would have been in the thick of the action, telling jokes and making everyone feel welcome.
So what about Gay Pride? Well, for one thing, most Pride marches these days fall on Shabbat and it took me a while to square it with my conscience to attend as a spectator. I wish it fell on Sundays (in Tel Aviv it's always on a Friday by the way), but here it's always on a Saturday. I love Shabbat. I look forward to each Shabbat as if it were a National Holiday. We light the candles on Friday night, say the blessings, welcome the angels and always make it a festival. But once or twice a year, we put on our Kippah and join in the carnival atmosphere of our favourite pride events on Saturday afternoon. I guess my question is more: Does Yeshua approve of us going there? I believe He does. Although he never violated the Torah, He showed His Fellow-Jews what the original intent was and removed many Rabbinic restrictions. He showed His followers that the Torah was a way of Grace for the people of Grace, that it served a positive purpose and was not to be abused by religious control-freaks. He identified with minorities, with the persecuted and those on the fringe of society. He was no prude and I'm sure He would appreciate the purpose of Pride and what it stands for.
Yeshua's enemies called Him a "friend of sinners", which He affirmed and took as a compliment. He was not ashamed to identify with those less fortunate. And while He would never sanction promiscuity, He knew how to have fun and encouraged others to enjoy themselves. He lived life abundantly, whereas most people seem to live lives of quiet desperation (to quote from Thoreau's "Walden").
So if you get the chance this year, go and enjoy yourself. And if you would like to participate with us in 2014 and march under the GayMessianic Banner, do get in touch with us - we'd love to hear from you.
