letter to news media about Lutheran church

I am the proud mom of two wonderful sons; my eldest is a Pharmacist and married to a wonderful young woman who is a veterinarian, and my youngest is a working actor with a degree in theater who happens to be gay.

 

We started off as a church going family, but when my youngest came out at age 23 (3 years ago), we were given the cold shoulder by our then church.  I started calling several churches that were close to our house and by questioning the priest or pastors I would find out that they did not approve of my gay son, and I could not in good conscience attend a church that was so narrow minded and full of judgment.

 

In my search for a church I did become closer to my God and felt like a veil was lifted from my eyes and I could see and understand his infinite love for human kind (such a hard commandment to follow "Love each other"), I realized that all those years unknowingly I was in a church that was like a clique and was only accepting of people that were exactly like them!

 

I became an activist for LGBT rights after seeing the kind of crazies out there in the name of God (not my God) causing so much pain to this minority group that my son belongs to and seeing these mega churches getting involved in politics (proposition 8 marriage equality issue in California), Catholic, Mormon, fundamentalist churches, Focus on Family, crazy Fred Phelps group, 700 club, Rick Warren, locally The Rock church, Skyline, etc. I am one of PFLAG San Diego's co Presidents and we support our children and others that may not have their family support, we show up at rallies and we write letters to news publications in hopes that they will publish our letters.

 

The huge fact that the Lutheran church in America has become an open and affirming church is huge and a step in the right direction (God's direction) but I'm appalled at the lack of dissemination this has had in the news media, I don't understand it!  This is a large church body and they have finally understood what they are supposed to stand for and I am forever grateful that they have; now we need the others to open their eyes and follow in their foot steps.  Remember when the churches one by one started accepting that it was not ok to have slaves and apologized for their stance in that, as well as mixed race marriages.  I do hope that in my lifetime this will happen to all churches, they have pushed out so many good people (and their families) out of their churches because of their hard headed stand on the LGBT issues.  I for one am looking for a local Lutheran church that I can attend!!

 

Patti Boman

A PFLAG Mom

Parents Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays