Christopher Renner
Thank you for caring enough about Kansas' kids to run for the Kansas State Board of Education. As an openly gay man, you knew at the outset that you'd probably be subjected to attacks from your opponent and her supporters about your sexual orientation. Yet you decided to run anyway.
Sure enough, in these final few days before the election your opponent tacitly supported the homophobic attacks from her supporters in your district. She disavowed them only after they'd ricocheted around the media and the blogosphere for a few days.
I realize that St. Paul spoke against homosexuality in 1st Corinthians:
9Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
St. Paul puts homosexuality on par with theft, greed, drunkenness, and swindling. Note that last. Your opponent, Kathy Martin, has herself has tried to get teachers to deceive their students by portraying evolution as false and birth control as failure-ridden. By St. Paul's account, Martin's deceit is as grave as any sin folks might think you have committed.
But there's something else to keep in mind, though . . .
. . . St. Paul also prohibited women to be in authority over men. Thus, if you are a strict Paulian, and accept that homosexuality is a sin, then Martin shouldn't even be running for office and the win should go to you by default.
What? Nobody abides by that one anymore? We're not condemning women running for higher office? Why not?
Could it be that St. Paul's words were meant for a specific, long-ago audience?
Then where should a Christian look for guidance, if they understand that many of the details in St. Paul's messages were meant for a time and place where the genetic basis of homosexuality was undreamt of?
How about Christ's words?
Oh . . . that's right. When it comes to homosexuality, Christ himself was silent.
On the other hand, Christ had plenty to say about hypocrites: (see Matt 6:2; Matt 6:5; Matt 6:16; Matt 15:7; Matt 22:18; and especially Matt 23, an entire chapter devoted to Christ excoriating the hypocrites of his day).
Christopher, let's hope your opponent remembers that it's hypocritical to claim to be pro-life while opposing comprehensive sex education, the kind that actually works to prevent STDs and abortions. We can dream that she realizes it's hypocritical to excoriate science while knowing next to nothing about it. And we know that it's hypocritical to claim to be following the second greatest commandment - to love one another - while winning votes from homophobes in your district.
It would have been hypocritical for you to stay in the closet for your whole life, or to try to hide it during this campaign. Instead, you were honest about it. Your honesty, experience and education make you the best candidate for the state board of education, the best role model for our kids, and I'm proud that you're not hiding your light under a bushel.
All the best, and you remain in my prayers,
Cheryl Shepherd-Adams
"Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body." - Ephesians 4:25.
posted by Cheryl Shepherd-Adams
