Love and acceptanceLove and acceptance
We all love Echoe Matthews. Echoe Matthews is an amazing teacher who has a great heart and love for kids. This is apparent in her free book, The Gay Christian Parent, which she self-published after decades of teaching and counseling in Tennessee’s largest predominantly gay community. It is timely, it is well-written, and it touches on issues affecting parents and their children, especially as they come to terms with their own sexuality and as they seek to have children of their own.
For example, one story in the book involves an older, more traditional-minded parent who had never been to church before taking his young son to Sunday school. When the teacher asked if he would like to be placed in the boy’s class, the father said no, not because he is gay, but because he doesn’t think that the bible calls for gay marriage. The teacher asked why not, then told the father that the boy could not go into heaven because he is a gay man. He then told the teacher that he believed the bible did not call for gay marriage because he was sinfully involved in sexual activity with men. This is hatred.
Sadly, this mother was so traumatized by the experience that she filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, claiming discrimination based on gender and religion. She argued that the government shouldn’t teach that a sin excludes someone from loving, regardless of whether they are straight, gay, bi, or lesbian. Thankfully, we live in a country where people are allowed a free speech column when it comes to their feelings, and she did have the right to speak her mind. Her supervisor denied her complaint. We hope other dads will stand up and defend their children. The Bible says that all people are created equal and that everyone deserves love, friendship and acceptance.
November 15, 2021November 15, 2021