Bestselling author, scholar and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) activist Jay Michaelson will be in Kansas City Tuesday, Feb. 21, to discuss his latest book, “God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality” (Beacon Press, 2011). The event begins at 7 p.m. at the LIKEME Lighthouse, 3900 Main Street, Kansas City, Mo.
David Wheaton, one of the event sponsors and a member of Congregation Kol Ami, said Michaelson’s book and the discussion of it here “could not be more timely and relevant in our current social/political/religious landscape.”
“Harmful rhetoric and misconceptions in the public arena intensify the pain and suffering of LGBT people, their families, friends and congregations. The consequences are sometimes tragic as revealed in the continued reports of forced conversion therapies, bullying and teen suicides. The dialogue, respectful scriptural analysis and new perspectives presented in Jay’s book can help guide LGBT people, congregations and clergy toward dignity, compassion and justice,” Wheaton said.
The discussion and reception is being sponsored locally by Kol Ami and Jewish Family Services. Nationally Michaelson’s book tour is also being sponsored by the Forward; Nehirim (“lights”), a national, nonprofit and nondenominational organization Michaelson founded which builds community for GLBT Jews, partners and allies; and Zeek Media Inc., a nonprofit organization founded by Michaelson in January 2002, which publishes the online magazine Zeek: a Journal of Jewish Thought and Culture.
Michaelson, who lives in upstate New York and grew up in a Conservative Jewish family, is the author of four books and 200 articles on religion, sexuality and the law, and a leading religious advocate for sexual minorities whose work has been featured in the New York Times, NPR and CNN. Michaelson holds a Juris Doctorate degree from Yale Law School, a Master of Arts degree in religious studies from Hebrew University, a Master of Fine Arts in writing from Sarah Lawrence, and a Bachelor of Arts from Columbia where he graduated magna cum laude. He is currently completing a doctorate degree in Jewish thought at Hebrew University.
In publicity for “God vs. Gay,” Michaelson writes that “At this moment, there are people who are contemplating ending their lives because they believe their sexuality to be a sin, a flaw in the fabric of their soul, or perhaps a curse from God.”
In the book, Michaelson makes the case that religious people should favor gay rights because of religion, not despite it. Weaving in his personal coming out story, he speaks to those who struggle to reconcile their faith and sexuality. Michaelson re-examines Scriptures from the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament and argues that homosexuality is not only natural, but put in stark religious terms, sexual diversity is part of God’s plans.”
He explains that the main argument of “God vs. Gay” is that while there are a tiny handful of ambiguous and limited verses that talk about same-sex intimacy they are subject to interpretation. He also notes that homosexuality is not specifically mentioned in the Bible because that concept wasn’t invented until the 19th century.
“You can take a narrow interpretation, such that they apply to hardly anyone today, or a broad one, such that they ban everything LGBT. So, the question is, which interpretation do you choose to take?”
Michaelson said to give an honest answer to that, you have to ask what fundamental values weigh into this decision.
“In the book, I go through a dozen or so which compel us to take the narrow reading: values like love, the importance of relationship, justice, honesty, integrity and so on. Overall, the weight of these religious traditions — including a literal reading of the Bible, if that’s how you want to read it — is clearly on the side of full equality and inclusion,” he said.
He decided to write “God vs. Gay” because he felt “we’re at a unique moment of opportunity right now.”
“Because of the increased visibility of LGBT people in the media, the changes in law in some places, and the continued effort by some on the political right to use gay rights as a scare-tactic, this is a defining civil rights struggle of our times. It’s clear to most people that the stereotypes about gay people are no more true than racist stereotypes or sexist stereotypes. At the same time, we have to have a deeper conversation about these issues than the ones often going on in our public sphere,” he said.
For Michaelson, the book is personal as well as political.
“A lot of people, myself included, were raised to believe that religion and sexual minorities were incompatible — that it really is God versus Gay. Personally, I chose the ‘God’ side for 10 years, repressing my sexuality and cutting myself off from other people. Even when I finally gave up, I still thought that coming out would be the end of my religious life. In fact, it was the beginning,” Michaelson said.
The response to his book has been very warm, he said.
“I’ve met dozens of parents of gay kids who are sincerely trying to understand their religious traditions on this issue. I’ve met lots of non-religious people who have never been exposed to this material except through the lens of the bigots. And I’ve met a few hecklers. Overall, it’s been really gratifying to me to see how this work is already having an impact,” he said.
Michael Lerner, editor of Tikkun magazine, praised the book.
“Michaelson shows that ‘God versus gay’ is a myth and that our shared religious values favor equality for LGBT people,” Lerner said.