On the night of June 27, 1969, in New York City’s
Greenwich Village a movement was birthed; and
great was the labor pains of that birth. At a gay bar called the Stonewall Inn police conducted a raid—one
of many such raids, more out of harassment than justifiable—and from long years of oppression and
continued pestering the modern day gay rights movement was born.
Gay patrons, tired of being pushed around, fought back with a vengeance. Instead of being packed
into police paddy wagons, they erupted with such an outrage that began four nights of rioting. From this
assorted and colorful group of butch dykes, Puerto Rican drag queens, and effeminate gay men: an
infectious courage caught on and has drastically influenced the state of affairs for all those in the Gay,
Lesbian, Bi-sexual, and Transgendered community; and as one author has put it:
“Stonewall is our source of encouragement and possibility; and Stonewall is repeated
as we continue to face down threats, solve problems, and move beyond barriers.”
[Page 125, Gay Theology Without Apology, Gary David Comstock, The Pilgrim Press, 1993.]
Stonewall is part of our historical legacy in the struggle for social justice. Martin Luther King, Jr. and
his work towards civil rights in this nation in the 1960’s, is very much an example of the power of people
who were tired of being treated with contempt. The cry for justice does not go unanswered, because God
wills justice for all. It is only the sad example of humanity that we witness the despicable behavior of
intolerance, prejudice, and discrimination. The horrors of human slavery, the Spanish Inquisition, racism,
ethnic cleansing, Hitler’s holocaust, segregation, apartheid, world hunger, terrorism, and the list goes
on…
Social Justice refers to the concept of a society in which ‘justice’ (the right treatment of people) is
achieved in every aspect of that society. The fair and impartial treatment of people, equal opportunities,
civil and human rights, and respect for the sanctity of life is what Social Justice speaks up for.
It is quite amazing to me how much the Bible speaks of a compassionate social justice in how we are
to behave toward each other; and religion is at the top of the list of those who perpetrate these very
dishonorable qualities of intolerance, prejudice, and discrimination. Religion without justice is religion
without God. And religion without God is religion of no use whatsoever to advancing a world of peace. Let
us know today, that in spite of those who think they speak up for God, social justice must prevail if we are
to fully partake in God’s Kingdom.
History has taught us that homosexuals have been arrested, beaten, tortured, castrated, and put to
death—all due to a misunderstanding of the Bible; Just as we now do not practice slavery, although for
many centuries the Bible was the justification for treating certain ethnic groups with scorn and cruelty.
Religion is ever so slowly evolving in its perception of what is right and ethical.
In the last several weeks we have addressed the unjust judgment of gays, morality issues, and what the
Bible really says about homosexuality. The Bible condemns the misuse of sex—heterosexual or
homosexual. But, the Bible does not condemn sexual orientation.
This week we understand that the Bible despises religion without purpose, religion without mercy,
and religion without integrity. Jesus calls many religious leaders ‘hypocrites’ in the Gospels. A hypocrite is
somewhat of a stage actor; playing a part not your own; pretending to be something you really are not.
Jesus speaks very forcibly against those who use religion as a cloak for their own pre-conceived
ideas and then failing to live up to them. Jesus criticizes them for following the letter of the law and leaving
the spirit of the law undone. Justice and love of God is more important than mere obligation and ritual. A
hypocrite is one who demands moral excellence and fails at living it themselves.
You know the type…It’s like the nun desperately needing to go to the restroom while running errands
and the closest place is a local Hooters. The bartender shows her the way to the restroom and warns her of
a statue of a naked man wearing only a fig leaf. The nun assures the bartender that was no problem, she
would simply look the other way. When she came out from the restroom the whole place broke out into
applause. The bartender explained to the nun that each time the fig leaf on the naked statue is lifted up, the
lights go off and on. The nun was caught red-handed and red-faced. I think that’s a lot like religious
hypocrites—many times getting caught with their pants down—in airport bathroom stalls and the like. You
know the type, totting moral values and then playing the opposite side of the fence.
Jesus also holds them accountable for building tombs for the prophets and not understanding that the
prophets were martyred by the very people who refused to hear them and now ‘they’ want to honor them.
Jesus pronounces:
“This generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed
since the beginning of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was
killed between the altar and the sanctuary…this generation will be held responsible for it all.”
From the blood of Abel (who represents the Innocent) to the blood of Zechariah (who represents the
Righteous)… Abel was murdered by his own brother out of jealousy and Zechariah, along with many
Hebrew prophets, were executed for the truth they spoke, truth that cut to the very heart of hypocritical
religion and unjust politics. We remember modern preachers and prophets assassinated for urging the
acceptance of liberating truth and social justice. Their blood speaks from beyond their graves.
I believe in a larger sense that humanity will be held responsible for the injustices and atrocities
committed throughout history. Much innocent and righteous blood of many has been shed needlessly in the
Name of a God of Love so many think they know, but obviously miserably fail in their quest.
Today we are confronted with fundamentalist religions that seek to take away human dignity and
human rights from those they disagree with. We must continue to stand up and advance the cause for
inclusion and equality. Zechariah cried…so must we:
"This is what the LORD Almighty says: `Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion
to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts
do not think evil of each other.' ”
Zechariah, along with Jesus, preached righteousness rather than ritual, spirituality over religiosity.
How we worship God, how we perform our spiritual devotions, and the very motivation behind our faith in
God shows whether we go through the motions of religious obligation or whether we are sincere and are
committed truly in our hearts to God and God’s love.
Take Maxine for example. Maxine was driving down the street in a sweat because she had an
important meeting and couldn't find a parking place. Looking up toward heaven, she said, "Lord, take pity
on me. If you find me a parking place I will go to church every Sunday for the rest of my life and give up sex
and tequila." Miraculously, a parking place appeared. She looked up again and said, "Never mind. I found
one." God desires sincerity, motivation, truthfulness.
Zechariah also preached compassion rather than complacency. We must not be indifferent or
unconcerned about social issues, or merely discuss the problems of needy and oppressed people—we
should do something to help! Faith without action is dead! If the millions of people who call themselves
Christians, who sit on their duffs for one hour in church every week, would realize that God expects their
service and loyalty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week—how the world would be transformed!
I recall as a child an old hymn we sang in the Baptist church: “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus, Ye
Soldiers of the Cross.” We are fighting today, not against people, but against bigotry, prejudice, and
sexism. We are standing up for the true values Jesus preached, not those high-jacked by hypocritical
thinkers.
We celebrate Stonewall as our source of encouragement and possibility. We will continue to face
down threats, solve problems, and move beyond barriers. The modern day gay rights movement is not a
morality issue, it is a JUSTICE issue.
Will we respect the image of God in everyone, regardless of race, religion, sexuality, or gender? Will
we live out the principles and high ideals of Scripture that call us to mercy and goodness? Will we
participate with God in the ongoing struggle for social justice? I pray our answer is ‘yes’…Amen.
