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'Self-defense' workshop for Bible-verse throwdown
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What do you do when members of another faith – or your own – start quoting the Bible to justify the so-called sin of homosexuality? Rather than find yourself tongue-tied, fight fire with fire. Take a workshop that will clarify and analyze the “clobber passages” and see what the Bible – Old Testament and New – says or does not say about homosexuality. The “clobber passages” include the Levitical Law , the story of Sodom and Gamorrah and defining what is "natural".
Too often, some conservative believers misuse a few passages from the Bible to justify the oppression of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, and too often, those in support of LGBT rights do not know how to respond, or what the cited texts really mean. As a result, any conversation with the religious right, in person or through the media, can become an invitation to LGBT persons to feel poorly about themselves.
“When the Bible is studied in its cultural and historical context, its challenge to do justice and take care of those [whom] society marginalizes shines through ever so clearly,” said the Rev. Laura Rose, senior pastor at the First Congregational Church of Alameda, which is hosting the event, "Biblical Self-Defense Workshop," Oct. 30 and 31.
The workshop will discuss these and other passages commonly used to disparage or repudiate homosexuality. The workshop will also address the combination of being LGBT and a person of faith, by examining the positive affirmations the Bible holds for LGBTQ people. The trainers are Timothy J. Brown, Youth and Young Adult Program Director with the UCC Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns. Erik J. Koepnick is a seminarian at Chicago Theological Seminary.
The workshop takes place Friday, Oct. 30, from 7 to 9:30 p.m., and continues Saturday, Oct. 31, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at First Congregational Church of Alameda/United Church of Christ, 1912 Central Ave., Alameda. The cost is $25 and includes lunch on Saturday. To register with a credit card, call Joy Davis at 510-247-8995 or go to www.ncncucc.org and click on Biblical Self Defense. To register by mail, include your name, address, phone and e-mail and note if you want veggie lunch and send to: NCNC Registrar at 21425 Birch St., Hayward, CA 94541.
For more info: Call the Rev. Laura Rose at (510) 522-6012, Ext. 21.
