“Inclusion” Must Include Everyone
And love is the membership fee.
LGBTQ individuals, Pro-Choice women, and Black people want to be valued for their dignity and provided equal opportunities.
Conservative Evangelical pastors, Pro-Life women, and White supremists do not want them included in their groups — and oppose their requests for equality.
The subject of “inclusion” is quite the rave among progressives. They believe traditionalists would become more loving and fairer if they only learned the progressive person’s perspective.
The inherent presumption is that when people get to know others who are not like themselves, they will “humanize” them (rather than shun, fear, and demonize them). As for me, I have seen this principle to be true in countless cases.
LGBTQ versus Conservative Evangelical Pastors
LGBTQ individuals do not want to be viewed by the Church as being “lesser than.” They believe there is nothing wrong with being gay or trans — it is simply the outplaying of their core nature. LGBTQ people, tragically, have been repeatedly abused by some of the straight and cisgender populations. No one wants to be taunted, rejected, oppressed, and life threatened. Often, suicide is the outcome of all too many LGBTQ individuals — and serves as their only alternative to stop the abuse.
In contrast, most conservative Evangelical pastors view homosexuality as a sin. They cite five passages from the Bible as evidence that erotic activity between people of the same sex is always detestable and must never occur. One such famous Bible verse even commands that two men who engage in anal intercourse must be killed. For the Evangelical pastors, gay rights and gay expression is a cultural war for the very soul of America.
Pro-Choice versus Pro-Life Women
Pro-Choice women believe that it is their inherent right to decide what to do with the fetus inside them. They view laws that restrict abortion as a draconian oppression of their own body. Some Pro-Choice women may choose to keep their baby or provide the child to another family via adoption. But the key to their ethos is that it is their right to decide what to do with their fetus.
Pro-Life women believe that life is always sacred — and that life begins with the fetus. Thus, terminating the fetus is akin to murder. For the Pro-Life woman, the issue is not personal freedom. Rather, it is the baby’s safety in the fetus. Pro-Life women want Pro-Choice women to view their babies with compassion and, therefore, choose to deliver the baby — with adoption as a viable option.
Black People versus White Supremacists
Black people believe the horrible days of enslavement and unfair subjugation must never continue. The decades of slavery in America have done horrific, long-term harm to the Black community. Blacks know that they now possess the legal civil rights to be equal to Whites — and any violation is an affront to the basic equality of all people. And yet, they continue to see discrimination in overt ways.
White Supremacists believe that White leaders founded America — and thus, leadership is inherently a White privilege. Supremacists consider Blacks to be inferior, and therefore, Blacks must be put in their place of subjugation. Even more, Supremacists see the White-Black struggle as a war for the very well-being of America. Therefore, the Supremacists must maintain White superiority.
Inclusion Must Include Everyone
Inclusivists are often in the minority (e.g., LGBTQ, Blacks). But they believe that if they could be included in the majority group (e.g., straights, cisgender, Whites), then those in the majority would come to view them with understanding. As the theory goes, familiarity will breed a sense of dignity and fairness for all. Sounds good, doesn’t it?
But does it work in reverse?
Does a group of LGBTQ people really want conservative Evangelicals to hang out with them? Many LGBTQ people have come to loathe Evangelicals, viewing them as Pharisees who prioritize rules over love. And yet, Jesus allowed Pharisees to join him.
Does a group of Pro-Choice activists want Pro-Life people to join them in their strategic planning sessions? Many Pro-Choice activists view Pro-Life people as insensitive to equal rights for women. And yet, I imagine Jesus would have no problem talking with both kinds of activists.
Would a Black family hosting a dinner with their Black friends reach out to invite a White Supremacist? The answer is probably, “Hell no!” Yet, “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and Yellow, Black and White, they are precious in His sight.”
If the world desires to lessen global tension and conflict, would it be helpful if differing factions met together? We all know the answer is “yes.” However, most of us do not reach out to our “enemies.” We believe we stand on the side of God and righteousness — and we want to have nothing to do with those “sinners.”
And Love is the Membership Fee
But what if enemies actually chose to commune together? Are there any rules for how they should behave?
What if a conservative Evangelical Pastor accepted the invitation to join some gay men at a gay bar? What would disqualify the pastor from ever returning to be with that group of gay men?
If the Evangelical pastor acted unloving to the gay men.
What if a Pro-Life activist joined a group of Pro-Choice activists in their home for a meal? What would disqualify the Pro-Life activist from returning to that home?
If the Pro-Life activist acted unloving to the Pro-Choice community.
What if a White Supremacist was invited to Starbucks to meet with a few Black friends? What would disqualify the White Supremacist from ever being asked again?
If the White Supremacist acted unloving to the Black people.
Closing
We complete the love puzzle whenever all of the diverse pieces are included. And diversity creates a beautiful image — free of fractions and strife.
But all diverse people should be welcome in the group — not just those with whom we already agree.
This harmony works well — as long as each diverse piece shows love to its “enemy.”
Inclusion is wonderful. Love is even better.
Dr. Mike Rosebush (Ph.D., Counseling Psychology; he, him, his;) is the creator and editor of GAYoda, plus a writer for Backyard Church. A short synopsis of Dr. Rosebush’s life can be found at I Lived the Most Unusual Gay Christian Life Ever. He may be contacted at mikerosebush75@gmail.com.
