As a rabbi, I have always viewed Jesus of Nazareth as a rabbinic colleague of mine from two millennium ago. While studying at seminary, I wrote my 125 pages rabbinic thesis on his words: “The Lord’s Prayer.” He is referred to as “rabbi” 16 different times in Scripture Christians call the “New Testament.”
In Mark 12:31, Jesus, the rabbi, taught: “‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” In Judaism, our similar teaching by the Rabbi Hillel, of the same period, is: “What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow: this is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn.”
What then would Jesus do in the following case: Jesus, I and your own pastor/priest/reverend are out to dinner. We have ordered and are about to be served. The owner of the restaurant comes over to our table, and in front of your clergy and Jesus, I am told I will not be served. Further, I am asked to leave and told not to return. The reason given is that the owner had found out I was gay and he did not serve “queers.” I ask you: “What would Jesus do?” Would he agree with this person? I think Mark 2:15 provides the answer. Jesus, the rabbi, would fight for the right of each person in North Carolina — no matter how they are viewed by those around them — to be able to eat a meal in a public facility without having to worry about the discriminatory refusal of service — as can legally take place today here in the state.
I ask you further — what would Jesus do if he and I came to your town to teach about the Lord’s Prayer. When we went to register at the hotel, I am told by the manager that they will not rent me a room because I was gay. Further, he was going to call every hotel in the region and alert them to my being gay so that I would not have a room anywhere in the area. Mark 12:31 makes it clear that Jesus would be horrified that this was both allowed and legal.
Time and time again, Rabbi Jesus went against society to protect those on the margins. He spent his life working to keep them safe, to make sure they were treated well — no matter if society saw them as “sinners.”
Today, here in North Carolina, the state I work in as a rabbi by serving a congregation, I can be refused service and also be removed from any restaurant in the state because I am gay. It is not against the law. Today, here in North Carolina, I can be refused service at any supermarket, pharmacy, gas station, just because I am gay. I can be fired from a job. I can be refused admittance to a college. I can even be denied health care services from hospitals, nursing homes, doctors and nurses.
To treat me this way, to discriminate against me, as someone Jewish is illegal. However, to treat me this way as someone who is gay — is completely legal in North Carolina. The state legislature just passed House Bill 2 and the governor signed the bill, keeping this discrimination the law of the state.
I am left to ask each of you: “What would Jesus do?”
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Rabbi Stephen Roberts,
MBA, BCC, and his family have deep roots in the Appalachians. He and his family have summered here for more than five decades, he has immediate family that are year-rounders and he is in his third year serving a congregation in the region.
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Well Chester Draws! I would assume from your comment that you no longer sin in any form. Reality is that the congregations of most churches are no different from the general public with regards to greed, lust, adultery, thievery, gossip, and slander, and about any other form of avarice or sin or failure to love thy neighbor as thyself that you can name. That's why people are leaving the church in droves. So, go and sin no more!
Mr. Roberts, Thank you for your post and your discussion of this issue. We discussed 1 Corinthians 6-9-20 today in church this morning and discussed how during the time this scripture was written that many viewed their to be a difference between the body and the spirit. Many today still hold this view, that the body is defiled and that we are separated from Christ in our bodies and only our spirits can come close to the father. Many disregard, the rest of the scripture that we are the temple of the holy spirit and that Christ dwells in our bodies and that we are called to glorify God with our bodies.
I believe that Christ despised the proud and the religious because they believed that they were perfect and that Christ was unnecessary for them to be rectified to God. Christ came to set the captive free. Now, I don't think that Christ would approve of LGBTQ, but I also don't think that Christ would approve of idolatry, adultery, greed, or other immoral issues. The problem here is that we are trying to promote morality in an immoral culture.
Now, I am sure that we both disagree on LGBTQ issues and the notion of choice. I hold to the 1 Corinthians 6 standpoint that while we all may have a longing for somethings, it is how we act upon those things that leads us to unrighteousness. Christ came to free us from our bondage and those things that would dominate us. I do not claim to be perfect or to be a religious standard for others to follow. I am free through Christ.
I am sure that we disagree on many fundamental issues in the LGBTQ community and I am open to discuss these things with you anytime. I greatly value your opinion on this matter and thank you for sharing. Peace be with you.
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(3) comments
"Go, and sin no more" is what Jesus teaches.
It really is that simple.
Well Chester Draws! I would assume from your comment that you no longer sin in any form. Reality is that the congregations of most churches are no different from the general public with regards to greed, lust, adultery, thievery, gossip, and slander, and about any other form of avarice or sin or failure to love thy neighbor as thyself that you can name. That's why people are leaving the church in droves. So, go and sin no more!
Mr. Roberts,
Thank you for your post and your discussion of this issue. We discussed 1 Corinthians 6-9-20 today in church this morning and discussed how during the time this scripture was written that many viewed their to be a difference between the body and the spirit. Many today still hold this view, that the body is defiled and that we are separated from Christ in our bodies and only our spirits can come close to the father. Many disregard, the rest of the scripture that we are the temple of the holy spirit and that Christ dwells in our bodies and that we are called to glorify God with our bodies.
I believe that Christ despised the proud and the religious because they believed that they were perfect and that Christ was unnecessary for them to be rectified to God. Christ came to set the captive free. Now, I don't think that Christ would approve of LGBTQ, but I also don't think that Christ would approve of idolatry, adultery, greed, or other immoral issues. The problem here is that we are trying to promote morality in an immoral culture.
Now, I am sure that we both disagree on LGBTQ issues and the notion of choice. I hold to the 1 Corinthians 6 standpoint that while we all may have a longing for somethings, it is how we act upon those things that leads us to unrighteousness. Christ came to free us from our bondage and those things that would dominate us. I do not claim to be perfect or to be a religious standard for others to follow. I am free through Christ.
I am sure that we disagree on many fundamental issues in the LGBTQ community and I am open to discuss these things with you anytime. I greatly value your opinion on this matter and thank you for sharing. Peace be with you.
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