Low Point for High Point

Cecil Sinclair, a 46-year-old veteran of the first Gulf War, died recently of cancer. His family arranged a memorial service for him at High Point Church in Texas. Twenty-four hours before the service, however, High Point cancelled. High Point’s minister, Rev. Gary Simons discovered that Cecil was gay. (No, a guy named “Cecil” gay? Unbelievable!)

The decision to renege on Mr. Sinclair’s memorial service was, as Rev. Simons said, “not based on hatred, not based on discrimination, but based in principle.”

What principle might that be, Reverend? Love thy neighbor? Do unto others? Or God hates fags?

I have no problem with religious bigotry, after all what would western religion be without its pet hates? But let’s keep our bile directed at the living.

If Christians want to believe that all those outside the Body of Christ are doomed to an eternity in hell, that’s OK with me. If Jews want to believe that only they are Chosen, fine. If Muslims want to believe that nonMuslims are infidels, be my guest. But once a person dies, have some compassion.

Is a dead homosexual still a homosexual? If you believe, as I imagine Rev. Simons does, that homosexuality is a lifestyle choice (it has to be a matter of choice if one is to condemn it as a sin), and Cecil can no longer make choices seeing as how he is dead, in what way is he still a homosexual?

And then there is the matter of Jesus. No, Jesus wasn’t gay, but if Jesus died for our sins, and homosexuality is a sin, then didn’t Jesus pay the price for that? Did Luke hear Jesus clearly when Jesus said, “Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do?” Or did he miss the part where Jesus said, “But not the gay ones”?

So, again, couldn’t High Point have had a little mercy on this guy and his family. After all, as Rev. Simons says (I couldn’t help myself, and yes making bad jokes is a lifestyle choice and hence unforgivable), “It’s not that we didn’t love the family.”

Wow, there’s a love I could do without. Look, if you want to hate gays, go ahead. Just hate live gays; live gays that are bigger than you; live gays that are bigger and stronger and meaner than you, and that happen to be right in front of you when you spew that hate so that they too can act on divine principle. Like “an eye for an eye.”

I love gay men (true I love lesbian women more, but still…). It is sanctimonious clergy I can’t stand.