Gay Suicides in Church on Lewis
March 14th 2008 07:03
On an episode of Lewis that I watched recently, the storyline involved a gay man, Will, who sommitted suicide in the church. The strong message of the show was that it was the church that drove this young man to kill himself. Will had been attending a church group called the Garden, who were basically trying to counsel him out of being gay.
Towards the end of the show, we discover that Will went to Hathaway for advice because he was having trouble reconciling his sexuality with his faith. Hathaway told him that being gay was wrong and that he should continue going to the Garden. The climax comes when we discover that Zoe, Will's ex-girlfriend was actually Will's ex-boyfriend. He had undergone a sex change operation in Brazil in the hope that becoming a woman would solve their problem.
Firstly, I applaud Lewis for tackling a controversial issue. Reconciling faith with sexuality is a very real problem for many people. No doubt, more people than we realise. For many Christians struggling with homosexuality, speaking about it is probably the last thing they feel like doing. So they either try to suppress their homosexuality or they simply leave the church. Or even, like Will in Lewis, kill themselves.
What struck me most about the sotryline was that Will earnestly wanted a relationship with God and tried to change to please him. He went to counselling. He sought the counsel of godly friends. He even made his boyfriend get a sex change. Nothing worked. Despite all this, Will remained gay. Although fictional, his struggles are the struggles of many Christians.
As Christians, we have to recognise that gays are not people who just choose to life a certain lifestyle. Some of them have prayed and sought counselling, yet still remain gay. Only now, they probably feel more confused and hopeless.
I can understand why some Christians feel the need to speak out againt homosexuality - even though I don't agree with them. But I can also deeply empathise with those people who struggle with their sexuality. What must it be like for people who want a relationship with God, but feel that God can't accept them the way they are? Who try to change and find that changing isn't that easy? Who have the message constantly reinforced that homosexuality is an abomination, but feel powerless to change this in their lives?
In the show, Will said that faith was a curse. That's perhaps the saddest line of the show. Faith should never be a curse. And yet I can so easily see why some Christian gays would think it was. It shouldn't be that way.
Later in the show, Lewis asked Hathaway whether that was true, whether faith was a curse. Hathaway replied that it wasn't, but it did make things difficult sometimes. I think things will often be difficult for Christian homosexuals, as they struggle to reconcile their sexuality with their faith, the bible and Christian teachings. Just as many straight people find reconciling their faith with some things in their life difficult. But that's all it should ever be. Yes, faith may (and probably will) make things difficult for gays. But I long for the day that it is never, ever a curse.
Towards the end of the show, we discover that Will went to Hathaway for advice because he was having trouble reconciling his sexuality with his faith. Hathaway told him that being gay was wrong and that he should continue going to the Garden. The climax comes when we discover that Zoe, Will's ex-girlfriend was actually Will's ex-boyfriend. He had undergone a sex change operation in Brazil in the hope that becoming a woman would solve their problem.
Firstly, I applaud Lewis for tackling a controversial issue. Reconciling faith with sexuality is a very real problem for many people. No doubt, more people than we realise. For many Christians struggling with homosexuality, speaking about it is probably the last thing they feel like doing. So they either try to suppress their homosexuality or they simply leave the church. Or even, like Will in Lewis, kill themselves.
What struck me most about the sotryline was that Will earnestly wanted a relationship with God and tried to change to please him. He went to counselling. He sought the counsel of godly friends. He even made his boyfriend get a sex change. Nothing worked. Despite all this, Will remained gay. Although fictional, his struggles are the struggles of many Christians.
As Christians, we have to recognise that gays are not people who just choose to life a certain lifestyle. Some of them have prayed and sought counselling, yet still remain gay. Only now, they probably feel more confused and hopeless.
I can understand why some Christians feel the need to speak out againt homosexuality - even though I don't agree with them. But I can also deeply empathise with those people who struggle with their sexuality. What must it be like for people who want a relationship with God, but feel that God can't accept them the way they are? Who try to change and find that changing isn't that easy? Who have the message constantly reinforced that homosexuality is an abomination, but feel powerless to change this in their lives?
In the show, Will said that faith was a curse. That's perhaps the saddest line of the show. Faith should never be a curse. And yet I can so easily see why some Christian gays would think it was. It shouldn't be that way.
Later in the show, Lewis asked Hathaway whether that was true, whether faith was a curse. Hathaway replied that it wasn't, but it did make things difficult sometimes. I think things will often be difficult for Christian homosexuals, as they struggle to reconcile their sexuality with their faith, the bible and Christian teachings. Just as many straight people find reconciling their faith with some things in their life difficult. But that's all it should ever be. Yes, faith may (and probably will) make things difficult for gays. But I long for the day that it is never, ever a curse.
| 71 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
However, at my private school, two good teachers, well respected by students, their families and the teachers' collegues, were accused of being homosexual, and driven, by ostracism and other punishing tactics, to suicide.
The whole concept of homosexuality being wrong, in the 'eyes of God', is an entirely fabricated idea, done by the Church itself.
One needs to study historians, linguists and anthropologists, who have only in recent years had access to the original scrolls, to properly understand the culture of the day, when Jesus was alive, and then one sees the Bible in proper context, which curiously makes its philosophy more effective, yet also highlights the elements of it being a man made manifesto, which eliminated the original roll of women in the early church, and the right of marriage of preachers, for instance.
The Bible has been repeatedly adulterated by the Church to fit in with the social and political mores of the time, praying upon popular prejudices.
The Bible is a good book in many ways, but one has to learn to read between the lines, not take it literally and reject the contaminated tripe erroneously served up in today's version of the original texts, by bigots masquerading their hate as "God's' word!
cheers and "God Bless!"
fog
Comment by samaritan
Fringe Faith
I love your opening paragraph too by the way. I am definitely a practising Christian, but I too sometimes see 'the hypocrisy, the manipulation and distortions involved in the interpretation of the faith.' However, I can also see a lot of good in the church as well.
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
CLICKHERE to view article on Gay Study Bible
thanks for this interesting blog, i hadnt seen the program but found it very interesting reading what you had to say about it
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Hi samaritan,
don't get me wrong, I also see a lot of good being done, particularly in the parish situation, and especially by the nuns, who have gone about their works without grandeur or self promotion, except when necessary, like Sister Theresa had to.
many people would be a lot worse off without their assistance and non-judgemental ear.
cheers
fog
Comment by samaritan
Fringe Faith
Comment by samaritan
Fringe Faith