We MUST stop judging people.

You know the trite old saying, something like "if you don't learn history, then you're doomed to repeat it?"

I read a gay pastor's post this evening where he was sharing that there was some controversy over whether or not his church would officiate the funeral of a deceased porn star.  He, thank god, declared they would certainly hold the funeral.

But the very idea that this would even be questioned is horrifically offensive in my opinion.  It reeks of hypocrisy and judgement, like a porn star isn't worthy of a funeral because he wasn't a "good christian."  Worse, if you can believe it, it points to how little we know of our own history.

http://www.nolapride.org/upstairsloungefire.htm

On June 24th, 1973, the deadliest attack against LGBT people in United States history took place at a bar called the Upstairs Lounge in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana.  The place was essentially firebombed and 32 people died, while many more were injured.  The police response was terrible.  The community response was terrible.  Even the LGBT community responded poorly because everyone was so fearful and closeted, especially after such a violent attack.

The body of MCC Pastor Bill Larson

Rev. Troy Perry, founder of Metropolitan Community Churches, along with other MCC leaders, immediately came to New Orleans to help the grieving community and to bury the dead.  The MCC church in New Orleans was actually held in the Upstairs Lounge and many of its members, including the pastor, died in that terrible fire.



UPSTAIRS INFERNO - Teaser Trailer [HD] from Camina Entertainment on Vimeo.

After all that suffering and death, one of the greatest heartbreaks was yet to come.  Rev. Troy tells the story of how every single church turned them away when they asked if they could hold funerals in their sanctuaries.  No one wanted to be seen as giving approval to the people they were so certain were the worst of society and worthy of God's judgment.

Can you imagine that kind of rejection?  Your pastor, your beloved friends, your lover's mom, all burned alive and not a single church would have their funeral out of some horrific judgmental hypocrisy.

Eventually three churches agreed that everyone should have a funeral, but all the rejection prior to that final gift of hospitality should never have happened.

And now we have predominantly LGBT church "struggling" with whether to have a funeral for a deceased gay porn actor.

And we wonder why people find offense in the message of the church.