Word Gumbo

The following has been copied by an Advocate article recently posted to their website.  Click  here for the official web page.

Dear Pat Robertson
After five gay men met the notoriously antigay preacher at brunch in Virginia—and posed with him for a photo featured in the current issue of The Advocate—one of them wrote this letter to send along with a copy of the photo.

By Andrew Brewer

An Advocate.com exclusive posted, May 15, 2006

Mr. Pat Robertson
977 Centerville Turnpike
Virginia Beach, VA 23463

Dear Mr. Robertson:

By way of introduction, my name is Andrew Brewer. I am formerly a Biblical studies major and currently a vice president at a major network here in New York City.

I am enclosing a picture that we took together the other day–the day before Easter–at [a restaurant at the country club] The Homestead. You were very gracious in allowing us to interrupt your afternoon to pose with us. Thank you so much. After the picture you asked if we were a members of a team or club, and I replied that we were all friends from New York. We are all friends, but we do have more than that in common…

You see, we are all young men who, from the moment of birth, have always known that we were sexually attracted to those of our own gender. To a man, we have had to endure the long and difficult process of admitting this truth to others and ourselves. The reason why the road was so tough for many of us was well-meaning but horribly misguided folks who taught our parents and society in general that homosexuality is “immoral”–a “sickness” and a “sin.” Some of us were even fooled into thinking that with enough prayer and hard work we could change the way that we were lovingly created–a process that brought misery to a few of us.

Certainly, we could discuss for hours what the Bible says and doesn’t say about homosexuality, slavery, the role of women, and other pertinent issues. I’m sure we could also have exhaustive talks about the definition of what the Bible is and the veracity of what its contents. What we, as a group, would like for you to consider this spring, however, is your own relationship to Christ’s words.

On Easter weekend, five gay men sat near Pat Robertson at brunch at a Virginia country club. When he agreed to a photo, the notoriously antigay preacher (above, in yellow shirt) became part of the rainbow with (from left) Justin Croft, Orlan Boston, Jason Davis, Andrew Brewer, and Erik Bottcher.

For example, didn’t Christ–who was put to death by the government working with the religious leaders of his time, in part because of his inclusive teachings–basically say in Luke, chapters 12 and 14: “No one of you can be my disciple unless he sell all that he has, give it to the poor, and come follow me?” This is just one of the scores of lessons that Jesus, who said nothing of homosexuality, preached in praise of poverty and against wealth. Respectfully, how do you square these verses with the multimillion-dollar enterprise that you have created and the personal fortune that you have amassed for yourself? The hypocrisy of using his name to marginalize men like us–at times making our lives excruciatingly difficult–while directly and blatantly contradicting his very clear teachings is both bold and unfathomable.

Perhaps the universe or God brought us together that day before Easter so that you might be prompted to really deeply consider the fact that your rhetoric and your actions have very real consequence. We know. Although we have no doubt of your sincerity and well-meaning nature, we represent those who are victims, in one way or another, of the shaded truth you and others tell perhaps to further your own ends. Perhaps it’s just that you don’t know any better.

If you would like to discuss further, I am certainly available to talk. Thank you for you time and consideration.

Andrew Brewer