Film delivers message about opening church doors to gays
27th October 2008
New Hampshire Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson spent some time speaking to a church gathering about an issue he knows a great deal about: being an active Christian who is openly gay.
Robinson was among those on hand for showing of the award-winning documentary film "For the Bible Tells Me So" at the First United Methodist Church Saturday night.
The Open Door Fellowship presented the film to members of the church and community to spread the word of their mission in supporting rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
"Some people from this area came to see the film when it previewed in Concord," said Robinson. "And after the film, the filmmaker and I were talking and they asked if I would ever come to the Lakes Region and show the film with a question and answer and I undoubtedly said yes."
"Our goal is to help and support the full rights of everyone in the community and to seek to achieve a more fully inclusive denomination," said the Rev. Terry Thomason, a retired minister. "It's a very moving film about what happens to these families. It's educational and I think it serves as a basis for more learning as they move along."
The film documents how people of faith deal with learning they have a gay son or daughter. Families in the film included former House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt, whose daughter is lesbian; an African American family from Kentucky and Bishop Robinson's family. Many of the families were deeply affected by the out coming of their children, experiencing threats and cruelty, and lost of members spiritually and literally.
"I think it's a fantastic movie," said Rita Polhemus, a resident of Meredith. "It's what out there, and we have to learn to understand and accept. I have gay children in my own family and that's not what defines them. If you let that be what defines people then what are you looking at? You're not seeing the whole person and what they can contribute to this life."
Bishop Robinson, who has been the leader of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire since 2003, is the first openly gay noncelibate priest to be ordained a bishop in a major Christian denomination believing in the historic episcopate.
Daniel Karslake, the film's writer and director, had a hard time of finding families that would actively participate in the film. It took months to find the families with the stories they told. Robinson's parents were approached and were glad to participate. They were present at the church on Saturday night's viewing.
All of the families in the film showed up for the first preview of the film at the Sundance Film Festival in Chicago in 2007. There, it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize and since has won best documentary and numerous audience awards at other film festivals.
Robinson seldom speaks about this issue in New Hampshire because he mainly deals withe church matters in the state. He hasn't done this type of presentation in Episcopal congregations in New Hampshire. Most of his presentations are done out of state. He has been as far as Europe to speak to people on this topic.
"It was just a remarkable experience in the life of this church," said Thomason. "It proves that it's not quite so important about what your denomination is, as to what you character is and what your spirit is. He has one of the greatest spirits I know in contemporary Christianity today."
The Open Door Fellowship was grateful to have Bishop Robinson come to the church and speak on behalf of the movie and his experiences.
Bishop Robinson stayed after the viewing to meet and greet people. His next presentation of the film will be with the Central Presbyterian Church in Eugene, Ore.
For more information about the film, "For the Bible Tells Me So," visit www.forthebibletellsmeso.org.
Source: Citizen