The Golden Rule
"Do unto others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6:31) is a basic guide on how Christians should treat others. Many people learn to recite this simple command from Jesus.
"When I hear a student in my Sunday School class say, "That's so gay," I use it as an opportunity to talk about put-downs, name-calling, and how we treat one another. It's an excellent opening to practice the Golden Rule in our classroom."
The Golden Rule is a deep-rooted reason why many United Methodists work for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people and their families in the life of the church. Faithful United Methodists see LGBT people being excluded from membership, ordination, and open participation and make the connection with the Golden Rule. When people are excluded, ignored, discriminated against, or marginalized, we're not living true to the Golden Rule; we're not treating them the way we would like to be treated.
Questions for Reflection or Discussion (call or text a friend)
- How does my church respond to Jesus' command to do to others as you would have them do to you, specifically as it relates to LGBT people and their families?
- In what ways are LGBT people and their families treated differently from other parishioners in my congregation?
- What could I do in my church to put the Golden Rule into practice with LGBT people and their families?
"My first Sunday in town as a new graduate student, I accepted with joy a friend's invitation to attend a United Methodist Church. As a lifelong United Methodist, I quickly felt at home--I loved the praise, the worship, the warmth, and the welcome. Before long, I became a greeter and an usher and wanted to transfer my membership. When the pastor announced a membership class, I jumped at the chance. After the class, I met with the pastor. At the end of the meeting, he said, "I understand that you consider yourself gay." I told him the truth and said I was. Since I wasn't willing to participate in reparative therapy to "cure" being gay or commit to lifelong celibacy, he said that it wouldn't be appropriate for me to join and denied my transfer of membership."
"I just discovered that a fourth grade girl in my child's Sunday School class is asking to be known as a boy. The child dresses as a boy and wants to be called a masculine name. I heard the child's parents say that the child, born with the body of a girl, has never identified as a girl. After consulting with medical professionals, they've decided to let him grow up as a boy and want his teachers, students and church members to relate to him as a boy. This will be a challenge; we've never been asked to do something like this before. But out of love and respect for the child and the family, I think we can do it."
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