Church has been the foundation of the people of this country since it's beginning. We have trusted in God for our security and happiness regardless of our race or color. The black church has proven to be solid and constant in black communities and the views of the church has great impact on our lives individually and collectively. The consensus that the black church is homophobic is a narrow-minded view that is all too readily accepted by those empathetic to the gay community.
The doctrine of the black church is derived from the Bible. The teaching of the Bible is that homosexuality is a sin. The Bible likewise teaches that stealing, lying, adultery, etc., are also sins. Most people who attend church know that their faith is supposed to bring about change in their lives and because Christ died for their sins, they can receive forgiveness and go and sin no more. If they are liars, they no longer have to lie, if they are thieves, they no longer have to steal. Of course, one must be willing to change. We have approached many churches about the subject of the down-low. What we have found is that the black church wants to minister healing to homosexual men just as they would anyone else in the bondage of sin. Of course, many gay and down-low men laugh at this belief and call it a joke. They come to the black church with the mentality that this is who they are and the church needs to accept them as they are. Of course, to ask the church to embrace homosexuality as a new way of life, fad or fashion is ludicrous. People of faith know what their Bible teaches. They are taught to love every person, but to hate sin. Are they to ignore sexual sin in their midst while exposing all other sin? While the church will embrace each person as a child of God who is redeemable because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, it most definitely expects each person to work out their own salvation and be willing to change and that includes homosexual behavior. Black ministers of the gospel are not afraid to speak on the subject of homosexuality whereas many white churches avoid the subject altogether.
Gay men have been a part of the black church for many, many years. The doors of black churches do not slam shut in the face of homosexual men. If that were the case, the stages of our churches would not give way to the flamboyant, colorfully dressed choir director with his suit tails flying in the breeze of his dancing feet as he performs his "holy ghost" dance. The organist would not sometimes resemble Liberace and the head usher would not sometimes have that extra lilt in his voice when he greets you at the door. These men are our sons and brothers and are, for the most part, loved by the church as our friends and family members, but the black church makes no excuses for its aversion to their lifestyle. We believe the classification of homophobia is a misnomer that pigeonholes black churches into one category in an effort to turn the black church inward on itself. Many black gay men consistently state that the black church is bias toward gay men therefore they must masquerade as straight in order to attend the churches of their choice. The operative word here is "choice." Would the student go to medical school to become an engineer? If a gay man comes to church, why should he expect the church that studies the doctrine of Christianity to ignore its own teachings? The homophobia label is unjust and untrue. The truth is the black church is not phobic, just diligent in its teaching that sin is sin and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ freed us from the bondage of all sin. In all actuality, there is no excuse for down-low behavior. Homosexual men need not believe that the world will give way to their deception. Women will become more educated and informed and will no longer be so easily used as covers for down-low men and many of our black churches will continue to minister to openly gay men, while exposing down-low men in their midst. Bravo to the black church because according to the CDC, the disproportionate rise in reported HIV/AIDS cases in black women is definitely linked to heterosexual sex with men who also sleep with men. We need you, Church. While the state wants to remain politically correct about the issues of homosexuality, people of faith need the protective boundaries of faith upheld by the church. The down-low community calls it homophobia, women of faith victimized by down-low men call it spiritual warfare!