Why so much anguish about the shootings in Orlando but nothing (that I’ve seen so far) about the bombings in Istanbul? Is it possible to adapt these laments in the following ways?
Black Lives Matter called America’s attention to the fact that urban violence and police shootings are not randomly distributed, and the movement describes itself as “working for a world where Black lives are no longer systematically and intentionally targeted for demise. It is an affirmation of Black folks’ contributions to this society, our humanity, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression.” Indeed, justice demands that we ask (in my colleague William ONeill’s words), “Whose equal human dignity and equal human rights are unequally threatened or denied?” Black lives matter–we must act against race-based oppression of human beings, and take note of the systematic and intentional targeting of people of color in our society. Alongside this,
OrlandoIstabul calls us to affirm thatQueerTurkish lives matter.In the wake of
OrlandoIstanbul, whereracist homophobiareligious ideology killed49 Americans32 Turks (and 10 others) and terrorized millions ofLGBTQ peopletravelers, especiallyqueer people of colorTurks, it is time for the Church–the people of God, all of us–to step away from language that fuels distrust and disdain ofsexual minoritiesnon-Westerners. It is time for us to exercise positive solidarity withLGBTQTurkish people. As with racism, it is not enough to renounce overtlyhomophobicinfidelphobic acts, but rather we must recognize and stand against the structures of social sin that drive them.
Or this?
So in this afternoon’s post, I attempted to reflect on what it means for me, as a Christian historian, to make my faith active in love of my
LGBTTurkish neighbors. To grieve with them, for sure, since I’ve previously argued that mourning is integral to the historical vocation. But more importantly, to take seriously the challenge posed by gay Christian activist Matthew Vines: to “avoid qualifying your lament in any way” and instead communicate thatGod loves
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgenderTurkish people unconditionally. You loveusthem and are committed to making the church the sanctuary it always should have been forusthem. Sadly, I have never heard a pastor who opposessame-sex marriageSharia Law give a sermon declaring God’s love forLGBT peopleTurks without including caveats about his or her opposition tosame-sex relationshipsIslam.If there were ever a time to give that sermon—and to give it with genuine humility, compassion and an openness to learn and grow—now is the time. Churches will be marked
in the LGBT communityTurks for years to come by how they respond tousthem in this moment. Please do all you can to let that mark be one of unconditional love.
Is there any reason why Turks deserve such empathy, compassion, and tolerance any less than gays, lesibians, and transgenders? And what makes it easier to show off your love for LBGT people than Turks? Perhaps the American Christians identifying with LBGT are provincial?
Parochialists all.