Lesbian & Gay Youth
October 28, 1999
He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
Our work on issues faced by Lesbian and Gay Youth was in concert with that undertaken by other Groups and individual members of Emergence over the last three weeks. Many prayerfully derived breakthroughs were shared within the Gaylesbi internet community and through our web site.
After readings, our chairperson for the evening opened discussion with the observation that before we looked at specific problem areas, we should "head straight for the heart of Science and celebrate the reality of what is and what constitutes man." We would then be in a better place to rapidly see the perfection of being where history, prejudice and fear claimed to hold sway. Our readings had done quite a bit to prepare thought already, but some additional help came in the form of sharing about the merely symbolic nature of so called human life representing the divine. Furthermore, a member recounted his conversation during the week with a member not there relating alchemy to our topic — seeing the youth, middle and older ages of people as the base metals needing translation or conversion into the pure gold of divine Life or God. It is mortal belief, not divine Mind that segments Life into partial, dualistic views.
As we relaxed into an expanded appreciation of man and the universe as the outpouring of God's Life and Love, we were ready to look at specific issues.
1) One member came away from talks with experts in education, child development and psychology with the idea of clustering issues around three distinct periods in youth: infancy, ages 10-11 and the teen years. In infancy, the apparently always present homosexual drives of the child are smothered but not killed by heterosexism and gender policing. At age 10 or 11 the kid becomes aware of his natural sexual leanings, often without the slightest feeling of shame. If the leanings are to the Gay side they are ruthlessly fought and often crushed by peers and those in authority as the teen years unfold. Our member could confirm these developments from what he could recall of his own youth and that they had left a bitter residue of resentment and shame. Thus his elation at having an opportunity to address the problem in Science.
He asked himself whether he had been born and raised; whether he still had much pain and grief about his youth. Yes he did — but this was from the standpoint of his mortal history. How had God "seen" all those troubled years? He prayed to raise his vision to that of the divine perspective — suddenly, but rather easily, it came through — the perfection of being had been there, fully, all the time; the dualistic human processing was but faulty vision, now ready for correction. As he luxuriated in the divine version, he actually discovered some gems of well being and kindness strewn through the muck (see Retrospection And Introspection, p. 21: 13-2, for Mrs. Eddy's comment on human history). In the end he is now grateful for this period of his life, even the painful stuff.
O make me glad for every scalding tear,— Mother's Evening Prayer, by Mary Baker Eddy
For hope deferred, ingratitude, disdain!
Wait, and love more for every hate, and fear
No ill, — since God is good, and loss is gain.
2) Another member brought to our attention a conference he will attend October 30th devoted to Lesbian and Gay Youth issues. It is sponsored by New York University Law School, the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center (where we meet), and GLSEN (Gay Lesbian Straight Educational Network). We looked at the titles of the workshops comprising the conference and saw some metaphysical truths relating to them, as follows:
a) Safety at school: It should be pointed out that while a recent survey of students in general shows them feeling safer in schools lately, another survey of Gay students shows them feeling as unsafe as ever — 90% have heard homophobic taunts in the last couple of months and nearly a majority have been threatened themselves. From the Science perspective, man is the idea of God, neither a victim nor a perpetrator — and therefor completely safe, indeed saved.
b) Being different: God's being, a.k.a. man, is infinite, including all identities, existing in harmony.
c) Stereotypes, either positive (e. g., they dance well) or negative (are examples necessary?): Stereotypes are intense mortal attempts to describe identity. But identity is God based and secure and totally harmonious. In working in Science with this point we don't have to accept silly renditions of man but can quietly look into realism for the true man to emerge.
d) Alcohol and substance abuse: This attempt to calm mortal mind's troubles can be redeemed by true help in Science — Spirit rather than mere spirits.
e) Suicide: Life is not extinguishable by material means. Pain is not part of Life God.
f) Religious abuse: Truth, Love and Principle are the only religion or God contact of man. There is no abuse possible in this link.
g) Sexual exploitation: Man is supported and controlled by Principle not person.
3) We discussed the value and place of Lesbian and Gay people, young or old, in the destiny of mankind. Perhaps in olden times there was some justification for heterosexism as a fuel for population growth and military prowess. These justifications have lost all legitimacy and the survival of heterosexism is now merely an addictive behavior ripe for healing. Christian Science, with its views of eternity made practical and tangible and the completeness of man as the full reflection of God, provides the tools for this leap of consciousness.
We want to get away from the victim based view of Gay people as recipients of either the bad or good behavior of others and move towards the appreciation of the special gifts we can offer the world, without which perhaps it will not survive. This is a major, if not The major, work to be accomplished in presenting ourselves to all phases of human thought. Here we saw wholeness, completeness and oneness as central to the work.
4) We took time to note several happenings the last few weeks indicating perhaps a shift in human thought towards the celebration of Lesbian and Gay lives.
- The appearance of very interesting non stereotypical characters in TV shows — for instance, the teen age football player on "Dawson's Creek", the nerd attorney on "Oh, Grow Up".
- The strong endorsement of Gay rights by both Democratic presidential candidates.
- The meeting between the Revs. White and Falwell and supporters to find ways of ameliorating homophobic rhetoric in religious pronouncements.
- A report in the New York Times of October 21st of the upsurge in the number of Lesbian and Gay retirement facilities around the country. This cuts both ways — at least Gay people will not be subjected to the indignity and pain of having no one of their own type to relate to but it also shows the great distance we have to travel before we are secure in all venues.
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
To calculate one's life-prospects from a material basis, would infringe upon spiritual law and misguide human hope.
Willingness to become as a little child and to leave the old for the new, renders thought receptive of the advanced idea. Gladness to leave the false landmarks and joy to see them disappear,—this disposition helps to precipitate the ultimate harmony. The purification of sense and self is a proof of progress. "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."
This embryonic and materialistic human belief called mortal man in turn fills itself with thoughts of pain and pleasure, of life and death, and arranges itself into five so-called senses, which presently measure mind by the size of a brain and the bulk of a body, called man.
Human birth, growth, maturity, and decay are as the grass springing from the soil with beautiful green blades, afterwards to wither and return to its native nothingness. This mortal seeming is temporal; it never merges into immortal being, but finally disap-pears, and immortal man, spiritual and eternal, is found to be the real man.
Be firm in your understanding that the divine Mind governs, and that in Science man reflects God's government.
Immortal Mind, governing all, must be acknowledged as supreme in the physical realm, so-called, as well as in the spiritual.
If Life is God, as the Scriptures imply, then Life is not embryonic, it is infinite.
To preserve a long course of years still and uniform, amid the uniform darkness of storm and cloud and tempest, requires strength from above,—deep draughts from the fount of divine Love. Truly may it be said: There is an old age of the heart, and a youth that never grows old; a Love that is a boy, and a Psyche who is ever a girl. The fleeting freshness of youth, however, is not the evergreen of Soul; the coloring glory of perpetual bloom; the spiritual glow and grandeur of a consecrated life wherein dwelleth peace, sacred and sincere in trial or in triumph.