The so-called Gay Agenda has grown over the years to embrace not only employment, housing and public accommodation but such issues as health, partnering, parenthood, safety and immigration. Those attending had different areas of interest or emphasis. One member had the sudden insight that the humanly conceived Gay Agenda is in Truth the operation of Spirit as described in Science and Health: "Spirit diversifies, classifies, and individualizes all thoughts, which are as eternal as the Mind conceiving them; but the intelligence, existence, and continuity of all individuality remain in God, who is the divinely creative Principle thereof" (p. 513:17).

Another member had brought in Bible quotes about Saul (Paul) on the road to Damascus. His intent was to give heart to anyone leaning excessively on the outcome of the elections November 7th. Even what seems the worst human picture can give us a surprise on the upside.

But others also saw in this story a deeper point. Did Paul want or plan to be a Christian? Did Christ Jesus or Mary Baker Eddy for that matter? Any of them, or us, could have fought the divine demand made apparent to consciousness, but to what purpose and at what cost?

Being Gay, like being Christian, is a spiritual demand which evolves its own agenda (a word rooted in the thought of action or movement) to address human thought. Oneness, perfection, all-ness, infinity, uniqueness are among the attributes being Gay includes.

The discussion broadened into a number of areas.

One member was particularly interested in transgenderism and gave us a quick introduction to basic terminology. Sex is a biological term; gender refers to a collection of culturally based characteristics; while gender identity is one's own deeply felt internal sense of him/herself. The term transgender includes pre-op, post-op and non-op persons. A transsexual is one whose sex and gender identity are in conflict. Our member could find trans-bits within himself and, through Christian Science's teaching of wholeness and completeness as divine reflection, has been able to embrace these with relish.

Several members talked of the need to move beyond collective notions of political correctness and sexual mores to honor each person's unique demonstration of intimacy and completeness. One wondered whether we could mobilize for ourselves and others the truth embodied in Mrs. Eddy's description of Jesus' ability to behold in Science the perfect man and thus aid in the establishment of everyone's holiness (see Science and Health, p. 476:31-5).

One member gave us some background on four important issues facing the Gay community directly on November 7th. These are the Maine vote for Gay rights statewide; the Nebraska and Nevada votes to outlaw Gay marriage; and the Oregon vote to criminalize favorable mention of homosexuality or bisexuality in schools. Additionally, elections of a number of legislators and the governor of Vermont are threatened by anti-Gay forces because of their support for civil unions in that state. Our member felt we should prayerfully support righteous Government; we already had derived some tools at the meeting but he also referred us to a couple of quotes from the Textbook: "God is the lawmaker, but He is not the author of barbarous codes....Think less of the enactments of mortal mind, and you will sooner grasp man's God-given dominion" (Science and Health, p. 381: 15-16, 20-21).

Two members were quite concerned about the fragmentation of the country. Perhaps this is but a phase of our journey from the racism, sexism, homophobia, and religious and ethnic intolerance of the1950's, which many look back upon as some kind of idyllic period. But something may have been lost in the process. With all the hype about the elections it seems inevitable that many people will be unhappy come November 8th — perhaps bitterly so. Is it too much to start prayerful work now to recognize one Mind alone governing? One member even recommended practicing the reality of these statements on page 97 of Science and Health, "...those who discern Christian Science will hold crime in check. They will aid in the ejection of error. They will maintain law and order, and cheerfully await the certainty of ultimate perfection." Some asked, "What crime?" The idolatry of leaning on a certain electoral result — either yea or nay!

The subject of reformers came up. We defined them as those who act out in matter what they've seen in Spirit. Christ Jesus and Mary Baker Eddy qualify. They certainly had strong, positive influences on human development. However, some of us felt that as long as their contributions are seen as material — say, birth of a Savior or establishment of a church — a problematic residue of error will haunt mankind and undercut their real work. Think of the murders committed in the name of Jesus and all the emotional upsurges in our movement over some human opinions of Mrs. Eddy. The work in Science, it seems to us, is to keep reform securely in the realm of Spirit. The last chapter of Unity of Good is a good antidote for beliefs in reform. Included there is this statement: "Human perception, advancing toward the apprehension of its nothingness, halts, retreats, and again goes forward; but the divine Principle and Spirit and spiritual man are unchangeable, — neither advancing, retreating, nor halting" (p. 61:12).

Two members talking about our subject during the week felt that entries in their own Gay Agendas would include development of the ability to date. Difficult bonding experiences in youth and internalized homophobia were mentioned as impediments to action. One quoted this from Science and Heath, as a call to be done with all such causes: "The despotic tendencies, inherent in mortal mind and always germinating in new forms of tyranny, must be rooted out through the action of the divine Mind" (p. 225:25).

We had originally planned to take up Election as our topic for next week, but in view of our extensive handling of the subject this week we felt free to look at a topic one member has been pressing upon us for some time. He articulates it as Intimate Infinity and is trying to discern the interface between the infinities represented by God and the intimacies implied in a human relationship with such infinities.