In spite of the legalization of gay marriage in several states, the increasing representation of gays and lesbians in popular culture and the repeal of the U.S. military's "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy, the fight for LGBT rights in America is far from over. The arguments against equality are often religious in nature, but in God vs. Gay?, author and activist Jay Michaelson draws on significant research and his own experience as a person of faith and a gay man to show that it is possible to be both gay and religious--and that faith communities are enriched and strengthened by the affirmation of LGBT people.
Michaelson argues that while "there are a half a dozen verses that may say something about some forms of same-sex behavior, what they have to say is ambiguous, limited, and widely misunderstood," and more importantly, "there are hundreds of other verses that teach us about the importance of love, justice, and sacred relationships." Michaelson is far more concerned with that fundamental message of love and inclusion than in taking apart the problematic verses, though he does address them.
Michaelson applies impressive scholarship to his arguments, but God vs Gay? is not academic. Instead, it aims to reach religious people who may be struggling with inclusion, as well as homosexuals in spiritual crisis, and he writes with respect and sensitivity for all sides. He acknowledges that sexual diversity remains an issue that threatens deeply held beliefs of many people. "But, as with slavery and women's rights before it," he writes, "it is also a debate that invokes the best in us: our capacity for empathy, moral reasoning, and for love." --Hannah Calkins, blogger at Unpunished Vice