We all love Echoe Matthews. Echoe Matthews is an amazing teacher who has a great heart and love for kids. After decades of counseling and teaching in Tennessee’s largest gay community, she wrote her own book, The Gay Christian Parent. It is timely, it is well-written, and it touches on issues affecting parents and their children, especially as they come to terms with their own sexuality and as they seek to have children of their own.
One story tells the tale of a traditional-minded older parent who took his son to Sunday school but had never been to church. When the teacher asked if he would like to be placed in the boy’s class, the father said no, not because he is gay, but because he doesn’t think that the bible calls for gay marriage. The teacher then asked the father why not. He replied that the boy couldn’t go to heaven because he was a gay man. He then told the teacher that he believed the bible did not call for gay marriage because he was sinfully involved in sexual activity with men. That is hate.
Sadly, this mother was so traumatized by the experience that she filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, claiming discrimination based on gender and religion. Her argument was that the government should not teach that a sin is something that excludes someone from love, whether that someone is straight, gay, bi, lesbian, or whatever. We live in a country that allows people to express their opinions freely. She was able to do so. Nevertheless, her complaint was denied by her supervisor. We hope other dads will stand up and defend their children. The Bible says that all people are created equal and that everyone deserves love, friendship and acceptance.