Sunday, February 3, 2008

Children of Men

A year ago, I suspected a very distinguished and respected bishop in my
community of being gay. My suspicions were later confirmed and I was
conflicted. I spend a lot of time with gay people. Most of my close
friends are gay men. Being so up close and personal with the lifestyle
mad me disagree with this man's choice so much more. I later left church
because half of the men in church were gay. This was from the pulpit to
the janitor. I couldn't deal. How could you be living a lie yet tell me
how to live? I wrote this in a post at that time and later deleted it.
(I will never delete another post again)

Recently, that bishop was charged with murder. The belief is that he
fell in love with a married man and killed his lover's wife.

It has come out that his life fell apart. His ministry was stolen from
him by his brother in a dramatic power struggle, his ex-wife started
speaking out against his "demons," he had been drinking, and doing who
else knows what.

No one knew he was falling from grace. We all thought he was prospering.
He had a few apartments he rented out, he worked in public health, he'd
found another church, and all looked picture perfect.

He was my mom's mentor. He guided her to pastorship. I held him in high
regard once upon a time. This whole fiasco has broken many hearts. It
has also made some rejoice, as bad news often does. It really just made
me confirm what I realized a year ago. We are all children of men
struggling to stay in God's grace.

4 comments:

*Tanyetta* said...

wow!!!! that is deep!

Janelle said...

yeah...wow...I'm stay outta this one.

Nina said...

Come on, Jenny! You can't be talking like that. You got a daughter (plus, I'm strapped for cash. I can't afford bail right now)

Anonymous said...

Wow is right.

I almost said, 'We are all children of men, but we aren't all living a lie,' but the truth is that we are all living a lie on some level. It may not be homosexuality, but there's something about each of us that we don't want anyone else to know.

My heart goes out to everyone involved.