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The Nation Is Bleeding… and We’re Still Arguing About Homosexuality
by Jim Moss
The following is a speech that I plan to give on the floor of a meeting of Providence Presbytery on March 12 in Lancaster, SC. A Presbytery is a regional governing body in the Presbyterian Church (USA), and each one is voting this year, as they have several times over the past 15 years, on the issue of the ordination of homosexuals.  If you’ve ever wondered why there are so few people my age at these Presbytery meetings, and if you’ve ever wondered why it’s so difficult to attract and keep young adults in the pews of our congregations, it’s partly because of this. If you talk to young adults who don’t go to church - which is most of them - they will tell you that the church is out of touch and has its priorities mixed up.To put it bluntly, they’re put off by all the in-fighting over issues of sexuality. It’s just not what’s most important to them. Right now, young adults in particular are struggling in this economic crisis. There are very few good jobs available for them. As a result, record numbers are moving back in with their parents, and there is a growing sense of anger and frustration that they might never get the opportunities at starting real careers that people in older generations took for granted. Many feel that they have done everything they were told they needed to do in order to be successful, but are finding that jobs in fast food and retail are their only viable options. It’s a huge problem that is out there that will have many unforeseen repercussions, but in large part we’re missing it - because we’ve lost this generation of Americans who have come to believe that the church is outdated and irrelevant. To many young adults, all the church cares about is who is sleeping with whom, and even though we all know that the church is about a lot more than that, that’s largely the perception that is out there. And of course, it’s not just young adults who are interested in hearing more than that from the church. The whole nation is struggling. The whole nation is worried. The whole nation is scared. In the coming months and years, we are going to see physical and spiritual needs that outstrip every program, ministry, and institution that we have worked so hard to build. In many ways, people are going to be looking not just for assistance, but for a new vision of what life in America could and should be like. The church is in a prime position to help provide that vision. But right now, what does the world see when it looks at the church? A few weeks ago, I was watching the local news. There were a number of stories about the economic crisis - layoffs, foreclosures, rising costs - story after story about good, hard-working people having their lives devastated. And then, just before the commercial break, came the teaser for the next segment. It was about Charlotte Presbytery’s vote on the same issue. It said, “Presbyterians vote on gay pastors.” The nation is bleeding. And we’re still arguing about homosexuality. So far at today’s meeting, we have seen vigorous debate from both sides of the gay ordination fight. But we’ve heard little or no mention of the economic crisis. Shouldn’t it be the main thing, if not the only thing, that we’re talking about? Especially since we’re one of the most affluent denominations? Therefore, I’m abstaining from this vote as the only way I know how to protest what I and most of my generation feels is a denomination that has lost touch. And after the vote is done, I will make a motion that we as a Presbytery agree not to debate the matter of gay ordination for at least four years, and that we make the economic crisis a top priority on each agenda during the years 2009 and 2010. Thank you.” Jim Moss is a Presbyterian minister from York, South Carolina. He publishes a blog and a quarterly newsletter called "Discipline for Justice," which focuses on ways North Americans can live lives that promote peace and economic justice.
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