Op-ed: A pastoral perspective on the Macon-Bibb anti-discrimination ordinance
In the midst of ongoing debates over a national election, the people of Macon-Bibb County are reminded this week of the impact local politics has on us directly. Tuesday, the Macon-Bibb Commission voted to pass a comprehensive non-discrimination ordinance which would “provide protections for race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity or military status,” in “places of public accommodation.” An article published by WGXA outlines arguments for and against the ordinance (which has to pass a final vote this coming Tuesday), including input from local pastor, Dr. Tim McCoy.
McCoy argues that, “people who hold the moral and religious convictions of Christianity, such as same sex partnership, to be able to hold true to their convictions.” As a proud Baptist myself, I hold dear the separation of Church and State—a principle deeply rooted in our nation thanks to Baptists like Roger Williams, who founded Rhode Island on the ideals of religious freedom for all people, and John Leland, who influenced James Madison in the forming of the First Amendment. Seeing that this ordinance has no bearing on religious organizations, it baffles me that one narrow religious perspective should drive the conversation. As Christians, we must understand that we live in a beautifully diverse community, and protecting that diversity does not come at the cost of our freedom to worship in the ways we choose. Yet, Dr. McCoy brought a pastoral perspective to the table, so I would like to join the conversation as well.
Not only am I a citizen of Bibb County who is in favor of this ordinance, I am also a gay man who looks forward to legal protection in my own community. Beyond that, I am an Associate Pastor at First Baptist Church of Christ, one of many churches in our community who welcomes all people made in the Image of God regardless of “race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity or military status.” I hope that my mere existence shows that the Christian perspective Dr. McCoy speaks from is one narrow view of a religion claimed by billions. I have grappled my whole life with being a gay person of faith, but any shame I have felt ultimately comes from fellow Christians and never from my encounters with God’s Holy presence or experience with Scripture. To take Dr. McCoy’s account as the Christian perspective is to discount a communion of believers as diverse as humanity itself.
While claiming not to “speak against for [sic] anyone who is for unjust discriminations,” Dr. McCoy said he is “bound to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.” Although this ordinance is not exclusively about the LGBTQ+ community, that is the singular issue Dr. McCoy chose to speak against. Jesus never once said anything about queerness. Dr. McCoy chose to use Jesus as a shield for his own bigoted beliefs. Were he truly seeking to follow the teachings of Jesus, even in the public sphere, it seems to me that he would focus on caring for the maligned, marginalized, and overlooked members of our community.
Dr. McCoy went on to argue that there are “more pressing issues” in Macon-Bibb than equality under the law. While there are certainly many pressing issues in this county and country, it is laughable to insinuate that this one important measure prevents the Commission from other work. A law that helps everyone in Macon feel safer and more protected is a meaningful step toward addressing many issues, but instead of allowing it to pass, opposition arguments are holding up the process. This red herring argument joins McCoy’s hasty generalization fallacy that, “The way these laws, like the one are considering, over time are not used as a shield for people, but as a sword for those who have religious beliefs,” which stands in contrast to Commissioner Schlesinger’s evidence of similar, successful ordinances throughout our state.
It would be easy for me to be disheartened by the fact that there are those in my community so vehemently opposed to non-discrimination — who refuse to see the Image of God in me as I do in them. As a Christian, however, I am grounded in hope—hope found in the potential for such an ordinance, hope found in those arguing for it, and hope found in fact that this ordinance has passed one round of voting already. I look forward to the day when we are all treated fairly under the law, but until then I praise God that Jesus stands with those of us who are not.
The Rev. JD Granade
Associate Pastor to Children and Congregational Life
First Baptist Church of Christ, Macon, GA