Thanks to his Lesbian Friend, A Pastor changes his Homophobic Heart

Pastor Richard Davis had a change of heart after his lesbian schooled him on his homophobia.

Yet Davis, 58, very publicly broke that code of silence when he conducted a series of forums this fall on "Gays in the Black Church: Is it time to come out of the closet?" that called out the hypocrisy and homophobia of black churches. In the forums, Davis apologized to black gay church members for his past homophobia. It was an apology that may never have come were it not for the empathy he received at a low point in his life and which came from a lesbian friend.

Thanks to his friend, Davis brought the conversation to his church, hoping for some real talk with the pulpit.

Davis' forums brought together members of Orlando's gay community and the black community in what, at times, was a fiery display of fear and acrimony on both sides.

Black church members expressed their feelings that what they viewed as the immoral and aberrant lifestyles of homosexuals were bad for their children, their community and their country. Gays vented their feelings of rejection and abuse by the black church, the black community and members of their own family.

I applauded Pastor Davis for bringing this issue to his church. This needs to be at the forefront of the Black Church.

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