News: September 19, 2025

You may have heard me share the story of being in a covenant group in Dallas. At one meeting, another gay man described an incident that happened to both of us. He realized that if what most religions were saying about LGBTQ folks was wrong, what else were they wrong about? The realization that I was gay prompted me to begin questioning, and stop assuming that because authority figures said it, it was well-reasoned and true.

It’s impossible to ascertain what the life of my imagined straight self might have looked like. But I can easily imagine that I might have gone to seminary in Kentucky to be a Methodist minister. I would have had no reason to not accept and preach those beliefs that were handed to me. Sadly, I can easily imagine myself maintaining an air of superiority while being judgmental toward those who were different.

Instead, because I was gay, I was prompted to reconsider my beliefs. I began thinking about all of this because of the events of the last week.

A right-wing political activist and media personality was tragically shot and killed. Our UU Value of Equity declares that every person is inherently worthy and has the right to flourish with dignity, love, and compassion. Political violence denies those inherently worthy – i.e. everyone – the right to flourish at all. As Rev. Colin said Sunday, all these deaths are tragic and call for common-sense gun laws.

This co-founder of Turning Point USA used language many would describe as racist, sexist, and anti-LGBTQ. He had a singular take on the Second Amendment. The tragically prescient quote of his that has perhaps been most publicized is “I think it’s worth it. I think it’s worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year, so that we can have the Second Amendment.”1

While attempting to cite the Bible to prove a point about his anti-gay views, he misquoted a mixture of passages from Leviticus 18:22 and Leviticus 20:13. He said, “Thou shall lay with another man, shall be stoned to death. Just saying... The chapter...affirms God’s perfect law when it comes to sexual matter.”2

Despite the tone of the remarks he himself made, those simply quoting him online have been silenced, slandered and even fired from their jobs. The silencing of free speech by those who demand it is both un-American and counter to our UU values.

We live in a society that encourages firm and solidified opinions and values, so I understand the comfort one may enjoy while resting assured in the beliefs they have had all their life. I can easily imagine my imagined straight self doing exactly that.

Much of the divisive language targeted toward people like me may be intended to cause us to question our inherent worth and dignity, and our right to flourish with dignity, love, and compassion. But these recent events: the political violence, the stifling of free speech, the persecution of dissidents, at least for me did just the opposite.

It made me appreciate and give thanks that I’m gay because it gave me little choice but to closely examine beliefs I held in my youth. I am thankful that reexamination has led me to what I see as a more loving and inclusive mindset. I am thankful it led me to a faith community that not only accepts those who are different, but encourages us to grow spiritually throughout our lives by reexamining our ideology. Thank you for being part of that community.

Holding you in hope and love,

Rev. D. Scott Cooper