For the Bible Tells Me So

The gay community within America is living in a pivotal time in our history, as gay rights cases inch towards the Supreme Court and more states legalize same sex marriage. Homosexuality has ceased to be such a taboo topic in our media, and most Americans when polled say they socialize with gay people in some realm of their life-work or leisure. In spite of all this progress, opposition to gay rights still remains firmly rooted in fundamentalist religious groups in America, particularly Christian groups. For the Bible Tells Me So is a documentary that attempts to infiltrate this community, to get at the heart of Christian opposition to homosexuality.

The documentary is told in a series of five true narratives about people who grew up in strict, fundamentalist Christian families. The parents of each person are also interviewed as well as pastors. One of the participants of the documentary is Gene Robinson, the first openly gay and noncelibate bishop ordained in the United States in a mainstream Christian organization. Most of the narratives involve a familial reconciliation and understanding in spite of religion, although not all do, and the degree of acceptance is varying. It truly offers a broad and unabridged perspective of life for gays associated with religious communities.

This documentary is different than other documentaries of its type; this is not an attack on fundamentalist Christianity. In fact, much of this documentary is hopeful about the capacity Christians have for change. With that being said, the documentary is not naïve. Fundamentalist pastors actively preaching against a “gay lifestyle” are given a voice as well.

Something else intriguing about this documentary is the intensive dissection of biblical verses, specific and cited biblical verses, regarding homosexuality. Theological and academic religious figures both discuss the history and context of the verses, and what they truly mean for modern American Christians. The documentary makes a very strong case that fundamentalist Christians misuse these verses as a means of justifying prejudice. Parallels are drawn between the Bible’s treatment of women and slaves to the treatment of homosexuals.

I thoroughly recommend this documentary for anyone looking for not just a glimpse into the life of gays coming out to fundamentalist families, but anyone interested in a serious academic discussion of the infamous Leviticus and Romans verses regarding homosexuality. For the Bible Tells Me So truly is an educational and empowering creation of film.

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