Echoe Matthews is a beloved teacher. She is an incredible teacher with a heart for students and a love of kids. This is apparent in her free book, The Gay Christian Parent, which she self-published after decades of teaching and counseling in Tennessee’s largest predominantly gay community. It’s timely, well-written, and touches on important issues that affect parents and children, particularly as they deal with their sexuality and try to have their own children.
For example, one story in the book involves an older, more traditional-minded parent who had never been to church before taking his young son to Sunday school. When the teacher asked if he would like to be placed in the boy’s class, the father said no, not because he is gay, but because he doesn’t think that the bible calls for gay marriage. The teacher asked why not, then told the father that the boy could not go into heaven because he is a gay man. The teacher asked him why he didn’t believe gay marriage was allowed in the Bible. He explained that he had been involved in sinful sexual activity with men. That is hate.
Unfortunately, the mother was so traumatized from the experience, she filed a complaint to the U.S. Department of Education claiming discrimination based upon gender and religion. Her argument was that the government should not teach that a sin is something that excludes someone from love, whether that someone is straight, gay, bi, lesbian, or whatever. Thankfully, we live in a country where people are allowed a free speech column when it comes to their feelings, and she did have the right to speak her mind. Her supervisor denied her complaint. We hope other dads will stand up and defend their children. The Bible says that all people are created equal and that everyone deserves love, friendship and acceptance.
