from “Anthem”, by Leonard Cohen

Monday, September 23, 2013

Numbers (updated June, 2015)




9 million - number of gay people in the USA.
8 million - number of United Methodists in the USA.
56% - percent of people in our country who support gay marriage.
78% - percent of people between the age of 18 and 30 who support gay marriage.
63% - percent of the Upper New York United Methodist Conference who voted to support gay marriage at the last conference
4 - the statistical number of gay teenagers who commit suicide, for every "non-gay" teen who commits suicide.
0 - number of the top 6 medical and mental health associations who believe it is possible to change a person's sexual orientation.  

6 - number of those top 6 which believe that trying to become straight instead of gay will be emotionally or medically harmful.

6 - number of Bible references teaching homosexuality is wrong.

6 - number of Bible references teaching that Galileo's astronomy is wrong.

20 - minimum number of Bible references supporting polygamy.

60 - minimum number of Bible references supporting slavery.

140 - minimum number of Bible references supporting the subordination of women.

2000 - fewest possible Bible references teaching that God desires mercy, not judgment; forgiveness, not self-righteousness; and grace, wastefully and freely given, especially to the most vulnerable among us.

358 - number of years after Galileo's death before the Roman Catholic Church apologized for its role against him.

389 - number of years after slavery began in this country until the year when the UMC apologized for our role in supporting racism.

2,700 - approximate number of years from when the first misogynous words in Scripture were recorded by scribes, until the current era.

44- the least number of years for which the United Methodist Church will eventually need to  apologize for adding the words "homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching" to our Discipline.

613 - number of commandments in the Old Testament.

10 -  number of commandments in Moses' summary.

3 - number of teachings in John Wesley's summary -
            (do no harm, do good, love God)

2 - number of teachings in Jesus' summary -
            (love God, love your neighbor)

1 - number of people it takes to love enough to make a difference.

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The 6 Professional Associations referenced above -

American Academy of Pediatrics
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
American Medical Association
American Psychiatric Association
American Psychoanalytic Association
National Association of Social Workers

3 comments:

  1. After apartheid ended in South Africa, it suddenly became difficult to find people who had supported it. How many years will it take for most Americans to find themselves on the "right side of history" regarding GLBT persons? Probably when homophobia is de-institutionalized in this country. The sooner the better! Thank you, Steve, for pushing on that heavy stone of oppression. It's time for all of us to join you! --Gary D.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Gary, for that apt comparison. As you know, South Africa not only de-institutionalized apartheid, surprising enough, it also institutionalized Marriage Equality - allowing same gender marriage across the land. Makes me wonder what they remembered that we have forgotten!

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  2. This is a VERY powerful summary which I will use and use and use. Thank you so very much!

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