For the Bible Tells Me So

By David E Braden

A few weeks ago, we screened the film, For the Bible Tells Me So, at my church. This film has been out for a while now. Common Witness and Soul Force screened the film at the 2008 General Conference in the public square just outside the Convention Center in Ft. Worth, TX. For those of you who were at General Conference, the trailer below is quite eerily reminiscent of that dark Wednesday afternoon and evening.

Every time I see this film it still sends chills down my spine. I have seen it maybe five times now, but this particular screening at my church was special. Although Holy Covenant UMC has been a reconciling congregation for years now, we are going through a period of exploring our reconciling roots and why we became reconciling in the first place so many years ago. My hope is that this process of exploring what it means to be reconciling again will invigorate our members into action that is more than just being happy with the label “reconciling” and something more for our Methodist community in Chicago and across the denomination.

This was also the first time that my parents watched the film. My parents have loved and accepted me as their gay son to varying degrees ever since I first came out in high school. They are not the kind of parents to run and join PFLAG or even the Reconciling Parents Network. But they ask about whom I am dating, they want me to be happy like most parents, and they do become infuriated when they hear and see the Church being bigoted. For me, there was never a doubt that my parents would come to see this film. As other congregants told me later though, they were moved to see my parents present because they could not imagine seeing theirs watching this film.

My mom cried through most of it. I wonder sometimes if I am so used to the spiritual violence of the Church that I just do not cry anymore, that I just do not feel. But my mom cried through most of the film. I can only imagine what it is like to be a parent. What it must be like to watch a movie with such deprecating images, with so much pain, and even death – and to then think of your son? What must it be like to fear for your son? My mom cried through most of the film.

You can easily bring this film to your local congregation. I'd first check and see if a screening is already scheduled in a congregation or civic organization near you at:
http://firstrunfeatures.com/forthebible_playdates.html

Then, to inquire about screening rights and booking a screening of the film at your church, visit:
http://www.forthebibletellsmeso.org/bookings.html

For Film Discussion Guides, including one developed my United Methodist pastors, visit:
http://www.forthebibletellsmeso.org/resources.htm