Echoe Matthews is a beloved teacher. Echoe Matthews is an amazing teacher who has a great heart and love for 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 is timely, it is well-written, and it touches on issues affecting parents and their children, especially as they come to terms with their own sexuality and as they seek to have children of their own.
One story tells the tale of a traditional-minded older parent who took his son to Sunday school but had never been to church. The teacher asked the father if he would be willing to take the boy’s place in his class. He said no because he was gay but because he didn’t believe the bible allows 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. He then told the teacher that he believed the bible did not call for gay marriage because he was sinfully involved in sexual activity with men. This is hatred.
Sadly, this mother was so traumatized by the experience that she filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, claiming discrimination based on 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. We live in a country that allows people to express their opinions freely. She was able to do so. Nevertheless, her complaint was denied by her supervisor. Hopefully other moms and dads will stand up for their children and tell the Bible’s truth – that all people were created equal, and that gay, lesbian, and bisexual people deserve love, friendship, and acceptance, regardless of who they are or how they choose to express it.