The Chicago Black Gay Men’s Caucus discussed the intersections of Black and gay identities at a special event held at the Chicago Department of Public Health recently.
Rev. Kevin Tindell facilitated “An Intimate Conversation, Spiritually Speaking: ‘Will I Go To Heaven?—The Black Gay Spiritual Dilemma.'”
The talk featured author and activist Rev. Tuan N’Gai, creator of the website OperationRebirth.com, which, according to its website, works to end “the religious and spiritual abuse against black gays and lesbians inflicted by Black churches.”
N’Gai discussed his desire to learn more about his own spirituality and religiousness in conjunction with his sexuality. N’Gai came from a tiny town in Texas where his family was Missionary Baptist and very religious. N’Gai talked about his struggles with his sexual orientation and religion. He said that a man younger than he was at the time asked him if God would accept him even though he is gay, and N’Gai did not have a precise answer. After writing a ten-page letter explaining why he could not answer the question, the idea for his book “Will I Go To Heaven?” was born.
Attendees discussed at length the question of if scriptures from the Bible actually condemn homosexuality (N’Gai concluded they did not), the spread of HIV in the African American MSM community, how religion can coexist with sexuality, the similarities between different religions and how society is progressing in terms of spirituality.