INTERFAITH ALLIANCE STATE OF BELIEF

RADIO FEBRUARY 28, 2015

RUSH TRANSCRIPT: TODD WHITLEY
Click here for audio
[REV. DR. C. WELTON GADDY, HOST]: In recent years, Texas has
given us characters like David Barton, Ted Cruz, Louie Gohmert, Rick
Perry on and on they go. They and many others seem hell-bent on
dragging the national conversation in the most anti-constitution, antidiversity and anti-progress direction possible. Predictably, much of
their rhetoric is based on what they see as the divine will the will of
God.
While I would never support anyones attempts to codify any
particular religion in our secular laws, there are clear provisions and
a long tradition of faith-driven activism on the part of Americans
who draw moral guidance from their religious backgrounds.
In Texas, where culture-war conflicts are as plentiful as oil, a growing
movement of progressive religious leaders and faith communities is
stepping up to challenge the established narrative that all religion is
by definition anti-gay, anti-woman and anti-progress.
As communications manager for the nonprofit Equality Texas, Todd
Whitley helped organize a recent faith advocacy day at the state
capitol. And I am so pleased to have him with us now on State of
Belief Radio.
Todd, welcome!
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[TODD WHITLEY, GUEST]: Thank you very much. Its a pleasure to

be talking to you.
[WG]: Would you start, please, by talking about the way progressive
faith leaders have been increasingly engaged in the struggle for
social justice in Texas?
[TW]: I feel like the progressive faith leaders have kind of felt alone;
theyve been busy, theyve been active, but I think theyve been
overrun a bit by the broader but more narrow narrative that says faith
can exclude people. And I perceive them being fueled by, and
encouraged by, an increasing number of faith leaders that may call
themselves progressive and may not, who are standing up and
saying, This isnt us. We cant allow this narrative to continue any
longer. So I think theres a feeling of relief that more and more faith
leaders across the state are standing up against a message of faith
that is contrary to what the Word says.
[WG]: Yes. Im grateful for that happening. I actually served as a
pastor in Texas many years ago, and there was always that overtone,
that domineering very religious right voice; but there were great
people in the trenches trying to work for social justice, and the people
that youve just talked about have been there for a while. I think there
are more of them now, and its great that youre affirming them and
that you are working with them. I wonder, how widespread is the old
misperception that religious faith equals a mandate for bigotry and
exclusion?
[TW]: You know, sadly, I think its very widespread. And I think a lot of
people dont have exposure to different voices, maybe, outside their
own faith community or to a broader news cycle that might give them
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a different point of view. But I know people, myself, who are part of
faith communities where a narrow view has made certain people
particularly gay and transgender people feel unwelcome, and
theyre struggling with themselves and with their faith and with their
conscience. Something about those narratives dont resonate with
that deep faith, with that deep belief that God loves everyone, and
that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves, regardless of who they
are. And so when they have the opportunity to hear a different
perspective; when other faith leaders take a stand; when other people
of faith stand up and say, You know, thats not my belief. My belief is
that everyone is loved by God, regardless of who they are I think
that gives them some confidence to take a journey and challenge
what it is that maybe theyve always been taught, or what theyve
always thought.
[WG]: Todd, as a person of faith yourself, do you find a suspicion of
religion among LGBT advocates that you work with? Because I know
I do, at times, and they would have every reason to be cautious
based on how religion has been misused in attacks on this group.
[TW]: Yeah, absolutely. And I myself have been injured by religion,
and I know so many, many people not just gay and transgender
people who have been hurt by religion. And many of us gave it up or tried to give it up and yet its such a part of us and who we are,
for many of us; and for those for whom faith was not a part of their
growing up, theyre definitely suspicious of it because of how theyve
seen it used against them.
Thats why last week, the faith advocacy day that we had at the state
capitol there were about 150 people there, at least 40 faith leaders
from across the state and in the posts on social media, I watched
comment after comment of people saying, Wow! Thank you so much
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for taking a stance for me. Its sad that they felt, maybe, surprised, or
that it was unusual for a person of faith to stand up and say, We
need to treat everybody equally, with dignity and respect. And yet,
thats many peoples experience.
[WG]: Well, the recent headlines have been about marriage equality
in Texas. I wonder how has Equality Texas participated in the
struggles over this issue thats one way but what else is going on?
[TW]: So marriage equality is important here in Texas, but its not the
only thing, at all, thats important. One of the things that were seeing
is a move to use religion as a way to discriminate against people: so
one day - in Texas, across the nation well all have the right to marry
the person that we love. And then well be able to post those pictures
on Facebook, and then get fired because were gay.
Another very disconcerting thing for us is this notion of just outright
I dont want to call it hate, but un-love for transgender people. A lot
of people in society have had exposure to lesbian and gay people and
have increased their understanding: Oh, I know someone; I have
someone in my family, or my friend or my co-worker is gay or lesbian.
They have less exposure to transgender people, and thats put them
in a bit of a difficult space, because it really feels like, here in Texas,
that our transgender sisters and brothers are really facing a battle for
dignity and respect that the gay and lesbian are about to gain through
marriage.
But were all facing this risk of legalized discrimination. And its not
just us; theres a lot of people affected by these religious exception
bills that youre seeing pop up, and these ugly bathroom policing
policies and theyre nothing more than something thats trying to go

after transgender people, and I think thats one of the most egregious
things happening in our state right now.
[WG]: What kind of support are you getting at Equality Texas?
[TW]: Equality Texas has always had the support of progressive
people. Were really gaining support from people of faith. I think
theres a lot of people that say, Well, I dont know how to talk to a
legislator, or Ive never called a legislator before. Equality Texas
exists to equip anybody in our state to be able to make a difference,
whether its through sending an e-mail, or providing to them a
laymans understanding of legislation and the impact that it can have.
Not to just LGBT people, but perhaps to other groups as well:
empowering them, providing them with opportunities to show up at
the capitol and make their voice heard. And again, a lot of the support
seems to be coming more and more from people with a more
inclusive view of what treating your neighbor as yourself really looks
like. And also empowering people who have that different faith view to
realize that that can be an expression of their witness, and their faith,
to stand up and advocate for others.
[WG]: Todd, I just have to ask you: do you see the prominence of antigay initiatives in Texas and beyond right now as primarily sincere if
fearful backlash to the kind of progress weve seen, or is it more a
matter of a short-term strategy to curry favor with the most extremist
conservative interests in the state?
[TW]: You know, Im not a policy expert by any means. I would say its
probably a combination of both: I think people are afraid of change;
afraid of things, maybe, that they dont understand. I think theres a lot
of misperception about what the fight for equality really is, and I know
theres some politics at work to rile ones base. But I think in the end
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what were seeing is, as support for ugly policies and un-Christian
stances as support for those kinds of policies wanes, the people
who have waged them have kind of been losing some power, maybe.
And I think people arent accepting that, just part and parcel, as the
gospel anymore. I think people are questioning that; I think people
are evolving; and the uglier these narratives are, I think the more
helpful that is for the cause of fairness and equality for everyone. I
think theyre helping encourage people to stand up and go, Whoa,
whoa, whoa. No, thats not what I stand for; thats not what my God
teaches me.
[WG]: Todd, youve already told us that you were hurt by religious
institutions. What caused you to jump into that fray, after being hurt,
rather than to just throw up your hands and say, I quit, and Im going
to leave it alone?
[TW]: I tell you what, I wanted to give up on religion. And somewhere
along my journey, I never gave up on God, I never gave up on the
idea that I was fearfully and wonderfully made. And I began to open
my mind and my heart back up to the reality that if I am fearfully and
wonderfully made, so are a lot of other people that are hurting. My
mama raised me to do whats right to follow the golden rule. And I
felt like I had a responsibility to show a different way to show that a
gay man could also be a Christian.
You know, we love God; and there are gay and lesbian and
transgender people of all different faiths who believe in that, and want
to do whats right and honor the Word that we believe in. And for me,
its been very healing to reclaim my faith; to reclaim the good things
about my faith; to realize that my sisters and brothers, regardless of
what faith tradition they belong to, many of them came to accept me
and evolve in what their understanding of loving your neighbor as
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yourself meant. Its a struggle, because everywhere we see, it feels

like were being attacked. And yet the same God that loves them
loves us loves us all.
[WG]: Todd Whitley is communications manager at Equality Texas.
Among the organizations broad-based advocacy for full and equal
rights for all Texans is a growing engagement with diverse
progressive faith leaders who are speaking out for LGBT Texans not
despite, but because, of their sincerely-held religious beliefs.
Todd, I thank you so much for being with us today on State of Belief
Radio.
[TW]: Thank you so much.

Todd Whitley
Todd Whitley is a longtime Dallas activist and community organizer
who serves as Communications Manager for Equality Texas. In this
role, Whitley coordinates statewide communications for the
organization as well as liaises between other DFW Metroplex, state,
and national organizations and media outlets. Whitley provides a
base of operations for Equality Texas in North Texasexpanding the
organizations presence to four of Texas major metropolitan areas
including Austin, Houston, and San Antonio.
Whitleya father of four sons, Christian, blogger, and out gay man
is no stranger to these issues. As a contributing columnist for the
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Dallas Voice, Whitley has tackled issues of race, the LGBT

community, and voter apathy. Most recently, Whitley has served as
board chair and program director of Hope for Peace & Justice (H4PJ)
a faith-based justice organization affiliated with Cathedral of Hope
in Dallas.

Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy

Author of more than 20 books, including First Freedom First: A
Citizens Guide to Protecting Religious Liberty and the Separation of
Church and State, the Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy led the national nonpartisan grassroots and educational organization Interfaith Alliance
for 16 years, retiring in 2014. Dr. Gaddy continues his work with the
Alliance as President Emeritus and Senior Advisor. He serves as
Pastor for Preaching and Worship at Northminster (Baptist) Church in
Monroe, Louisiana.
In addition to being a prolific writer, Dr. Gaddy hosts the weekly State
of Belief radio program, where he explores the role of religion in the
life of the nation by illustrating the vast diversity of beliefs in America,
while exposing and critiquing both the political manipulation of religion
for partisan purposes and the religious manipulation of government
for sectarian purposes.
Dr. Gaddy provides regular commentary to the national media on
issues relating to religion and politics. He has appeared on MSNBCs
The Rachel Maddow Show and Hardball, NBCs Nightly News and
Dateline, PBSs Religion and Ethics Newsweekly and The Newshour

with Jim Lehrer, C-SPANs Washington Journal, ABCs World News,

and CNNs American Morning. Former host of Morally Speaking on
NBC affiliate KTVE in Monroe, Louisiana, Dr. Gaddy is a regular
contributor to mainstream and religious news outlets.
While ministering to churches with a message of inclusion, Dr. Gaddy
emerged as a leader among progressive and moderate Baptists.
Among his many leadership roles, he is a past president of the
Alliance of Baptists and has been a 20-year member of the
Commission of Christian Ethics of the Baptist World Alliance. His past
leadership roles include serving as a member of the General Council
of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, President of Americans United
for Separation of Church and State, Chair of the Pastoral Leadership
Commission of the Baptist World Alliance and member of the World
Economic Forums Council of 100. Rev. Gaddy currently serves on
the White House task force on the reform of the Office of Faith Based
and Neighborhood Partnerships.
Prior to the fundamentalist takeover of the Southern Baptist
Convention (SBC), Dr. Gaddy served in many SBC leadership roles
including as a member of the conventions Executive Committee from
1980-84 and Director of Christian Citizenship Development of the
Christian Life Commission from 1973-77.
Dr. Gaddy received his undergraduate degree from Union University
in Jackson, Tennessee and his doctoral degree and divinity training
from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville,
Kentucky.

State of Belief Radio

State of Belief is based on the proposition that religion has a positive
and healing role to play in the life of the nation. The show explains
and explores that role by illustrating the vast diversity of beliefs in
America the most religiously diverse country in the world while
exposing and critiquing both the political manipulation of religion for
partisan purposes and the religious manipulation of government for
sectarian purposes.
Each week, the Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy offers listeners critical
analysis of the news of religion and politics, and seeks to provide
listeners with an understanding and appreciation of religious liberty.
Rev. Gaddy tackles politics with the firm belief that the best way to
secure freedom for religion in America is to secure freedom from
religion. State of Belief illustrates how the Religious Right is wrong
wrong for America and bad for religion.
Through interviews with celebrities and newsmakers and field reports
from around the country, State of Belief explores the intersection of
religion with politics, culture, media, and activism, and promotes
diverse religious voices in a religiously pluralistic world.

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