I'm continually discouraged by how people of the same religion can hold such disparate views.

One religious person can be kind and compassionate to those whom they see as deserving of kindness and compassion. And yet judgemental and condemnatory of those whom they see as undeserving. They might, for example, be sympathetic to someone who is ‘down on their luck’. But if that person has an addiction, or is not heterosexual, that sympathy can quickly disappear.

Whereas someone else, even in the same church, hears religious words, like ‘We are all God’s children’, and takes it upon themselves to treat everyone with the love and forbearance we would hope siblings would extend to each other. Sure, this second person might struggle with some of the divides that all societies have, but their faith helps them across those differences.

There are many words and actions, pontificating and politicizing, in our world today that split people into winners and losers, likeable and unlikeable, deserving and non-deserving, saints and sinners, them and us. And, let’s admit it, at times we stumble into this divisive swamp too. It’s hard to treat everyone as ‘God’s children’, and extend the goodwill and generosity that phrase implies.

What I’m encouraged by though is that there are some people – maybe more than we think - who, in spite of the divisiveness in our world, take their faith to heart, and then are guided by their heart in extending goodness to all manner of people. In short, they make the world a better place and a good place to live.

Dolly Parton was one such person. Much has been written about her in the last while. About her music, her astonishing generosity, her humour, and her fidelity to what she believed.

I was struck by these words on Facebook by Willie Carver: “For a lot of Southern and Appalachian gay men, Dolly Parton’s was the first voice they ever heard say ‘I love you’ in their own accent – and mean them exactly as they are. No qualifiers. No conditions.”

In 1989 Dolly co-produced a documentary called Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt. The film talked about five people memorialized in the AIDS Memorial Quilt, and criticized the Reagan administration’s poor response to the epidemic.

Then in 1991 she sang the song ‘Family’, which she co-wrote, which included the words: “Some are preachers, some are gay, some are addicts, drunks, and strays, but not a one is turned away when it’s family. Some are lucky, others ain’t, some are fighters, others faint. Winners, losers, sinners, saints, it’s all family.”

In talking with Larry King in 2016, Dolly confessed she’d taken heat for her support for the Queer community, but that she did “not believe that we should criticize and judge other people. I think we should be accepting and loving. We are all God’s children. We are who we are, and we should be allowed to be who we are…. I just think that we should be more loving, more caring. We are who we are. If you’re gay, you’re gay. If you’re straight, you’re straight, and you should be allowed to be, you know, how you are, and who you are.”

There are some people who use their fame to amass money, appear on commercials, and occasionally support and promote philanthropic causes. Some flaunt their success. Some are more modest. Some are very generous, some less so. Some are ego-driven, some aren’t.

But occasionally there comes along someone who uses their fame and wealth to support the leanings of their heart. Who speaks up, speaks out. Who takes political risks (risks’ that fans will/might find difficult). Who gives of her words and wealth to make a difference in people’s lives. Who isn’t afraid. Who speaks her faith.

Dolly Parton was such a one. May our hearts learn from her heart.

Glynn

Photo by Wes McFee on Unsplash