Integrity

Someone recently said to me the word 'integrity' to Americans, at least to Episcopalians, now refers to acceptance and integration of gay people into to mainstream of the church.

Not to this Episcopalian it doesn't. I would even further contradict this person to say that isn't what it means to the American gay community, either. Not that I have any business speaking for the American gay community.

Integrity means what it has always meant: looking the truth square in the face unflinchingly and living life congruently with truth. Sometimes a commitment to integrity causes us to come to terms with things we or others may not desire to come to terms with.

The truth, whatever it may be, sets us free. And that's still the meaning of integrity. Even when used as a proper name. It takes integrity for GLBTS to face the truth about themselves, just as it takes the same integrity for heterosexuals to face the truth about themselves. Gender preference hasn't reinvented the definition.

It takes integrity to be fully truly human.