Go Soulforce, Go!

All of the sudden, the Soulforce equality ride doesn't seem quite as depressing.

Many of you have probably heard of the Soulforce Equality Ride. Basically, it's a group of Christian GLBT people who are going around the country, visiting schools that condemn homosexuality.

As you can imagine, these visits are rarely cause for optimism. Usually, news stories about Soulforce go something like this:

JESUSLAND, VA (AP). Homosexual agenda-pushers - travelling on a flamboyant bus - tried to force their way into Fred Phelps University today. All the queers were arrested, and townspeople spray-painted their bus with homophobic slurs. University spokesman, Leviticus Iscoolio, condemned the protest.

Well...things are looking up for the Soulforce crew. Several weeks after eight Soulforce riders were arrested at Brigham Young University, the school modified its policy towards queers (though a university spokesperson insisted the change had nothing to do with Soulforce).

Then, Gordon College - a conservative, evangelical school in Wenham Mass. - decided to welcome to Soulforce riders to their campus.

Gordon College student John Stoeckle, the executive president of the student association, had the following to say: "I don't believe in a fortress-like approach to life...I find myself growing and realizing that the world is also a very complicated place, and we're often not really very good at loving people. We let beliefs become abstractions, and not people. And we have students at Gordon who are homosexual and really struggle with being here."

If that doesn't make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, I don't know what will...