A lot of paths

There’s been a lot of talk lately about Chad Allen. Here’s an excerpt from Larry King Live in which he himself tells us, in his own words, where he's coming from:

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KING: "Brokeback Mountain" has brought the gay issue foremost again and we are discussing it…Here in Los Angeles, Chad Allen, the openly gay actor best known for his long-running role on "Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman" and start of the movie "End of the Spear." It opens in theaters this Friday, it's a decidedly Christian movie.

KING: Chad, how have your parents dealt with it?

ALLEN: My parents, they had a hard time. We're friends again, we have a wonderful family relationship. But I have to say, if they're going to speak about absolute transcendent truth, I need to tell you, I know absolute transcendent truth.

I have a deep relationship with God and my understanding. It's very powerful, and it's taken its own shape and form. And I am very much at peace in the knowledge that in my heart God created this beautiful expression of my love.

Listen, Larry, we are going to be different, we're going to disagree on the details of this and we probably always will. The point is and I think this is where the reverend was heading and I appreciate it.

You know, I made this movie with a group of conservative Christians who do not agree with my expression of sexuality. But we said to each other, I will walk with you accepting your differences and we can create together. I will give you your space to respect you fully. They don't need to take away from my freedom, I don't need to take away from theirs. And I am so proud to have done that. That's the kind of bridge-building I think we can get to.

ALLEN: You know what, here's where I'm at. It really doesn't pain me to hear them say, "We believe you're a sinner." That's OK. That's your belief, I can accept that. That's OK, I understand that. It does -- you know, I'm engaged in it right now. I'm in a week where I'm getting attacked by a lot of Christians with a lot of anger for doing this movie, for playing this part. And it does hurt, Larry. It hurts me deeply.

KING: You play a Christian, right?

ALLEN: I play a Christian, yes. And they're going to be saying, "This is the way you be Christian, there's only one way." Well you know what, there isn't. I'm a part of a wonderful community church here in Pasadena that has a very different interpretation of those same gospels that they are speaking of. There isn't just one way to do this, there are a lot of paths.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0601/17/lkl.01.html

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