Indeed, some kinds of protection from jailhouse violence, even parole, are sometimes not available to inmates unless they jump through hoops for the chaplain. Others, unwilling to lie, may have a genuine desire to change their lives, but their search for spirituality may take them into the proscribed areas. Many, like my young correspondent, feel forced to deny their need for spiritual healing, because of this scary association. The sermonizing spirit of our times has infected other belief systems as well. In recent years, some gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people have felt unwelcome in so many different churches, that they investigated the spiritual ways of native peoples.
Some native cultures are more open-minded about homosexuality.
As a mixed-blood, seeking in the native American world, I encountered some people who teach that they alone can give permission to a person to carry a Sacred Pipe. I sat alone by a few more prayer fires, and pondered the story of White Buffalo Woman carefully. To me, the story says that She gave the Pipe to all humans, not just one tribe, as a way to pray. Historically, in the West, many gay people have ravenous spirits, because so many religions rejected them. They responded to these rejections by creating their own churches and spiritual practices.