(1 Tim 1:15 NIV)  Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst.

(1 Tim 1:16 NIV)  But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

The revelation that Ken Mehlman the former chairman of the Republican Party is gay can be likened to Apostle Paul’s conversion to Christianity in the road to Damascus. Ken was instrumental in getting Bush elected in 2004 by using gays as the scapegoat to get evangelical voters. He is now a major supporter of gay marriage. Ken’s move in a way represents the coming out of the Republican Party following support by John McCain, and Dick Cheney. It is something in the testimony of Ken Mehlman that will be so powerful, the sinner repenting and seeing the light that being gay is innate and that Gays deserves basic equal rights as humanity and our fellow citizens.

We now know why the Republican Party in Washington was so quiet when Proposition 8 was repealed. The Federal Judge Vaughn Walker on the bench was their appointee, so  was the attorney Ted Olsen, and now the strategist is their own Republican’s Ken Mehlman.   Without a political backing, the appeal against Judge Vaughn’s decision will still go the Supreme Court but will be an expose of the lies and rhetoric of the Christian Right. The Christian zealots will now be without much political support, and some say without any morality nor conscience fit to be called Christians. The journey of appeal to the Supreme Court will be a negative testimony for years to come, much alike the Pharoh trying to stop the Jews from leaving Egypt and getting burnt and drowned in the Red Sea in the process.

Paul was the chief antagonist of Christians, persecuting them in Jerusalem, and going as far as Damascus to continue his crusade. Yet, God stopped him and He realized that he was actually persecuting God, persecuting Jesus. Similarly Ken Mehlman was the author of an anti-gay political crusade which helped to energize the conservative voters to return Bush to power in 2004, using the carrot of anti-gay referendum. As a result, 11 states passed laws against gay marriage in 2004.

Ken Mehlman was the campaign manager of President Bush and was also the Republican National Committee Chairman instrumental in creating the evil plot to use gays as the scapegoat and to take away the basic rights of gays for marriage solely for political gain. In fact he was worst than Paul, for Paul was a religious zealot who believed in the Jewish Faith and the necessity to persecute Christians as they were blaspheming God. Ken was gay yet chose to live in hypocrisy to persecute gays. In 2006, he even invited Exodus, the anti-gay group to the White House to support the marriage amendment Act.

God uses the worst kind of people to be his greatest and most effective champion because deep inside they knew that they had done much wrong and being convicted to do all they can to remedy the situation. Paul actually did much more that stop persecuting Christians. He became the impetus of Christians beyond the walls of Jerusalem, preaching a radical message of God’s grace and mercy apart from the law that captured the hearts and minds of the Gentiles in Asia Minor and Rome. Christianity owes a great legacy to St Paul and I believe one day, Ken Mehlman’s decision to out himself will have a great impact on gay rights.

Ken Mehlman did not need to out himself. He had a good life and could have chosen to declare himself gay when he was in his 60s or 70s when the issue of Gay marriage will all be a trivial topic some 20 to 30 years from now. Yet, he chose to expose himself and his private life and confront the accusations of hypocrisy by coming out. He not only came out but quietly contributed to the American Foundation for Equal Rights, the group making large waves in their legal challenge to Proposition 8 in California beginning last September.

In a reminiscent of his role in helping Bush and the Republican party to gain power in 2004, Ken is now the de-facto strategist to fight for gay marriage. In the greatest of irony, we are reminded that we have now a republican “A” team - Ken Mehlman together with Ted Olsen now fighting against Proposition 8. Together, they have substantial credentials having torpedoed Democrats Al Gore in year 2000 elections and John Kerry in year 2004 presidential elections.  Yet, the Democratic Party now in power has achieved nothing much for gays even with a liberal and inclusive President Obama who has sat on the fence to his own detriment and alienating his greatest supporters. Perhaps being inclusive achieves very little change as one would have to include everybody views even those perpetuating grave harm hence getting nowhere. Ironically, Ken Mehlman was a classmate of Obama at Harvard.

We praise God for Ken Mehlman, a new champion for the basic rights of gays who will put his heart and soul into the fight for just like Paul, he has been given a second chance by God’s mercy and grace. Being a former RNC Chairman with substantial connections will make it harder for the Christian right to make use of the Republican party for their bidding. The Christian Right to the dismay of Pat Robertson has been duped into supporting Bush for a second term, but it is much harder for them to change the tables and to use the Republican party for their own bidding. On Gay marriage, the very controversial conservative,  Glenn Beck said “I believe what Thomas Jefferson said. If it neither breaks my leg nor picks my pocket, what difference is it to me?” effectively seeing the writing on the wall.

Many Gay Christians will “come out”, and then go into another closet to live out their lives happily and quietly and begin to accept and be comfortable with our sexual orientation. Instead Ken Mehlman moved to Chelsea which is New York gay epicenter, and begin supporting the fight for gay marriages. If all gay man does the same, then surely change is coming.