A liberal reading of scripture in ‘Bible’

In the ardently argued documentary, “For the Bible Tells Me So,” filmmaker Daniel Karslake challenges the more serious repercussions of biblical literalism and the beliefs of many fundamentalist Christians on the subject of homosexuality. It’s a heartfelt plea for tolerance and understanding, one that the director makes with confidence, pathos and even humor.

The film opens with the infamous 1977 incident in which anti-gay activist Anita Bryant got a pie in the face -- and responded with an egregious quip -- and goes on to document the popular tactic of religious figures and politicians who quote scripture as the convenient basis for their beliefs and actions. Theologians, scholars and activists, such as Rev. Peter Gomes, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Rabbi Steven Greenberg and Rev. Mel White, dispute these interpretations and point out the contextual, cultural and historical reasons why generally sloppy scholarship has been used to promulgate a hateful prejudice.

The real strength of the film, however, lies in Karslake’s decision to focus on five Christian families with gay or lesbian children. Alternately inspiring, engaging and tragic, the families’ tales of how they responded to their children’s coming-out are intimately portrayed.

The families -- including those of Dick Gephardt and Gene Robinson, the first openly gay Episcopal bishop -- represent a cross section of God-fearing middle America, and their journeys are intensely compelling. The fissures created between the generations are navigated with varying degrees of fulfillment, but in each case a greater degree of understanding is reached.

Karslake balances the more emotional elements of the film together with the scriptural analysis and weaves them into a moving conclusion. Didactic in tone, “For the Bible Tells me So” takes a reasoned approach in making its case -- that standing on the Bible to demonize gays and lesbians doesn’t pass muster. As is true of many documentaries that set out to make a specific point, however, one wonders if the filmmaker is preaching to the choir.

kevin.crust@latimes.com

“For the Bible Tells Me So.” Unrated. Running time: 1 hour, 37 minutes. At Landmark’s Nuart, 11272 Santa Monica Blvd., West L.A. (310) 281-8223. Director Karslake will be at the 7:30 and 10 p.m. screenings on Friday for question-and-answer sessions.