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Greeting My Anti-Gay Ghosts

May 17, 2018 by William Stell in LGBT

I have a secret, which I have not shared with anyone at the church where I serve, until now: I have been baptized twice. Once as an infant, at a Presbyterian church in New Jersey, and once as a 17-year-old, through a “Bible church” in my Texas hometown. Under the influence of that church’s youth group, I came to believe that the baptism of an infant isn’t really a baptism and thus, at age 17, I had not yet obeyed the biblical command to be baptized. My father, a professor of theology, expressed his disagreement with the reasoning behind my decision, but I remained undeterred: I was not going to let this divine command go unheeded.

My River Jordan was the town’s local pool. Hands I trusted as much as any dipped my body under the water and then lifted me up, to the cheers of a large crowd that included family and some of my closest friends. Through their spirit of celebration, I felt the Spirit descend on me, and through the hands of my youth pastor, I felt the voice from Heaven say, “This is my son, with whom I am well pleased.”

A few years later, removed from the religious influence of that youth group, I changed my mind: every tradition of baptism is true and beautiful in its own way, and so my second baptism was unnecessary — and the exclusionary theology behind it problematic. Even so, I do not regret going down to the River Jordan a second time. Now, ten years later, a new gift has surfaced in that holy pool water. Almost every day, it floats toward me. On my better… [Read more…] about Greeting My Anti-Gay Ghosts

Conservatives Double-Down on Archaic Views on Sexuality, Bigots Sing Their Praise

September 1, 2017 by Matthew Distefano in LGBT

Please note: This is purely satirical.

A coalition of predominantly white, male, conservative Christians recently put their John Hancock to what is being called “The Nashville Statement,” to the surprise of no one. In it, they not only make it clear that the Christian God is opposed to any romantic relationship outside of a heterosexual partnership, but that in order to follow this God, one must affirm the same thing (see Article X). While many are denouncing the theology espoused in this confession of faith, others, like Westboro Baptist Church member Atticus Beauregard Chesterfield, are championing it. I had the chance to catch up with this gentleman for a quick Q&A.
⁕⁕⁕
Matthew: Atticus, what are your thoughts on the Statement?

Atticus: Well, it’s obvious that what these godly folks are doing is a righteous thing in the eyes of the Almighty God. If you’ve ever read the Bible, you’ll understand what I mean. Sodomites have no place in the kingdom of God; the Bible is clear.

Matthew: When you say “Sodomites,” I assume you are referring to the Sodom and Gomorrah story from the book of Genesis?

Atticus: That’s right partner! Them faggots were doing abominable things, so God, in all his wrath and fury, struck them sumbitches down. And for good measure, he got that wicked wife of Lot too! Serves them right for being queer and all.

Matthew: Don’t you think that story isn’t so… [Read more…] about Conservatives Double-Down on Archaic Views on Sexuality, Bigots Sing Their Praise

Gagnon out at PC(USA) Seminary

August 23, 2017 by Don M. Burrows in LGBT

Photo by Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Finally, Robert Gagnon – the anti-gay theologian whose abuse of scholarship was rivaled only by his abuse of people – is out at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. A link that once led to his faculty webpage there has been 404’d, and Gagnon himself has issued a breathless statement on Facebook about his departure.

This one was not really hard to see coming. Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is affiliated with the LGBT-affirming Presbyterian Church (USA) denomination, and his virulent, often erratic behavior toward anyone who disagrees with him is not the sort of thing institutions typically wish from their scholars. Indeed, Gagnon has a penchant for cherry-picking or outright rejecting mainstream scholarship (and even entire fields of study), and anyone who engages in such practices does not belong in an academic institution.

Gagnon himself appears to realize this, as, in the announcement of his resignation, he pines for employment at an evangelical institution, noting (correctly) that “it seems unlikely, given my stances on sexual ethics and Scripture, that any university religion department or mainline denominational seminary would take me.” It’s amusing how Gagnon truncates his tendency lump gays and lesbians in with pedophiles and his obsession with the “perversion” of LGBT people as merely “sexual ethics and Scripture,” but I digress.

More likely, institutions will be loath to hire him because of… [Read more…] about Gagnon out at PC(USA) Seminary

Why I Support Marriage Equality

August 15, 2017 by Ellen Kozisek in LGBT

Growing up, homosexuality wasn’t addressed in my religious education — or elsewhere, for that matter. I wasn’t taught that it was bad, not because I had enlightened teachers, but simply because it wasn’t seen as an issue. Or so it seems from what I remember. My experience was that homosexuality was something out there in the greater world, but not an issue for me or the people in my life. (I can see now, though, how coming to terms with being homosexual could be a challenging process when coming out of a similar experience growing up.)

In my religious education I learned about morality. I learned that we are responsible for making good moral choices. And that the Holy Spirit guides each of us. I came to understand that we each are responsible for choosing to do what is right in our own life. The church guides us and helps us, but we, ultimately, are responsible for choosing what’s right.

I also learned that we are not supposed to judge others, that judgment belongs to God. This value is central to who I am. I learned that we are supposed to love one another. Everyone. Love your enemy. If they are human, love them. Loving others and not judging them fit together closely for me.

Along with that, I also always understood homosexuality as something innate. Finding one’s own gender attractive is not something one chooses. And, thus, not something that can be a sin.

Because of all that I came to the viewpoint, as far as looking at and understanding homosexuality, that… [Read more…] about Why I Support Marriage Equality

4 Reasons Why I Gave up Bible Debates

July 7, 2017 by William Stell in LGBT

Don’t get me wrong: I’ve done my homework. I’ve been reading the Bible for as long as I’ve known how to read, and I studied it in classrooms for nearly a decade. I studied the biblical languages of Hebrew and Greek, studied the cultural contexts in which these ancient texts were written, studied hermeneutics and histories of interpretation and theology and all that convoluted jazz.

And I loved it. That’s part of why I was so willing to share my views on same-sex love, Christian faith, and the Bible after I came out as gay (around the time I started seminary). For several years, I eagerly corresponded with anyone and everyone who asked me questions about my pro-LGBTQ beliefs: a childhood friend here, a former professor there, with an acquaintance who I hadn’t seen in, like, twelve years thrown in. Some of these people were nice; others were nasty. Regardless, I considered engaging in this correspondence to be an essential part of my ministry.

But after several years, I started to say, “No thanks.” Most of the time now, I just refer them to a few published resources, then walk away. Here’s why:

The Bible debates can drain your soul.One of my seminary professors, Rev. Dr. Yolanda Pierce, once told her students: “I’m not going to talk with you about why women can speak in church, because talking about that actually reduces who God made me to be.” Tempting as it is to defend ourselves against every attack on… [Read more…] about 4 Reasons Why I Gave up Bible Debates

God Made Adam, Eve, and Steve

June 7, 2017 by Matthew Distefano in LGBT

“Homosexuality is clearly condemned in the Bible.  It undermines God’s created order where He made Adam and Eve, a man and a woman, to carry out his command to fill and subdue the earth (Genesis 1:28). Homosexuality cannot fulfill that mandate.”
— Matt Slick[1]
“Homosexuality is a result of the rejection of God (Rom 1:21–25). Gay marriage is the institutionalization of the rejection of God . . . The Bible teaches how Christians should respond to gay marriage. Don’t condone it; no matter how much we may love our friends and want to see them happy, real love is bringing them to a saving relationship with Jesus, not encouraging a sinful lifestyle.”
— Got Questions Ministries[2]

For the good part of thirty years, I held to the belief that homosexuality was a sin in the eyes of God. I was handed this view from my parents and the evangelical church at an age I cannot remember, and they had it handed to them from people and places of which I could only speculate. In all likelihood, they would tell you that their view came directly from the Bible, but I have since learned that really means their interpretation of the Bible.

After all, every single one of us, from the conservative pre-millennial dispensationalist to the liberal Anabaptist, has a hermeneutic. That is to say, everyone has a lens that they view the Bible through, whether they admit it or not. I’ll even take that one step further. Everyone has a lens that they view… [Read more…] about God Made Adam, Eve, and Steve

An Open Letter to Christians Who Are Against Homosexuality, From a Homosexual Christian

June 2, 2017 by Katie Breckenridge in LGBT

Christians claim to be full of love. Christians claim to not be judgmental. But so many Christians have absolutely no idea how wrong and hurtful they are. They live in blissful ignorance, believing they are so holy that they could never hurt another person and that their way of thinking is absolutely correct.

This letter isn’t aiming to change anyone’s mind. Most Christians are set in their ways and will never admit that their interpretation of the Bible might be wrong. This letter is simply trying to let Christians know how hurtful and damaging their ignorance can be, even when they think they are being accepting and loving.

Of course, many Christians don’t think like this. Many Christians don’t believe that homosexuality is a sin and they understand that the Bible was relevant to the context of the time, when homosexuality was not understood like it is today. Homosexuality back then was (generally) a lustful act. Today, however, we know that homosexuality is a real, loving commitment that two people have with each other. Furthermore, Jesus never mentioned homosexuality, not even once. If being homosexual is such a perverted and sinful thing, surely Jesus would have commented on it, like he did about divorce.

1 John 4:8 says “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” Read that again. God is love. The fact that two people of the same sex can experience true and pure love for each other is proof that their love is real and God breathed. If their… [Read more…] about An Open Letter to Christians Who Are Against Homosexuality, From a Homosexual Christian

The Visit

May 11, 2017 by Brettany Renee Blatchley in LGBT

Shortly before Mother’s Day, my sister called and granted me a ten minute visit with Mom, who, I learned, had been hospitalized for a month with pneumonia.

After I gently “came-out” to her in a letter last autumn, Mom did not want to see me again nor speak with me. Earlier this year, she relented and called me for a quick chat, specifically prohibiting any talk about my transition and new life as a woman.

A few days ago I called, casually saying that I was passing by and would she be up to my giving her a Mother’s Day hug? I had driven two hours so that I could “pass by.” No answer; there were cars at her home with my sister. Mom never got my messages; I learned my sister’s husband prevented that.

Unexpectedly, my sister called my spouse Judi at the urging of my aunt, who is close to each of us. I was asked not to wear “dangle” earrings, which I took to mean that they did not want me to appear looking like a sex-worker. In the aforementioned letter, I had told Mom that I “blend-in” with other middle-aged women: imagine the leap.

Mother’s Day, at the appointed time, me, Judi and our son arrived moments before five more members of the family: my sister and her husband, and his son, daughter-in-law, and their 15 month old daughter. So my little sister is a grandmother: that’s news to me too.

I was dressed nicely in a cheerful new blouse with jeans, sandals, a slender silver necklace, almost no makeup, hair pulled-back and yes, I wore my pearl-stud earrings – really quite… [Read more…] about The Visit

You're in a Safe Place Here…

May 2, 2017 by Brettany Renee Blatchley in LGBT

I had changed, was snuggled under the threadbare hospital blanket on a gurney in a frigid staging room. The nurse had been sweet as she took my hand in greeting, then started a saline IV; I thanked her and she left me. Then the doctor came in, another gentle hand; he asked me questions he already knew the answers to, and at last I added: “you know that I am a transgender woman, with mixed anatomy? I don’t want anyone to be surprised.” He smiled reassuringly and replied, “yes, I knew from the notes. There’s no problem; we see all kinds of bodies here;” I thanked him and then he left…

…It was time, and the anesthesiologist came, introduced herself and wheeled me into the dim procedure room nearby. Once inside she introduced me to the other members of the team, and they all smiled and greeted me, touching my hand warmly. I thanked them and gently, pensively said “just so there are no unpleasant surprises, I am a transgender woman and my anatomy is mixed.” The anesthesiologist must have seen the concern on my face, and as if she was giving me a warm hug, she thanked me and said “you’re in a *safe* place here…”

…Amid friendly chatter about the place I most wanted to visit (Australia), I quickly felt myself … enter … oblivion … seemingly moments later we resumed our conversation, this time everyone was talking about their favorite local craft beers. Procedure done, I asked them if I had been a good patient while I had been “under,” and they reassured me that I had done… [Read more…] about You're in a Safe Place Here…

Glitter Is Serious Business: The Story Behind Glitter Ash Wednesday

February 24, 2017 by Dan Wilkinson in LGBT

Glitter is serious business.  No, really.

On March 1st, as the Christian world enters the holy season of Lent, LGBT and LGBT affirming clergy will be offering ashes mixed with a bit of purple glitter as a means of welcoming LGBT people who may have felt rejected by the church and as an affirmation of God’s love for all. The project is a partnership between Parity, Liz Edman (the author of Queer Virtue), and Metropolitan Community Churches, and has clergy from a variety of denominations who will be participating throughout the country, currently in eleven states.

Parity has been receiving criticism that our Glitter Ash Wednesday project is “Blasphemy!” “Save glitter for Fat Tuesday,” some critics say, because glitter betrays the “somber time that is Ash Wednesday.”

We disagree. In fact, the whole point of Glitter Ash Wednesday is to reflect the deep, somber, serious faith in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection that millions of queer Christians have. And yes, there are millions of us queer and queer positive Christians. Surprised? No wonder, because the lie gets told over and over again that “God hates fags” and that homosexuality is sinful. Precious few queer Christians survive the hate and make it through to become visible members of the church.

I spent five years working with LGBTQ+ youth and their families in Utah, and saw time and again hundreds of youth and children kicked out for being–or even seeming–LGBTQ+. Parents told their kids, “I wish you had never… [Read more…] about Glitter Is Serious Business: The Story Behind Glitter Ash Wednesday

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