Posts by Believe Out Loud
Saying Yes To God’s Call This Advent Season
The season of Advent guides us on a journey from darkness to light, from recognizing our great need for God to finding God’s love born in a manger. When I read Advent hymns and carols I’m deeply struck by the groans and pains of humanity crying out for the living God. Crying out for justice,…
Read MoreMy Christian Journey: Coming Out As Transgender
Hi, my name is Izek, and I identify as a bi-racial queer transman (FTM). Most importantly, I identify as a Christian. I have had positive and negative experiences coming out as transgender. Luckily, I already had supportive friends, family, and church community. This support made transitioning less intimidating. Although I had a decent amount of…
Read MoreTransitions May Be Tough, But My Faith Is Tougher
Since I was about seven or eight years old, I knew that I was not like other boys; I couldn’t throw “like a boy,” I cried easily; I wasn’t competitive. I knew deep down that I didn’t fit the “boy” pattern no matter how much I tried. Much as I wanted to please my dad,…
Read MoreAfter Years Of Hiding My Bisexuality, Here’s How I Finally Found Hope
I’m a strong believer in the value of a journey. Whether it be literal (like a road trip), figurative (like learning a skill), or emotional (like overcoming trauma), a journey gives us a chance to move towards something, prepare for what comes next, and anticipate a new world for ourselves. For this reason, Advent is…
Read MoreWhat I Love About The U.S.A.
As I look upon the faces and read the names of the 14 people murdered during a holiday party of colleagues serving the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, I am reminded of why I love the United States of America. I see men and women of diverse national and racial and ethnic ancestries. I see…
Read MoreI Survived Conversion Therapy, But Not Without Scars
When I was 15, my parents took me to the basement of a church in my western hometown for “therapy.” The “therapist,” Michael, was an older, pale-faced man with graying brown hair. His office was painted sky blue and decorated with white-framed pictures of his family sitting on hay bales, grinning at the camera. The…
Read MoreIreland Passes Bill To Protect LGBT Church Workers From Discrimination
Ireland’s lawmakers ended the country’s “Year of Equality” by passing a bill that will ban discrimination by religious institutions against LGBT employees. Gay Star News explained this latest development: The bill amends Section 37 of the Employment Equality Act, which allows schools and hospitals to ‘takes action’ to prevent employees from ‘undermining the religious ethos…
Read MoreFaith Leaders: Indiana Should Expand LGBT Rights
Editor’s note: The following letter was submitted by 141 religious leaders from Indiana. As clergy and faith leaders who serve diverse religious communities across Indiana, we are dedicated to affirming the religious freedom of every individual. We believe that all people are created in the image of God and should be treated with dignity and…
Read MoreLooking Ahead: What’s Next For Our Work
In the coming year, we expect to see more than 100 anti-LGBTQ religious refusal laws proposed across the country. These laws come in many forms, but they all have the same goal—to use religion as an excuse to discriminate against and harm others. The good news is we’re a community committed to opposing such harmful…
Read MoreMy Coming Out Helped Me Realize My White Privilege
Five years ago, at Christmas, I went home for the holidays and announced to my family that I was planning on going to seminary. For the most part, my family was excited and supportive of my decision to pursue ordained ministry, but a few were resistant. As it turned out, they felt that my being…
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