Posts Tagged ‘LGBT people of faith’
God Is Gender Non-Conforming
I grew up learning about a God who was a “He.” Sporting a white beard and positively owning that throne in the sky, this was a God who threw lightning bolts when you strayed from the path of righteousness. When I got to college, I took a necessary break from believing in God. Even before…
Read MoreThinking The Unimaginable: Black Same-Gender-Loving Men And Marriage
In the past few weeks and months, it seems as though the campaign for marriage equality in America has hit its stride. Week after week, news has broken that court system after court system has declared same-sex marriage bans in Colorado, Virginia, Utah, and many more states unconstitutional. Day in and day out, I have seen…
Read MoreMaking The Invisible Visible In Faith Communities: A Valuable Resource For Us All
Imagine a congregant who is commited to a straight, traditional marriage, coming to you, the pastor, distressed by finding homoerotic websites on a spouse’s computer. Or what would you think, or do, if a teenager in the youth group where you are an advisor, comes out, one evening, as bisexual? The new study guide, “Bisexuality:…
Read MoreSin vs. Shame—How I Learned To Let Myself Be Loved
As a kid, I was a big reader. My favorite books centered around characters who would take off to live alone in the wild, sometimes with a furry friend for company. Often these characters felt that they were different from everyone else—like they didn’t belong. Many kids grow up feeling this way, and this sense…
Read MoreProtecting LGBTQ Equality In Chattanooga: Your Vote Matters
Imagine with me, if you will, being on a romantic date. Everything is perfect—the food, the conversation, even the ambiance. It’s an amazing evening. While you are enjoying dinner, your boss who happens to be eating in the same restaurant, passes by and stops to say hello, so you introduce your date to your boss.…
Read MoreI Am A Black Gay Christian—And I Know God Loves Me
I am Ronald Moore, and like all of us, I am the sum of many parts—a native of Detroit, graduate of Michigan State University, member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Hewlett Packard retiree, devout Christian member of The Riverside Church of New York, proud African American, and a proud gay man. It took many years…
Read MoreBe A Rainbow In Somebody’s Cloud
As Maya Angelou passed this May, many of my friends and family took to social media to honor her life. One my favorite quotes by Dr. Angelou seemed to be a favorite amongst others: Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud. She stated once in an interview: There’s an African American song that’s 19th century—it’s so…
Read MoreI Was Expelled When I Married My Wife
Recently, I was expelled from Southwestern Christian University for marrying my wife, who happens to be of the same sex. When I began my student career at SCU, I signed what Southwestern calls their “Lifestyle Covenant.” In it, “homosexual behavior” is prohibited. Yet because I have a strong love for God and basketball, with an added desire…
Read MoreBecoming Who God Created Me To Be
As I walked across the stage at graduation, it still did not feel like I was done with my education, and as I have transitioned into post-graduate life, I have slowly realized how correct this statement is. Life for me is like one large school; we are constantly learning and growing and changing. I think…
Read MoreStill, In One Peace
I believe we can be strong, hopeful, and secure, while discovering how to live each moment, confront every struggle, and handle any adversity. In doing this, we are able to find ourselves living Still, In One Peace. Many of you will know the painful struggles and adversities through which we hope to find ourselves still…
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