Posts Tagged ‘LGBT rights and religion’
God Is Faithful Even When The Church Is Not
“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;…
Read MoreTwo Catholic Governors and Two Bishops Oppose LGBT Discrimination
With North Carolina’s passage of a “license to discriminate” law that now jeopardizes LGBT communities’ civil rights in the states, new attention is being afforded to similar legislation across the U.S. This year alone, there have been at least 105 bills in statehouses across the country which seek to protect those who discriminate against LGBT…
Read MoreThose Who Are Invisible Because We Refuse To See Them
Methodist and United Methodist lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people: “They are invisible (past and present) understand, simply, because we refuse to see them” -Paraphrased from the words of a character in Ralph Ellison’s novel Invisible Man Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans people were and are composed of all races, ethnicities, biblical perspectives. They are…
Read MoreNorth Carolina’s Transphobic Law Must Inspire Us To Love
Yesterday was a strange day for North Carolina. In late February the city council of Charlotte, the largest city in our state and, including the greater metro area, the home of roughly a tenth of the state’s population, passed an ordinance containing a strong set of LGBT protections including public accommodations protections for transgender people.…
Read MoreDebate Over Civil Unions Splits Catholics In Italy
Amidst a heated debate over civil unions in Italy, the country’s prime minister rebuked a Catholic cardinal for saying the Italian Senate should employ a secret ballot on the legislation. Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, who heads the Italian Episcopal Conference, had claimed a secret ballot would allow legislators a conscience vote. In response, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi criticized Cardinal…
Read MoreStrength To Be Faithful
The sun is setting a little later in the evening, but it sure is cold out. It must be Lent. Given that, I think that we, as LGBTQ Christians, need to take some time to examine our theology of loss. Let me give you a thought exercise: You are thirty years old. You have been…
Read MoreDignity Members Take Action On Employment Non-Discrimination
Employment non-discrimination protections for LGBT people are among the final obstacles to full legal equality in the United States. Such legislation is hotly disputed locally, while federal action has stalemated until at least after the 2016 elections. Below are three recent news stories about Catholic involvement in LGBT nondiscrimination issues. Two of these stories highlight…
Read MoreIf Dr. King’s Dream Had Come True
When I was in the fourth grade, I saw a video of Martin Luther King, Jr. delivering his “I Have a Dream” speech for the first time. As I was nine and we were watching it on a blurry box TV, I didn’t pay much attention to it. That was unfortunate because, as an adult,…
Read MoreMarried Gay Catholics Chosen As “Persons of the Year”
Married gay Catholics Greg Bourke and Michael DeLeon were chosen as Persons of the Year by the National Catholic Reporter for their role in the U.S. Supreme Court case which led to marriage equality’s legalization across the nation last June. Bourke and DeLeon were plaintiffs in Obergefell v. Hodges, the case in which the U.S. Supreme Court decided that marriage rights…
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…
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