Posts Tagged ‘Religious Freedom’
Lenten 14 Stations of Self-Reflection
This Holy Week, we would like to guide you on a journey of self-reflection: #14StationsofSelf. Inspired by the 14 Stations of the Cross, this exercise is meant to provide a meditative spring cleaning for the soul as we follow the story of the final days of Jesus’ life. Grab a pen and paper to write…
Read MoreKeep it Simple
I believe God empowers each of us to look at the most complicated problems with Divine simplicity. That is the beauty of the dissent written by Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Monday’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in a 7-2 ruling in Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd., et al v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. Justice…
Read MoreWhy This Queer Baptist Wants Religious Freedom, Too
Tomorrow is Religious Freedom Day, a day that celebrates the passage of Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. Passed in 1786, this piece of legislation. As a queer Baptist, my faith is often trivialized by those who do not believe it is possible to be both queer and Christian. I also know that my Baptist tradition…
Read MoreDiscrimination Is Not Religious Freedom
As recently as January of 2014, the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) filed a complaint against Fontbonne Academy, a religious college prep school in Milton, MA, when the school fired Matt Barrett—after offering him employment at the school as Food Services Director. Matt Barrett was fired after he stated on a form that…
Read MoreHow Will Faith Matter In The 2012 Democratic Convention
By Believe Out Loud Many people use the phrase, “Separation of Church and State,” to describe their ideal version of the United States of America. They want people to have the freedom to chose their own religion, or to not practice any religion at all. They want religion and government to be separate. The American…
Read MoreDeeply Held Religious Cake
When a person begins to unravel the various meanings in the Masterpiece Cakeshop Ltd., et al v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission decision, recently rendered by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS), it becomes quickly obvious that what this ruling means in legal terms and what it means in the daily lives of LGBTQ+ American citizens is incredibly different.
Read MoreMe And My God
My journey to self-acceptance as a brown queer God-loving woman has been a long one, with many hurdles and wrong turns. I was raised as a non-denominational Christian. My connection to my church and my God were strong. By the time I was a preteen, I was going to church at least two days a…
Read MoreMy Religion And Yours: Where’s The Line?
For some people, religion has no influence their way of living. For others, religion is as important as breathing. Whichever way you experience religion, there’s no denying that it is a main topic of discussion, from the media to family dinner tables.
Read MoreI’m Planning a Wedding in a State with a License To Discriminate
As a girl, I never dreamt of marrying in the church, yet I will be doing just that in May. Growing up Southern Baptist in my hometown of Slidell, Louisiana, I received the message early on that gay people were not Christians, and did not love God or family. When my attraction to women became…
Read MoreClose The Door, Or Open to All?
I was excited to take my now husband to the city I had considered home for many years. It was going to be his first time in New York City, having lived his whole adult life in the Pacific Northwest. I had lived in New York City for several years before moving to Washington State…
Read More