Posts Tagged ‘Religious trauma’
Bringing The United Methodist Church To A Higher Calling
I have worked for churches all of my adult life, and whether I was leading worship or simply attending a wedding I have heard the words, “an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace” at weddings countless times. However, growing up in the North Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church I…
Read More7 Reasons To “Queer” The New Year
So, you’ve probably noticed the word “Queer” being used more and more. Do you find yourself wondering, “why to use the word, Queer?” Maybe you’re LGBTQ and wondering why Queer matters in your community. Well, get your party hats on, because this post is a celebration of all things Queer, and you’re invited! 1. It…
Read MoreNew Show Sends Dangerous Message
Almost every professional medical association condemns “reparative therapy” as both dangerous and ineffective when applied to changing a person’s sexual orientation. Recently the practice became banned and illegal in California, New Jersey and Washington D.C. with pending legislative actions against its practice in a number of states. I experienced first hand almost six months of…
Read MoreOpen The Locks With Love
My hope is that by being openly-transgender, people will see our truths more clearly. How sad that any young person would not be able to believe they can be their authentic self. My heart is broken but my resolve is re-doubled again. I hate the ignorance and the religious intolerance that precipitates actions like the…
Read MoreBelieve Out Loud’s 10 Most Popular Blogs Of 2014
Donate today to support the movement for Christian faith and LGBTQ equality! As we bring 2014 to a close, we are proud to present the 10 most popular blogs published at Believe Out Loud during 2014! From examining the impact of spiritual abuse to proclaiming that discrimination is not a Christian value, this list represents…
Read MoreOn Leaving Religious Life: Why I Cannot Be A Roman Catholic Priest
Last fall I finally had enough. Enough of hearing the Roman Catholic Church romanticize the materially poor. Enough of watching the Roman Catholic Church fire married gays and lesbians from public ministry from high schools and churches. Enough of trying to defend the Roman Catholic Church’s practice of ordaining only celibate men to the priesthood.…
Read MoreFinding Home For The Holidays
The Christmas season is a difficult time of year for me. I am always bothered by our culture’s egregious forms of commercialism—and its either lack of or its anemic recognition of other forms for religious holidays like Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, and the celebration of the winter solstice during this season. Over the years, as I…
Read MoreA Response To Non-Affirming Christians
Several weeks ago I was interviewed for a piece in the Huffington Post about LGBT Christians. While I’m no stranger to the push-back that being both gay and a drag queen elicits from many religious folks, I was struck by the hateful manner in which many people attempted to mask their bigoted thoughts in pseudo-Christian comments as…
Read MoreLove-Based Activism
If my purpose is to create change, to help bring about the end of legalized discrimination against LGBT people, my actions should be such that they are effective at bringing about that change. If I want to help people understand what it is like to be transgender, I need to present a message that more…
Read MoreWhat Calvin Taught Me About God
This is an abridged reprise of a column I wrote for the September, 1995 issue of the More Light Update, the publication of Presbyterians for Lesbian & Gay Concerns (now More Light Presbyterians) edited by James D. Anderson. Total attentiveness. Unconditional love. Limited judgment. Irresistible grace. Providential play. T.U.L.I.P. This is what Calvin has taught…
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