Shaved by Grace
Setting: A small rural community, so small, in fact, the only church in town is a small Baptist church whose pastor must also double up as the local barber to make ends meet. There happened to be a man in this small community who had
Revolution v. Reform: Moving Beyond the Assimilationist ‘4 M’s’ of the LGB Movement
Introduction to a Cautionary Critique I am very encouraged by the Supreme Court’s ruling declaring DOMA (the so-called “Defense of Marriage Act”) unconstitutional according to the 5th Amendment’s Equal Protection clause, and now same-sex couples who legally marry in states that have such rights will
Why Our Pride Is a Gift to the Rest of Society
There’s still a need for opportunities to show that LGBTQ+ people are not only here but are glad they are. I’m not sure the best way to do it is through today’s versions of Pride Festivals, but nevertheless, I’m convinced that any opportunity for LGBTQ+
My Neighbor
Fundamentalism: 1 a: a movement in 20th century Protestantism emphasizing the literally interpreted Bible as fundamental to Christian life and teaching, b: the beliefs of this movement, c: adherence to such beliefs 2: a movement or attitude stressing strict and literal adherence to a set
Jesus, My Eye Doctor
Fundamentalism, or “legalism,” as I prefer to call it, is a difficult topic for me. I’m not even sure I’m fully qualified to offer any advice in this matter, given how little patience I have with legalists most of the time. I think in this
Evangelical Ministry to Gays and Lesbians Admits It Caused Harm
Notice the tenses in Wikipedia’s entry on “Exodus International” posted only a day or two after events necessitated a change from the word “is” to “was”. Quote: “Exodus International was a non-profit interdenominational ex-gay Christian organization that sought to help people who wished to limit
De-Escalating the Cycle of Fear
I have a particular fascination with the clash between the fundamentalist Christian worldview and the LGBT Christian community. You see, I grew up a fundamentalist Christian. By that I don’t meant that I grew up attending a fundamentalist church or that I was part of
A Brief Response to the Negative Comments About Gays in the Church
He hath shown thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. (Micah 6:8) With the exception of relatively few denominations, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
Why Does Jesus Eat with LGBT People? | Matthew 9:10-13
Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” When Jesus heard this, he
We Are Not Three-Fifths of a Human Being
Marriage Equality, those two words have become the center of the final battle for gay rights. How far we have come and how far we have yet to travel. I remember when I was much younger and first coming to understand my sexual attraction and