Oh, not the gays – the church! You’re not going to see many gays in the church until the church cleans up its act. By church, I mean the ‘non-affirming’ church. The church that doesn’t affirm people, but only affirms behavior. Behavior within a certain range is acceptable; other behavior is not. And they get to pick and choose. And by cleaning up its act, I mean moving its focus to loving God and loving others – exactly what Jesus called... Read more
My friend just texted me: “I’m causing quite a stir with my meeting with the pastor!” She just met with him to talk about her gay son, whom she supports 100%. She spent a year afraid her son was going to hell – and because she was loving him unconditionally, she was in danger of hell, too. (Isn’t it a sad state of affairs that people threaten hell for the LGBTQ issue?) She and her husband knew their son was... Read more
Are you getting a little tired of people pulling out scripture to entrap you, tell you how wrong you are, and tell you to change? I am! I’m tired of people doing it to me, and I’m tired of them doing it to you. Jesus is tired of it too, and I’ll tell you why. Only two parties used scripture as “correction”: the religious leaders and satan. Did you catch that? Only religious leaders and satan used scripture to correct others. I’m not sure... Read more
Bring out the heterosexual in you? What?!? Watch this entertaining but terribly unnerving clip from John Stewart about Texas’ renewed commitment to the miserably failed, dangerous and harmful “reparative therapy.” Just click on the photo above to watch. When the clinical psychologist was asked about “trying to get the gay out of people,” he said, “I would rather say we’re trying to bring out the heterosexuality in you.” Seriously? “But that’s the thing they don’t have in them,” John Stewart said. “It’s like... Read more
Hannah, my beautiful youngest daughter, once told me she felt much more comfortable with her theater friends than with her Christian friends. She felt welcomed, included, and free – but not in her Christian group. Why? Because she could be who she is. She was safe to be Hannah without people watching for some kind of wrong action or wrong attitude. She didn’t always have to wonder if this or that was “accepted” in the group. This is a huge... Read more
Is it scandalous to say that LGBTQ are just as valuable as everyone else? Is it scandalous to open the church doors wide, to say they have a place in church and in the body of Christ? Is it scandalous to say you can be gay and Christian? In some circles it certainly is. Almost as radical as Jesus teaching parables about something the everyday farmer or lowly fisherman would understand. Almost as horrific as Jesus showing God’s presence as being like yeast in... Read more
After he came out, his mother burned his birth certificate and all his childhood photos in the front yard. She sent him a black funeral wreath that said, “In Memory of My Son.” She never talked to him again. Ever. A son’s honesty with his parents failed to yield the love, compassion and forgiveness they taught him to value. Should you always have hope? Is it ever time to let go? This is Rob, Susan’s husband, writing today. We have... Read more
“Let me begin by begging your forgiveness for the way you have been mistreated…” Wonderful readers, I share this pastor’s letter which resonates with my heart, echoing my ongoing blogs, showing us Jesus’ love. Please enjoy and take great courage from pastors like this — and there are plenty of them! – Susan An open letter to my GLBT Christian sisters and brothers and those supporting family members or friends who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender: On behalf... Read more
Vulnerability encloses me. I do not know how it happened, nor how I got here. Yet, here I stand in front of you all, laid bare. A secret I never meant to tell you all, has nearly wormed itself out of my mouth, exposing who I am, who I really am to you all. Ninety-nine peers, ninety-nine friends, ninety-nine people who I value above all else. Ninety-nine people who I now have to trust with my secret. Yet I am... Read more
This post is part of the June Synchroblog which asks the question “What would you tell your younger self if you could travel back in time?” So, here we go… Sitting in the gentle breeze out on the balcony, I am overjoyed at how much I love my life. Now, I do. But I spent a lot of time struggling against in, trying to make it more, better, or different. I wouldn’t do it over again – that’s for sure.... Read more
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