The Texas GOP has added so-called “reparative therapy” to its new platform. How out-to-lunch, out of touch, or else plain-out hateful do you have to be to think this is a good idea? How selfish, obtuse, blind and cruel does one have to be? This country is not a giant family where “father knows best,” and can impose whatever standard he wants for his children, and hope they don’t take off in the middle of the night. This country is... Read more
Thursday I wrote about the Third Way re. the LGBTQ issue and was surprised by responses from two friends who know my heart and value my work. I knew I had written some profound truth in that post—no regrets there—but I also knew Liz and Michael had found cracks for people to treat LGBTQ people as a subclass. I did not want misinterpretation any more than they did. What happened? I wondered, as I searched for the disconnect between what I’d said... Read more
The Mother Wound. It’s the Mother of all wounds. It’s the absence of “mothering”—of tenderness, nurturance, connectedness — that I see in the traditional, patriarchal evangelical church. I’ve become keenly aware of this as I blog to the LGBTQ community of faith, because I’ve had to take a cold, hard look at the problems in the mainstream (evangelical) church. What I see is exclusiveness instead of a welcoming open-arms inclusiveness, homophobia instead of affirmation, and male-domination while obliterating the feminine.... Read more
The Third Way. Perhaps you’ve heard about it or seen the posts flying. The Third Way re. LGBTQ means to love without taking a position of “right or wrong” on being LGBTQ (or “acting” on it), but instead to suspend judgment and simply embrace.* Perhaps you saw this exquisitely thoughtful video by Pastor Danny Cortez, about Danny’s change-of-view on the LGBTQ issue. Perhaps you saw Danny’s son Drew Cortez’s heart-rending video. Perhaps you saw Albert Mohler’s critique stating there is no Third Way... Read more
“You’re a Christian! How can you support LGBTQ people and gay marriage? Don’t you realize you are condoning sin? You are leading people into hell!” This is Rob, Susan’s husband, and I have heard it all. When we came out as parents of an LGBTQ child, and then as strong allies and advocates, I was pretty defensive. More than 20 years in the evangelical church had engrained in me certain beliefs about homosexuality. To be honest, beliefs which I never... Read more
Some days I just get up and go. I know my list of things to do, and I go to it. And I get a lot of work done, I like it and it’s satisfying. Other days – I’d like it to be more days – I get up and pause, and I ask God to direct me in the day. that’s when I hear a little gem. Not always, but often. I feel nudged to call somebody I’ve needed... Read more
“The saddest part of disagreements over marriage equality has nothing to do with the legal question but everything to do with Christianity’s failure as a whole to lead in the right direction on this issue. Christians are missing a huge opportunity to not only love and encourage our own Christian LGBT friends, neighbors, and family members, but are also demonstrating to the world that we are simultaneously out of touch with both Jesus and the world. Insert forehead smack here.” – Corbin Lambeth... Read more
More today from my Saturday “Jesus Blog” – a word from Jesus to you… Come to Me. If you’re hurt… Or afraid… Or rejected. (By the way, that describes My closest friends!) Come to Me. Sit beside Me… Rest your head on My shoulder… Breathe! Come to Me. If you’ve forgotten who you are… If you’ve been told you’re someone else… If you’ve been called bad or evil. I’ll love you, just the way you are, now and always. I’ll give you... Read more
“For the past 4-5 years I was hoping for the day that I would just go to sleep one night and not wake up the next.” You may find David’s story surprising, or maybe all too familiar. In either case, it is inspiring – and I want to share it with you today… I was raised very traditional Southern Baptist–from preschool to 7th grade I went to the school at the church. My family has strong ties to the church.... Read more
“Yes, we have to love people, but we have to hold the standard,” Carl* said, and he really meant it. He sat in a meeting where I spoke about faith and the LGBTQ community. He was referring to his sister, a lesbian, who sat one seat over from him, their mom in the middle. Carl could not understand how love was enough—even though Jesus explicitly taught us that—Carl kept repeating that we’ve got to hold the standard. I know this... Read more
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In