I’m baffled at the fervor that drives people to tell others what God wants for them. But I’ve come up with an analogy that I think embodies that fervor. Rob and I had a full house for many years: two boys and three girls. We would leave the kids with a babysitter while we escaped, er, went out. It was for our own sanity. When they were old enough, we let them stay at home without us. We’d put one... Read more
“Instructions for living a life. Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” ― Mary Oliver Mary Oliver writes sensitive, life-filled poetry. She challenges and inspires. She is also a lesbian.The friend who introduced me to Mary Oliver’s poetry does not condone marriage equality… at least, last time we talked. This friend who finds Oliver’s poetry so lovely is prepared to prohibit Oliver from marrying the person she wants to marry. Ironic, isn’t it? Mary Oliver’s poetry is good enough to inspire, admire and recommend, but her human... Read more
I may have been the last person on earth to do it, but I just saw “Dallas Buyers Club.” So good. No wonder it won three Oscars. Near the end, in the courtroom scene, I thought of you. (I confess, I’m always thinking of you!) Even if you haven’t seen “Dallas Buyers Club,” this will make sense to you — and it won’t spoil the movie. It’s when Ron (Matthew McConaughey) goes to court to seek permission to use the drugs... Read more
Do you have a secret? How big is it? How do you think people will respond if they find out? It wasn’t always clear to Santiago Salazar that somewhere inside him was a Lisa that would someday—a long time into the future—show herself to the world. After living the first forty eight years of life as Santiago, a married, heterosexual man and father of three children and devout Christian, Santiago was diagnosed with gender dysphoria, a term that describes the... Read more
Well, my heart is broken. Yet another mom has emailed me that their daughter came out to them as gay, and her husband, the girl’s father, kicked her out. Dad said, “I don’t agree with her lifestyle; she will have to leave.” (Bear in mind there was no ‘acting on this’ yet, no “lifestyle” – it was simply the daughter revealing her heart.) Mom disagrees with Dad – she is wondering how she can continue to live with a husband... Read more
Can you be Christian and gay? What does the Bible say and what does it not say? What does the Bible mean and not mean? If you are a Christian parent of an LGBTQ child, or a Christian LGBTQ, these are questions that you must answer to be at peace with your faith. In his new book God and the Gay Christian, Matthew Vines does an incredible job at just that, as he gives insight and historical context that helps... Read more
“Jesus wept.” But not because of gays. This is Rob, Susan’s husband. I wanted to share my heart with you today. This past year the Supreme Court handed down rulings supporting gay marriage. Many Christians used words like abomination, devastating, disgusting, tragic. Mike Huckabee, the ultra conservative right wing TV personality and former governor of Arkansas, sent out a simple tweet: “Jesus Wept.” Mike, I agree, Jesus wept. But not because of gays. Perhaps Jesus is weeping because of the... Read more
Picture yourself entering the woods by a winding path. You wander in, exploring the trees — all various shades of green, red, yellow, orange. The clear blue sky peeks through the interlaced leaves. You come to a fork and you must choose one of several paths. You choose and you move forward. There are rocks in the path, and you step carefully so you don’t stumble. Soon you discover you can step more firmly and quickly, because your foot has learned... Read more
“Students should not be forced into an environment where they are coerced to accept or affirm a teacher’s gender identity issues.” – Andrea Lafferty, President, Traditional Values Coalition ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) has been in the news lately, with grave concerns expressed in opposition. “Should transgender people be allowed to teach in the classroom?” And, “If a formerly male teacher comes to class female, what would you tell your child?” These are excellent questions. In this multiplicity of beliefs, thought, orientation and faiths: what... Read more
Sarah Gronert is a 27-year-old retired German tennis player. She won a total of ten titles in her career and made it into the top 200 players in the world. Sarah was also intersex with both male and female genitalia. She had surgery at the age of 19 to become legally a female. Intricacies of the universe are reason to say, “Hm, what a magnificent universe!” – not reason to bend and break it until it fits into our box.... Read more
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