“What you have done to the least of these you have done to me…” The words of Jesus from Matthew 25 remind us that Jesus endures every oppression and marginalization. For most of the modern era, many queer people have been oppressed and marginalized for their sexuality and identity. This afternoon the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case that I believe will finally allow same-sex couples to be in legalized marriages in the United States. Throughout the oppression and... Read more
Adrianna Waller was a beautiful baby. On August 22, 1997, Charles Warner was supposed to be watching her. Instead of protecting and caring for her, Warner proceeded to rape and murder little Adrianna. During the trial, Warner’s own son testified against him. A jury convicted Warner and sentenced him to death. Tonight, January 15, 2015, the people of Oklahoma put Charles Warner to death. Despite the heinous nature of the crime, there was one person who stood adamantly opposed... Read more
Make no mistake, there truly are ghosts in Mississippi. Most often, they inhabit long forgotten places and toil with hopes that their mortal lives have not been lived in vain. A few years ago, I first traveled to a forgotten place to meet a forgotten man. “For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them rubbish, in order that I might gain Christ and be found in him…” Though I had heard the words... Read more
The weather was cold. Winters in Georgia are always a strange kind of cold. The stated temperature never reflects the discomfort most people feel. In 1998, Andrew Brannan murdered Laurens County Deputy Sheriff Kyle Dinkheller during a traffic stop. I was in eighth grade. Most of the people I was around believed the killer should die for the crime. Two years later, the weather was similar in Georgia when a jury found Andrew Brannan guilty of killing Dinkheller and... Read more
The room held little light. Everyone sat in a circle waiting on something to be revealed. There were expectant thoughts buzzing inside the crania of the gathered. Squeaking along in his motorized wheelchair, Rev. Justin Hancock rolled into the center of our circle and commanded our attention. In a room full of people with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, Rev. Hancock talked about having cerebral palsy and what it looks like to celebrate the self no matter what.... Read more
In the beginning, God created freedom of speech. If you follow the Genesis account, God placed humans in the Garden of Eden and gave them the right to agree or disagree. One of the primary ways that we express agreement or disagreement is through speech. I believe the most divine thing that we do on any given day is express who we are and what we believe. When societies suppress free speech, we suppress the divine. We take away... Read more
Good evening. I want to introduce you to someone. I brought my son Phillip with me tonight. Phillip is two years old. I want Phillip to grow up and be able to grow up and marry whomever the hell he wants to marry. I want Phillip to grow up and be able to love whoever the hell he wants to love without fear of any legal limitations or repercussions. Most of all though…I brought Phillip here tonight to see... Read more
* Excerpt from a conversation with a small group on my Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty Houston Speaking Tour People often begin their arguments for the death penalty with one simple phrase, “That person committed a crime so heinous they deserve to die.” We must begin our reply with one simple question, “Who or what gives you the right to kill?” In order to kill someone, one must other or dehumanize the person to the extent that the... Read more
– Excerpt from address to Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty Houston Chapter on Speaking Tour: Christians have blood on their hands. Here in Texas, our historical theology has made a way for the death penalty. We taught over and over that the wrath of God was not to be satisfied without the blood of Jesus. Unfortunately, a theology based on blood teaches humans that blood is required when blood is spilt. Vengeance becomes the basis of faith.... Read more
“time” depression nibbles the dogs ran away i am haunted by the attack blood was all they wanted the problem was it was mine what do you do the only way to be in relationship is to bleed how do you survive how do you know when will things go back up i guess you learn not to die “belief” God is Chaos Endless Incarnations Endless Manifestations God is Not Chaos Ordered Incarnations Ordered Manifestations God is Chaos... Read more
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