A positive religious look at homosexuality

[caitiesus1522]

Posted: 12/14/05 at 11:46am

I found this article in one of my friend's Myspace. It is very very long but makes some incredibly amazing points. It was written by an actual priest and should really make people think. I thought it would be appropriate to post here for discussion
A religious look at homosexuality, that is not condemning it at all

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 12/14/05 at 11:52am

yup, the Louise letter has been floating around for quite some time. it is a really great introduction to gay-affirming theology.

[KelRel]

Posted: 12/14/05 at 2:21pm

I didn't read this all the way through, I got to the appendixes and stopped. This makes me happy because I came to the same conclusion on my own, but I have always wondered if I really dug into the Bible if my personal beliefs on the matter would match up. It is hard to think back to this time last year and compare my beliefs on this matter to how I feel now. I was a highly ignorant person when it came to the matter, but I feel that thanks to many people on here and some serious soul searching I am a better person. I just pray that the day comes soon when the only difference in society between how a same sex or a opposite sex couple is just that- the gender of the members of the couple. I want to see the day when the rights and benifits given to me because I happen to be straight are the very same as the rights given to someone else who is gay. God bless everyone who is having to deal with this crap from society.

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 7:17pm

I didn't want to start a new thread but I just wanted to put this in here: - you may have seen it before

Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands?" - Ernest Gaines

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss

[cheezedoodle]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 7:26pm

So ....why is it no one ever posts something akin to "A Positive Homosexual Look at Religeon"? Just a thought -

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 7:38pm

I found this floating around myspace, its kinda sad but thought I should post it.



I am the girl kicked out of her home because I confided in my mother that I am a lesbian.

I am the prostitute working the streets because nobody will hire a transsexual woman.

I am the sister who holds her gay brother tight through the painful, tear- filled nights.

We are the parents who buried our daughter long before her time.

I am the man who died alone in the hospital because they would not let my partner of twenty-seven years into the room.

I am the foster child who wakes up with nightmares of being taken away from the two fathers who are the only loving family I have ever had. I
wish they could adopt me.

I am one of the lucky ones, I guess. I survived the attack that left me in a coma for three weeks, and in another year I will probably be able to walk again.

I am not one of the lucky ones. I killed myself just weeks before graduating high school. It was simply too much to bear.

We are the couple who had the realtor hang up on us when she found out we wanted to rent a one-bedroom for two men.

I am the person who never knows which bathroom I should use if I want to avoid getting the management called on me.

I am the mother who is not allowed to even visit the children I bore, nursed, and raised. The court says I am an unfit mother because I now live with another woman.

I am the domestic-violence survivor who found the support system grow suddenly cold and distant when they found out my abusive partner is also a woman.

I am the domestic-violence survivor who has no support system to turn to because I am male.

I know this is really long but please read all of it...



I am the father who has never hugged his son because I grew up afraid to show affection to other men.

I am the home-economics teacher who always wanted to teach gym until someone told me that only lesbians do that.

I am the man who died when the paramedics stopped treating me as soon as they realized I was transsexual.

I am the person who feels guilty because I think I could be a much better person if I didnt have to always deal with society hating me.

I am the man who stopped attending church, not because I don't believe, but because they closed their doors to my kind.

I am the person who has to hide what this world needs most, love.

Updated On: 1/28/06 at 07:38 PM

[DBillyP]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 8:01pm

Actually, cheeze, I often do just that, every time I mention the Cathedral of Hope.

When the church took "Cathedral" as its name it was because the congregation had a goal. They wanted to be large enough to reach LGBT people living in isolation, to change the way people looked at LGBT people, AND to change the way LGBT people look at religion. The Cathedral of Hope is a very positive LGBT look at religion.

[CostumeMistress]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 8:04pm

"So ....why is it no one ever posts something akin to 'A Positive Homosexual Look at Religion?' Just a thought -"

Probably because (at least in the Christian church, I can only speak for my own faith) the voices of the hateful bigots are the loudest ones. We who believe that a person doesn't have to choose between being a homosexual/bisexual/trans/etc. person and being a Christian are often afraid of speaking up, because we don't want to be looked down upon as morally inferior or because we're afraid of what will happen if we do makes some noise. There's so much hate between the church and the GLBT community, and because of what the church has started, there are incidents like the time when I had a lesbian over for coffee and girlchat and she saw the row of Bibles on my bookcase and declared that she wanted nothing to do with me.

The Jesus of doctrine like James Dobson's or other such "celebrities" is conditionally accepting and only willing to put up with so much from a person. However, the Jesus of the Bible spent his time with those who, in his day, were considered to be the ultimate scum of the earth - swindlers and whores and those with contagious, ugly diseases. Tragically, it's not this Jesus that most people think of when they think of Christianity - and in this, the church is failing miserably.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 8:06pm

Rentluvr--that was beautiful and heart breaking.

And DBilly is someone who gives me hope regarding being gay and Christian.

[grizzabella]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 8:10pm

Caitiesus1522, thank you for posting this. It is a thoughtful and scripturally sound piece of scholarship, as well as being life-affirming and encouraging to all people. Thank you also for the web-link.

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 8:38pm

RENTLuvr- I saw that floating around my space bulletin's too. It really is very sad. There are a few others like that also.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 9:20pm

I know I almost cired when I first read it, I just hate people who can't accept people for who they are, and such. Thats why I'm glad to say I am in a group called AnyTown that helps get rid of people who are racist, sexist and all those other horrible things.

Please if you find anymore please either post them or PM me them, I'm trying to get my firend to understand.

[LaVieHilary]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 10:31pm

RENTLuver that was so beautiful. I normally hate reading long posts but that was defidently worth while.

I loved it thanks!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 10:32pm

Your welcome you guys I'll try and find more!!

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 11:18pm

RENTluvr- my friend just posted these on myspace...

"I want to tell you something you should know,
Something that you might not want to hear.
It is, however, true of me, and so
If you would know me, I must make it clear.
I am a woman who loves other women.
I could not, nor would want to be aught else.
I am your daughter and a lesbian.
Please make a place for that within yourself.
Please love me as I am, as I love you
No differently from when I was a child.
I am the daughter that you always knew
Save for one sweet way that fate has smiled.
Whatever you decide, I'll love you still,
For love heeds not the weather, but the will."

"One should no more deplore homosexuality than left-handedness." ~Towards a Quaker View of Sex, 1964

"Bisexuality immediately doubles your chances for a date on Saturday night." ~Woody Allen

"Labels are for filing. Labels are for clothing. Labels are not for people. ~Martina Navratilova"

" Homophobia is a social disease."

Updated On: 1/28/06 at 11:18 PM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 11:44pm

This qoute that you posted...

"Labels are for filing. Labels are for clothing. Labels are not for people. ~Martina Navratilova".

...Reminded me of one by Anhtony Rapp, "Labels are for Cans, not people."

Thanks they are awesome!

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/29/06 at 7:14am

You guys all rock. Reading this thread was very soothing, so thank you.

[Sing a Song With Me]

Posted: 1/29/06 at 8:45am

"One should no more deplore homosexuality than left-handedness." ~Towards a Quaker View of Sex, 1964

Left-handedness was once seen as a sign of being somehow wrong. Quakers were often condemned themselves in early US days. I shouldn't be surprised they were showed (fairly) early religious acceptance of homosexuality.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/29/06 at 11:15am

That is very interesting Sing a Song With Me.

[DBillyP]

Posted: 1/29/06 at 11:39am

Excellent example, Sing a Song! The Quakers have a lot to teach us all about tolerance and peace.

[guitargeek0624]

Posted: 1/29/06 at 11:55am

What a great article (or is it an essay?). I passed it along to my bisexual friend who almost cried reading it. Great find!

[caitiesus1522]

Posted: 1/29/06 at 1:54pm

I need to send this link to a friend of mine, He is currently in the closet and is suffering from depression because he is worried what his family and church will say. I am really worried about the guy, he has been dealing with it for a while and all that.

Does anyone have any ideas on talking to him about it? Everyone in our group (young Dems) wants to, but no one knows how to. We are really starting to get worried because he seems to be in the later stages of depression and we have already lost one person in our organization to depression in the past two years. Thanks in advance.

[guitargeek0624]

Posted: 1/29/06 at 4:13pm

Heh, I'm in the Young Dems at my school, too.

Anyway, I'd definitely show him this article. Then say that you all accept him no matter who he is, and that his family will accept him, too, since they love him.

Does the guidance counselor at your school know about his depression? If he's really in the later stages, he should get serious help. I had a friend that was in the early stages of depression, but she was still a mess. The later stages I'm sure are very serious.

I wish I could help more.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 1/29/06 at 4:18pm

I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend Mel White's Stranger At the Gate--either the book or his reading it on CD.

This was THE book that made me feel 100% certain that God loves me for who I am--that I won't be going to hell for being gay--that the anti-gay agenda in the church and politics is all about money and control of people, a fear tactic.

It's a very inspiring autobiography!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/29/06 at 5:10pm

I also think that he should get help for his depression, I know from experience that it can get really REALLY bad. I just hope he's okay, and will be.
Smiles make everyone feel better(so cheezy yet true)