Tag Archives: Faith

Does God love the outcast?

  By suzanne | March 29, 2013 - 8:10 pm | , , , , , , ,
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(Editor’s Note: Originally published on April 8, 2006) On V.L. Carey’s website The Purple Pew (no longer published), she’s posted a sermon by Rev. Dr. Mel White founder of Soulforce. Entitled “How Can I Be Sure God Loves Me Too?,” the sermon brought me to tears. Now, if you are a conservative Christian, be forewarned that Rev. White is an actively gay minister. So, if you can set aside your objections for a minute and be open to the message, I highly recommend it! How Can I Be Sure God Loves Me Too? by Rev. Dr. Mel White Because the sermon was so moving, I listened to it a second time this morning. One part of White’s message really stood out to me: A Centurion, . . . Continue reading →

Sifting Out Positive Elements of Religion from Destructive Ones

  By suzanne | August 26, 2012 - 9:36 pm | , , , , , , ,
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What is the purpose of sifting and how does one do it? So, you’re considering or have decided to continue with Christianity even though you may have received damaging messages (directly or indirectly) over the years regarding sexual orientation and/or gender identification.  How do you sift through destructive experiences and messages without losing the positive ones? If you practice another kind of faith or religion other than Christianity, I encourage you to see if any of the concepts below apply to the steps you may want to take.  Also, I encourage you to connect with mature LGBT individuals who practice the same religion (or at least have a solid understanding of it). Anyone who has spent any length of time in Christian communities (church and . . . Continue reading →

A Life Worth Living

  By suzanne | July 7, 2007 - 2:16 pm | , , , , , , , , , ,
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Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God (Mt. 5:9).   UPDATE (10/16/2011): This post was originally published on 7/7/2007.  Since then, I have experienced changes in my relationship with my family and in my personal life.  As such, I have a more gentle understanding of the events and outcomes discussed below.  In its original content, there are parts of this post that feel harsh and unkind.  However, I do not want to edit those parts out, because I want to show the process I undertook for reconciling my life, faith, and sexuality.  In doing so, I hope to illustrate one journey another can take integrating one’s experiences within his/her context.   ORIGINAL POST: What happens when a “born again Christian,” called . . . Continue reading →