Help Wanted: Your Help. I Want It.
September 18, 2009
I need some bright ideas for SisterFriends content so here’s the deal. I want you, and yes, I’m looking right at you so don’t pretend you don’t see me, to come up with some ideas for topics we can tackle together.
- What questions do you have about being GLBTQ and/or Christian?
- What issues within our community are of particular concern to you?
- Is there a Scripture passage you want to explore from a queer perspective?
- Is there something you want to know about me personally that I haven’t already told you ad nauseam? Periwinkle. That’s my favorite color in case that’s what you were wondering about. Next.
Name a concern or a topic. Ask a question. Pose a situation. Give me something to work with here people. Put on your little lesbian baseball hat thinking caps and then dash it out in a comment to this post. I want ideas from you gay boys too. I just didn’t want to ask you to risk messing your hair with an unflattering cap.
Oh. Do I need to bribe you to get you to participate? Fine. Done.
Sometime toward the end of next weekend I’ll print out all the ideas that have been contributed to the comment section, lay them on the floor and throw two pennies over my shoulder. The two contributors whose comment is pennified (my word my bad) will each receive a prize that will be worth at least 3 dollars and 14 cents plus postage. I know. Extravagant. That’s just the way I roll!
And yes, I know I said I wouldn’t be posting for a couple weeks following my surgery but I’m not going to be in such bad shape I won’t be able to toss a penny or two. So what if it makes me whimper a little. You’re worth it.
So there you have it. Operators are standing by waiting to take your ideas.
Posted in SisterFriends
September 19th, 2009 at 7:32 am
BTW thanks for asking……..my question is how I would start to find and become part of a new church community? I grew up catholic and find many of those those roots still remain. I attended a Newman Center before I got married. My beloved and I would like to find a church, but are nervous, uninformed and frankly not used to to getting out of the house Sunday morning. (she has some more fundamentalist roots)
Any idea’s?
Oh yeah, what is your favorite color?
Be Well, I so enjoy being a friend thru facebook!
Billie
September 19th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
I was looking online and came across an online high school for GLBTQ’s. I guess the best way to word this into a question would be “what is your opinion on having an online high school just for GLBTQ’s ” or “do you think it is a good idea to ‘segregate’ GLBTQ’s like this?”
http://www.glbtqonlinehighschool.com/
September 20th, 2009 at 8:38 am
My question is: I went to a VERY conservative church from the ages of 19-26 (I am 29 now). Everytime I told someone that I thought I might be gay (which wasn’t too many people, just close friends), I got the same response “I will pray for you”, and then they would either proceed to pray for me or tell me that I would be in their daily prayers. I left that church in 2006 because I was VERY unhappy, and subsequently met my fiance, Stacey, in 2007 (we’re getting married on December 6!). I still haven’t gotten back into church, and I don’t really want to, and neither does Stacey. BUT, it’s been hard for me to even think about God or Jesus since I left the church because I just feel like everyone who is a Christian would condemn me (us). How do I at least PRAY to God and Jesus and have them in my daily life without feeling like I am condemned?? Thanks.
September 20th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
One of the typical “Christian Catch-phrases” that I struggled with in coming out to myself was, “God doesn’t make mistakes.” For a long time, I felt like that had to be wrong because either I was a mistake, or he made a mistake in declaring homosexuality to be a sin. I was sure God created me this way and there was a disconnect somewhere along the way.
Later, when I learned that the Bible DOESN’T condemn homosexuality, I realized that the mistake was in man’s interpretation of what the bible says. My question, given all of that is with regard to Transgender-ism… I try to be open minded and accepting of all people, just as I would like others to be open minded and accepting of me… But I can’t wrap my mind around Transgender people. I keep coming back to the idea that for someone to change their gender means one of two things. 1) God made a mistake when he created that person. (God doesn’t make mistakes, right?) or 2) The Transgender person is actually sick, and that it is wrong for a person to change their gender…
I do not mean to be offensive and don’t want to hurt anyone, I just really don’t understand this particular topic and want to, at the very least be more enlightened, if not fully understand how it can be right.
Thanks.
September 29th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Here are some things that I have questions about —
I want to bridge the gap, live my life openly and be able to demonstrate the love of Christ to those who think Christian and Lesbian don’t go together, and yet how am I to keep growing as a believer, when I can’t even find a good bible church that accepts me?
How to help our children cope with the fact that most people out there think that you can’t be a Christian and a lesbian? We have to change churches because of it and we had been only one place all of his life, it hurts him too. How do I help that?
Civil Rights issues –
Grace – can’t get enough of that
More on how we can be hearing God and those who call us sinners earnestly believe they are hearing God.
October 7th, 2009 at 9:33 am
I had one or two ideas. Here goes. This has probably already been discussed….. but what about the relationship between David and his bud Jonathon. Also since I’ve noticed several gay women from the “mature set” namely 40′s,50′s and 60′s who seem to have been married and recently or in the process of divorce…have a link or two for them to go to for information concerning help for their situations. There might also be link(s) concerning spousal abuse (both hetero and homo) for individuals afflicted with such a problem. These links need not take away from attention to prayer for any individual needing it or anyone wanting to suggest steps or opions concerning certain situations. The links would simply provide additional info.
Oatmeal
November 9th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
To add to oatmeal’s questions – there is that story about Solomon and the two mos – prostitutes who lived together with their children? any chance?
November 11th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
Here’s one I am struggling with….I’ve been married for 17 yrs. 2 kids (14 & 7). A year ago I started questioning if I might be bisexual, and although I’ve never had an experience with a woman, I think I am.
I don’t understand what this means for my marriage, my family. I love my husband and kids and would never want to do anything to tear it apart. At the same time I wonder if some of the unhappiness in my life is because I wonder “what if” I were to be with a woman. Why would God make me this way? I already struggle with multiple chronic illnesses and try to come to grips with that. But this too?
I love my gay, lesbian and bisexual friends. They are family to me. But I only have my husband to turn to–and he’s been incredibly supportive but nervous, naturally. I’ve talked to my teen daughter a little.
I think it makes it that much harder because I grew up in a very strict, conservative Christian household and my family would never accept me. They don’t even accept my illnesses!
I’m sorry this is so long. I’d like to eventually feel like this is a gift from God, but right now, my heart feels torn in two.
Thank you for listening.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:31 am
HeadacheSlayer–> Such a screen name you’ve chosen for yourself
I seldom speak much to the long list of questions and concerns that come with being gay in a straight marriage, only because that’s not the path I’ve walked. There are so many women and men who knowing they had attractions for the same sex married with the best of intentions to live a “normal” and “acceptable” life; believing that marriage would change them. This has been one of my bones of contention with those who claim gay and lesbian marriage destroys family, when what really splinters family units has been the continual condemnation of homosexuality that drives gay people into marriages with the belief it will change them only to have so many of those marriages not survive. It’s not for anyone to tell you how to proceed but all I would suggest is that you move slowly and prayerfully ahead. Some gay people have found a way along with their straight spouse to remain in the marriage and continue to have a respectful and loving relationship even though the traditional dynamics of husband and wife change. Others have found that ending the marriage is the best course for everyone involved. What it will be for you, I don’t know. It sounds like whatever direction you go, there is every chance for you and your husband to work it out in a way that honors and shows care for each other. Be assured that God is able to guide you if you keep your eyes and heart open to the Spirit’s leading. Blessings, Anita