Authentic Christianity

I've come to the point where I'm beginning to wonder how it's possible for someone to be socially conservative and a Christian. I never had a problem with being a gay Christian because I know God created me gay. My same-gender love has always been a matter of just that- love. But people aren't born bigots... And I am pretty darn sure bigotry is not a call from God.

To me, "social conservative" and "fiscal conservative" are mutually exclusive concepts, though one person can embrace both in his/her own personal philosophy. I understand that there are two major economic philosophies in this country. We have labeled them "liberal" and "conservative." I am personally fiscally liberal and socially liberal, but in what I wrote above, I was strictly talking about social liberalism (as it relates to Christianity). I believe that Jesus preached a "social Gospel" which concerned the poor, the marginalized, and the taboo. Contemporary social conservatives seem to embrace various mixes of white privilege and supremacy, homophobia/transphobia (and hetero-supremacy), sexism/misogyny, and many more exclusive biases. The definition of bigotry: "stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one's own." In my study of Christian Scripture, such philosophies are incompatible with Christian teachings and are actually institutionalized evils.

What is has meant to be a "Christian" has changed innumerable times over the past two millennia. Dominant Christian cultures have been far too exclusive/bigoted in my opinion. When a misconstrued ideal of Jesus gets molded into an idol and is raised as the pinnacle of government, blasphemy has occurred because Jesus has been divorced from his teachings. The Religious Right can call themselves "Christian" all they want to, but they have just become as the legalistic religious leaders that Jesus challenged in his day. Authentic Christianity follows the teachings of Jesus: love for God and all people, care for all people (servanthood), and peacemaking.

Good lives on

This Good Friday, I remember all the queer humans across history who were crucified on crosses, in electric chairs, in gas chambers, by nooses, by the bullet, and so many horrifying other ways. They lived their lives brightly in the face of a world that clings to its fearful ways in false hope of grasping something of importance. It is only because of them that I wear a cross around my neck. I remember their lives because I see myself in them. I find no satisfaction in any fearful talk of "substitutionary atonement". Rather, it is because I know the Good in them lives on that I can face tomorrow.

Jesus' Anti-Kingdom

What Christianity seems to have become is quite the opposite of what Jesus taught and demonstrated. When Jesus spoke of the “Kingdom of God,” he was really talking about the leveling of power, not the dominance of a new religious sect over others. When Jesus’ followers called him “Lord,” they did so to mock the unjust reign of Caesar, not to replace Caesar with a pope. When Jesus called God “Father,” it was not to reinforce patriarchy or to say that God’s nature is male; it was to shame such an unjust institution by showing men what true love was about. Modern minds don’t get how Jesus turned his world upside-down because we have been taught to take Scripture at face value. Not only is deeper study important, it is essential to understanding. Jesus was as much a lord in his day as a drag queen is an actual queen today! But in my humble opinion, drag queens do more for the cause of Christ today than actual monarchs-- sometimes called by titles such as “President” and “Prime Minister” these days. Jesus subverted the status quo. To follow him is to do the same, no matter when in history you live.

Early Affirmations

I will never forget wearing my mother's slips as dresses, putting on her wig, makeup, costume jewelry, and pumps, and dancing around my parents' bedroom at 4 and 5 years old. I didn't learn that behavior from any friends or from television- it just came naturally as a fun kind of play. Unfortunately I was severely shamed by my father who I'm sure was just afraid that his only son would have a hard time in a non-accepting world. I was caught on many occasions, but kept playing this game that gave me such joy. I continue to play this game into adulthood with no shame! I didn't know the word "gay" as a child except within the context of the sick men on TV dying of AIDS. It was Ellen Degeneres coming out on her sitcom that allowed me to say, "Hey, that's me!" I then continually watched Will & Grace so I would have some sort of a gay role model in my teen years. I thank God that we have made such progress now that LGBT people can be found regularly on TV in positive light so that children can better self-identify. But media isn't enough. We need affirming parents who will not steal the joy their children find in discovering who they are.

Remember Galatians 3:28

If you think your church is "progressive," "welcoming," or "open and affirming," I ask you: Would your church welcome leather-folk in full gear? Gender variant people who you may not be able to tell what pronouns to use with them? Polyamorous families (more than two partners in relationship)? These are all beautiful expressions of what God has called "good." Can you truly follow the judgment-free teachings of Jesus or do you choose to only welcome those you feel comfortable putting in a token box? Accepting gay and lesbian people in the church is great- but it's not radical anymore. The radical Gospel of Jesus Christ is this: In Christ you are no longer man or woman, straight or gay, monogamous or polyamorous, vanilla or kinky... No: you are One.

Sticks and Stones

A colleague in ministry posed the question: "We’ve all heard the children’s rhyme, “Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me.” but... is it true? Really?"

My response:
If we don't have a good sense of self-love, we are left vulnerable to the damage of words. The more we realize and teach others that people only hurt others out of their own pain and that we should never take anything personally, we will gain inner damage. Let's not forget how people's comments may remind us negatively of those who raised us. So no, it's not true; words can hurt us-- that is as long as we accept their poison. The many who have taken their own lives as a result of bullying probably didn't have the people in their lives to affirm their sacred value, or the negative inner voices were just too loud and too engrained. If we do recite the "sticks and stones" rhyme and teach it to our children, it should be framed as an affirmation that we choose for the words to not hurt us. That is the meaning of salvation after all- we are saved from these messages that have the potential of putting us in a living hell.

Thought of the day

Good works do get you into heaven after all. Don't get me wrong- I don't believe in "works righteousness"- that a Santa Clause-like god sits on a cloud keeping track of our deeds. Rather, if Heaven is right where we are, we live into it more and more by the good works we give wholeheartedly. Heaven is yours today as you continue the flow of divine supply through your life. Give with abandon (and of course with self-respect) and see what possibilities are opened to you!