1,575 Christians Support LGBTQ People In Missouri

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Contact: James Rowe Director, Believe Out Loud [email protected] 646-723-7826 1,575 Christians Support LGBTQ People In Missouri LGBTQ-Affirming Christians Demand Missouri Lawmakers Stop SJR 39 New York, NY—Christians from across the United States responded last week with overwhelming support for the Missouri Senate Democrats’ 39-hour filibuster against SJR 39, a harmful anti-LGBTQ religious exemption bill that…

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How This Bisexual, Catholic Eagle Scout Found A Path Forward

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My childhood was defined by conflict. This conflict was only sometimes visible. Internally, however, the conflict was seismic and ever-present. As a young boy and teenager, I was constantly grappling with what it meant to be a faithful Catholic, an aspiring Eagle Scout, and someone who had same-sex attractions. This was hugely problematic. I was…

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A Trans Ally In A Tennessee Pew

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ADD YOUR NAME: Tell Tennessee Lawmakers to Block Anti-Trans Bathroom Bill Five years ago, I was a member of a Southern Baptist Church in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, listening to the same sermons as my Old Hickory Representative Susan Lynn. One Sunday, as our preacher dug deeper into Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, I was struck…

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Our Eagerness To Cast The First Stone

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The liturgical readings for the Fifth Sunday of Lent are: Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 126: 1-6; Philippians 3:8-14; and John 8:1-11. You can access the texts of these readings by clicking here. This Sunday’s Gospel reading of the woman caught in adultery is, ironically, a favorite of those who like to castigate LGBT people. They say…

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Learning To Wear My Own Clothes

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My name is Carol and I live in the south of England. I am married to a straight man and am the usually proud owner of three children, two boys and a girl. Because we live in the UK, our kids have to wear school uniform.  For my younger son in primary school, this consists…

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New Show Features Gay Child In A Catholic Family

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The Real O’Neals, ABC’s latest comedy series which premiered last week, features a gay child coming of age in a Catholic family as a prominent storyline. Entertainment Weekly called the show, which airs Tuesday nights, “a sometimes sentimental, sometimes silly half-hour about a family trying out honesty—and, as a result, acceptance.”  The show features an Irish Catholic family that is…

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I Didn’t Know I Was Bisexual

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I like being born in 1950. It feels so central. It’s easy to calculate how old I am. Last year I hit classic retirement age. I also hit marking about 20 years out to myself, and the world, as bisexual. This means I know I am capable of loving people of more than one gender.…

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Here’s My Problem With Lent

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I didn’t grow up in a tradition that observed Lent. Perhaps they found it too Catholic for their belief system. Now I minister in a church that observes Lent, Ash Wednesday and Maundy Thursday. To say that it was a steep learning curve for me is an understatement.                           It wasn’t that I couldn’t theoretically…

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The Importance Of LGBTQ-Affirmation To A Grieving Family

Black lives matter signs in front of a church.

At the time of my brother’s death in 2007, it was very important that our family be spared rejection by the church in a time of grief. Some people have said to me, “Well, you could’ve had Warren’s memorial service at our church.” But—their churches are not Open & Affirming. In the Christian Church (Disciples…

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South Dakota Governor Prevents Anti-Trans Bill From Becoming Law

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Yesterday evening, South Dakota Governor Daugaard vetoed HB 1008. With his veto, Governor Daugaard stopped HB 1008 from becoming the worst anti-transgender bill on the books in any state. Governor Daugaard’s veto proves that when elected officials stop listening to scare tactics and instead sit down and talk with transgender people—hearts and minds will change.…

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