#queer affirming Christian

[peggy-sue-reads-a-book]

Paper Cranes

TW: homophobia, bullying, church abuse, swearing, assault, ED, SH, compulsive exercising, Republicans, purity culture, evangelical crap, but most of all middle school. If I’ve failed to include anything, just let me know. Fr I wrote it for me and posted it for those who might find my experience affirming. I’m all good if you need to scroll right on past a trauma post.

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The first time I ever watched homophobic bullying was in my pastor’s office. All the teens were waiting around a table for our youth pastor. There was one gay boy, a close friend of mine in a relatively small group. From the first week his family joined our church, an older girl in youth group announced to the rest of us that she couldn’t stand him because “he’s too happy and sings too much.” It was true. The new boy was the most cheerful, outgoing person I’d ever met. And he loves to sing.

The same girl gave a similar PSA behind my back when I was new. “We shouldn’t play with her because she’s weird and wears dress up clothes.” I was six. And it was true, I did wear a princess costume every day. Eventually I traded in my tutus for some looks that better reflected internalized misogyny and everyone figured out I’m funny as all shit and can get along with most anyone. I graduated from the bottom of the food chain.

So I shrugged off her hot take on my new friend. I don’t think she liked that her plans to cancel the new guy flopped. Because as we were waiting around that table she jumped up and grabbed his earlobe between her finger nails. She was super proud of her nails. They were long and scraggly like a cat and she was into filing them in public in case anyone felt too safe.

She dug her nails in on either side and no one said anything. You don’t stand up for a boy to a girl. I can’t remember if he tried to swat her off or just took it. It was only a minute but it was a damn long one. Blood started to bead around her nails. Then the door opened and she sat back down. Sunday school started.

Nothing I believed, no books, no paper, no concept of abomination could override what I’d just seen, the revulsion deep in my gut. It was more than rage. More than disgust. I still have no word for it. I was too young and the feelings that well up are still those of a thirteen year old.

It doesn’t matter what you call it. Anger like that is like walking around dead and suddenly finding your pulse because it’s roaring in your ears like a jackhammer.

I prayed to be like everyone else. To care about the same social issues in the same way. The only way I could make sense of my loneliness was that I was cursed in some way. If God loved me, he would make me content with the same values as my peers. But I had just seen someone harm someone else and not a single one of these fine, upstanding kids I’m supposed to make friends with say a damn thing.

A few years later, there was some kinda touchy-feeling Jesus shindig where everyone got real sugared up at night and had a big sing along with some college kids who were supposedly qualified to talk about the deep shit with us. If I mentioned their university you’d recognize it. Hint: assault cover ups

One guy, nineteen or so, must have gotten particularly inspired in the spirit because he starts preaching off-the-cuff about the sins of anorexia, binging, purging, and cutting. I inched backward. I tried hiding behind a football player; I was about half his width after all.

Peggy, what’s up with the bandaids?

I guess I tripped over a wall.

Hey I have a joke. How many Peggies can you fit in the shower? No one knows because—-

— I keep slipping down the drain. Heard that one.

Eat a fucking sandwich, you skinny cunt

The best part of the speech is it was addressed to us about the bad, vague other kids who barfed and otherwise screwed around. Those poor fuck-ups, insulting God’s creation by choosing to defile their bodies.

I couldn’t wait to get home and go for it, but felt a whole lot more like a compulsion than a choice.

I’ve heard this sermon twice, by the way. The second time, the pastor held up a paper crane and asked us to admire its delicacy and the skill it took to make it before shredding it up. Guess he worked hard on that metaphor.

That was me. A paper crane. Pure white, crafted precisely, folded up small. You could pinch my wings between your fingernails and pull them off. I wouldn’t bleed and you could vacuum me up. That was my power. The control in the fine lines and tight folds.

Anyway here I am squirming on my butt and waiting for my chance to burn off my two bites of pizza and Oreos. I’m pretty sure I’d made everyone laugh by scooting the cookies into my mouth from my forehead with no hands. See, everyone, I eat. Yeah, I was gonna have to get in some crunches tonight.

I wondered if I could chug enough lemon water to get diarrhea without being noticed, when somehow, we were looking at each other. The boy’s eyes were bright blue. Ice blue, like in cheesy books. Gay.

Skinny.

Leviticus. The apostle Paul.

Cutter.

It’s a powerful feeling, that two seconds of eye-contact that lets you know you aren’t crazy. That you aren’t the only one in the room who is angry. It is taking a hand to find it as wounded as yours.

Whatever is divine in this world, whatever is true and special and outside of ourselves, it is in the rage you can’t shake. If a voice is telling you that no one deserves to be treated this way, that you inherently do not deserve this, and you say shut up and shut up and shut up and it won’t

Shut up, shut up,

and your only answer is this is bullshit. You should get up and leave

Shut up

I said you are free to walk out,

I can’t,

well then I say you can. I say Truth never left you and you’re not dead.

disclaimer: I did not write this to shit on Christians (I am a Christian) or any tradition in general but the corruption that exists in specific systems

other disclaimer: the other kids in this story were literally also just kids, even the mean ones. I’m pretty sure all of them have grown into sensible adults I’d hang out with. I did not write this to shit on them either.

#personal post #so personal #lbtqa ally #queer affirming Christian #spirituality #religious trauma #church trauma #tw: ed mention #tw: evangelical crap #tw: bullying #tw: homophobia #eating disorder recovery #Peggy Sue for the win #feminism

[hulahoopsoupgroup]

the seven deadly sins are such bullshit fear tactics. if youve left the church, embrace them.

be proud of who you are. be happy when you look in the mirror and see how hot you are. yeah i see you flexing in the mirror after a workout. nice progress btw honey you look nice today.

dont worry about getting seconds, or thirds even, at dinner. dont worry about eating what society says is "too much" or "too little". eat until youre full. set aside what you cant finish for later so you dont waste food.

its okay to be greedy. its okay to want things for yourself. sometimes we see things that people have and we're like "dude i wish i had that." thats just human. envy and greed on that level are normal.

take a rest day. dont bother going to church this sunday. take a shower, read a book, drink some tea, eat some good food, pet a cat or dog. take care of yourself; its not lazy.

be angry with those who wronged you. punch a punching bag, write about how much you hate them, go work out aggressively and take care of your emotions in a way that doesnt hurt yourself or others. its okay to not forgive the people who hurt you. you arent doing anything wrong, babe.

embrace your sexuality (or, if it applies, asexuality, cause yall need love too). stop feeling shame for wanting pleasure. go read or watch something that turns you on. explore your body. ask your partner to try something new. if youre asexual, then fucking step on the people who say you need to have sexual attraction to be human. you dont. you dont need to be allosexual (or alloromantic) to "qualify as a human." we all experience life in different ways. find your way to experience it.

thought crime isnt real

do no harm but take no shit

#deconversion #deconstruction #exvangelical #ex fundamentalist #atheist #ex christian #ex religious #lgbtq #queer #lgbt #lgbtqia #deconstructing christianity #deconstructing religion #affirmations #ex fundie #ex catholic #self care #mental health #seven deadly sins #not the anime tho

[blessedarethequeer]

message left on a church banner at Pride today 💕

#it was very good for the heart to represent and mingle with so many affirming churches today #trans christian #queer christian #trans catholic #queer catholic

[patron-saint-of-lesbeans]

Very interesting (concerning) that while there’s a general consensus of “of course there’s queer Muslims and Jews and Christians we love them!” But that love is conditional. You can be religious but not too religious. You can be spiritual as long as it’s not actually that important to you. You can be observant of your religion’s dogma and traditions as long as you keep it away from everybody else.

But I don’t want to cut myself into smaller pieces. I don’t want to take a part of my life and culture and being and hide it away behind closed doors. It’s just…hypocritical and disappointing when people, who clamor about their love for the contradictory and self-authentic, hate when they’re confronted with it.

#tower of babble #catholic #lgbt #side b #sorry I saw a very good post pointing out the way queer Jews are often cited with the caveat that they’re not observant Jews #and how there are queer observant Jews but I didn’t want to derail so I made my own post #because fuckin hell how often do you see white queers telling queer Muslim women to stop wearing their hibjabi (unless it’s for ~cultural~ #purposes). it’s disgusting and demeaning to assume queer people don’t have deeply meaningful spiritual lives. #side b Christians 🤝 observant queer Jews 🤝 devout queer Muslims #me. happily trans and gay: I’m so happy and blessed to have this body and life - #homo/transphobes: you’re going to hell you’re evil you’re stupid you’re faking it #me: huh. oh. um. well I’m still blessed because I know you are not speaking with Christ in your heart- #a surprising number of self proclaimed radicals: uhhhh please don’t acknowledge that you’re Christian it makes us. uncomfortable. #me: …being uncomfortable and confused about others is the pride of Pride? the queer community thrives on contradiction and self definition? #anyways. prof put my pronouns down as he/she/they on the syllabus and I am popping the biggest gender affirming bottles tonight #(praying a chaplet and eating rice like the grad student peasant I am)

[daisy-mooon]

If anything, does God not prove that trans and enby identities are valid? God has no physical form, no physical body, no physical sex... yet we still call him him. He isn't male because of his sex. He's the gender he is because of something intrinsically deeper than biology and chromosomes. And we're all made like him. We are all made to experience gender in this abstract way. Here's to trans ppl and enby ppl and intersex ppl and each and every genderqueer person. Your existence is not sinful. You are wonderfully and fearfully made.

#i love you trans people i love you i love you i love you #op is a christian. if u clown in the notes i will feed on your liver #trans rights or die fuckers #queer #genderqueer #trans #enby #christian #christianity #queer christian #lgbt christian #queer christianity #lgbt #lgbt religion #religion #religious #gay christian #trans affirming

[chelledoggo]

something i think about a lot is the irony that conservative evangelicals are all up in arms over new age/alternative spirituality rising in popularity, but they never stop to think about the fact that maybe it's because the western church is becoming more hostile towards younger generations, women, and marginalized groups, and many times people who have been affected by this still feel the need to believe in something.

but these conservative evangelicals refuse to do any sort of introspection of where they might be in the wrong and blame it all on "the devil tempting you with crystals and affirmations" instead.

#religion cw #progressive christianity #queer christian #evangelicalism #exvangelical #spirituality #shut up chelle #also disclaimer you can believe in Christ and still use crystals/affirmations lol

[a-queer-seminarian]

Hey all! I’m leading four Sunday school sessions on trans affirmation at my church this January, and you’re invited, and welcome to spread the news around! More info is in the video + below — please dm me with any questions. You can show up without an “RSVP,” but if you invite a larger group to attend via Zoom, please let me know!

This January, join Grace Presbyterian Church for four Sunday sessions on Loving Our Transgender Neighbors. How do we transform our minds, churches, and world not only to accept and protect, but affirm and celebrate trans persons as vital members of the Body of Christ?

Attend in person or via Zoom for as many classes as you are able. Each session takes place from 9:45 – 10:45am central time on the following dates:

January 8 — Transforming Hearts & Minds. Trans 101, current events, and why these things should matter to our churches.

January 15 — Transformative Scripture. Exploring trans-resonant narratives, from Adam and Eve to Jesus himself!

January 22 — Transforming Our Spaces. Practical steps that empower trans persons to participate fully in our churches and our world.

January 29 — Transformative Questions. We’ll cover any material we didn’t address in previous sessions — bring more of your questions and ideas here!

Accessibility: We ask that all in-person attendees wear a mask. Automatic captioning will be turned on in Zoom, and attendees are invited to participate via the chat feature as well as verbally. All visual imagery used in the classes will be described verbally as well. Please contact us with any further accommodation requests.

Avery Arden will be facilitating these courageous conversations. Watch the video to learn about them and hear more about what the classes will cover.

[Video Transcript:

I’m Avery Arden. I have a masters in divinity from Louisville Seminary; I’m a member of More Light Presbyterians’ national board of directors, and I’m transgender! I use they/them pronouns — and maybe you don’t know what that means, or you wouldn’t know how to use them in a sentence.  

Maybe you’re aware of the upswing in anti-trans legislation and rhetoric and you want to do something, but you don’t even know where to start.

Maybe you are trans, or a loved one is trans, and you don’t even know whether you have a place in the Church, let alone in the Kin-dom of God.

Wherever you are in your journey, I invite you to join me and Grace Presbyterian Church of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in person or via Zoom, for four weeks in January where we will explore all of these things and more. We will do some basic trans 101; we will cover a lot of steps that you and your communities can take not only to accept and protect trans persons, but also to affirm and celebrate them! Whether you can come for one week or all four, whether you have lots of questions or lots of ideas, I hope that you’ll join us, and discover that learning about gender and faith doesn’t have to be scary — it can even be fun! So, hope to see you there! / end video transcript]

#queer christians #affirming church #trans christians #log #spring 2023

[jugheadthelesbian]

reminder that God loves u and Jesus loves u and ure doing great <3 if u think ure not, thats the devil trying to take u down

#queer christian #queer christianity #christianity tw #christianity #women of god #christian lesbian #daily affirmations

[vaporglaive]

I drew this angel a while back. Happy Pride everyone! This is available as stickers and more on my pinned link. I also have pride sheep!

#art #pride #affirming Christian #queer Christian #lgbtq #gay pride #artists on tumblr #angel #angels #rainbow

[thebeautifulfantastic]

catholic* mutuals... if i as an ex-vangelical am interested in beginning to understand catholic theology, what would you recommend that i read or watch to start? going off the assumption that i know next to nothing (i went to mass twice, and both times were over ten years ago)

*i don't know if i have any episcopal or methodist mutuals, but i'm also interested in learning more about these tenets of christianity

#long story short i had a crisis of faith because the evangelical/non-denominational culture i grew up is something i don't want to be associ #associated with anymore (i've been steadily deconstructing for a couple years now) #and it's down to either i leave the faith entirely or find a new denomination that is progressive and queer affirming #belle speaks #faith #christianity #side a #queer christian

[rainbow-sheeps]

Hey Guys!!!

Happy Birthday to the Rainbow Sheep Community!!!!

okay, properly capitalizing things done with now, it’s our birthday!!!

we’re doing an open mic night until 7 pm CST, and will be doing a server wide game night starting at 7 pm! please fill free to come on over if you want to, we would love to see you there!

https://discord.gg/bKJDFwB68P

#rainbow sheep discord server #queer christian discord server #queer christian #lgbt+ christian #affirming christianity #lgbt #lgbtq+

[rainbowstainedglass]

#jen hatmaker #progressive christianity #queer christian #lgbtq christian #jen somehow having the perfect words while i watch my childhood church disaffiliate from the umc from the pews of my affirming church #the only problem is when you live in a deeply rural area with no quirky little weirdo churches around... where do you go? #rainbowstainedglass posts #alt text added

[petiolata]

My bf offered--yes, *offered* I didn't even ask--to go to church with me on Easter ☺️

This makes me so happy!

#Easter #Church #religion #Christianity #op #personal #I hope he'll enjoy it and be comfortable there #like me he wasn't rly raised religious or attended church growing up #and he's always seemed concerned about being judged or feeling like an imposter #but my church is v nice and LGBT-affirming and queer couples attend #it's focused on love and charity not fear and judgement

[blessedarethequeer]

heart is soft thinking about three years ago today when I joined the Zoom for my weekly spiritual direction and my spiritual director, a Jesuit I'd only met with a few times at that point, greeted me with the sweetest "Joyous National Coming Out Day, Zoe!" and a big smile :')

#he was the sweetest and I miss him!! #while he didnt always have the right words he always did his best to be inclusive and affirm that my queerness is a gift #and always took the time to ask questions and listen to learn more #national coming out day #queer christian #trans christian #queer catholic #trans catholic #Zoe rambles

[memento-mariii]

As a queer christian I know full well how conservative evangelical christianity, and western imperialist christianity in general, has been used and *is* still used as a tool of oppression, and I'm all for criticizing that, hell I'm one of its biggest critics,

But it's very disheartening to see takes like "christianity, as in the religion as a whole, is inherently oppressive and fascist and shouldn't be welcome in leftist spaces" on my dash. (<-this is not a strawman this is literally a paraphrased version of a post I saw)

I know these posts are coming as a reaction to the rise of christofascism in the fall of Roe and things like florida's Don't Say Gay bill,

And also for a lot of people from a place of personal hurt too, from their experiences of religious trauma or religious oppression,

And I'm not saying something like "the christians are the REAL oppressed class" or "the queers are oppressing christianity!" or anything ridiculous like that,

But idk. I guess it's emotionally draining to be told "you don't belong here" from conservative evangelicals all day and then. when you turn to secular queer/leftist spaces. you get told the same thing all over again.

#vent post #personal #mmari rants #do not reblog #the queer affirming church in my area get constant hate and vandalism from the conservative church next door all the time okay #like we KNOW conservative christianity sucks maybe better than anyone else we KNOW #but then going to leftist spaces trying to make this society somehow better #and being met with suspicion like we're somehow ''spies'' or something #idk #emotionally exhausting #don't mind me I've been really Going Through It™️ mental health-wise for the last few days #so it's probably the wonky brain chemistry talking and I'll probably feel better after a nap

[bethelctpride]

In our inaugural discussion, we explore the significance of open and affirming places of worship and discuss the intersection of faith and queerness. Our fantastic panel of local thought leaders present viewpoints from various religions, denominations, and lived experience:

Anthony H. Crisci, CEO of Circle Care and attendee/volunteer leader of St. Paul’s on the Green

Rabbi Evan Schultz, Senior Rabbi of Congregation B’nai Israel Bridgeport

Rev. Kym McNair, Baptist Minister

Rev. Ryan Gackenheimer, Pastor of First Congregational Church of Bethel

Link to additional references on the YouTube page

#open and affirming church #queer faith #queer religion #queer judaism #queer christianity