Too Blessed to be Stressed

[stveee]

Now here's a story that you may either interpret as an outrage or hidden blessing, depending on your POV. 

I like to believe following our true path usually works out to help be where we actually belong, although painful and messy.

https://www.them.us/story/indiana-pastor-fired-after-appearing-hbo-drag-show-were-here#intcid=recommendations_them-verso-hp-trending_bd23bd67-ec34-427c-9371-b597a8341722_popular4-1

[Ivy]

I can't say if it's an outrage or blessing.

Think it's just reality.

[Vidanjali]

The United Methodist Church (UMC) began a process of schism over LGBTQ+ rights a couple years ago which is still being negotiated/mediated. The church where I sing is UMC, and there was DRAMA leading up to the decision to split. A congregational faction of "traditionalists" demanded to know our pastor's stance on LGBTQ+ people. After our pastor came out fully in support of LGBTQ+ people, about half the congregation left after a somewhat brief campaign demanding the lead pastor's resignation which failed once the bishop presiding over the district came out in support of the pastor. So, I think these issues within the UMC are part of what motived the pastor in this story (and other UMC pastors, so I've read) to seek out this experience. I also read that he was motivated to do this in support of his pansexual daughter. Some of us in the choir joke that if those "traditionalists" only knew - they would not have enjoyed such an outstanding music program at our church without queer people! 

[VickySGV]

7 minutes ago, Vidanjali said:

Some of us in the choir joke that if those "traditionalists" only knew - they would not have enjoyed such an outstanding music program at our church without queer people! 

 

This is so very very true, the members of my church choir and choirs in other parishes (Episcopal Church) run about 40% in some form of LGBTQ involvement, either as the letters say, or with family members and close musical associates.  The denominations where they must be closeted to some degree will run high as well I suspect because we are a musically expressive group of good caring people.  The pastor in this article faced his truth and I am hoping a happy destiny from making his expression of self.    That group did not deserve him.

[Guest]

You know, the funny thing is that when you go to a funeral, many will comment about how our body is just a vessel, but our spirit lives on. If you think about it, our soul, is our soul. We, as transgender folks, are just trying to make our "vessel" more in tune with our soul. How can that be a bad thing? I have used this way of thinking to win over a few stalwarts, though some still cannot get it through their skulls. What makes us what we are is truly our soul, yet some will hate us for it. It makes no sense. Sometimes I think people may know the form of religion, but not the substance. 

 

Sincerely

Katie

[Ivy]

In my cringy past, I have been involved in a few conservative churches.  Even then I was appalled at the unchristian things that were considered necessary to maintain "purity".

[Guest]

Of course, there is the old "bless his/her heart" that is said as the knife is pushed in a little farther with a sharp twist of the wrist...Yeah, I made the mistake of coming out to a cousin who then emailed me the "you need to pray this away" speech. 

 

You can pick your friends and church, but you can't pick your family...but then again, why not. Some folks are family whether they are blood-kin or not.

[Susan R]

6 hours ago, Katie23 said:

We, as transgender folks, are just trying to make our "vessel" more in tune with our soul. How can that be a bad thing?

This, to me, is such a true statement. Cis people simply can not understand or believe we feel this way inside. They’ve never experienced gender issues. When you go through life feeling different than others because your body and soul are incongruent, of course, you’ll want to correct it. No one can give us a magic pill to change our soul to match the outside…nor would many want to. But thanks to modern science, we now have a way to help make them match…why is this so wrong to some? These naysayers need to acknowledge the problem before they will accept a solution.

[Sol]

Religion is based on trying to understand the world around you, and the Bible (for an example) actually has some pretty good lessons if you view it as a story and not fact. One Bible verse (I can't remember which) can be used in defense of those who kick out LGBT+ children, saying that they have not upheld the lessons of Christ and have failed to worship properly by not showing love and support for their children. It's something similar to that at least, I'm having trouble finding the original line.

People say that "God makes no mistakes," so it means that being transgender or gay or bisexual or whatever you identify as, is not a mistake. God made the monsters and the saints, so why is it so hard to believe that He made people as they were supposed to be? 

If you use religion as a way to justify hatred or bigotry toward another, know that you committed an abominable sin in itself. If God is supposed to love you, why are you using His teachings to spread hate? 

Granted, I'm not Christian and never have been, but I believe that you are who you are, and that's something to be happy about. And your body is a temple, so decorate the altar how you like it.

[Jackie C.]

On 12/27/2021 at 1:10 PM, stveee said:

Now here's a story that you may either interpret as an outrage or hidden blessing, depending on your POV.

 

Little from column A and a little from column B.

 

I'm a bit salty about the bigotry he faced from his congregation, BUT...

 

I like that he's been given the opportunity to open an inclusive ministry of his own.

 

Hugs!

[Guest]

The wonderful thing about life is that we get a remarkable chance to seek out friends who will be our friends no matter what. While there may be religious differences of opinion, I find that a solid friendship based on true mutual respect, love, and support transcends religious views. It is sad that someone's religion would prevent them of continuing their friendship or love based on another's sometimes painful and sometimes joyous admission that they are transgender. As for the idea that God does not make mistakes, well, maybe not, but in the metaphysical sense, heaven is a big realm. Perhaps the angel who was staffing the soul placement department sneezed or coughed when our soul was being placed. Perhaps the glitch popped us in the wrong shell. Who knows. The reality is that what makes us, us, just wants to live, love, and be loved like everybody else. 

 

A good friend of mine asked me last night if I would change my mind about all of this. It took less than a millisecond and I told him that I have been dealing with this since the age of 4 or 5. I was on my journey and that was that. My friend simply told me that he and his family would support me any way they could. Moral of the story is pick your friends well. 

 

Sincerely

Katie