L.U.S.H

FCC Christmas Service

2011-12-22T20:32:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

Once again, we will be having our Christmas service on Christmas Day itself at The Arts House from 5pm onwards. Do come and join us for a day of celebrating and remembering that Christmas is a day for you, for me and for everybody !!

How do we read the bible?

2011-12-04T04:41:00.000-08:00

From Cynthia Bourgeault:

"How you answer this question depends hugely on what you take the bible to be. IF you believe that the bible is a single, timeless, internally consistent teaching on matters of human morality dictated by God himself, then yes, the Old Testament book of Leviticus is definitely uncomfortable with homosexuality. But it is also uncomfortable with menstruating women, shellfish and pigskin. (And for the record, it has some very harsh words to say about lending money at interest, a prohibition that even Biblical literalists seem to find it perfectly permissible to disregard!)

Like most other critically thinking Christians, I see the bible as a symphony (sometimes a cacophony!) of divinely inspired human voices bearing witness to an astonishing evolutionary development in our human understanding of God (or God’s self-disclosure as we grow mature enough to begin to comprehend it, another way of saying the same thing.) The Old Testament, whose 46 books span well over a millennium in their dates of composition, also straddles what scholars call 'The first axial period,' when spontaneously, across the entire globe, human spiritual consciousness seemed to take a huge evolutionary leap forward. In the same time frame that the Biblical psalms were being composed, the planet was also being graced with the Buddha, Lao-Tse, Zoaroaster, and Plato: a quantum leap in human understanding and ethical vision. It simply defies credibility—my credibility, anyway!— to believe that the early Old Testament teachings on animal sacrifice and 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth' are at the same level as Ezekiel’s luminous axial prophecy, 'I will take away your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh' or Jesus’ stunning 'Love your enemy; bless those who revile you.'

This is not in any way to demean holiness of the Bible, but only to affirm that God reveals Godself in time, through process and dialogue, not in unchanging monolithic statements. This does not make the bible less sacred; it makes it more sacred, for it grounds God’s divine presence in the lived reality of our human experience.

As a Christian I am bound, when I listen to this diversity of biblical voices, to set my compass by the teachings and the path walked by Jesus himself. Where biblical testimony is internally inconsistent (and even Jesus experienced it this way!), I am bound to honor Jesus as my final court of appeal. And thus, the bottom line must inescapably be that nowhere does Jesus condemn homosexuality, and certainly nowhere does he wish harm upon anyone, even those whom the religious culture is so quick to condemn as sinners. His harsh words are reserved entirely for those whose certainty about their religious rectitude causes them to condemn others, or to block the Spirit’s persistent attempts to open up new channels of forgiveness and hope. Jesus is all about inclusion, forgiveness, and empowerment. In the light of his compassionate presence, people are set free to live their lives in strength and hope, regardless of whether they be considered outcasts by those in the 'religious know.'

Thus, as a Christian, when confronted by a tension between a religious certainty which leads me to violate the law of love and a deep unknowing that still moves in the direction of 'loving my neighbor as myself,' I am bound to choose the latter course. Was it not the Pharisees, those so sure that they had 'the law and Moses on their side,' who were the first to condemn Jesus to the grave? And make no mistake: The word Pharisees does not mean 'the Jews;' that utterly reprehensible piece of scapegoating was a product of the early Christian church. Rather, 'Pharisee' names the spiritual sclerotic in each one of us who would prefer the certainty of an unchanging rulebook to the radical open-endedness of God’s ongoing self-revelation in love.

If I really follow what the bible teaches, it seems to me that I need to be constantly laying my human arrogance (and in Latin, this word comes from 'a-rogo,' or 'I have no questions'), upon the altar of God’s constantly demonstrated delight in new beginnings. 'I will be what I will be,' is the name he asked Moses to know him by in the book of Exodus. With that as one line of bearing on my thinking, and the steadily increasing revelation of God’s mercy and compassion as the other, I am compelled by my Christianity to refrain from any behaviors or judgments which arrogantly demean the dignity of another human being, or cause him or her to lose hope."

Cynthia Bourgeault is an Episcopal priest, writer and retreat leader. She is founding director of the Aspen Wisdom School in Colorado and principal visiting teacher for the Contemplative Society in Victoria, BC, Canada.

Lush 7 is starting!

2011-03-13T20:11:00.000-07:00

Want to embrace both your sexuality and God TOGETHER? Or simply to know more about Christianity & lesbianism intertwined?
Come join us at LUSH!

Whether you are straight, conflicted, clueless or just a curious female, you are all welcome.

FCC is starting its seventh run of LUSH early April. Beginning in 2005, LUSH aims to give women a different perspective to the homosexuality-thumping bible verses as compared to the mainstream churches.

The group will be based on the format of a support group through discussions and sharings. Participants will come together in a safe space to exchange ideas, explore other points of view, and encourage each other along our shared journey.
The group will meet once a week, running for approximately 6 months with breaks in between. Generally, Phase 1 which covers “Sexuality and what the Bible says” will take about 8-10 sessions while Phase 2 will take about another 6-8 weeks on a range of topics like Loving Ourselves, Relationships etc.

Interested participants are required to commit for the entire run. If you are interested or have any enquiries, please email your name & contact number to fcc.lush@gmail.com. We would be collecting S$20 per participant to cover cost of printing materials etc. Do reply by 23rd Mar.

It Gets Better!

2011-01-05T19:33:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

A video link (may contain adult language) for It Gets Better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTQNwMxqM3E

Know that there are others out there, it does indeed get better :)

Happy New Year! FCC Open House

2011-01-03T20:20:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

HAPPY NEW YEAR! May this year bring to each of us new experiences and growth. FCC is having an Open House this Sunday, do drop by if you are curious about the only gay affirming church in Singapore.

We’ll be having a FCC Welcome Service cum Open House on Sunday, 9 January to welcome all the newcomers who came for our Christmas services, but also for anyone interested to visit and know more about us. So please do spread the word around, and invite people you know to come join us on this day. Jorg is putting together the service, and there will be a simple makan and get-to-know session for all the newcomers after the service.

Here are the details:

HAPPY TOGETHER – Welcome Service

Sunday, 9 January 2011, 10.30 am

Free Community Church

56 Lorong 23, Geylang

Level 3, Century Technology Building

www.freecomchurch.org

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-22T20:43:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

It's end of the year again, and christmas is fast approaching. If you have no plans yet for christmas day itself, do come down for the Free Community Church Christmas service. Information as follows:

Free Community Church - Together again!
25 Dec 2010
3pm and 5.30pm
The Arts House @ Old Parliament
1 Old Parliament Lane S179429

There are 2 services that day. Do drop by if you are free!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

FCC Anniversay Service

2010-10-06T02:50:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

For all those who reads this blog, Free Community Church is celebrating its 7th anniversay this Sunday (10 Oct 2010). So if anyone is interested to visit a gay friendly church, do pop on by. Hope to see some of you there.

It's August already :)

2010-08-04T22:15:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Time flies, and it's now august 2010. The same tme we are celebrating our country's birthday, we are also celebrating Indignation. There's a series of events held this month, do go and support some of them.

http://indignationsg.wordpress.com/

Pink Dot 2010

2010-04-29T23:55:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

FYI, there is going to be an event on 15 May. A bunch of us will be there, do drop by and show your support if you are free. Some videos and more information can be found at http://www.pinkdotsg.blogspot.com/.

Pink Dot 2010
Venue: Speakers Corner / Hong Lim Park [map]

Date & Time: May 15, 2010 (Saturday), 5:00pm - 6:30pm

What to wear: Pink (caps, hats, glasses, sunglasses and accessories are recommended.)

What to bring: Anyone who supports the freedom of LGBT Singaporeans to love! Note that this is a family-friendly event.

Who will be there? Adrian Pang, Tan Kheng Hua, DJ Big Kid, and more! Check out our Facebook Event Page

What to expect: Performances, freebies, and the formation of a huge human pink dot (a photograph of which will be taken from a vantage point nearby).

This is a 100% legit and legal event. It is NOT a protest, rally or demonstration, but a simple gathering of like-minded Singaporeans.

Authentic Christianity

2010-02-14T07:15:00.001-08:00

Living life authentically as a Christian who happens to be gay is something I find extremely difficult...even today as I'm typing this.

Before I joined LUSH, having read the "clobber passages", heard the condemning as well as the affirming perspectives of the faith-sexuality issue, I was at a point where I was assured that God loves me. It was a long and hard struggle just to arrive at that point and it took years of tears and pain, countless nights of questioning God and questioning myself.

However, even with this assurance, I still felt very alone in this situation. Most people I know are either Christian and heterosexual, or queer and non-Christian (or non-practicing Christians). I remember stumbling upon FCC's website, reading about it and thinking how wonderful it would be to meet fellow queer Brothers- and Sisters-In Christ in Singapore who could worship God, just as they are, without having to mask or conceal any part of who they really are.

I can't worship regularly at FCC because I attend another church with my family but the first time I went to FCC was one of those times when my folks were out of town. That was when I was told about LUSH. I knew I wanted to join the next available run of LUSH and I'm really thankful that I did.

I can't promise that you will get answers or miracles, but I trust that you will meet fellow Sisters-In-Christ who can identify better with the faith-sexuality issues and struggles you face, and share experiences, stories and encouragement as we journey on together towards living authentic, victorious and God-centered lives.

- B

Lush 6 beginning in February

2010-01-05T05:55:00.000-08:00

Do you sometimes feel you are living a secret double life?
Are you sick of the guilt and feeling like a sinner beyond redemption?
Or perhaps you have chosen to embrace your sexuality but have drifted away from God in the process?

Your sexuality and your Faith need not be mutually-exclusive!
If you would like to find out more about this possibility, come join us at LUSH.
Whether you are straight, conflicted, clueless or just a curious female, you are all welcome.

FCC is having its sixth run of LUSH early 2010. Started in 2005, LUSH aims
to give women a different perspective to the homosexuality-thumping bible
verses as compared to the mainstream churches.

The group will be based on the format of a support group, providing a safe space to exchange ideas, explore other points of view, and encourage each other along our shared journey. (To aid the effectiveness of such a format for sharing, the size of the group will be limited, and members will be admitted on a first-come-first-served basis.) The format will be based on discussions and sharing on a range of issues from the topics: Loving Ourselves; Sexuality and what the Bible says;Our Relationships. The group will be once a week, running for approximately 6 months with breaks in between.

Interested participants are required to commit for the entire run. If you are interested or have any enquiries, please email your name & contact number to fcc.lush@gmail.com Please reply by 22th Jan.

An Interview: The Church (not the Bible) discriminates against gays, says pastor

2009-11-18T04:18:00.000-08:00

An article posted on theonlinecitizen.com.

In this article the writer (Kelvin Teo) speaks to Reverend Doctor Yap Kim Hao, pastoral advisor to the Free Community Church (FCC), on his views about homosexuality and Christianity.

The AWARE saga earlier this year saw the Christian community torn apart by differing interpretations of homosexuality. While the most vocal of advocates were adamant that homosexuality in itself is a sin against the Christian faith, other moderates and liberals plead for a more inclusive understanding of Christianity.

Reverend Doctor Yap Kim Hao represents the liberal point of view. He earned his Master of Divinity and Doctor of theology degrees from the Boston University School of Theology. Rev Dr Yap was consecrated the 1st Asian Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore and Malaysia in 1968 and was made the Visiting Professor of World Christianity at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University.

The FCC is not recognized by the National Council of Churches in Singapore because of its controversial stance towards homosexuality. It does not ostracise against gays, and is probably the only church in Singapore that does not treat homosexuality as a sin. Furthermore, the reputation of the FCC as a gay group has rendered the church unable to register as a legitimate organization. To circumvent regulations, the church has registered itself as a company, and worship sessions are considered private gatherings [1].

Kelvin: You are currently serving as Pastoral Advisor to the Free Community Church, a role you regard as the calling of God, since your retirement from full-time Christian ministry. Your mission is to declare Christ’s inclusive love (the Agape spirit) to those who have been ostracized and neglected for far too long by the Church. Care to share with us what specific events occurred in your life that led you to live up to your calling?

YKH: Early in my ministry a leading lawyer asked me the question about the teaching of the Church on the issue of homosexuality. This issue was not discussed publicly at that time. The Church did not bother to state its position. The gays and lesbians were in their closets and most people assumed it to be a closed subject since the Bible has declared that same-sex relationship is wrong. In my naiveté, I looked up the five or six biblical passages that relate to it which concluded that homosexuality is a sin.

Later, I re-read, studied and interpreted the passages which were not taught even in my seminary. Reputable scholars of the Bible with un conventional views gave their own interpretations which seem to be credible and convincing to me.

The story of Sodom now linguistically linked to sodomy was an issue of inhospitality to visiting strangers. It is never an account about same-sex relations. It was as defined in Ezekial 16:47-50 as pride, gluttony, and prosperous ease and refusal to aid the poor and needy. Sodom is a symbol of God’s judgment rather than same-sex relations.

The word homosexuality as we understand it today is a modern word and has no equivalent in the original Hebrew and Greek languages of the Bible. It was first coined in 1869 by a Swiss doctor to refer to aesthetic attraction, romantic love and sexual desire exclusively between members of the same sex. It was injected into the Bible as late as 1946 in the Revised Standard Version by the translators and was subsequently dropped in 1971. With such evidence how can I regard homosexuality a sin?

Moving on, when a medical graduate from a wealthy family had come out to his mother, he requested me to counsel her about acceptance of her homosexual son. Again I naively asked the question whether with all his money he has consulted a good psychiatrist to cure his mental disorder. He turned to me with his quizzical look and I was embarrassed for I had asked a stupid question.

I then learnt that already in 1973 the American Psychiatric Association has removed homosexuality from its list of personality disorders. This was followed by other Western professional associations of psychology, counseling, mental health, pediatrics, school teachers, social workers and other related groups.

They also raised concerns about the bad effects of reparative therapy which seeks to change sexual orientation. In August 2009, the American Psychological Association (150,000 members) Governing Council declared that “No solid evidence exists that such change is likely, says the resolution, adopted by a 125-4 vote.

The APA said some research suggests that efforts to produce change could be harmful, inducing depression and suicidal tendencies. It is the most comprehensive repudiation of “reparative therapy” which is pursued by a small group of religiously conservative therapists who maintain gays can change their sexual orientation. Can I ignore the declarations and warnings of these proficient professional associations?

Kelvin: In a letter published to the Straits Times on 18 July 2003, you described an interesting account of how you used to believe homosexual acts are always wrong. After listening to gay and lesbian students and friends, however, you have had to rethink your position and reread the Scriptures. Do you mind sharing with us the kind of thought processes you went through when you re-read the scriptures that finally led to your re-evaluation of your position (referring to the scriptures if you wish)?

YKH: In a more careful study of the Bible I realised that the words of the Bible were not dictated or handed down by God. Faithful and inspired men and a few women received what they believed to be revelations which were not literal words but interpretations of their understanding of what God had revealed. They were first transmitted orally. They subsequently wrote them down and the words of the Bible were copied and translated into different languages from the original Hebrew and Greek.

The Bible contains interpreted words of the writers of the different books of the Bible. There were other religious books which were not able to gain acceptance by the religious authorities then to form the sacred text of the Bible. The Bible is historically related and culturally bound. We are compelled to study and interpret its relevance to our contemporary context. The process continues.

Kelvin: What kind of internal struggles do you think a homosexual Christian will experience?

YKH: Christian LGBT faced far too long the rejection, marginalisation, stigmatisation, ostracisation and oppression in society. They were forced to stay in lonely isolation in their closets. They were compelled to act as if they are straights when they appear in public. A heavy burden of guilt was placed on their shoulders and they cry out in their silence and solitude. They did not choose to be a homosexual.

On the contrary, they want to change their sexual orientation and they tried prayer, exorcism, reparative therapy but of no avail. In their spiritual and emotional struggles there are those who were able to overcome and believe that God loves them and affirm homosexuality is a gift of God that they accept with grace and able to come out to the world with pride.

Society is beginning to be enlightened and becoming to be aware that the LGBT person can believe and sing “Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so.” The tide of their liberation is rising everywhere for those who have eyes to see. God has heard their cries and will deliver them.

Kelvin: What was the effect of the AWARE saga on the Christian community specifically?

YKH: The AWARE saga was a revealing experience in our society. It shows the danger of Christian fundamentalism. It had surfaced the schemes of the Christian Religious Right.
A government leader in a private conversation with me commented that one can do that in America where the majority are Christian oriented although it is not good to splinter the Christian community. But in a multi-religious society in Singapore it is a totally dangerous development.

No one religion should impose its beliefs and values and displace those from other religions. We cannot afford to tear apart the delicate fabric of social cohesion. We cannot have the luxury to engage in religious conflict between faith communities. We need to respect differences in our diversity, engage in dialogue and work together for the common good and ensure a just and peaceful future.

Kelvin: What are the possible approaches of engaging the Christian community in a way that will lead to the acceptance of brothers and sisters-in-Christ who are gays and lesbians?

YKH: Most of the Christian churches have recently been politically correct to declare that they welcome homosexuals and love them. It seems to be that there is an unwritten condition that the homosexuals should not tell that they are gay and if they do then they must recognize that homosexuality is a sin and that they should not engage in same-sex acts and become celibate.
Gays and lesbians know that too well and will continue to stay in the larger closet of the congregation and forced to wear masks and live a lie that they are just like them.

The Christian community must re-study the Scriptures and reflect upon the interpretation of the particular passages relating to same-sex acts and come to their own decision whether the Church’s official teaching that homosexuality is a sin or not.

Most people shun and avoid meeting the gays and lesbians. They are people of sacred worth created by God like you and me. We are called to love even our enemies and they are not your enemies. He or she is your own son and daughter or your relative and they were born into your family and they did not choose to be there. Own them and love them, they are your kith and kin. The gay person is a human being created by the same God who created you and me and each one of us different. We belong together to God the Creator of us all. We are one human family.

Kelvin: What are the possible approaches of engaging the Christian community in a way that will lead to the acceptance of brothers and sisters-in-Christ who are gays and lesbians?

YKH: Most of the Christian churches have recently been politically correct to declare that they welcome homosexuals and love them. It seems to be that there is an unwritten condition that the homosexuals should not tell that they are gay and if they do then they must recognize that homosexuality is a sin and that they should not engage in same-sex acts and become celibate.
Gays and lesbians know that too well and will continue to stay in the larger closet of the congregation and forced to wear masks and live a lie that they are just like them.

The Christian community must re-study the Scriptures and reflect upon the interpretation of the particular passages relating to same-sex acts and come to their own decision whether the Church’s official teaching that homosexuality is a sin or not.

Most people shun and avoid meeting the gays and lesbians. They are people of sacred worth created by God like you and me. We are called to love even our enemies and they are not your enemies. He or she is your own son and daughter or your relative and they were born into your family and they did not choose to be there. Own them and love them, they are your kith and kin. The gay person is a human being created by the same God who created you and me and each one of us different. We belong together to God the Creator of us all. We are one human family.

Kelvin: Care to share with us the high points and low points of your service as Pastoral Advisor to the Free Community Church?

YKH: I regard it as a privilege and a calling of God to stand alongside with those who are despised and rejected. Even though I am being misunderstood widely I find this a defining moment in my ministry. Knowing that I do not agree with the teaching of the Church on this particular issue I believe that I have to be obedient to God in serving the LGBT community.
When I see the liberating effects of those who made the hard decision and dare to appear in the Free Community Church (FCC) at a great risk, I thank God that they have come home and received God’s welcome. They are free at last from guilt and shame and walk with their heads held high. They start with leaving their masks at the door of FCC and then throwing their masks away as they relate to others in the world.

There are those in FCC who are still in doubt and wrestling with the issue of their sexual orientation. They have to unload the false teaching of the Church and it is not easy. It was cruel of the Christian community to cause them so much suffering and pain. They need to regain their self-esteem and worship the God who is loving.

The follow-up service is to help those in FCC who have accepted their sexual orientation to live the responsible life of a Christian LGBT. The moral quality of life must be different from those who are not guided by religious faith. They will need to grow in spirituality and improve the quality of Christian living.

Kelvin: If there is a message that you can pass on to (i) homosexual Christian and (ii) other Christians who have yet to accept their gay and lesbian brothers and sisters-in-Christ for who they are, what would it be?

YKH: Do not remain in your closet and exist in lonely existence. There is help and hope available around you. Seek out others around you who can support you in your struggle. Keep your faith in Christ who will set you free.

Know the damage done by the Church to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Many have abandoned the Church because they have not been ministered. We have cast them out and they are rebellious and have given up on Christian faith. Reach out to them.as a witness for Christ who associated with the dispossessed. Extend your hand in genuine friendship and concern and embrace them with your love and affection.

No more...

2009-10-20T01:28:00.000-07:00

Interesting post, wonder when would we be able to reach this stage...

October 15, 2009

A Manifesto! The Time Has Come!

Bishop John Shelby Spong

I have made a decision. I will no longer debate the issue of homosexuality in the church with anyone. I will no longer engage the biblical ignorance that emanates from so many right-wing Christians about how the Bible condemns homosexuality, as if that point of view still has any credibility. I will no longer discuss with them or listen to them tell me how homosexuality is "an abomination to God," about how homosexuality is a "chosen lifestyle," or about how through prayer and "spiritual counseling" homosexual persons can be "cured." Those arguments are no longer worthy of my time or energy. I will no longer dignify by listening to the thoughts of those who advocate "reparative therapy," as if homosexual persons are somehow broken and need to be repaired. I will no longer talk to those who believe that the unity of the church can or should be achieved by rejecting the presence of, or at least at the expense of, gay and lesbian people. I will no longer take the time to refute the unlearned and undocumentable claims of certain world religious leaders who call homosexuality "deviant." I will no longer listen to that pious sentimentality that certain Christian leaders continue to employ, which suggests some version of that strange and overtly dishonest phrase that "we love the sinner but hate the sin." That statement is, I have concluded, nothing more than a self-serving lie designed to cover the fact that these people hate homosexual persons and fear homosexuality itself, but somehow know that hatred is incompatible with the Christ they claim to profess, so they adopt this face-saving and absolutely false statement. I will no longer temper my understanding of truth in order to pretend that I have even a tiny smidgen of respect for the appalling negativity that continues to emanate from religious circles where the church has for centuries conveniently perfumed its ongoing prejudices against blacks, Jews, women and homosexual persons with what it assumes is "high-sounding, pious rhetoric." The day for that mentality has quite simply come to an end for me. I will personally neither tolerate it nor listen to it any longer. The world has moved on, leaving these elements of the Christian Church that cannot adjust to new knowledge or a new consciousness lost in a sea of their own irrelevance. They no longer talk to anyone but themselves. I will no longer seek to slow down the witness to inclusiveness by pretending that there is some middle ground between prejudice and oppression. There isn't. Justice postponed is justice denied. That can be a resting place no longer for anyone. An old civil rights song proclaimed that the only choice awaiting those who cannot adjust to a new understanding was to "Roll on over or we'll roll on over you!" Time waits for no one.
I will particularly ignore those members of my own Episcopal Church who seek to break away from this body to form a "new church," claiming that this new and bigoted instrument alone now represents the Anglican Communion. Such a new ecclesiastical body is designed to allow these pathetic human beings, who are so deeply locked into a world that no longer exists, to form a community in which they can continue to hate gay people, distort gay people with their hopeless rhetoric and to be part of a religious fellowship in which they can continue to feel justified in their homophobic prejudices for the rest of their tortured lives. Church unity can never be a virtue that is preserved by allowing injustice, oppression and psychological tyranny to go unchallenged.
In my personal life, I will no longer listen to televised debates conducted by "fair-minded" channels that seek to give "both sides" of this issue "equal time." I am aware that these stations no longer give equal time to the advocates of treating women as if they are the property of men or to the advocates of reinstating either segregation or slavery, despite the fact that when these evil institutions were coming to an end the Bible was still being quoted frequently on each of these subjects. It is time for the media to announce that there are no longer two sides to the issue of full humanity for gay and lesbian people. There is no way that justice for homosexual people can be compromised any longer.
I will no longer act as if the Papal office is to be respected if the present occupant of that office is either not willing or not able to inform and educate himself on public issues on which he dares to speak with embarrassing ineptitude. I will no longer be respectful of the leadership of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who seems to believe that rude behavior, intolerance and even killing prejudice is somehow acceptable, so long as it comes from third-world religious leaders, who more than anything else reveal in themselves the price that colonial oppression has required of the minds and hearts of so many of our world's population. I see no way that ignorance and truth can be placed side by side, nor do I believe that evil is somehow less evil if the Bible is quoted to justify it. I will dismiss as unworthy of any more of my attention the wild, false and uninformed opinions of such would-be religious leaders as Pat Robertson, James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, Jimmy Swaggart, Albert Mohler, and Robert Duncan. My country and my church have both already spent too much time, energy and money trying to accommodate these backward points of view when they are no longer even tolerable.
I make these statements because it is time to move on. The battle is over. The victory has been won. There is no reasonable doubt as to what the final outcome of this struggle will be. Homosexual people will be accepted as equal, full human beings, who have a legitimate claim on every right that both church and society have to offer any of us. Homosexual marriages will become legal, recognized by the state and pronounced holy by the church. "Don't ask, don't tell" will be dismantled as the policy of our armed forces. We will and we must learn that equality of citizenship is not something that should ever be submitted to a referendum. Equality under and before the law is a solemn promise conveyed to all our citizens in the Constitution itself. Can any of us imagine having a public referendum on whether slavery should continue, whether segregation should be dismantled, whether voting privileges should be offered to women? The time has come for politicians to stop hiding behind unjust laws that they themselves helped to enact, and to abandon that convenient shield of demanding a vote on the rights of full citizenship because they do not understand the difference between a constitutional democracy, which this nation has, and a "mobocracy," which this nation rejected when it adopted its constitution. We do not put the civil rights of a minority to the vote of a plebiscite.
I will also no longer act as if I need a majority vote of some ecclesiastical body in order to bless, ordain, recognize and celebrate the lives and gifts of gay and lesbian people in the life of the church. No one should ever again be forced to submit the privilege of citizenship in this nation or membership in the Christian Church to the will of a majority vote.
The battle in both our culture and our church to rid our souls of this dying prejudice is finished. A new consciousness has arisen. A decision has quite clearly been made. Inequality for gay and lesbian people is no longer a debatable issue in either church or state. Therefore, I will from this moment on refuse to dignify the continued public expression of ignorant prejudice by engaging it. I do not tolerate racism or sexism any longer. From this moment on, I will no longer tolerate our culture's various forms of homophobia. I do not care who it is who articulates these attitudes or who tries to make them sound holy with religious jargon.
I have been part of this debate for years, but things do get settled and this issue is now settled for me. I do not debate any longer with members of the "Flat Earth Society" either. I do not debate with people who think we should treat epilepsy by casting demons out of the epileptic person; I do not waste time engaging those medical opinions that suggest that bleeding the patient might release the infection. I do not converse with people who think that Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans as punishment for the sin of being the birthplace of Ellen DeGeneres or that the terrorists hit the United Sates on 9/11 because we tolerated homosexual people, abortions, feminism or the American Civil Liberties Union. I am tired of being embarrassed by so much of my church's participation in causes that are quite unworthy of the Christ I serve or the God whose mystery and wonder I appreciate more each day. Indeed I feel the Christian Church should not only apologize, but do public penance for the way we have treated people of color, women, adherents of other religions and those we designated heretics, as well as gay and lesbian people.
Life moves on. As the poet James Russell Lowell once put it more than a century ago: "New occasions teach new duties, Time makes ancient good uncouth." I am ready now to claim the victory. I will from now on assume it and live into it. I am unwilling to argue about it or to discuss it as if there are two equally valid, competing positions any longer. The day for that mentality has simply gone forever.
This is my manifesto and my creed. I proclaim it today. I invite others to join me in this public declaration. I believe that such a public outpouring will help cleanse both the church and this nation of its own distorting past. It will restore integrity and honor to both church and state. It will signal that a new day has dawned and we are ready not just to embrace it, but also to rejoice in it and to celebrate it.

http://secure.agoramedia.com/spong/34674.asp

John Shelby Spong (born June 16, 1931 in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States) is the retired American bishop of the Episcopal Church Diocese of Newark (based in Newark, New Jersey). He is a liberal Christian theologian, Biblical scholar, religion commentator and author. Spong has also been a strong proponent of feminism, gay rights, and racial equality within both the church and society at large. Towards these ends, he calls for a new Reformation, in which many of Christianity's basic doctrines should be reformulated.His official website: http://www.johnshelbyspong.com/

Our own paths to choose

2009-09-16T07:01:00.000-07:00

“Being born in McDonalds doesn’t make you a hamburger”. I will always remember this phrase thrown at us by this half balding preacher at one of the chapel services in school. That was exactly what I felt like telling my parents then. Christianity was not a choice. I inherited it. For many of us who were born into Christian families, our Christian path was very much paved out for us. All we had to do was just to stay on it.

When I first came out to myself, it was almost like a half whisper because I couldn’t come to terms with letting God hear me. Having been actively serving in church, it was painful and hypocritical upon realising my attraction to women. It was like having a mistress behind your partner’s back. My only coping mechanism was to keep those two spheres of my life separate so much so that I could make myself believe that I only lived in one.

Unfortunately though, alternating between both worlds took a huge toll on me both mentally and emotionally. I tried cutting away from the so called darker secret sphere by turning straight but the hypocrisy still lingered on in my heart. Eventually I chose my sexuality and God lost. Or so I thought.

Sometimes when you walk away from a relationship, a bit of that past gets internalised within you. It’s the same with my break up with God. A part of him was still there somewhere, tucked away in a corner of my soul.

When Tim, my friend who is gay, first told me about a church that was gay inclusive, I thought it was a scam of some ex gay ministry. And I knew I had to see it for myself and eventually when I did go down, I was overwhelmed. Overwhelmed because I have never seen so many gay men in my whole entire life. When I look back now and reflect on how I ever did stay on, it really amazes me that God’s hand was in it all these while.

The first time I went to FCC was the first time it was announced that there will be a new support group Lush for lesbians who felt conflicted with their faith and sexuality. And it was this group that eventually led me to carve a new path, a path with my choice in it, to God.

In Lush, which was then led by Jaime and Jin-ee, we went through the six bible passages that spoke of homosexuality and covered issues that gay Christian women face. To be honest, I went not because I wanted to convince myself that homosexuality is not a sin. On the contrary, I attended lush because I wanted to be right that I was wrong all along for forsaking God. Each bible verse we covered, my mind was opening up but my heart remained sceptical. It was only towards the end of Lush that my heart began opening up as well.

For our last session, Jaime and Jin-ee invited a lesbian couple who were both pastors serving in ministry in the States. I was totally floored that lesbian pastors do exist. And what more, they were married to each other. How do they do it? How do they love God serve God and love women as well? The intangible perspective of homosexuality is not a sin was made tangible just by the sample of seeing these two women before me. It is real.

We had so many questions for them. And all the answers to those questions just lay in one statement: So what then will you do if God asks you this, “ Julia, so what have you done for me?”. And at that point, I knew I would have said, “ nothing.” Nothing because I’ve been so busy trying to fix myself first. Nothing because I was so obsessed with what was so wrong with me. Nothing because I was afraid of what others thought of me, a lesbian, serving in your ministry.

I knew then that there really is no greater waste of my life than to live it according to the path that was not chosen for me. It is not mine and I’ll never try to make it mine again. Instead, I chose having a sense of peace in my heart as my own fences that will line my path and guide me on my own walk with God.

Opening up my heart was only the beginning. I never dreamed that God would lead me one full circle in serving him through the way that I was first served. And in so, I became a facilitator for the subsequent runs of Lush. It was my way of passing on what was first given to me. The freedom of knowing that God loves you and can use you whatever way you are is beyond any word of expression. It will never make sense to you unless you open your heart up to the possibility of experiencing it.

- Julia

Gay but not happy?? No!!

2009-08-23T05:09:00.000-07:00

I am Christian, and I am gay. Apparently, the two are mutually exclusive. Choices seemed to be my solution. I took out my mobile and keyed in their number. Somehow, I never got down to calling them. It just did not feel right.

A year later, I had a lukewarm relationship with God. I wanted a closer walk with Him, but the fact that I was lesbian became a barrier. I felt inferior, thinking that God would not want to have anything to do with me. Just as how my parents frowned on homosexuality, I thought God would too.

Then, I chanced upon an email from RedQueen, announcing the first run of LUSH. Looking back, I had no idea how LUSH would change my life. Signing up for it was easy. Making it a point to attend it was difficult. Would it be just an affirmation that I have to choose between being a homosexual and being a Christian? It’s my inclination to like girls. Turning straight is not a choice; I have tried and it felt like I was living one big lie. I could not understand why God would want His creation to live their lives out as lies.

It turned out to be untrue. God’s relationship with us is unlike our relationship with other human beings. His love and acceptance for everyone is sometimes too much for anyone to fathom or even imitate. While other people can tell you that homosexuality is against the Christian faith, I would say, go explore for yourself. Read the Bible, pray to Him and be open to His stirrings.

Don’t just let the churches tell you what is right or wrong. By all means, listen to what they have to say. At the same time, hear what the other side of the fence has to share too. Surf the web, read commentaries and pray. Let Him, not the church leaders, lead you.

LUSH made a big difference to me. I could finally reconcile being gay and being Christian. God did not reject me because I am a lesbian. He still loves me, and has a purpose for me. That purpose is not compromised because I am gay. Being gay to me, is a gift. Through the support group, I not only got to know wonderful girls who have been a great source of support, but also got to have a better relationship with God. I learnt to love myself, and to allow myself to accept the fact that I can indeed be Christian and gay. The two are definitely not mutually exclusive, and now I can confidently tell everyone, God loves you, gay or not". And yes, you can be gay and happy.

Cynthia

My Experience At Lush

2009-08-23T04:56:00.000-07:00

I came to know about LUSH through RedQueen at the end of last year.

The availability of an avenue to address conflicting Christianity and homosexuality issues was simply too appealing a topic for me to bypass. Without too much consideration, I signed up immediately as I have always wanted answers to my own long-term struggle.

Having been a Christian for 28 years, I have been brought up to believe that homosexuality is a self-inflicted sin and a personal choice (which can and should be stopped, just like smoking or taking drugs). I have never really doubted this form of belief previously and simply continued to struggle throughout my life as a Christian. I am not “out” to my church and I chose to be a closet lesbian for many years. There were days I felt extremely guilty and felt ashamed to worship God. I even felt ashamed to pray, because I thought that as a sinner (as well as being a continuous rebel since I was continuing in my alternative lifestyle), I have no right to ask God for anything at all. This was especially so, for personal development or relationship prayer needs. I never had the courage to ask for God’s blessing. I simply ask for His forgiveness & mercy week after week.

Not being “out” to my church friends also affected my relationship with them. Although many of them are genuinely concerned, I still doubt they will be able to accept me or understand my problems. This assumption may be wrong I know, since I never had the courage to “test” it out, but I guess I was just not willing to take the risk of being ostracized and condemned.

Strange as it seemed, I went to LUSH with loads of “skeptism”. While wanting to find the right answers on one hand, I told myself I will not compromise my faith, fearing that I’d be “brainwashed”. I told myself I didn’t want to accept any interpretations / explanations, simply to create convenient excuses for my sexuality preference and I was all ready to “defend” my faith, whilst hoping to prove it wrong in some ways.

I’m not sure what it was exactly – the unfamiliar church environment, the new acquaintances whom I was discussing my faith & struggles with or the entirely new interpretations of the verses, but I told myself that one session was quite enough for me. The suggested interpretations really sounded absurd to me. However, when the 2nd week came, I decided to give it another try. This time round, even the teachings was still new to me, I found them intriguing. Never have I studied the Bible in such context and to look at the background and interpretations in this way. Regardless of the doubts I had of authenticity and of truth, it spurred me to want to find out more. I was more ready and open to hear, to learn & to discuss.

This went on for the rest of the sessions. Of course at times I learned more and less at others. But besides the lessons learnt from the Bible, what I thoroughly enjoyed from LUSH was the interaction amongst the group. It was interesting to listen to the sharings, the contributions, as well as the various experiences and struggles. None from the group expected any of us to accept what was being said or discussed, but it all came as a form of suggestion so that we might generate new thoughts and consideration, with the hope of helping us in our own reconciliation with God subsequently.

I will always remember someone suggested: “perhaps God made us different, made us this way, so that we can reach out to those who are like us or are struggling like us” – this was a totally new concept to me. Simple, but I’ve never quite thought that being a homosexual Christian, I could still serve God and glorify Him.

New ideas, new thoughts and new suggestions no doubt will bring on more confusion. But it has made me more open-minded, motivated and gave me a new sense of hope, to search and explore, instead of accepting what was told. I must say that I’m still not 100% convinced or have completely reconciled, but I know I’m getting there and I do feel the difference in me as I approach various issues.

The friendship I made at LUSH, the support I received from the group (and also at FCC), has made it all worthwhile, even as I continue with my journey in searching for the truth.

Karen, Lush 5

A sharing

2009-08-22T19:59:00.000-07:00

Although I only attended a few initial sessions of LUSH & didn't do so much after due to work commitments, the bible study sessions opened up new insights for me on the interpretatations of the books in question in the bible ie. the importance of knowing the contextual background to the incidents of God's judgement & what the apostles like Paul wrote. In knowing only the face value interperetation of these passages in reading on our own or being taught by mainstream churches may only deepen our guilt of who we really are.

In a spiritual environment where I can be finally be comfortable in my own skin, it was edifying to hear the wonderful women who shared openly about their experiences & reinforce the knowing that I was never alone in this battle. I was already on the way there in reconciling with God, but LUSH & FCC facilitated the completion of my journey.

My sincere thanks to Jaime, Julia & Cephas for their time, love & patience in extending themselves, so that all like-minded Christian women will know that God has always loved us for who we are & has never left us.

Vivien (LUSH 3)

What does LUSH cover?

2009-08-18T21:06:00.000-07:00

LUSH is conducted over a span of around six months. Facilitators of the group will provide materials and engage participants in discussing the different topics involved. The entire run is divided into two phases.

The first phase predominantly covers the study of the six bible passages that mainstream churches use to condemn homosexuality. The six bible passages are: Genesis 19, Leviticus 18:22 & 20:13, Romans 1:26, 1 Corinthians 6:9, 1Timothy 1:9. This phase is structured in a way for participants to share their views on the passages involved and to bring a different perspective to the study of the bible.

The second phase will cover a series of issues that women face regarding their sexuality. Examples of some of these issues that have been brought up by previous Lush participants are : Loving Yourself, Relationship issues, Sex before Marriage, Coming out etc.

A short history

2009-08-18T21:01:00.000-07:00

L.U.S.H. (Lesbians United for Self Help) was started in 2005 as a time-limited support group for gay Christian women, to meet the needs of women struggling to reconcile their sexuality and their faith. Though there was lots of information available online, it was thought to be helpful for gay Christian women to be able to gather as a group with others along the same journey, facing the same dilemmas and difficulties.

The first run of LUSH was facilitated by Jin-ee (Sayoni) and Jaime (Free Community Church), and there were 6 women who joined the group. We went through various topics covering the 3 main areas on Sexuality and what the Bible says; Our Relationships; and Our Community. LUSH has since been opened to women (gay, straight and/or curious), Christians and non Christians alike, who wish to find out more. LUSH had just completed their 5th run in 2009, and more than 30 women have participated in the LUSH support group.

Why LUSH?

2009-08-18T21:00:00.000-07:00

Very often, we are told by our churches and the people around us that being gay or lesbian is a sin, and that Christianity doesn’t condone same-sex partnerships. As a result, many of us struggle with our sexuality as well as our walk of faith. LUSH, in a small group format, aims to provide a safe space to exchange ideas, explore other points of view, and encourage each other along our shared journey to women who struggles to reconcile our sexuality and our faith.

We do not provide answers, only a perspective that it is possible to be both gay and Christian. The journey of reconciliation is yours to take, but with LUSH, you know that you are not alone. Whatever your decision is at the end of LUSH, we just hope that the journey will lead you to more peace in your life with God.