Belovedness and The United Methodist Constitution: Does All Mean All?

Sometimes in my wandering I happen to come back to the United Methodist and am instantly thrust into the very passion of Christianity.

A blog post found on "Religion is a Queer Thing" by Rev. Tiffiany Steinwert, pictured right,

"Belovedness and The United Methodist Constitution: Does All Mean All?"

"There is a story that another UM pastor, Janet Wolf, tells about one of her parishioners. This story about Fayette has become gospel for me in understanding the fullness of the meaning of baptism in our Christian tradition. You see Fayette, although new to the Church understood the power of baptism deep her in soul."

"She came to Janet’s church one summer, pacing back and forth outside the open doors, listening intently to the music, the laughter, the words. Occasionally she would crouch down on the front steps engrossed, amazed and astounded at what she heard. Little by little that summer Fayette moved from the sidewalk to the steps, from the steps to the door and finally one day from the door to the pew."

Please read and share Religion is a Queer Thing.

TWO Calls On Officials To Investigate Ted Haggard's Former Church

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, Jan 24, 2009

Contact: Wayne Besen
Phone: 917-691-5118
E-Mail: wbesen@truthwinsout.org

Truth Wins Out Calls On Authorities To Investigate Ted Haggard's Former Church.

Hush Money Scandal Emerges From New Life's Closet, Says TWO

NEW YORK - Truth Wins Out (TWO) today called on Colorado officials to investigate New Life Church, after the Associated Press revealed that New Life paid money to keep a male volunteer from publicly disclosing a romantic affair with the church's former minister Ted Haggard.

According to the AP, New Life's current Senior Pastor, Brady Boyd, said that the church reached a legal settlement to pay the man for counseling and college tuition, with one condition being that none of the parties involved discuss the relationship publicly.

"Until conservative churches stop shaming gay people and learn to accept them, we will see more tawdry scandals," said Truth Wins Out's Executive Director Wayne Besen. "These calamities are a direct result of the closet."

Rev. Boyd denied that New Life paid hush money and said, "Our desire was to help him. Here was a young man who wanted to get on with his life. We considered it more compassionate assistance - certainly not hush money."

TWO called on Colorado officials to look into the matter.

"Authorities should investigate to ensure that this volunteer was not manipulated or coerced into silence," said Besen. "The leadership of New Life has little credibility and should not simply be taken at their word. At a minimum, Boyd should resign for using his position of power to pressure a vulnerable member of his congregation into silence."

In 2006, Denver escort Mike Jones disclosed that he and Haggard had a three-year relationship where money was exchanged for sex. Shortly after, Haggard stepped down from New Life. Next week, HBO will air a documentary on the rise and fall of Haggard. The disgraced minister will be promoting the show in media appearances throughout the week.

There is speculation that the HBO special spurred the volunteer to contact a Colorado Springs television station to discuss the situation.

Truth Wins Out is a non-profit organization that defends the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community against anti-gay lies. TWO also counters the so-called "ex-gay" industry and educates America about the lives of GLBT people.


HBO Showtimes "THE TRIALS OF TED HAGGARD"

Queer Liberaction kicks off "Milk Box" Dallas January 24

What is Queer Liberaction's "Milk box" you might be asking yourself. It is a way to celebrate our freedom of speech, but instead of getting up on a soapbox we will be getting up on a Milk box in honor of Harvey Milk. Our rights might be able to be taken from us, but they will never be able to steal our voice.

Help Queer Liberaction kick the Milk box off right this Sunday at 4:00 PM. We will meet at the corner of Throckmorton and Cedar Springs in front of the old Crossroads Bookstore to publicly speak our mind and educate Dallas's Queer Community as to exactly how we are being oppressed. Angry over the current state of things, or tickled pink? Come tell Dallas Gays and Lesbians about it or just come and listen and help hand out flyers. Anyone and everyone is welcome!

If you haven't already done so, be sure to put our upcoming events on your calendar. QL will stage a Queer kiss-in on Saturday, February 7 at noon. This will take place by the Dallas Museum of Art at Ross and Harwood in Downtown Dallas. Also, be sure to attend our big Freedom to Marry Day demonstration at 11:30 am on Thursday, February 12. The festivities will begin in Founder's Plaza outside the Records Building at 509 Main St.

Queer Liberaction is also in need of a few things to help make the Freedom to Marry Day demonstration a success. Please contact us if you're able to help us with any of the following.
* Limousine rental for a couple hours* Flowers, bouquets of flowers* Rice, flower petals to throw, bubbles* Poster board* Professionally printed banners * Donations

Queer Liberaction
lgbtliberaction@gmail.com
214-679-6321
www.myspace.com/queerliberaction

Texas Independence Lobby Day March 2nd

Equality for all Texans! Support House Bill 538

Make your voice heard on Texas Independence Day.

Date: 3/2/2009 from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm (Central Time)

Hosted By: Equality Texas
Lindsay Marsh, Field Organizer
Lindsay@EqualityTexas.org
512-474-5475

RSVP by: February 27, 2009 at 5:00 pm (Central Time)

Don't miss this opportunity to share your concerns and your lives face-to-face with the Texas lawmakers elected to represent you.

Opening Welcome Reception on Sunday, March 1st from 5:30pm to 7:30pm

Doubletree Hotel Austin - University Area, located at 1617 North IH-35
Cash bar and free hors d'oeuvres

Lobby Day Schedule on Monday, March 2nd

8am – 9am Breakfast & Registration (TBA)
9am - 10am Group photo & Press conference (Capitol South Steps)
10am – 11am Lobby Training (Capitol Extension Auditorium E1.004)
11am – 12pm Team Lobby Visits (Assigned Capitol offices)
12pm – 1pm Lunch (provided); Capitol City Men's Chorus Performance (Capitol Rotunda)
1pm – 2pm Team Lobby Visits/Lobby Your Legislator (Assigned Capitol offices)
2pm – 3pm Thank you letters/debrief (Capitol Extension Auditorium E1.004)
Host Hotel

Doubletree Hotel Austin - University Area, located at 1617 North IH-35
Special room rate of $109, plus local taxes
Queen/Queen, or King. Free Wi-Fi
For reservations, call 512-479-4000; Specify "Equality Texas Discount Rate"

Make your voice heard on Texas Independence Day.

Equality Texas · PO Box 2340 Austin, TX 78768 · 512.474.5475 · 512.474.6297 fax

Related Posts

TEXAS to decide fate of Gender inclusive "ENDA" HB508

"Equality For All Texans Support HB 538"


kelli Busey
January 22, 2009
planetransgender

Dallas County Free's the Condom(Condoms for Everyone)

Much to the dismay of the religious right wing and "political conservatives" the failed abstinence only policy has been trashed and condoms are once again being distributed by city health.

Unable to ignore the increasing human suffrage the Dallas City council voted to change its policies to one that protects the most vulnerable.

Pegasus News reports
"The condom ban was enacted prior to the introduction of life-extending antiretroviral medications for people with HIV/AIDS, and one LGBT health advocate compared the policy at the time to “ethnic cleansing.”

"But the Republican commissioners who enacted the ban said the health department’s practice of distributing condoms and needle sterilization kits, which began in the mid-1980s, encouraged illegal and immoral behavior. It would be eight years after the condom ban before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Texas anti-sodomy law."

Also Found on

RH Reality Check
Reproductive Health Reality Check

Dallas Voice
Dallas AIDS data may end condom distribution ban

failed abstinence only policy


kelli Busey
January 22, 2009
planetransgender

TransTexas to TransOhio

TransOhio Blog on what it is like to be born transgender and living in the Transgender oasis of Columbus in the middle of Ohio.

"Ohio is one of only three states in the United States that does not allow the gender marker on an individuals birth certificate to be changed—a key document for obtaining other legal documents, such as a marriage license. Idaho and Tennessee are the other two."

The said truth is the same life destroying effect that Ohioans suffer from this states refusal to amend or reissue birth certificates are felt interstate and and even globally.
It had become a matter of extreme contention at my job over this discrepancy after Human Resources called after being notified by the Social Security Administration that the person they were filing SS tax on was male, not female.
I was born in Cleveland Ohio and have been unsuccessful at amending my birth certificate and will not be allowed by the SSA to change my gender marker until that time.
Last week my first line supervisor finished a humiliating phone call which I ended after he said, "well why don't you quit and we can rehire you as a man." (Its a grand gosip topic in the office now) Wow. What a twit.
Now the jackals have grasped this perceived weakness as an opportunity to threaten my pay on a daily basis, the buzz word is suspension. Daily.
The state of Texas issued a court order which the DMV could not deny that required them to change my name and gender marker on my CDL which I depend on to make a living.
If my employer decides to fire me for being a legal citizen I will take them to court and hopefully own their prize real estate abutting Walmart in Lowell Arkansas.
In the mean while. Yeah. Losing a job for a transgender person can be a death sentence.

Also found on
The Other Paper

By Kelli Busey
January 22, 2009
planetransgender