So, on Thursday I went to my universities Pride meeting which is for LGBTQ people and straight allies. (Sorry this is a bit late, I've had a lot going on lately.) Since it was the first meeting we had a get to know each other type of game. How it worked was when something was said that applied to you you stood up. So, when bisexual was called I stood up. At first I could not believe that I had done this, but then I realized that I'm now a college student, and this is a new start. Also at the same meeting I came out as genderqueer for the first time in person!!(!) Also, I went home this weekend, and I found out that it has been leaked to my somewhat homophobic youth director that I am bisexual. I was hoping that I would be able to tell him in person, but now he won't even talk to me. But even if I did tell him, I know that he still would've had the same reaction because he threw my friend out after giving him a long rant. So, I've come to the conclusion that if he does not accept me, then I don't need him in my life constantly telling me that I'm a sinner and going to hell. I also got the same reaction with some of the older church members finding out. I was always involved at my church from age 6 up. As I began to realize my sexuality though, I began to joint attend an accepting church and my other church. A lot of the older church members won't let me in now, but I'm ok with that, because I realize that I do not need religion to keep me going anymore. The reason that I was so depressed was because I was being held back by what was supposed to help me.:bang: Also, I just wanted to thank everybody on this site, because when I came here at the end of June, I never thought that I would out my freshman year of college.I also never thought that i would be able to be strong enough to confront all of those people that are not accepting. All of your advice has helped me so much!! It has helped me become me, for the first time in my life.
Hey, I'm so proud of you for coming out in college! And also I'm shocked by the behaviour of your church. A church that throws people out and closes doors from certain people for no matter what reason should not be allowed to call themselves a church at all. And if the reason is because those people love another person... yeah, teaching people to hate makes a lot more sense? Really doesn't. I'm glad you found another church though. I should really do the same. My church is fortunately not throwing people out though. Just bible bashing them, trying to heal them, braking their homosexual relationships and forbidding them from any leader roles they would like to perform at the church. But please don't lose your faith. I sincerely believe that God meant to create us this way. And I have no idea what these hateful churches are doing and how they can be so blind. It makes me sad.
Congratulations on coming out!!! I wish I had been out in college... I'm sorry that it damaged your relationship with your church. Unfortunately, that's what happens when people try to interpret the Word to their own psychological fallacies. When I was around ten years old and was really starting to figure out that there was something wrong with me (at least to my small, ignorant mind as it had been taught up to that point) I voluntarily broke away from my Baptist congregation because I knew that according to them, there was no way that I was going to heaven. Whatever I was, it was not pure enough for them. Coming out to them was not an option. I could expect shunning, exorcism, ostracization. Basically the same stuff you're dealing with now. At that point in my life, I would have been able to survive a rejection on that level. So I went from Baptism to Buddhism, because at that time in my life, when gender dysphoria was one of the strongest influences in it, the motto "Life is suffering" made a LOT of sense to me. Now I'm attending a Universalist church, which is kind of like a funky New Age Christianity/esoteric/nondenominational hybrid. Basically what I'm trying to say is, there are a ton of churches out there. There's no reason to attend one that preaches prejudice over love. Even the Bible says there are many false prophets, and it has a lot more words in condemnation of them than it does of gay people: "But the prophet which shall presume to speak a word in my name which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die." - Deuteronomy And Jesus on the subject: Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you. Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone. Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.” - Matthew
I really was not surprised by how my church reacted, they did it with a friend of mine when he came out. I was surprised then though. It was just kinda weird though... because my friend and I were the ones that revived the youth group, so when we got thrown out, everybody else left. I've been looking for churches around my school now. (The other accepting church that I want to is now 2 and a half hours away) I was surprised to find out that a lot of the churches are accepting around here. I think that the first one that I'm going to is the Universalist church around here. I've read about it and found that I think that it fits me best.
It sounds like a dying church. They really need to take a good look at themselves. I hope you find a great church!
Ah this an awesome story So glad to hear that you are doing so well. this has got me all excited about attending my first LGBT meeting at my university this week
Thanks!! Good luck at you first meeting!! @Sadepeura, I think that my old church is dying. A lot of people left after they kicked me out. I'm still looking for a church around here, but I have some good possibilities. I couldn't go this morning though because the lightening delay at the football game that the band played at made me not get back to my dorm until 4...
