Hello everyone! I'm a master's student in psychology and I'm collecting anonymous data for my thesis which is a research study aiming to investigate the psychological impact of any kind of discrimination one might have experienced, including gender discrimination and sexual orientation discrimination.

I would be really grateful if you could participate by filling out my survey! Thank you very much in advance! :)

This is the link to my survey for anyone who wants to help:

https://forms.gle/C7HQjkcc9cHeaLg29

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I am on staff at a theologically and culturally conservative church. Today we read a chapter of a book wherein the author was encouraging us to "make friends with sexual minorities" while maintaining the view that any form of homosexuality -- even in a committed relationship -- is wrong. The author made the claim that "one man one woman" marriage is the ideal expressed consistently in scripture.

I was infuriated reading it and know I can't be silent anymore. I am going to need to tell my pastor and/or elders that I disagree. I think gay people should marry, be ordained, be parents -- whatever they want to do. Forcing gay people into abstinence is wrong, imo. Moreover trans people exist and should exist, which is another thing the church wants to pretend is not the case.

Further I don't really know how much of the Christian narrative I believe anymore. I think a lot of the Bible is made up by humans.

I don't know if I believe in the resurrection or, if I do what form I believe it takes.

I think Jesus may have been mythical. (Yeah I'm way off the deep end, in the eyes of my employers. Or will be, once I tell them).

But this job is my main source of income. I'm afraid of losing my job and to some degree my community.

I don't really know where to go.

I'm sad and angry that I've been lied to and that I have been complicit in an evil system. I don't want to continue to be complicit. But I also like the paycheck, to be honest.

Can anyone relate and has anyone come out the other side?

Best regards to all.

I've noticed many thinkers who follow Karl Barth (or at least have some kind of admiration for his contributions to theology) are also lgbt affirming. Is there something to this? If so, could someone help map out how we get from Barth to full queer inclusion in the faith?

something to help me answer, "how and why did it come to pass that homophobia got so linked to the Christian Church, how did the Church take it on?" and other questions of that scope.

https://youtu.be/sDTavf4zT-o?si=61BC8CGnOh_BFELj

For ages stories like Sodom And Gamorrah have been used to justify discrimination or outright hostility against queer people. Today we take a deep dive into that and other bible texts to answer the most important question: What are they REALLY telling us?

The first reading was about Ruth and Naomi... Made me happy that the priest even refered to the as a couple.

Here's a link to the mass that I watched where the priest refers to them being a couple even if it might have been a oopsie lol!

https://youtu.be/pmAoOgMTHXs?si=znGM83ZqoXsUtwJE

I made a rosary on YouTube that is based on queer theology.

https://youtu.be/wzyiAOPhqFU

Isn't very popular yet but I like to pray it and pray for the Catholic Church... The certainly need it.

For those immersed in Queer theology I'd like to start a discussion on this to see if y'all can spot out how this overlooked daily mass could potentially be a LGBT holiday:

Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter - Mass in the Morning Lectionary: 302

Reading 1 Acts 28:16-20, 30-31 When he entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.

Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered he said to them, "My brothers, although I had done nothing against our people or our ancestral customs, I was handed over to the Romans as a prisoner from Jerusalem. After trying my case the Romans wanted to release me, because they found nothing against me deserving the death penalty. But when the Jews objected, I was obliged to appeal to Caesar, even though I had no accusation to make against my own nation. This is the reason, then, I have requested to see you and to speak with you, for it is on account of the hope of Israel that I wear these chains."

He remained for two full years in his lodgings. He received all who came to him, and with complete assurance and without hindrance he proclaimed the Kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ. Responsorial Psalm Ps 11:4, 5 and 7 R. (see 7b) The just will gaze on your face, O Lord. or: R. Alleluia. The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD's throne is in heaven. His eyes behold, his searching glance is on mankind. R. The just will gaze on your face, O Lord. or: R. Alleluia. The LORD searches the just and the wicked; the lover of violence he hates. For the LORD is just, he loves just deeds; the upright shall see his face. R. The just will gaze on your face, O Lord. or: R. Alleluia. Alleluia Jn 16:7, 13 R. Alleluia, alleluia. I will send to you the Spirit of truth, says the Lord; he will guide you to all truth. R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 21:20-25 Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved, the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper and had said, "Master, who is the one who will betray you?" When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about him?" Jesus said to him, "What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours?
You follow me." So the word spread among the brothers that that disciple would not die. But Jesus had not told him that he would not die, just "What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours?"

It is this disciple who testifies to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written.

Calling all progressive preachers! 💒

I’m looking for guests to join me on The Progressive Pulpit Podcast 🎙️, a new podcast that will feature sermons by preachers who are female, BIPOC, or queer-identifying. 🙋🏾‍♀️🙋🏿‍♂️🏳️‍🌈

My goal is to inspire rich theological discussion, make well-researched, grounded, progressive theology accessible, and help those who have been hurt by the church with the process of spiritual recovery. 🙏

If you or someone you know is a preacher who would be interested in being a guest, please submit your information here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfJLwpgjbbJtvH6TbfeQC7-4C5xDdiLoxUpFvfBz8_zRBREKg/viewform?pli=1

I look forward to hearing from you! 🙏

Specific topics I am interested in hearing sermons on:

• The intersection of race and religion ⛪️
• The role of women in the church 👩‍🦳
• LGBTQ+ inclusion in the church 🏳️‍🌈
• Social justice and the church ⚖️
• Spiritual recovery from religious trauma 🤕

Hi everyone!!

As part of completing our Psychology (Honours) Dissertation at Charles Sturt University, myself and my research partner are conducting our research project on mental health among lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, queer, omnisexual, and gay adults aged 18 years or over. If you meet this criteria, please consider completing our online survey (it takes around 15 minutes to finish and is completely anonymous).

If you choose to complete this survey, you will be asked to answer questions relating to your sexuality, how kind you are to yourself, belonginess, alcohol use and behaviours, and depressive symptomology. If answering questions of this nature may be distressing for you, please do not participate.

If you would like to participate in the survey or find out more about our study, please click on the link below:

https://csufobjbs.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eu4pRcRjGWBfIZU

If you would like more information regarding the study or the survey, please feel free to leave a comment or contact us at:
mhumphries.csu@gmail.com
sscott.csu@gmail.com
Your participation is appreciated!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuEpHl3plg2/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Dear all,

My name is Chris Alpert and I am a psychology doctoral student at the California School of Professional Psychology in San Diego. I am currently gathering data on my dissertation entitled "The impact of religious fundamentalism on sexual identity development," (IRB#: IRB-AY2022-2023-303) and am reaching out to see if anyone would fit the criteria and be interested in responding to my survey. Here is my link: https://alliant.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dcfqK0ti2DiZcpM.

Requirements for participation: All participants of this study must identify as Sexual Minority (heterosexual identity is excluded), be over the age of 18, be U.S. residents, have Internet access, self-report English fluency, and must have identified as religious in their lifetime regardless of current affiliation.

Purpose of the research: The purpose of this survey will be to understand how religious fundamentalism impacts sexual development of adults. We hope to inform future research, policy, and clinical care.

Personal Statement: Considering the nature of this study, it may be helpful to understand the my background and connection to this work. I identify as a straight, cis-gendered, heterosexual, white man. I am committed to expanding the research in this area and hope to broaden understandings of intersectionality. This will hopefully increase affirmative healthcare in both medical and mental health settings. Reflexivity in this research demonstrates awareness of mental health disparities and intersectionality.

Thank you so much and take care,​

Chris Alpert (he/him/his)
Clinical Psychology PsyD Student
CSPP Alliant International University, San Diego