describe you're love for these forums...

[Jennifer5]

In as few words as humanly possibly. A quote, a sentence, a random collection of words.... please... as soon as I get you're answers I'll explain.. :love:

[Daniel]

How about a few sentence?

I keep coming back to this forum because of pain and joy. So many have suffered needlessly because of ignorance and misinformation. There is joy in being liberated from false teachings. That's why I keep coming back- to tell of my own liberation from fear and in some small way help others do the same.

[labguy22]

I have been starving for fellowship. I don't find it in the Gay community, nor in the religious community. I find it here though. This is a safe place for me to share ideas and read of so many new ones.

Be Blessed,
Nick

[tdogg]

I love the Soulforce forums because....

....I have made so many great friends in this place who are kind, compassionate and thoughtful/intelligent
.....it feels safe, comfortable, challenging and interesting
......my mind is constantly being opened to new ideas, opinions, understandings
.......I can share my thoughts, feelings, opinions with people whose own may differ, but who always respect me
........I may, in some small way, be a help to someone else by sharing my life experiences, knowledge and ideas
.........mainly, again, I stay here because of the people who are here - you all mean so much to me!

I love it here! :love::love:

[BenL]

In as few words as humanly possible?!?

To hear and honor the stories of my glbt brothers and sisters. To likewise be heard by them and know that I am accepted unconditionally for who I am.

[u-dog]

The forums are a safe place to be authentically myself and to speak for the first time in my own true "voice" and to hear what it sounds like to tell the truth. To share in friendship with people who have stories similar to my own and people who will honor my story.

[Jennifer5]

Thank you all... Now I have enough to start with... the more who post the better

[Allen Pope]

Is a nightmare still a dream?

[Jennifer5]

Is a nightmare still a dream?

Do you call a dream those things that come to you when you sleep, or the things that you wish to someday achieve?

[keltic63]

I'm having a difficult time separating my reason for being at soulforce and my reason for being at the forums, and for me, I really do believe they are intertwined.


I love soulforce because it represents the mission, as well as the program, that I think is important for gaining civil rights, respect, acceptance, of lgbt people.
I love the forums because I learn so much from the people here, and I've found people who truly are my friends. I'm betting that had I "run into" some of them in real life first, I might have dismissed them and missed out on great friendships.

Finally, being part of Soulforce and the forums allows me to work for the improvement of lgbt people, if only in a small way. it's not one person doing a lot, it's everyone doing what they can. if we can push the envelope, then things will be better for those who come after us. I'm proud to be part of that.

[Emproph]

I feel comfortable here, nobody judges me. But it's not just a "free-for-all" comfortable, we all share a common justice.

[NathanATX]

deep souls
wet tears
belly shaking laughter
intimate friends
accountability
being reminded of how amazing I am
reminding others how amazing they are
ending spiritual violence
creating non-violence in my own life
growth
love
being a stand for hope and healing

[Vanessa White]

I don't know if I can put it into a few words, but I will certainly try:

My reason for spending time here, on these forums? Love, of self and others. Hope, for a brighter, stronger future for all of us, our allies, our oppressors to come to have a better understanding of us. Being here helps me to let go in love of those that seem to possess hatred for us. Being here has introduced to so many persons who I now consider friends, some of the people that I consider closest to me, because so many of you here know the deepest part of me, that is significant.....

One of the biggest ways that these forums have changed me, or impacted on me, is by waking up that fire in my belly of activism, and having a voice, that I let become silent for years, out of fear and complacence. I know that the fire will never be put out again.....

I love all of you so much, and feel privileged to be here with you. And Nate, we have missed you SOOOOO much!!! :love::love::love:

[dsdrane]

I love these forums because they provide a community of and for intelligent, interesting, seeking, affirming, loving, funny, challenging people of all shapes and stripes, who -- interlopers notwithstanding -- are committed to a common goal of equal opportunity for everyone in religious and secular life.

What's not to love?

These forums have also provided me -- in a way I never could have anticipated -- with a handsome prince and the love of my life. The utter joy and gratitude I feel as a result is quite indescribable in mere words.

I thank God every day for this place.:love:

[paul]

the people

[tpdncr4christ]

it is a safe place

[wmanion]

I have only been here a short while but the reconcilliation of being gay and spirtiual just floods from these posts. At one time I thought my faith and being gay could never come togther. Soulforce has reinforced that they can and do. I have learned so much in the short time I have been here and I intend to stick around awhile and gather as much information as possible. I have noticed that people here come from all walks of life and although my intelligence cannot measure up to a lot of you...I still feel I belong.

Bill

[Zerbie]

Anyone who wants to know how I feel about the forum need only view my post-count. . . .

It's the friendship, support from the lot o' ya, that keep me coming back so often.

[tdogg]

In as few words as humanly possibly.

WHEW! Glad I wasn't the only one who 'missed' this part!!! :D:D:D

[Jennifer5]

The picture isn't nearly as clear as I'd like, but my computer won't save it correctly and keeps messing itself up.

:love:

pm me if you want me to send it, it's at least readable then

[dsdrane]

Beautiful!

:love::cookie:

[u-dog]

WOW !!!

Jenn,

You are amazing! what a gentle soul you are and how blessed and priveleged we are to have you here !! Thanks.:love:

[Dash]

Yes...Jen is a wonderful soul! And there are so many of them with us here. The privilege of moving among such angelic company is both humbling and uplifting.

And having found David, my own dear angel in this holy place, each visit now is made a sacred pilgrimage. :love::pray:

[Vanessa White]

Jennifer: You are so thoughtful and beautiful. Thank you so much for that great tribute. It is great. :love:

[NathanATX]

Oh my goodness... what an amazing picture. :)

You are incredible.

Jamie, could flash be used to animate this and possibly put it on the main soulforce page?
Nate

[Gennee]

I love these forums because I love to fellowship with my LGBT brothers and sisters.

Gennee

:)

[Zerbie]

Jen, that picture's wonderful!!! :rainbow::flower2::award:

[Jennifer5]

Thank you all! :love:

Personally it didn't turn up nearly as nice as I hoped. I'm having some problems with is getting messed up when I save it, usually I'm able to get around this problem, but now it's not letting me. I'll redo it once I can get the program working correctly again.

But in the mean time, I did say I'd put this together for all of us to enjoy.... so there it is. Love ya all! :love:

[Jennifer5]

Oh yeah, keeping this in mind, if I don't have a picture from you or you haven't stated yet what you love about the forums... you can still send or post things, because when I do redo it I can add more. :love:

[tdogg]

Awesome Jen!! :love:

[missmari]

Everyone here is nice, and I've learned so much i can apply to my everyday life...I feel like it's like a huge support team there ready to support me whenver i need it...:D

[scott snedeker]

I think the most valuable thing I have gotten is learning that responding to oppression with nonviolence and love creates an ideal.

The contrast created by this ideal against hate and ignorance does the work and attracts/activates positive vibrations in people while aggressive opposition/retaliation polarizes oppressors and worsens their negative feelings.

My earlier posts are noticeably less nonviolent than my most recent posts. My spiritual/emotional hygeine has noticeably transformed into a more evovled sensibility. :cool:

[BrentRichards]

Simplest answer: I belong!

[Zerbie]

I love you all.

:love::love::love::love::love::love::love:

[Emproph]

The picture isn't nearly as clear as I'd like, but my computer won't save it correctly and keeps messing itself up.

:love:

pm me if you want me to send it, it's at least readable then

Jennifer you are a Goddess, that's fantabulous.

[Sherrie Z]

Where else can you find presbyterians, evangelicals, wiccans, atheists, catholics, quakers, hindus, jews, buddhists, and so on, freely discussing religion ... liberals and conservatives freely discussing politics ... and persons of every background, race, age, gender identity and sexual orientation gathered in one place to make silly jokes, tell stories, support each other and work together for justice?

[Jennifer5]

Jennifer you are a Goddess, that's fantabulous.
Hmm... by seeing that you quoted me when talking about lack of clearness, that maybe you had a solution.

But I think I liked your response better. Thanks:love:

Where else can you find presbyterians, evangelicals, wiccans, atheists, catholics, quakers, hindus, jews, buddhists, and so on, freely discussing religion ... liberals and conservatives freely discussing politics ... and persons of every background, race, age, gender identity and sexual orientation gathered in one place to make silly jokes, tell stories, support each other and work together for justice?
True, this is a very rare thing and I think that probably there are two big things that make this place what it is.... one being that trashing other people's opinions will not be ALLOWED in the first place... then, just the fact that we are online forums, you aren't judged by the way to look or appear out in the real world, but you actually have to tell your story, put your opinion out there, and it forces people to get to know that real person without those distractions. There for, you scare away those who usually get by without really thinking things through, and your left with a group of smart, loving and caring people.

When certain labels such as 'democrat' or 'wiccan' or 'christian' and so on aren't mentioned at first.... you don't get to just say "oh, this is a bad person, I don't want anything to do with them" you have to listen to what they have to say for a while before you know if you like them or not.

[Jennifer5]

Remember.... I'm still looking for words and/or pictures if I haven't gotten anything from you... I want to make this even better this time :)

[Dash]

My earlier posts are noticeably less nonviolent than my most recent posts.

Me TOO!!! I remember when I first started participating in online forums/blog discussions back in 2005, and I was completely unaware of how much I participated in the violence of words.

It's been a process of reorienting my perspective...and has been chiefly informed by this beautiful forum.