Hello, new member

[Catt of the Garage]

Hello everyone, I have just registered and want to introduce myself.

My name is Catriona. I am 25, and live in Glasgow, Scotland. I am straight, married, no gay relations (one lesbian friend, that's all) but over some months I have been increasingly drawn to find out more about the LGBT community and the struggles it is having, with the Church in particular. Through websites like Whosoever (particulary Whosoever, in fact! It has become one of my favourite sites) I have been very moved and distressed by people's accounts of rejection and hatred at the hands of society as a whole, but particulary at the hands of the church. I feel a very strong sense of injustice that people who speak in the name of Jesus would offer his acceptance and love to everyone except gays and lesbians, and while I am still a bit confused about some of the technical biblical and legal arguments re: marriage etc., I feel strongly that this is an issue of justice, and of the misrepresentation of God's love, and I want to add my voice to the argument.

So I have joined the Soulforce forums in order to find out more and to perhaps start getting involved in changing things.

[keltic63]

Hi Catriona, and welcome to the forums. You are on the right track, and the things that confuse you now will become clear as you come to understand God's love for all of God's children!

[Jamie McDaniel]

I feel a very strong sense of injustice that people who speak in the name of Jesus would offer his acceptance and love to everyone except gays and lesbians, and while I am still a bit confused about some of the technical biblical and legal arguments re: marriage etc., I feel strongly that this is an issue of justice, and of the misrepresentation of God's love, and I want to add my voice to the argument.
Welcome to Soulforce Catriona!

Whosoever is a very good site that has been around for some time. Back in the 90's when I was confused about gay people myself (yep, it's not just heterosexuals who can be victims of misinformation concerning sexual orientation), Whosoever was already on the internet preaching acceptance of GLBT people. It was one of the first sites I stumbled upon while seeking out information.

Soulforce came online for the first time in 1998, although Soulforce's co-founders Mel White and Gary Nixon (http://www.soulforce.org/article/9) had already been working to bring the methods used by Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi into the struggle for GLBT equality.

Since that time, more and more people of faith - gay and straight alike - who have come to understand God's inclusive Spirit have been adding their voice to the argument just as you said you feel called to do. Soulforce seeks to bring together the people who experience this calling and empower them to do justice while, at the same time, loving the mercy God shows to those who work injustice.

We're glad you're here!

[schoolboi]

Catt, straight allies are my heroes. Thanks for standing up with us!