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#1
02-07-2007, 02:21 PM
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Hi, my name is Mark,and I live in Indianapolis
I have led an up/down life. By that, I mean that I have many times felt built up by my faith in God, and his love for me, only to be punched down by my fundamentalist parents and the church I grew up in. This led to a extended 15 year period where I did not worship in any church, and I refused to talk, in any way, about my homosexuality with my parents. I felt that if they could not affirm me, they didn't deserve to be involved with that part of my life, and as such, I turned my back (and my tithe) on my church, and maintained only the most cursory relationship with my parents. I still read the bible and prayed solidly through that 15 year period, and tithed to homeless shelters and food banks, but never really felt my faith grow.
Flash forward to July of last year. I had some months earlier discovered the recorded sermons of Jesus Metropolitan Community Church in Indianapolis, where I live, and had been listening to them, sometimes several each day. Before long, I could no longer resist the urge to attend church there, and started going. What I found was a loving congregation that accepts me AND affirms me, and a pastor who is nothing short of a profit of God! In his gentle style and loving, inclusive sermons, he has shown me where the religious right is wrong about what they believe the bible says about being gay. He even co-wrote a book about the subject called "The Children Are Free", which I would recommend to anyone who wants to know the truth about gods love for gays. Through this church and its ambitious bible-drenched teaching, I have learned far more about the bible (they cover it all, just not the gay stuff), and how to apply it to my life. Their unwaivering search for the truth, involving historical context and inflinching looks at the translations of original words, has given me great insights I would not have had for even 50 years of reading the bible on my own. In these last 8 short months, my faith has grown by leaps and bounds! I feel closer to God than I ever thought possible, and I thank him everyday for leading me to the truth, and finally making me able to embrasse his gift of my sexuality. Through this new found courage in God, I was able to confront my fundamentalist parents and to let them know I believe with all my heart that their position on my being gay, and their twisting of the scriptures to support their position is completely wrong. I was able to convince them to read "The Children Are Free", and, although they are still not completely changed, God is working on them and they are seeing things more clearly now. Even if my parents never completely come to the place I have arrived, it is still ok. What matters most, is that I now know the truth of God's unending love for me, and his spirit in me is the conformation I need to know I am on the right path. 
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#4
02-07-2007, 07:56 PM
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Welcome Mark,
What a beautiful story! Welcome to the forum.  Z
__________________
*** Never linger too long with the ignorant, throw stones at their talk. Walk only with the lovers, the mirror of the soul gets rusty when dipped in muddy water. -Rumi
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#5
02-07-2007, 08:27 PM
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Wow, Mark, what an awesome story you have! Thanks for sharing yourself, and a very warm welcome to you. Think you will enjoy it here a lot.
Tdogg
__________________
"Struggle is a never ending process. Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation." Coretta Scott King
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#6
02-08-2007, 08:44 AM
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Hi Mark,
welcome to the forums. that's a great story. I also recommend that book to friends and family. I gave a copy of "the Children are Free" to my parents a few years ago. I'm sad to say that they've never mentioned it since I gave it to them. I have no idea if they read it or if it's had an effect on their beliefs. However, I am sure of their love for me, even if they don't approve of my relationship with my partner. They are not rude to us, we are welcome in their home. They do not hesitate to stop by our home and visit. I don't know that I could ask for more. so many lgbt people have so much less than that from their parents. Glad you found MCC & Soulforce! Steve
__________________
Tolerate one another, just as I have tolerated you.- Jesus Christ?
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#7
02-08-2007, 09:04 AM
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Hi Steve,
Thanks for the note! At first, I didn't think my parents were going to read it either, but they eventually did. Im glad for it, even if they don't totally agree with the entirety of the book, it opened up a dialogue between us that had been missing for far too long. I think it is important for us to bring God's message of truth to our loved ones and those around us, but we can only offer it; they have to accept it on their own. And above all, we have to keep in mind that God's time frame is a lot different than ours and the instant gratification world we live in. Thank you so much for welcoming me to Soulforce Mark
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#8
02-08-2007, 09:38 AM
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Hi Mark, and welcome.
What a warm soul you are. You have found a safe, inspirational, accepting place of worship, which is so awesome. And, even though you have been discouraged at times, it sounds like you are strengthened by that. When we discover and cherish the love for ourselves, the possibilities are endless as to where it can take us!! So glad that you are here with us. PEace, Vanessa
__________________
[B]THE TRUTH IS ALL THERE IS.[/B
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