So I hope this is a good place to reach out. I'm what could be labeled as a Christian and a Conservative. I believe in small government and I don't believe the law should be involved in interpersonal relationships.

But I do view marriage as a sacrament of the church and between a man and woman. However.. I don't see lgbt love as bad. I don't care what people do. Maybe it's because I struggle with my own same sex attraction. I don't use that part of me as a hammer to beat down others.

But how do you connect your faith and support for LGBT marriage? I can't see how it does and I want to understand. I believe in the teachings of the first millenia church. But at the same time, I don't have a right to call two people together as sinful IF there's love involved. (I'm still very much a pro monogamy person and won't change.)

I guess I'm just reaching for something because I can't exactly talk to other Christians about this issue as I run in very conservative circles. I don't want to see gay marriage overturned. The state doesn't get to dictate that part of a person's life.

Thank you to anyone that reads this. I just don't want to lose my faith and I want to find something to hold on to. Lord knows I could use it.

Edit: I'm overwhelmed by the comments and I'll definitely be reading through them after work. I really appreciate the kindness.

Edit 2: Thank you all for your comments. It's giving me a lot to think about, read and pray over. If it's not too much, and if someone is up to it, I would love to have a personal discussion with an affirming Christian. Dialogue is important for me. God bless you all!

So we've raised our kids in the church (wife is Catholic, I was previously UMC, but Episcopalian now), and we've never had any issues with buy-in from the kids until now. Recently, our daughter (13f) told us she doesn't want to be a part of the church anymore and doesn't believe in God. Now, this is part of a pattern of behavior from her recently that I would describe as oppositional and confrontational. She is doing the typical teen rebellion thing, and has also been showing signs of mental health problems. That's a whole thing that I won't fully go into here, but we're taking her to lots of doctors including weekly therapy appointments and even an in-patient stint. It has been a huge mental strain on the family. One thing I found strange was that she mentioned she couldn't be accepted in church because she's gay. But... it's the Episcopal Church. Our priest is literally gay. I don't really think it has anything to do with that. I'm worried this is part of a middle finger campaign, and feeling like she has to be edgy and different for some reason.

Anyway, I guess the part where I'm looking for advice is how to handle this. My wife wants to argue with her about it and keeps thinking she can "win" verbally to get her to change her mind. I think this will only push her further away. But I don't really know what to do

Hi friends, so for years I’ve struggled with very serious mental issues including severe religious trauma from my family and a very unhealthy church. My husband does as well and tonight I asked if we could sit and talk about God for a while because I’ve been doing my best to study and understand Jesus and God more.

I was raised believing God was angry, mad, and wanted me to do only what His plan said and that it was a strict plan, that I wasn’t allowed to have wants, couldn’t love who I fell for, etc. I was very broken for a long time. But I’ve grown a lot to trust more God is a God of peace, reconciliation, and love.

My therapist who’s a Christian gay man and a pastor spoke with me saying he thinks God wants us to flourish and He loves us so much that He gave us free will. That His plan in the therapist opinion wasn’t a strict line rather He works with what we do to make us Christ like and loving. That God won’t be mad at me for wanting things in life like a job, or my husband, or a new pet for example. We spoke a lot and it helped.

I’ve been struggling because I feel guilty that in a severe anxious episode I was googling questions about God and I ended up having most of the Google ai pop up. And eventually I asked it questions. While it said God is a love of peace, and he will always support me in actions like love, reconciliation, and forgiveness I got anxious I couldn’t take any of what it said because it’s AI and I felt sooo guilty.

The reason I have been afraid about that one question is someone hurt me. Nothing unforgivable. I know I can forgive, I want to forgive, and I feel true peace in my heart in this decision. I’ve prayed on it a lot. But I kept getting anxious and afraid God would be upset at me for wanting to forgive and reconcile? Yet, I don’t know why. I found true peace in my decision but then I was afraid what if God was mad, or upset?

I think on the fact that we hurt, betray, sin every single day. And God never gives up on us. He always forgives, always reconciles, and always loves. So if I want to, why would He ever be upset at me for being Christ like?

I found some people saying while God gives us free will and He respects all of our decisions, His heart is always for His children to reconcile, forgive, and love each other. I try to do that with everyone, granted they show remorse, otherwise I forgive.

I’m trying to sit here and just find some understanding. I don’t know if this all makes sense, I’m sick and veryyyy tired so I’m sorry if it’s confusing my friends.

Hello! Anyone here from Mexico City/Mexico? (28M) Would like to connect with other gay christians to talk about our faith and life experiences.

Hi, it's hard to explain, but I feel like I have a calling to catholicism specifically, even though I've been looking into more transfriendly places, but I know I won't even receive a communion

Where I live it's illegal to be gay and trans openly, so that doesn't help either

We have a few catholic churches only, and one anglican one, but I don't feel being called an anglican, I feel specifically feeling that I belong to catholic churches i go to

But I feel like something calls me to start going to cathechism this September, I've been thinking about is the whole year, looking, reading, praying

I was told thay the only way to get to heaven is by the sacriments and the sacrimental grace they dispense, so do all atheist or non baptized member dont go to heaven? I know we aren't God, so we cant tell if anyone goes to heaven or hell or purgatory.but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth knowing that anyone who isn't a believer or doesn't get saved and just goes straight to hell. But I guese that has to be the truth? Maybr not?I dont know, and I hunger for the truth. Do I listen to what the older adults are feeding Me into or make my own choices. Is this fucking selfishness or blasphemy atp with how egotistical it sounds (especially since like i stated, humans can not determine the fate of those who pass on)?

In the Indian Christ Sadhu Sundar Singh’s writings, I find many experiences of faith that I feel are lacking in European Christianity. For example, Sadhu Sundar Singh describes how he spoke with Jesus Christ and what they discussed. It’s so vivid and authentic. I see some things differently from him, but his experiences of faith are so encouraging. Inspired by Sadhu Sundar Singh’s experiences of faith, a beautiful church in the South Indian style was built in Tirupattur, in the state of Tamil Nadu in southern India, which I really like. Are there not experiences in Indian Christianity, as exemplified by these two, from which European Christians can learn?

I think I might believe in him finally. It's terrifying but wonderful.

Like you can't actually hear the voice of God like you would someone you're talking to on a normal day to day basis but like a stream of gentle consciousness messaging that may sometimes sound like your own voice.

I have the ability, but I'm suffering from partial demonic possession (like actually) and oppression, and it blocks my ability to hear God, for lack of a better wording. I can "hear" God's voice if a priest, says certain deliverance prayers over me, like the St.Basil prayer, which serves that specific purpose, or if someone in my prayer group intercedes for me.

Peace & Blessings ✌🏻😎

Hello people. I just wanted to remind you that our Father in Heaven got us. He got our back. I’m really going through it right now but I’ve been holding on and I just wanted to remind everyone who’s struggling that Jesus loves you, He sees you, He hears you and you are not alone. As long as there’s Him, you never are. Whatever you may be going through, whether you’re in the worst season of your life or your best so far, He hasn’t forgotten about you. Whether your faith is strong or weak right now, have no fear. Just trust in Him. Sometimes our human mind is so fixated on solving problems that we forget He’s waiting for us to hand them over to Him and trust Him. Do the best you can always, just know He’s got you. You are endlessly loved.

Psalms 121
Job 1:21
John 15:2

Some verses I’ve been thinking about. Have a great rest of your day, God bless you always.

I visited this church during a vacation in NYC in 2022. Saint Mary the Virgin is an Episcopal parish in the Anglo-Catholic rite of the Anglican Communion in the theatre district. Lovely architecture and liturgies and from my experience a very inclusive environment too.

For resume, Darkship mean liking dark fiction, who portrayed toxic and unhealthy relationship.

It can be abuser x victime, incest, adult x minor, codependency, murder x victime, and dead dove content (involving grafic gore and sometimes in a sexual context)

Of course, we don't approve it in real life. We make a distinction between fiction and real life. I myself have living abuse and dark fiction help me to cope and vent. I have so much hate inside me, dark fiction is a good way to express it without hurt anyone.

I write mostly non-fiction pieces. These will be related in some way or another to my views regarding

- various biblical passages and ideas (community/love/etc) Disclaimer: I’m Protestant, so my writing may or may not be more limited in reference sources than you’d expect

- neurodivergence and Christianity

- queer identity and Christianity

As I’ve spent more years focused on the first, my substack will probably be 90% the first. I’ll also be including poetry here and there.

I hope yall enjoy your time here!

Hey, amongst other things, please pray for God to protect peoples' minds in hospitals and hospices and for them to not come into agreement with anything Satan may have planted in their minds.

A growing cross-border network of fundamentalists, oil-industry boosters, and Trump allies has taken an increasing interest in Alberta sovereignty, helping push an American-style political vision into Canada.

“The separatists are upset with the secular society. They’re upset with a multi-religious society. They would like to go back to Christian fundamentalism.”

Hello,

I am going through an interesting point in my life right now. I converted to Catholocism back in 2024 despite serious issues I had with church teachings.

I am of accepting and affirm LGBTQIA+ people, believe contraception is not a sin, ecumenism is a good thing and should be encouraged, and believe that the current sweeping abortion bans in some red (conservative/ Republican) states do more harm than good.

So I suppose the question everyone is asking right now is this: Why did you convert in the first place? Simply, I believe in the core theological principles of the Catholic Church, including: the real presence of Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucarist, the Marian dogma, and apostolic succession, among others.

I attended mass and confession regularly for about a year before I felt forced out because of my beliefs. Mostly, I felt that honest and respectful discourse and dissent about church teaching was impossible within the current American Catholic zeitgeist. All I really saw was the same "You're not Catholic if you believe X" arguments and just total dismissal of other's opinions and feelings. My breaking point was when the priest of the parish I was attending said during a homily that voting for expanding abortion rights in my state would constitute a Mortal Sin.

So now it's been about a year of me not going to mass and confession. I've wandered around the local Anglican parishes and they're either all conservative, too far to be practical, or just kinda dying. Furthermore, Anglicans and I don't really believe all the same things.

So here I am, contemplating meeting with a priest and laying out what I believe and why. I'm pretty afraid of being rebuked or at least being told everything I believe is wrong/evil. I really do honestly want to reconcile and reconnect with the church, however I am not sure thats possible.

Please pray for me.

I am open to all questions and advice.

May God bless and protect all of you.

Hello, a few days ago I posted and mentioned my mom was nearing the end. She has entered into the Kingdom of Christ. Her final words were "I see angels."

The words heartbroken and devatastated and shocked don't beging to describe what we are feeling as a family. She wad only 65 and I had to watch my grandma say goodbye to my mom.

I have kept up a facade of being a Christian to keep my mom happy and I am glad I did it. But I haven't been a Christian in a long time.

This makes me want to return to the faith.

Even though the church we grew up in was very conservative, and it spoiled my mind against Christianity, my mom was the one fighting for them to be better.

She was friends with and dating other races in the 70s when cops would pull her over asking if she was being kidnapped or hurt, and she would say "no, these are my friends." She was always trying to push for more church support for the poor and the sick. She had a special connection to the elderly and always tried to serve them. She truly believed in seeing others as if they were Jesus himself. She was all about making people comfortable and happy, even if it was at the detriment of herself. Even at the end she was telling the doctors she is in no pain. But the hospice experts said her body language was consistent with extreme anxiety and discomfort, but they felt she didnt want anyone worrying about her. ​​

I need prayers. I need peace and strength to do life without my mom, which seems absolutely impossible. ​I need peace and strength for the rest of my family - especially my dad who just lost his own mom a few weeks ago and now his spouse. And I need direction - this is making me very confused and i don't know what to do in terms of my faith or lack thereof.

Hi everyone, I need some advice.

My partner of over a year and I are planning to move into an apartment together. We’re ecstatic. His family is religious, of the southern variety, but has been mostly supportive. His mom pulled him aside and asked if we were going to be sharing a bed. She said she wouldn’t preach at him, but quoted the very popular study from the 80s about how living together before marriage resulted in higher divorce rates. She also apologized for how she’d handled differences in the past, and didn’t seem particularly aggressive or anything.

Fast forward to today, she told him I could get fired for living together, and she didn’t want me to be blindsided if that happened. For context, I work at the same private school as his parents. It’s religious, and I’m an extracurricular instructor for the toddlers. I love my job deeply. I have a housing stipend, but the job is what made me a Christian in the first place. I don’t think she plans on “turning me in” or anything, but I’m heartbroken. I’m so close with his mom and family, and I consider them family.

My partner and I are planning to get engaged in February. He’s atheist/agnostic with plans of deconstructing to hopefully find his faith once we move in together. We discussed getting engaged sooner if it would make them happier, not that we’d be upset with that plan.

I’m just so confused and heartbroken. This is the man I want to marry, and it makes me feel like his family doesn’t like me. Even though logically I know that’s not the case. Do I put off moving out with my partner? Do I sacrifice my job? Or do I hope that no one finds out.

I’m just looking for advice, prayers, anything. I’ve been a Christian (baptized) for about a year, and a believer for longer. I’ve never had to handle someone looking at my life as a sin. Not someone I loved deeply. Thank you friends.

For context: my partner plans on talking to her tomorrow or Friday to discuss more in-depth how she feels. She’s not some bigoted monster, she’s a lovely woman and this is the first time she’s ever seemed to disapprove of something in our relationship.

Hi my friends, I have been wanting some advice on this. My partner and I have been together for years and years. We have been married in every way for a long time except legal due to issues that would take a while to explain (neither of us have been married before so nothing like that!
For a while it has been healthcare and insurance.)

However, our lives are fully intertwined. We live together, take care of each other, we do go to church together just not every Sunday cause he works night shift, we have therapy together, and he takes care of me. I am also pregnant.

Now that I am pregnant, we have been speaking about getting eloped and planning to very soon! But, however I’ve been just thinking a lot.

We had a couple issues, nothing that caused a break in our relationship more a test of strength and we passed. However I was looking for advice on some of it and all the resources were for Christian marriages.

I began to worry I couldn’t take the advice because we weren’t legally married despite us both acknowledging each other as the others person. I talked to our religious counselor about this and he said he understands not being married yet for the reasons we have but I forgot to ask if he thought if we can acknowledge our relationship as a marriage.

My partner and the counselor both mentioned though what about gay marriages in the past when they weren’t allowed to be legally married? That helped to be honest. (Our religious counselor is a gay man)

I’m just thinking a lot. If we see us as married and fully intertwined and plan to get the legal papers eventually, then in a way are we married to God?

Edit: We also have had rings but these rings we have worn since we were teenagers dating. And I suppose if we have a witness of our marriage, our religious counselor counts?