How the COVID-19 Pandemic May Permanently Change Our ‘Good Death’ Narrative
Thousands are now dying in hospital ICUs around the country without the supportive presence of…
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Queer Suicide and the Malpractice of “Love”
Violence against queer people runs much deeper than physical bullying, verbal harassment, or even hate-crime murder. It is a violence that takes place at the level of the psyche, the soul—at the very level at which our sense of “self” is constructed within our relation to society.
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Dialogue or Demonization? Where Gays are Concerned, Focus on the Family Wants it Both Ways
But even while the language and the tone of anti-gay evangelical groups is beginning to shift, the reality is that while the language of anti-bullying has been adopted by groups like Focus on the Family, the theological and ideological currents that produce the reality of anti-gay bullying remain unquestioned.
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After Westboro: The Trouble With “Tolerance”
There are various levels of nuance to the message that LGBT people are unacceptable to God, and these often pass under the guise of tolerance. One of the most pervasive is the notion of “welcoming but not affirming.” It is the pinnacle of the soul-destroying practice of theologized tolerance that says, “You are welcome to exist among us, but we cannot affirm the goodness, value or worth of your life(style).” This is a particularly popular discourse among “moderates” who rest proud that they aren’t like Westboro and for whom tolerance seems virtuous.
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Why Anti-Gay Bullying is a Theological Issue
I cannot count the number of times I have heard well-meaning, good-hearted people say, “Things are a lot better for gay people today than they were several years (or decades) ago. In time, our society (or churches) will come around on this issue.” To these friends and others, I must say, “It’s time.” For Lucas, Brown, Clementi, Walsh, and Chase the time is up. For these teens and the myriad other LGBT youth lost to suicide, the waiting game hasn’t worked so well.
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