This morning I saw Bette Anne at the farmers' market. She was a friend in university, and I bump into her around town once every five years or so. Her wavy brown hair has turned crinkly and frosty. She has a bright-eyed, interesting Dutch face that has taken well to middle age. With her warm, energetic demeanour I suppose she will only grow ( Read more... )

Several days ago The Friendly Atheist posted A Gay Christian Woman Struggles With Her Identity. The person in question launched a new blog, Becoming Israel, while her questioning Christian friend at FlowerDust mused, Why is being gay a sin?

I usually avoid wading into argumentative waters, but hate to see anyone wander down this treacherous path ( Read more... )

My last evening in Pittsburgh I had to myself. After considering looking up the local gay bars, I chose instead to go back to ghostsandrobots's apartment with some treats-chai-flavoured chocolate, kettle chips, soya ice cream and elderberry tea-to bribe myself into writing for a couple hours. No better place that in someone else's apartment, empty and softly lit ( Read more... )

I was taking a pee break when it hit me: in order to write Pilgrim's Cross I ought to read the Bible again. Especially since Jesus is a conceptual character in the novel. And not only the Bible, but also as much ex-gay literature as I can lay hands on. I realized this reading would be necessary when I wrote the first draft two years ago, but ( Read more... )

Toronto psychiatrist Joseph Berger, M.D., advocates school bullying as a valid therapy to discourage sexual variance in children:I suggest, indeed, letting children who wish go to school in clothes of the opposite sex -- but not counselling other children to not tease them or hurt their feelings. On the contrary, don't interfere, and let the other ( Read more... )

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A few people on my friends list will be interested in the most recent post on Wayne Besen's blog:

The New Fighters of Faith and ReasonIt often seems like the religious left won't realize it has a dog in the fight against fanaticism until the right's pit bulls are lunging at its timid throat. For too long, Christian moderates have been invisible, ( Read more... )