As usual, lots and lots of mean-spirited commentary around GLBT issues here yesterday, but a couple of poignant comments stuck out under yesterday’s Comment of the Day and Sunday’s Announcing Queermergent. First, Kristi:

done talking? done listening? i don’t understand what preson is done doing, i guess.

and after looking at the original post, i do see that you were merely posting a link to someone, not giving your opinion on it.

i just chatted for an hour yesterday with a childhood friend who is
a christian and who is currently raising her 3 kids with a girlfriend
and is still recovering from a horribly abusive marriage. i have
already been working on trying to love people where they are, but this
has seriously challenged my thinking regarding people who are living
differently from me.

right now, i am just torn apart that she has had to endure a life of
abuse and suffering, and i’m also confused because what i would want to
label as wrong based on my upbringing, i see as an extremely healthy
and safe life for her and her children compared with the “hetero” life
she was leading before.

so this leads me to think: we should not worry about alienating
people who are already part of this conversation, part of the in crowd;
we should be worried and focused on trying not to alienate people who
are part of the out crowd, bringing people together to further
conversation. no one said we have to be accepting of everything
everyone says or does. but neither do we need to sit in condemnation
over people.

it’s not our jobs to decide what kind of faith people are living out
in their lives. i, for one, am relieved that God is the One who does
all the work in that department.

Next, Mark:

To all who have been posting, I am a gay male. I was born gay, by God.
I did not have a domineering mother nor a passive father.
I was not sexually abused by a male at an early age.
I was not raised as a girl.
My family life was essentially like “Father Knows Best” – the perfect example of a nuclear family.
I grew up going to church each Sunday.
I was popular and dated girls in school.
Every part of my life supported and promoted a heterosexual life.

In my late 20’s, I realized I was not a heterosexual. I sought out
counseling and prayed to God to “take this cup away”. Fortunately, I
had a loving family and supportive group of friends. I avoided the
pitfalls (and escapism) of alcoholism and drugs.

I am a medical professional who has been in a 17 year old relationship with another man, whom I love dearly.

God does not abhor me, He does not condemn who I am, He blesses my life every day and is a constant presence.