Something blessed, something cute...

It has been some interesting times. I am backing up on my blogging topics, so I need to do some writing.

But the most pressing thing on my mind right now is a blessing I received from a commenter on this post about the God and Gays DVD. The commenter wrote:

I'd be very interested in seeing that DVD too. I'm one of those homophobe Christians who'd really like to relieve myself of my ignorance in this matter for a number of reasons.

I was curious - was this person being serious? So (since she provided her real email address) I wrote back and questioned her - did she really want to hear more? If so, I gave her a couple of links to posts on here, and a link to Justin Lee's talk about GLBT ministry that he gave at the Evangelicals Concerned conference a couple years ago. I apologized for a lengthy answer, said a quick prayer, and sent it off.

I got back this response:

Thank you very much for your response. I appreciate the thought that went into it!

I was serious with that comment :o/ I am a bit of a homophobe. I've been taught that homosexuality is a sin. And we have to "Hate the sin but love the sinner". But I want to know if it really is that cut & dry. I really do want to understand all the facts.

So you've given me more than enough reading material to keep me going for quite some time! Thank you very much! :o)

I've been praying for that kind of response to this blog ever since I started it - that someone would get here, by whatever hook or crook, and say, "OK, I'll bite - tell me more." To be honest, it brought tears of joy to my eyes. I guess I am still more than a little touched when folks are reached by what I write.

So that's blessing one.

Blessing two was actually seeing the DVD God and Gays. It's a worthwhile effort, though not flawless, by any means. The DVD's opening theme, "What's It Like to Be Gay and Christian?" was over-the-top sweet (not in a good way). But once you get past that, it is full of people sharing their experience of being gay and Christian, and it was worth the money, overall. I'll do more of a review on it later on.

Through the video, I got introduced to Jacob Reitan, the young adult coordinator for Soulforce and a sophomore at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. The link takes you to an open letter from Jacob and his bio, as well as an overview of the planned "direct action" at the Southern Baptist Conference meeting in St. Louis. Wish I could be there. I'll be keeping my eye on young br'er Reitan, and not just because he's dazzlingly cute, either. /smirk/

OK, now for the something cute. Go here and listen to this.

I don't expect to hear that aired on PBS anytime soon, but it's still funny...

For now, th-th-th-that's all, folks!