People think it’s weird that I’m gay & celibate & don’t find celibacy toxic. They want to know how I “do it.”

To begin with, I don’t start with sin.
Most Christians start their approach to sexual ethics with sin. Why? What good does this do? It creates a theology obsessed with all of the ways we might “fall to temptation” instead of how we might follow the witness of Jesus in our lives.
Jesus came to defeat the power of sin. Why lay our foundations in a thing that Jesus came to abolish?
When we center our theology on avoiding temptation, we give sin a kind of negative power. We ironically allow fear of sin to rule our lives. Sin takes control, and the Gospel is forgotten.
The point of a healthy ethic—sexual ethic or otherwise—is not avoiding sin. The point is to practice a way of life that helps us become our best selves.
This means that a healthy sexual ethic shouldn’t trap us in a cycle of guilt & shame over sin. It should invite us into something beautiful that makes us feel fuller & more like ourselves, something that brings us closer to God instead of making God feel hopelessly distant.
If celibacy is creating distance between you & God, it isn’t healthy. If your sexual ethic is making you feel like a worse human being, it isn’t good.
If you believe that celibacy is God’s path for you—as I do—then get rid of the toxic foundations & start from scratch. Apart from sin. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in learning to practice this spiritual vocation in the freedom of Jesus Christ.

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More from @TravelingNun

7 Apr
Did you know the word “lesbian” is falling out of practice in queer spaces?

The reason has everything to do w/ “lesbian” being the ONLY word in the LGBTQ lexicon that refers to women alone.
That’s right. It’s not just the straights uncomfortable with the “L-word.” Even most QUEER WOMEN use the word “gay” to describe themselves before they EVER use “lesbian.”

Why?
Historians observe that words referring to women tend to “derogate” over time. Meaning they become pejoratives. Whereas words referring to men retain their meaning.
Read 23 tweets
31 Mar
LGBTQ people experience some of the highest rates of medical discrimination in the country. When we experience illness, many believe we deserve to be sick & die.

And now it’s legal in Arkansas to deny us ANY healthcare service on the grounds of “moral conscience.”
The only qualifier in this bill is that doctors must provide care in the case of an “emergency.” This is laughable, as the vast majority of healthcare services—many if not most of which are lifesaving—do not fall under the category of “emergency.”
Some argue that the bill does not name LGBTQ people explicitly, so it’s not actually targeting LGBTQ people. Again, this is laughable. We all know what demographics this law is going to be used against the most. Laws like these in the US *always* target LGBTQ people and women.
Read 13 tweets
30 Mar
I’m gay & celibate & can honestly say that celibacy has been a life-giving experience for me. Gay celibacy is not inherently toxic.

But here’s the thing: When you tell gay ppl they *must* be celibate or else go to hell, you are not preaching the Gospel. You are preaching death.
Celibacy is life-giving, for gay ppl as well straight, when discovered in the *midst* of relationship with Jesus Christ, not as a condition to be in relationship with Jesus in the first place.
No one’s salvation hinges on what we do, think, or believe a/b gender & sexuality. If it did, none of us would go to heaven. “He who is w/o sin, cast the first stone.” If you think your theology on gender & sexuality is perfect, you’re in for a surprise when you get to heaven.
Read 16 tweets
11 Mar
1. White progressives going at Jesus for being “racist” toward the Syrophoenician woman is peak 2021.

News flash. “Racist” Jesus isn’t a thing.
2. The claim centers on the story of the Syrophoenician woman begging Jesus to cast a demon out of her daughter. Jesus responds, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs” (Mk 7:27).

What’s going on here? Is Jesus being a racist a**hole?
3. The Bible is a piece of literature as much as it is a historical document. Pay attention to the structure of the Gospel of Mark and it becomes pretty clear what’s going on.
Read 23 tweets
22 Feb
The idea that rape is a product of “sexual temptation” stems from a toxic relationship to sexuality.
If you believe that sexual attraction is an overwhelming animal urge that requires a Herculean level of self-control granted only by prayer and spiritual maturity, then it’s easy to believe that ppl (in particular cisgender men) are constantly on the verge of raping other ppl.
In this worldview, *not* raping ppl becomes a virtue unto itself. If sexual attraction is always & only ever compelling people to sexually devour each other, then *not* raping ppl is a sign of self-control!
Read 11 tweets
5 Feb
“How can you be gay & celibate & not inherently self-hating?”

I get asked this question a LOT. People assume that the only reason a gay person would be celibate is internalized homophobia.

But they’re wrong.
Gay people can be celibate for all kinds of reasons.

Maybe they just don’t like sex very much and don’t particularly want to have it. Yes, it’s possible to have a sex drive and experience sexual attraction but still not enjoy having sex.
Or maybe they’re just asexual and don’t experience sexual attraction in the first place. Yes, gay people can be asexual and asexual people can be gay.
Read 13 tweets

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