Sexual Alphabet Soup

on May 10, 2012

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I just got back from a conference on the emergent church and youth ministry. One workshop was devoted to “welcoming the rainbow children” (kids from same-sex/other heterodox couples). We here at IRD pride ourselves on knowing the latest fad in gender abbreviations since they change so often. Yesterday, I heard the latest and newest: GLBPTICQA. That’s right, we’ve almost run out of counting fingers. It stands for gay, lesbian, bisexual, polyamorous/pansexual [<-this saddens me because that was my catchall term], transexual, intersex, cisgender/curious, queer/questioning, and asexual/allies. You can thank me later for helping you win next week’s trivia night.

  1. Comment by Sara Anderson on May 10, 2012 at 2:40 pm

    Life just keeps getting more complex.

  2. Comment by theird on May 10, 2012 at 3:37 pm

    @Sara, thanks for the comment. We will try to keep you posted about the changes we notice!

  3. Comment by Chris Tiedeman on May 10, 2012 at 3:05 pm

    I am wondering where Wesley says that parachurch organizations should point out what they think are ridiculous things about those with whom we disagree?

  4. Comment by David Fischler on May 10, 2012 at 7:06 pm

    Where did Wesley say they shouldn’t?

  5. Comment by Jase on May 11, 2012 at 6:44 am

    Chris, since Christians can see sinful lifestyles in light of the good news of Jesus Christ, don’t you think it’s a good idea to speak the truth to people about this? We are talking about people’s eternal destinies here – are you honestly more concerned about stepping on toes than helping them out of sin’s deceptive hold?

    We tend to worship ourselves, we stop worshiping God, and then become depraved in our thinking. We don’t like to think of God as judging us, but if you really know what God is like you know that he must…except that, a holy one can be judged in our place. That = good news!

  6. Comment by Chris Tiedeman on May 11, 2012 at 9:17 am

    This isn’t concern for one’s eternal salvation. This is catty and unhelpful.

  7. Comment by Perry Robinson on May 10, 2012 at 3:33 pm

    It doesn’t keep getting more complex. It keeps becoming more manifest an clear.

  8. Comment by Cindy Lanning on May 10, 2012 at 6:00 pm

    From a strictly practical point of view, how could anyone be expected to remember all of these terms and possible combinations? Can’t we just love children and welcome them in Jesus’ name without having to label them?

  9. Comment by Jan Hug on May 14, 2012 at 12:36 am

    It is not up to us to judge. God is fully capable of that. He forgives everyone. But do we? Obviously many think they are supposed to judge in place of God.

  10. Comment by Chris Tiedeman on May 14, 2012 at 11:02 am

    A simple and correct statement. Thank you.

  11. Comment by Carolyn Davis on May 14, 2012 at 5:16 pm

    Maybe if people (and the IRD) quit bullying people who don’t fit the “norm,” those people of the “alphabet soup” wouldn’t bear the burden of having to justify the wondrously endless configurations of identity and desire in God’s creation in order to find the solidarity necessary to survive a culture that despises and ridicules them. If religious groups started deciding that how I present myself and who I am in relationship with is an “abomination” that characterizes me as somehow less worthy of God’s love than a heterosexual, you’re darn tootin’ that I would begin resisting by demanding active recognition and respect for my difference.

  12. Comment by Sara Anderson on May 15, 2012 at 8:30 am

    “The kingdom of self is heavily defended territory. Post-Eden Adams and Eves are willing to pay their respects to God, but they don’t want him invading their turf. Most sin, far from being a mere lapse of morals or a weak will, is an energetically and expensively erected defence against God.” Eugene Peterson in The Contemplative Pastor

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