well before I begin let me just say that if you feel a little uncomfortable
if you feel a little uncomfortable
if you feel a little uncomfortable seeing a woman in this what I call my
seeing a woman in this what I call my
seeing a woman in this what I call my clergy drag or a woman in a collar let
clergy drag or a woman in a collar let
clergy drag or a woman in a collar let me tell you that you are not alone when
me tell you that you are not alone when
me tell you that you are not alone when I was first ordained I walked down a
I was first ordained I walked down a
I was first ordained I walked down a Main Street this lovely little old
Main Street this lovely little old
Main Street this lovely little old gentleman came up to me and said good
gentleman came up to me and said good
gentleman came up to me and said good afternoon father now when I was a little
afternoon father now when I was a little
afternoon father now when I was a little girl one of my earliest memories is
girl one of my earliest memories is
girl one of my earliest memories is being chased home from school by boys
being chased home from school by boys
being chased home from school by boys and being called a dyke and depending on
and being called a dyke and depending on
and being called a dyke and depending on the season that throw snowballs at me or
the season that throw snowballs at me or
the season that throw snowballs at me or they throw rocks at me so I always knew
they throw rocks at me so I always knew
they throw rocks at me so I always knew I was queer I always identified as
I was queer I always identified as
I was queer I always identified as bisexual and for the last few decades
bisexual and for the last few decades
bisexual and for the last few decades I’ve known I’m a Christian but I think
I’ve known I’m a Christian but I think
I’ve known I’m a Christian but I think when that old man said to me father for
when that old man said to me father for
when that old man said to me father for the first time I got I was a queer
the first time I got I was a queer
the first time I got I was a queer Christian and that’s what I want to talk
Christian and that’s what I want to talk
Christian and that’s what I want to talk to you about today in fact I want to
to you about today in fact I want to
to you about today in fact I want to talk to you about the fact that this is
talk to you about the fact that this is
talk to you about the fact that this is a queer read a queer positive read the
a queer read a queer positive read the
a queer read a queer positive read the Holy Bible
Holy Bible
Holy Bible and that we people of faith have been
and that we people of faith have been
and that we people of faith have been some of us queers since the get-go in
some of us queers since the get-go in
some of us queers since the get-go in fact you know it’s always been a part of
fact you know it’s always been a part of
fact you know it’s always been a part of our legacy now why should any of you
our legacy now why should any of you
our legacy now why should any of you care about this if you’re not people of
care about this if you’re not people of
care about this if you’re not people of faith if you don’t believe in God if
faith if you don’t believe in God if
faith if you don’t believe in God if you’re a secular why should you care
you’re a secular why should you care
you’re a secular why should you care well for starters there are 76 countries
well for starters there are 76 countries
well for starters there are 76 countries in the world where being me we’re being
in the world where being me we’re being
in the world where being me we’re being LGBTQ is criminalized we would be
LGBTQ is criminalized we would be
LGBTQ is criminalized we would be considered criminal and ten of those
considered criminal and ten of those
considered criminal and ten of those countries there is the death penalty for
countries there is the death penalty for
countries there is the death penalty for people just like me and the problem is
people just like me and the problem is
people just like me and the problem is that a lot of those laws are based on an
that a lot of those laws are based on an
that a lot of those laws are based on an erroneous
erroneous
erroneous is wrongheaded reading of what’s in this
is wrongheaded reading of what’s in this
is wrongheaded reading of what’s in this book so if you care about human rights
book so if you care about human rights
book so if you care about human rights if you care about civil rights I’m gonna
if you care about civil rights I’m gonna
if you care about civil rights I’m gonna give you the tools to use when you meet
give you the tools to use when you meet
give you the tools to use when you meet one of those five billion out of seven
one of those five billion out of seven
one of those five billion out of seven million people in the world that
million people in the world that
million people in the world that identify as people of the book Christian
identify as people of the book Christian
identify as people of the book Christian Muslim or Jewish now here’s a fast fact
Muslim or Jewish now here’s a fast fact
Muslim or Jewish now here’s a fast fact a biblical fact that you can draw at the
a biblical fact that you can draw at the
a biblical fact that you can draw at the next cocktail party to make yourself
next cocktail party to make yourself
next cocktail party to make yourself sound like a brilliant theologian this
sound like a brilliant theologian this
sound like a brilliant theologian this is a painting done by Rembrandt of the
is a painting done by Rembrandt of the
is a painting done by Rembrandt of the very first Christian convert it’s called
very first Christian convert it’s called
very first Christian convert it’s called the baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch and
the baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch and
the baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch and first of all isn’t it interesting that
first of all isn’t it interesting that
first of all isn’t it interesting that the very first Christian convert was a
the very first Christian convert was a
the very first Christian convert was a person of color but what was a eunuch
person of color but what was a eunuch
person of color but what was a eunuch well some eunuchs were men that were
well some eunuchs were men that were
well some eunuchs were men that were forcibly castrated but the vast majority
forcibly castrated but the vast majority
forcibly castrated but the vast majority of eunuchs were those who either chose
of eunuchs were those who either chose
of eunuchs were those who either chose to be castrated or their bodies were
to be castrated or their bodies were
to be castrated or their bodies were touched at all they just had absolutely
touched at all they just had absolutely
touched at all they just had absolutely no interest in heterosexual sex
no interest in heterosexual sex
no interest in heterosexual sex therefore they were safe around the
therefore they were safe around the
therefore they were safe around the Kings harems so I feel totally safe and
Kings harems so I feel totally safe and
Kings harems so I feel totally safe and saying that the very first Christian
saying that the very first Christian
saying that the very first Christian convert was a queer person of color and
convert was a queer person of color and
convert was a queer person of color and that’s in the Bible and Philip didn’t
that’s in the Bible and Philip didn’t
that’s in the Bible and Philip didn’t want to baptize the eunuch because
want to baptize the eunuch because
want to baptize the eunuch because Philip thought that the eunuch was
Philip thought that the eunuch was
Philip thought that the eunuch was sexually unclean now how did the unit
sexually unclean now how did the unit
sexually unclean now how did the unit convince Philip to baptize them by
convince Philip to baptize them by
convince Philip to baptize them by knowing their Bible and quoting
knowing their Bible and quoting
knowing their Bible and quoting scripture at Philip lesson for all of us
scripture at Philip lesson for all of us
scripture at Philip lesson for all of us here’s another painting and this one I’m
here’s another painting and this one I’m
here’s another painting and this one I’m sure is familiar to all of you this is
sure is familiar to all of you this is
sure is familiar to all of you this is the Last Supper painted by Leonardo da
the Last Supper painted by Leonardo da
the Last Supper painted by Leonardo da Vinci and it’s everywhere and it’s in
Vinci and it’s everywhere and it’s in
Vinci and it’s everywhere and it’s in every Church just about they’re all men
every Church just about they’re all men
every Church just about they’re all men they’re the twelve disciples sitting
they’re the twelve disciples sitting
they’re the twelve disciples sitting next to Jesus in the middle but look at
next to Jesus in the middle but look at
next to Jesus in the middle but look at the one that’s circled
the one that’s circled
the one that’s circled that’s John the Baptist the disciple it
that’s John the Baptist the disciple it
that’s John the Baptist the disciple it says that Jesus loved and Leonardo was
says that Jesus loved and Leonardo was
says that Jesus loved and Leonardo was part of a huge tradition that always
part of a huge tradition that always
part of a huge tradition that always painted John the Baptist as a feminine
painted John the Baptist as a feminine
painted John the Baptist as a feminine man now we don’t really know why that
man now we don’t really know why that
man now we don’t really know why that tradition started but we do know this
tradition started but we do know this
tradition started but we do know this that there obviously wasn’t anything
that there obviously wasn’t anything
that there obviously wasn’t anything wrong with being a feminized man in
wrong with being a feminized man in
wrong with being a feminized man in Leonardo’s day just like there shouldn’t
Leonardo’s day just like there shouldn’t
Leonardo’s day just like there shouldn’t be anything wrong with it
be anything wrong with it
be anything wrong with it today now god godself in Genesis created
today now god godself in Genesis created
today now god godself in Genesis created male males and females in God’s image
male males and females in God’s image
male males and females in God’s image both men and women in God’s image
both men and women in God’s image
both men and women in God’s image so clearly God is not an old guy with a
so clearly God is not an old guy with a
so clearly God is not an old guy with a white beard God is actually far more
white beard God is actually far more
white beard God is actually far more nuanced than that and first John says it
nuanced than that and first John says it
nuanced than that and first John says it clearly God is love and whoever lives in
clearly God is love and whoever lives in
clearly God is love and whoever lives in love lives in God and God lives in them
love lives in God and God lives in them
love lives in God and God lives in them so God is really more a verb than a noun
so God is really more a verb than a noun
so God is really more a verb than a noun anyway it’s just that our limited
anyway it’s just that our limited
anyway it’s just that our limited imaginations we have to personify the
imaginations we have to personify the
imaginations we have to personify the deity now there are those scripture
deity now there are those scripture
deity now there are those scripture passages that have been used
passages that have been used
passages that have been used they’re called the text of Terror to
they’re called the text of Terror to
they’re called the text of Terror to beat up on people like me and other
beat up on people like me and other
beat up on people like me and other queers and preeminent among them is a
queers and preeminent among them is a
queers and preeminent among them is a story of sodom and gomorrah from which
story of sodom and gomorrah from which
story of sodom and gomorrah from which we get the term sodomy but here’s the
we get the term sodomy but here’s the
we get the term sodomy but here’s the kicker Sodom and Gomorrah is a queer
kicker Sodom and Gomorrah is a queer
kicker Sodom and Gomorrah is a queer positive story here’s how it goes God is
positive story here’s how it goes God is
positive story here’s how it goes God is concerned about the people of Sodom not
concerned about the people of Sodom not
concerned about the people of Sodom not being hospitable not being gracious
being hospitable not being gracious
being hospitable not being gracious enough to strangers so God disguises to
enough to strangers so God disguises to
enough to strangers so God disguises to angels and sends them into the town of
angels and sends them into the town of
angels and sends them into the town of Sodom now we don’t know why those angels
Sodom now we don’t know why those angels
Sodom now we don’t know why those angels seem so strange to the townspeople was
seem so strange to the townspeople was
seem so strange to the townspeople was that their language was that their
that their language was that their
that their language was that their ethnicity was it the religion there is
ethnicity was it the religion there is
ethnicity was it the religion there is something so threatening so
something so threatening so
something so threatening so we’re about them to the townspeople that
we’re about them to the townspeople that
we’re about them to the townspeople that it set them off and they failed a test a
it set them off and they failed a test a
it set them off and they failed a test a group of young men set out to threaten
group of young men set out to threaten
group of young men set out to threaten to gang rape the Angels and this is
to gang rape the Angels and this is
to gang rape the Angels and this is interesting in itself because the threat
interesting in itself because the threat
interesting in itself because the threat of rape was used back then and is still
of rape was used back then and is still
of rape was used back then and is still used today against LGBTQ people still
used today against LGBTQ people still
used today against LGBTQ people still one of the major threats used now their
one of the major threats used now their
one of the major threats used now their so-called somewhat hero lot said no no
so-called somewhat hero lot said no no
so-called somewhat hero lot said no no no leave the strangers alone take my two
no leave the strangers alone take my two
no leave the strangers alone take my two virgin daughters gang-raped them instead
virgin daughters gang-raped them instead
virgin daughters gang-raped them instead now I say to you if this is a story
now I say to you if this is a story
now I say to you if this is a story about sexual morality it is horrendous
about sexual morality it is horrendous
about sexual morality it is horrendous twisted tale this isn’t a story about
twisted tale this isn’t a story about
twisted tale this isn’t a story about sexual morality this is a story about
sexual morality this is a story about
sexual morality this is a story about what we do what we are confronted with
what we do what we are confronted with
what we do what we are confronted with somebody who’s strange or different or
somebody who’s strange or different or
somebody who’s strange or different or challenges our sense of self and the
challenges our sense of self and the
challenges our sense of self and the moral is this that if you meet someone
moral is this that if you meet someone
moral is this that if you meet someone like that you should greet them as if
like that you should greet them as if
like that you should greet them as if they were an angel sent by the divine
they were an angel sent by the divine
they were an angel sent by the divine it’s a queer positive story now the only
it’s a queer positive story now the only
it’s a queer positive story now the only other time sex with men and Matt between
other time sex with men and Matt between
other time sex with men and Matt between man and man is mentioned in Hebrew
man and man is mentioned in Hebrew
man and man is mentioned in Hebrew Scriptures is Leviticus and Leviticus
Scriptures is Leviticus and Leviticus
Scriptures is Leviticus and Leviticus has over 600 do’s and don’ts for example
has over 600 do’s and don’ts for example
has over 600 do’s and don’ts for example Leviticus says don’t wear clothing of
Leviticus says don’t wear clothing of
Leviticus says don’t wear clothing of mix fibres so let me tell you you’re all
mix fibres so let me tell you you’re all
mix fibres so let me tell you you’re all sinners
sinners
sinners it also says don’t get a tattoo I know
it also says don’t get a tattoo I know
it also says don’t get a tattoo I know there are some of you out there it says
there are some of you out there it says
there are some of you out there it says don’t eat shellfish and I don’t see
don’t eat shellfish and I don’t see
don’t eat shellfish and I don’t see people of faith with placards outside of
people of faith with placards outside of
people of faith with placards outside of Red Lobster it says you should kill live
Red Lobster it says you should kill live
Red Lobster it says you should kill live animals on an almost daily basis as an
animals on an almost daily basis as an
animals on an almost daily basis as an appeasement to God it also says you
appeasement to God it also says you
appeasement to God it also says you should stone people who are caught in a
should stone people who are caught in a
should stone people who are caught in a Daltry now there isn’t a fundamentalist
Daltry now there isn’t a fundamentalist
Daltry now there isn’t a fundamentalist literalist in the world in the world who
literalist in the world in the world who
literalist in the world in the world who lives by every do and don’t in leviticus
lives by every do and don’t in leviticus
lives by every do and don’t in leviticus so why would we take out just that
so why would we take out just that
so why would we take out just that passage about men having sex with men
passage about men having sex with men
passage about men having sex with men makes no sense
makes no sense
makes no sense no paul also says some negative things
no paul also says some negative things
no paul also says some negative things about sex between men but paul also said
about sex between men but paul also said
about sex between men but paul also said don’t get married
don’t get married
don’t get married not too many christians or anybody else
not too many christians or anybody else
not too many christians or anybody else upholds that paul also said that if
upholds that paul also said that if
upholds that paul also said that if you’re a slave don’t fight for your
you’re a slave don’t fight for your
you’re a slave don’t fight for your freedom stay a slave a passage that was
freedom stay a slave a passage that was
freedom stay a slave a passage that was used for hundreds of years to justify
used for hundreds of years to justify
used for hundreds of years to justify slavery why did Paul say such strange
slavery why did Paul say such strange
slavery why did Paul say such strange things strange things because in his day
things strange things because in his day
things strange things because in his day they were rounding up Christians they
they were rounding up Christians they
they were rounding up Christians they were killing them they were torturing
were killing them they were torturing
were killing them they were torturing them Paul wrote from prison so he was
them Paul wrote from prison so he was
them Paul wrote from prison so he was saying essentially to Christians you’re
saying essentially to Christians you’re
saying essentially to Christians you’re gonna die soon you’re gonna meet your
gonna die soon you’re gonna meet your
gonna die soon you’re gonna meet your maker so don’t change what you’re doing
maker so don’t change what you’re doing
maker so don’t change what you’re doing at this point keep on doing what you’re
at this point keep on doing what you’re
at this point keep on doing what you’re doing focus on the divine Paul also said
doing focus on the divine Paul also said
doing focus on the divine Paul also said and wrote some of the most beautiful
and wrote some of the most beautiful
and wrote some of the most beautiful binary smashing queer positive words
binary smashing queer positive words
binary smashing queer positive words ever written he said in Christ there is
ever written he said in Christ there is
ever written he said in Christ there is no male nor female slave nor free Jew
no male nor female slave nor free Jew
no male nor female slave nor free Jew nor Greek you are all one in Christ
nor Greek you are all one in Christ
nor Greek you are all one in Christ Jesus it’s not much of a leap to say
Jesus it’s not much of a leap to say
Jesus it’s not much of a leap to say queer nor straight is it I’ve been so
queer nor straight is it I’ve been so
queer nor straight is it I’ve been so privileged and so honored in my life
privileged and so honored in my life
privileged and so honored in my life because I got to perform the very first
because I got to perform the very first
because I got to perform the very first legalized same-sex marriage and here
legalized same-sex marriage and here
legalized same-sex marriage and here they are Paola and Blanca two lovely
they are Paola and Blanca two lovely
they are Paola and Blanca two lovely women of color how did we do it well I
women of color how did we do it well I
women of color how did we do it well I read the band’s an ancient Christian
read the band’s an ancient Christian
read the band’s an ancient Christian tradition in church and the band’s
tradition in church and the band’s
tradition in church and the band’s didn’t say male or female to send bride
didn’t say male or female to send bride
didn’t say male or female to send bride and groom and uh we perform the ceremony
and groom and uh we perform the ceremony
and groom and uh we perform the ceremony was joyous
was joyous
was joyous and then we sent in that form the little
and then we sent in that form the little
and then we sent in that form the little prayer to the clerk’s office and the
prayer to the clerk’s office and the
prayer to the clerk’s office and the clerk vetted it and sent them back a
clerk vetted it and sent them back a
clerk vetted it and sent them back a marriage license why because the clerk
marriage license why because the clerk
marriage license why because the clerk thought that Paola PA ula was a man’s
thought that Paola PA ula was a man’s
thought that Paola PA ula was a man’s name hallelujah now clearly we had a
name hallelujah now clearly we had a
name hallelujah now clearly we had a very queer positive congregation hey I
very queer positive congregation hey I
very queer positive congregation hey I was in the pulpit we also had a trans
was in the pulpit we also had a trans
was in the pulpit we also had a trans music director Toby dancer and Toby was
music director Toby dancer and Toby was
music director Toby dancer and Toby was the inspiration behind Toby’s law that I
the inspiration behind Toby’s law that I
the inspiration behind Toby’s law that I fought for years to get past and Toby’s
fought for years to get past and Toby’s
fought for years to get past and Toby’s law added trans rights to the entire
law added trans rights to the entire
law added trans rights to the entire Human Rights Code the largest and first
Human Rights Code the largest and first
Human Rights Code the largest and first jurisdiction of his kind to do so took
jurisdiction of his kind to do so took
jurisdiction of his kind to do so took me many years
me many years
me many years and sadly Toby did not live to see that
and sadly Toby did not live to see that
and sadly Toby did not live to see that Toby died as many trans folk did by her
Toby died as many trans folk did by her
Toby died as many trans folk did by her own hand she died of an overdose it
own hand she died of an overdose it
own hand she died of an overdose it totally decimated our congregation and
totally decimated our congregation and
totally decimated our congregation and our community when that happened and
our community when that happened and
our community when that happened and some wonderful people in the
some wonderful people in the
some wonderful people in the congregation commissioned the stained
congregation commissioned the stained
congregation commissioned the stained glass window of Toby to be put up in our
glass window of Toby to be put up in our
glass window of Toby to be put up in our sanctuary it’s become a place of
sanctuary it’s become a place of
sanctuary it’s become a place of pilgrimage for trans folk across North
pilgrimage for trans folk across North
pilgrimage for trans folk across North America and when I perform Toby’s
America and when I perform Toby’s
America and when I perform Toby’s funeral I said to those assembled we
funeral I said to those assembled we
funeral I said to those assembled we must be the only Church in Christendom
must be the only Church in Christendom
must be the only Church in Christendom that has a stained-glass window of a
that has a stained-glass window of a
that has a stained-glass window of a trans person in their sanctuary now
trans person in their sanctuary now
trans person in their sanctuary now somebody put their hand up and yelled
somebody put their hand up and yelled
somebody put their hand up and yelled from the back row saying what about Joan
from the back row saying what about Joan
from the back row saying what about Joan of Arc what about Joan of Arc at least a
of Arc what about Joan of Arc at least a
of Arc what about Joan of Arc at least a crossdresser if not a trans person so
crossdresser if not a trans person so
crossdresser if not a trans person so you see my friends queers have been
you see my friends queers have been
you see my friends queers have been there from the get-go and this book this
there from the get-go and this book this
there from the get-go and this book this book that preaches love should never be
book that preaches love should never be
book that preaches love should never be used as a weapon against LGBTQ people
used as a weapon against LGBTQ people
used as a weapon against LGBTQ people neither should our face add to
neither should our face add to
neither should our face add to discrimination and hatred there’s a
discrimination and hatred there’s a
discrimination and hatred there’s a wonderful tradition in our faith group
wonderful tradition in our faith group
wonderful tradition in our faith group so that is instead of saying we agree we
so that is instead of saying we agree we
so that is instead of saying we agree we say Amen so I’m gonna put it out there
say Amen so I’m gonna put it out there
say Amen so I’m gonna put it out there if you do agree that we should stop
if you do agree that we should stop
if you do agree that we should stop using this to kill queers to
using this to kill queers to
using this to kill queers to decriminalize queers to discriminate
decriminalize queers to discriminate
decriminalize queers to discriminate against queers and we should stop using
against queers and we should stop using
against queers and we should stop using our face to do that too
our face to do that too
our face to do that too I’m gonna count to three and I want you
I’m gonna count to three and I want you
I’m gonna count to three and I want you if you agree just say Amen
if you agree just say Amen
if you agree just say Amen are you ready 1 2 3 we can do better
are you ready 1 2 3 we can do better
are you ready 1 2 3 we can do better than that
than that
than that we’re gonna try that again I know we’re
we’re gonna try that again I know we’re
we’re gonna try that again I know we’re getting a little tired okay we’re gonna
getting a little tired okay we’re gonna
getting a little tired okay we’re gonna shake the rafters this time 1 2 3 thank
shake the rafters this time 1 2 3 thank
shake the rafters this time 1 2 3 thank you
you
you [Applause]
”
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