My New Church Has A Gay Pastor...ASK ME ANYTHING!

[K8-EEE]

Hey lounge lizards....this 44 straight, married, ex-Catholic is shopping for churches FINALLY SICK OF THE ANTI-GAY CATHOLIC SHIT! I left in August but damn it...I MISS GOING TO CHURCH!

I think I found my new church, Church of Religious Science. The pastor is gay and openly introduces his partner...BEAUTIFUL!! I'm sold...how refreshing and honest and NORMAL after a lifetime of Catholisism.

[BoX o BooX]

1. Chances are your LAST pastor was gay, too.

I'd bet real money. ;)

[LDS Jock]

2. lol..

a gay Catholic priest? surely you jest!

[K8-EEE]

6. Yeah...no kidding!!

The "openly" part was the good part...

[Blue-Jay]

3. What is "Religious Science"?

"Johnny is 12, weighs 79 pounds and can lift 3/4 of his weight. How many guilty images of the lake of fire will it take to completely break his spirit?"

Something like that?

[BoX o BooX]

4. I have a friend who is a Religious Science Practitioner.

No way am I going to discuss it... this thread would be locked before you can say "religion bashing."

[K8-EEE]

5. Why??? Is it Wierd? I WANNA KNOW!!!

Tell me if it's weird please!!!

[Blue-Jay]

9. All kidding aside,

I'm just curious as to why a brand of faith is called "religious science".

Is is something like "music for the deaf"?

[CO Liberal]

10. "First Church of Christ, Scientist"

I remember seeing that sign outside a church when I was a kid. I had a mental image of Jesus pouring liquid from a test tube into a beaker...

:-)

[Blue-Jay]

11. Jesus looks good in a lab coat.

[K8-EEE]

12. No no that's different....

No, not Christian Science!

that's the one where you can't go to the fucking doctor! Isn't it? Not meaning to offend let me just restate that that's the one where Jean Harlow couldn't go the doctor and died of some stupid thing she didn't have to die from.

[sundog]

13. lol blue-jay

[Maat]

7. Welcome! I'm a Religious Scientist!

Our thoughts are prayers...and we are always praying. Our thoughts are prayers...take charge of what you're saying.

My favorite song...means take control over you're life, and use the One Energy's abundant love and power, get off your butt, and change the World!

My pastor's a 60's hippie-woman who sings great!

Peace! Enjoy your affirmative prayer!

What I love about our church...is they leave the labels up to you. You can still call yourself a pagan, a Christian, or like me, I honor all Master Teachers equally.

Our church honors commitment ceremonies for all couples!

I've been it a year. I'm the liberalist of the liberalist. I have not heard my pastor say one objectionable thing.

They specifically state that we do not believe in Heaven/Hell..just a state that you can put yourself in - one way or the other.

They state that we do not believe that Jesus is the only path to God, and that God is outside of you.

I love it. For truly inspiring words...www.ucrs.org

And no one tells a religious scientist who to hang around or what to think!

Dawn
Murrieta, Ca.

[Maat]

14. Oh, for Pete's Sake!

1. No, it's not a cult.
2. No, its not Christian Science, and yes, we see doctors, just like everyone else.
3. No, it's not Scientology.
4. All 'treatment' is ... is affirmative prayer (a.k.a. creative visualization - a highly effective psychological technique).
5. All a practitioner is ... a person trained to help you frame your goal and visualize, and then let it go, so that you're not stressed out.
6. Please go to www.rsi.org or www.ucrs.org before you criticize us.
7. It is much like Unitarian-Universalist, and incorporates teachings such as those by Wayne Dyer.
8. There are alternatives to the mainstream denominations so that one doesn't have to choose between progressive beliefs and spirituality.
9. I love that we welcome all to our inclusive, healing church.
10. We encourage each other.

[Medium Baby Jesus]

21. There is only one true church!

http://www.subgenius.com/

[freetobegay]

8. My church of choice

http://www.sjamcc.com/

Glad you found one where you could be happy! :)

[Maat]

15. I think the following are all good choices...

1. Religious Science,
2. Unitarian-Universalist,
3. Metropolitan Community Churches,
4. United Church of Christ.

Enjoy! And there's a welcoming place out there for each of us that does not require us to follow blindly. Or abandon our principles.

[K8-EEE]

16. Thanks A Mil!!

Thank you for that, that's exactly what I'm looking for...I don't want to follow blindly or abandon my principles. THANKS!

[Maat]

18. You bet. And anytime you need some encouragement...

you have made a good choice.

I'm have a doctorate in law, a master's in psychology, and a bachelor's in business.

I've been a therapist-intern, a social worker, a law clerk, and before all, and accountant.

I'm a 45-year-old married mom and proud liberal Democrat.

I'm a big independent thinker and poster on this board - a proud liberal democrat.

Do I seem like a blind follower to anyone here? Of course not!

I'm going to a civil rights lawyer and defense attorney within the next 8 months most probably. Do I seem like a rollover? Of course not.

We have created a warm home for all, and we honor all paths to God. We are much like UU. My spouse likes to joke we're the 'unimind,' out of Buzz Lightyear, because we are connected by our positive energy and goal visualization. Very maintream stuff - I used to use meditation and creative visualization technique with my clients.

We emphasize replacing every negative thought with a positive one. And that has certainly helped this former negative thinker.

And we are inclusive and supportive and healing.

Although, when my pastor sees new members in a service, she likes to joke about the beheading of the chickens the next segment or something...loves to see the look on the new faces... and then tell how she's joking.

No funny stuff. Honest. Just learning to use the power of the mind, like you would in a therapy session (in my humble opinion).

[alphafemale]

20. I'm a UU (Unitarian Universalist)

Find info at http://uua.org/

Edit to include link

[elfrangel]

22. Just curious?????

Is this a non-denominational church? My husband and I have been out of church for years now. I was raised as a Southern Baptist and he was raised as a Free Will. Needless to say, we have some major issues with the beliefs of the above, (especially since all they seem to care about is abortion and gay rights) so we left.

I really want to get back into church. I'd love to find one that he and I could agree on. I think this is just the ticket. I just need to know if I have one like this in my area.

[Spiffarino]

17. I'm an Episcopalian and

...I am lousy at chess. You see, we Episcopalians can't tell a queen from a bishop.

Thank you. Enjoy your salads.

[Maat]

19. Ha..that's cute.