Updated: Rev. Frank Schaefer, “convicted” in a church “trial” of breaking United Methodist church law by officiating his son’s same-sex marriage, received a 30-day suspension from a Pennsylvania church jury, according to the New York Daily News.
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I’m proud of Rev. Frank Schaefer, even if I don’t know him personally. I wish more members of the clergy would act on what they know in their hearts and speak out against the institutionalized bigotry and superstitions of their religious organizations. By standing up to the anti-LGBT policies of his church, Rev. Schaefer has pointed out to the Methodists what so many other religious organizations now understand, that love transcends gender, that it is about a union of spirits, which all originate from the same Source. And, as The Heartland Proclamation signed by 263 clergypeople says:
As Christian clergy we proclaim the Good News concerning Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) persons and publicly apologize where we have been silent. As disciples of Jesus, who assures us that the truth sets us free, we recognize that the debate is over. The verdict is in. Homosexuality is not a sickness, not a choice, and not a sin. We find no rational biblical or theological basis to condemn or deny the rights of any person based on sexual orientation. Silence by many has allowed political and religious rhetoric to monopolize public perception, creating the impression that there is only one Christian perspective on this issue. Yet we recognize and celebrate that we are far from alone, as Christians, in affirming that LGBT persons are distinctive, holy, and precious gifts to all who struggle to become the family of God.
Please click on the link to read more of the Proclamation — it is very heartwarming.
As I wrote this, I was awaiting the decision by the Methodist Church on what Rev. Schaefer’s penalty would be for conducting a same-sex marriage. The trial was a sickening, hypocritical process, and reminds me of the injustice endured by Jesus.
Indeed, by submitting to this absurd trial by the Methodist Church, Rev. Schaefer has proven that he is a true Christian, and I have no doubt that Jesus would be very proud of him.
Bravo, Mr. Schaefer!
Hugs from me and many others!
Jillian
Jillian Page 
Good for him. What I want to comment on, though, is this “love transcends gender” rhetoric, which I find a little suspicious. It’s appropriate, okay, and accurate for monosexual and monoromantic people to say that who they want to marry can be affected by gender. I’m not even sure what the “love transcends gender” idea is trying to get at — but it almost sounds like it’s absolving a man of loving another man by claiming he doesn’t really see him as a man. You shouldn’t have to invalidate someone’s gender identity in order to affirm their love.
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Hmm. That’s a good point. I hadn’t thought of it that way. Spiritually speaking, to quote Theosophist Sarah Belle Dougherty, I have always thought of humans as “as innately sexless consciousness-centers.” So, I see the “love connection” between two individuals as those two centres connecting, essentially sexless.
Maybe it is because I am bisexual — I don’t see gender so much when I fall in love. It really is about what is inside. I’ve had great love with a man, and now with a woman. It’s their hearts I love, their spirit, their smiles — not their gender.
But I do see your point. So many different perspectives in life, yes?
Thank you for joining in here, and welcome.
Jillian
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Well — even though I can’t speak from experience here — I assume that not all monorom/monosexual people pursue relationships solely on the basis of gender, and they probably see people as who they are, too. It’s just that they don’t experience that same kind of attraction to all genders.
Here are some of the thoughts I was able to track down on the concept of gender-blindness. http://everyday-feminism.tumblr.com/post/51173544031/an-open-letter-to-my-fellow-pansexuals-about
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Thanks. I’ll check out this link during the weekend . . .
Cheers
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Labels and Boxes. All the problems stem from trying to stick everything into boxes and identifying each box with an appropriate label. There are many genders, male, female, both and neither. A sexual act can occur amongst any of the genders, in any combination or permutation you can imagine. Love has no connection to sexual acts or to gender. You don’t even have to have a sexual act to have offspring. Primitive organisms reproduce without even saying hello, and now, with technology, we can engineer offspring.
And by the way, how in anyone’s imagination can god be a he? Why do we refer to him as a him? Does god have a penis? Is there a mrs. god?
Oh never mind. I’m just grumpy this morning.
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