I'll Bump this for new searches Lighthouseghost.

​*Peace - Love - Respect - Humility* Unconditionally

Wolfie

About accepting who you are:

http://www.amazon.com/Christian-Lesbian-Journey-Continuation-Long/dp/1419659871

About rejecting who you are:

http://www.christianbook.com/into-promised-land-beyond-lesbian-struggle/jeanette-howard/9780825460760/pd/60768

There's a lot of material out there.  I found these two in 5 seconds on Google.

Thanks, Asdgari.

I will look into those.

I had googled and looked through bookstores and such. I was more interested in what people had read and thought was good. It's a rather touchy mix and reading it done badly can be upsetting.

this is the best I could find , God Loves you 

​ l

This space left intentionally blank?

Or is it just the picture you're offering? It's a nice picture. Thank you.

Perhaps the Toronto Women's Bookstore would have something ... if indeed anything's been written!

http://womensbookstore.com/

Hi Lighthouseghost

The word Chrintian is defined as From answers.com

(krĭs'chən)

adj.

1. Professing belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.
2. Relating to or derived from Jesus or Jesus's teachings.
3. Manifesting the qualities or spirit of Jesus; Christlike.
4. Relating to or characteristic of Christianity or its adherents.
5. Showing a loving concern for others; humane.

n.

1. One who professes belief in Jesus as Christ or follows the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.
2. One who lives according to the teachings of Jesus.

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/christian#ixzz1VldBnz4z

As you can see it is all who follow Christ --your putting a label on Christian by adding lesbian . You make it seem that by being a lesbian you need your own Christian book ---My question to you is what is that your looking for in that particular book that a good Christian book can't give you .My suggestion on what you should read is a Good Bible that has some study notes available in it to help you get the information you are pursuing as to be a follower of Christ we need to know Him first and what role we play in the life that Christ wants us to have.

Blessings and as blackbelt pointed out God loves all people it is us who don't love God most times cause we feel we are not worthy.

Carolla: Thank you for the suggestion. That looks like a totally skookum book store. They don't seem to have much of an online store, but I may check out Little Sisters Books next time I'm in Vancouver.

unsafe: I'm actually pretty happy being Christian, according to your definition and my own, and I was in no way looking for validation on that point. I already read the Bible and study it in depth.

However, it is frequently difficult to be Christian and Lesbian at the same time, even within an Affirming church such as my own congregation (though by needs of work I am separated from my congregation much of the time now). I do turn to Jesus and the Bible when times get difficult, and the hate is laying on thick and fast, but I am not a theologian, and I would like to read about the other women like myself who have found solidarity in Jesus despite a large portion of their own religion telling them they are sinful, faithless women who are going to hell.

I'm feeling kind of frustrated and disappointed with this board, to be honest, I asked a very straight forward question ("can anyone recommend a book on topic x?"), but now I feel like I'm getting lectured about how to be a good Christian and told to Google it. Had I wanted either sort of advice, I would have asked for it.

at the end of the day , we are all sinfull

not sure what kind of books you are looking for

I can offer what resources have been or are in my library, as I am not sure what you are exactly looking for. I read tons of theology stuff and queer theology is in the mix. For those who do not know, queer theology is not just “gay theology”. It is a recognition of differences that queers have and that we can be oppressed in different ways and can oppress each other. Much of society, religion included and allies included,  can act as though there is one “gay experience” or “gay reality” and one “right” approach… queer theology celebrates difference. When people say “you are the same as I am”, I reply, “yes, and yet very different”. I want equality in our differences. I do not want anyone assimilated.

Wrestling With God and Men - Rabbi Steven Greenberg (because it is a treasured signed copy by a friend)
Courage to Love: Liturgies for the GLBT Community –edited by Geoffrey Duncan (because many I know contributed)

Some of the following I liked and some I really did not….

Religion is a Queer Thing- Elizabeth Stuart
Queer Theology: Rethinking the Western Body – Gerard Loughlin
Wrestling With the Angel: Faith and Religion in the Lives of Gay Men – edited by Brian Bouldrey
Jesus Acted Up- Robert Goss
Queering Christ: Beyond Jesus Acted Up- Robert Goss
Keep Your Courage: A Radical Christian Feminist Speaks - Carter Heyward
Wrestling With the Angel: Faith and Religion in the Lives of Gay Men – edited by Brian Bouldrey
Faith Beyond Resentment- James Alison
Adam's Gift: A Memoir of a Pastor's Calling to Defy the Church's Persecution of Gays and Lesbians- Jimmy Creech
Radical Love: An Introduction to Queer Theology - Patrick Cheng
Trans/formations – edited by Lisa Cahill
Omnigender: A Trans-religious Approach – Virginia Mollenkott
Sex and Uncertainty in the Body of Christ: Intersex Conditions and Christian Theology – Susannah Cornwall
Gay Theology without Apology- Gary Comstock
A Theology of Gay and Lesbian Inclusion: Love Letters to the Church – Donald Hanway
The Embrace of Eros: Bodies, Desires, and Sexuality in Christianity (cannot recall author)
Know My Name- Richard Cleaver
Our Tribe: Queer Folks, God, Jesus and the Bible – Nancy Wilson
Out on Holy Ground- Donald Boisvert

blackbelt:

There is a difference between an awareness of original sin and getting told you are not welcome in church/a store/a bed and breakfast or told you are damned (or threatened with violence, depending on the region and historical period) because of a particular "sin" someone thinks you perpetrate.

I'm looking for books about "the relationship between LGBT people (preferably lesbians) and Christianity. I'm especially interested in theology and scripture." Theological discussions by lesbians or "stories of other women like myself who have found solidarity in Jesus." Both of which I mentioned before in this thread.

It's totally cool if you don't have any suggestions, and I appreciate that you are trying to help me. However, this is not about my personal faith, and I never implied that it was. Therefore I'm not sure what your comments are trying to achieve.

SG: Awesome, thank you! I'll pick through that list and see what I'm interested in and what can dig up copies of (Gotta love ABE.com).

Do you mind my asking which ones you didn't like?

I am not a fan of justifying my existence by gay-ing up bible characters or supposing they were gay.

I have found value in all the above, whether I liked all of the lines or avenues....

Sorry I don't really have anything to add.  I'm curious what LGPT stands for though.  Is it a typo, or are these more acronyms I'm unaware of that describe gender or sexual identity?

well looks like SG gave you a great list,  sorry I could'nt help

Hi Lighthouseghost

It seems not many of us know exactly what you are looking for --you say you are Christian and come to Jesus in trouble what about all the other times are you saying you don't need Him then ---I am very confuses by what it is you want --- and that is a honest statement --You say people hate you and they reject you at church --is this the way a Christian should think ---If you are a Born Again person You are freed from your sin and it it your job to  try your best to stay on tract and  and as we all will do we will sin again but according to the Bible if we confess our Sin then God is quick to forgive us --- So what others think should not matter as we each have our own journey and for others to judge you they will be dealt with in due time by God .

Confess your sin and God will cleanse you ---if you hide your sin after you have been Born Again when you know you have sinned then God can't cleanse you as to hide the sin is walking in darkness ---you have to always walk in the light and keep truth between you and God out in the open .

1 John 1-9 God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we've done wrong.  

Is being a Lesbian a sin--to me it is an individual choice --we are all sinners until we accept Christ who cleanses us . Jesus walked with humans on this earth and knows all our weaknesses and short comings ----The Bible says in Leviticus 20 v13  "'If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. ------- But He also says to confess and be cleansed . 

You be the judge of yourself and don't let others put fear in your court --God is a just God and your relationship with God will determine  your fate not other humans . So go to church and enjoy your live --if others Judge you They themselves will be Judged. 

Peace and Blessings to you  

Lighthouseghost ....... nice to have you with us!

Please don't get discouraged because of few posters here.    Most are more than willing to listen and to try and help when we can.   There are those that will jump in and "preach and teach" rather than engage the original question but just skip over those. 

I don't happen to have any book titles to share and if you happen across any from a transgender person's point of view I would appreciate you sharing that with me.

I would enjoy sharing experiences with you!

Again ... welcome!!!

Hugs

Rita

RitaTG,

Look up interviews with Drew Pheonix, David Weekely (Methodist),

There is a 2005 documentary called "Call Me Malcolm" that involves a discussion with a male seminary student born female, who is now Rev. Malcolm Himschoot. You can see clips of "Call Me Malcolm" online as well as listen to sermons by Rev. Himschoot on Vimeo.

Look for "Thy Will Be Done" the journey of Sara Herwig and the Presbyterian church.

Look up Rev Dr Christina Beardsley, Rev Carol Stone and Sarah Jones as well as Rev Dr. Cameron Partridge, Rev Christopher Fike and Rev Vicki Gray(Episcopal)
 

Look into The Bay Area Seven and San Francisco's First United Lutheran Church and Francis Lutheran Church full-circle journey with the ELCA.
 

They are all those who paved the paths....

Lighthouse ghost - I didn't reply to your thread, and I think probably many others didn't for the same reason, because I have nothing to suggest.  Not being a lesbian I never thought before about what books might be available, and which would be best to recommend.  Probably those who suggested that you 'google' were trying to be helpful.  I know many people who start their search for any type of information by turning to Google.   I don't.  Like you, I am more apt to ask people.  If this was a topic I wanted to read about I would probably ask one of my lesbian acquaintances at church  (I realize that this might be difficult for you to do when isolated at a light house.)

As for the ones who are not helpful.  My suggestion would be to ignor them.  To get into a discussion would just contribute to derailing your thread.  SG has some excellent suggestions for you.  Working through that list should keep you busy - and each book probably has a bibliography of others that you may wish to persue. 

And keep the thread open - others might come on and suggest a book or two that they found particularly helpful.   Sorry I wasn't able to.

Lighthouse I have been following this thread with interest.  I don't have any books to suggest but I would love to read some - so making note of those listed here.

Thank you for starting this great topic.

TL

LHG  - it is really good to see you in here again. As someone who has been friends with you in real life for many years, I hope you know that if I had any good suggestions to add to your list, I would have done so ages ago!

I feel sad that some posters here are trying to cut you down. I know you to be a woman of deep faith, a woman who self-identifies as both christian and lesbian and as someone who is a voracious reader! Therefore, to me it makes a lot of sense that you would be looking for books about the relationship between Christianity and Lesbians.

In your opening post you gave the acronym LGPT and, like Chemgal, I was curious. Two possibilities entered my mind - either it's a typo or a new-to-me acronym (I was thinking it could stand for Lesbian, Gay, Polyamourous and Transgendered).

Grrr.  I can't find the title.  Can anyone help?  By a UCC authour.  Queering Faith?  It's in my office and I am on vacation.  Not the Goss book on your list, SG.

Bah.  I'll try and come up with it.

For the record, the reason I suggested a Google search was the implication I read in original post, that such material (books about Lesbian-Christianity) were difficult to find at all.  At least, that's how this came across to me:

Looking for RevMatt's suggestion I thought of others

Mentioning UCC clergy authors made me think of  Louise Mahood

Mentioning what he thought the title might be made me think of

Queering the Church- Chris Glaser (MCC clergy)

RevMatt, did you mean Qu(e)erying Evangelism by Cheri DiNovo (UCC clergy)?

Yes!!!  Thanks, SG.  That's the one.  Cheri's book.  I am ashamed that I couldn't even remember that it was her book.

I think the first book I read on liberation was by former Jesuit priest, John J McNeil.

chemgal: No, sorry typo. It could be Lesbian Gay Pansexual Trans, I suppose.

RitaTG: Thanks for the welcome. Nice to see some rainbows representing -ponders changing icon- I have been here before as part of the Lent book discussion, but hadn't dropped by for a while.

I was going to say <em>Call Me Malcolm</em> but SG has said that already. I haven't run across any books dealing with trans Christian issues, but if I do I will PM the titles to you.

Seeler: Ever and always nice to talk with you. I had poked around Amazon and did some Googling before asking here, but I really can't tell what is worth checking out and what is a waste of time and money. For now, I plan to focus on SG's list and a few other suggestions I have from friends.

In lieu of recommendations, the "discussion" at least kept the thread bumped up initially. However, once people start quoting Leviticus at me, I'm out. Been there, done that, quite literally own the t-shirt.

Tiger Lily: More rainbows \o/

I'm thinking of posting about some of the books once I've read them. Maybe we could have a discussion on them?

Somegal: -hugs!- That's for the vote of confidence. Your support means a lot to me.

P is a typo. Poly is good. I was thinking pansexual, too.

RevMatt: Thank you (and SG) for the book name. I will look for that one too.

Azdgari: I do not seem to have been as clear as I meant to be. Apologies for being chippy.

SG: Thank you again for all your help on this thread.

and thank you lighthouseghost for a new word (new to me anyway!) - skookum !  I had to go look it up

Skookum is a good word isn't it Carolla?  

Lighthouseghost, Many have been so battered by scripture and those clobber verses that they give up the minute it starts.

I recall someone I know saying that when, as a parent you say "because I said so" you offer no proof, no convincing argument..... it is simply an act of desperation. He said the same was true when one says "because the Bible says so".

^^ That just got me thinking, SG:  Is the only truly convincing "should" argument one in which you can give the justification (addressing the one to be convinced), "because you say so"?

The appeal can only be made to the values held by the one to be convinced.  If they don't hold the values we're appealing to, then how can they be convinced?

Hi unsafe. There are books written for many different specific audiences within Christendom. There are, for example, Christian books for children, Christian books for youth, Christian books for women, Christian books for fathers, Christian books for athletes, etc. etc, etc. Each seeks to address the specific needs of the audience it serves. How do you perceive this as any different?

Hi Lighthouseghost. I have nothing to offer. I don't know the names of any of the kinds of books you're looking for.

Azdgari,

I think that perhaps at the end of a convincing argument someone will arrive at a "should" for themselves.

I generally do not think it wise to start the framework there if the goal is to move someone.  

You should not play in the street.
Why?
Because, a car could hit you.
What if there are no cars?
A car could come along.
I would hear it.
What if you didn't?
What am I hard of hearing now?

See, for me, it starting with a should signals debate and arguing and defending...

Playing in the street can be dangerous
(it can go the route of "no it isn't" and "yes it is" but that is not a convincing argument, that is just an argument)

If it is to be more than a stalemate and butting heads, someone has to ask a question, like "Why?"

Playing in the street is dangerous
Why? (if it is the other person)
People get hit because they do not see or hear cars
I never got hit
You could, __ number of people got hit last year
I would not get hit
Those people did not think they would get hit either

It is not uncommon that if they do not, I will.

Playing in the street is dangerous.
No it isn't
Yes it is (trying the stubborn route)
No it isn't
What makes you think that/say that?
I have never been hit
___ number of kids were
But I wasn't
__ number of kids were struck by lightning and killed last year, I wasn't, does that mean lighting is not dangerous?

I simply learned through life and work that starting with a "should" was not wise. Resorting to one was usually when I or they ran out of stuff to say that meant something....

SG: I'm almost willing to take on Romans, but Leviticus? Seriously?

Morning Calm: I do know several people who rely solely on the canon. I have always needed things explained a little more.

Leviticus is the easy one.

Christians do not generally keep the Levitical laws. Insist another Christian someone must live under the Law of Moses but that they themselves do not have to obey the Law of Moses, really?

Leviticus was written to Jewish priests, Levites, and the people of Israel.

One might think one cannot argue Leviticus if one is a Jew. Wrong! Lesbians are not mentioned at all.

But if you are a male homosexual, you must be violating Leviticus, right?  Wrong! My friend,openly gay and orthodox Rabbi Steven Greenberg, in detail says he does not violate Levitical Law and has issued the challenge for anyone to say he does. So far, no takers.

Like every Jews, Rabbi Greenberg puts forward in his book, Wrestling God and Man, that as a Jewish text one has to look at what Judaism says about Torah. They do not tend to relegate or make irrelevant Torah. The tradition never required it of them. The Hillel and Shammai schools of thought differ greatly. One was never declared right and the other wrong. both could be the word of a living God, There is, in Judaism, and never has been a final reading of any verse. Unlike in Christianity where one was right, another was wrong and there were schisms with each claiming the final word.

So, there is an always accepted evolving understanding of Torah.  Torah verses one might want to think are dated and irrelevant are giving birth to new things and are also pregnant with meaning not yet discovered.

His book should be required reading for those arguing using Jewish Scriptures as a base. It also forms a base of understanding of Judaism through which one might read the teachings, writings, thoughts... of other Jews who Christians follow.

Orthodox Jewish rabbi Shmuley Boteach supports a more tolerant attitude, even among the religious groups not considering going for gay marriage any time soon.  It might give you some counter-arguments to use with fundamentalist Christians who seem to think it this is the worst thing the world!

http://www.shmuley.com/news/details/my_jewish_perspective_on_homosexuality/

Carl Paladino, the Republican candidate for governor of New York, sparked controversy this week by declaring in a speech at an Orthodox synagogue that children shouldn’t be “brainwashed” into considering homosexuality acceptable. He later apologized, saying that he supports gay rights but opposes gay marriage. The Rabbi who hosted Mr. Paladino’s speech then retracted his endorsement of the candidate.

Some people of faith insist that homosexuality is gravely sinful because the Bible calls it an “abomination.” But that word appears approximately 122 times in the Bible. Eating nonkosher food is an “abomination” (Deuteronomy 14:3). A woman returning to her first husband after being married in the interim is an “abomination” (Deuteronomy 24:4). Bringing a blemished sacrifice on God’s altar is an abomination (Deuteronomy 17:1). Proverbs goes so far as to label envy, lying and gossip “an abomination to [the Lord]” (3:32, 16:22).

I once asked Pat Robertson, “Why can’t you simply announce to all gay men and women, ‘Come to Church. Whatever relationship you’re in, God wants you to pray. He wants you to give charity. He wants you to lead a godly life.” He answered to the effect that homosexuality is too important to overlook, as it is the greatest threat to marriage and the family. Other evangelical leaders have told me the same.

But with one of every two heterosexual marriages failing, much of the Internet dedicated to degrading women through pornography, and a culture that is materially insatiable while all-too spiritually content, can we straight people really say that gays are ruining our families? We’ve done a mighty fine job of it ourselves, thank you very much.

The excessive concern about homosexuality that is found among many of my religious brothers and sisters—in many Muslim countries being gay is basically a death sentence—stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of sin. The Ten Commandments were given on two tablets to connote two different kinds of transgression: religious and moral. The first tablet discussed religious transgressions between God and man, such as the prohibitions of idolatry, blasphemy and desecration of the Sabbath. The second tablet contained moral sins between man and his fellow man, like adultery, theft and murder.

......

I as well. I have Christian books on such topics as step-parenting and marriage, plus various devotionals. My main Bible is a Quest Study Bible. I also now have several good textbooks on such subjects as hermeneutics, Christian history, philosophy, world religions, and discipleship. Also a Bible dictionary, and a couple of good commentaries. Ah yes, and a concordance. I'm very thankful for all of these. I do so love to read.

Lighthouseghost, thanks for explaining.  Hopefully some of the suggestions provide you with what you're looking for!