| What Does Gay Spirituality Mean? |
| Written by Howie Holben | |
| Thursday, 11 February 2010 | |
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When we refer to gay spirituality we aren't necessarily referring to a "gay church." We, as a community, were often subject to the teachings of our own childhood churches that found us to be completely unacceptable in our current state of being. This naturally led to a falling away from the church, but not necessarily the end of one's spirituality. You can take just a small step, for the journey is great and long, but well worth every step.
When we refer to gay spirituality we aren't necessarily referring to a "gay church." We, as a community, were often subject to the teachings of our own childhood churches that found us to be completely unacceptable in our current state of being. This naturally led to a falling away from the church, but not necessarily the end of one's spirituality. You can take just a small step, for the journey is great and long, but well worth every step. In many cases, whether we were ready or not, our spiritual quests started in our youth. Not all of us completely grasped why condemnation of the gay population bothered us so much. Some of us understood all too well. This led to a natural progression of questions that were taken away from the church and into other possibilities. Some people created groups and offered emotional and spiritual support along with the fight for social justice. Fortunately, spiritual answers do not necessarily have to come from a church or a person of religious affiliation. Not all of us culminate our gay spirituality quest on the steps of a religious building. We've gone from the efforts of a few brave religious figures reaching out toward the community to what are now known as open and affirming churches. It can be a painful road if you come from a religious background. You may have been subjected to prayer sessions that were supposed to "cure" you or religious studies that openly humiliated you. Thus, in today's GLBT community there are many who find spirituality solely within themselves. This means that you never have to set foot into an organized church if you prefer not to, as the answers aren't likely to come from a single man or woman of the cloth. Rather, spiritual answers tend to come from within. They come in the form of a loved one or a partner. They come in the form of a sense of self and a strong sense of owning your sexuality. They come in little tid bits all throughout life. They come in moments that you recognize but often aren't sure what to call them. When you find that spiritual beliefs and religious beliefs don't actually stem from the same place, your spiritual journeys become lighter and more involved. We have sat in classrooms or listened to our parents as they taught us religion. We feel spirituality. We bring it forth from a place inside that is often fleeting for those of us who resist the idea. Embracing those moments brings your spirituality straight to the surface. In today's world your spiritual existence comes from within. You can join churches and other religious organizations that are accepting and welcoming. But until you find that gay spirit is more about finding that spark within you, the journey can become too hard. Learning to take the journey from within makes it all worthwhile. The Article Author: Thoughts written by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys list of gay retreats is amazing. Their gay travel in 2010 is well rounded. |
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