FreedHearts

This is an ELECTION special episode.

Church, this is for you: It’s time to decide. No kidding. For real. 

I will be brief, but I will be bold and clear. 

God has long been testing the non-affirming Evangelical church to reveal its true heart and faith to the world.

And beloved, this election was the final exam. 

The grade is in. 

Now, It’s time for you to decide… who will you follow?

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This is a very special episode that I think we all need.

Certainly, we are aware of what has been happening in the world, overwhelmed with media, social media, mixed feelings of hope, followed by dread, doom and fear, then replaced with excitement -- wild emotional swings.

And we expect that to continue and even heighten in the coming weeks.

What do we do in times like these?

Today, we give you specific things you can do to care for yourself and those you love.

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Today we are going to share some queer wisdom. What is that? It is wisdom that accepts people for who they are, inclusive, affirming, celebrates diversity, and loves above all else.

That is what Jesus modeled and taught – and it’s so different from what the non-affirming, rules-based church teaches.

We talk about the validity of church as a construct. And we share with you 15 things queer culture teaches that straight culture doesn’t!

This is going to be so much fun!

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What is happening in your life? Are people telling you to go out there and hustle in an economic system that doesn’t work except for the elite?

Are people saying it’s okay to be gay, but you can’t act on it – that you can only have this kind of partner or else you have to be alone?

Do people tell you to believe what they believe or you’ll go to hell?

That’s real life for many of you – that’s the race you are being asked to run.

The summer has brought us some great sporting events with amazing champions, and I don’t mean just the people who came in first place. I mean those who showed courage, were bold, dedicated to something they loved, lived true to the calling in the hearts.

Huh… sounds a lot like  you. This is YOUR life, YOUR race – So let’s talk today about how you can unleash your inner champion. 

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You don’t owe non-supportive people answers when they can’t just let you be who you are. 

You don’t owe them your time, you don’t owe them your peace, you don’t owe them your soul. 

But that can be a challenge, for sure, because you don’t want to end the relationship. 

Or, you may have the thought that if you back off, things could still mend somehow in the future. 

Beloved, this can be toxic for you. And you don’t deserve that.

Let’s talk about this today and how the most powerful thing you can do for you, for those around you, is to just Be You!

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After diving in – no pun intended – to the recent Olympics, we really want to entice you to look at the spark in yourself, that may have been there from the very beginning. And to let it resurface. 

You may have been taught or encouraged to hide it – but we hope you are in a safer place to listen to and follow your heart, and not feel crushed that certain things may not be for you.

That spark of desire can be easily overlooked. Yes, we’re reasoned out of it—by parents, church, kids in school—who tell us that it will never be. 

But there’s something inside us from when we’re small, like a guiding star. It is part of what it means to just be you. 

Today we help light your inner spark, and let it shine. 

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With all this talk about the teaching of contempt and religion, we thought it was time for a little relief: a little ART relief!

When I had cancer five years ago, part of the available treatment was a studio program where we created art. They kept saying, “It’s about the process, not the product.”

I can hardly even express the joy this has opened up in me.

I was amazed to learn that people who participate in the arts – art, music, dance, whatever it is for you – lower their chance of dying early by 31%! Remarkable.

Alice Walker said, “If art doesn’t make us better, what on earth is it for?”

Today, on a very special FreedHearts Podcast episode, we talk about healing with the arts.

Love, Susan

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When we talk so much about all the hate and contempt coming from the non-affirming, rules-based church; the hypocrisy, the division out there; it can leave us feeling pretty down.

When we go so deep in our journey coming out of religion, we can miss the beauty along the way.

Today, we want to remind us all of the joy we have found on our journey of deconstruction, and talk about 30 freeing things we have done!

Beloved, your heart really deserves this!

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Today, we continue with Part II of our series asking the question: "What do we do with the Bible?"

People take it literally – ignoring it’s history, as well as all the additions, edits and translations that have been done.

People claim its authority – despite not really knowing who it was written by and why.

And Christians use it to justify great harm to so many groups of people: LGBTQ, people of color, the poor, women. Yet, those same Christians just ignore and set aside the life of teachings of Jesus.

For those of you who are coming out of religion, in particular the rules-based, non-affirming church, it is critical that we deconstruct this to free ourselves from all the baggage that comes from living under this kind of false hypocritical teaching.

Let’s wrap up this series today. 

Beloved, it’s time for our hearts to be free.

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This is part one of an important two-part series where we ask the question: “What do we do with the Bible?”

We need to deconstruct it because it is abused and used as a weapon. And then they accuse you of heresy when you even slightly question it. It is used to justify great harm to people - racism, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny etc.

I know you have heard it: “The church doesn't get to choose what the Bible teaches!” 

Our response? “Well, the church literally selected, edited, and compiled what’s known as the Bible.”

Beloved, it’s time to deconstruct it, disarm it and put it in the proper place in life.

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