UNORTHODOX: quietly queer

A safe space full of wholesome Christianity. Northern Utah, she/her. [Header © Kris Straub @ chainsawsuit.com]

[loves-em]

I found this beautiful little comic (credit is in the picture) and wanted to share it.

It shows that parental side of God really well I think. Why are my eyes wet

[hiseyeisonthesparrow]

my beautiful mind can make any fictional character mormon

[starmin-marmin]

Okay pop quiz - tell me what Severus Snape’s Mormon tells are

[boycarofchilladelphia]

hey quick question why does your "cool mormon lore" have black people be subhuman?

I'll take this as well-intentioned, just because I think it's a question that's worth asking, even if it's framed in a bit of an accusatory way.

Oddly enough, you could be referring to a couple of things. If you're talking about the "curse of darkness" in the Book of Mormon, then the most common interpretation is that it was not a physical darkness of skin, but a spiritual darkness. If you're talking about the priesthood ban on black folks, you're 100% right in seeing that as wildly messed up. Speaking as a direct descendent of the family of Brigham Young, I don't think God finds any race as less worthy than another, and that ban should've been abolished years before it was, or even better, never implemented. On the off chance you're talking about the Curse of Cain nonsense, that's been disavowed by the Church for years, and it comes from desperate minds trying to justify incorrect policies in the Church through scripture.

Long story short, "cool Mormon lore" (I don't actually know which post you're referring to, but it's very on-brand for me to have said that) doesn't see black people as less than human. Bigots have, as with every religion, attempted to leverage Scripture and religion as a tool in their crusade for decades, but the God I believe in doesn't have any part of that.

Hope this helps, and I unironically welcome any other asks or messages about the Church. If you were hoping I would defend bigotry, can't help you there, as that holds no place in God's teachings, but if you're genuinely curious, I'm always happy to help in what small and imperfect ways I can.

[lensfare]

Every day I read new combinations of words

[starmin-marmin]

Ahhh Mormon mysticism is just so dear to me ❤️

[dipdamnderoo]

I made a thing.  Happy pride 🏳️‍🌈

[nerdygaymormon]

[ten-toes-mcgee]

Religious Freedom is for everyone or it is for no one. Every time we talk about religious freedom I want to warn everyone about France.

France has a constitution founded on public 'secularism.' This is supposed to protect religious freedom, but in the last 20 years it has instead been used to force cultural assimilation or hiding your religion, primarily for French Muslims with non-European cultural heritage.

In France, Muslim women and girls are banned from:

Wearing head scarves in the French Football Federation (as well as banning all Muslim players from fasting during Ramadan)

Wearing head scarves when competing for France in the 2024 Summer Olympics

Since 2016, wearing full body swimsuits or 'burkinis' at several public beaches

Since 2023, wearing an abaya (long sleeved dress of middle-eastern origin) in public schools, which has included some schools policing Muslim girls on wearing even regular retail dresses or maxi skirts.

France has also banned wearing any 'ostentatious' religious symbols for students in public school and for workers in civil service, like public hospitals. This has included muslim head scarves, the Jewish yarmulke, large crosses, the Sikh Keski (turban), and even once a beard deemed 'too thick.'

"Freedom from religion" is not "Freedom of religion."

Sources:

What has 20 years of banning headscarves done for France

Wikipedia - Islamic_scarf_controversy_in_France

[negative-null-semiofficial]

Oh don't even get me started on French secularism, it's so fake. I did a whole report on Laïcité in my French culture class and I'm still pissed off about it. A French senator came to speak to my university and made a complete fool of himself trying to explain to an Islamic student (and a room full of Mormons) how banning "ostentatious religious expression" was actually very egalitarian.

Anyway, beside the point.

Not to get all "There was no one left to speak for me" because you should speak up for others regardless, but uh, who do you think will be next in the crosshairs once "all" the "undesirables" like the Gays and the Muslims and the Immigrants are gone?

It's gonna be the Bad Evil Different Christians, like, I don't know, us? The ones that already got chased out of the country once? And no matter what our leadership does to try and ingratiate us with the Evangelical Right, it's not going to work.

So, even though the phrase "Religious liberty" coming out of President Oaks' mouth makes me want to shut my ears off, this is probably something we do need to listen to

[hiseyeisonthesparrow]

I think a lot of people, especially nevermos, could learn quite a bit from the idea that Mormon 'commandments' and 'rules' are more like the Hippocratic Oath than government-regulated laws. The Oath is old and steeped in tradition; some parts remain less relevant than others (the pessary line in the Oath, for example), yet it is still something that almost all doctors promise to follow. It's as much cultural as it is technical and moral.

If a doctor doesn't follow the Hippocratic Oath, that is a reflection on themselves, rather than the morals of the entire organization. One bad doctor does not make every other doctor bad. They were all given the same rules to follow, and some decided not to. Breaking bigger rules can result in a loss of licensure and privileges, but breaking smaller rules can sometimes go unnoticed.

The same can be said of all of this for commandments and guidelines that Mormons promise to follow. Truly, purposefully following these rules can make you a better person, but if you choose not to follow them, that is a personal decision and a personal failing.

[hiseyeisonthesparrow]

Ward organist is the gayest calling and it's not even close

[starmin-marmin]

Mmmm false, it’s “pianist” because you can sneak in the word penis if you say it fast enough

[internetgiraffekid1673]

I don't have trouble with The Family Proclamation anymore because I simply don't believe in it. I believe that children deserve to grow up in homes where they are safe and loved and happy, and I believe that people should be able to form families as adults where they are safe and loved and happy, and I ALSO believe that there are so many different ways that can happen, that attempting to write them all down or hold up a singular ideal is totally pointless.

I don't think of it is an inspired document or revelation. I think of it as a bunch of old men making an outdated political statement (even for the time) and mistakenly believing that it was revelation. I still believe in God and the power of the latter-day prophets and modern revelation and the priesthood and all that good stuff, just not The Family: A Proclamation to The World. Whenever we're discussing it in church, I just leave. I cannot describe how freeing and healing this was for my personal spiritual journey. Just choosing to disregard this single document as human error.

Like. I know a lot of queer members say they struggle with The Family Proclamation, and I just want to let you know you don't have to put any stock in it. I go to church three times a week and have a calling and help out the missionaries sometimes. My faith and continuing participation in the community were not damaged by resolving that struggle and deciding it's all stuff and nonsense. I still hate it and I hate that it's so important to so many members, especially church leadership, but it's not MY problem anymore, it's THEIR problem. I no longer feel at war with myself or uncomfortable in my own skin because of this stupid piece of paper.

[i-survived-that]

ID: A youtube comment with 11 likes by Niceone, it says "I've lived 46 years without knowing this. How nice of life to save some of the best bites for later." End ID.

Normally, people tend to get frustrated, even jokingly, if they miss out on something. This comment was on a song from 1974 and it made me smile quite much. Simply appreciative. Like a dessert after dinner.

[phinarei]

It is genuinely mind blowing to me just how many Tumblr posts have changed my life for the better and taught me to be happier. Not all of the thoughts originate on Tumblr, but the way people collect and frame them has literally changed my brain chemistry.

[mormonforgetmenot]

if any of you lack whimsy let him ask of god

[crushed-sugar]

Special shoutout to all the queer, intersex, and trans het folks. Sorry for all the “it’s illegal to be straight this month” jokes you’ll have to endure. Y’all are still very much part of the community.

[nerdygaymormon]

[lliveonthesunn]

i get why people don't believe in marriage as a social construct but legally it is the best and easiest way to say "this is who i trust to take care of me when i can't take care of myself" and i'm so glad gay people fought for that right bc when shit gets scary at least i know im in good hands

[nerdygaymormon]

[gay-mormon-wizard]

im sorry, i know this is a perspective thing, but all i could think was "new queer identity just dropped: mormons" and then i had to make that one meme

[holywatermelan]

I'm all made of hinges so everything bends. Badly. Sometimes painfully. Frequently with sound effects.

[starmin-marmin]

I haven’t been able to find the right kind of grease in Deseret Book in way too long, and Sister Hanson’s homemade stuff smells so. Bad.

[what-even-is-thiss]

You know a lot of men make excuses about why they can’t be helpful but when my grandma is sick we physically can’t stop my severely disabled grandpa from trying to help her anyways. Bringing her favorite blankets to her even when she hasn’t asked for them and whatnot.

[what-even-is-thiss]

It’s very uncomfortable for him to lie down in a bed these days and he prefers to sleep on chairs but when she’s not feeling well he insists on lying down next to her in bed so he can make sure she’s doing okay.

So anyways people ask me why I don’t have a fully negative view of masculinity and I think this might answer your question.