"The Unbearable Truth... Fear Eats The Soul": March 2024

Sunday, March 31, 2024

"Same Gender Loving People - No. 5477"

"Love + Fun = Happiness..."

Positive images of people like me... The truth of the matter is that we all need to see people like ourselves. So everyday, I'll post a photo, drawing or some other artwork that depicts Same Gender Loving People as what we are... Only Human.

"Selfie Love..."

"Selfie Love" - those beautiful, grainy, out-of-focus self-pics that capture the truth of true love..."

"The Views To Love..."

"Just For Fun..."

"The Imitation Of Life..."

"Today Is Easter And The Transgender Day Of Visibility..."

The christianazis have been losing their minds this year because these two events happen to coincide with each other. The International Transgender Day of Visibility has always been held on March 31st (since 2009), whereas Easter moves throughout the spring calendar by being based on the Moon's cycles.

Today is a good day to remind ourselves (as professionally hilarious hater, Dave Chappelle has said), we "alphabet people" are all riding along together in the same car, and we need to love and care for each other and remember that until we're all free to be who we are, none of us are truly free. We should never forget that at Stonewall, it was our transgender brethren who led to way that put so many of us on the path to freedom.

I'm proud to support and defend our transgender, non-binary and gender-expansive fellow travellers and I implore you to do the same.

"Happy Easter..."

This image is at least 8 years old, They'll be grown men now, I wonder what became of them? Did this love and affection grow into something more?

I've often thought this is the sweetest kiss I've ever seen and it always fills me with hope for the next generation of young men like these two. My prayer for Easter, is that the world may continue to grow just a little bit more accepting and become free for everyone to love whom they love and be themselves, something I couldn't even dream of or imagine when I was this young.

"The Passion of The Christ..."

Here the Passion of the Christ is re-imagined in the art of Douglas Blanchard. He depicts Christ as a contemporary young gay man, and in so doing, asks the question,

"What If Jesus Were Gay?"

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound" -Isaiah 61:1 KJV

“And when he entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, ‘Who is this?’ And the crowds said, ‘This is the prophet Jesus.’” -Matthew 21:10-11 (RSV)

"And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise." - John 2:13-16 KJV

"The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching." - Mark 11:18 NIV

"The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus." - John 13:2 NIV

“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” - Mark 14:34

“Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me?” - Matthew 26:55 RSV

And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? - John 18:22 KJV

“But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge; so that the governor wondered greatly.” - Matthew 27:14 RSV

“Behold the man!” -- John 19:5 RSV

“Soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him.” - Luke 23:11 RSV

“Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him.” - John 19:1 RSV

"...and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha." - John 19:17 ESV

“There they crucified him.” - Luke 23:33 RSV

“While the sun’s light failed… he breathed his last.” - Luke 23:44-46

“They took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom.” - John 19:40 RSV

“Even the darkness is not dark to you.” - Psalm 139:12 (Inclusive Language Lectionary)

“I am the resurrection and the life.” - John 11:25 RSV

“Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus…. Jesus said to her, “Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended.” - John 20:14, 17 RSV

“When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him.” - Luke 24:30-31 RSV

“And he said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see.’” - Luke 24:38-39 RSV

“As they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.” - Acts 1:9 RSV

“There appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” - Acts 2:3-4 RSV

“The grace of the Sovereign Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” --2 Corinthians 13:14 Inclusive Language Lectionary

All paintings in the series are oil on panel:
"Gay Passion of Christ" by Douglas Blanchard

H/T: Jesus In Love Blog

Saturday, March 30, 2024

"Same Gender Loving People - No. 5476"

"Love Is The Best Way To End The Day..."

"The Imitation Of Life..."

"A Thought To Ponder..."

I suspect we've all done this, sniffing a partner's underwear or other garments to be reminded of them by their scent.

"We Were Always There..."

"The Truth About Me..."

El Paso Herald, Texas, January 6, 1928

Funny Story: This actually happened to me... When I was in college, I became friends with a very stylish older woman who I shared a number of classes with. We eventually became study partners and then pretty good friends as she shared how unhappy she was in her May-December marriage. I remember that she was always so flattering towards me and a little touchy-feely and it wasn't until my mother noticed it and said something about it to me that I realized she was actually coming on to me. I was living my secret and keeping my promise back then, so I thought, "This is great cover!" I had never heard the term "beard" back then. So anyway, we got closer and took many of the same classes every semester, until about a year after I met her when we were sitting in the cafeteria together and outta the blue she asked me kill her husband.

I'll never forget that day, she was talking about how things had changed between her husband and herself and how stingy he was now, and unhappy she was because of it. Then she asked me, "Don't you think I should be happy?" Foolishly, I replied, "Of course!" And then I said, "Maybe you two should divorce." She said she couldn't because there was a prenup and she'd be left penniless. Her husband as it turns out was quite wealthy, he was a successful real estate investor. Then she said it, "If he was to have an accident, I'd be fine, he's got a big insurance policy payable to Jennifer (their pre-teen daughter), but I'd get everything else." I was dumbfounded and couldn't even speak, then she put her hand on my thigh under the table and I realized she meant it. I jumped up from the table and nearly ran out of the cafeteria. She followed me and grabbed my arm as I was going through the outer doors. I turned towards her and she said, "Just think about it...."

When I got home that evening, I told my mother what had happened and she of course gave me the "I told you so!" Then she said I should stay away from her and if I needed to, I should drop those classes we shared. I thought that was mostly good advice and made that my plan. The next time I saw her at school, I didn't speak and I just walked past her like I didn't see her, even though we'd made eye contact. I knew I'd see her in my next class, so I decided to come into class late, to be sure I could take a seat away from her. When I walked in, she motioned for me to join her in the seat she'd saved for me, but I took a seat on the other side of the room, I remember the professor noticed and had an odd look on his face for a moment, but then he went on with his lesson.

When the class ended, I popped up and went right out the door and she followed me and caught me on the stairs. She was all like, "What's the matter?" And I replied, "What you said to me, I want nothing to do with it or you!" She stepped aside as she said, "Oh that, I was just kidding." I didn't respond and just walked away. I continued to ignore her and never sat near her again. Within a couple of weeks, I noticed that she was entertaining a new young man and I wondered if she'd make the same proposition to him. It wouldn't be long though before I'd know.

About a month later, as the semester was ending, a mutual friend was sitting at a table in the student union and she motioned for me to join her when I walked in. She wanted to share my notes on a class we had together and then out of the blue, she asked, Did you hear about Lena's husband? I said no and then couldn't stop myself from saying, "What happened?" "He's in a coma at Sinai Grace, and he's not supposed to make it according the Lena, she said he fell down a flight of stairs at home." I was speechless, but sure it was no accident. Later that week, I saw Lena coming towards me down a hallway and she looked positively radiant and happier than I'd ever seen her look (mind you she was a very beautiful woman to begin with. I moved to the other side of the corridor and was hoping to pass without saying a word, but she changed sides too and when we met, she said, "Hi Christopher!" as she put her hand on my chest to stop me walking on. "Hi Lena, I was sorry to hear about your husband, how is he?" "Not good, ain't it a shame!" as she sniggered and walked on.

And now the rest of the story: I told my mother about what I'd heard and the encounter I'd had with Lena and I asked, "If her husband dies, should go to the police and tell them about what she said to me?" "Hell no! Stay the hell out of it and pretend you don't even know her." Again, I thought good advice, I'm gonna follow it. I didn't see Lena at school again after that semester, I assumed she got her wish. I graduated the following year and hadn't thought about her for some time, when a few years later I bumped into her at the mall on the arm of a new "old man."

Weirdly, she seemed so excited to see me, and like a car crash, I couldn't seem to just walk away. She introduced me to her new beau and he left us sitting on a bench to "catch up" as he went into a clothing store. I offered her my condolences over her late husband and then she corrected me... Her husband Juan, as it turned out had made a miraculous recovery for an 83 year old with a punctured lung, a concussion and numerous broken ribs and bones. Apparently, the first thing he said to a nurse when he came out of the coma was, "Call the police." The only thing I could think of to say as her new man was returning with a garment bag over his arm was, "Did you do it, did you push him?" A guilty smirk flashed across her face as she stood up, smiled and embraced her new fella and gave him a kiss in front of me as she looked right at me. Then she turned and said, "It was great to see you!" I watched the two of them stroll away arm-in-arm and I thought to myself, "There's a life lesson in that..." but I'm still not sure what it is.

BTW: The names have been changed to protect the guilty.