Existential Punk

"Revelation" Through Online Fellowship: i Interview Peter - Conversation 8

Peter says, 'Adele asks me what I think about "online fellowship" - is it legitimate? I think so, and it's going to change the world faster than ever before (that could be bad or wonderful!)'

Adele & Peter: Queer & Christian: Conversation 7

Peter says, 'Here, Adele shares more of her painful experiences with ex-gay ministries, how she attended Pat Robertson's Regent University (TRULY!), and how these experiences nearly led her to suicide...'

In the next segment, i ask PETER a few questions! So, STAY TUNED! Adele

Adele & Peter: Queer & Christian: Conversation 6: 'Is There Any Gray Here?'

Peter says, 'In this segment, Adele is INCREDIBLY patient and tolerant with me as I dig into possibilities of gray area in a subject that is so deeply personal to her.

Please understand that I would NOT ask these questions in casual conversation with someone who didn't already have some relational foundation with me. It's easy for "outsiders" to try to talk "objectively," and I'm often guilty of that. For oppressed and marginalized people, objectivity is a luxury few can afford.

Adele's willingness to humor me in grappling with such sensitive material is a gift, as I work to reconcile my own relational dynamics with friends on both poles of the theological and social spectrum. I can't overstate the caution and humility in which I want to approach this particular subject matter. Thanks Adele!'

NO, THANK YOU, Peter!

Adele & Peter: Queer & Christian: Conversation 5: 'Claiming To Know Christ...So Unloving...'

Peter says this, 'In this 5th segment of my interview with Adele, she makes some especially poignant remarks that I think you'll appreciate.

When the online attacks from fundamentalist bloggers were at their peak on www.Queermergent.com, Adele thought:

“If I weren’t already Christian, I wouldn’t want to be Christian…

“Who are these people who claim to know Christ and love Christ, but they are so unloving and unkind and ungenerous.'

 

It's Really All About G-D

i've started reading Samir Selmanovic's latest book, 'It's Really All About God: Reflections of a Muslim Atheist Jewish Christian' and i am really enjoying it even though i'm only in the middle of chapter 1. i'm posting this video of Samir because i really find what he says about religions enlightening and also being able to see and hear him speak is really cool. Gotta love that Croatian accent! :)

Here are some things he said that really stuck out to me:

'Not a call to one religion for all, but for every religion to find a way that is good for all people. Religions are living things and we can expect them to change. Understanding our faith cannot be done in isolation.'

'We hold our religious identities in isolation . . . Us versus them . . . Religions position themselves as G-D management systems.'

Iggyrocks! Podcast

My friend Iggy interviews me for his podcast here.

Iggy says this:

'This was a fun interview. Adele Sakler is funny, witty and this interview could have gone on for hours. We cover many things from fear of gay people, to how we can move beyond focusing on "sin" and focus on Jesus.'

Something Beautiful Podcast, My Interview With Pete Rollins

Back in February when my good friend, Pete Rollins, was in Richmond, i had the wonderful opportunity to interview him. i am so not a technical person, so when i met Liz and Jonathan Monday evening for dinner, Jonathan was able to download a compressed version. It is now up live at Something Beautiful Podcast. i hope you enjoy it!

Rollins is the founder and coordinator of the experimental collective in Belfast, Ireland, Ikon. he is also a writer, speaker and blogger.

He’s the author of the books, “How (Not) To Speak Of God,” “The Fidelity of Betrayal: Towards a Church Beyond Belief,” and most recently, “The Orthodox Heretic and Other Impossible Tales.”

Something Beautiful Podcast, Part 1 Of 2

My good friend, Thomas AKA Heaphonaught, has interviewed me for the Something Beautiful Podcast. This week Part 1 is up and next week Part 2 will go up. Enjoy!

The Third Place Interview

i received the following email the other day:

Hey - so I found you off of Eugene Cho's rockin' blog and love your blog. As a young Christian thinker, one trying to find my footing between my conservative upbringing and the postmodern shifts in our culture, I'd love to set up an interview with you over on the third place. I have several dear friends who are homosexual, but none who also subscribe to my faith. So I thought, if you are willing, I could send you some questions and just engage the conversation that is on so many peoples minds (though they don't want to talk about it, at least not with people who don't agree).

The whole point to me would be to explain how we've come to where we are, how we veiw and interpret the scripture in our lives, etc. I do not want to debate, I just want honest questions with honest answers - letting disagreements exist with respect for one another and forcing the more conservatives to at least try and see things from your side, including myself. I want to understand. So, I could draft some questions and see what you think and then go from there. Let me know...

God Bless
--
Kevin Davis

He sounded sincere so i agreed to do the interview. Furthering this conversation along is my desire and i feel like one of my purposes on this earth. So, THANK YOU, Kevin, for taking the risk to reach out to me and assisting to further the conversation along.  The interview is up at Kevin's blog, The Third Place, so come and join the conversation.