tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-381869522011-11-27T18:29:03.844-05:00All intelligent faith in God has behind it a background of humble agnosticism. - Harry Emerson FosdickCandace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.comBlogger1021100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-33222279819613674452009-02-26T21:16:00.001-05:002009-02-26T21:18:41.437-05:00

Hey all, I'm closing down this blog. I'm blogging regularly for Religion Dispatches now so this place has become a ghost town. Go here for my blog posts on RD. Go here to check out all of RD - it's an amazing site!See you over at RD!Candace

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-60956285398695253412008-11-23T07:19:00.000-05:002008-11-23T07:20:00.514-05:00

Remember when John Lennon said the Beatles were bigger than Jesus? Well, the pope finally gets it."The remark by John Lennon, which triggered deep indignation mainly in the United States, after many years sounds only like a 'boast' by a young working-class Englishman faced with unexpected success, after growing up in the legend of Elvis and rock and roll," Vatican daily Osservatore Romano said.No

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-65418824980455714902008-10-21T08:12:00.002-04:002008-10-21T08:19:44.424-04:00

Because we all need a good laugh: more animalsmore animalsmore animals

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-74435518013899482142008-10-20T07:08:00.001-04:002008-10-20T07:17:20.651-04:00

When my partner and I got married about 6 years ago, we had a preacher preside over the ceremony and we invoked the name of God on many occasions, asking that our union be blessed by the Higher Power we both believe in.As California moves to overturn the state Supreme Court's decision to allow same-sex marriage, Karen Ocamb at Alternet notes that the argument is increasingly turning to the false

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-42123966699060465832008-10-16T21:58:00.003-04:002008-10-16T22:03:05.965-04:00

The "ex-gays" are now whining that they need their "special rights" like those nasty gays and lesbians. The support group for so-called "ex-gays," PFOX (Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays), has brought suit against Washington, D.C.’s Office of Human Rights for not including "ex-gays" as a protected group under laws that bar discrimination based on sexual orientation, according to a

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-86661998251126098492008-10-06T15:32:00.001-04:002008-10-06T15:34:10.486-04:00

It's no secret that Sarah Palin has had an abusive past in her relationship with facts – but as I learned in the newsroom, it's never wise to let the facts get in the way when there's a good story to tell.Palin's latest fact-light charge is that Barack Obama is "palling around" with terrorists because of a tenuous link to William Ayers, founder of the violent Weather Underground in the late

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-4254713813801195272008-09-11T07:00:00.003-04:002008-09-11T07:03:27.361-04:00

So, McCain thinks Obama is sexist with his whole "lipstick on a pig" comment. Well, at least Obama doesn't publicly call his wife horrible names. And if he did, I'd bet money Michelle wouldn't stay with him long - yet, Cindy McCain stands by her man, flying him in her jet, housing him in several lavish homes ... hmmm, gotta wonder about these things. Just sayin' ...

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-36770709158777621302008-09-09T12:48:00.002-04:002008-09-09T12:51:53.377-04:00

Well, it was really only a matter of time:...the Christ himself has come forward to announce that he is leaving Christianity, effective immediately. The reasoning: The 2008 Republican Platform. Reached for comment at a West Hollywood coffee shop, Christ said that he couldn’t deal with a world that so misinterpreted his words and actions.I've honestly wondered why it took Christ so long to leave

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-73849441956935648152008-07-28T19:24:00.002-04:002008-07-28T19:35:23.922-04:00

Bill O'Reilly, Michael Savage and Sean Hannity, if they had any sense of morality - or souls - should be hanging their heads in shame today - or arrested. They are direct accomplices in the deaths of two decent people. Two people died yesterday because some man twisted by their idiotic worldview that "liberals" are responsible for the sorry state of our Republican run world got himself a gun and

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-32618591453802276902008-07-28T10:56:00.002-04:002008-07-28T11:12:42.448-04:00

Sitting in church yesterday morning, I had an odd and ominous feeling come over me. Service had already begun, we were probably about ten minutes in, when I heard our front door open and close and someone came in. Another late arrival - no big deal. But, just as the sound of the door closing hit me - so did one word: "Gunman." As I sat in service I realized how easy it would be for someone with

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-37225650230387282272008-07-25T16:26:00.002-04:002008-07-25T16:36:20.620-04:00

My book, Bulletproof Faith: A Spiritual Survival Guide for Gay and Lesbian Christians got a great review from Publisher's Weekly - not something all books get. My sales numbers at Amazon.com improved for a little while. If you haven't gotten your copy - do so now, please. Help me become a well-fed writer. Also, check out the official site for the book where I'll be posting all the news that is

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-26893088469278988962008-07-10T10:06:00.004-04:002008-07-10T12:30:57.036-04:00

I've never had warm, fuzzy feelings for Barack Obama. I never quite understood the fuss about him, but of course, given my contrarian nature, anything wildly popular is immediately suspect in my book. Aside from that, in my gut, I've always had a nagging bad feeling about him - that he's not what he appears to be. (For full disclosure - in the primary, I had the historic chance to vote for a

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-56374001318350007222008-06-23T13:07:00.001-04:002008-06-23T13:08:40.886-04:00

Carlin was one of the greats, and one of my favorites. Here's one to remember: "The most unfair thing about life is the way it ends. I mean, life is tough. It takes up a lot of your time. What do you get at the end of it? A Death! What's that, a bonus? I think the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first, get it out of the way. Then you live in an old age home. You get kicked out when

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-22631108160173868752008-06-09T09:29:00.002-04:002008-06-09T09:40:57.793-04:00

We're currently relaxing at the condo in Big Sky, Montana. The plane ride? Hated it. Went smoothly, but still hated it. The pilot landed like it was his first landing - very rough, very scary. Hated it. Montana? Love it! It's beautiful here. Here's the view from the condo.We're planning horseback riding, a trip to Yellowstone and just doing a lot of nothing. Time is weird here - it seems like the

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-56112153741114990062008-06-02T10:40:00.003-04:002008-06-02T11:43:38.153-04:00

When I first moved to South Carolina, I was distressed and amazed at how much religious material - let me clarify, Christian material - there was displayed in places like doctor and dentist offices. After living in Atlanta for many, many years, I never saw such public displays of Christian faith in professional areas. I know that Atlanta is in the South, where proselytizing is akin to breathing,

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-58015011635302233832008-05-16T16:28:00.003-04:002008-05-16T16:36:22.398-04:00

Apparently our economy has gone to hell because of abortions. No, seriously, we're paying more than $4.00 a gallon for a tank of gas, the housing bubble has burst, people are losing their homes and jobs and consumer confidence is lower than Bush's approval rating, but our leaders and their selfish choices have nothing to do with it. Abortions. That's the cause. This according to John McCain

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-51397359264350292862008-05-15T20:19:00.002-04:002008-05-15T20:29:05.044-04:00

Time to book that plane ticket to California - where the Supreme Court has opened full marriage rights to gay and lesbian people."It's about human dignity. It's about human rights. It's about time in California," San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, pumping his fist in the air, told a roaring crowd at City Hall. "As California goes, so goes the rest of the nation. It's inevitable. This door's wide

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-4050903189115561872008-05-02T14:31:00.000-04:002008-05-02T14:32:10.515-04:00

A little Friday afternoon fun:

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-70988417753947619532008-04-30T16:52:00.001-04:002008-04-30T16:52:38.702-04:00

Hey everyone, I've been a bit shaken up today after my partner came home and told me that she almost died in a traffic accident last night. Construction had traffic stopped on the interstate around 10 p.m. last night when a tractor-trailer crested the hill at a high rate of speed heading right for my partner's car. She said the truck slammed on his brakes and fish-tailed down the hill before

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-88677741183062352032008-04-30T16:15:00.002-04:002008-04-30T16:16:43.008-04:00

Well, I don't think this is what Pete Townshend had it mind when he wrote My Generation, but then I remember, Pete could be one of the geezers in this video. It's a hoot. Check the old lady doing the Pete windmill and oh, the destruction at the end!!

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-39260104636440254722008-04-29T07:42:00.001-04:002008-04-29T07:43:47.879-04:00

Here's a blast from the past. I don't know why, but this song was in my head this morning, so I had to go out and find it. It's log,It's log,It's big, it's heavy, it's wood!Everyone loves a log ...

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-53324876826115489262008-04-22T12:37:00.001-04:002008-04-22T12:38:46.521-04:00

To celebrate Earth Day, I would like to reprise my sermon entitled: Becoming Hafta FarmersAn excerpt: The Earth is alive, and like any live thing it needs care and tending for it to grow and thrive. We human beings have been falling down on the job - and mainly because we don't truly understand our job. I was taught that human beings have "dominion" over the earth - and when we say "dominion" we

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-4617456791413578212008-04-21T11:06:00.002-04:002008-04-21T11:12:35.491-04:00

Hey everyone, my new book Bulletproof Faith: A Spiritual Survival Guide for Gay and Lesbian Christians is now available for pre-order. It comes out in mid-September, but it's never too soon to get those orders in.As GLBT people of faith, we are constantly under assault. Whether we hear "Love the sinner, hate the sin" or it's equivalent, "God Hates Fags!" we are told both in church and society

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-79579828652314412492008-04-11T11:25:00.004-04:002008-04-11T11:44:14.282-04:00

It was pointed out to me that Desmond Tutu may be behind the curve in apologizing to gay and lesbian people. (The suggestion was tongue-in-cheek, but let's explore it anyway.) A couple of weeks ago the pastor of a Baptist church in a town where I spent a few years as a child, Sugar Hill, Georgia (about 40 miles north of Atlanta), used his sermon to apologize to everyone from gays and lesbians to

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-80920969644489693962008-04-10T15:58:00.002-04:002008-04-10T16:10:17.919-04:00

Archbishop Desmond Tutu is an amazing man. I had the pleasure of briefly meeting him while I attended seminary and he was a guest lecturer at Emory's Candler School of Theology. What a gracious and gentle soul. It comes as no shock to me that he is a staunch support of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. In San Francisco, CA, last night, Tutu apologized to GLBT people on behalf of the

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-37932577622798289262008-04-01T12:58:00.002-04:002008-04-01T12:58:42.309-04:00

Gay scientists discover the "Christianity gene." Another mystery solved.

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-18102877817779713292008-03-26T14:07:00.002-04:002008-03-26T14:10:10.200-04:00

Jeremiah Wright preaches in the prophetic tradition - a tradition that isn't all that popular anymore and is widely understood. Over at AlterNet, there's a great piece that puts Wright and all who dare to pursue prophetic preaching (like Martin Luther King Jr., for example) into proper context. Too bad this piece can't be more widely read: Now along comes the Wright "controversy" and Barack was

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-78722335801454326312008-03-25T17:43:00.002-04:002008-03-25T17:45:59.479-04:00

Mike Huckabee, of all people, actually gives great context to Rev. Jeremiah Wright's sermons: HUCKABEE: I don’t think we know. If this were October, I think it would have a dramatic impact. But it’s not October. It’s March. And I don’t believe that by the time we get to October, this is gonna be the defining issue of the campaign, and the reason that people vote.And one other thing I think we’ve

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-46028337814046092382008-03-24T07:23:00.002-04:002008-03-24T07:24:37.460-04:00

Check out this link at Amazon.com - and put in your order today!http://tinyurl.com/3yv59u

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-27196460421911885562008-03-18T20:59:00.004-04:002008-03-18T21:24:32.435-04:00

I've believed that America was the land of the damned way before Jeremiah Wright's much publicized declaration from the pulpit. I'm frankly disappointed in Barak Obama's tepid speech today, declaring his strident disagreement with Wright. I'm truly left with no one to vote for. Clinton has proved to be politics as usual. McCain is just f-ing crazy predicting 100 more years of endless war and more

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-28639125551341255612008-03-07T07:37:00.004-05:002008-03-07T07:42:42.698-05:00

More human beings continue to die in Iraq.Gas prices continue to skyrocket.More people are losing their homes to foreclosure. More people are forced to stretch the dollars they have.But, President Bush can still dance.

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-42787350145334416672008-02-28T15:18:00.006-05:002008-03-04T13:22:04.518-05:00

This one isn't as stark in its contrasts as the BeliefNet Quiz and had some interesting results. It's called "What's your theological worldview?"Here's my result: You scored as a Emergent/PostmodernYou are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well. No one knows the whole truth about God, and we

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-75342042384381716672008-02-28T13:30:00.004-05:002008-02-28T13:33:18.333-05:00

According to BeliefNet's Belief-O-Matic quiz. No wonder I've always felt good at the Quaker meetings or at the UU church. Ironic that I'm a mainline pastor, eh? Here are my results: 1. Liberal Quakers (100%)2. Unitarian Universalism (98%)3. Neo-Pagan (96%)4. New Age (94%)5. Reform Judaism (89%)6. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (85%)7. Mahayana Buddhism (78%)8. Bahá'í Faith (72%

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-38550150195953442282008-02-27T15:40:00.002-05:002008-02-27T15:40:58.397-05:00

Diebold Accidentally Leaks Result of 2008 Election. But, vote anyway ... Diebold Accidentally Leaks Results Of 2008 Election Early

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-35138733088575279142008-02-27T07:07:00.004-05:002008-02-27T07:19:01.261-05:00

Fundamentalist churches, for years, has been endorsing candidates from their pulpits, producing voter guides that make it obvious who they support and even have candidates speak from their pulpits. The IRS never seems to notice. Let a liberal or progressive church or denomination just breathe about politics and the iron fist of the IRS comes down hard. The Internal Revenue Service has notified

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-56894343942831447542008-02-21T14:07:00.002-05:002008-02-21T14:09:42.677-05:00

According to a "What Breed of Liberal Are You?" quiz over on Daniel Kurtzman's Web site promoting his new book "How to Win a Fight with a Conservative. Here are my results My Liberal Identity:You are a Social Justice Crusader, also known as a rights activist. You believe in equality, fairness, and preventing neo-Confederate conservative troglodytes from rolling back fifty years of civil rights

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-19045363342214523162008-02-18T16:27:00.003-05:002008-02-18T16:29:38.201-05:00

If you don't support spying, you don't love Uh-mur-i-kuh

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-78720146373817702992008-02-12T11:07:00.000-05:002008-02-12T11:50:09.797-05:00

For the fifth time in as many years, couples here in South Carolina made the trek to the courthouse here in Columbia to try to apply for marriage licenses. Wanda and I have participated four of those years, including this year. The result is always the same. They let us fill out the paperwork so the cameras can get their shots and then they politely tell us to get lost. Back in the early years,

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-84653345632220361212008-02-08T16:11:00.000-05:002008-02-08T16:25:07.056-05:00

Okay, if there are any clues about someone trying to swindle you out of your money, it would be that their name is "Hayseed." It seems, a few years ago, a man named Harold "Hayseed" Stephens, proposed drilling for oil in Israel - and not just to get rich, but to:drain the oil fields of the Persian Gulf, prompt Arab countries to attack Israel, and at last touch off the great battle that would

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-13551303641390798602008-02-08T13:49:00.000-05:002008-02-08T14:00:51.942-05:00

Wow, the Holy Crap has been cascading today. First, I read an interview with conservative Bishop N.T. Wright who tells us that whole heaven thing is just a fig newton of our imaginations: There are several important respects in which it's unsupported by the New Testament. First, the timing. In the Bible we are told that you die, and enter an intermediate state. St. Paul is very clear that Jesus

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-61118817478330726522008-02-07T16:17:00.001-05:002008-02-07T16:27:41.612-05:00

My heart and my prayers are with all of those who lost their homes and loved ones in the devastating tornadoes that went through the southern region this week. How horrible that these disasters strike. It always seems so random. One house gone, the one next door standing without a scratch. How do we explain it? Well, those who survive have this odd tendency to credit God with their survival. The

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-34223473567799240252008-02-07T08:10:00.000-05:002008-02-07T08:13:33.139-05:00

Here is my homily from Ash Wednesday service last night. You can hear the audio here. Reflect, Repent, RebootAsh Wednesday - Feb. 6, 2008Joel 2:12-18, Matthew 6:1-15Let me begin with a couple of silly questions: How many of you use a computer? How many of you have had your computer crash?I imagine many of us have experienced this throughout the years. If you use a Mac you dread hearing what's

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-55054602263092645292008-02-04T15:43:00.000-05:002008-02-04T15:58:33.722-05:00

The Good Christian President(TM) George W. Bush has put out his latest budget and not surprisingly, the winners are, well, not anyone reading this blog. The more than $3 trillion budget includes lots and lots of spending for the military industrial complex - all in the name of our "national security." It also calls for making the Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy permanent - entrenching the haves

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-29710260455855861402008-01-31T14:18:00.000-05:002008-01-31T14:38:03.432-05:00

Getting my hair cut is always a lesson in Bible belt piety. My stylist, afraid of the very real gang activity in her son's school, has put him in a Christian school. He's learning some strange things about what it means to be a Christian. He told his mom recently, after a very innocent touch with a relative that, "Men shouldn't touch a woman until they're married." Wow, his high school days are

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-60510498169367336512008-01-30T06:30:00.000-05:002008-01-30T06:38:01.406-05:00

No man or woman of the humblest sort can really be strong, gentle, pure and good without the world being better for it, without somebody being helped and comforted by the very existence of that goodness.- Phillips BrooksI haven't been making the world a better place recently. I've been cranky, frustrated and downright angry with folks. The media keeps lambasting John Edwards for being "angry" in

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-2592805681832399972008-01-24T06:39:00.000-05:002008-01-24T06:44:51.268-05:00

Whosoever's latest Godcast in now online. It features interviews with Rick Brentlinger about his new book Gay Christian 101 and filmmaker Lisa Darden, whose new movie For Such a Time as This comes out later this year and features an interview with the editor of a humble Internet magazine for GLBT Christians. :)Below is the text of my Godcast commentary:In his book Freedom, Glorious Freedom John J

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-78438264179768739262008-01-23T07:43:00.001-05:002008-01-23T07:59:27.105-05:00

Amazing. There is an endless war going on that is sucking our economy dry. Homeless veterans, millions without health care insurance, millions more falling into poverty every single day and what are the most important issues in this election to evangelicals? Abortion and homosexuality, of course!The Barna Group's research found that in this important group of voters, whose strong support

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-55545709898460083472008-01-22T16:01:00.000-05:002008-01-22T16:04:01.507-05:00

According to a new study committed gay and lesbian relationships aren't all that different from heterosexual relationships. The current study adds to this literature by demonstrating that, controlling for demographic differences, gay males and lesbians in our studies were generally not distinguishable from their committed heterosexual counterparts on measures of self- and partner reported

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-20605841071889179992008-01-17T07:06:00.000-05:002008-01-17T07:34:38.109-05:00

I don't have to wake up everyday wondering what I need to believe. - Mike HuckabeeGOP presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee makes this ridiculous statement in one of his recent campaign ads. In the opening line, Huckabee reassures the voters that faith is something that "defines" him. It so defines him he doesn't have to wonder about what to believe. Here's the interpretation: If you're not a

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-71093341011380421762008-01-01T08:59:00.000-05:002008-01-01T09:15:49.764-05:00

Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.- RumiHappy New Year! I hope that everyone had a fabulous New Year celebration. Wanda and I spent time with some friends, enjoying adult beverages and games, including football. Note: Shameless self-promotion ahead ...This coming year holds some exciting things for me

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-70670369512664624212007-12-30T07:45:00.000-05:002007-12-30T07:49:45.117-05:00

As the end of year rolls around, it's time to take a look back and see what sections of Whosoever our readers are visiting the most.Here is Whosoever's Top Ten Visited Sections of 2007:1. Bible and Homosexuality: http://whosoever.org/bible/2. People Suck, by Candace Chellew-Hodge (this was my ordinationsermon in 2003): http://www.whosoever.org/v8i4/peoplesuck.shtml3. Christian Agnostic Blog: http

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-16022998680457914022007-12-25T07:25:00.001-05:002007-12-25T07:25:40.182-05:00

Dearly beloved, today our Savior is born; let us rejoice. Sadness should have no place on the birthday of life. The fear of death has been swallowed up; life brings us joy with the promise of eternal happiness. - Leo the Great, "Sermon"

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-8697251358102582722007-12-13T15:12:00.000-05:002007-12-13T15:17:58.726-05:00

I read this as a commentary on a recent Rainbow Radio show. I've gotten a lot of feedback from folks who said it helped them, so I'm posting it here. The holidays are hard for some people because of unresolved family issues. I hope this is something that can help bring healing this season. You can hear the commentary here (at the end of the show).I was standing toe to toe with a complete stranger

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-26309788282079926252007-12-07T06:53:00.000-05:002007-12-07T06:54:27.484-05:00

Make it a good day.

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-46185098942487657232007-12-04T13:17:00.001-05:002007-12-04T13:18:54.428-05:00

I wish to God this was something being reported by the Onion. Instead, it appears to be real and not a parody. Fox Entertainment Group (FEG) today announced its acquisition of Beliefnet, a Web site that enables consumers to better understand their faith and build diverse spiritual communities by providing content and tools for a broad range of religions and spiritual approaches. Beliefnet, the

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-78737756100521175242007-12-04T08:23:00.001-05:002007-12-04T08:46:06.516-05:00

I can't believe we have another year of this crap coming. I used to listen to NPR religiously on my way to work. Now, I can barely stand it. Instead, I'm grooving to Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews and even some Jethro Tull in the car these days. I can't stand the hypocrisy and downright stupidity of the political races these days. So, a retired gay general who favors Hillary asked the

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-7138865397774058612007-11-30T11:33:00.000-05:002007-11-30T11:47:39.647-05:00

Check out Whosoever's latest Godcast, if you haven't already. I had a great interview with Dr. Hyena (who is concealing his identity to avoid harassment from the Klan), one of the organizers of the Ku Klux Klowns that totally put the KKK in their place in Knoxville earlier this year. Their amazing counter-protest is exactly what Jesus is getting at when he counsels us to not resist evil. We don't

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-11771653051733879102007-11-21T15:17:00.000-05:002007-11-21T15:48:02.867-05:00

No, I haven't suddenly become heterosexual. Don't worry. The "Dave" I long for is the Dave played by Kevin Kline in the movie of the same name. In the movie, Dave is a lowly everyman, quietly running a temping service, finding people jobs. He just happens to be a dead ringer for the current president, Bill Mitchell. After the president suffers a stroke, the chief of staff and head speech writer

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-74166695361571934452007-11-20T11:45:00.000-05:002007-11-20T11:49:56.174-05:00

The Transgender Day of Remembrance is a day to remember those killed because of the deep hatred of the transgender in our society. The day began in 1999 after the 1998 death of Rita Hester. Her murder, like so many transgender murders, remains unsolved. Rev. Paul Turner has an excellent memorial posted at Rev. Bitch, Sir: The people we mourn for this day are apart of the community most would just

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-86460755924612918922007-11-15T10:39:00.001-05:002007-11-15T10:49:14.859-05:00

If God did not choose to work in ways that confound us, grace would not be amazing. It would not be grace.-Kathleen Norris, Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of FaithGod continually confounds me. Greed, war, violence - all manner of evil runs rampant in our world, yet God does nothing. Or, at least God seems to do nothing. God seems to leave it all up to us. Every month I attend a meeting of community

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-46283317085794783952007-11-13T07:15:00.000-05:002007-11-13T07:39:49.675-05:00

Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ 26 He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’ 27 He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.’ 28 And he said to him, ‘You have given

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-21367612832524288122007-11-09T07:22:00.000-05:002007-11-09T07:24:58.749-05:00

Hope your weekend is as relaxing!

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-70712111458424719212007-11-08T11:53:00.000-05:002007-11-08T12:01:17.619-05:00

All self-understanding arises from understanding ourselves as spiritual beings, and it is only contact with the universal Holy Spirit that can give us the depth and the breadth to understand ... The way to this is not difficult. It is very simple. But it does require serious commitment.-John Main, OSB, “Space to Be,” from MOMENT OF CHRISTSometimes I simply don't understand myself. I don't

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-65523311415636583372007-11-07T10:50:00.000-05:002007-11-07T10:53:06.914-05:00

There's still time to get in on tonight's teleseminar on Spiritual Self-Defense for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Christians. Go here to sign up and join us at 7 p.m. tonight!http://www.whosoever.org/seminars/It will be a great event!

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-75571054298450730002007-11-06T16:54:00.000-05:002007-11-06T17:01:44.955-05:00

So, the evangelical Christians have decided that a set of quotation marks can save them from Jesus' clear prohibition against divorce.Instone-Brewer, an expert in Jewish thought during Jesus' era, writes that Christ's interlocutors were not asking him whether there was any cause at all for divorce, but whether he supported something called "any-cause" divorce, a term a little bit like "no-fault"

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-33583250558802694162007-11-06T07:43:00.000-05:002007-11-06T07:56:34.113-05:00

But, Meredith, part of the challenge the news media has had in covering this story is the old habit of taking the on the one hand, on the other hand approach. There are still people who believe that the Earth is flat, but when you’re reporting on a story like the one you’re covering today, where you have people all around the world, you don’t take — you don’t search out for someone who still

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-14454284410809515692007-11-05T07:23:00.000-05:002007-11-05T07:41:47.754-05:00

Woe is me, that I am an alien in Meshech, that I must live among the tents of Kedar. Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.Psalm 120:5-7I am increasingly feeling like I am an alien in Meshech - forced to live in the tents of Kedar. The drumbeat of war against Iran grows stronger as we continue the fruitless killing

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-51840792616336329952007-11-02T12:50:00.000-04:002007-11-02T12:59:50.683-04:00

Truly if, as Jesus said, you have to become like a child to receive the Kingdom of God, what does it say about you if instead your willful ignorance of children’s needs causes them to suffer? It says you are not worthy of the kingdom of God, that’s what it says.-Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite, Only a Sick Society Plays Politics with Children's HealthThe Democrats are trying again to do the right

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-57788667846286407272007-11-01T08:39:00.000-04:002007-11-01T08:53:48.507-04:00

I do not doubt that it was You who called me, with so much love and force. It was you. I know. That is why the work is yours and it is You even now - but I have no faith - I don't believe.-Mother Teresa, Come Be My LightThe new book, Come Be My Light, reveals the deep doubts and loss of faith that the one woman on all the Earth we would least expect such sentiments from - Mother Teresa. This is

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-70604316306036886392007-10-31T07:24:00.000-04:002007-10-31T08:55:24.594-04:00

A human being is a longing for God and nothing less than God will satisfy us; the seductive voices that would make us anything less than this are to be resisted. Our battle will continually be with the deadly reductionisms in the world today; with attitudes that diminish human beings to disposable commodities, to means to commercial or political ends. -Alan Jones, Exploring Spiritual

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-69468713889614560322007-10-30T07:15:00.000-04:002007-10-30T07:25:44.157-04:00

The Lord, when He wants to change a situation, has a better method. He changes people, and changed people change situations.-Norman Vincent Peale, Positive ImagingAs I drove to work yesterday, I noticed the PowerBall Lottery was up to $51 million. "Oh, Lord, I want that," I breathed. I probably don't really want that - the money would be nice, sure - but all the new "friends" that come out of the

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-11091089185835596592007-10-29T07:22:00.000-04:002007-10-29T10:57:37.846-04:00

"Waiting on God is a bore; but what fun to argue, to score off opponents, to lose one's temper and call it 'righteous indignation,' and at last to pass from controversy to blows, from words to what St. Augustine so deliciously described as the 'beningnant asperity' of persecution and punishment."- Aldous Huxley, "The Perennial Philosophy"Yesterday, I spent most of the afternoon marching in a

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-48445369483526864842007-10-26T15:28:00.000-04:002007-10-26T15:32:51.901-04:00

Rev. Andy Sidden, Senior Pastor of Garden of Grace UCC, where I serve as associate pastor, appeared on Mike Signorile's radio show yesterday to discuss the controversy around his being chosen to give the opening prayer at Barack Obama's black gospel concert this Sunday in Columbia, SC. Use this link to listen to the interview.

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-17585544688845855822007-10-26T07:23:00.000-04:002007-10-26T07:38:54.580-04:00

Kind words do not cost much. They never blister the tongue or lips. They make other people good-natured. They also produce their own image on men's souls, and a beautiful image it is.- Blaise PascalJust as I began to create this post an ad for one of the politicians running for president flashed across the television. I did not say a kind word to him. In fact, the words I said were quite unkind.

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-88441619030528357842007-10-25T12:05:00.000-04:002007-10-25T12:13:59.134-04:00

So, perhaps you've heard the brouhaha about Barack Obama and his association with a homophobic gospel singer set to perform during a show in Columbia, SC this Sunday. The GLBT community is going nuts, of course, demanding that Obama get rid of said performer. Instead, the campaign has asked an openly gay pastor to give the opening prayer. That pastor is none other than Andy Sidden, the Senior

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-66166399576760382932007-10-25T07:54:00.001-04:002007-10-25T08:11:24.572-04:00

If a thought or behavior divides us, it is not of God; if it unites us, it is of God. -Wayne Dyer, Change Your Thoughts - Change Your LifeWhy is that such a hard concept to grasp? Humans live to divide. We divide into tribes, nations, religious affiliations, classes, races, sexual orientations and genders. What ridiculous creatures we are - wanting to find that extra something that makes us more

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-215220472490813882007-10-24T09:41:00.000-04:002007-10-24T09:52:23.681-04:00

What if genuine faithfulness is less a matter of waiting on God and more a matter of working or playing with God?-Kirk Byron Jones, Holy PlayHow many of us are waiting on God to do something in our lives? Whether it's bringing about peace and joy, that perfect job, that perfect mate, that perfect house, car or other possession. How many times have we been told to be patient that God will work it

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-38969475690773040362007-10-23T16:41:00.000-04:002007-10-23T16:46:15.003-04:00

Alas, the author of this blog cannot even do that - referring to me as "Challew" the entire post. He accuses me of mangling scripture, yet his reading skills are so poor he can't even tell an "e" from an "a." Too rich.His critique of Whosoever is hysterical (and full of self-righteous hysterics) however, so go check it out - excerpting it does not do it justice.

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-52007634381166810882007-10-23T13:59:00.001-04:002007-10-23T14:31:29.597-04:00

Here in the buckle of the Bible belt you don't have to drive too far to read all sorts of crap that passes for "sound theology" in today's conservative churches. They are the source of much amusement for me and would be even more amusing if so many people didn't buy into this kind of claptrap about God. So, I'm going to start writing regularly about the theological bull$%!& I regularly see around

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-40443307712579776942007-10-22T13:20:00.000-04:002007-10-22T13:32:31.544-04:00

''In a world wounded by conflicts, where violence is justified in God's name, it's important to repeat that religion can never become a vehicle of hatred, it can never be used in God's name to justify violence,'' he said. ''On the contrary, religions can and must offer precious resources to build a peaceful humanity, because they speak about peace in the heart of man.''Oddly enough, it was the

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-76886073067972035772007-09-26T14:57:00.000-04:002007-09-26T15:04:47.508-04:00

I realized one of my childhood dreams today. I have just signed a contract with a major publisher to publish my first book. I'm still sort of in shock. It's so damn cool. My book, Bulletproof Faith: A Spiritual Survival Guide for Gay and Lesbian Christians will be published by Jossey-Bass in the Fall of 2008. It's so damn cool. I did what a bunch of writer and wannabe writer friends of mine said

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-34035884208435949502007-09-16T08:47:00.001-04:002007-09-16T08:47:32.470-04:00

Check out our sixteenth podcast, or "Godcast" from Whosoever: An Online Magazine for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Christians, features an interview with Eric Elnes about his new book Asphalt Jesus which chronicles the 2500 mile trek he and several others took across the country in an effort to put action to progressive Christian principles. God had some surprises for them along the way

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-54385514352890295222007-09-06T12:56:00.000-04:002007-09-06T13:00:41.606-04:00

I've read a ton of literature on the effectiveness of nonviolent direct social action, but I have never seen it quite put into action like this before. A Ku Klux Klan rally in Knoxville didn't get so much punked as they did "clowned." Back in May the local Kluxers held a rally and got a big surprise.Unfortunately for them the 100th ARA (Anti Racist Action) clown block came and handed them their

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-22439116663346983632007-08-31T16:51:00.000-04:002007-08-31T16:54:13.598-04:00

On the drive home yesterday I flipped through the AM stations, which I often do on a lark when I'm truly bored, and found one of my favorite things to listen to - hellfire preachers.I don't know who this woman was, but she had an irritating refrain of, "Does that make sense, yes or no?" She, of course, gave no time for anyone to say, "Um, no ..." - because she was on to the next point. If that

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-83371090274508254632007-08-28T12:48:00.000-04:002007-08-28T12:50:43.397-04:00

Our law books here in the Palmetto State require that each child be given an "adequately minimal education." Mission accomplished.Here's a link in case you can't see the video above.

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-24804928016308062572007-08-02T16:16:00.000-04:002007-08-02T19:02:33.513-04:00

"When we look around at what other people have and where they are going, we lose focus on what's important: what we have and where we're going. Yes, there is more than one path to the top of the mountain. But the only one that will get you there is yours. Do not look longingly at the paths of others. Give yours your undivided attention and keep your focus." -Philip Toshio Sudo, Zen GuitarIt's

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-52653183654552975172007-08-01T18:43:00.001-04:002007-08-01T18:55:12.670-04:00

I'm engaging a little bit of idol worship at guitar camp. One of the instructors this week is a favorite performer of mine: Billy Jonas. If you've never heard of him, please check out his Web site and buy tons of his CDs. He calls himself a "repercussionist" and uses found objects like barrels and cans for percussion instruments in his songs. I performed his song, "One" at church and the crowd

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-87109828040436477062007-07-31T16:41:00.000-04:002007-07-31T16:55:45.479-04:00

Well, today at guitar camp, I got a tattoo. Okay, it's a press on tattoo, but I'm thinking of making it the real thing. It's the circle of fifths with a snake as the circle. Check out the pic. It's a handy little tool complete with a chord speller in the middle. I have graduated to music geekdom. All hail the music geeks. It's been a full day. I haven't had a chance to come back to the room to

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-20356978163312332712007-07-30T12:54:00.000-04:002007-07-30T13:11:50.038-04:00

I arrived in beautiful Asheville last night, all set to sharpen my chops at the Swannanoa Gathering. It's both guitar and contemporary folk week, so there are people wandering the Warren Wilson College campus with guitars and mandolins. (No trumpets and I'll steer clear of any I see.) One guy told me he had a bazookie (not sure how to spell that), which he says is a bass mandolin. Can't wait to

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-86428538811328866792007-07-05T15:16:00.000-04:002007-07-05T15:18:27.798-04:00

My good friend and sometime mentor (though I always resisted whatever he suggested), Rev. Paul Turner, has launched his own blog.Dubbed "Reverend Bitch, Sir" you only have to read a few lines to understand the title. Paul is as outspoken as he is out - and believe me, he's way out. A blog suits him and I'm looking forward to reading as he muses loudly in cyberspace. Check it out.

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-38216414343659743472007-06-27T11:24:00.001-04:002007-06-27T11:30:59.037-04:00

I just realized this morning that two days ago, I became the answer to life, the universe and everything. I turned that magic number - 42. I always chuckled at the absurdity of Douglas Adams' assertion that 42 was the answer to life, the universe and everything, not quite understanding its meaning until now. I've discovered that 42 really is the answer the life, the universe and everything. I've

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-4068585331508418012007-06-25T12:30:00.000-04:002007-06-25T13:00:53.201-04:00

In every pride parade I participated in when I lived in Atlanta, the religious groups were always in the very back. We were the afterthought - the red-headed step children of the pride parade. The organizers showed their discomfort with our very presence by placing us so far in the back that most of the party was over by the time we reached Piedmont Park. They just didn't want to be bothered by

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-43990885514336645162007-06-04T13:13:00.000-04:002007-06-04T13:14:26.554-04:00

I can count on one hand the number of times I've agreed with Pat Buchanan and still have enough fingers left to pop the top off a cat food can. The cats would be on their own however, if I had to count the number of times I wanted to lob a spitball at the back of Pat's head during a live appearance he made at a TV station in Atlanta I worked for during Pat's delusion that he could be elected

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-80626714702430153432007-05-31T15:55:00.000-04:002007-05-31T16:21:20.029-04:00

No longer content to just sit by and hate the sin, the Southern Baptist Convention has officially hired a "love the sinner" director.On Friday, Bob Stith, after retiring as pastor of Carroll Baptist Church in Southlake Texas becomes director of Southern Baptists' Ministry to Homosexuals Task Force.Thirteen years ago Stith began to feel guilty about negative attitudes toward homosexuals coming

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-87192997512506679232007-05-04T16:08:00.000-04:002007-05-04T16:12:13.860-04:00

So, Bush tells Congress that they had better not send him any legislation that eases restrictions on abortion. Why?Because he will not “allow taxpayer dollars to be used for the destruction of human life.”Um, so why are all of our taxpayer dollars begin used to fund a war??????Isn't it fundamental in any war that there will be "destruction of human life?"Oh, I forget, a fetus has more rights than

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-42759670743751016652007-04-25T09:16:00.000-04:002007-04-25T09:23:19.264-04:00

"Courage is fear that has said its prayers."Those were the words imprinted on the side of a tractor trailer truck that I passed on the way to Greenville, South Carolina on April 4, 2007 to witness the Soulforce Equality Ride stop at Bob Jones University. It seemed an appropriate description of the riders, 50 young adults who are traveling on two separate buses to 32 colleges that have policies

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-17146609359287467102007-03-15T11:21:00.000-04:002007-03-15T11:29:08.481-04:00

I've just started reading Jesus Machine by Dan Gilgoff - it's a book that traces the history of James Dobson and how his Focus on the Family empire was built and how he's come to hold such political power.I'm only into the early chapters, but I read a story about Dobson this morning that got me to thinking and wondering. Apparently, Dobson's father prophesied that Dobson Jr. would be wildly

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-38113587292212544922007-03-13T09:46:00.000-04:002007-03-13T09:56:14.959-04:00

So, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Peter Pace thinks homosexuality is immoral, does he?"I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts," Pace was quoted as saying in the newspaper interview. "I do not believe the United States is well served by a policy that says it is OK to be immoral in any way."Let's just think this through for a

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-86900522364479017122007-02-14T16:34:00.000-05:002007-02-14T16:43:04.560-05:00

Okay, this disturbs me. It seems that leaders of the so-called "ex-gay ministries" are calling on preachers to be less vitriolic in their condemnation of gays and lesbians - so they won't be scared away from entering such "ministries."While the audience included some of the local Christian right’s most hardened culture warriors, (ex-gay leader Andrew) Comiskey’s message was that the church should

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38186952.post-2822854831303828952007-02-06T11:01:00.000-05:002007-02-06T11:08:47.528-05:00

Gay rights activists in Washington state have come up with a brilliant idea - a law that tells straight folks to either procreate or their marriage is over:Proponents of same-sex marriage have introduced an initiative that would put a whole new twist on traditional unions between men and women: It would require heterosexual couples to have children within three years or else have their marriages

Candace Chellew-Hodgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318466652462866480noreply@blogger.com0