Queering Christ

Currently I am enrolled at a pretty Christian School, Andover Newton Theological School, in order to move forward with my ordination as a Unitarian Universalist minister. While I do not consider myself Christian I was raised both as a Christian and as a Unitarian Universalist. I have thus come to appreciate many of the stories within Christianity and have also been deeply hurt by the right wing choosing to use the revolutionary, anarchist, pro-liberation, Jesus against me and others I care about. Currently I am reading a VERY queer book for one of my classes. The book is Queering Christ by Robert E. Goss. So far the book is INCREDIBLE. My intention is to post some of my favorite highlights on queertoday in order for others to enjoy a very different experience of Jesus, one that does not make him the evil hater that so many choose to use him as. Do be aware that some folks may be offended by the sexual content of the passages I share over the next couple of weeks. I am not claiming that Christianity is easily made pro-queer, but so many folks are trying, struggling at times, and I appreciate their efforts. I hope we can all enjoy this queer perspective from a Jesuit priest, regardless of whether or not we are Christian...

"My technique of meditative prayer was to envision Christ with me and experience him as a lover. Scott Haleman, Betty Dodson, and Joe Kramer argue that masturbation can be spiritual and can become a form of transcendental meditation. Masturbation can harness fantasies and sexual energy. When prolonged, it can stimulate and extend pleasure. When fantasies are focused into making love with Christ, the experience opens itself to a fundamental and profound consciousness of God. My visualizations of Jesus were certainly explicit, erotically envisioning various forms of making love to Jesus the Christ. I had sexual intercourse with Jesus. Sometimes he was the top, and sometimes he was the bottom. My relationship with Christ was mutual and deep."