I'm Moving - New Blog Ready!

Hello!

Here is some exciting news, I've got a new blog location:

www.loveisanorientation.com

I will no longer be posting at this location, so head on over to www.loveisanorientation.com and join in on the conversation! For those of you who subscribe to this blog, there is a new subscription button on the new site.

Blogger did me well, and now I'm over to this new site thanks to Adam McLane!!!!!!! He did the WHOLE THING!

See you at www.loveisanorientation.com!

Much love.
Andrew

Off the Grid

Hello! Last night I returned from a recent 3 time-zone, 4 city, 11 day trip where I had the chance to speak to 4 churches, a college group at the University of Michigan, non-profit board of director retreat and a Christian 'Think Tank' about the recent trends of Christianity. It was an extremely productive trip throughout San Fransisco, the Bay Area and Ann Arbor, MI, not only with my speaking, but also because at The Marin Foundation we're trying to put together various coalition of GLBT organizations and churches to start doing bridge building work in their own local areas. We found a great receptiveness to this vision throughout this recent trip. I will obviously be writing more about it as these various coalitions start to formulate throughout the country, but for now be praying for leaders to rise up and make this a priority in their lives!

Also, the lack of blogging is due to working on a new site for my blog! I hope you'll love it when it's up and ready to roll!

While on the road I usually have a wonderful opportunity to think and pray. I have been chewing on a few new thoughts, and I'm really looking forward to start posting my back-logged mind. I'm sure we'll be getting into a lot of uncomfortable conversations soon, and yet even as I write that, I remind myself that immersion into uncomfortable places over a significant amount of time produces growth ... and we're all growing through this thing together.

:)

Much love.
www.themarinfoundation.org

My Strange Last 48 Hours

I had a bad interview. Then I had a good one.

I got hated on by a gay organization. Then I got hated on by a Christian one.

I received a couple offensive emails calling me names. Then I received a couple encouraging emails giving me hope.

I had a moving Living in the Tension gathering. Then I went home and cried.

I got hated on once again by the same gay organization and the same Christian organization.

I talked to some people who I trust my life with (Brenda, Dad, Richard and Wendy). Then I felt better.

I woke up this morning with a double ear infection. And also woke up to a few more hateful emails.

And then a few more encouraging ones.

Here’s one from someone I don’t know who just finished reading my book:

“You do not do this in vain. Know when the times get tough you have touched lives.”

Then I had a great talk with an editor at a magazine doing an article on my book, and then I prayed.

And I feel comforted in the FACT that I’m doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing.

No matter what haters try to lie, cheat, complain or tear me down.

No matter what friends are too “worn out” by this difficult bridge building work and want to give up—because “it’s too hard” and now think “it can never happen” because it hasn’t happened quick enough for their satisfaction.

Give up then.

Because I won’t. And neither will God.

Because I’m trying to learn how to live and love in real time.

Not perfect.

Don’t have answers for everything.

And the sad part is that too many “intelligent” people from both ends won’t ever admit that as truth.

I am loved. I am me.

I am satisfied with who I represent and how I daily strive to represent Him.

The rest of them can keep on trying to dissect every word I say and use it against me.

But it doesn’t matter anymore.

Because He was a Jewish carpenter and therefore I build bridges. Period.

I don't care who in this world is satisfied with that answer or not; as there is One who is.

So keep on hatin’ me haters.

Because thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

And you all can’t dictate not even one ounce of that, no matter what you think you own.

Cause I’ll keep on lovin’ anyway.

Much love.
Andrew

http://www.themarinfoundation.org/

Interview on Catholic Radio

This afternoon at 2:20pm CST I’ll be a live guest on the Al Kresta Show. They describe themselves as:

Heard on over 120 stations and Sirius Satellite, Kresta in the Afternoon looks at all areas of life through the lens of Scripture and the teaching of the Catholic Church and takes on all comers. Over the years, Al has engaged in vigorous discussions or debates with nationally known figures from politics, the arts, the Church, academia and business such as Jack Kevorkian, Mother Angelica, Jesse Jackson, Carl Bernstein, John McCain, Gloria Steinem, Pat Buchanan, Scott Hahn, Donna Shalala, Judge Robert Bork, Richard Gephardt, Jerry Falwell, George McGovern, Steve Allen, Bowie Kuhn, Mrs. Anwar Sadat, Martin Luther King III, Cal Thomas, Avery Cardinal Dulles, Chuck Colson, Alan Dershowitz, Ken Starr, James Earl Ray, Mary Higgins Clark, and C. Everett Koop.

My goal is to keep it peaceful, as you know I’m not into “debates” … and I will stay peaceful no matter what. You can listen live here.

Much love.
http://www.themarinfoundation.org/

Interview on America's Most Listened to Christian Program

I’m back from a WONDERFUL vacation (no Blackberry for 6 days was close to the best thing I’ve ever experienced!), and what a better way to be greeted back then by an interview on The Frank Pastore Show – America’s most listened to Christian radio program. I have been on air with Frank one other time, and it was one of the most intriguing and best segments I have ever done. Frank is a great host, asks great questions, and I’m looking forward to tonight. You can listen live here (click the Listen Live button at the very bottom of the page), or you can even call in and ask questions live as well, starting at 6:55pm CST.

Lots to talk about post-vacation, and I’m looking forward to catching up with all the comments while I was gone.

Much love.
www.themarinfoundation.org

Off the Grid

I’m going on vacation! The picture above is the resort where my wife and I will be staying. It’s our first vacation in almost two years, and it’s going to be awesome. So while I’m gone, underneath this post are four other new ones to keep the conversation rolling. I look forward to being with you again when I return.

Much love.
http://www.themarinfoundation.org/

2009 Gay Pride Parade Video 11 of 11

Here is my final reflection from walking in the 2009 Chicago Gay Pride Parade and interviewing a variety of people who were all a part of that day as well.

Much love.

www.themarinfoundation.org

Andrew Marin Interviewed by Read the Spirit

While sitting in a hotel room in small town Iowa I was interviewed by journalist David Crumm. Here is the article from that interview.

Much love.
www.themarinfoundation.org

What is History?

I was recently asked:

How do you think modern views of historiography have affected our ability to think theologically and ethically about our past and present experiences? Here is my answer:

Modern views of historiography, like most everything modern (or should I say postmodern?), are thoroughly rooted in a pluralistic secular movement of what it means to live in a post-Christian era. Sometimes I get shrieks when I say post-Christian, as most people look at Europe as the prime example of a post-Christian culture. Although I know the United States is currently not at the same place as Europe, I do have to bring up the point that Christianity is America is declining at the same time it’s rising in Europe.

My belief is that the “religion” of secularism is riding a way of the past four decades of poor Christian expressions of love and outreach. It’s the fifty-some year old secularists who are leading the charge against the validity of Christianity, and many of the more well known secularists were raised in the Church. After being bitten, excluded and poked at, in their mind it’s their turn now to turn the tables by forming their own movement—which has gained way more momentum than I personally ever thought I would see. Because of this, historiography within our era will forever be skewed away from anything we stand for because in many people’s minds (specifically the mainstream cultural influencers), Christendom’s time has passed.

The only way to recoup any of the Truth in history is for us to intentionally start loving in such a way that we become the come-as-you-are-culture we are supposed to be. This does not mean fight. This does not mean picket. This does not mean cause a stink. This means that if we can focus on the character of God and live out his commands to faithfully and exuberantly love all of his creations made in his image (and I mean all), years from now society will look back with their own version of historiography—one that looks nothing like the secularist version of today. What is this love that I talk about? It’s not a Universalist type of love where anything goes. It’s a Christ driven love that allows God to work on HIS timetable; not ours. No matter what the outcome. It’s a type of love where the Body of Christ intentionally seeks out those considered on the outside—and that does not mean go to Africa and help those who can’t help themselves (although that is good too). It means we go to our own communities, our own outcasts, our own neighbors who are in our everyday lives. It’s so hard because it’s so personal. Those starving babies in Africa don’t know you, won’t talk back to you and adore your every moment. Not the same with a grown American adult who has been burned by the Church at some point in their life.

It’s time to go out and move forward; and history depends on our actions today!

Much love.
www.themarinfoundation.org

Empire Carpet Theology

Brenda and I are looking for new flooring (still deciding if we should put in hardwood or that cool shag-type carpet). Anyway, we called Empire Carpet and they had a super-sailor-foul-mouthed man come over. Among his ramblings of which I paid no attention, he saw that I had a lot of religious books on my bookshelf. And out of nowhere he said:

“Do you know what I think about living out your faith?”

In my head I said: Nope—don’t know and don’t necessarily want to know either if it is anything like what you have spewed out for the last hour. Instead I smiled and asked his thoughts. And out came a very unexpected profound statement! He said:

“My take is that there are four ways people live in death here on earth:

1. The obsessive need to look good

2. The obsessive need to be right

3. The obsessive need to avoid pain

and

4. The obsessive need to be in control”

And as soon as he was done telling Brenda and I his fully inspired and completely insightful and culturally relevant thoughts on living a stifled life in Christ, he went back to his old self—as if for one moment in time he was inspired by clarity.

I now refer to these four constructs as the Empire Carpet Theology.

Much love.
www.themarinfoundation.org

New Research Study

Dr. Mark Yarhouse, Director of the Institute for the Study of Sexual Identity (ISS), is conducting a study of mixed orientation marriages, which are defined as a marriage where one individual experiences same sex attraction and the other does not.

The purpose of the study is to understand the characteristics of these marriages and the experiences of individuals in them. Participants can be currently in a mixed orientation marriage or have been previously. If you or someone you know fits this description and would like to share your experience, participants are needed! The survey can be accessed online by going to www.mixedorientationstudy.com. The study is completely anonymous and confidential; however, participants are given the option of sharing limited identifying information to participate in future follow-up studies if desired.

Much love.
www.themarinfoundation.org