When I first started watching the Reverend it was because he was defending gay people. He then defended trans people. He was against the message of hate preachers of his religion. I left a comment on one of his videos not expecting a response. I got one. I explained who I was as an openly gay man in a same gender relationship, that I did not believe in the supernatural, and while I rejected the outdated morals of the Christian bible I did live by the ideals of being a good person and treating others as I wished to be treated. I mentioned that I believed in doing the best we could to help others and I felt I followed the best of what Jesus asked of people. Then I ended with about the same question as this video is about. Does your god have room in his kingdom for me or if there is a heaven will I be allowed there or will I be sentenced to eternal punishment. His reply was very welcoming and he replied that if anyone lived by the things Jesus asked it did not matter if you believed in him or not. If you were a good person you would be judged on that. He welcomed me to his channel. I felt very comfortable with his reply, very accepted. Recently he posted a video asking for his viewers feelings on his message and I commented on the interaction with the channel I had. I got likes and responses from many of his followers that said I was welcoming and their god definitely had room for me, I was included not excluded from him. I think if the churches preached this message they would have far more members and less anger at the religion. Hugs
This video touches just briefly on child abuse in that the republicans / clergy / highly religious do in the defense of the LGBTQ+ especially trans people accused of it. The Rev. Trevors is a real supporter of the LGBTQ+ and he doesn’t like it when Christians use his god / bible to harm others. Hugs
As many who come here to read my rants and Ali’s up lifting posts, and Randy’s deep thought out posts may understand I have a troubled issue with religion. At 17 after years of abuse, emotional, physical, and sexual, I took a bad beating just as school ended. I was working for a wealthy local farmer who was deeply religious. He found me hiding in one of his barns, his wife was a nurse and she addressed my bleeding wounds. I begged him to let me stay in his barns for a while sure the anger at home would blow over. He had a totally different idea. He talked me into going to a church school he supported and paid for other kids to go to, but there was a catch, I would have to agree to the principles of his church and honor them while at school. Considering where I was in my life I would have agreed to become his sex slave it if would have saved me from more beatings. I don’t know how he did it but as he left me in the hands of his nurse wife he went to face my adopting parents. I have no idea what was said, but when he came back he told me to go home and promised I would be safe, pack my clothing needed … and he gave me a list. Then he would come get me in the morning. I was terrified to return back to the place I lived and still very sore from my beating. But I did it. No one spoke to me or stopped me. I got my stuff and stayed in my room until the next day when the farmer showed up in the driveway.
That is why I have conflicted feelings about religion. See I feel that man saved my life. Yet his religion was very much against gay people. By now I had accepted that I was gay, I was a homosexual that they claimed were all these horrible things. I knew I was not that, and I was a good church boy. But inside I knew I was something they felt was an abomination. After school the farmer took me to his Livingroom and told me he felt I would make a great pastor for his religion. He decided to pay for me to go to their seminary. I knew two things, I couldn’t tell him why, and I couldn’t do what he asked. I was gay and my desire for male sexual comfort was too high to be hidden. I thanked him, and too the only choice I had left, the US military.
Which leads to the video posted below. I love this Priest. Maybe if I had been in his accepting church I could have given my best to joining that ministry. But the faith that saved me also was a faith that hated me for existing. Hugs
I like this person and his teachings. Clearly. In truth had he been the one to save me as a 17 yr old beaten boy hiding in his barn I think he may have still sent me to a church school to protect me but he wouldn’t have then expected me to go on and become a priest in their religion. I couldn’t tell my savior who wanted that from me why I rejected his strong demand / offer and instead went into the military was that I was gay. I had accepted it to myself. I was well versed enough in the acts of it due to my abuse to know that along with my internal emotions about guys vs women that the acts themselves did not repulse me. Just the way they were forced on me. Remember I had been forced to please females as well as males since I was 3 years old and I understood my attractions were to males. I was very gay. Instead I think he would have asked me my goals and I would have had to tell him the mystical parts of the religion I had issues with … but the reason I need to withdraw was I was gay. If he responded as he did in my comment to him, then I would have stayed in his congregation. Not believing the magic parts of the religion but the community and acceptance that their god has for those different. Rev. Ed Trevors admits he doesn’t preach facts, he preaches faith, and much of what he stresses is things as a humanest I can fully endorse.
I do wonder with his … more violent past if he had found a badly beaten very thin small 17 year old boy who told him he was being abuse if he would have done more than force the parents … well in their mind’s owner of the boy to let him leave. But again maybe that is my hopes / emotions talking over my understanding of reality. Hugs
Scottie's Playtime 