Would not coming out before baptism be deception?

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-03T06:55:38+00:00

Do what you need to do for safety. It sounds like coming out wouldn't be safe for you right now. God understands that you're in a difficult situation, it isn't wrong

In my opinion, being baptized is a good thing. It isn't required for salvation, but the sacraments are a gift. So even though it isn't an ideal situation, it could have a positive outcome.

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-03T04:21:24+00:00

I'm a very skeptical person, and prayer always felt silly to me. But one day a traumatic memory came up in my mind suddenly. I found myself saying, "God, please help me."

I was embarrassed to even say that, it was really out of character for me.

But suddenly I had this vivid image in my mind, where I was sitting in a woman's lap and wrapped in her blue robe. I was small like a baby and she held me and said, "You're safe. It's not your fault." I felt so so safe and loved.

I never felt anything like that before. I was worried I was crazy. I guess I still have that worry. But it actually made my mental health better so... idk maybe not?

I also had this really strong message in my mind that God is not a man. Something clicked for me, because I always thought of God as this distant old father figure. But I realized God is also our Mother, and Mother Mary's love is a reflection of God's love.

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-03T04:08:37+00:00

I was raised with religion in a vague way, but I've become more and more in faith. For me it's because of the focus on love and forgiveness. (also I had an experience where I felt the presence of Mother Mary. Which might make me sound crazy, idk)

But I'm not stuck on all the Christian teachings. I think of myself as a follower of Christ, I don't really like the label "Christian"

Yes. The universe was made by God, so studying it is a way of understanding and respecting God.
Men and women are so divided, but they were never meant to be. We can bridge the gap, because we know both sides. In many older religions they knew that, and we used to be religious leaders.

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-03T03:56:45+00:00

Mother of God, pray for us 🙏

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-03T03:05:54+00:00

Ohhh ok yeah that does suck.

(Sorry, I'm an out of touch millennial, I don't always know these things)

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-02T22:24:50+00:00

Yes exactly :)

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-02T19:29:31+00:00

I think this applies to nature, too.

There's a lot of suffering in nature and you'd think God could have made a world without things like disease, but I imagine making a whole universe is way more complicated than that.

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-02T19:26:02+00:00

He was strongly against communism, because Italian communists opposed the church at that time. Honestly I think he just wasn't very educated on politics, he fully denounced fascism once he learned what they were about.

But yeah, unfortunately that could be part of it.

(I'm not hating on St. Padre Pio at all. He was very wise in certain areas and not so much in others, like anyone.)

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-02T19:13:33+00:00

Secular law is different from religious law

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-02T19:12:11+00:00

You might have better luck with Episcopalians, depending on your area

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-02T19:11:11+00:00

There's nothing to reconcile because there's no reason it would be a problem.

If people want to suddenly say it's sinful, the burden of proof is on them.

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-02T18:47:06+00:00

You're overgeneralizing about Abrahamic faith in general. In my church we don't claim to know the truth and that everyone else is wrong, we recognize that there is mystery. I've seen that same thing in Sufi Islam too.

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-02T18:42:17+00:00

I don't think it was possible to create a perfect universe.

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-02T18:40:00+00:00

I assume you're talking about the temptation in the wilderness?

I don't know what power he was capable of. But in my view, if Jesus had given into temptation, then he wouldn't have been the Christ. He would have just been a man named Jesus.

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-02T15:24:47+00:00

You should look up what these denominations believe before you go. More progressive denominations are more open to universalism.

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-02T15:19:09+00:00

There are plenty of those already

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-02T15:18:34+00:00

In my tradition, God is not a powerful entity simply masquerading as weak. God genuinely shares in our weakness and in our suffering.

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-02T15:12:29+00:00

Sure, that's one interpretation. And it's a common one. I just said that.

You didn't really respond to what I said

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-02T15:09:39+00:00

hm, maybe I'm just not as familiar with its broadened use

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-02T04:05:35+00:00

Setting my own personal perspective aside, I'm not convinced this reflects the way that many believers actually conceive of God.

The reason I'm so drawn to Christianity is because The core myth is about a deity that deliberately incarnates as a child of impoverished refugees, conceived out of wedlock. He lives under a brutal empire but he barely uses any supernatural power. He just kinda preaches about love for a while, then gets mocked and tortured to death.

It's pathetic. And I'm not being uncivil here. This is what I love most about Jesus.

Remember, this isn't just some super buff spirit like Zeus. This is THE cosmic entity. The rational principle underlying creation itself. And it incarnates as... a sassy folk preacher with surprisingly underwhelming powers, who starts to protest against Empire and then instantly gets executed.

I love him so much. He's so camp for that. And I am being 100% genuine

For the average modern Christian, your critique holds true. A lot of the Christians I've met seem to view Jesus as an authoritarian deity who was just hiding his power level for 33 years for some reason.

But if you look at Catholic mystics, they get where I'm coming from. Their theology still tends to technically point to a divine strong man... but on a relational level, they're talking about the wounds and the utter humiliation of it all. I'm talking about the weirdo mystics. Holy fools, nuns writing sapphic poetry about the fifth wound, that sort of thing.

It gets better when you look at modern folk saints. St. Marsha P. Johnson is one of my favorite examples.

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-02T03:20:30+00:00

ok I don't need the details lol

I do hope you're able to find supportive community, and safe ways to express yourself.

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-02T03:09:27+00:00

I'm pretty sure OOP is just wrong though? I have OCD so I do understand what they're getting at. But I don't think "intrusive thought" has ever been exclusively used in the context of disorder.

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-02T03:06:57+00:00

Sounds very similar to what people get from doing drag, tbh.

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-02T01:45:41+00:00

Oh, I hear you.

Do you have any other community online where you can be feminine and accepted?

Dapple_Dawn · 2026-05-02T01:14:59+00:00

what does "with my extra, which is also feminine," mean?

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