A SOUTHERN BAPTIST WOMAN DESCRIBES COMING OUT AT 60

[Revmitchell]

Keeping a secret can be hard, especially within some corners of small-town Texas. Lou Anne Smoot of Tyler, Texas kept a secret for most of her life. But she’s now the author of a book sharing her story. The memoir, “Out: A Courageous Woman’s Journey,” is about Smoot’s experience coming out as gay as a 60-year-old Southern Baptist, and what that meant for her faith and family.

Smoot grew up with parents who valued religion, who “were leaders in their church. Seemed like we were there every time the doors open. And I learned to take my religion very seriously.”

She decided to attend Baylor University because it was Baptist. But something unexpected happened when she arrived in the fall of 1956.

“I had a roommate. And we fell in love with each other,” she says. “And this was a real shocker to me. Having been brought up in a very, very conservative home, I had never heard the words ‘gay,’ ‘lesbian,’ ‘homosexual.’ I had no idea it was even possible for a girl to fall in love with another girl. So, I had no vocabulary to explain to myself what was going on.”

A Southern Baptist Woman Describes Coming Out at 60 | Texas Standard

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Keeping a secret can be hard, especially within some corners of small-town Texas. Lou Anne Smoot of Tyler, Texas kept a secret for most of her life. But she’s now the author of a book sharing her story. The memoir, “Out: A Courageous Woman’s Journey,” is about Smoot’s experience coming out as gay as a 60-year-old Southern Baptist, and what that meant for her faith and family.

Smoot grew up with parents who valued religion, who “were leaders in their church. Seemed like we were there every time the doors open. And I learned to take my religion very seriously.”

She decided to attend Baylor University because it was Baptist. But something unexpected happened when she arrived in the fall of 1956.

“I had a roommate. And we fell in love with each other,” she says. “And this was a real shocker to me. Having been brought up in a very, very conservative home, I had never heard the words ‘gay,’ ‘lesbian,’ ‘homosexual.’ I had no idea it was even possible for a girl to fall in love with another girl. So, I had no vocabulary to explain to myself what was going on.”

A Southern Baptist Woman Describes Coming Out at 60 | Texas Standard

I was going to read that but after seeing the photo and reading the subscript, I desired against it. My wife Pam and I have lived as husband and wife together, for better and worse for over 30 years now and we have and lost children—a subject that still haunts me. But having children is a blessing. Maybe these two homosexuals can surmount the fact that the lord never intended homosexuals to procreate, but it’s not lost on me. And I’m not trying to be rough on them, but please don’t expect that lifestyle as normal.

 

[ehbowen]

I was going to read that but after seeing the photo and reading the subscript, I desired against it. My wife Pam and I have lived as husband and wife together, for better and worse for over 30 years now and we have and lost children—a subject that still haunts me. But having children is a blessing. Maybe these two homosexuals can surmount the fact that the lord never intended homosexuals to procreate, but it’s not lost on me. And I’m not trying to be rough on them, but please don’t expect that lifestyle as normal.

I agree. Look, I have absolutely no desire to stick my nose in anyone else's bedroom...but if someone else takes what they do in their bedroom and shoves it under my nose, I'm going to respond. And not ambiguously.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I agree. Look, I have absolutely no desire to stick my nose in anyone else's bedroom...but if someone else takes what they do in their bedroom and shoves it under my nose, I'm going to respond. And not ambiguously.

Apparently... I watched two movies recently. One being ‘No country for old men’ and ‘Sicario’ .... both confused me the 1st time I viewed them so I attempted to find out what the emphasis was. In the 1st it’s all about randomness of life.. ie you can play by a set of rules all your life and have the rug pulled out on you leaving you on the floor wondering how you got there.

Sicario... the cards are stacked. If you play by the rules, you will never win.

Sound familiar? Does to me

 

[ehbowen]

Apparently... I watched two movies recently. One being ‘No country for old men’ and ‘Sicario’ .... both confused me the 1st time I viewed them so I attempted to find out what the emphasis was. In the 1st it’s all about randomness of life.. ie you can play by a set of rules all your life and have the rug pulled out on you leaving you on the floor wondering how you got there.

Sicario... the cards are stacked. If you play by the rules, you will never win.

Sound familiar? Does to me

Which, to me, begs the question: Do you, upon realizing this, just say "the hell with it" and start grabbing whatever you can get out of life, regardless of what its impact might be on anyone else? Or, do you make the choice to do the right thing simply because it IS the right thing, even if for the foreseeable future there is no benefit or reward?

It's true that this fallen world appears to be a capricious place for the present. But we do not face it as do those who have no hope.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Apparently... I watched two movies recently. One being ‘No country for old men’ and ‘Sicario’ .... both confused me the 1st time I viewed them so I attempted to find out what the emphasis was. In the 1st it’s all about randomness of life.. ie you can play by a set of rules all your life and have the rug pulled out on you leaving you on the floor wondering how you got there.

Sicario... the cards are stacked. If you play by the rules, you will never win.

Sound familiar? Does to me

Which, to me, begs the question: Do you, upon realizing this, just say "the hell with it" and start grabbing whatever you can get out of life, regardless of what its impact might be on anyone else? Or, do you make the choice to do the right thing simply because it IS the right thing, even if for the foreseeable future there is no benefit or reward?

It's true that this fallen world appears to be a capricious place for the present. But we do not face it as do those who have no hope.

Dont think I haven’t struggled with these questions — I have!

If we love and believe in Him, we then trust that He has a plan...one that we as mere humans are not fully in touch with. I don’t think I could live a day without Knowing that He is sovereign and I am His creation.

Next live life in his model of perfection. I’m tempted with much and get perverse by taunting Satan but I also do not overstep least I fall. My wife is my joy, she really is so I have to support and protect her. So I could stay with her, at her side and find contentment

I recently took that personality test I posted earlier. One stated that I would the type of guy that would give up my seat on a crowded bus, or train to a person in need and I would do that consistently, but if I was told I must do it then I would not do it... I’d view it as being forced and nobody forces me to do anything. Yea, that’s me.

 

[Yeshua1]

Keeping a secret can be hard, especially within some corners of small-town Texas. Lou Anne Smoot of Tyler, Texas kept a secret for most of her life. But she’s now the author of a book sharing her story. The memoir, “Out: A Courageous Woman’s Journey,” is about Smoot’s experience coming out as gay as a 60-year-old Southern Baptist, and what that meant for her faith and family.

Smoot grew up with parents who valued religion, who “were leaders in their church. Seemed like we were there every time the doors open. And I learned to take my religion very seriously.”

She decided to attend Baylor University because it was Baptist. But something unexpected happened when she arrived in the fall of 1956.

“I had a roommate. And we fell in love with each other,” she says. “And this was a real shocker to me. Having been brought up in a very, very conservative home, I had never heard the words ‘gay,’ ‘lesbian,’ ‘homosexual.’ I had no idea it was even possible for a girl to fall in love with another girl. So, I had no vocabulary to explain to myself what was going on.”

A Southern Baptist Woman Describes Coming Out at 60 | Texas Standard

Does she see it as engaging in sinful lifestyle?

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

Does she see it as engaging in sinful lifestyle?

No, not at all. She is rather proud, even flaunts it in church. It’s the spirit of the age.

 

[carpro]

No, not at all. She is rather proud, even flaunts it in church. It’s the spirit of the age.

There's the problem.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

No, not at all. She is rather proud, even flaunts it in church. It’s the spirit of the age.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

There's the problem.

Church should be like trump,”I’m sorry you can’t come in.”

 

[Benjamin]

Church should be like trump,”I’m sorry you can’t come in.”

Right! Gays should be able to come into the church and flaunt their lifestyle all they want! So should a husband be able to bring his girl friend along for a visit after a long drunken night at her place. Heck yeah, give them extra credit for the openness and make them Sunday school teachers...

 

[Yeshua1]

Church should be like trump,”I’m sorry you can’t come in.”

More should be like"you are welcome to come in, but realize that God had already judged your lifestyle as being sinful, and His remedy is to get saved now and repent/forsake!"

 

[carpro]

Church should be like trump,”I’m sorry you can’t come in.”

If you say so.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

More should be like"you are welcome to come in, but realize that God had already judged your lifestyle as being sinful, and His remedy is to get saved now and repent/forsake!"

Nope... barricade the doors and throw them out of the church.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

If you say so.

Ripped from the trumpet playbook... and I agree with that.

 

[Yeshua1]

Nope... barricade the doors and throw them out of the church.

So the sinners cannot come to jesus then?

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

So the sinners cannot come to Jesus then?

I did not say that.

 

[Yeshua1]

I did not say that.

They cannot come in to a church to hear the Gospel?

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

They cannot come in to a church to hear the Gospel?

Can they read the bible? Can they hear it on the various forms of media?