Spirited: Affirming the Soul and Black Gay/Lesbian Identity
Edited by G. Winston James & Lisa C. Moore
Redbone Press / ISBN: 0965665933

"See, before there was Eshu, there was Jesus, and before there was Jesus, there was God, and
He said unto me: Boy, you better get right with God. And I did. By getting right with me."
-Steven G. Fullwood

Most of us inherit pre-packaged, society sanctioned religious beliefs from our families. Even if our parents only attend church on holidays, it is instilled in us what (usually Christian) religious path we are supposed to take--Baptist, Southern Baptist, AME, Holiness, etc. Often as glbt people, we discover that "the way" chosen for us is actually detrimental to our spiritual well-being. How can we reconcile the truth of who we are with ingrained religious beliefs that tell us being glbt is a barrier to creating a relationship with God/a higher power?

The writers featured in Spirited share with us how they tackled this and other questions about sexuality and spirituality. There are a wide variety of essays: Christians who took a closer look at the Bible and found that Jesus had room for them (even if the local church doesn't), people who have found spiritual solace following other religious traditions, and others who have started down a previously uncharted spiritual path.

The subtitle (Affirming the soul and Black Gay/Lesbian Identity) may sound a little academic, but this is a book for anyone searching for their own path to spiritual fulfillment. Even if you have already found your path, these pieces are eye opening and empowering.

These very personal works (42 in all) have a common theme: You can not have a healthy relationship with God or any higher power, if you are full of fear and self-loathing. Being free to love your whole self may mean letting go of pre-packaged ideas, but it doesn't mean letting go of God (or that God will let go of you).

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