Mark speaks with Paul Darminio, about the challenges LGBTQ+ individuals face within religious spaces, touching on themes of love, acceptance, and the importance of safe environments for asking hard questions. They share personal experiences, discuss the harm of conversion therapy, and examine church dynamics, stressing the need for the church to evolve into a place of healing and unconditional love. The conversation underscores the pain caused by rigid structures and the hope for a more inclusive future in faith communities.

On this episode of DIVINE & Diverse, my guest is Sean Hayden, actor, attorney, and host of the hit podcast series, Stage Combat: The Podcast. Sean and I have a deeply personal conversation about what happened to him on stage while performing, the resulting mental crisis, and how Sean has taken that experience to speak out about the troubling side of the theatre industry to bring awareness and support for the mental well being of theatre workers and promoting safe working practices. We also discuss the impact of religion on performers, Sean’s own experience growing up as a Southern Baptist as young gay person, and how some roles may trigger past religious trauma or abuse. Find out more about Sean the podcast at www.StageCombatThePodast.com

At the heart of every religious abuse lies flawed theology—a distortion of faith wielded to inflict harm. Religious abuse, in its many insidious forms, undermines the sanctity of individuals' beliefs and practices, leaving scars that endure long after the wounds have been inflicted. It robs people of their autonomy, identity, and trust, substituting these sacred qualities with shame and fear. Our LGBTQIA+ and queer family members, across all faiths and traditions, are particularly vulnerable to this systemic abuse, facing trauma and harm simply for being who they are.

But we declare: we are divine beings, each of us woven from the same cosmic fabric. This truth has been obscured by flawed theologies, used as weapons to disempower and deny us our birthright. It is time to reclaim our divinity and liberate ourselves from institutions that seek to oppress us.

We have been DIVINE all along.

And now, we are a movement.