I don't know if homosexuality is right or wrong (because at the root of the Same Sex Marriage debate, is your belief on this issue, make no mistake.) I also don't care much whether it is or it isn't. Why? Because here are a few things I DO know. I'm not God. Neither are you. I believe He is the one who will judge every individual, which means neither me nor you get to do so in the meantime. I sin. So do you. I've been charged to love my neighbor, and have compassion for my fellow man. So have you. This directive was not quantified as “Only love those whose behavior you like, or those who believe or do things you do, or people who look like you, dress like you, love like you, listen to the same music you do, worship at the same church or eat at the same restaurants you do.”
I feel there are an awful lot of people who call themselves Christians who have become Bullies and use God to tear down everyone or anything that doesn't mesh with their personal beliefs. I grew up in a religion that told me I would go to Hell if I cut my hair or wore pants. This was a lie. How do I know what other lies have been taught? I feel there are a lot of non-Christians who take every opportunity to attack everyone and anything associated with God because they are determined to prove something, or have been abused by individuals claiming to be doing the work of God. Both sides are guilty of hate-mongering and prejudice and I am CERTAIN both sides behave this way out of Fear.
None of this makes me “Holier Than Thou.” It just means I refuse to participate in the emotional, verbal, or physical abuse of another human being. I don't care who you are...if I see someone abusing you, I will stand at your side and defend you. If I see you hurting, I will try to comfort and support you. If you invite me to your wedding and you are marrying your same sex partner, I will attend and feel joy for you (also, probably get teary-eyed and overly emotional). If you are the one perpetrating an abuse, I will stop you in so far as it is within my means to do so.
It's really not an issue of sexuality, or religion, it's an matter of decency. This is what being Human means to me. Perhaps it means something different to you. That's fine, because you don't answer to me, and it works both ways.
Well said, and well done for saying it.
ReplyDeleteI've seen more friends lately sharing their own rather pushy opinions on the internet, particularly about this subject. All I can think as a result is that more and more, people feel the need to jump on whichever bandwagon is closest to their heart, and defend their right to that belief--while COMPLETELY forgetting if that applies to them, it applies to the other side just as equally.
I don't understand why people think that ranting and raving (and saying hurtful things) about *any* belief is going to get the other side to agree. All it does is make the ranter look like an emotional windbag. Everyone's guilty of this from time to time, because we are human, but some people seem to make a daily habit of it. On that note, I'd like to say I'm not ranting ;)
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for your comment, Cheyenne :) I agree with your wisdom-if you don't respect someone whose opinions differ from your own and treat them decently, you cannot insist they treat you better than you've treated them. If you cannot see past the tip of your own nose, you are going to miss an awful lot of valuable lessons marching by!
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