I've been quiet politically on here but I cannot ignore this any longer. Today I read THIS STORY, about how a Pastor told his congregation to beat up a gay couple coming into their church. I am completely outraged by this. WHAT THE FUCK man???? Really? Is that where we are going now? In a time where we can land an amazing landing on the surface of Mars and explore space in peace, but yet we cannot even take care of each other? We still fight and bicker over petty shit and keep some of our people from basic rights ALL humans should have?
I sat quietly and watched the whole Chic-fil-A thing go down. I can see both points. A business has a right to say and donate to what they want, just as much as I as a patron can be aware of that and vote with my dollar. And believe me, they lost a BIG customer when I learned that. (you've seen pics of me right?) Hell, I stopped shopping at Target for that same reason a couple years ago. But they've changed their minds and I am back to Target. I was amazed at the flood of people going to Chic-Fil-A on August 1st. I thought it wasn't a big deal and we'd evolved, but I guess I was wrong. I was very disappointed to read about the lines out the door. We're not ready to evolve ideas. We're not ready to give basic human (HUMAN, think about that word) rights to everyone equally. We can't handle that. Even when it doesn't effect us in the slightest way possible. We want to stick our nose in everyone's business and tell em whats what, even if it doesn't fall on our own back porch. Like right now, everyone's got an opinion on how to fix Lindsey Lohan's problems... you ever gonna meet her? No? Then why care? Care about your own back porch. Or as the bible says "Never look at the straw in your brother's eye without seeing the rafter in your own." I'd like to see some of these same (as I call them) bandwagon Christians line up like that at a homeless shelter or a soup kitchen for the homeless. Naw, that might be something CHRIST WOULD DO!
And I call them "bandwagon Christians" because the majority of those are not full practicing Christians. They haven't read and studied the bible. They pray only when they want something. They have no personal or daily relationship with God. They are not warm or loving people. (AKA "Christ-like.") They just have a general understanding of what God is or what they think the bible says. They over hear someone else saying it for them and that is what they latch onto. So thats what I mean by "bandwagon Christians." They sully the name of a practicing Christian in the most offensive means possible and they give all of them a bad name IMO.
Those who know me know I am 100% supportive of gay rights. The arguement has been done to death and I won't reiterate my points here. We all know what they are. But the one absolute I think of while observing all this recent stuff is this: Christian is by definition "A follower of Christ." Meaning, they would follow in Christ's footsteps and use him as an example. Jesus hung out with the slums with prostitutes, leepers and thieves. He even washed their feet as a humble person. All he spoke of were how blessed those meek and of peace would be. He said NOTHING about homosexuality. I would call some of these recent events very un-Christ-like. And its giving good Christians a bad name. Its starting to look like some of the more radical religions out there.
Some might not know this, but I studied the bible a lot in my youth. I was training to be a minister and read it and researched it a lot. I took classes in college about biblical archeology and interpretation. So yeah, I got some knowledge and experience behind what I say here. The only things in the bible against homosexuality appear in the old testament. Christians will tell you that when Jesus came, a "new covenant" was made, thus negating all the rules of the old testament. The new testament says nothing about it other than a couple re-tellings of Sodom and Gammorah's destruction in Timothy and Corinthians. And those were in letters to a congregation. So there's nothing in there about homosexuals in the new covenant. Nothing that I can recall. So maybe, just maybe, Jesus is down with it. So long as a gay person is seeking first the kingdom of heaven, whats the big deal? Good damn question. And if you still say what they are doing is a sin, then I am sure they will be judged in heaven (if you like). It is not for us Earthers to judge, is it not? Not our job. Quit doing it for yourself. Too many folks are trying to fix the world around them and not paying attention to themselves and their own issues. As the bible says "you are to be in the world but no part of the world."
If you are still on the fence about this and how you feel and your conflicts about gay marriage or gay rights, I urge you to keep researching the bible, and your own heart about it. Its in there. 1 Timothy 15:33 says "All scripture is inspired of god and beneficial for teaching, approving and SETTING THINGS STRAIGHT." Feel in your heart the right thing to do, and stay out of people's business. Quit stopping peoples basic rights. You don't have to understand it, you don't even have to condone it. But just let it happen. Its not gonna happen TO YOU. Its for them.
And a special note: I am NOT bashing on Christianity here. Not at all. I am just saddened when certain Christian types do idiotic things and bring a bad name to the religion. People like the Westboro Babtists, Fallwell, Graham, Baker, Limbaugh and many others come to mind. They give the religion and its true followers a bad rap. I know a few god fearing Christians (some I used to go to church with back in the day) and they are some of the greatest, kindest people I know. So don't use a generalizing term like "ALL CHRISTIANS ARE IDIOTS." Its just these loudmouth haters that are ruining the good name of a good organization. And I do think some religion is good for the soul. It helps some people, and thats great. For me, not so much. But I have read it, learned it and understand it. However its not for me. So don't hate the religion. Cause there is some good in it and good people. I feel sorry for them when these radical idiots come out and start their stupid shit because it only puts them on a lower perceived place. So try to understand that. But in the meantime, lets evolve ideas and then we can finally move on to tackling the bigger issues: Like not killing anyone today. I reckon the bible says something about that too.
T
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