29.8.12

They're not like you and me, it means they must be evil


Pocahontas may be an odd choice for a title of a blog entry about equality, but I think that it has a valid point. "They're not like you and me, it means they must be evil." "They're not like us, it means they can't be trusted." "Savages, savages, barely even human." I think that's how some people VIEW anyone who isn't straight and doesn't fit in the cookie-cutter one man/one woman mold. They're different, therefore they are evil. They're savage, because they have "THE GAY!" OH NO! 

In all honesty, I don't care if you think being gay, trans, bi, and everything in between, inside and outside the box is a sin. I really don't care. That's not truly the crux of the issue. Thing is? They are human beings, just like you and me. Just like your church pastor. They bleed, they laugh, they cry. They have beating hearts. 

Fine, you think being gay is a sin. I don't think that abortion is always the right choice, but I don't think that it should be outlawed. It is not my place to decide what someone else does with their body. My personal views don't jive with abortion. Your views might be "I want an abortion, and so I am getting one today. End of discussion." And while I may disagree with you, my religious views shouldn't trump your freedom, your rights. I think the same can be said for homosexuality. 

A few years ago, I thought that being gay was a sin. I didn't think that anyone should be gay. I was squicked about by people being trans. I can't say I'm proud of things I said or things I wrote. But I watched people I care about deeply struggle. I saw how hard it was for them and the way they were treated by something that isn't their fault. I saw their struggles, and it broke my heart. It changed me. I saw the struggles in their lives, and you know what? It's not fair.

It's not fair that because of who they love, they can't get married. It's not fair that because of who they love, they can be discriminated against in the workplace. Oh, I know some Americans will say that "Well, I'm a Christian and I get bullied/I get ridiculed/etc". Know what? It's not the same. As Christians in the US, we are damn lucky to be living here. Sure, we may get "persecuted", but we keep using that word. It doesn't mean what we think it means. Just because our children can't pray in public schools, doesn't mean anything bad. Just because they don't teach creationism, doesn't mean anything bad. Doesn't mean we're some kind of martyr or that everyone is out to get us.

Back when Jesus was on the Earth, he hung out with the undesirables. The tax collectors. The ones that society threw the stink eye to, both proverbially and literally. If he were here today? I imagine He'd be hanging out with the homosexuals. Because my God, my Jesus, is a God of love. He doesn't condone hate. 

I don't want to make anyone change their views about homosexuality. You may think it's morally wrong, and you have a right to think that. Your neighbor may think it's morally right, and they have the right to think that. The person across the street may fall in the gray area between, where maybe it's okay but certain aspects aren't. But the heart of the matter is that we live in a country where certain rights are for ALL people: Christian and Atheist, gay and straight, male and female, and every other living person has this promised to them: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Thomas Jefferson didn't write "Oh, but not woman" or "Oh, but not homosexual people." ALL MEN. 

I am a Christian, and I support human rights. I support equality for all. I think that they should have the same rights as any of us, because we live in the "land of the free, and the home of the brave." It's not just the people who fit our mold of Christianity, it's everyone. Everyone. We can't pick and choose who gets the right to marry, the right to this and the right to that, because that's not what this country was founded upon.

"Oh, deep in my heart. I do believe... we shall all be free someday."







5 replies ^_^:

Steph said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Steph said...

YES!!! Thank you!!!

JoAnna Wahlund said...

Regarding abortion... " It is not my place to decide what someone else does with their body."

But it's not what someone is doing with their body. It's what they are doing to an innocent child -- a child who has his or her own distinct, genetically unique body. This is an issue of human rights. You claim to be for equality yet you think people should be able to deny the right to life to unborn children. That seems like a puzzling contradiction to me.

Regarding "equality" - I too believe in equality for all. But marriage isn't a right, and there's a difference between freedom and license. We need a license to drive a car, start a business, or engage in marriage." Moreover, there are many secular reasons to oppose gay marriage. It's not about hating gay people or whatever, it's about not wanting to redefine a societal institution that is integral to the fabric of our society, and render it even more meaningless than it already is.

Finally, loving someone sometimes means not approving of their behavior. I can love an adulterer without approving of adultery. Just the same, I can love an actively homosexual person without approving of their lifestyle.

Nora the Explorer said...

I struggle with abortion when it comes to rape is where I trip up. Yes, the child is an innocent victim, but at the same time, the woman was a victim too. I personally do not agree with it in all circumstances and -personally- do not feel it should be a free-for-all, but it's one of those areas where I really, really struggle. I do agree that the child is innocent and while I would 100% prefer that adoption would be the path a woman chose if she was raped, I find it rather difficult to have someone carry it to term. I don't think that someone should be able to get an abortion just because they "feel like it" (which I believe is actually a small minority of abortions), but that there should be legitimate reasons for it.

I would even be fine finding some sort of place that would allow both parties equal rights, for example civil union vs marriage, or not permitting homosexuals to be married in a church (while it's not my personal ideal, I understand that not everyone's religious believes jive perfectly with mine, and that is fine). I think this is one of those circumstances where it might be a game of give-and-take. While marriage may not be an unalienable right, there are other ones that I think that should be: regardless or sexual orientation. Such as the right to not be discriminated against in the workplace. I read story after story of homosexual teenagers killing themselves because of bullying and while that is a case of a bigger issuer at hand, it does show that SOMETHING needs to be done to save, to protect young lives.

JoAnna Wahlund said...

Abortions due to rape/incest/life of the mother only constitute 1% of abortions performed in this country. You should check out http://secularprolife.org - lots of good info there.

Regarding rape - an innocent child shouldn't be executed because of the crimes of its biological father. It's an issue of justice. see http://www.rebeccakiessling.com for the story of a woman who was conceived in rape, and would have been aborted by her mother if abortion would have been legal at that time. She and her mother, today, are profoundly grateful that she's alive.

I absolutely agree with you that unjust discrimination against homosexual people should be avoided at all costs (workplace discrimination, etc.).

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