From what I hear of american news (all my information on that comes from Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert), there's a restaurant in the U.S called Chik-Fil-A that has actually come out saying that they are against gays and gay marriage.
This is the most hateful, awful thing I have ever heard in my life.
And perhaps it might seem ridiculous to get upset at a fast food restaurant, but this article does an extremely good job explaining why it really isn't that ridiculous at all.
Here's what I find absolutely ludicrous about the whole thing - these people are discriminating against homosexuals in the name of God, and Jesus.
I like to think of myself as a fairly religious, christian individual, and the fact that people are being so horrifically homophobic "in the name of God" actually insults me to my core. And no, I am not a homosexual. It's still insulting to be justifying hatred in the name of my religion, which taught to love, and only love.
When did Jesus ever teach ANYTHING against homosexuality? If anyone can find a passage in the Bible where Jesus is saying to deny anyone of their rights because they are homosexual, I would like to see it please.
But you won't find it because that passage doesn't exist. And if it did, perhaps it would change my mind. But not on the issue of supporting gays, or gay marriage. It would perhaps change my mind about being christian at all.
I am aware of the fact that in the Old Testament, God said many times that a man having intercourse with another man is a sin.
We are also not allowed to use God's name in vain. We are also not allowed to disobey our parents. According to the Old Testament, if a woman's husband dies she must then marry his brother. I know what I'm talking about, I've read the Old Testament myself, and much of the New Testament. Most of these rules have been broken in these times. So why is homosexuality being hounded on?
Christianity is not a justification of hatred. Jesus taught to love each and every person, regardless of any differences. To do unto others as you would have them do unto you. In my room there's a quote from the book of John, somewhere in chapter 15, where he says to love each and every person as He, Jesus, loved them all. And Jesus does not hate gays. Jesus does not know how to hate. Any christian who knows anything about christianity should know this much.
And it is absolutely ridiculous and makes me incredibly angry that people go marching around with signs saying that the reason people are dying is because gay marriage is allowed - in SOME states. You cannot take something so tragic and tie it with something so utterly unrelated and turn it into hatred. It doesn't work, it makes you people look like total idiots. Can't you take a second and think about what you're doing? Think about, not even in the view of what christianity is really about, but just in general? Imagine being one of these poor people, who cannot help who they are, being discriminated against, oppressed, and threatened just because of who they are?
Homophobia is the same as racism. The only difference is who you're oppressing.
It disgusts me.
They are HUMAN. Nothing more and nothing less. My neighbours - lesbians. They are extremely kind people. One has worked with my brother, who is autistic, and helped him. They bring troubled people into their house to help them for a while. They are some of the kindest people I have ever met, and to think that some people hate these women just because of their sexuality - I'm speechless.
My great aunt - lesbian. She and her partner are wonderful people, who come to family reunions to laugh and have fun with family. They like to take photographs as a hobby.
My cousin - lesbian. She is a well-meaning individual who goes to comic-con, likes Star Trek, Doctor Who, Sherlock, Firefly, etc. I have had some of my best summer memories with her, staying up late watching Batman movies or really bad horror movies like Night of the Lepus and Kingdom of the Spiders. No, it never felt weird, a straight girl hanging out with a lesbian. Why should it? They're people.
Why am I telling you all this? To give names and faces to the people you are oppressing. To demonstrate that it's not just a faceless throng you have chosen to hate - these people have passions, have friends, have hobbies. They have faces and they have lives. Their sexuality, though part of their identity, does not define them.
So think about that - it's not just one thing you're against when you go outside and say that gays should die. It's not just homosexuality you are threatening/oppressing. These are people. Whole people. They are of the same species.
And if I may branch off from that point for a second - I think I've made that point pretty clearly - why are religions influencing politics? It shouldn't be. As I said, I'm a fairly religious christian, but why should one religion be influencing what becomes law, what becomes illegal/legal?
Answer: It shouldn't be.
You don't see muslims making it law for women to cover their heads in scarves. There's nothing wrong if you believe they should, but the freedom to not do that still exists.
So why does "christianity" influence what should be a completely unbiased decision based on what the people - and ALL the people - need/want?
I saw someone asking the same question - not even asking the question, saying without question that religion should not be influencing what becomes law. What he said was, and I quote: "Religious bigotry does not equal federal law." And a comment on this statement says, and once again, I quote: "But religious bigotry MUST equal federal law, or else gay people would be allowed to marry."
The deliberate ignorance of that commenter just blows me away. I was actually stunned at the utter stupidity of a comment like that. I don't have words to describe how much that comment angers me. Think what you like, have your own opinions, sure, but don't openly hate. Don't hate at all. These people did nothing to you, they did nothing to deserve your hatred, and Jesus said that even if they did, you should forgive them. We are bullying these people, oppressing them even. We are supposed to be above this. We, of the twenty first century, having admitted our wrongs about the racism and sexism of not too terribly long ago, are supposed to be above any further discrimination.
Don't kid yourselves. Homophobia is discrimination.
I hope I've made you think at least.
Peace, love, tolerance and acceptance.
MeganH
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