What better way to think through
things than to put it on paper? Or in this case a virtual document. A little while ago I saw a picture on Facebook that showed a man who had tattooed a
passage from Leviticus that says one should not lie with a man as one does with
a woman. The caption of the photo brought to light the fact that only a few passages
later Leviticus also states that one should not get tattoos. I reposted with my
own caption but it’s really eating at me. There is nothing that I dislike more
than people who use the Bible as a weapon.
I was brought up as a Christian,
though we didn’t practice regularly. My brother and I were taught that, as
Christians, we should love and accept everyone, regardless of his or her race,
gender or creed. If someone hurt us, we were not to retaliate but to forgive him
or her and let it go. Because of this I have always seen every man, woman and
child as an equal and someone who I should treat with respect. These are the
Christian values that I was taught. And probably why it is so difficult for me
to wrap my mind around the hatred that some Christians possess towards people,
specifically those who identify as LGBT. To so savagely hate someone who has
nothing to do with you completely baffles me. How do the personal actions of a
complete stranger affect you in any way? What does who they choose to love and
spend their life with have anything to do with your every day life? I can’t
begin to describe my sadness at this hatred. I know people who have cut
off friendships; long standing relationships, because they found out the person
was gay or lesbian.
I’ve tried and tried to figure out
what could possibly be the justification for this. Yes, there are passages in
the Bible that say it is an abomination to be with those of your own sex. But
there are also passages that state that eating shellfish is an abomination. Are
we to completely cut out shrimp and the like from our diets? I mean, the Bible
tells us it’s wrong, so why are we still consuming it? My favorite argument
that bigots have when confronted with similar questions is, “Well, that doesn’t
have any bearing on today’s society. Those are old rules.”
Huh. Old rules. Interesting, no? So
if we can completely disregard that rule, then I guess we can disregard the
others too, right? This is where I start thinking more broadly and where I come
to the conclusion that the point of hatred does not stem from a deeply
religious upbringing or base but actually from fear. Fear that if someone
around you is gay then maybe it could rub off on you. I mean, it’s the only
logical conclusion I can come to. Which is ridiculous but valid, in a strange sort of way, especially if that person may have battled issues with their own sexuality.
Jesus teaches us that we should love one
another and judge not, lest we be judged (if I remember correctly). So what the
crap are we doing judging those who choose not to stay hidden but to embrace whom
they are and live their lives proudly, without fear? We have no right to tell
someone that whom he or she loves is unacceptable and that God will punish him
or her. If God wants to punish them, okay that’s his prerogative but that will
be on their judgement day by Him, not by the society in which they live. Who are we
to say that those lucky enough to find love should not be allowed to fully
embrace that love and share it proudly with the world, just because we don’t
agree with it?
I don’t know where I mean to go
with this except to say this: I can only hope, fervently and passionately, that
whenever the children I eventually have grow up they can openly love whomever
they choose to. That my son can come home and say, mom I found this guy and he’s
amazing and I love him. And that he will be able to walk down the street,
holding hands with the person he loves and not be subjected to the hate that is
so prevalent in our society today. It’s a big wish, but one that I will wish
every day. My friends and family deserve to be happy and I won’t stand idly by
while some idiot tries to deny them that happiness.
