I hope this makes sense....

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.