Let me be clear on something.
I generally have no problems those who feel that based on their religious beliefs, homosexuality is a sin.
Despite the public buzzword to the fact, neither I nor a vast majority of the lgbtq community is looking for "tolerance." We are not looking for approval. We just want what should be afforded to us as tax-paying Americans - the right to live our lives not defined by someone else's standards of how we are or fevered imaginations about how we may engage in sexual intercourse.
You don't have to approve of me. Just don't stand in the way of me getting what belongs to me.
I have very deep problems with organizations like the Family Research Council and the National Organization for Marriage. I have severe issues with people like Tony Perkins, Peter Sprigg, or Maggie Gallagher.
I feel that these folks are not only deliberately spreading distortions and propaganda against the gay community, but also deliberately exploiting the ignorance of some Christians.
A perfect example of what I am talking about is what happened last night. My piece, Attacks on Obama Administration policy shames Christianity, published here, Pam's House Blend, and The Huffington Post generated some blowback. One young lady felt compelled to write me. Another young lady also felt compelled to respond on a comment board.
What was compelling about the two response was how alike they were. Both were struck by the stories of the lesbians in South Africa being raped in order to try and change their orientation.
Both women condemned the practice.
Both women then threw the standard religious right phrasing at me about how it was "wrong to elevate homosexuality into a human rights issue."
And both women were shocked speechless when I informed that they were doing just that - "elevating homosexuality to a human rights issue" by condemning the practice of women being raped for being lesbians.
It left me thinking. If these women had abandoned the religious right buzzwords and dogma about the "gay lifestyle," they would have found common ground with me. They probably would have still thought of homosexuality as a sin, but they would have still understood not only the President's actions, but also the plight of gays worldwide.
It saddens me to think that not only these two women, but many other folks are led possibly led astray by people like Gallagher and Perkins and that many other people are also swayed against their gay neighbors by junk science studies and inaccurate anecdotes of spooky gay people all propagated to feed on their fears and religious beliefs.
It's a shame to realize that maybe we can actually all get along if it weren't for some people.
I generally have no problems those who feel that based on their religious beliefs, homosexuality is a sin.
Despite the public buzzword to the fact, neither I nor a vast majority of the lgbtq community is looking for "tolerance." We are not looking for approval. We just want what should be afforded to us as tax-paying Americans - the right to live our lives not defined by someone else's standards of how we are or fevered imaginations about how we may engage in sexual intercourse.
You don't have to approve of me. Just don't stand in the way of me getting what belongs to me.
I have very deep problems with organizations like the Family Research Council and the National Organization for Marriage. I have severe issues with people like Tony Perkins, Peter Sprigg, or Maggie Gallagher.
I feel that these folks are not only deliberately spreading distortions and propaganda against the gay community, but also deliberately exploiting the ignorance of some Christians.
A perfect example of what I am talking about is what happened last night. My piece, Attacks on Obama Administration policy shames Christianity, published here, Pam's House Blend, and The Huffington Post generated some blowback. One young lady felt compelled to write me. Another young lady also felt compelled to respond on a comment board.
What was compelling about the two response was how alike they were. Both were struck by the stories of the lesbians in South Africa being raped in order to try and change their orientation.
Both women condemned the practice.
Both women then threw the standard religious right phrasing at me about how it was "wrong to elevate homosexuality into a human rights issue."
And both women were shocked speechless when I informed that they were doing just that - "elevating homosexuality to a human rights issue" by condemning the practice of women being raped for being lesbians.
It left me thinking. If these women had abandoned the religious right buzzwords and dogma about the "gay lifestyle," they would have found common ground with me. They probably would have still thought of homosexuality as a sin, but they would have still understood not only the President's actions, but also the plight of gays worldwide.
It saddens me to think that not only these two women, but many other folks are led possibly led astray by people like Gallagher and Perkins and that many other people are also swayed against their gay neighbors by junk science studies and inaccurate anecdotes of spooky gay people all propagated to feed on their fears and religious beliefs.
It's a shame to realize that maybe we can actually all get along if it weren't for some people.
2 comments:
First and foremost, thank you for all of the hard work you've put into this blog. I've used it as my primary information source to find out what's really going on behind the scenes of this culture war.
I'm a Christian who's sick and tired of all of the hypocrisy going on. True Christianity is about a personal relationship with Jesus and admitting that we don't have what it takes to save ourselves; we need Christ. Having this personal relationship has been the best thing in my life by a long shot and I want others to experience what I've experienced. Sadly, the kind of hypocrisy displayed by said "Christians" makes Christianity very unappealing for the victims who are targeted by its rhetoric. It especially angers me when politicians repeatedly politicize Christianity and use it to further their own agenda.
Early on in my walk, I fell into the trap of voting for the "Christian" president who promoted strong "Family Values." As I was uninformed, I didn't know what that truly meant. I'm also ashamed to admit that I once read OneNewsNow as a primary news source for almost a year. Once I realized that a lot of what came out of OneNewsNow wasn't true, I was interested in doing independent research to find out what was really going on. I eventually came across your blog.
I feel called by God to atone for some of my past wrongdoings and counter the spreading of misinformation from the fake "Christians." I try to find opportunities to inform my Christian friends whenever I can. As you may have guessed, I've run into some opposition. I've generally categorized legitimate Christians who are locked into such lies in the following way:
1) They were home schooled by homophobic parents who used the same talking points as the Religious Right. As a result, they've never learned to think for themselves on these issues. Sadly, my sister-in-law is one of these. I recently had a fallout with her and my brother after she made an anti-gay statement at a family gathering. Though I only told her what was actually true, she turned the situation around and accused me of "attacking" her.
2) They like the sense of power of believing they're elitists who know something that other people don't. They use James Dobson, Pat Robertson, etc. as their primary source of information.
3) They've been misguided by certain people within their circle of friends. For example, where I live, there are numbers of overlapping singles groups, though I don't hang out with them so much anymore now that I'm married. One guy who used to hang out with us worked for Mike Huckabee when he was running for president. The same guy is now running for a position in the Iowa Senate. The Executive Director of Iowa Right to Life has also been in the circle. Those two individuals have spread the usual talking points you've talked about in your blog, usually by handing out fliers. The impression I get from them is that they'd rather further their career than do what's right. When they prey on the uninformed, the uninformed sometimes takes the information with a grain of salt. This is likely due to the belief that a friend won't intentionally lead you in the wrong path.
Christians from the 3rd group have been by far the easiest group to reach. I've been using information from your blog as a means to educate them of the true character of candidates such as Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum, Rick Perry, along with Steve King who happens to represent the next district over. Some Christians I know still look to him as a "go-getter who's not afraid to do what's right." I'm always sure to let them know what's truly meant by the tag "Family Values."
In closing, keep up the great work! There may be days you don't feel like you're making a difference but you certainly are.
Alvin,
I am sure you have already read this by Warren Throckmorton:
http://wthrockmorton.com/2011/12/07/the-evangelical-blackout-of-research-on-sexual-orientation/
"The Evangelical Blackout of Research on Sexual Orientation."
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