As I am moving forward I realized I needed to interrupt my FB break so I can respond to my facebook post regarding the frustration and pain I saw happening in the name of religion. I received some feedback from some of my Christian friends, and for them I say thank you. I want to make it clear that I recognize there are many wonderful Christian people out in the world. I only have to look to my family, co-workers, and friends to see it. I see how my Christian co-workers love our patients who come from all walks of life. I truly feel blessed to work with so many amazing people.
But Christianity and religions don’t get a free pass. They deserve scrutiny just like the rest of us. To avoid speaking out about the injustices that are occurring in the name of God or the name of religion, because there are so many good Christians, to me is like saying, we shouldn’t talk about rape because there are so many good men that don’t rape. It makes all men look bad to talk about it.
When we fail to see injustice by anyone, and we say nothing, we become part of the problem. When moderate Christians fail to speak out against Christian extremist or Christian churches because you carry the same belief in Christ, the pain caused by your silence becomes more palpable.
People use the bible to explain why homosexuality is a sin and why same sex marriages are wrong. Over the years Christians have reformed their practices from the bible. We no longer believe it is okay to own people even though the bible states it is okay. We don’t think its okay to kill people for non-belief. We don’t burn people at the stake. If someone was in the slave trade today, we would consider them as being highly immoral and unchristian.
Well, I find discrimination against LGBT people highly immoral. I find Christians who are trying to legalize discrimination as being highly immoral. I think perpetuating lies and ignorant statements regarding LGBT people so you can hold onto your belief system is immoral. To refute science, because you want to hold onto your misinformed views is immoral. I think Christians going to other countries and perpetuating lies and willful ignorance, and pushing laws to a vulnerable population to serve your agenda is unconscionable. Today there are countries that have not only made homosexuality illegal, but deadly. Thanks in part of the help of American Christian churches and organizations.
I am sorry if you as a Christian are offended by my stance. But I do not apologize for speaking out against injustice. If you feel I am being one-sided, I will tell you that I have been on both sides of the fence. I was misinformed and ignorant. I hadn’t been trained to research, and think critically. I was basing decisions on fear rather than love and reason.
Now I understand that what has happened in Uganda and Nigeria is extreme. But you do not need extreme actions, or words to slowly chip away the self-worth of a LGBT teen. It’s all the little things you say, that you are not aware of, that sends a clear message to the child that there is a part of them that is not acceptable. How can you reject something that they had no control over? Sadly, many times it is the very people that created them, that they feel the most rejection from.
Last weekend when everyone was sitting in the comfort of their home, watching general conference, children were dying. They were dying from painful words that have heard spoken over and over again from the pulpit, in their home, by their teachers, and by their peers. This is so tragic, and so preventable.
To say from standing afar about how sorry you are, or how you have compassion for those “homosexuals” means so very little. Being sorry does not require any stretching, discomfort, change, or action on your part. Who in the hell cares if you are sorry?! It means nothing without action, without empathy, without risking and putting your heart out there. To RISK being wrong.
People who say they are sorry don’t have to be wrong. They can hold their views while still patting themselves on the back for being nice. It takes courage to be empathetic, to risk being wrong. And that is what makes me the angriest. Please don’t respond with what the gospel says, or the bible says, or what this or that church leader says. I have heard it and I am done listening to it. I find it insulting, offensive, and immoral.
Someone suggested to me to look on the bright side, and see all the good around me. I only have to walk into my home to see so much good. And it makes the hurt deeper. I think about those people who do not know my son and wonder why they would want to discriminate against him and so many like him. I think about my beautiful daughter and wonder if it will EVER be safe for her to use a public restroom, or walk down a street, by herself. When I see what others are trying to do to beautiful people like her, I don’t know the answer to that, and it makes me incredibly sad, and angry. As a parent I have every right to be outraged, and frustrated, and sickened by what Religion and Christians are trying to do to my children.
I am going back on my FB break. This gives you ample time to unfriend me, and move on if I offend you. Be warned, when I come back, I am going to be stronger, and fiercer. And my fierceness runs as deep as my love, so you know shit will be going DOWN when I come back.
To all of you who have had the courage to stretch, and grow, and learn, and reach out, I applaud you. There is something so very powerful about being broken open. It takes great vulnerability to do so, but worth it.
But Christianity and religions don’t get a free pass. They deserve scrutiny just like the rest of us. To avoid speaking out about the injustices that are occurring in the name of God or the name of religion, because there are so many good Christians, to me is like saying, we shouldn’t talk about rape because there are so many good men that don’t rape. It makes all men look bad to talk about it.
When we fail to see injustice by anyone, and we say nothing, we become part of the problem. When moderate Christians fail to speak out against Christian extremist or Christian churches because you carry the same belief in Christ, the pain caused by your silence becomes more palpable.
People use the bible to explain why homosexuality is a sin and why same sex marriages are wrong. Over the years Christians have reformed their practices from the bible. We no longer believe it is okay to own people even though the bible states it is okay. We don’t think its okay to kill people for non-belief. We don’t burn people at the stake. If someone was in the slave trade today, we would consider them as being highly immoral and unchristian.
Well, I find discrimination against LGBT people highly immoral. I find Christians who are trying to legalize discrimination as being highly immoral. I think perpetuating lies and ignorant statements regarding LGBT people so you can hold onto your belief system is immoral. To refute science, because you want to hold onto your misinformed views is immoral. I think Christians going to other countries and perpetuating lies and willful ignorance, and pushing laws to a vulnerable population to serve your agenda is unconscionable. Today there are countries that have not only made homosexuality illegal, but deadly. Thanks in part of the help of American Christian churches and organizations.
I am sorry if you as a Christian are offended by my stance. But I do not apologize for speaking out against injustice. If you feel I am being one-sided, I will tell you that I have been on both sides of the fence. I was misinformed and ignorant. I hadn’t been trained to research, and think critically. I was basing decisions on fear rather than love and reason.
Now I understand that what has happened in Uganda and Nigeria is extreme. But you do not need extreme actions, or words to slowly chip away the self-worth of a LGBT teen. It’s all the little things you say, that you are not aware of, that sends a clear message to the child that there is a part of them that is not acceptable. How can you reject something that they had no control over? Sadly, many times it is the very people that created them, that they feel the most rejection from.
Last weekend when everyone was sitting in the comfort of their home, watching general conference, children were dying. They were dying from painful words that have heard spoken over and over again from the pulpit, in their home, by their teachers, and by their peers. This is so tragic, and so preventable.
To say from standing afar about how sorry you are, or how you have compassion for those “homosexuals” means so very little. Being sorry does not require any stretching, discomfort, change, or action on your part. Who in the hell cares if you are sorry?! It means nothing without action, without empathy, without risking and putting your heart out there. To RISK being wrong.
People who say they are sorry don’t have to be wrong. They can hold their views while still patting themselves on the back for being nice. It takes courage to be empathetic, to risk being wrong. And that is what makes me the angriest. Please don’t respond with what the gospel says, or the bible says, or what this or that church leader says. I have heard it and I am done listening to it. I find it insulting, offensive, and immoral.
Someone suggested to me to look on the bright side, and see all the good around me. I only have to walk into my home to see so much good. And it makes the hurt deeper. I think about those people who do not know my son and wonder why they would want to discriminate against him and so many like him. I think about my beautiful daughter and wonder if it will EVER be safe for her to use a public restroom, or walk down a street, by herself. When I see what others are trying to do to beautiful people like her, I don’t know the answer to that, and it makes me incredibly sad, and angry. As a parent I have every right to be outraged, and frustrated, and sickened by what Religion and Christians are trying to do to my children.
I am going back on my FB break. This gives you ample time to unfriend me, and move on if I offend you. Be warned, when I come back, I am going to be stronger, and fiercer. And my fierceness runs as deep as my love, so you know shit will be going DOWN when I come back.
To all of you who have had the courage to stretch, and grow, and learn, and reach out, I applaud you. There is something so very powerful about being broken open. It takes great vulnerability to do so, but worth it.
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