Okay. So – CJ currently has a very interesting set of entries up right now. Very crazy. Let’s see if I can drag the flame war over her. I do enjoy a good flame war. (Here’s a link to the specific entries: #1 & #2) I fully expect The WM to drop by – once he gets wind of it. He adores a good debate. Especially with certain ‘types’ of Christians. Not all, mind you, just specific ‘types’. No, I’m not even talking denominations. Streehbach might show as well. We’ll have to see, eh?
In any event, the original entry CJ made was about a Lifetime movie – which I assume was based on true events, given that most of their movies are. It was about a woman – a lesbian – who had the biological daughter of her life partner taken away from her upon the partner’s death. If you want all the details, go run over to #1 there – *points up* – and have a look.
Basically, she was railing at the system for having rules that discriminate against gays and lesbians. And I have to agree with her. Why take a child from the only living parent he/she has EVER known and throw he/she into the foster care system or with another relative – JUST because that parent happened to be part of a homosexual couple. What the hell is THAT all about? I mean, if it’s a LOVING, CARING home – for the love of the elements – leave the child with that parent. It’s more emotionally scarring to the child to be placed somewhere he/she is not only unfamilar, but perhaps not wanted – in the case of being sent to a relative.
Well, apparently, that whole entry started a nice debate in her comments section. About homosexuality and it’s – lawfulness – according to the Bible. Are we kidding here? OY! All right. Let’s get into it . . .
First off – the Bible. I know it. I grew up Roman Catholic. I have one. Several. But the one I remember most is the one my mom had embossed with my name and birthday on it. In gold on the maroon leather cover. Seriously. The Bible and I are friends. However. The Bible was written by man. And when I say man, I mean men. Several men over the centuries. So, truly, you have to think that the Bible’s meanings would have to evolve over time – just as mankind evolves. So – yeah. There is that. Besides, I don’t recall seeing ‘Thou shalt not be homosexual.’ on the list of the BIG rules. (You know, ten of them, lots of thou, thee, and thy . . . ) Though – I do believe there is one about coveting the neighbor’s wife. And that’s pretty much socially acceptable these days. Well, unless you are a politician. I mean, it’s hardly against the law or anything.
In any event. Homosexuality is hardly a choice. Someone doesn’t wake up one day and go – “Hey! I really want to make myself an outcast, legally speaking. I’ll be homosexual!” Please. Let’s get with the program. It is something that is ingrained into you at birth. It’s not learned. It’s not something you can ‘catch’ from someone. Sheesh. Let it GO people. Give the people the rights they deserve. A life partner should have the same say as a spouse. If my Sis were a lesbian (which she’s not. She’s happily dating the Cable Guy) – I wouldn’t think *I* should have more say over her life than her life partner. I mean, goddess, who lives with her? NOT ME. Yeesh. So – yeah.
Um. I’ve lost the thread, so I’ll stop. But – really. Why is this a war? WHY? It’s not my business to tell other people how to live their lives.
When worst comes to worst, it brings out the worst in people every time. People have to drag religion into it simply because of the fact that they don’t have a better answer for what is occurring. These same people have an opinion for everything, but of course, their opinion is the word of the bible – even when it isn’t applicable.
In the case of the child being taken away from the partner, I agree that it never should have happened. It is going to cause tremendous trauma in the child for life and they are going to have a distorted view of society for the rest of their lives.
I have a friend who’s mom is a lesbian. She’s married to another woman and both of them are like moms to me. I even call them such. His uncle was also homosexual and one of the best, funniest guys that I’ve ever partied with. They respect when they are respected. They are emotional when it is time for emotions, and they are honest.
Too many people instantly close their minds when they find out someone is a homosexual and instantly bring up religion for no apparent reason. These are the ones who should be crucified and made examples of.
This turned into more of a rant than I wanted it to, but the point is in it somewhere.
All I can say it that I’ve necer understood why people make such a big deal out of trying to keep others from having rights…
Power and fear.
That’s the whole reason for the whole problem.
The human mind is geared toward these principles because in a society, there are the powerful and the fearful. The best way to define them is for one to use the other. In the case of christianity, it was the elders using “the word of God” as a pseudonym for their own commands.
Today, such has evolved into a system wherein the fearful are told they have power in the form of an unknowable deity, while the powerful gloat, sit in their mansions and lord over the fearful, deluded masses. You don’t have to be afraid anymore, you have god on your side!
And what are they afraid of? Change. Difference. Discord. The very things by which our society comes to survive are feared by minds who were not shown that acceptance of such led to benefit. Who prevented this learning? Guess. Those who feared it themselves.
Wait, aren’t those the ‘powerful?’ Yes. They fear too. Fear is part of the human psyche. But they fear the masses, without whom they could not enjoy their power, against whom they cannot stand interminably.
And here we come to the birthplace of religion – the fear of the unknown. There are unknowns permeating our world. Our length of life, for one. What happens after, for another. How we should live. Why we are here. Questions mankind has wrestled with since time immemorial, and will past doomsday.
Religion was born from the need to have answers to these questions. They slapped oversimplified, devaluing responses on and called them, you guessed it, ‘the word of god.’ This has the effect of transferring imagined power to the fearful masses, as they now have a book that comes from their unquestionable backup.
The bonus of fear is that it justifies selective reality. Don’t like something? Excise it from your life or call it evil. Using the bible is one excellent example of this.
Those who despise homosexuality fear it because it’s different. They don’t understand it because it’s not what they do, so that must make it wrong. And look! The book says it is too (if I leave off this part here and change that to be what I want)! I am now justified in fearing it! But wait, I’m powerful aren’t I? Yes, the church masters said I was! So that means I can CONDEMN homosexuality! Now I have power over it, and they must respond to my power before I’ll ever let them approach me.
I could go on. But I think the point is clear. Religion is a mental cancer when one does not recognize that it does not dictate human morality. I know many religious people who recognize this split, and as a result are caring, considerate people. But as long as people are afraid of homosexuality and leap to brand it as a challenge to their “power” (i.e. their fear), it will never be accepted by religion.
It is a true story. The woman and child involved still reside in Florida! Thank you for the links and thanks for your input in all of this!
Good blog