REST IN PEACE LITTLE ONES
 |
| Asher Brown |
 |
| Seth Walsh |
 |
| Tyler Clementi |
My dog woke me up this morning as dawn was breaking to go potty. As we walked outside, I looked up to the heavens. In the east, the light was just beginning to touch East Tennessee, but I could still see stars. As I looked at their splendor, the only thing I could think about was that each one of those stars represented a life no longer on this earth.
The gay community has been devastated in recent weeks by the deaths of 4 young ones because of anti-gay bullying. I know there are some in the straight world who grieve too, but for the most part I wonder if the heterosexuals of America care all that much. I'm sure Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church rejoice, glad that one more fag is removed from this life.
Even Rapper 50 cent encouraged men this week who aren't "into women" to "kill your self damn it. The world will be a better place," he said. This black man, who should well know the effects of hate and prejudice and honor the suffering of his ancestors by treating people with love, instead joins the crowd and hands out the hanging ropes.
I just don't get it. What makes any part of this okay?
When is it okay to declare our gay loving relationships equal to that of sex between a man & animal or a man & a female corpse as the Family Research Council did:
"Following the logic of the appellants and their supporters, man/animal marriage and man/deceased woman marriage must be permitted under Rhode Island law simply because the General Assembly has not expressly prohibited it." -Quoted from AmericaBlog 8/20/07
When is it okay to take the time set aside to worship God on Sunday morning, for political purposes? Here recently in Tennessee, 7 pastors decided to bait the IRS by declaring political positions from the pulpit. Tell me, how did that help anyone? Did it feed the hungry? Help the sick? Find homes for the homeless? Help ANYONE feel loved except themselves? Did it feel good to fight the government in the name of Jesus?
That is not the purpose of faith. It is to reach out and give people hope and love. While you stand on your soapbox, your head is so high in the clouds, you can't see the hurting below. While you build your mega churches, people die. While you declare that you serve the one true God, another young one takes his or her life. Is that REALLY okay with you? Does your heart feel good?
You are so consumed in your religious arrogance, belief that you are spreading the Bible message and confidence that only YOU hold the keys to the kingdom that you have forgotten who Jesus was and corrupted his message. In the three years of his recorded ministry not ONCE did he say a negative thing about homosexuals. In contrast, he had a whole lot to say about religious arrogance and hypocrisy. Yet somehow, the religious right church has declared people who only want to love and be loved as the greatest sinners.
Your religion, your faith, has become one of politics. I'm surprised you don't simply record conservative talk radio and play it from the pulpit. I have a feeling some of you would if you could. And in the meantime, another life is lost. A precious child of the Divine, gone too early, because they felt hated and unloved. Does that sit well with you?
I realize that these words and the words of many others who have declared their frustration and anger, hurts the church. I realize it will anger some. Most of all I hope it will make it clear that the outside world sees few examples that your God is love. The true "Christ like" Christians will take this with the love it is intended and turn the church around. The guilty ones will get angry.
However, none of that is important. LIVES are important. Saving those lives is important. Making them feel loved and accepted is important. Stopping the bullying and the hate is paramount.
May God's angels carry the spirits of these young ones who are gone beyond the stars and into the peace they so richly deserve.
No comments:
Post a Comment