(I specifically refrained from using the Lord's name in vain, so shut up.)

I'm seriously sick and tired of people using the Bible and their religions as an excuse to hate. Maybe the reason God hasn't shown up yet is because we're doing a miserable way of following the faith.

If I can recall correctly...

"Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hand on these two commandments."

I just googled "the birds and the bees" (random thought chain, I know) and it sickens me. Children, the future of our world, are being manipulated into these horrible mindsets of hate, judgment and discrimination. The sinless can throw the first stone.

Here is a [link] to the comic I just read (I only got about halfway through, to be honest).

Hmm, let's take a look at this.

In the King James Version, Leviticus 18:22 is translated: "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination." [link]

Genesis 2:24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. [link]
(Wish I had more context on this one. =/ )

Romans 26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. [link]

Let's examine the first quote for a moment. Thou shall not lie with man as you lie with woman. Basically, I have to be a lesbian, if you want to translate it directly, since that's what a lot of people choose to do.

Quote two- to me it looks like typical heterosexual sex. Although if I had sex with someone and we became fused together I'd be a little concerned. Might want to get that checked out.

The third quote is the only one I can see from the first part of the comic that is against homosexuality in itself. Okay, you got me on that one. I'm glad you are set in your faith, and believe it in your heart, and follow your God. Really, it's great. Go be saved and all. Cause, you know, gays are an infectious disease. All gay men have AIDS ((Statistically, the fastest growing HIV demographic in Canada is young, heterosexual women, which makes up over a quarter of all HIV infections. [link] )).

It puts my mind at ease, knowing that no one would DARE play football. I mean, it makes you UNCLEAN. What devil would put a thought like touching the skin of a pig into your tainted mind (Lev. 11:6-8)? UGH!

Here is a link to some other blasphemies that people are doing today. Let's stand up and bring religion back where it used to be! [link]

...Which is free, right? Free to practice anything? Are we not to ignore the laws of the men that came before us? I don't care what religion you are, as long as you don't go around SCREWING with other people in the name of "justice" or your loving God, taking His name and blackening it for your nasty, prejudiced beliefs. I don't care, as long as you keep your church SEPARATE from the STATE.

"When the government puts its imprimatur on a particular religion it conveys a message of exclusion to all those who do not adhere to the favored beliefs. A government cannot be premised on the belief that all persons are created equal when it asserts that God prefers some." Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun. U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Agostini v. Felton (1997), at: [link]

History repeats itself, does it not? Here's a great [link] to an example of just how bad prejudice and hate can be in general, and what life could be like if attitudes like that are instilled in children of that age. It's a story of an experiment a teacher did with her third grade class, telling them that blue-eyed kids were better than the brown-eyed ones. That's where the madness started. It's an amazing watch, and is just like what's happening today. The Bible says we can own slaves, but that's obviously not accepted today. So why do people stand by the same discrimination that has been an issue in our country from the beginning?

In this day and age, I'd expect mature, responsible, logical adults and teens to stand up for their actions and their people. That such strong hate can still be going on (and I know, it's not just this, and there will always be some, but to have it at a SCALE of this size) in our "free" country is pretty demoralizing.

I love God. I admit, we don't have the best relationship, but I believe that He is there for me, and that He exists, and that He is good, not this menacing figure some religious extremists have set Him out to be. And I'll be honest, I've heard some words from religious friends that touched me. The undying faith, the hope for goodness and light, it's amazing. I want to understand it. I yearn for it, but I can't understand it. I can't believe in a God that doesn't love his own people. We are all created in his image. I -know- not all religious people are bad. Believe me, I know. That's not what I'm trying to say. Religion is wonderful until it turns into a weapon.

I've also had friends tell me that they can like certain people, but that those people are going to hell. 1. Who are they to judge/decide? 2. Are they able to throw that stone? 3. Do you honestly believe that saying things like that will get you friendly positions with those people? 4. Would God be proud of you if he heard you say things like that?

This has nothing to do with my faith. My faith does not blind me to the hate and suffering people face because of what they are being told by religion, by their peers, by their workplaces, by their government. It's time for change. It's time to take a stand.

I've been planning many journals on this topic. There are many topics that I do not have opinions on, because I do not have enough information to make an educated, informed decision. Which is why I will stay away from them until I know better. And I think others should be the same (one example that will stay in my brain for some time is when I was in the car with a friend. We were listening to the radio before the election, and peoples' decisions and justification on who they would vote for. One woman said she could not vote for Obama because he had purple lips. I still don't know what to say. Free voting is great, but it's scary). So be prepared for more rants, images will be posted with those journals once I can figure out how to get pictures in journals (ARGH), and there will be much fun.


My friends know how I can go off on the topic of [anyone] against [GLBT]. It happens in history all the time and I have to try really hard hot to cause a scene. I'm scared, I haven't done this before. It's so hard, being the one speaking for truth and love. I don't want to sit back and let it happen. I just want to kick someone in the face. *sigh* Don't worry. The marriage thing will eventually be posted. It'll be one heck of a ride.

Here's a [link] to a nice uplifting motivational video for your entertainment. Beware, may not be suitable for the younger, easily offended, or religiously insecure.

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On a side note, my class ring came in today. It's a bit smaller than I expected, but it's really pretty. (:

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On another side note- I can't believe I just wrote this much. It didn't feel like a lot, at all. Glad to know I spent all my time on this instead of my essay. But it's worth it, it really is. If I can make a difference in the world, a change for the better, I'd sacrifice a little sleep and peace any day. I -know- there are people who are with me. It's just that the people who aren't happen to be a little louder.