It has been brought to my attention that some who read my blog have been potentially offended by my apparent hatred of Christians and Christianity. So I would like to take a moment and perhaps clarify my position.
I understand that there are a number of wonderful people in this world who have faith in G-d and lead wonderful lives. They have beautiful families and understand what it means to be a positive member of a community and how their community fits into the world as a whole. There are Christians who believe that tolerance, love, peace and honesty are virtues that we should all uphold. I would agree with them. I think that the world could use a lot more tolerance and understanding. I recognize that there are a number of positive religious organizations in the world: Religious Tolerance.org, Unitarian Universalists, and Habitat for Humanity. My frustration is not with those who would follow the true idea that I believe lies at the heart of most religions, but with those who would use G-d as a weapon.
Let me share a little about myself. I was raised in a family that did not have any strict religious views. I was taught growing up that I should be a responsible and good person because it was the right thing to do, not because some omnipotent being would punish me if I did the wrong thing. I was taught that knowledge and independent thought are the two most important virtues any person could possibly have. Growing up I saw a lot of pain and anger in my family and I learned very quickly what excess and abuse can do to a home. Once, I entered school, I also learned what it feels like to be harassed, bullied and called names, something that would continue for the next 13 years.
Now that I have grown, the names have changed and the faces have aged but the message is still the same. Instead of the children on the schoolyard, the jabs come from a much higher and much more organized force. These groups of people hide behind seemingly innocent names and messages of family values and a better America, when at their core, they are really teachers of hate and fear. I understand that you may not see it that way, but I have seen the worst of them all.
On a personal note:
In a recent response to Valium Blog, it was brought to my attention that, after reading my blog, they felt the way that I would feel, if they posted daily gay bashing information on the net. To this person I say this; I do see daily gay bashings happening on the net; not by you personally, but I do see it. I see it in the 11 states that just passed legislation that says no matter how long I am with my partner and husband, we will never be anything more than strangers. I see it when I read that I am responsible, because of my affectual orientation, in any way for the deaths on September 11. I read it when I am compared to pedophiles, zoophiles, rapists, and worse. I hear it on the radio when my president tells me that my relationship is one of the single greatest threats my country faces. You may not see it, but I do.
Let me say just one more thing about politics in general. I don’t think religion (of any kind or fashion) belongs in government. Period. If someone chooses to align themselves with the politics of our current administration and see my criticizing them as an attack on Christians in general, I cannot help that. Nor will I ever back down from my fight against the dishonesty and blatant greed of the current administration. I may regret being too general, something my foes are all too often guilty of, but I will stand behind each and every individually directed comment I have ever made on my blog.
I don’t want to get into too much detail here, if you would like to exchange ideas, contact me. I would love to have an open and honest discussion with any of you. I don’t want to burn familial bridges before they even have the chance to be built. I would love to have seen anyone from Valium’s family be at our wedding. I am sure our families would get along well. If it is one thing you will learn about me it is that I have strong opinions and convictions, both of which I am more than happy to share. I welcome good meaning debate and discussion, I believe that is how we learn and grow as humans. When our beliefs are challenged we learn, and that knowledge makes our beliefs even stronger.
Saturday, February 12, 2005
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6 comments:
Hey there -
I hear you and I understand what you are feeling. But hate doesn't justify hate. Two wrongs don't make a right..yadda yadda yadda. Ranting, raving and using foul language in hateful vents will NOT help your cause.
I know that reading negative things about what you are and your beliefs can really up the blood pressure. I used to frequent message boards that would always wind up filled with arguements that turned hateful. I quit going there. Maybe you shouldn't read so much. Every day, there are really nasty hateful letters to the editor in our paper aimed at christians. I could reply, but I don't want to lower myself to the standards of those people.
You shouldn't either. Just live your life and be a positive example of what you believe in and stand for.
Be patient. I do believe that in your lifetime you will get what you are seeking. But you can't expect it instantly. Marriage, or some form of bonding one man to one woman has been around the entire world for centuries. Bonding man to man or woman to woman..........??? It will take more than a few years to change something that's been around for centuries.
I am not a debate person, so I won't do that. Like I said to my nephew, we need to find things we share in common, things to agree on and agree to disagree on the rest. If we are to remain a family intact. We love our nephew and have so many fond memories of him. He has such a heart. The year his mom was killed, we all went to the state fair. This little boy spent his own fair money on a blown glass hummingbird for his gramma - hoping to bring her some happiness after losing her youngest child. Gramma cherishes that hummingbird to this day and it still hangs in the same spot she hung it the day he gave it to her. So there's one thing we have in common. We all love him.
Anyway, I'm rambling. You two are welcome to post what's going on in your life at our familybuzz site. That's why I invited J to it. You can post more of your pictures for us to see (the one on the card was beautiful...looked like ALaska).
Bye for now, Aunt Heidi
So if I'm to understand the feeling here, it is better to live a life as an example, keep your mouth shut and keep things to yourself?
Let other people make your decisions for you, stop reading things that are hateful and then you won't be upset and then you can just be happy that the rights you want or need to have are slowly being taken away from you.
Wow. Not only do I not want to be gay in this fantasy world you are talking about, I don't want to be a woman, or racial different.
I think I'll stick to reality and continue to say what I want and protest when someone says something about me I don't like.
I don't like that my rights are being eroded, and I don't like that it is happening in such simple easy steps as just ignoring the problems that do actually exist.
Don't put words into my mouth. My point is simply "don't be nasty, mean & hateful". I said nothing about keeping your mouth shut, just about what comes out of it. And yes, you should be a good example representing what you stand for and believe.
Don't do to other people the same thing you don't want done to you.
Re-read my first paragraph.
If you don't agree - fine. That is your right, but please don't attack me for my point of view.
There is something that has to be understood about girlzoot. She is a strong independent thinking woman and she will say what needs to be said. I can assure you that, like many of us, a strong comment is not an attack, merely a rebuttal. We are debaters. Like Shaych said, discussing and debating are how we learn and grow as humans. A strong worded response is not meant as either nasty or attacking, only commentary.
Aunt Heidi,
Thank you so much for your response.
I completely understand where you are coming from with the context of hate breeding hate. I know that sometimes harsh language and attitude can be shocking and detrimental to the conversation. I know that there have been plenty of times when I have been incredibly frustrated by the language and word choice of someone that I am having a seemingly open discussion with.
I also know that there are two types of protest or civil disobedience. The first is a pacifist and peaceful way of accomplishing social and political change, for instance Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. The second is a more radical approach to change, as found in Malcom X. There can not be change or advances in civil liberties without both; these two types of dissidence rely on each other to achieve their goals.
What I see happening in our nation and world today troubles me and I see my opponents speaking vocally and holding positions of power in every branch and level of my government. I see events taking place each day that I feel are tearing at the very foundation of the country that I call home, the country my grandparents came to running from political oppression and possible death. I can not stand idly by with a quite voice just living my life when I see the destruction of my home. I don’t think this is the time for any voice to be quite or for anyone to read less. I think that we live in a nation of people who don’t read or care enough. There are some very serious issues facing us and a majority of the people who live here don’t know or care.
I also think that we have gotten to a point in this discussion where generalities are useless. I think perhaps we could find some commonalities between our views, and I would love the challenge to do so. If you would like to continue our discussion off-line, you have my email address. I would love to hear from you and perhaps get to know each other a little better in the process.
Best,
Shaych
Okay, I re-read your whole post. The basic feeling I get from the whole thing is do not propagate hate. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This is a lovely sentiment.
I would be all behind it, if it worked.
If the people (and when I say the people I don’t mean you specifically) who were taking away my rights weren’t stealing my rights bit by little bit and then telling everyone to just accept it as that is the way things are supposed to be, as that is the way things were before.
Things change. They have to change, or else they stagnate. Stagnation tends to be bad, notice I say tends to be, I don’t think it is always bad, but that is a matter for another debate.
I don’t hate, and I only use foul language when it suits me. I rant and rave whenever I please as it is in fact my right. I can’t take your advice and “read less” I think I would shrivel up and die…literally. I know all of the things that you suggest are meant with the best of intentions but the fact of the matter is, that we are coming from very different platforms.
When I say that I’m living a good example with my life, I say it with pride. I raise my son by myself and I raise him to speak his mind and to think for himself. This means when he and I disagree I want him to try and convince me he is right. I want him to try and change my mind with his opinions; I want him to show me how the world is changing.
Because things change, and I want to see how he sees the world changing.
You’ve stated you aren’t a debater, and that is your platform, so in fact we are coming from different worlds. I’m not for marriage of any kind, but I get love, and I get the love that K&J share, and I think in some way you do as well. Or you wouldn’t keep trying to make peace.
So although I never said anything that was meant as an attack upon you, I apologize for their sakes if you took it as such.
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