It saddens me to write this blog this morning. I use the blog sometimes as a tool to help me gather my thoughts and get my feelings out, as there are some issues which I do not have an empathic outlet for.
It hurts, when a family member takes the position that you are to be discarded from their lives because you do not believe the same things that they do. A relative, who I would describe as very close, has been growing increasingly distant because I do not conform to the "correct" cookie cutter lifestyle that they all subscribe to. You know that one...girl grows up meets boy, lives happily ever after with 2.3 children, sends all to the right Catholic private schools, goes to church every week, sticks to the marriage whether its healthy or not..gives the ultimate sacrifice of giving up themselves to take care of the husband and the kids......the type of life we were taught was the "correct" way to live.
I am sure they sit around that table at lunch central and list all the atrocious things I have done...divorced, moved in with a man, had children for two....threw the man out too.......oh the shock and horror!
Recently, the individual sent what I would describe as gay bashing hate mail, and asked several of our family members to pass it on if we stand up for Jesus Christ. I am sure Christ is "turning over in His grave" as they say here.
A few of us, in protest, questioned the individual's justification for it, and replied to the email expressing our thoughts and beliefs. The long and short of the matter ends in me being chastised for "lack of belief" and the individual "blessingly" attempting to manipulate as one would a child. Needless to say I responded.....as gently as I could, that I refuse to spread hate mail, and yes it irks me when Christians use scripture to justify hate and prejudice. And..I also have every right to believe what I believe...whether it is defined or not.
But the long and the short of it is that if you are asking me to hate in the name of Jesus, or to spread hate in the name of Jesus...then I would not ever subscribe to your idea of Jesus Christ.
House rebuffs claims of Religious Right in hate-crimes vote.(PEOPLE & EVENTS): An article from: Church & State
