Hopefully, you can all forgive me and I wont have to run away to the desert, where I'd live as a hermit.
...But, here goes. As you may or may not know, here in California we have this Proposition 8 (Which would ban Gay marriages) that religious groups keep trying to push. I can see that California is showing it's true intolerance from the conservative religious folk. Yesterday, while reading the L.A. Times, I found this neat letter to the editor: The topic? Proposition 8. Hopefully, you're able to smile at the letter a bit and forgive me....
P.S. I highlighted the letter in a pinkish color....
Faith and Prop. 8
Re "Churches plan a big push against same-sex marriage," Aug. 24
I won't presume to lecture non-Christians on their faiths, but as a lapsed Catholic, I'm slightly familiar with the New Testament. The funny thing is that Jesus' main point was loving your neighbor as yourself. That seems the polar opposite of the Proposition 8 effort.
Jesus spends a tiny bit of New Testament time on homosexuality, but you want to know what he was really tough on? Divorce.
And for all you Old Testament fans, check out the Ten Commandments! Not a single mention of gays and lesbians and their relationships. But it isn't a big leap to understand that "coveting thy neighbor's wife" and "stop with the adultery already" addresses divorce.
So where's the proposition to ban divorce? Do I hear crickets? C'mon!
Mobilize a million people over a proposition that bans straight divorce, one that really keeps families together, and I'll give up my right to gay marriage.
Jesus was also big on comforting the afflicted, feeding the hungry and, in general, helping those less fortunate. I'm happy to work side by side with you on these issues, if you'll see the fight against gay marriage for what it is: a wedge that politicians are using to keep us distracted from the real issues.
UPDATE---
Aside from the LA Times, I also read the Press Telegram. A While back, a columnist wrote about the dangers of a secular society. Today in the PT, there was a rightful, short, and 'sweet' letter to the editor...
The main reason Prager opts for the existence of God is so he can continue to write his stupid column.
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It's disappointing to learn of fellow Americans who would stoop to peddling lies to support their position. Google "Six Consequences if Proposition 8 Fails" ... these are six totally false talking points that the "Yes on 8" campaign is trying to use to fire up their target voters. Anyone who bothers to study the issue will quickly learn that these six "consequences" are total fabrications and sad examples of ugly fearmongering from the "Yes on 8" campaign. Shame.
ReplyDeleteI googled it, and found the 6 points.
ReplyDeleteThanks, now I know what the weak base is for these Yes on 8 campaigners.
Number Six is just giving up and BSing it...
6. It will cost you money. A change in the definition of marriage will bring a cascade of lawsuits. Even if courts eventually find in favor of a defender of traditional marriage (highly improbable given today’s activist judges), think of the money – your money, your church contributions – that will have to be spent on legal fees.
I love these ones:
ReplyDelete"1. Children in public schools will be taught that both traditional marriage and same-sex marriage are okay."
"5. Ministers who preach against same-sex marriages will be sued for hate speech and could be fined by the government. It has already happened in Canada, one of six countries that have legalized gay marriage."
Because clearly gay is wrong. Clearly telling people that being gay is so utterly and completely sinful and will be punished by hellfire isn't hate speech.
It's just... so silly. And when did someone in Canada get sued for preaching intolerance for homosexuality in Church? I don't remember it being on the news, and you'd think it would be big up here.
You're forgiven.
ReplyDeleteShaggy, I've heard the Rayheads talk about a case in Canada where some minister was sued for hate speech.
I did a quick Google and didn't turn up anything. Maybe it's one of those urban legends or just outright lies that gets passed around in those chain emails that no one bothers to check for facts.
I responded to a commenter on the 6 Consequences thread using what should be called The Dimension Method. Nothing demonstrates the absurdity of an argument more than asking someone to demonstrate a rational basis, or heaven forbid, some facts, behind it.
ReplyDelete