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Ever since the shootings at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, there have been several church burnings throughout the South, and some — I’m looking at you GOP and you, too, Fox News — like to play these acts of arson up as a sign that there is a war on religion in this country.
Well, then, please to explain this ….
The Metropolitan Community Church of Our Redeemer in Augusta, Georgia was vandalized last week, after that pesky marriage equality ruling, with Bible verses spray-painted on its front doors:
‘Burn Leviticus 18:22 Lies’ ‘You’ll burn’
Those are the Bible verses that condemn gay sex as an ‘abomination.’
Pastor Rick Sosbe said the vandalism and the theft of the church’s rainbow flag a few weeks ago were the first hate crimes since they occupied the building 12 years ago, and he believes it was a reaction to media coverage of his marriage.
See, Pastor Sosbe and his partner were the first gay couple in Richmond County to receive a marriage license, just four days after the US Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
“I was angry. I was very sad and I thought, ‘Just why?’ To me, it seems so interesting that they’re saying on there that you’ll burn — in other words saying “You’ll burn in hell,” I’m sure — and quoting scripture. Is that what Christianity — right-wing, fundamentalist Christianity — has come to?" — Pastor Sosbe
I’m guessing the religious wingnut vandals who did this to the church don’t believe in a God is Love kind of faith. They believe in judgment, casting the first stone, vandalizing buildings, all in the name of God.
And, in the name of God, where was the GOP outrage for the vandalism of this church? Where was the Fox News report? Oh, right … gay.
That makes it okay.
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Monday, August 03, 2015
Is There A War On Christianity ... Or Is There A Christian War On The Gays?
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Our Unitarian church used to share space with the Metropolitan church in our old building. That was when the children were in grade school and preschool. Loooong time ago. Eventually we both moved to new buildings and the old church became a wedding-bed and breakfast venue.
ReplyDeleteYour post brought to mind something I wrote as an afterword to my memoir "Did You Ever See A Horse Go By? - A Coming Out Memoir" excerpt:
ReplyDelete" “They” are still trying to define “us,” tell us who they think we are, tell us
that we are objectively disordered or immoral or sinful or worse.
Who are “they” and who do they think they are?
Unfortunately “they” are not only the ignorant and bigoted, but often otherwise
intelligent and sometimes even well-meaning individuals. Why do “they” think they
know more about our sexuality, or us, than we do?
More to the point, why do they care?
Certainly “they” outnumber “us” and we’ve always been an easy target. Does
their inability to save our souls or change us, or to limit our freedom somehow make
them inadequate or fearful? What is in it for “them” that they so persist?
It amazes and frustrates me that our stories—the actual lived experience of gay,
lesbian, bisexual, or transgender individuals—are so summarily ignored, discounted,
and dismissed. It baffles me that many vocal and influential individuals
persist in holding to and disseminating absurd, erroneous, and irrelevant opinions
about us. This is unacceptable and can no longer be tolerated.
“They” can only make their own positions tenable by repeating questionable scriptures, fabricated “studies,” pseudo-science, and outright lies—and repeating them over and over as they wholly disregard us and our voices.
What is it about homosexuality and sexual and gender non-conformity that makes it such a lightning rod?
What is so unique about it that religious factions condemn it, regressive governments
ban it, entire cultures punish it, and ordinary people are moved to hatred
and violence by it?
Why are millions of dollars spent to fight us and to deny us equal protections under the law?"
Questions I pose, but cannot answer.
christians suck. period. I have yet to meet a decent one that doesn't h8.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother always said to me when I talked about other people, "You sweep your porch, and let them sweep theirs". And for the longest time I didn't understand, and finally asked her. She said, "what others do is of no concern of yours, live your life the best you can, and let them live their lives."
ReplyDelete@Biki
ReplyDeleteI love Grandma's saying. Too true, and too bad most folks don't abide by it.
When the church shooting first happened, I joked that Fox would probably try to portray this a s part of the imaginary "war on Christianity." Then they actually had the balls to do it. They will shamlelessly twist anything to fit their sick narrative.
ReplyDelete