A lesson finally learned...

(Note: The following is an issue I've struggled with for a long time. It's been on my heart since becoming Christian five years ago. It's been the focus of several conversations with family, friends, classmates, students, and others. It came back up during this summer's vacation and afterward when the Chic-Fil-A brouhaha started. This morning a teenager at my church spoke the words that cleared up the murk. Everything made sense, and I now have the words to explain my stance.)

Love thy neighbor... (Leviticus 19:18)
Love the least of these... (Matthew 25:40)
The world will know you (as Christian) by the love you give/show... (John 13:35)
Do unto others as you'd have done unto you...(Matthew 7:12) (AKA: The Golden Rule)

To those who are using/ understanding Christian to be a blanket term for hatred and ignorance, I challenge you to practice what you preach -- tolerance. No one is perfect, even Christians. The best way to stop hatred in its tracks is to show love brightly and strongly...not to throw anger back at it.

          You are upset that people/companies support groups who believe in things you don't. You

          make posts on social network sites expressing your anger and hatred for such actions. To 

          my eyes, you are showing just as much bigotry, hatred, and intolerance as you are "fighting"

          against. Perhaps, instead of being angry and boycotting a restaurant you should buy large

          amounts of their food, and then use it to feed the hungry...show the company that good can  

          come directly from their company...that they don't have to support hate groups.

This lesson also applies to Christians.  If you've read the bible at all, you know we are taught to love thy neighbor, judge not - lest ye be judged, and show God's love. Denying and/or trying to diminish the right's of others, as well as supporting groups that condemn others (whether under the name of God/Jesus or not) is blatantly ignoring these teachings (from the Old Testament as well as New). 

           As a Christian, and even before that, I know it is not my place to judge others. Homosexual 

           or heterosexual, rich or poor, whatever race you claim...we are all sinners. The only thing I 

          can do to/for you is to love you. I can accept you. I can support you. I can show you my 

          love and God's love. I can know that your sin is between you and God and I have no part

          in that, ultimately. Therefore, I will continue supporting gay rights. I will treasure my

          friends and family whose lives differ from my own. The rainbow makes this world a 

          beautiful place.

(Tangent: Yes, I know homosexuality is listed as a sin in various parts of the bible. There are also lots of places that are against heterosexuality....both expressly outside of marriage. An easy, simple, and no where written as going against the word of God solution is marriage. It works to erase the sins of heterosexuals. I see no reason why it shouldn't be the solution for homosexuals. Now the only thing standing in the way is the world (laws of man). To my eyes, this makes accepting gay / lesbian marriages all the more important. )

So you think you can protest?

So, my Facebook, Google +, and Tumblr are filled with photos with messages like this right now:

And it pisses me off. Why? Not because I have some connection with the Westboro Baptist Church  (in fact I loathe them for giving non-extremist Christians, and others,  a bad rep.) but because people who are posting and agreeing with these pictures are being idiots.

Here's what I know. The WBC is very good at what it does. They have been doing it for years. Years! And yes the text in the pictures is correct...you won't see WBC getting tear gassed at their protests. Want to know why?  THEY FOLLOW THE LAW!  That's right. They set up their protests with the local cops. They occupy the spaces allowed for them only during the hours assigned to them. They don't touch others, they don't camp, and if a cop tells them to move....they do.

Your right to protest and your right to free speech are only yours when you are following all laws. You can't pick and choose which ones you want to follow.

Sure your protest might be peaceful, but if it is held in a city park that has posted closing hours and you stay later..........or if the city has an ordinance about no camping on public sidewalks, yet some of your protesters take naps........you are breaking a law. The police are within their rights to do something to correct the situation. Don't misunderstand, tear gassing a group of peaceful sit-in protesters is extreme and uncalled for. However, if the really story is out there somewhere, I bet it also tells of how the city has laws that the protesters are somehow violating.

I hate the internet pictures that get passed around like wildfire and just make those who are protesting something worthy look like idiots. Don't pass that stuff around. Be smart. Know the laws, get them on your side. The easiest way to win a fight with the law is show those in command that the law actually does include you.



***edit***

The same thoughts apply to the Facebook status posting of :

So the US Supreme Court has ruled that you have the right to protest military funerals. I invite you to start your protest in my front yard. We can see if your 1st Amendment rights are better than my 2nd Amendment rights. Re-post if you're a vet, love a vet, or just support vets...

I can guarantee that if this was actually to occur, you would be charged with homicide. Want to know why? You invited someone onto your property. You have given permission. If you then turn around and shoot those who are on your property with your permission.....homicide. Somehow I think murder trumps protesting in the hierarchy of law breaking.

To mark history

Rosa sat so Martin could walk. Martin walked so Barack could run. Barack is running so our children can fly.

Politics

I don't often get political on my blog. The latest "go vote" post was about it. But, after reading this article I just couldn't resist sharing. For a variety of reasons I am firmly behind Obama. McCain's choice of V.P. was at first confusing. Now it is just nauseating.

Somewhere along the way I learned about the struggles of women in society. Somewhere along the way I learned to think for myself. Somewhere along the way I became interested in the inter-connectedness of everything on this earth.

I don't understand how she could have become governor without being aware of federal policies, supreme court rulings, and basic world awareness. But, maybe I'm thinking too much like an educated, birth control using, feminist. Maybe her homey phrases and I-must-be-right-because-I'm-cute nose wrinkle are enough?

Please shoot me now.

Plurk the vote

Over on Plurk (kind of like Twitter, only not) there is a contest running to see who can get the most people to vote in a mock presidential election. I thought I'd try as I know a whole bunch of responsible, involved voters. If you'd like to participate...vote.

Help mandyfish win a share of $5,000.
Who do you support?

Obama/Biden
McCain/Palin

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