I saw this on another website. It got me thinking, why the hell do we even need a National Coming Out day? You would think that we, as a society, have progressed enough to be able accept people for however they wish to represent themselves, or whomever they choose to love. Unfortunately, it appears that we still need days like this. It is incredible that a society who believes themselves to be modern and enlightened, makes it so that some people actually feel they have to "come out". Of course, to understand this, we have to go back. The whole idea of needing to come out, was because so many people have felt the need to hide who they really are because of ignorance and hate fortified by religion.
Those who choose to discriminate against gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendered, point to a section in the Bible, Leviticus 20;13 "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death ; their blood shall be upon them." This single passage in the Old Testament has been used to foster hate while ignoring other passages that might affect those who project that hate.
Funny how they ignore Leviticus 11:10 "But anything in the seas or the rivers that has not fins and scales, of the swarming creatures in the waters and of the living creatures that are in the waters, is detestable to you." As they eat their shrimp cocktail or baked stuffed lobster.
Leviticus 11 says: 4-6 “Some animals chew the cud, but they don’t have split hooves. Don’t eat these animals. Camels, rock badgers, and rabbits are like that, so they are unclean for you. 7 Other animals have hooves that are split into two parts, but they don’t chew the cud. Don’t eat these animals. Pigs are like that, so they are unclean for you. 8 Don’t eat the meat from these animals. Don’t even touch their dead bodies! They are unclean for you."
So let's see, these are just two there are more, but these are from the same book. You shouldn't be eating shrimp, lobster, and BACON!!! Oh that BLT just damned you to hell.
Many do not know that I was a Youth Minister for the Diocese of Providence. As part of that, I was sent to Providence College for theology. I have read the Bible through at minimum three times front to back. I don't have things quite memorized, but did gain a good understanding of its teachings. What is lost on those who profess that because of that one passage in Leviticus, the whole LGBT community is damned to hell. They skip the passages on seafood, pork, women speaking out and clothes of two threads. When confronted with those passages, they tell us they don't count. They don't count because they reflect
on them. They are only looking for ammunition to foster their hatred towards others. Jesus stated that he was the new covenant. He gave one commandment, Love. Not love but, or love if, just love. We are also told in the Bible to judge not lest ye be judged, yet we find that armed with a single passage we can condemn a wide swath of society. A swath that Jesus himself, would have embraced.
What I find disheartening, is that they support people like Kim Davis who tried to deny marriage licenses to gay couples. She touted her religion. Yet, as it turned out, she had sex out of wedlock and was married multiple times. Once again, the rules only apply to those we hate.
I once wrote a series called Ripples. It spoke of our impact on things around us. Our attitude towards others can cause great affects, positive or negative. Jesus told us that he gave us one commandment, Love. Yet, we are so set on trying to make ourselves feel better that we attack others who we perceive are less than us. They are not! It is only our perception. So speaking of Ripples, what is that affect of hate on the LGBT community? According to a Wikipedia report, "The Suicide Prevention Resource Center synthesized these studies and estimated that between 30 and 40% of LGBT youth, depending on age and sex groups, have attempted suicide." 30-40%!!! That is just the youth. This is what all this hate brings about. Death! Now aren't you proud that you can quote that one Leviticus passage while ignoring the ones that condemn yourself!!! I want to add that the T in that number shoots even higher. A recent study showed that transgendered people, especially Male to Female (MTF), have a suicide rate of 55%!!!! Aren't you just proud of yourself that your hate of others due to your own ignorance has driven all these people to kill themselves???
Okay, you have to forgive me. I see that all life is precious. I believe that everyone should be accepted for who they are. As i have stated multiple times, I don't give a damn who you love, only that you love. When it comes to transgendered people, we need to learn more about the condition. Which, for those who don't have a copy of the DSM, (Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders), it is listed as Gender Dysphoria. In previous manuals it was listed as Gender Identify Disorder. It was changed as calling it a disorder caused further issues with patients suffering from the condition.
I get it. It is a human condition for us to hate that which is different. Our egos also need to find someone to step on in order to lift ourselves up. We have done this with immigrants, we are doing it with people with different sexual desires or even gender identities. We are never going to progress as a society as long as we hold fast to these ideals. The only way we can progress as a society and become the people that Jesus envisioned us to be, is to remove the ego as many Buddhists preach. We need to stop judging each other an learn to embrace the cornucopia of differences that mankind has to offer. We need to move beyond the hate and ignorance and strive, not to turn away and condemn those who are different, but rather to learn, grow, and embrace the differences.
I was raised Catholic. I was even a Youth Minister for the church and almost became a priest. I turned against the Catholic Church and organized religion because it did not follow Jesus' teachings of love and compassion, but rather preached separation and hate. I believe that Jesus was a great teacher. He understood where we needed to go. We need to learn to love each other.
My heart to your heart, one heart, one spirit.
P.S. I dedicate this to my good friend and spiritual companion Al Anderson. His passing is a great loss to humanity. I was honored to sit at his council of the Seven.
