GAH
This rant has been waiting to happen since I read this entry and then this.
First off, let's get this straight. None of this is pointed at a certain person(s), this is just what got me started, so there's really no reason for anyone to come tell me to fuck off. Okay.
I really do feel for this woman. I know what it's like when someone that close to you commits suicide. We thought that my brother had for awhile, I know the way it made me feel, and I saw and heard what it did to my parents. It's excruciating pain, that you just can't understand unless you've been through it. I also believe that while the son did it because he wasn't accepted or whatever, it isn't her fault. While she was being small minded, all she did is share her beliefs. She told her son that she still loved him, and that is why I don't have a problem with her. It wasn't like she was kicking him out, disowning him, or full-out hating him. She disagreed, but let him know that he would still be loved. Honestly, it's his own fault that he's dead, with plenty of blame to go around, but I digress. I'm not talking about who's to blame.
I loathe calling myself a Christian; I do. So few people that call themselves Christians, act like one. To be a Christian is to be Christ like, but all you have to do is read a few comments on that forum to see that few on that site can really call themselves a true Christian. Most of the people on there vocalized nothing but generalized group hate. Did Christ hate groups of people, or anybody, even if they were gay activists? NO, HE DIDN'T. So much of the vocalized Christian beliefs anywhere have to do with we hate this, we hate that, we hate you (until you conform to my personal beliefs)! Jesus was not like that at all. He had tolerance for other people, and just wanted everyone to not hate, be the best person they could be, and be happy. Did he go around saying, "Leper, you are evil! You are going to Hell because I don't like you!" Absolutely not. Anybody remember "love thy neighbor"? It doesn't matter who they are, what label or non-label they fall under, or who they bang! You have to love/tolerate them! Okay!
I guess this is the trial of the everyday true Christian*? Having to deal with all the Christians that give us a bad name by being haters? If I say on the internet somewhere that I am, there are some people who jump me immediately about how they don't want my beliefs shoved down their throat. They're this way, they're staying that way, and I'm an idiot. Usually, almost always actually, I haven't said a word about what I believe or think, just that I am a Christian. It's sort of like, WTF did I do?!
On the other side of the coin, there are plenty of gay activists and other people who hate all Christians just as much or more than they hate them (I'm not counting myself amongst the hater!Christians). That doesn't make them right either! Hating a whole group of people is WRONG no matter what you/they believe or don't believe, and it PISSES ME OFF. Not everybody is the same as their label! Sorry! If you know that and believe that, STOP USING THE WORDS 'ALL', 'EVERY', AND 'NONE'. I'm not like all Christians, and maybe you aren't a stereo-typical atheist. Whoop-de-do!
Lastly, if you're going to attack a Christian, there's a few things that you should know.
1. Read the actual Bible first to find your ammo, if that's what you're going for.
2. Know the beliefs of the atackee in question.
3. For instance, if you were going to attack me, you should know that I'm Church of Christ. That means that you would know that while I fully believe in the Old Testament, I don't follow what it says. The Old Testament to me is the book of the prophecies. When Jesus came in the New Testament he fulfilled the prophecies, he wiped away the old rules (as he brought the new order or whatever), reinstated which ones he wanted to keep, and gave us his ten commandments. So if you wanted to hit me with the, "quote one, quote them all" thing, don't use rules that are out-dated. For some examples, working on Saturday, shrimp, un-kosher meat, and shaving. Those are all Old Testament rules that Jesus got rid of. They don't effect me, and there's no reason for me to quote them at you. Better examples would be cursing and using the Lord's name in vain.
And, yes, homosexuality is out-lawed in both the Old and New Testament.
Just so nobody forgets however, I don't care if you're a different religion, gay, or whatever. I'm tolerant of other people and groups, and if you want to hear it, I'll tell you what I believe and think. That doesn't mean that I expect you to say, "Wow! You're right, and I've been wrong all along! I'm going to go get baptized!" While that would absolutely thrill me, I know how unlikely it is. You can tell me what you think too, just don't expect me to change my ideas either.
No matter who you are or what you stand for, could you people just please quit it with the generalized hate? I know it won't happen, but there is nothing worse than a person who has unconditional hate for a certain kind of people. I know it's called prejudice, but I'm calling it different, because not all people who are prejudiced hate all of the people they're prejudiced against.
*I'm in no way indicating that I'm perfect/good example of a Christian myself. I mean, I surround myself with people I don't want to be like, I lie to my parents, and I'm obsessed with slash! Just, hating hurts people, it's pointless, and such a large dose of hate is so easy to avoid. Not doing it also saves on stress, which could equal eating less, which could equal America losing weight. Just my .02 here.
*deep breaths*