Trying to make sense of things, of political discourse, of
ideological warfare, of America
in 2013, I come across the issue of Gay Rights. Yes, I have a favored view of
this issue because I am gay. Old and crotchety, but gay nonetheless. And the
old and crotchety comes from age, not gay! Maybe you already knew that. Perhaps
not. Thought I’d mention it to be safe.
I have collected a few quotes you might find
interesting. First:
“We come to love not by finding a
perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.” ~ Anonymous
Whether that is a man or a woman and whether you are a man
or a woman seems nonessential at this point. We are all flawed, hard as we try
not to be or not to see the flaws. We love others. We slowly learn to love
ourselves. Then we are able to let someone love us. Imperfect souls coming
together. I think in that order. Any other order seems to put a hitch in it.
Second quote:
“The couples that are meant to be
are the ones who go through everything that’s designed to tear them apart and
come out even stronger.” ~Author Unknown
Obviously many couples do not survive challenges. Divorce
affects nearly half of all marriages. A huge statistic. And then there are the
couples who don’t marry but do survive, and many more that don’t. Those
statistics are impossible to tally.
Challenges strengthen those motivated to survive the
onslaughts of happenstance: ill health, poverty, unemployment, alcoholism, drug
addiction, adultery, criminal behaviors. Challenges much larger than a bounced
check, or a cancelled TV program, or a lost election. Challenges that give
depth and patina to a life.
The healthy couples can talk about the problems and find
solutions, or adapt to the new realities, welcome or not. They find reason for
life and happiness; and make it happen. They belong together. They stick it out
– together – and are stronger for the experience.
Third quote:
“Gay marriage isn't about special
rights – it’s equal rights. ‘Special rights’ are for political churches that
don’t pay taxes.” ~John Fugelsang
And anyone else who benefits from the status quo and doesn't
much like change or challenge. Usually they speak values and principles but end
up exchanging money, sort of like the money changers in the Temple cast out by Jesus. Perhaps they should
read their Bibles with a bit more discernment?
Quote four comes from The Reprimand Project on Facebook.com:
“So
you oppose gay rights because of the Bible?
Unless you also try to
outlaw:
-Shrimp Cocktails
(Leviticus 11:9)
-Cursing (Leviticus
24:16)
-Women’s jeans
(Deuteronomy 22:5)
-Arrogance (Proverbs
16:5)
-Lying (Proverbs
12:22)
-Bacon (Leviticus
11:7)
-Adultery (Deuteronomy
22:23)
-Working on Sunday
(Numbers 15:32)
Please shut the hell
up!”
Well now; that’s a bit intemperate for me, but the point
remains valid. The Bible commands mankind to do many things. Nearly every one
of those things we do today without a second thought.
One we should never forget: “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”
Then again, perhaps we don’t know how to love ourselves very well?
September 20, 2013
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