|
Home>Writings>Editorial: Thoughts on Religion
Responses to this editorial may be posted to the message board or sent by email to the author at: [email protected]. GayTeenResources� Online reserves the right to publicize responses. Thoughts On Religion This piece of writing comes about as the result of several comments that i�ve seen online and offline recently. It is unfortunately true that most of the oposition to acceptance of homosexuality as a legitimate way of life comes from organized religion, specifically Christianity. But just as this opposition from organized religion allows others to justify hate towards homosexuals, the reaction to this tragedy also allows homosexuals to feel justified in downplaying religion or reverse-bashing Christianity and other religions. A post to a message board in response to young man who is both bisexual and Christian states in part: �I can�t believe you would not be the same kind person you are if you weren�t a Christian.� 1
In fact, while Christians do not have a monopoly on kindness - sometimes, in fact, it seems the opposite is true - the fact remains that a person�s religious beliefs can have a profound impact on how they react to the world around them. If, for instance, you believe that kindness and forgiveness towards others - turning the other cheek - is required of you by your religion, you would likely be less inclined to settle arguments with a bullet. If a part of your religious belief is that others be allowed to choose their own path, then you are less likely to react to differences in others as defects or moral deficiencies.
An editorial piece on Christianity at the same location admonishes Christians to �get the **** out while you can� and asks �are you so weak willed that you need a mythical person to tell you how to live your life?� 2 The same author, on the same message board as above, while inviting comments on his article, also refers to those that oppose the article as being �small minded.� 3 That author isn�t alone in feeling that those that seek to acknowledge a higher power in their lives are weak willed. The following quote, oddly enough, comes from an evangelical Christian magazine: �Simply stated, i think God is an invention of man. Weak people need a god-like being to tell them how to think and act.� 4 I have no problem with individualism. If anything, I think it�s wonderful that people want to stand on their own, make their own way in life, and step forward with high personal standards and personal strength and determination. That�s great. I approve. What I find galling, however, is the idea that simply because I may express a belief in a personal God, who incarnated himself in human form and sacrificed himself for me as the price for eternal life, I am somehow a weak person. Also galling is while i am expected to extend to these persons the courtesy of accepting that they do not believe as I do, and not try to convert them, that I should meekly submit to their right to press their beliefs - often crudely stated and calculated to offend - upon me.
In expressing his right not to be preached to, for instance, the author of the �Xtianity� editorial states: �I don�t need your nihilistic Christ� 5 and in chat made the statement �F*** the Bible!� and when asked not to make those types of statements responded �don�t try to gag me!� 6
The double standard being applied here should be obvious. It�s every bit as frustrating and as wrong as heterosexuals who say they don�t mind homosexuality as long as it isn�t on display in front of them, while sitting in their boyfriend�s lap or in between kisses on a public beach.
The truth is that people shouldn�t blindly accept religion or automatically take the words of religious leaders as sacrosanct. People should know what they believe, and why they are willing to believe it. They should be able to accept criticism, and examine their beliefs in terms of the world in which they live. They should be willing - and able - to share those beliefs with others, if they are asked.
Or refrain from sharing if they are not.
But that truth, like courtesy, works both ways: those who don�t believe in a certain way should know why they don�t, be able to express that belief calmly and rationally if asked, and refrain from commenting if they are not. Or at least to make their comments with the assumption that the person to whom they are commenting has as much right as they themselves to determine what they want to believe, to step forward boldly in their religion and with their God or gods, and to put those beliefs to work in heir own lives. Ultimately, true stregnth may be in withstanding the attacks others make upon us and our beliefs, whatever they may be ... or in not in our turn attacking those who believe differently from ourselves. |
|
