I normally stay away from arguments/debates involving the bible. For one basic reason: In my experience, those who get into arguments/debates about the bible, are not willing to have a rational, academic discussion about it. And I don’t have the patience for irrational nonsense.
If you want to have an intellectual discussion with me, by all means, let’s do so. If you are going to pull the “But it’s the word of god and therefore we must do everything it says” card, don’t even bother.
Now, I don’t know this woman. I didn’t do a research on her philosophy or who she is. I came across her video on Facebook from a friend who’s judgement I trust so I decided to give it a try. And she had a number of GREAT points there.
It all could have stopped there.
But then I remembered one of my favourite quotes, which I even have on my FB profile:
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor”
Archbishop Desmond Tutu
And you know what? I’m sick and tired of pompous, ignorant asses people using the most ridiculous reasons to justify being against gay marriage. I know, I know. I do believe that people are entitled to believe whatever they want. Freedom of speech, right? But their reasons… Le ugh. It reminds me of this meme from a while back:
Yeah!
Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t have ANYTHING against religious people UNLESS – in their mind, being religious means having the right to tell other people how to live or think, or even worse, to kill those who disagree with them.
I’ve known a many great number of religious people who are decent human beings. I’ve also known a number of atheists/antitheist/agnostic people who are terrible, ugly human beings. And vice versa. Being religious (or non-religious) doesn’t make ANYONE a better (or worse) person. Period. It is their actions, their morality, their compassion, the way they treat others , specially those who have different beliefs, what makes a difference.
Anyway, here’s the video:
One of my favourite parts?
This whole thing perfectly exemplifies why people who cite the bible as a justification for denying others their legal rights are INSANE
And here’s why I so agree with that. ONE thing is a legal right and one other different thing is a religious right. If you think your church shouldn’t perform gay marriages THAT’S ABSOLUTELY FINE BY ME. Every church has the right to not perform them. Gay people just won’t go get married there. But civil rights, legal rights are a completely different thing altogether.
How dare religious people believe they have the right to dictate what my legal rights are? To believe that a nation/state/city should make their laws based on religious beliefs. That’s beyond me.
My other favourite part?
If you’re going to claim that you stand up for biblical principles, stand up for them. But that means stand up for ALL OF THEM. Don’t just stand up for those that give you a person to hate or an easy victim to [something I don’t understand]
It really fracking annoys me when people choose and pick from doctrines to justify their actions. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but that to me, can only mean two things:
1. You’re a bastard and/or a hypocrite.
2. You’re are either too dumb or too lazy to take the time to educate yourself and learn the whole thing instead of just spewing what has been indoctrinated in you
Yes, I know I am being a bit harsh here but it angers me when people pretend to deny other people their human and legal rights based on religious assumptions.
That is simply not acceptable!
PS: Please remember I speak English as a second language. I think I made a few typos/errors so it you spot them, please let me know and I’ll fix them. Thanks! :)
Summer Solstice Musings 
For an ESL speaker you speak it (write it) damn well.
Oh, and by the way, YES, YES, YES!!!!
I agree 100%
he he thank you! I try my best :)
SSG,
This is a most wonderful post. I completely agree with you. It really bothers me when people argue for or against “moral” laws from a Christian (I use Christian because that is what I’m used to seeing. Any number of other religions can be substituted here) standpoint, when in fact they are only “Christians on Sunday”. Arguing with a set of moral codes (Bible, Qur’an, Torah, etc.) is the last thing people should do, because often times they are picking and choosing from the very Books that are condemning them in other aspects of their lives. I believe that the overall message of these Books is of LOVE. If we can strive towards that things could be so much more simple. Another thing, separation of Church and State. I completely believe this is a necessary thing. If you are a firm believer of the Bible then you know that Church and State cannot be combined until…..well the second coming. (I know it sounds crazy, but I do believe it.) I may think that marriage should be between a woman and a man, but I do not think it is a governments responsibility to make a law saying so. I’m also completely against abortion, but I am not in favor of outlawing all abortions. It seems that laws based on the moral values, similar to the ones talked about here, are often counterproductive.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu is such a wonderful human being.
Brother Jon
Yeah, it’s that very same picking and choosing that bothers me so much. I know we are all human and not a single one of us if perfect. But I find it appalling how little compassion I see from some very religious people towards those who are different from them. And the double standards and the self-righteousness… OY!
I know for a fact that religion can offer good things to people. But no religion is perfect because they are run by imperfect men who bring their flaws into them.
And that’s why there always should be a clear separation between Church and State.
[loud clappping] YES YES YES!!!!!!!
Thank you! :)
Hey SSG, I couldn’t agree more. Religion has allot to answer for; and remember when it all gets too much just take that pillow to hell…
HAHAHAHA
I haven’t forgotten. Best advice ever ;)
So agree! One religious fanatic at my school stopped talking to me for four months upon learning that I’m a “non-believer.”. I wanted to ask him, “is this what Jesus would do?”. So infuriating.
See? You nailed it. Imagine, to believe in Jesus and to act like that. Totally missing the point of what he supposedly said. And from a historical point of view -leaving the supernatural out, I think there’s a very good chance that he did exist and he did say what he said about love and all that. Just like Gandhi did exist as well.
What Rainey said: YES YES YES!!!
It’s just common sense, right? Unfortunately, like I’ve said so many times, common sense is the least common of the senses…
Absolutely agree with you!
So glad to hear there are good people left in the world :)
When I see post about gay marriage passing by, I’m always afraid it will be about why you should be against it… so I was very glad to see we share this opinion! A few days ago, here in Belgium, two men were beaten very badly because of them being gay. One of the men has spent at least one day in a coma. Just because they were gay. Just because of that.
Such things make me go insane of anger. Why do those people consider themselves to be better people than gay people if they beat them up? I don’t get it. I don’t get why gay marriage should be forbidden. What are they doing wrong? they’re just trying to be happy, just like we all are.
The girl in the video is awesome too! I’d say: marry me. That would be a gay marriage then ;). Seriously, I’m happy to see so many people who are openminded and who want to see other people being happy. Glad you have written this post!
OH NO! That’s horrible. Yes, I’m aware that still happens in some parts of the world but it still breaks my heart every time I hear of it. And in Belgium! One would think people would be more understanding there.
I’m with you. I don’t get violence or intolerance. Just don’t get it (
I couldn’t agree more!
When I found out that the Salvation Army refused to hire people with “alternative lifestyles” I stopped donating to them and frequenting their stores. Fuck them.
Yeah, that’s not cool. They should’t judge like that.
And by “like that” I mean not at all
It is sad to see this happening indeed.
Here’s a positive way to look at it…the zeitgeist is changing. We’re fortunate that up here in Canada the tolerance level is much higher. We likely won’t see that form of bigotry in the U.S. change to that degree for at least another generation and it’s highly unlikely it will ever change in the Middle East, but generally I think the situation is much better than it was when I was younger. It’s frustrating to see perfectly normal, good people (yes, being gay is normal, too) having to share the planet with specific people who think they have the right to tell them what to do in the bedroom or who they can love.
Homophobia extends to many non-religious people as well, unfortunately, even if this form of hate does typically come from religious communities here and there. At a fundamental level, I think in a lot of cases these people hate because of other issues of their own. That whole thing about vocally homophobic people being gay themselves but in denial I think has a lot of truth to it.
Btw, this was very well written. Don’t worry about your ESL concerns anymore as a writer. It’s not the first time I’ve told you that. ;)
True. It is sad that people chose to hate, whatever kind of hate it is. But when I see religious people hating, I find it particularly awful, not to mention hypocritical because most -if not all, religions claim to be found on the principle of love. And not just to the “love only those who think and look like you” kind of love but “love all mankind” kind.
Very true. It’s one of the problems with those systems. Love doesn’t need a rule book, just a good heart.
You can say that again
“That again”.
wise guy
;)
You’ve been tagged! Play if you would like. :)
http://rainey46.wordpress.com/2012/07/27/youre-it/
woot, woot!
I’ll play as soon as I can!
Hear hear! Or, here here! (Anyone have a definitive call on which it is?) Also, ESL or not, your command of the language is better than most I encounter who are EFL, if you’ll pardon the made up an acronym.
HAHAHAHAHA
I think it’s hear, hear. Because of the Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye… no? I always forget too :P
And thanks :)
Well that makes sense. I can’t remember the justication I’ve heard for the other.
Have a great weekend, SSG.
You too, my friend! :)
AMEN!! :D
Reblogged this on Meizac and commented:
Nothing else need be said, in my opinion.
I truly LOVE this post! ♥
*squishy, squashy hugs*
Thank you! Let’s start a revolution of love! Oh, wait….
♥
My own feelings are that if you use any sort of “moral” justification for denying anyone the same legal rights everyone else enjoys, then you are a bigot. Period. It’s the same for anyone who says another race is inferior or another religion’s followers are evil.
Thanks for posting this, SSG. You might just be preaching to the choir here (pun fully intended), but it’s great to read all the same.
I concur! Bigotry and/or hatred (I still don’t quite get the difference) is not acceptable under any circumstances
I could not possibly agree more, SSG. Life has too much hate and not nearly enough compassion. Let’s spread the love and drop some hate, huh?
Rach.
Indeed!