This is a little off topic of my usual topics for this blog but I feel inspired and the best way for me to learn and lay out all my thoughts on the table is to write.
The VP for the Central Valley of the company I work for has a license plate frame on her car that says, "Hate is not a family value". I remember when I first saw it I embarrassingly thought to myself, "Classic gay person to have that on their car". I find myself saying that line in my head all the time now, "hate is not a family value".
I was raised in a SUPPPEERRRRR conservative, religious home. As I write that I recognize that the classic Christian reads that and thinks, Ooohhh and now she's turned away from the Lord. Hold your judgement for a second. On the contrary, my faith in God is real, deep, and a part of every bone in my body. I have become someone who seeks knowledge and looks at the heart of every topic before taking a stance. I once was sooo ignorant. I registered as a Republican because...well...I'm a believer in God so that's the same thing, right? Not so much. I believe in God. I believe that He saved me of my sins. I believe that it is my purpose on this earth to demonstrate his love and grace to others. I also believe that the world is full of sin and we aren't puppets on a string so we have the ability to make our own choices and with that responsibility, we affect others. Good and bad. Pro-choice doesn't mean you are pro killing babies. That's what murderers are. It's very different. The responsible and informed individual believes that a baby is a gift and a human life but that there are situations that occur that are unfortunate and sad but that bringing a baby into the world would only hurt that child. I personally would not have an abortion but I'm also an intelligent, educated, independent person who has a support system and job. What about the women that I work with that are so strung out on drugs out on the street that they are selling their bodies and have no idea who the father is? What if they aren't going to quit using and yes, ideally, they clean their lives up. But really? Really? It's questions to ask yourselves. I'm not saying everyone has to agree with me. I'm not even saying that I am pro abortion. I'm simply saying that the world is really really grey and not black and white as so many ignorant people want to believe. I've gone off onto a tangent and need to get back to my point.
People that I have been raised around-church people-take stances for the sake of taking stances. They are okay with being armed and carrying weapons on them that can kill and destroy lives because...they may get held up? Really? And you want to judge the woman who finds out she's three weeks prego and her life is a mess so she terminates the pregnancy? How are these lines being drawn? When did we decide that we get to pick our morals? Oh, right...we are "protected ourselves". Really? It's necessary to carry a gun on you? We murder for those that have murdered. That's like hitting/spanking my kid as a discipline for hitting their sibling. Huh? Are we even thinking anymore or are we robots? We say we don't believe in gay marriage and truly, not sure that I do either BUT we also restrict basic rights to those that are different than us as well? What? Fine, keep marriage sacred between man and woman although lets face it people, it's hardly sacred anymore. We cheat and so quickly quit on our marriages yet suddenly our values become very strong when it comes to allowing the same sex to get married. Okay so leave marriage out of it. There are children now that have homosexual parents. There's actually discussion of limiting benefits from employers and acknowledging that they are at the very least, a committed couple that are together for many years, sharing a home, and raising children. You want to punish children because you believe differently?
Heavens, all those that are conservative are surely praying right now because clearly I have allowed the devil to take over my life. Why can't I believe in Christ but also believe in the American dream and that millionaire's should be taxed higher to support those in poverty? Why can't I believe in the American dream that people can travel to this country by land or by sea and be offered the opportunity to make something of themselves? What if it isn't the "Mexicans" that are "living on our tax dollars"? What if it's white people that are lazy, drug addicts, and gambling too much? And another thing, when did it become okay to have no respect for our elders? I don't care if you wish Oprah Winfrey was President instead of Obama, stop hating! You can disagree with his policies and his choices but to attack him as a human being and say he's not American? Seriously? Do you know what values are? I believe that the average American White "Christian" is the exact example of a Pharisee. You decide it's okay to live in your upper class, easy, ignorant world and not help those in needs and you believe that's "following God"? You judge those that use drugs as their coping method of dealing with more trauma than you can even dream of in your worst nightmares? Why is there so much hate??? Isn't the message of the New Testament LOVE? LOVE your neighbor. Love homosexuals and heterosexuals. Loving them doesn't make you gay. It makes you human and have a heart. Oh I've got some people heated and squirming, I just know it.
How about instead of instilling in your children that they must believe what's in your box and if they go outside of it they are sinners, you teach them to love on people. Teach them to give. Teach them responsibility by learning to put their allowance into savings, fun spending, and giving to a ministry they believe in? Why not encourage our children to read and ache to learn and gain insight? I want to raise children that see black people the same as white. They won't do a double take or feel guarded because of race. I want to raise a child that will be the ONE kid on the playground that will play with the kid that's an outcast because she has two moms. I want to raise a child that serves others in whatever capacity they feel led-teacher, therapist, doctor, lawyer, social worker...whatever it may be...that when they come in contact with other human beings they give them love and kindness and that people remember their smile and their graciousness. My dream is that our world starts to love more. Stop judging and making up your mind to ignore or judge from a distance those that you disagree with. Love them closely instead of at arm's length and maybe they will wonder why you're so kind and maybe THEN-THEN you have a chance to share what you believe and God's grace. How did we become so backwards??? We want you part of our group/club and so we are going to judge you and be stuck up and if you work hard enough and fit into our little black and white box, you will be in on the club and you won't go to hell. Seriously???? How does this even make sense? What about this one? I believe something in my heart and it gives me hope and joy that I want others to have so I'm going to devote my life to serving others and lessening their burdens because I have been blessed and many don't have the opportunities I have. I'm not a drug dealer, I don't live in the ghetto, I have two parents that are married, and I'm heterosexual but guess what? I love you NO MATTER what. I'm going to demonstrate kindness and graciousness and pray for you and be your friend in hopes that my positive attitude will be attractive to you. Doesn't that make way more sense???
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