As some of you may know I am a pot smoking, small government, agnostic. I have my lifestyle and my socio-political beliefs that I frequently debate with others. Although I defend and honour my beliefs and lifestyle I do not push my beliefs on others. Nor do I demean people who have different beliefs on others. Unfortunately, very few people think that. They have their beliefs and lifestyles and they criticize people who do not support the same things they do, therefore they look down upon the people with contrasting viewpoints. And to me, that is complete, utter bullshit.
I left the church in high school. I used to hate all religious beliefs and I used to think that believers in religion were fools. Then I met people with religious beliefs who did not push their beliefs on others and were incredibly non judgemental. I posted a status on facebook condemning homophobes who don't believe in gay rights. One of the people who commented was the mother of a very close friend who is a strong Catholic. The Catholic church is strongly against homosexuality even though their priests like to touch little boys. But this woman is not like that. She made the argument that we are all god's children and that he loves us all. That made me gleam with hope that religios people could eventually get on the side of all human rights. This woman did not condemn homosexuals as sinners, she is a very loving person who accepts that we are all different in our own ways and that individuality is not a curse, but a virtue.
You can think homsexuality is gross. Hell, I do. I don't like seeing two dudes make out and I have never had the need or want to watch two guys fucking. But I respect the right for them to engage in any sexual act they chose to partake in as long as their partner is of age and consents to the act(s). Homosexuality does not attack my liberty, nor does it cause me any harm.
People against homosexuality are primarily those who use the bible as an excuse to hate. They use homophobic scripture as the basis of their acceptable discrimination. The fact that people can't think for themselves is a tragedy. And the fact that the bible contains instructions on how to sell your daughter into slavery, yet slavery is illegal is a rarely mentioned hypocrisy. Those who use their religion as an instrument of hate are fools and they should be condemned for not believing in individual rights and for not using any sane reasoning as an excuse for their hate.
Instead of using those beliefs as a defense of bigotry, homophobes should simply let homosexuals be. I don't believe that homsexuality should neccessarily be accepted en masse by everyone. You could disagree with the lifestyle, but the fact that people want to ban gays from marrying or adopting is a tyrannical practice. You should not be forced to befriend homosexuals, but you should believe they have a right to live the life they want to live granted they don't harm a soul, just like you do.
I believe religion is stupid. I beleive that the existence of god is unproovable and that the stories in the bible are stories that are right out of a fantasy novel. I think the Noah's Ark story is pure b.s. But if you disagree with me, more power to you. I simply do not care. I do not care if you go to church every sunday, decorate your house with religious artifacts, say grace before supper, and your prayers before bed. Just don't push your beliefs or look down on me. I have religious friends who are great people inside and out. Sure I would like it if they weren't religious, but I do not view their religious beliefs as an example of poor character. If I can accept their beliefs and look at them as whole people with warm souls and big hearts. Why can't homophobes and fundamentals accept that people are different form them and respect that?
The founding fathers of America may have hated religion, but America is a Christian nation as those influential Christians are predominatelty ones who want to push America into a theocracy. They view Atheists who simply want fundamental rights as a plague placed on America that has to be cured.
I recently came upon a story on Alternet.org which detaied the ten worst states in the U.S to be an Atheist. This is a country with a dark and shameful history of discrimination. American's don't like to talk about the treatment of Black people during the Jim Crow era, or the internment of Japanese Americans during WW2. Yet there still is acceptable discrimination in America. The Bible is used as a valid excuse for the discrimination of gays and Atheists. And in the article on Alternet you can see clearly that Atheists are condemned, dismissed and discrminated against. Yet no one discusess that and if you mention the discrimination you are mocked.
Just look at the case of Jessica Alqhuist who simply asked for her public school to take down a religious banner that obviously is a violation of the seperation between church and state. Her fellow students said she should be "smacked around" Comments on articles in her local Rhode Island newspapers questioned her mental stability. Christians want to push their beliefs in public schools that welcome people of all faiths and religions. They want to push Christianity onto other religious people. They do not care that kids in public school aren't exclusively Christian.
I remember watching a story on CNN that showed an Atheist couple who claimed that they were victims of discrimintion. They claimed neighbours criticized their religious beliefs and shunned them. Then they introduced a panel of two Black people and a Jew. None of them were atheists. You can watch the link below in which the panel disputes the claims that Atheists are whiners that have no business complaining about anything. I remember being incredibly pissed off and now I have no respect for the opinions of fools like Debbie Schlussel and Karen Hunter. You would think a Jew and an African American woman would take calls of discrimination seriously, and not mock it. But I was wrong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPHnXrU5JzU&feature=related
Americans claim to be the epicenter of freedom. America was attacked on 9/11 because the terrorists hated " America because of our freedoms", but when you are an Atheist or gay you have minimal rights. Atheists are the most distrusted minority in the U.S. If you are an Atheist in Arkansas, Maryland, Mississippi, Texas, Tennessee or both Carolina's you are banned from running for public office. What if Mississippi banned Black people from running for public office? There would be a huge controversy.
By disrespecting the fact that others do not have your beliefs or lifestyles you are stifling freedom. If you fight for your rights, but dispute the rights of others you do not believe in freedom.
If you have a neighbour who is a gay atheist why should you care? If your son's girlfriend is pro choice, deal with it. The true fighters of freedom don't fight for the rights that fit their own lives, they fight for the rights of others who are of different lifestyles or beliefs.
I don't like hunting, religion and I think P.E.T.A is run by a bunch of loons. However I do not think hunting should be banned, I don't think churches should be destroyed and I don't think P.E.T.A should be disbanded. What makes freedom beautiful is the fact that we can say what we want, do what we want and live the lives we want. However, if you live your life the way you want yet you condemn and fight the rights of a gay person to marry or for an atheist to object to the violation of the seperation of church and state you are condoning tyranny.
You don't have to accept the gay lifestyle or the actions of an Atheist. But if you believe in freedom of speech, you should respect their rights to live with the rights we all should share.
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