A video of Christian TV journalist Pat Robertson was published recently with headlines reading "Gay People are Terrorists."
Naturally, being gay, but not being a terrorist, I clicked on it.
Of course after clicking on it, I decided to deal with it the best way I knew how, writing him a response.
Dear Pat,
We've never met, but let me disclose this first, I am a christian gay male. Yes, I said Christian. Gay. Male. Some of those are by choice, others are not.
I was raised by a wonderful family. Luckily from my education, my upbringing, and my life experiences I have CHOSEN to be a Christian. It may be a choice that some are offended by, others not proud of, and some may applaud me for the bravery it took to decide this. I'm glad you and I made that same choice Mr. Robertson, because after all, you have to choose to be a follower of Christ, we are NOT born that way.
The other two, well I did not get to decide those. The same God that created you and me, blessed me with both of those things, and it's my job to own them and do whatever I can as a Christian, gay male to lead a life of happiness, love and compassion.
In your video, you say that "its one thing to persuade someone to believe like you do. That's what Christianity is about [...] but it's something else to take the arm of a government, to force someone to do something that is contrary to their religion. And that is what homosexuals are trying to do."
When I heard you say this, it made me feel about 15,386 different emotions. Of which I will only explain 2 percent of them here, because I seriously doubt my feelings are going to change YOUR mind, but perhaps that can inspire or as you say PERSUADE someone else to look at me in a better light the next time they look my way.
At first, hearing you say essentially that Christianity is about persuasion, I had no beef. After all, that is what countless missionaries do day-in and day-out on this planet: convince others that what they personally know, believe, experienced, and hold true is a way that they should be enlightened too. Or as you called it, "spreading the good news". If it were not for biblical figures like, Daniel, Paul, John The Baptist, today's missionaries would have had no blueprint. This you had no problem with.
Next, you said "it's a whole other thing for someone to make the government force someone to do something that is contrary to their religion." I couldn't agree more, thank God we live in the United States where church and state are SUPPOSED to be separated, and our founding fathers came here to escape religious persecution. Again, remember that I am a Christian, and I am a proud American, but forcing prayer in some schools, just as well makes your statement null and void.
There are SEVERAL religions in this country that do not have prayer OR have certain prayers that are NOT allowed in schools because they are not popular practices in religion by society's standards. In South Carolina, a bill (H. 3526) would require teachers to lead prayer time at the beginning of each public school day. Sounds VERY SIMILAR to your comments saying that its not OK to "take the arm of the government to force someone to do something that is against or contrary to their religion."
And THEN your dropped a very bold accusation, saying "that's what these homosexuals are trying to do. They are trying to force people who are Christians to marry them or else face jail, to make cakes honoring them or go to jail, and give their servants over and divulge their innermost thoughts or go to jail." (Who the hell still has servants!?!? Its 2014!) You continued saying, "these people are terrorist, they are radicals and they are extremest."
Dude.... Homosexuals are NOT trying to force ANYONE to go to jail. Trust me on this one! We are requesting, and pleading (even though it should be a given right of equality) for the same opportunity that others are given. I could care less if the person marrying me is a Christian, and if they are not, they sure as hell should not go to jail. Remember... YOUR religion is YOUR choice! You shouldn't be jailed for it! If you don't want to marry me, I want to have the opportunity to find someone else who will. However when you legally prohibit marriages, that is in fact government forcing someone (the pool of ministers able to marry people) to do something that is contrary to their beliefs, if they believe in marriage equality. So NOW how does your statement apply!?
To call a homosexual a "terrorist," is uneducated and uninformed.
Now, I'm SURE you did not intend to liken homosexuals to an ISIS fighter, or a member of Al-Qaeda, right? (But wait, members of those organizations have religious beliefs and are carrying out their actions under such pretenses) But perhaps you meant that we are attackers by challenging preexisting ways, we are radicals because we are going against the grain, and we are extremist because we are trying to buck the system. If THAT's what you meant.... well then yes you are right Pat.
We are trying to be JUST like Rosa Parks, Pope Francis, Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, oh yeah and your boy J.C. (you know, Jesus Christ!?) and I'm pretty sure they were all straight....
We are trying to get people to see injustices, inequalities, bring attention and awareness to an issues and then work with institutions, whether government, business, or just society and its culture to see that at the end of the day we are all people, and not terrorist as you may think.
But since the issue you have is with "the gays wanting to have their gay sex, but them wanting to solemnify it by marriage" seems to be the point of contention for you, let me propose this. If an officiant is a Christian, and does not believe in marriage equality, then don't marry someone. However, when you don't give a homosexual ANY options to have someone preside over there ceremony and legally prohibit anyone from doing so, well THAT'S where the true problem is.
It's like you going into J.C Penny's and asking the sales-clerk for an ugly grey pinstripe suit, and legally, they are allowed to refuse to sell it to you. (Which clearly isn't the law since someone managed to sell it to you as seen in this video) The reason the clerk refused to sell it to you, because they know you are a Christian. You are offended and feel as though you should have the right to buy one. Well Luckily you can go right next door to the next store for one, because you have the option. Imagine if you didn't have the option. And nope you can't go for a blue suit, a plaid, or black one. You aren't allowed to buy one at all. Seems a bit whack right?
Yeah well so does a government body not allowing two people to get married, because religion advises not. And here I was taught all along that Christianity was a religion of inclusion and all about love. I guess the love is applicable to only some people. But you've enlightened me otherwise.
I guess those pastors who you encourage to stand up and fight this "monstrous thing" should hear your rally cry and unite. But caution to pastors here in America: That same government that you think should not adapt to providing protection and equality, is the same government that in 1954 made the EXTREME and RADICAL decision to allow you to be tax exempt. How terrorist of you.
Dillon