Just now practically everyone in the Christian blogosphere is writing and commenting about the recent Jamey Rodemeyer suicide. Here two Christians (in a conversation as organic to the Internet as any blog could be) discuss that very matter.
Just now practically everyone in the Christian blogosphere is writing and commenting about the recent Jamey Rodemeyer suicide. Here two Christians (in a conversation as organic to the Internet as any...
Just now practically everyone in the Christian blogosphere is writing and commenting about the recent Jamey Rodemeyer suicide. Here two Christians (in a conversation as organic to the Internet as any...
AMHERST, N.Y. — Police investigating the suicide of a bullied gay teenager said Tuesday that offensive comments he endured online and at school couldn't be...
NEW YORK — Daniel Radcliffe is explaining why he has just filmed a public service announcement for The Trevor Project, the leading organization focusing on...
Today in many churches all across this nation, we continue to indoctrinate innocent children in the practice of homophobia. These children grow up with a desire to please God, and in doing so they become the Rick Perrys of the world.
When the news reports another innocent child driven to take their own life because of homophobia and bullying, I wonder if that kid is one of the many who have written to me. And more than that, I wonder if it is "my kid."
Thirteen years ago Matthew Shepard was clinging to life as a result of a brutal, anti-gay attack. It was only a few weeks prior to Matthew's attack that I was contemplating suicide, having endured years of anti-gay bullying and torment.
I know how you feel -- six years ago, I was where you are now. I felt isolated, scared, damaged; I thought the only way out was by ending my life. I'd been hiding who I was for years by that point.
There are always myriad causes behind suicide. But that that does not alter the fact that the root cause of these tragedies is a strain of Christianity that continues to insist that homosexuality is an evil affront to God.
"I still love you, son." That's what his father says after a painful silence. How lucky for that soldier, to hear that response from his dad. How lucky for us, to get to see what the unconditional love of a father really looks like.
This article is my third in less than three years about teen bullying and the tragedy of suicide among LGBT youth. Today, I write an almost identical article with practically the same statistics that I have written for the past two years.
What is needed to create real change is real action on the part of our heterosexual citizenry. After all, these are your children who are driving other kids to suicide. Where are they learning that it's "OK to hate"?
A result of the bullying it is Sad that those evangelicals would think that the their middle eastern god is ok with some suicides and expecially at those who have developed sexually differently.
Bullying in general is an accepetable American pasttime for any young man who is different and not necessarily gay. We've been fed since infancy that America appreciates red blooded men who are all alike.
joedas: A result of the bullying it is Sad that those
Second, the thing about being born gay, well where is the proof? To date there has been no "gay gene" and all the evidence points rather to nurture rather than nature. Third, Homosexuality is not an identity it is an action, having gay sex or straight sex does not define me as a person, lastly, those Christians suffering from Homosexual tendencies are called to be chaste people just like straight people, the gay movement promotes sexual promiscuity not anything loving. It would be like saying Playboy promotes monogamous lifelong marriages it is ludicrous. To me a man having sex with multiple men is just as sinful as a man having sex with multiple women.
Andrew_James_Herrera: Second, the thing about being born gay, well where is
The burden of proof is on you. Millions of gay people exist and they all insist they never chose their attractions, only whether or not to act on them. You are insisting they are all lying or delusional. YOU prove it. All the evidence does not point to nurture. You have stated the opposite of the truth. The rest of your post is also nothing but false premises, in other words, lies. Myself and several other gay people I know are all in long term relationships. I have NEVER cheated on someone while in a relationship, but I can't say the same for some straight people I know. Also, I still IDENTIFIED as gay, even as a young girl, having never so much as kissed another woman. I knew I was attracted to women and not men. That is an identity. I don't agree that any one religion should be to blame for this, but religion has a lot to do with the reasoning some people have to be anti-gay.
Erin84: The burden of proof is on you. Millions of gay
Furthermore there are absolutely no valid, rational grounds upon which to insist I cannot act on my attractions and feelings toward the person I love. None. And to compare that to sleeping around or cheating is ridiculous.
Erin84: Furthermore there are absolutely no valid, rational grounds upon which
How more Anti-Christian can you get? I wonder if someone wrote an article Titled "Does Islam promote terrorism?" how much flak it would get from the Liberal fanboys here bashing Christianity.
Andrew_James_Herrera: How more Anti-Christian can you get? I wonder if someone
I don't think Christians should be blamed for bullying. Parents should. I teach my 4 children that God loves EVERYONE and it is NOT our place to judge in ANY capacity. We must love our fellow man as Jesus loves us. God made ALL things possable including any/all diversity. Shame on these parents for hiding behind their religions! If I EVER heard HATE coming from the pulpit like what was in this video. . . . God gave me the legs to get up and walk out on that sermon!
Lucy_Duck: I don't think Christians should be blamed for bullying. Parents
Are christians culpable in gay teen suicides? No
Are christians culpable for high un-employment? No
Are christians culpable for natural disaters? No
Are Christians culpable for failing economy? No
Are Christians ...............for crime on the rise? No
Are Christians................for all the evil in the world? No
So on and so on.......
Adonijah: Are christians culpable in gay teen suicides? No Are christians
As a straight Christian, I attempted suicide when I was in High School after false rumors spread through my school and through my church that I was guy. My pastor believed those rumors. My pastor told me that gays go to hell and he refused to meet with me again. It's a miracle that I'm still alive. The kid who started the rumor attended my church. Everyone who bullied me in school and in church was a Christian. I'm still a Christian and I don't believe "Christianity" per se is culpable in gay teen suicides but I know firsthand that there are a lot of Christians who ARE culpable in gay teen suicides.
Ken_Scherer: As a straight Christian, I attempted suicide when I was
I'm supa sorry that happened to you. God bless you. I too am glad you are alive and well. I regret my comment. The word "Christian" has a diff meaning to many ppl. When I use the word Christian, I mean a follower of Jesus Christ. A loving, divine Savior. And what happened to you and to others is NOT the loving behavior of a TRUE follower of Christ, (real Christian). A lot things are done in the name of "Christianity" that is NOT right. Again, I'm sorry for what happened to you.
Adonijah: Wow! I'm supa sorry that happened to you. God bless
Christians aren't entirely culpable in gay teen suicides rate but do play a significant role. More Christians need to come out and defend Love. God would never want you to discriminate. In the end if you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem.
lerizzle: Christians aren't entirely culpable in gay teen suicides rate but
Gonna make my own comment on this. We can't pin anti-gay bigotry solely on religious people, but we'd be kidding ourselves to say they aren't a huge part of it. And in case anyone misunderstands me, I'm not saying all religious people, just those who hide behind religion to bash gays. Conservative family groups often use the fact that many LGBT youth commit suicide to support their claim that people should suppress or even try to change their sexuality if they're gay. It is really disgusting that they can't admit LGBT are facing depression because of people who refuse to accept them as decent, normal people. And if gay-friendly, humble, kind Christians, in other words *real Christians* refuse to speak up when other so called Christians make these hateful statements, they can add themselves as having a small part of the culpability.
Erin84: Gonna make my own comment on this. We can't pin
This video is incredible. They keep saying that being gay is wrong, sinful, etc., etc.--and they say at the same time they're not responsible for gay teens committing suicide! I can't comprehend how they so steadfastly shut their eyes to the connection! If you were told, over and over, that you're no good, you're an abomination in the eyes of God.... do you think that would have any positive effect on your self image or feelings of self worth? At the very least they are terrible, terrible students of human psychology. At worst they're the worst kind of hypocrites.
Coz_McRae: This video is incredible. They keep saying that being gay
I doubt any of you actually sat down with a gay teen who was verbally abused and or teased by some religious person , an adult, (bullied I call it) and really listen to how it effected them. I have. A number of my kid's friends told me horror stories of this kind of abuse. Abuse done by their parents and ministers. Adults. These kids were told things that no human should ever have to hear. Things so degrading that it is compleatly disgusting. Things that made me want to barf. And that is not easy to do since i am a RN and use ot disgusting things. I had a couple of them breakdown and cry and i had to comfort them till they calmed down. This Abuse that should be punished. If not by being arrested, then by fines or community service or something. It should not be just "let go" as freedom of speech. Verbally abusing a child is not freedom of speech . it is evil.
Atwill: I doubt any of you actually sat down with a
I was a gay teen who suffered bullying first hand. There are ways to make positive changes, and there are consequences those who perpetrate this verbal abuse will have to face. I have made more responses under your other comments. Fines and community service are still government-mandated punishment. We are not going to get anywhere in this fight by alienating people's rights. Just as they have a right to say those things, we have a right to show them how wrong they are and the harm of their actions. Please read over what I've said and make an attempt to understand it because you are fulfilling the usually false accusations levied at gay supporters by anti-gays of attempts to infringe on freedom of speech and belief. We're not going to win over people on the fence who want to do the right thing by sinking to the level of those who hurt us.
Erin_Scott: I was a gay teen who suffered bullying first hand.
my son's boyriend was also the victim of gay bashing , twice, in high school. thank god my kid was there to stop it, both times. And my kid, and his BF both told me one of the times the bashers were spouting off stupid biblcal nonsense. which they oboviously heard in a church and or from a minister and their parents. True, these were other teens who did the bashing, but they heard it from adults. Agian, if you want to stand up for the rights of adults to verbally abuse gay teens and to promote violence towards them and suicide, great. Go for it. I will not. You'd feel different if you had a kid.
Atwill: my son's boyriend was also the victim of gay bashing
The rightwing lunatics cherry pick obscure passages from the bible to denounce Gays. Gay christian teens are bombarded with messages of how they are "immoral" and evil simply for being the way they were born.
The rights whole argument on why they are so content to spew hatred upon Gays falls apart if you actually believe in their faith. For some reason the "fact" that God created all beings and therefore he actually did create Gay teens seems to be convientley left out of any conversation with how Gay teens come to be........
And none of them can somehow explain that it is ok to swear alligence to the passages that "justify" hatred of Gays yet they don't seem to adhere to the directives to kill their kids who talk back, women who wear "baubles" or their wives on wedding nights if they are not virgins........
PLAYS_WELL_WITH_OTHERS: The rightwing lunatics cherry pick obscure passages from the bible
but if you tell them of those passages, they wave them away , "Those do not count anymore." oh really? so you are admitting that the Bible is not perfect. right? "Oh no, it is." but you just said. it goes on and on. It's like telling a dog to not piss on a tree. as soon as your back is turned... there he goes.
Atwill: but if you tell them of those passages, they wave
all states , in thier state constitution, have a section where they spell out who can and cannot be abused/ harrassed because ofertian reason. Race, religion...etc. Many states include sexual orientation. Calif, where I am, is one. so why is it that a minister / religious leader, at his place of work, the church, can say hurtful things to gays and about gays, clearly breaking the law and the constitution of their state? Are they above the law? Isn't telling a gay teen, who is under age, "You are an abomination and will burn in hell and God hates you and you are evil" child abuse? Seems to me if you say these things to a gay teen, under age , it should be. And it should be agaisnt the law. Funny, i just dont like child abuse. Of any form. Even verbal. I didnt know freedom of speech allowed verbal abuse to a child. I guess I am a minority on that.
Atwill: all states , in thier state constitution, have a section
1 in 4 children now lives below the poverty line in this country, as well. Children wield no money or power, and are therefore of little interest in this country.
pavementends42: 1 in 4 children now lives below the poverty line
No. People are responsible for their own actions. I in no way shape or form condone hateful or violent actions against ANYONE for any reason. That said, while it can be said that some groups of christians us derogatory language which I dont condone, merely holding a Biblical viewpoint about what is sinful behavior and what isnt should not be grounds for condemnation either for the christian or the LGBT community. Everyone according to Christianity is a sinner no one person is any better than anyone else.
detroitblkmale30: No. People are responsible for their own actions. I in
yet no one , religious leaders i mean , are going around saying to teens, "You are going to burn in hell because you are fat, or ugly or have glasses or a nerd or...etc." no, these religious leaders ONLY say this crap to gay teens. If religious leaders condemed other thigns that are also in the bible, id say ... well not ok, ... but i'd feel it was more even.
Atwill: yet no one , religious leaders i mean , are
That's not comparable. Even you would argue that you cannot change being gay. You can change being fat, ugly wearing, glasses and being a nerd. Additionally religious leaders do warn against sinful behavior to teens such as lying, cheating, stealing, drinking(being drunk) drugs, sex before marriage etcetcetc. So they do condemn plenty of other things
detroitblkmale30: That's not comparable. Even you would argue that you cannot
Well said. Unfortunately, however, you are not totally correct: while everyone is ultimately responsible for their own actions, it is naive to think that one's actions are made in a vacuum. You need to take ownership of those aspects of Christianity that you don't condone because as long as you claim that those people are not the same as you, you act un-Christian by allowing bad things to happen. There is a continuum of h*t* towards LGBT people that is promoted by certain kinds of Biblical viewpoints. This continuum promotes, in turn, bullying and violence. When you stand aside and allow that to happen because you agree with the Biblical viewpoint of the attackers, you give tell them that you approve of what they are doing.
And please don't forget, blkmale, that the Bible condones slavery. We consider that practice barbaric today. Where would you be if we blindly accepted the Bible as the one and only guide to how we should actually live?
8arrows: Well said. Unfortunately, however, you are not totally correct: while
Thanks but I cannot take ownership for people that I do not agree with. If you are white do you take ownership for white supremacists? Of course you dont.The proper response is to condemn or call out their actions as inappropriate, but not to take "ownership" of them as being part of the white race and therefore something is inherently wrong about being white because you have this blemish. You can as many churches do, believe that same sex acts are sins without hating people or creating a culture of violence. Thats a wide spectrum. Its a much larger context of hate to LGBT than just the church. Afterall where are the high numbers of bullying and suicides for all the other things the Bible preaches against?
Please,the slavery comparison is not comparable. The Bible doesnt command slavery, nor was it commanded in perpetuity nor was it extended to all people nor modern times. It was utilized "Biblically" is modern times incorrectly and it includes passages in the NT calling for liberty of slaves. So not so cut an dry there my friend. It was the largely Christian abolitionists who used those passages to end slavery. I'd be right where I am now.
detroitblkmale30: Thanks but I cannot take ownership for people that I
Your comment was removed for some reason, but here is my reply..
An abomination is a sin. When you have statistics that those who follow the Bible closely, accounting for other factors, are still more likely to commit domestic violence then I will believe you. The Bible says women should submit ultimately to their husbands, it does not say they are inferior. Women carry out some of the most important work of the gospel in the Bible, birth of Jesus, saving the Jewish people,being the first to see Jesus after his resurrection even when the male desciples didnt believe and had given up hope, ministry and church expansion following is death, many more.
I dont need to take ownership because religion is a choice. Are you taking ownership of the white supremacists who live in your state? I mean you can choose to move cant you? You confuse two issues. The first is violence and hatred against the LGBT community. I will speak out against that. The second is "bigotry" which by that term I assume you mean failure to support same sex actions, which I as the majority of Christian denominations around the world believe are sinful. I will never embrace those.
it isnt my place to say whether someone is a Christian or not if one I dont have all of the information(accepted Christ as their savior)
The law never extended slavery to all generations, or all people regarding slavery. So no you cant.
detroitblkmale30: Your comment was removed for some reason, but here is
Bullying in general is an accepetable American pasttime for any young man who is different and not necessarily gay. We've been fed since infancy that America appreciates red blooded men who are all alike.
Come on man;
Without the true innate purpose of human life, any man is blind.
Yea;
Have ears and eyes open, all you care;
Without true innate life purpose initiation, all you hear and see is despair.
No;
No one can transgress a man already initiated to man's innate goal,
To non-initiated, however, -teen,- instead of divine living, life’s a hole.
Are christians culpable for high un-employment? No
Are christians culpable for natural disaters? No
Are Christians culpable for failing economy? No
Are Christians ...............for crime on the rise? No
Are Christians................for all the evil in the world? No
So on and so on.......
I'm supa sorry that happened to you. God bless you. I too am glad you are alive and well. I regret my comment. The word "Christian" has a diff meaning to many ppl. When I use the word Christian, I mean a follower of Jesus Christ. A loving, divine Savior. And what happened to you and to others is NOT the loving behavior of a TRUE follower of Christ, (real Christian). A lot things are done in the name of "Christianity" that is NOT right. Again, I'm sorry for what happened to you.
Yes. Emphatically so. Except, of course, they aren't real Christians in the first place.
Is this really the right question?
The video explains why.
The rights whole argument on why they are so content to spew hatred upon Gays falls apart if you actually believe in their faith. For some reason the "fact" that God created all beings and therefore he actually did create Gay teens seems to be convientley left out of any conversation with how Gay teens come to be........
And none of them can somehow explain that it is ok to swear alligence to the passages that "justify" hatred of Gays yet they don't seem to adhere to the directives to kill their kids who talk back, women who wear "baubles" or their wives on wedding nights if they are not virgins........
And please don't forget, blkmale, that the Bible condones slavery. We consider that practice barbaric today. Where would you be if we blindly accepted the Bible as the one and only guide to how we should actually live?
Please,the slavery comparison is not comparable. The Bible doesnt command slavery, nor was it commanded in perpetuity nor was it extended to all people nor modern times. It was utilized "Biblically" is modern times incorrectly and it includes passages in the NT calling for liberty of slaves. So not so cut an dry there my friend. It was the largely Christian abolitionists who used those passages to end slavery. I'd be right where I am now.
An abomination is a sin. When you have statistics that those who follow the Bible closely, accounting for other factors, are still more likely to commit domestic violence then I will believe you. The Bible says women should submit ultimately to their husbands, it does not say they are inferior. Women carry out some of the most important work of the gospel in the Bible, birth of Jesus, saving the Jewish people,being the first to see Jesus after his resurrection even when the male desciples didnt believe and had given up hope, ministry and church expansion following is death, many more.
I dont need to take ownership because religion is a choice. Are you taking ownership of the white supremacists who live in your state? I mean you can choose to move cant you? You confuse two issues. The first is violence and hatred against the LGBT community. I will speak out against that. The second is "bigotry" which by that term I assume you mean failure to support same sex actions, which I as the majority of Christian denominations around the world believe are sinful. I will never embrace those.
it isnt my place to say whether someone is a Christian or not if one I dont have all of the information(accepted Christ as their savior)
The law never extended slavery to all generations, or all people regarding slavery. So no you cant.